The Intelligence from The Economist

End run: Silicon Valley Bank

<p>An old-fashioned bank run has caused American regulators to intervene <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/03/13/americas-government-steps-in-to-protect-depositors-at-silicon-valley-bank?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">in a big way</a> to save the bank’s depositors. We ask what went wrong, and what risks the fix will pose. Today America, Australia and Britain will cement <a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2021/09/25/aukus-reshapes-the-strategic-landscape-of-the-indo-pacific?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a military alliance</a> designed to confront an increasingly assertive China. And an Ethiopian prince buried among English kings <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/02/23/how-an-ethiopian-prince-came-to-be-buried-at-windsor-castle?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reignites</a> questions about cultural restitution.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

A vote for Ukraine: why Estonia’s election matters

<p>The world’s biggest military donor to Ukraine, relative to GDP, is Estonia. Kaja Kallas, its prime minister, just won a <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/03/06/ukraines-most-committed-backer-wins-a-huge-election-victory-in-estonia?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">resounding victory</a> in an election that was effectively a referendum on continued support for Ukraine. Why some <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/03/06/south-korea-has-a-plan-to-end-its-forced-labour-feud-with-japan?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">South Koreans</a> are unhappy at a deal to compensate citizens forced to work for Japanese companies. And looking back at the often painful life of the <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/03/09/justin-schmidt-made-a-lifetime-study-of-insects-that-attack-us" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">King of Sting</a>.</p><p><em>Additional audio taken from ReThinking with Adam Grant published by TED Audio Collective</em></p><br><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Not so Pacific: the frightening prospect of war over Taiwan

<p>The risk of a Sino-American war over <a href="https://www.economist.com/special-report/2023/03/06/taiwan-is-a-vital-island-that-is-under-serious-threat?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Taiwan</a> appears to be growing. Our diplomatic editor assesses the frightening prospects and possible damage. <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/03/02/mexicos-government-has-attacked-the-countrys-electoral-watchdog?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mexicans</a> protest the weakening of the country’s independent elections agency. And why Connecticut has been exonerating those accused of <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/03/02/why-connecticut-is-exonerating-witches?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">witchcraft</a> nearly four centuries ago.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Home affairs: America’s revealing property market

<p>Economists and politicians around the world are consumed with one question: is the world headed for a recession, or a relatively soft landing? We’ll tell you what clues the <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/03/01/americas-property-market-suggests-recession-is-on-the-way?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">American property market</a> offers. Why China’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2021/05/13/chinas-football-troubles-reflect-broader-issues-within-the-economy?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">football team</a> can’t seem to find its feet. And why <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/02/23/at-young-thugs-blockbuster-trial-rap-lyrics-are-used-as-evidence?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">rap lyrics</a> are increasingly treated as confessions of guilt in American courts.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Bakhmut point: Ukraine readies a counter-offensive

<p><a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/03/06/ukraine-is-building-up-its-forces-for-an-offensive?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ukraine</a> is using a torrent of Western arms and training to prepare for a spring offensive. We learn why being on a corporate board of directors—or recruiting for one—is <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/02/23/demands-on-corporate-boards-are-more-intense-than-ever?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">more difficult than ever</a>. And we ask why one particular <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/02/28/how-vivaldis-four-seasons-came-to-be-ubiquitous?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">composition of Vivaldi’s</a> has become ubiquitous.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Hedge of allegiance: South Africa’s diplomatic shift

<p>A policy of ambiguity is swiftly shifting; the country is <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/02/19/why-south-africa-is-drifting-into-the-sino-russian-orbit?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">falling</a> into a Sino-Russian orbit at just the time it needs the most help from Western allies. How learning to <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/02/16/volunteers-teach-debating-skills-to-americas-incarcerated?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">debate</a> can improve the lives of those inside and released from New York City’s biggest prison. And meeting a street artist who decorates the wreckage of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second city.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Seed of doubt: venture capital tightens up

<p>A slump in tech is driving investors to <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/03/02/the-tech-slump-is-encouraging-venture-capital-to-rediscover-old-ways?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">rediscover old ways</a>. Out are the cash-splashing long bets; in are smaller, profitable, strategic firms. Nigeria’s election was pitched as the most transparent ever. <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/03/01/bola-tinubu-nigerias-political-kingmaker-wins-a-flawed-election?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">It was not</a>. We ask what is likely to happen now. And <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/02/23/the-rise-of-chilli-crisp-is-a-study-in-how-foods-become-fads?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">chilli crisp</a>, a Chinese condiment with a deep history, is a study in how foods become fads.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Losing the threads: Bangladesh

