The Intelligence from The Economist

Protein shake-up: getting to know Omicron

<p>The latest “variant of concern” has spread far—and <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2021/12/11/early-data-on-omicron-show-surging-cases-but-milder-symptoms?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">fast</a>. We examine what has been learned about it at equally striking speed, and ask what to look out for next. South-East Asia has long had a methamphetamine problem; so-called compulsory treatment centres are only <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/12/11/south-east-asia-is-awash-in-drugs?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">making matters worse</a>. And the effort to make a minuscule lemur <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/a-tiny-primate-may-join-the-ranks-of-the-worlds-model-organisms/21806681?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">science’s next super-model</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>

Unsafe as houses? Evergrande and China’s big plans

<p>The wildly indebted property firm has defaulted at last. That poses big risks as China’s leadership works to <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/12/11/china-courts-global-capital-on-its-own-terms?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">refashion</a> financial markets and draw in foreign investors. We visit the world’s largest lithium reserves, asking why Bolivia has not yet made the most of them—and <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/how-bolivian-lithium-could-help-fight-climate-change/21806677?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">whether it still might</a>. And the Chopin concert aimed at calming Poland’s refugee tensions.</p><p>Have your say about “The Intelligence” in our survey here </p><p><a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey</a>. And 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>

Ain’t no party: scandals hobble Britain’s government

<p>At two years into Boris Johnson’s premiership, yet more scandal ensures attention will <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/behind-the-chaos-and-scandal-of-boris-johnsons-government-lies-stasis/21806682?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">still stray from</a> the sweeping agenda of change he promised. An <a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/12/04/an-ancient-rice-bowl-complicates-the-story-of-civilisation-in-india?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">archaeological find</a> in the state of Tamil Nadu rewrites the timeline of civilisation in India—raising questions of identity in a charged political atmosphere. And the man listening intently to the <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2021/11/25/beijing-has-lots-of-birds-but-few-birdwatchers?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 variety</a> of Beijing’s birds.</p><p>Have your say about “The Intelligence” in our survey here </p><p><a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey</a>. And 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>

CDU later: Angela Merkel’s successor

For the first time in 16 years Mrs Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union is out of Germany’s government. We ask what to expect from <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/12/07/olaf-scholz-will-be-sworn-in-as-germanys-next-chancellor-on-december-8th?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">Olaf Scholz</a>, the new chancellor. China’s leadership wants to boost the birth rate but <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2021/12/04/single-mums-in-china-want-the-same-treatment-as-married-ones?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">discriminates</a> against single mothers; we examine a slow push for equality. And mental-health apps are booming, but the risks are many and the benefits uncertain. Have your say about “The Intelligence” in our survey here. <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey</a>. And 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>

Off the warpath: America 80 years after Pearl Harbour

The Japanese attack set America on a course toward military hegemony; recent administrations have walked it back. We ask <a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/what-will-america-fight-for/21806660?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">what the country would fight for</a> now. A clash of priorities between national and city-level politicians the world over makes for fraught politics on car ownership. And our columnist envisages how the office <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2021/12/04/the-office-of-the-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">will compete</a> with home in a post-pandemic world.Have your say about “The Intelligence” in our survey here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey</a>. And 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>

The first sentence of the story: Aung San Suu Kyi

<p>Myanmar’s ousted leader has been sentenced to four years in prison; more guilty verdicts are expected soon. That will only <a href="https://espresso.economist.com/8821368051493f5497eb23fa0f708dcd?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">fuel unrest</a> that has not ceased since a coup in February. Scrutiny of Interpol’s new president<a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/12/04/who-will-police-interpol?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"> adds</a> to concerns that the supranational agency is in authoritarians’ pockets. And governments <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/12/04/busan-a-south-korean-city-plans-a-floating-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">start to back</a> the “seasteading” of libertarians’ dreams.</p><p>Have your say about “The Intelligence” in our survey here </p><p><a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey</a>. And 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>

Taiwan thing after another: the Solomon Islands

<p>The archipelago’s diplomatic pivot to China has added an international dimension to the latest flare-up of domestic tensions. We ask how this tiny state figures into <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/12/04/chinese-influence-is-spurring-violence-in-the-solomon-islands?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 larger geopolitics</a>. British law permits medical cannabis for children with epilepsy—so why are <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2021/11/27/medical-cannabis-is-allowed-in-britain-for-children-with-epilepsy?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 few</a> able to get it? And a Formula 1 race <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2021/12/04/will-an-f1-race-mark-the-end-of-saudi-arabias-ban-on-alcohol?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">may mark</a> the end of Saudi Arabia’s alcohol ban.</p><p>Have your say about “The Intelligence” in our survey here </p><p><a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey</a>. And 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 blow? SCOTUS weighs abortion rights

