Over troubled waters: Trump’s bridge-and-plant plot

This episode of The Intelligence from The Economist explores three distinct but compelling global trends. First, it delves into the escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran, with a focus on Donald Trump’s increasingly aggressive rhetoric, including threats to destroy Iran’s power plants and bridges in a single night. Middle East correspondent Greg Karlstrom details how both sides are fighting parallel wars—America and Israel targeting Iran’s military and economy, while Iran strikes at Gulf infrastructure and global markets—leading to mutual claims of victory despite strategic stalemate. The episode warns that Trump’s potential escalation, particularly targeting Iran’s entire power grid, could constitute a war crime and trigger catastrophic regional consequences, including uninhabitable cities in the Gulf. Second, the podcast examines India’s IT industry amid the AI revolution, challenging the narrative of mass job loss. Despite fears that AI agents like Anthropic’s CloudCode would displace Indian coders, the reality shows no significant disruption: headcount and revenue remain stable. Instead, the industry is evolving—shifting toward global capability centers and higher-value consulting services, with AI becoming a tool rather than a replacement. Finally, the episode explores a cultural shift among Gen Z, who are embracing traditionally 'elderly' hobbies like knitting, pottery painting, and flower arranging. Digital culture correspondent Caitlin Talbot attributes this to a yearning for nostalgia, slower-paced connection, and therapeutic benefits in an overstimulated digital world, with events like the London Creative Gals Club fostering genuine community among young adults.