The Intelligence from The Economist

Windows of opportunity: Microsoft’s AI push

<p>The once-unassailable titan of tech has missed big opportunities in recent years. But it has a reasonable shot at the title again, thanks to its <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/09/28/the-lessons-from-microsofts-startling-comeback?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">artificial-intelligence ambitions</a>. Sexual assault allegations in China made the Women’s Tennis Association take a hard line on tournaments in the country—<a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2023/09/28/after-an-unsuccessful-boycott-womens-tennis-is-back-in-china?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">for a while</a> (8:48). And why the <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/10/04/the-sycamore-gap-tree-held-a-particularly-deep-place-in-peoples-hearts?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">brutal felling</a> of an ancient tree has bothered Britons so much (16:18).</p><p><em>Additional audio courtesy of </em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@DavesWalks" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Dave's Walks</em></a></p><br><p>Sign up for <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Economist Podcasts+</a> now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited-time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a>.</p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

So the Tory goes: Britain’s Conservatives meet

<p>Divisions within the ruling party are on full display this week, and the <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/10/04/rishi-sunak-is-wrong-to-amputate-britains-high-speed-rail-line?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">provocative policies</a> Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced are unlikely to help the Conservatives’ woeful polling numbers. Early results suggest that new drugs initially prescribed for weight loss may be <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/09/14/drugs-to-treat-alcohol-addiction-are-underused?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a powerful treatment</a> for alcohol-use disorder (13:06). And a data dive reveals which countries <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2023/09/08/which-countries-get-the-best-nights-sleep?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">get the most sleep</a> (20:05)</p><br><p>Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>Visit <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence</a> to join.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a>.</p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Blown speaker: Kevin McCarthy is out

<p>Another shutdown standoff, funding worries for Ukraine, more leadership chaos: the <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/10/04/the-sacking-of-kevin-mccarthy-will-make-supporting-ukraine-harder?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">booting</a> of America’s speaker of the House of Representatives bodes ill for governance. “Jawan”, a new Indian film, is non-stop action with Bollywood flourishes—and reveals how divisions in the country <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/09/14/how-to-unite-india-bollywood-style?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 being bridged</a> (9:26). And an investigation of places where centenarians are abundant suggests healthy lifestyles are <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2023/09/28/places-claiming-to-be-centenarian-hotspots-may-just-have-bad-data?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">not the cause</a> (17:55).</p><br><p>Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>Visit <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence</a> to join.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</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>

SBF, FTX, WTF? Sam Bankman-Fried goes on trial

<p>The founder of FTX, a spectacularly failed cryptocurrency exchange, is a <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/10/03/decoding-sam-bankman-fried-alleged-titan-of-crypto-conmen?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">curious character</a>. He denies the stack of charges he faces in a New York court, but unpicking the cryptographic paper trail will be tricky. Crime in Britain is broadly in decline, with the notable exception of <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/09/22/why-shoplifting-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">increasingly brazen</a> shoplifting (10:24). And how a sports-media entrepreneur became a <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/09/28/dave-portnoy-an-internet-personality-has-become-pizzas-kingmaker?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">pizza-review star</a> (15:57).</p><p><em>Additional audio courtesy South West News Service.</em></p><br><p>Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>Visit <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence</a> to join.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</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>

They need to talk about Kevin: America’s near-shutdown

<p>The literal 11th-hour deal to avert a government shutdown is only a stopgap—and the battle may end up <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/10/01/by-averting-a-government-shutdown-kevin-mccarthy-risks-his-job?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">costing Kevin McCarthy his post</a> as leader of the House of Representatives. The uptake of electric scooters is <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/09/14/electric-two-wheelers-are-creating-a-buzz-in-asia?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">significantly outpacing</a> that of four-wheeled vehicles in Asia (10:30). And Britain’s curious “risk registers” put numbers to how the world <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/09/13/how-to-get-ready-for-the-end-of-the-world?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">might end</a> (16:47).</p><br><p>Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">limited-time offer</a>. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to <em>The Economist</em>, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</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>