The conservative supermajority on America’s Supreme Court looks <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/the-supreme-court-seems-ready-to-scrap-the-constitutional-right-to-abortion/21806567?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 to strip back</a> rights enshrined since the <em>Roe v Wade</em> ruling in 1973. Beset by natural disasters, Puerto Rico did not seem ready for a pandemic—but our correspondent <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/11/20/puerto-rico-success-story?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">finds</a> it has done better than the rest of America. And an <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/to-find-the-origin-of-the-oceans-look-in-outer-space/21806551?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">intriguing new idea</a> in the mystery of how Earth got its water. Have your say about “The Intelligence” in our survey here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey</a>. And 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>

The house that Jack built: Twitter’s founder departs

<p>Jack Dorsey’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/jack-dorsey-goes-square-leaving-twitter-at-a-time-of-his-choosing/21806545?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">departure</a> from the social-media giant reflects the growing primacy of engineering talent, and the waning mythology of the big-tech founder. Ukraine’s military has become much better at battling Russian-backed separatists since the annexation of Crimea—but now a far graver kind of war <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/the-ukrainian-army-has-got-better-at-fighting-russian-backed-separatists/21806546?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">looms</a>. And the Economist Intelligence Unit’s latest <a href="https://www.eiu.com/n/campaigns/worldwide-cost-of-living-2021?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">list</a> of the world’s most expensive cities.</p><p>Have your say about “The Intelligence” in our survey here </p><p><a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey</a>. And 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>

Centrifugal forces: Iran nuclear talks resume

<p>Things were all smiles after negotiations resumed—but it is <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2021/11/23/what-is-the-jcpoa-the-deal-meant-to-restrict-irans-nuclear-activity?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">difficult to see</a> how a middle ground can be reached in Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Apple’s surprise move to permit repairs to its hardware reflects the growing “right to repair” movement, and a <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2021/11/27/as-devices-morph-into-services-what-is-ownership?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">shift in the notion</a> of tech ownership. And the “<a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/11/27/in-preparing-for-disasters-museums-face-tough-choices?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">grab lists</a>” that museum curators prefer not to talk about. Have your say about “The Intelligence” in our survey here </p><p><a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey</a>. And 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>

Priority letter: the Omicron variant

<p>Governments’ rapid responses to a new coronavirus strain were wise. But much is still to be learned about the Omicron variant before <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2021/11/28/what-to-do-about-covid-19s-threatening-new-variant?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">longer-term policies</a> can be prescribed. Vietnam’s government wants to create internationally competitive firms, and a growing new <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2021/11/27/vietnam-has-produced-a-new-class-of-billionaire-entrepreneurs?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">class of billionaires</a> suggests the plan is working. And research suggests that social distancing <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2021/11/27/just-like-modern-humans-honeybees-avoid-each-other-amid-plagues?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">comes naturally</a> to bees under pathogenic threat.</p><p>Have your say about “The Intelligence” in our survey here </p><p><a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey</a>. And 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 cut-rate theory: Turkey’s currency spiral

<p>As President Recep Tayyip Erdogan keeps pushing his upside-down economic ideas, the currency plummets and an <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/erdogans-zany-monetary-experiment-is-impoverishing-turkey/21806459?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">immiserated population</a> grows restless. Sunday’s <a href="https://espresso.economist.com/4b8d5e5ec1da0fad27b786387030ecd4?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">presidential election</a> in Honduras will be a test of the country’s democracy; fears abound of the deadly protests that marred the last vote. And our obituaries editor reflects on the life of <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2021/11/27/rossana-banti-fought-to-free-italy-with-laughter-as-well-as-weapons?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">Rossana Banti</a>, a storied, lifelong anti-fascist campaigner.</p><p>Have your say about “The Intelligence” in our survey here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey</a>. And 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>

You put your left side in: Germany’s shake-about

A three-way coalition has <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/germanys-new-government-holds-great-promise/21806456?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">struck a deal</a> to govern. We ask who’s who among top ministers and what’s what on the newly centre-left agenda. A shortage of lorry drivers has sharpened Britain’s supply-chain woes; our correspondent <a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2021/09/22/petrol-pints-and-pasta-meet-one-of-the-lorry-drivers-plugging-britains-shortages?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">hitches a ride</a> with one, finding why it is such a hard job to fill. And what Maine’s new “right to food” actually means. Have your say about “The Intelligence” in our survey here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey</a>. And 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>

America’s sneezing: diagnosing global inflation

<p>Prices are up all over, especially in America. But whether the world’s largest economy is part of the problem or just suffering the same symptoms will determine <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/american-inflation-global-phenomenon-or-homegrown-headache/21806433?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">how to fix it</a>. Autocratic leaders of middling-sized countries are having a field day as America has relinquished its world-policeman role. And what makes some languages fail to develop a word for blue?</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here Have your say about “The Intelligence” in our survey here </p><p><a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey</a>. And 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>