<p>Shifts in the garment industry, which powered development in the country, represent one risk; meagre currency reserves are another. Yet nothing so <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/03/01/bangladeshs-economic-miracle-is-in-jeopardy?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">imperils</a> Bangladesh’s economic miracle as graft and patronage at the highest levels. How does North Korea afford its flashy weapons programme? Crypto scams of <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/02/22/north-korean-hackers-stole-a-record-17bn-of-crypto-last-year?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">eye-watering scope</a>. And the <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/02/20/a-bbc-monitoring-station-that-listened-in-on-the-world-is-being-sold?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">newsmaking history</a> of BBC Monitoring’s radio translators.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The belt buckles up: China’s grand plan slims

<p>The Belt and Road initiative to encircle much of the world with Chinese-funded, Chinese-built infrastructure is growing <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/02/22/xi-jinpings-next-overseas-lending-revolution?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">leaner and more penny-wise</a>. But its ambitions are undimmed. Energy-market turmoil has given a boost to the green transition—a boost that has come with <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/02/16/the-world-wont-decarbonise-fast-enough-unless-renewables-make-real-money?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hard truths</a> about the shift’s costs. And a television show about Jesus Christ becomes an <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/02/08/a-television-show-about-jesus-christ-has-become-an-unlikely-hit?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">unlikely hit</a>.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Let’s remake a deal: Brexit and Northern Ireland (again)

<p>Since Brexit’s earliest days, the trade status of Northern Ireland and its border with the Republic of Ireland have been a perilous sticking point. We examine a deal that might—<a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/02/27/the-new-brexit-deal-is-the-best-britain-can-expect-support-it?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">and should</a>—resolve matters at last. Our correspondent looks at all the plush office space being converted into <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/02/09/city-centres-from-offices-to-family-homes?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">family homes</a>. And an obituary for the ruined city of <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/02/23/gradually-the-besieged-city-of-bakhmut-is-being-abandoned-by-everyone?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bakhmut</a> in eastern Ukraine.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><br><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Has Obi won, can Obi? Nigeria’s elections

<p>Excitement still surrounds the spoiler candidate <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/02/16/nigeria-desperately-needs-a-new-kind-of-leadership?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Peter Obi</a>, whose down-to-earth ways appeal to a large constituency of fed-up youths. We look at the early returns. A year ago Olaf Scholz, Germany’s chancellor, announced a <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/02/23/a-year-on-olaf-scholzs-promise-of-transformation-is-only-partly-kept?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tremendous shift</a> in defence policy and funding; we ask how far the warship has turned since then. And remembering Queen Elizabeth I’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/02/16/william-byrd-was-a-favourite-composer-of-elizabeth-i?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">favourite composer</a>.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

A year of war: a Ukraine special

<p>After a year of a conflict that was predicted to last just days, we examine the battle lines—seeing an <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/02/23/russias-vaunted-second-offensive-is-a-damp-squib?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">opportunity for Ukraine</a> that may not come around again. We look at the strains on <a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2023/02/20/the-invasion-has-stalled-but-putins-war-on-dissent-marches-on?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Russian civil society</a> by speaking with self-exiled citizens. And one Ukrainian woman who returned to Kharkiv tells us how the war has changed her.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The prices fight: conflicting views on inflation

<p>Markets seem to think the worst is over; central bankers are <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/02/16/inflation-will-be-harder-to-bring-down-than-markets-think?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">not so sure</a>. We ask why determining the trajectory of inflation is so difficult. Millions of refugees have poured out of Ukraine since the war began; their <a href="https://www.economist.com/interactive/international/2023/02/22/ukrainian-refugees-remain-in-limbo?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">uncertain futures</a> make setting up home tricky—for them and their host countries’ governments. And how technology is <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/02/02/the-sport-of-ice-fishing-is-being-transformed-by-technology?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">transforming</a> the sport of ice fishing.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Fire and grim tone: Putin’s and Biden’s speeches

<p>President Joe Biden’s riposte to <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/02/21/vladimir-putin-pulls-russia-out-of-its-last-nuclear-arms-control-treaty?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the bellicose speech</a> of his counterpart Vladimir Putin was a study in contrast. We examine their views on Ukraine and ask how a lasting peace could be secured. We speak with an exiled Chinese blogger trying to get the truth about that conflict into his homeland. And why the young are <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/02/09/japanese-workers-are-seeking-higher-wages-overseas?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">leaving Japan</a> to seek greater fortunes abroad.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The air of their ways: South Asia’s crippling pollution

<p>Particulate matter is shortening lives and hobbling economies in the region. We ask how policy changes and international collaboration could mitigate the suffering as <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/02/13/india-and-pakistan-are-choking-on-each-others-pollution?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the pollution spreads</a>. Our correspondent meets with two Russian men who, fearing being drafted, made a <a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2023/01/23/the-russian-draft-dodgers-who-fled-to-alaska-in-a-dinghy?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hair-raising journey</a> by dinghy from their homeland’s far east. And why Seventh Day Adventists seem to <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/02/19/christian-californians-may-have-a-solution-to-americas-obesity?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">live longer lives</a>. </p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