When politics dictates policy: China’s faltering economy

<p> During past economic downturns, officials have been both swift and bold. This time not so much—because their hands are tied by <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2023/09/28/politics-hamper-chinas-efforts-to-stimulate-the-economy?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">knotty internal politics</a>. We ask why Latin America makes for such a useful playground for <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/09/14/latin-america-remains-a-playground-for-russian-intelligence?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Russian spies</a> (10:07). And remembering Fernando Botero, a Colombian artist who never deviated from his not-quite-comically <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/09/28/fernando-botero-became-famous-for-his-over-size-people-and-animals?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">plump figures</a> (18:16).</p><br><p>Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited-time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>Visit <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence</a> to join.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a>.</p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

A better pill to swallow: the bid to end AIDS

<p>Many of the pieces are in place to bring the disease entirely under control—but our correspondent finds <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/09/17/is-the-end-of-aids-in-sight?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">it will take more</a> than advances in medication. Japan’s government has at last begun to regulate the country’s notorious pornography; we examine a sector <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/08/19/japans-porn-industry-comes-out-of-the-shadows?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">emerging from the shadows</a> (11:07). And how China uses UNESCO world-heritage status to <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2023/09/21/how-china-uses-unesco-to-rewrite-history?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">rewrite the history</a> of its periphery (18:38).</p><br><p>Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited-time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>Visit <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence</a> to join.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a>.</p><br><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

General’s knowledge: a chat with Ukraine’s spy chief

<p>Where the defensive lines really are, the state of Russia’s reserves, battlefield tactics: Kyrylo Budanov is <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/09/17/an-interview-with-the-head-of-ukraines-defence-intelligence?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a candid interviewee</a>—but he claims to know nothing about all those drones. Gambling has been illegal in Brazil for decades, but pinched government coffers point to a <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/09/14/short-of-cash-brazils-government-may-end-its-gambling-prohibition?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">lifting of the prohibition</a> (10:42). And the passion and the profitability of “<a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/11/06/booktok-has-passion-and-enormous-marketing-power?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">BookTok</a>”, the literary end of TikTok (16:51).</p><br><p>Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>Visit <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence</a> to join.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</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 French disconnection: a retreat from Niger

<p>President Emmanuel Macron’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/09/25/why-emmanuel-macron-is-pulling-french-troops-out-of-niger?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">about-face</a> on maintaining a presence in the coup-stricken country portends a broader change in France’s relations on the continent. Shifting geopolitics is <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2023/09/19/meet-the-worlds-new-arms-dealers?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">changing the list</a> of the world’s big arms dealers (9:08). And the internet influencers <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/09/01/influencer-boxing-is-a-welcome-distraction?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">taking a swing</a> at professional boxing (16:02).</p><br><p>Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">limited-time offer</a>. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</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>

Going bump in the right: Europe’s worrisome politics

<p>Populist, right-wing parties are already in power in Hungary, Poland and Italy—and getting closer to it <a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2023/09/14/the-hard-right-is-getting-closer-to-power-all-over-europe?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">across the continent</a>. We ask why. At long last Rupert Murdoch, the patriarch of a global media empire, has <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/09/22/rupert-murdoch-isnt-going-anywhere-just-yet?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">stepped aside</a>—sort of. We examine how he will still pull the strings (09:46). And the merits of letting American pupils start school <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/09/07/americas-school-day-starts-too-early-thats-beginning-to-change?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a bit later</a> (17:39).</p><br><p>Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">limited time offer</a>. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</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>

No end in sight: how Ukraine is being shaped by a long war

<p>Reporting from the ground, our Eastern Europe editor explores how the country is bracing for a <a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2023/09/21/to-endure-a-long-war-ukraine-is-remaking-its-army-economy-and-society?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 phase of war</a>. In some ways, people have adapted, but equally the invasion has clearly taken a mental toll. Reflecting on the life of the Zulu chief turned politician <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/09/21/mangosuthu-buthelezi-had-his-own-vision-for-a-democratic-south-africa?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">Mangosuthu Buthelezi</a> (11:51). And how to <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2023/09/11/how-to-escape-from-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">get out of jail</a> (18:39).</p><br><p>Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our <a href="https://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">limited time offer</a>. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</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>