New bid on the bloc: Europe and vaccine mandates

A Delta wave is driving restrictions and restrictions are driving <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/11/22/a-deadly-new-covid-wave-in-europe-is-met-by-popular-fury-over-lockdowns?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">unrest</a>. Vaccine mandates like that enacted by Austria may be the only way to end the cycle. We examine the dim prospects for <a href="https://espresso.economist.com/803815bbe0f321b3e4476f9af5fbe16f?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Peng Shuai</a>, a Chinese tennis star who accused a senior politician of sexual assault. And a broader view of modern art at the UAE’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/11/20/the-travails-and-bold-aims-of-the-guggenheim-abu-dhabi?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">new Guggenheim museum</a>. Have your say about “The Intelligence” in our survey here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligencesurvey</a>. And 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>

Left, right and no centre: Chile’s elections

<p>The presidential election will now go to a run-off—between candidates of political extremes. We ask how <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/11/20/chiles-voters-are-on-the-verge-of-a-terrible-mistake?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">that polarisation</a> will affect promised constitutional reform. Our correspondent visits Mali to witness the largest current Western push against jihadism, finding that governments and peacekeepers in the Sahel are <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/11/20/how-not-to-lose-the-war-on-terror-in-africa?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">losing the war</a>. And women seek a more level playing field in competitive gaming.</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>

State of profusion: governments just keep growing

<p>Some factors that drive relentless growth in state spending are eternal; some are getting stronger. Our correspondent outlines a <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/11/20/the-world-is-entering-a-new-era-of-big-government?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">big-government future</a>. We examine how MacKenzie Scott, an accidental billionaire, is <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/mackenzie-scott-is-shaking-up-the-world-of-giving/21806331?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">revolutionising</a> big-money philanthropy. And Moroccan hoteliers <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2021/11/13/hard-up-hoteliers-want-morocco-to-legalise-premarital-sex?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">rail against a law</a> that forbids beds for the unwed.</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>

Georgia undermined: protests and a hunger strike

<p>Mikheil Saakashvili, a former president, is seven weeks into a hunger strike and protests supporting him are proliferating. We ask where the country is headed. China’s state-sponsored industrial espionage is growing <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2021/11/11/china-still-steals-commercial-secrets-for-its-own-firms-profit?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">more overt and more organised</a>—and little can be done to stop it. And how to figure out the <a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/11/13/green-lit-or-greenlighted-gaslighted-or-gaslit?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">past tense</a> of verbs like “green-light” and “gaslight”.</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>

Defrost setting: the Xi-Biden summit

<p>The meeting between superpower presidents was cordial and careful, but it <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/talks-between-xi-jinping-and-joe-biden-do-not-herald-a-thaw/21806328?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">will take far more</a> than a video call to smooth such frosty relations. Europe once had an enviable international rail network—one <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/11/13/how-trains-could-replace-planes-in-europe?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">it must revive</a> if the bloc is to meet its climate targets. And the costly and sometimes <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/11/06/why-young-south-koreans-are-posing-in-their-underwear?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">dangerous lengths</a> South Koreans are going to for flattering photographs.</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>

White flagged: Cuba’s muted protests

<p>White roses, white sheets hung from homes, even white t-shirts: a movement’s symbolic colour was not much in evidence after officials quashed national protests. Part of Saudi Arabia’s plan to wean its economy off oil is to entice lots of tourists; we ask how likely that is to work. And gut bugs beget a bigger bounty of blackcurrant berries.</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>

Peronists’ peril: Argentina’s elections

<p>The ruling party got a pasting at the polls, owing in part to a <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2021/10/30/argentinas-government-has-fixed-the-price-of-1432-products?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reeling economy</a>. We ask what the opposition’s gains mean for the country. The practice of assisted dying is being enshrined in law the world over; we examine the <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/11/13/the-welcome-spread-of-assisted-dying?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ethical dimensions</a> of its spread. And why electric vehicles <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2021/10/30/a-new-study-argues-that-insufficient-infrastructure-doomed-the-first-electric-cars?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">failed</a> to keep their market dominance a century ago.</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 heat is on: COP26’s final hours

<p>The climate <a href="https://www.economist.com/climate-change" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">summit</a> in Glasgow is in its last official day, but looks sure to overrun as negotiators thrash out an agreement. When the talking’s over, what will count as success? The rise of film franchises and streaming is taking the shine off <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/how-hollywoods-biggest-stars-lost-their-clout/21806186" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hollywood’s top stars</a>. And we hatch a tale of <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2021/10/30/no-sex-please-were-condors" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">unusual births</a> among North America’s biggest birds.</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>

