General ejection: China’s military purge

About this episode

<p>The two men under investigation are in the army’s highest echelon, and are some of President Xi Jinping’s closest counsel. We examine the probable motives for a <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2026/01/24/what-xi-jinpings-purge-of-chinas-most-senior-general-reveals?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">surprising purge</a>. In Ukraine’s freezing capital thousands upon thousands of people suffer <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2026/01/22/ukraines-new-air-defence-whiz-must-stop-a-redoubled-blitz?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">unpredictable cuts</a> to electricity, heat, even water; we ask them how they cope. And why Strava is leading the <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2026/01/22/stravas-public-listing-will-help-it-race-ahead-of-competitors?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">fitness-app footrace</a>.</p><br><p><em>Get a world of insights by </em><a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>subscribing to Economist Podcasts+</em></a><em>. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our </em><a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>FAQs page</em></a><em> or watch </em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>our video</em></a><em> explaining how to link your account.</em></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>