What it is in aid of: Syria’s earthquake response

<p>The country’s war-torn north-west has been getting far less aid than it needs in the earthquakes’ aftermath. We investigate <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/02/16/bashar-al-assad-does-not-want-to-let-a-calamity-go-to-waste?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the dilemma</a> of lifting long-running international sanctions. Housing prices are slipping across the rich world, but South Korea’s unusual property market makes that slide <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/02/09/south-koreas-housing-crunch-offers-a-warning-for-other-countries?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">far more perilous</a>. And what three decades’-worth of data reveal about <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2023/02/03/max-martin-knows-how-to-create-a-number-one-hit?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">crafting a pop hit</a>.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Give fast, spry young: the new philanthropists

<p>Charitable giving is <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2023/02/09/how-a-tide-of-tech-money-is-transforming-charity?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">being disrupted</a> by the same youthful tech folk who got rich disrupting other sectors: these days it is fast, data-driven and bureaucracy-light. We meet a <a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2022/08/04/inside-trading-how-prisoners-in-america-got-into-stocks?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">new class of investors</a> who trade shares from behind bars. And reflecting on the life of <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/02/16/maya-widmaier-picasso-helped-to-revive-her-fathers-creativity?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Maya Widmaier-Picasso</a>, who spent her childhood painting alongside her father, becoming an expert on his work.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Independence fray: Scotland’s leader steps down

<p>Nicola Sturgeon is bowing out after shaping a party that has defined itself on the notion of Scottish independence. <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/02/15/nicola-sturgeons-resignation-is-part-of-britains-great-moderation" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">What now</a> for Scotland and for Britain more broadly? Our correspondent says that France’s protests against pension reform are about <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/02/06/why-france-is-arguing-about-work-and-the-right-to-be-lazy?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">far more</a> than the stereotype of being workshy. And the surprising information spies could gather from your home’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2023/01/25/wi-fi-signals-could-prove-useful-for-spies?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Wi-Fi router</a>.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Haley to the chief? A long-shot candidacy begins

<p>Nikki Haley, a former governor of South Carolina and UN ambassador, has <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/02/14/nikki-haleys-bid-illustrates-the-problems-of-the-republican-party?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">declared</a> her 2024 presidential candidacy. We assess her chances and survey the field. Intimidation and financial pressure are <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/01/13/the-arab-worlds-rulers-have-turned-journalists-into-courtiers?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">quashing journalism</a> in the Arab world. And a new film <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/02/08/eo-imagines-what-it-means-to-be-a-donkey?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tenderly imagines</a> what it means to be a donkey.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

End-Gulfed: Preparing for a post-oil future

<p>The petrostates of the Gulf are modernising their economies, growing more tolerant and liberalising their <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/02/09/arab-petrostates-must-prepare-their-citizens-for-a-post-oil-future?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">social contracts</a> as they prepare for a world run on fewer hydrocarbons—but who will be left behind? A <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/02/02/chinas-byd-is-overtaking-tesla-as-the-carmaker-extraordinaire?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Chinese maker</a> of electric vehicles prepares to steal a march on Tesla. And a look at Britain’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/01/30/britains-newest-islets-are-made-of-wet-wipes?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">newest islands</a> reveals they are made of wet wipes.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Toil and rubble: a report from Turkey

<p>Our correspondent visits town after devastated town. Poorly enforced building codes are <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/02/12/turkeys-earthquakes-show-the-deadly-extent-of-construction-scams?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">one clear factor</a> in the rising death toll—and a political backlash looms. Britain’s productivity problem is at least partly a problem with bad managers; we look at the substantial <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/01/31/for-britain-to-grow-faster-it-needs-better-managers?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">gains to be had</a> from better-run companies. And the valuable data to come from an ambitious, national-scale <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/01/25/how-to-conduct-a-sex-survey?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sex survey</a>.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

A chance at renewal: Nigeria’s coming election

<p>Young voters are fired up and the electoral system has been strengthened, but Nigeria’s challenges are considerable. We explore why <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/02/02/nigerias-presidential-race-goes-down-to-the-wire?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">this month’s vote</a> offers an opportunity to turn the country around. Our correspondent says that China’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/01/02/what-the-great-reopening-means-for-china-and-the-world?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">economic reopening</a> may have limited effects outside China. And why some psychotherapists object to how films and TV shows <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/01/31/a-wave-of-films-and-television-shows-is-exploring-psychotherapy?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">portray</a> their work.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Long division: America’s busy state legislatures