Putin’s defiers: repression in Russia

<p>As the economy has deteriorated and the internet has bypassed television, <a href="https://www.economist.com/interactive/repression-in-putins-russia/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">persecution of opponents</a> has become the president’s main tool of political control. Even the pandemic has been harnessed to silence dissent. An <em>Economist</em> <a href="https://www.economist.com/russia-film" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">film</a> reports on the young women standing up to Vladimir Putin. And in China, there’s a more subdued background to the <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2021/11/10/will-singles-day-chinas-black-friday-be-different-this-year" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Singles’ Day</a> online shopping splurge. </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>

Trouble at the border: Belarus and the EU

<p>Around 2,000 people from the Middle East are at the European Union’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/news/2021/11/09/what-is-happening-on-the-poland-belarus-border" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">eastern frontier</a>. Alexander Lukashenko, the autocratic Belarusian president, promised them passage to the EU. They are pawns in a long dispute and their plight is bleak. Tension is mounting in <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2021/11/06/things-are-heating-up-in-western-sahara" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">north Africa</a>, between Algeria and Morocco. And who said words were cheap? The cost of <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2021/11/06/soaring-newsprint-costs-make-life-even-harder-for-newspapers" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">newsprint</a> is soaring. </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>

Dream on: Biden and social mobility

Americans born at the bottom of the economic ladder find it harder than past generations—or their peers abroad—to climb to the top. The president has <a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2021/11/06/the-democrats-social-spending-package-cannot-repair-the-american-dream" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">plans to change that</a>. But he’s already having to scale them back. <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/how-cement-may-yet-help-slow-global-warming/21806083" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Concrete</a> may be a super-spouter of carbon dioxide, but it can go green. And a new style of book review is flourishing on <a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/11/06/booktok-has-passion-and-enormous-marketing-power" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TikTok</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>

Control the past: rewriting Chinese history

Over four days in Beijing, the political and military elite are meeting <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2021/11/06/xi-jinping-is-rewriting-history-to-justify-his-rule-for-years-to-come" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">to recast the past</a>. The revised version will depict Xi Jinping as a giant of the stature of Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping—and justify his continued rule. More Africans are <a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2021/10/30/many-more-africans-are-migrating-within-africa-than-to-europe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">migrating</a>, mostly within their own continent. And <a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/10/18/a-short-history-of-hollywoods-poison-pen-letters-to-itself" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hollywood</a> is examining its navel. It doesn’t like what it finds. <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>

Tigrayans turn the tables: Ethiopia’s war

<p>Few imagined when Ethiopia’s civil war began a year ago that the capital, Addis Ababa, would come <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/ethiopias-capital-is-under-threat/21806092" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">under threat</a> from Tigrayan rebels. We explain why the tide has turned. At this time of year, India’s deadliest environmental problem—its <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/11/06/indias-toxic-air-is-its-most-immediate-environmental-problem" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">toxic air</a>—is at its worst. And the Chinese Comminust Party is cracking down on burning <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2021/10/14/how-xi-jinpings-china-differs-from-maos" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">gifts for the dead</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>

Covering the ground: trees and COP26

<p>At the global climate summit, more than 100 countries have promised to end <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/the-world-should-prove-its-love-for-forests-by-putting-carbon-prices-on-them/21806086" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">deforestation</a> by 2030. Similar promises have been made before, but might this time be different? America’s Supreme Court dives into the thorny topics of <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/the-supreme-court-seems-poised-to-rule-against-texass-six-week-abortion-ban/21806077" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">abortion</a> and gun rights. And we report on the peculiar <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2021/10/30/how-un-staff-are-reshaping-african-cities" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">economics</a> of African cities where the UN has set up shop. </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>

Power failure: South Africa’s ANC stumbles

<p>For the first time since the end of white rule, South Africa’s governing African National Congress is set to win less than half the vote, albeit in local polls. We explain <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/amid-blackouts-south-africas-ruling-party-of-27-years-is-losing-its-grip/21806073?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">its slide in popularity</a>. After a dreadful 2020, Italy has had a happier 2021; what’s prime minister <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/italys-new-prime-minister-has-had-a-good-first-nine-months/21806085" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mario Draghi’s</a> next move? And we check out the rhythm of Bangladesh’s underground club scene.</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 Floyd factor: American police reform

<p>More than a year after George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis policeman, <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/10/30/george-floyds-city-votes-on-the-future-of-its-police-department?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the city votes</a> on an overhaul of its force. We examine America’s shifting debate over police reform. Cryptocurrencies have taken off in Cuba; but the communist authorities <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2021/10/30/cubas-communist-regime-is-trying-to-control-crypto?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">want control</a>. And light may be shed on the mystery of the reproductive habits—and extraordinary migration—of eels. </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>