Missing in action: China’s defence minister has disappeared

<p>It would not be the first time that a member of the government has gone <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2023/09/15/the-mystery-surrounding-chinas-missing-defence-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">missing</a>, not even the first time this year. But what does this say about the leadership of the People’s Liberation Army? No one cares about Apple’s new iPhone, but the <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/09/14/apple-is-only-the-latest-casualty-of-the-sino-american-tech-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">tech giant</a> has more to worry about (09:24). And why an old-school <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/09/07/meet-the-worlds-most-enduring-product?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">motorbike</a> is still driving new hype in India (16:00).</p><br><p>Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>Visit <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence</a> to join.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</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>

Are the allegations tru deau? Canada and India’s diplomatic row

<p>The murder of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Najjar has deepened a long-running <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/09/19/a-devastating-accusation-by-justin-trudeau-against-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">spat</a> between the two countries. Will Canada’s allies be willing to get involved? It’s been 100 years since Japan’s Great Kanto <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/08/31/japan-is-preparing-for-a-massive-earthquake?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">earthquake</a>. Here’s how the country is preparing in case there is another (XX:XX). And young people’s newfound love for <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/09/01/thanks-to-morgan-wallen-country-musics-popularity-has-surged?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">country music</a> is fuelling a boom in the genre (XX:XX).</p><br><p>Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>Visit <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence</a> to join.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</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>

Argo the sequel: America and Iran’s hostage deal

<p>This is not the first time the Islamic Republic has taken foreigners <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/09/18/irans-6bn-hostage-deal-is-part-of-a-broader-diplomatic-strategy?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">hostage</a>. It’s proven an effective bargaining chip for decades and this time around, it has earned the state billions of dollars in unfrozen assets. Also, should you go for a <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/09/07/should-you-fix-your-mortgage-for-ever?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">forever-fixed mortgage</a> if you can (09:36)? And what an American chain restaurant says about the importance of <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/09/07/where-do-americans-mingle?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">cross-class mixing</a> (15:15).</p><br><p><a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now</a> and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>Visit <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence</a> to join.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</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>

Radical shift: an interview with Argentina’s presidential frontrunner

<p>The <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/09/07/meet-javier-milei-the-frontrunner-to-be-argentinas-next-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">libertarian right-winger</a> is leading in the polls, a surprise for a country that has typically leaned left. He has drastic plans to shrink the state. Could he turn the country around? Why Germany’s highway system and techno lovers have come to a crossroads (11:22). And, a <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/08/24/which-animals-should-a-modern-day-noah-put-in-his-ark?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">Noah’s-Ark-inspired</a> economic theory of conservation made pertinent by the threat of climate change (19:59).</p><br><p><a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now</a> and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>Visit <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence</a> to join.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</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>

Support systems: allies debate Ukraine’s tactics

<p>As progress on the front line slows, Western countries are divided over how <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2023/09/12/are-ukraines-tactics-working?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the army</a> should proceed. There are disagreements about where should be targeted and how, and with autumn around the corner, time is of the essence. Why Americans’ feelings about their economy have become a <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2023/09/07/the-pandemic-has-broken-a-closely-followed-survey-of-sentiment?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">less useful indicator</a> for forecasters (12:34). And, are New Zealand’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/09/07/new-zealands-rugby-supremacy-is-over-good?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">rugby team</a> off their game (18:24)?</p><br><p><a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now</a> and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>Visit <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence</a> to join.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</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>

Refresh your feed: introducing Economist Podcasts+

<p>For 17 years, The Economist has brought you a host of brilliant shows. Now we are taking that even further. But to bring you even more of the content that you love, we need your support. Why <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/09/04/an-armenian-enclave-inside-azerbaijan-is-on-the-point-of-starvation?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">Nagorno-Karabakh</a> is on the brink of a humanitarian disaster (09:44). And, a <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/09/13/douglas-lenat-trained-computers-to-think-the-old-fashioned-way?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tribute</a> to the man who sought to give AI some common sense (18:07).   </p><br><p><a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now</a> and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>Visit <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence</a> to join.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</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>

