The Intelligence from The Economist

The city that never slips: Beijing and covid

<p>China’s Communist Party leaders have painted themselves <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2022/05/19/the-chinese-capital-tries-to-avoid-a-lockdown?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">into a corner</a>: they cannot be seen to put the capital into lockdown, but permitting covid to spread could be catastrophic. We look into the <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2022/05/17/a-baby-formula-shortage-feeds-criticism-of-corporate-heft-and-price-gouging?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">myriad reasons</a> behind America’s sharp shortages of baby formula, and how to solve them. And why it is <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/05/19/turkmenistans-new-president-is-clamping-down-on-womens-freedoms?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">illegal</a> for women to get a manicure in Turkmenistan.</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>

Labor’s day: Australia’s election

<p>Anthony Albanese, the first Labor prime minister in a decade, has <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/05/22/what-australias-new-government-will-do?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">pledged</a> to do far more on climate change. His party’s slim win shows how Australian politics is changing. Bosses are increasingly turning to surveillance software to <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/welcome-to-the-era-of-the-hyper-surveilled-office/21809219?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">monitor employees</a> (so be careful if listening to this show during work hours). And why the fortune-telling tradition of <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2022/05/19/in-brazil-if-you-need-answers-see-a-cowrie-shell-thrower?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">shell-throwing</a> thrives in Brazil.</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>

Straight out of Orwell: Russia’s propaganda machine

<p>The Kremlin’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/interactive/international/2022/05/17/the-putin-show" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">propaganda machine</a> ensures that Russians have a much different view of the war in Ukraine than the rest of the world. Our correspondent spent a day immersed in Russian media, to learn what people there see—and what they don’t. The spectre of <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/05/14/zimbabwes-president-orders-banks-to-stop-lending" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hyperinflation</a> is once again stalking Zimbabwe. And our obituaries editor <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2022/05/19/saotome-katsumoto-insisted-that-japan-should-not-forget" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">remembers</a> a man who refused to let Japan forget its painful past.</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>

Pestilent peninsula: covid in North Korea

North Korea’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/05/17/covid-19-is-spreading-like-wildfire-in-north-korea" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">zero-covid strategy</a> appears to have failed. The country has officially acknowledged 162 cases; the true number is probably orders of magnitude more. The country’s health-care system is inadequate, and pre-existing conditions such as tuberculosis and malnutrition are rampant. With elections impending in Turkey, politicians have begun competing with each other to scapegoat <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2020/04/23/as-turkey-locks-down-refugees-are-the-first-to-suffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">refugees</a>. And why <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/05/07/why-arab-schoolboys-are-getting-trounced-by-girls" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">girls outperform boys</a> in the Arab world’s schools. <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>

It’s his party: American primaries

Five American states held primary elections yesterday. The most important were in<a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/04/30/pennsylvanias-primaries-point-to-the-future-of-american-politics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Pennsylvania</a>, where a Trump-backed candidate won the Republican gubernatorial primary. The Republican senate race remains too close to call. <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/the-spy-in-the-sky-that-sees-backwards-in-time/21809102" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Wide-area motion imaging</a> is a surveillance technique developed by the military in Iraq but now creeping into the civilian world. And why war in Ukraine is raising the price of <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/05/14/ukrainian-seasonal-workers-pick-much-of-britains-fruit" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">berries</a> in Britain. 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> <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>

Luna landing: Crypto chaos

<a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2022/05/12/the-crypto-infrastructure-cracks" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Stablecoins</a> are essential to the financial plumbing of the cryptocurrency world. They’re pegged to a real-world asset, usually the dollar. But when that peg breaks, things can turn ugly in a hurry. Much of India is suffering through a particularly blistering and costly <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/05/13/the-increasing-frequency-of-fatal-wet-bulb-temperatures" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">heatwave</a>. And Indonesians’ love of songbirds is threatening wild bird populations within and beyond Indonesia itself. 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> <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 stuck in neutral: Sweden, Finland and NATO