<p>America’s Congress may be gridlocked, but its <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/01/24/congress-is-gridlocked-americas-statehouses-are-very-much-not?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">state legislatures </a>certainly aren’t. The laws they’ll pass this year will probably impact more people more directly than anything Congress does, with just a fraction of the public attention. Why things are looking up for <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/02/02/things-are-looking-up-for-meta?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Meta</a>. And reflecting on the legacy and achievements of <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/02/05/pervez-musharraf-was-one-of-pakistans-better-dictators?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pervez Musharraf</a>, Pakistan’s former president.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><br><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Bot the difference: AI and the future of search

<p>The race for <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/01/30/the-race-of-the-ai-labs-heats-up%20?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">AI supremacy</a> is on. Microsoft, Google, Baidu and a host of smaller firms are all placing bets on the technology’s future. Which version emerges on top may well determine how people find information online for decades to come. <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/01/19/the-rise-of-the-uber-luxurious-office?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Luxury offices</a> are a bright spot in the commercial real-estate doldrums. And why inflation is stalking Europe’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2023/01/27/europes-next-inflation-victim-sugary-treats?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sweet treats</a>.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Race against time: rescue efforts in Turkey and Syria

<p>Amid unthinkable <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2023/02/06/massive-earthquakes-in-turkey-and-northern-syria-kill-thousands?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">destruction and loss of life</a>, we examine the factors that will frustrate relief efforts following earthquakes in an already troubled region. As President Joe Biden prepares to welcome a new chief of staff, we speak with the author who literally wrote the book on America’s second-most-powerful government job. And Argentina’s newest musical export <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/01/26/a-new-generation-of-argentine-musicians-is-topping-the-charts?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">repurposes</a> an American genre born three decades ago.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Tony isn’t blinkin’: Sino-American relations, post-balloon

<p>American fighters shot down a <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/02/04/the-sino-american-rivalry-needs-guardrails-to-contain-small-incidents?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">balloon</a> that China says was monitoring the weather, but America insists was spying. It was a minor incident, but it highlights the relationship of a great-power rivalry with inadequate guardrails. Our correspondent visits a market in Mumbai to see what might be lost as India’s economy <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/01/05/imagine-an-india-without-hawkers?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">formalises</a>.  And some surprising—and worrying—data puncturing <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/01/26/france-sees-a-surprising-surge-in-obesity?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the myth</a> about the skinny French.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Bold eagle: America's industrial evolution

<p>As part of <em>The Economist</em>’s new series on the <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/02/02/joe-bidens-effort-to-remake-the-economy-is-ambitious-risky-and-selfish?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">remaking of the country's economy</a>, our correspondent looks at the Biden administration’s audacious industrial plans. Russia’s media outlets have been relentlessly squeezed, so many have set up newsrooms in exile; we examine the rise of “<a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/11/22/how-offshore-journalists-challenge-vladimir-putins-empire-of-lies?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">offshore journalism</a>”. And reflecting on the life of <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/02/02/gina-lollobrigidas-ambition-was-her-strength-and-her-weakness?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gina Lollobrigida</a>, a remarkable, irrepressible, impenitent Italian actress.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Poll fishing: Peru’s persistent protests

<p>The country remains <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/01/30/political-turmoil-is-tearing-peru-apart?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">riven by unrest</a> since the “self-coup” and subsequent arrest of its president in December; only an early election might bring a return to calm. Our correspondent goes shopping to discover the <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/01/16/how-the-young-spend-their-money?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">spending habits</a> of Generation Z and millennials. And examining the work of Tom Lehrer, a mathematician who was an <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/01/30/tom-lehrer-was-midwife-at-the-birth-of-modern-satire?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">unlikely midwife</a> at the birth of modern satire.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Troubled shares, troubles shared: Adani and India Inc

<p>The Adani Group, one of India’s biggest conglomerates, has come under fire from a tiny American research firm. A successful secondary share sale amid a rout in the markets leaves <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/01/31/nagging-questions-over-the-adani-empire-wont-go-away?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">many questions</a>—and proves revealing about India Inc. Our correspondent explains why Mexico is so <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/01/19/mexicos-electric-car-ambitions?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">well-placed</a> to navigate the electric-vehicle transition. And the unlikely rise of <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/01/12/how-rappers-are-strengthening-donald-trumps-movement?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">MAGA rap artists</a>.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Not shy about retiring: strikes in France

<p>Fixing the complex, creaking pension system remains central to President Emmanuel Macron’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/01/10/emmanuel-macron-unveils-his-pension-reforms?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">agenda of reforms</a>. But leaving it alone is central to French identity—so workers are striking, again, in huge numbers. Our correspondent lays out why 2023’s first earnings season is <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/01/22/big-business-is-in-for-a-rough-earnings-season?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">so gloomy</a>. And America is providing more <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/01/12/polyamory-is-getting-slivers-of-legal-recognition-in-america?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">legal protections</a> for polyamorous “throuples”.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>