Chilean effect: the 50th anniversary of the coup

<p>On September 11th 1973, president Salvador Allende shot himself in the head after being overthrown in a <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/08/31/chile-is-still-haunted-by-the-coup-in-september-1973?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">coup</a>, giving rise to the violent rule of General Augusto Pinochet. But citizens are divided on how the leaders ought to be remembered. How a landmark case in <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/06/08/montana-climate-change-pioneer?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">Montana</a> could pioneer new climate protection laws (13:09). And, what makes a <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/08/25/how-to-write-a-bestseller?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">bestselling book</a> (22:03)?</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <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>

Midnight train to Moscow: Kim Jong Un cosies up with Russia

In a rare trip outside of the hermit state, it seems the dictator is planning to meet with Vladimir Putin. With the prospect of an arms deal on the table, how worried should the international community be? <a href="https://www.economist.com/cities-are-suing-car-manufacturers-over-auto-theft-they-have-a-case?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">Car theft</a> is a growing problem in America and automakers are partly to blame (08:49). And France’s booming <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/08/17/french-bakeries-are-thriving-in-unlikely-places?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">boulangeries</a> (15:02). <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>

Preparing for the long war: an interview with President Zelensky

<p>As the counter-offensive continues, Ukrainian forces are running out of time to make substantial gains. Diplomatic attempts to isolate Russia have failed and progress on the front lines is slowing. From the capital Kyiv, <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/09/10/this-is-a-bad-moment-for-diplomacy-we-speak-to-volodymyr-zelensky?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the president tells The Economist’s editor-in-chief</a> how the country is bracing for a long war.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <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>

Moves over: American house prices

<p>The highest interest rates in years should lead to a fall in house prices. But peculiarities of America’s mortgage market are <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/08/30/how-can-american-house-prices-still-be-rising?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">driving them up</a>. Egg-freezing was supposed to give women more control over childbearing; we look at scant data showing <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2023/09/01/how-successful-is-egg-freezing-at-preserving-fertility?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 successful it really is</a> (10:57). And remembering <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/09/07/isabel-crook-devoted-her-long-life-to-making-a-new-china?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">Isabel Crook</a>, an anthropologist who embraced China’s communist transformation, warts and all (15:44).  </p><p>Join our team of audience-research participants and make a bit of cash <a href="https://economist.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3RcRPQcFKqCe36m" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</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 messy oil change: Nigeria’s fraught reforms

<p>Axing generous fuel subsidies was just <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/07/06/nigerias-new-president-acts-fast?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">one necessary reform</a> promised by Bola Tinubu. A hundred days into the president’s term, we examine his ideas for change—finding they do not seem to be backed by real plans. Our correspondent says India’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/08/14/how-to-fix-indias-decrepit-cities?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">decrepit cities</a> would fare better if permitted to govern themselves more (09:58). And the <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/08/31/some-developers-are-pushing-back-against-violent-video-games?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 trend</a> in video games (17:13)</p><p>Join our team of audience-research participants and make a bit of cash <a href="https://economist.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3RcRPQcFKqCe36m" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</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>

Show and sell: Amazon v Hollywood

<p>The retail behemoth is splashing tremendous amounts of cash on streaming content; critics are unimpressed with the outcomes. But Amazon may have the <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/08/27/amazon-has-hollywoods-worst-shows-but-its-best-business-model?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">best business model</a> going. Statisticians in Britain appear to have found about 2% of GDP hiding in their data—we ask how it <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/09/04/britains-statisticians-fix-a-blunder-and-find-a-bigger-economy?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">got lost</a> (8:24). And how the pocket calculator <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/08/31/how-the-pocket-calculator-paved-the-way-for-the-digital-age?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">ushered in</a> the digital age (15:52).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Upping arms: the new three-way nuclear race

<p>The calculus of the cold war is back, but there are new variables in the equation—namely China’s growing arsenal. We look at how <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/08/31/how-to-stop-a-three-way-nuclear-arms-race?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">three-way deterrence</a> could work. Two years after America’s schools reopened their doors, a terrifying proportion of students are <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/08/24/post-covid-american-children-are-still-missing-far-too-much-school?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 skipping class</a> (10:13). And what a slew of <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/07/20/a-battle-of-rickshaw-apps-shows-the-promise-of-indias-digital-stack?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">rickshaw apps</a> says about India’s technological backbone (15:38).</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><br><p><br></p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Held fire: America’s murder rate slips