Neither Finland nor <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/05/12/sweden-is-following-finlands-lead-on-joining-nato" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sweden </a>ever joined NATO, the Western military alliance formed in 1949: Finland for pragmatic reasons and Sweden for ideological ones. But Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has prompted both to change course. <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/facebooks-retirement-plan/21809131" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Facebook</a>’s appeal is waning – to both users and investors. And for the first time, a telescope has captured images of the <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/05/13/how-to-take-a-picture-of-a-black-hole" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">black hole</a> at the centre of our galaxy. 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> <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>

Arm Scandi: Britain’s mutual-defence pact

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s collective-defence deal with Swedish and Finnish leaders represents a shift in the European order—and Britain’s post-Brexit <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/05/14/britains-security-deals-with-finland-and-sweden-shine-a-light-on-boris-johnson?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">place in it</a>. Our correspondent visits Great Zimbabwe, a long-overlooked archaeological site of stunning proportions whose secrets are only now <a href="https://www.economist.com/interactive/christmas-specials/2021/12/18/great-zimbabwe-archaeology?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 revealed</a>. And a look at the weird sensory thrill of ASMR through a <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/05/13/the-curious-pleasures-of-asmr?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 exhibition</a>. 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> <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>

Entrenched: stalemate in Ukraine’s east

Russia’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/russia-begins-a-new-phase-of-its-war-in-ukraine/21808840?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">bid</a> to conquer the eastern region of Donbas is proceeding at a snail’s pace. All over Ukraine resistance continues and a grinding, prolonged conflict looms. Police reform remains controversial in America even two years after George Floyd’s murder. We visit two alternative-policing efforts to see how things might change. And examining the cultural chronicle tucked within Britain’s rules-of-the-road handbook. 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> <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>

It’s a family affair: Sri Lanka’s protests turn deadly

<p>Demonstrations that eventually <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/sri-lankas-prime-minister-resigns-in-the-face-of-escalating-protests/21809223?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">ousted</a> the prime minister have cost lives, but the protest mood is not fading: many want every member of the storied Rajapaksa family out of government. We examine an effort to develop <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/gps-for-the-oceans/21808966?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">undersea GPS</a> and learn why a watery sat-nav would be so useful. And why 1972 was such a <a href=" https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/05/12/brazilian-music-reached-a-crescendo-in-1972-why" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">formative year</a> for music in Brazil.</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>

Out like a Lam: Hong Kong’s new leader

<p>John Lee, the successor to Chief Executive Carrie Lam, won by a <a href="https://www.economist.com/news/2022/05/06/why-the-power-of-hong-kongs-chief-executives-is-waning?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">predictable landslide</a>: he is just the sort of law-and-order type party leaders in Beijing wanted. As the rich world emerges from the pandemic, surges in activity abound—particularly the opening of <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2022/04/23/all-over-the-rich-world-new-businesses-are-springing-to-life?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 businesses</a>. And ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest semi-finals, we hear about this year’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2022/04/25/singing-dancing-and-defending-their-country-meet-ukraines-eurovision-entry?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">entrants from Ukraine</a>.</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>

Under-armed sweat: America’s “arsenal of democracy”

<p>America accounts for the lion’s share of weaponry sent to Ukraine. But that may <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/05/07/because-of-ukraine-americas-arsenal-of-democracy-is-depleting?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">leave it short</a> of arms in onward conflicts; boosting production is not as easy as it may seem. The widespread cost-of-living crunch is <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/04/21/a-guide-to-britains-cost-of-living-crunch?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">particularly acute</a> in Britain; we visit a food bank to see how people are coping. And the surprising demographic trends <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/californias-demography-is-at-odds-with-the-old-california-dream/21809086?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">shaping</a> contemporary California.</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>

The son shines: elections in the Philippines

Voters in the Philippines choose a new president on Monday. The <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/05/07/another-ferdinand-marcos-is-set-to-become-president-of-the-philippines?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">likely winner</a> is a scion of one of the country’s most controversial families. Exxon struck oil off the coast of <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2022/03/26/guyanas-tiny-population-braces-for-a-gusher-of-petrodollars?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">Guyana</a> a few years back. How will becoming a petrostate change this small country on South America’s northern coast? And <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/05/05/australian-scientists-are-jabbing-koalas-against-chlamydia?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">koalas</a> are adorable but imperilled—by development, stray dogs and now, a quickly spreading bacterial infection. <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>

Powell’s points presentation: the Fed raises rates

Prices in America are rising faster than at any time in the past 40 years. In response, the <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/the-federal-reserve-is-causing-pain-in-financial-markets/21809132?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">Federal Reserve</a> has made its steepest interest-rate hike in 20 years. Will it be enough to tame inflation while not tipping America into recession? <a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2022/04/26/locked-down-in-shanghai-ive-caught-a-glimpse-of-our-techno-dystopian-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">Shanghai’s residents</a> are growing restive after a long lockdown. And <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/04/21/making-money-from-nelson-mandelas-name?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">Nelson Mandela’s name</a> and legacy are being used to sell a growing range of consumer goods. <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>

Stormont weather: elections in Northern Ireland

<p>Voters in the UK head to the polls for local elections tomorrow. In <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/04/28/nationalists-are-set-for-a-historic-win-in-northern-irelands-vote" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Northern Ireland</a>, a party that does not want the country to exist appears poised to win the largest number of seats. Why <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/05/08/warren-buffett-should-step-aside-for-his-chosen-successor" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a Nebraskan company</a>’s annual general meeting has become known as “the Woodstock of capitalism.” And how the art of <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/04/21/indian-cows-and-buffaloes-are-going-online" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">cattle trading</a> is getting a 21st century makeover.</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>

Roe-ing away: Abortion rights in America

<p>A leaked draft opinion shows America’s Supreme Court is ready to let states<a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/what-happens-if-americas-supreme-court-overturns-womens-right-to-abortion/21808709" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> outlaw abortion</a>. We explore the implications for American politics, and the rights of millions of American women. Around 85% of the world’s population lives in countries, often democracies at peace, where <a href="https://www.economist.com/interactive/briefing/2022/05/03/press-freedom" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">press freedom</a> has declined over the past five years. And <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2022/04/30/mimi-reinhard-typed-up-schindlers-list" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">remembering</a> the typist of Oskar Schindler’s list.</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>

ROC and a hard place: Taiwan’s lessons from Ukraine

<p>Much like Ukraine, Taiwan has a well-armed neighbour that does not think it exists as a state: China. We ask what both sides <a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/what-taiwan-can-learn-from-russias-invasion-of-ukraine/21808850?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">are learning</a> from Russia’s invasion. A heavy-handed <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2022/04/30/el-salvadors-president-has-locked-up-19000-people-in-a-month?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">string of arrests</a> following a flare-up of gang violence in El Salvador is unlikely to change matters. And an analysis <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2022/04/16/in-chilly-parts-of-europe-heatwaves-strengthen-environmentalism?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">reveals</a> the connection between weather and whether voters support climate-change legislation. </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>

General disarray: Russia’s military failures

Before the invasion of Ukraine, Russia’s armed forces were believed to be lean, modern and fighting fit. We ask why they have performed <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/04/30/how-rotten-is-russias-army?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 poorly</a>. A <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/04/30/a-turkish-court-sentences-activist-osman-kavala-to-life-in-prison?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">life sentence</a> for a Turkish activist portends heightened repression as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan heads for a tough election. And celebrating master harmonica player Toots Thielemans on the centenary of his birth. 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> <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>