<p>The absolute numbers remain troubling but a close look at statistics reveals that, across American cities, <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/08/09/murder-rates-are-falling-in-a-majority-of-american-cities?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">fewer people</a> are being killed. That democracy is good for a country’s economy is taken as orthodoxy—but given the time and costs to make the transition, the reality is <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/08/17/democracy-and-the-price-of-a-vote?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a bit more complicated</a> (09:38). And why Britain’s government is in hock to the country’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/08/09/from-wild-swimming-to-grouse-shooting-britain-is-in-hock-to-hobbyists?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">hobbyists</a> (15:38).</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://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>

Paranoia politics: a Tunisian lesson in demagoguery

<p>The president is using racist hate-mongering as both a rallying tool and a distraction mechanism. It is the oldest trick in the <a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2023/08/31/how-cynical-leaders-are-whipping-up-nationalism-to-win-and-abuse-power?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">autocrat playbook</a> and it proving effective. Why are some <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/08/28/why-europe-is-a-magnet-for-more-americans?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">Americans</a> flocking to start new lives in Europe (10.36)? And, a tribute to a <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/08/30/andriy-pilshchykov-pleaded-for-f-16s-to-be-sent-to-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">Ukrainian pilot</a> who made the case for his country to get F-16 fighter jets (18.03).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Going, going… Gabon: another African coup

<p>Putsches in Africa are becoming more common and there appears to be a <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/08/30/a-coup-in-gabon-proves-that-frances-africa-policy-is-in-tatters" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">trend</a>. Are there more to come and is there any hope of restoring democracy? <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/08/24/lebanon-is-experiencing-a-tourism-boom?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">Lebanon’s tourism sector</a> is bringing foreign money back into the economy, but it’s not trickling down (10:27). And, the American right is propelling a <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/08/23/how-americas-right-turned-rich-men-north-of-richmond-into-a-hit?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">new song</a> to chart-topping popularity (16:44).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <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>

Game of drones: can Ukraine pull ahead?

<p>Three months into the counteroffensive, the military is reaping the fruits of several months of drone development. But as the war continues, will it be able to <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/08/27/inside-ukraines-drone-war-against-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">scale up</a> its capacity and outpace Russia? New international laws cracking down on Caribbean <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/08/21/a-wave-of-international-rule-making-threatens-caribbean-tax-havens?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">tax havens</a> seem to be working (10:03). And politicians reignite an old debate on <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/08/21/in-spains-parliament-you-can-now-speak-basque-or-catalan-or-galician?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">official language use</a> in Spain (17:21).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <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>

Teutonic plague: is Germany the sick man of Europe?

<p>Owing to a host of deep-rooted economic and political challenges, it could be the only G7 economy to contract this year. How might it <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/08/17/is-germany-once-again-the-sick-man-of-europe?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">turn the tide</a>? More people want flashy, <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/08/10/how-green-is-your-electric-vehicle-really?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">bigger electric vehicles</a>, but are the added environmental costs counterproductive (10:00)? And examining the decline in <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2023/08/24/why-fewer-university-students-are-studying-mandarin?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">Mandarin</a> learning (18:18).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><br><p><br></p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Going non-nuclear: East Asia’s changing families

<p>From Japan to South Korea, from China to Taiwan, <a href="https://www.economist.com/interactive/asia/2023/06/30/east-asias-new-family-portrait?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">family structures</a> are becoming less traditional. More premarital cohabitation, single parenthood and two-income households are influencing demographics—with worrying consequences. And we pay tribute to 50 years of hip-hop. The <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/08/10/hip-hops-50th-anniversary-shines-a-light-on-its-new-york-city-birth?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 York</a>-born genre is taking the <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/08/10/hip-hops-future-will-be-less-american-and-more-global?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">world</a> by storm, and picking up new influences along the way (9:22).</p><p><em>Additional music “</em><a href="https://youtu.be/XeKjZByq2sA?si=cjqFAF2thux721YO" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>HIP-HOP</em></a><em>” courtesy of RayZa. </em></p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><br><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>