Pipe down: Russia cuts gas to Poland and Bulgaria

By shutting off gas to Poland and Bulgaria, Russia has made <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/russia-cuts-off-gas-to-two-european-countries/21808988?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">an aggressive move</a> that may draw yet more European sanctions. How might the escalation end? The popularity of Singapore’s ruling party has slipped, a bit, so it has selected a <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/04/23/lawrence-wong-is-singapores-presumptive-next-prime-minister?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">kinder, gentler leader</a> ahead of elections in 2025. And why the delayed Art Biennale in Venice was <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/04/22/an-enthralling-show-inspired-by-leonora-carrington-opens-in-venice?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">worth the wait</a>. 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> <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>

Strong suits: climate litigation

<p>Activists are tired of waiting for governments and companies to act on climate change. So increasingly they’re taking the matter <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2022/04/23/lawsuits-aimed-at-greenhouse-gas-emissions-are-a-growing-trend?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">to court</a>—with success. Egypt’s leaders claim the country is open for business, but the army has a <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/04/21/why-egypt-isnt-open-for-business?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">growing stranglehold</a> on the private sector. And even the trails up Mount Everest are being <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/04/16/the-fallout-from-europes-war-reaches-the-himalayas?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">affected</a> by the war in Ukraine.</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 bird in the hand: Elon Musk buys Twitter

The world’s richest man now <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/elon-musk-is-taking-twitters-public-square-private/21808958?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">has the keys</a> to one of the most influential social-media platforms. Can it be the free-speech wonderland he is aiming for? Should it? In America marriages involving those under the age of consent remain <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/02/26/child-marriage-in-america-has-fallen-sharply-but-not-far-enough?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">surprisingly common</a>; we examine why reform remains distant. And a look at the push to <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/spacesuits-are-showing-their-age/21808842?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">redesign</a> outdated, clunky spacesuits. 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> <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>

Le Pen pusher: Macron wins again

<p>Emmanuel Macron’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/04/24/emmanuel-macron-wins-a-second-term-as-frances-president?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">re-election</a> is historic and, for many, a relief. But, as we discuss in the final instalment of our French-election series, the campaign revealed divisions that will trouble his second term, and that he must now try to heal. A <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/the-west-needs-to-send-ukraine-more-and-better-weapons/21808849?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">staggering flow</a> of foreign weaponry has been a significant factor in Ukraine’s resistance; we examine the geopolitical implications of all that hardware. And the <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/04/13/the-cost-of-personalised-number-plates-is-rising-in-britain?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">pricey phenomenon</a> of Britain’s personalised licence plates.</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>

Rwanda-on-Thames: Britain’s asylum proposal

BRITAIN’S GOVERNMENT has proposed sending asylum-seekers to <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/04/23/shipping-asylum-seekers-to-rwanda-could-wreck-the-refugee-convention" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rwanda</a>. The plan has been widely criticised as expensive and ineffective—but the greater danger is that the plan works. New research suggests that diversification, rather than boosting domestic production, may keep <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2022/04/23/new-research-spells-out-the-benefits-of-diverse-supply-chains" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">supply chains</a> resilient. And our correspondent considers the legacy of <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/04/21/charles-mingus-born-100-years-ago-was-a-unique-unruly-genius" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Charles Mingus</a>, an American composer and bassist born 100 years ago today. <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>

Knocking on hell’s Dvornikov: the battle for Donbas

<p>Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has entered a new phase, and its forces in Ukraine have a new commander—one with a history of targeting civilians. The next few weeks are likely to see huge, bloody battles for control of the eastern <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/russia-begins-a-new-phase-of-its-war-in-ukraine/21808840" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Donbas</a> region. As Sunday’s presidential run-off vote approaches our French-election series <a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2022/03/03/emmanuel-macrons-charm-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">profiles</a> the incumbent, Emmanuel Macron. And why <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/around-the-world-people-like-and-dislike-the-same-scents/21808584" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">smell</a> preferences vary little across cultures.</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>

Sana’a sunrise: A ceasefire in Yemen

<p>In Yemen, fighting between Houthi rebels and a Saudi-led coalition has led to hundreds of thousands of deaths. Recently, a <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/04/16/war-ravaged-yemen-gets-a-truce-and-dumps-a-tired-president" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ceasefire</a> has taken hold — but whether it presages the war’s end or further fighting remains unclear. A new <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/03/26/a-new-film-on-kashmir-has-found-a-fan-in-narendra-modi" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">film </a>about Kashmir has proven popular among Indian politicians, largely because it supports their Hindu-nationalist narrative. And why <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2022/03/26/why-cricket-is-gaining-popularity-in-brazil" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">cricket</a> is taking off in Brazil.</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>

In neither camp: Neutrality and war

<p>ONE-THIRD of the world’s population lives in <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/why-so-much-of-the-world-wont-stand-up-to-russia/21808737" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">countries</a> backing neither Russia nor Ukraine. The Biden administration has tried to persuade them off the fence, without much success. In Egypt, social mores make it tricky for <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/04/09/why-single-women-in-egypt-find-it-hard-to-rent-a-flat" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">women</a> to live alone—so they have devised clever tactics to avoid unwelcome attention. And why residents of New Jersey are <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/04/09/self-service-petrol-stations-hit-a-roadblock-in-new-jersey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">banned</a> from pumping their own petrol—for now.</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>

Running for cover: our Ukraine-refugees special

<p>The war in Ukraine has created the greatest flux of refugees in Europe since the second world war. We visit Poland, where the response has been <a href="https://www.economist.com/by-invitation/2022/04/16/warsaws-mayor-explains-how-his-city-is-coping-with-a-17-increase-in-its-population?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">remarkably smooth</a>, and a New York neighbourhood that is <a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2022/03/03/grief-rage-anxiety-voices-from-brighton-beach-new-yorks-russian-neighbourhood?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">no stranger</a> to émigrés from the region. And we consider the displaced who are largely overlooked: why are <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/03/26/istanbul-has-become-a-refuge-for-thousands-of-russians-escaping-putin?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 many</a> Russians exiling themselves in Turkey?</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>

Girls interrupted: Afghanistan

When the Taliban resumed power, there were hopes that women might not be as excluded, repressed and abused as they were previously. Those hopes <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/04/02/the-taliban-are-pushing-females-out-of-public-life?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">have faded</a>. As smartphone sales plateau, tech giants are furiously searching for new platforms to conquer. Augmented and virtual reality are the new <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2022/04/09/from-apple-to-google-big-tech-is-building-vr-and-ar-headsets" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">battlefields</a>. And the rise of giga-everything: how the scale of science <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/04/09/as-the-scale-of-science-expands-so-does-the-language-of-prefixes?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">drives</a> linguistic innovation. 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> <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>

Food haul: aid trickles into Tigray

<p>A ceasefire agreed weeks ago should have mitigated the suffering of starving Ethiopians <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/04/13/ethnic-cleansing-of-tigrayans-may-prolong-ethiopias-civil-war?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">caught up in war</a>; we ask why so little aid has got through. Rebuilding Ukraine’s infrastructure and economy will require <a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2022/04/16/what-will-it-cost-to-rebuild-ukraine?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">staggering sums</a>—and a vast, international plan of action. And South Africa’s lockdown-era alcohol bans had a curious knock-on effect: crippling <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/04/16/why-south-africa-is-running-out-of-marmite" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">shortages</a> of a beloved yeasty goo.</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>

Just fine: Boris Johnson and “partygate”

<p>Police have served Britain’s prime minister, among others, with a fine for breaching the lockdown rules he instituted. He may yet again emerge unscathed, but Britain’s politics is <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/boris-johnson-broke-his-own-lockdown-rules/21808734?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">damaged nonetheless</a>. Florida’s natural environment has made it one of America’s fastest-growing states, yet environmental challenges represent its <a href="https://www.economist.com/special-report/2022/03/30/florida-faces-a-triple-threat-to-its-environment?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">biggest long-term challenge</a>. And Ukraine’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/ukraines-most-famous-rock-star-is-singing-for-victory/21808451?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">most famous rock star</a> joins the war effort.</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>