The Intelligence from The Economist

Witness self-protection programme? Trump and the Capitol riot inquiry

The former president may well ignore the January 6th committee’s summons; the whole affair may be unceremoniously shut down next year. But that is not to say the process has been in vain. Russia’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/10/09/the-war-in-ukraine-has-battered-the-reputation-of-russian-spies?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">intelligence failures</a> during the war in Ukraine have taken the shine off the security services’ fearsome reputations. And remembering <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2022/10/13/loretta-lynn-gave-all-struggling-women-a-voice?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Loretta Lynn</a>, country music’s most-successful-ever female star. <em>Additional audio courtesy of </em><a href="https://www.honoryourhometown.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Honor Your Hometown</em></a>. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Gilt trip: Liz Truss’s hobbled leadership

<p>Paroxysms in the market for gilts—British-government bonds that were once safe-haven assets—<a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/10/11/liz-truss-has-made-britain-a-riskier-bet-for-bond-investors?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reveal</a> just how wounded the new government’s plans have left it. Cuba is experiencing the worst <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2022/10/06/cubans-rage-against-the-dying-of-the-light?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">economic crisis</a> in decades, and those who are not protesting are heading for the door. And making the case to let your lawn <a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2022/08/16/the-going-gets-turf-do-lawns-have-a-future-in-the-age-of-drought?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">go wild</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>

Don kingmaker: Trump and the midterms

The latest instalment of our series asks how much difference Donald Trump’s imprimatur has made to <a href="https://www.economist.com/mid-terms-2022" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">candidates</a>—and whether that influence will carry over to a general election. A look at <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/09/22/rugby-brings-south-africa-together-if-only-for-80-minutes?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">South African rugby</a> reveals positive change in the top ranks but dispiriting decline in the local game. And what the <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/09/22/sixty-years-ago-james-bond-and-the-beatles-made-debuts?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">cultural intertwining</a> of James Bond and the Beatles says about Britishness. 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>

Help them, Obi: one hopeful candidate in Nigeria

<p>Our correspondent meets with <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/10/10/peter-obi-a-man-who-carries-his-own-suitcases-could-be-nigerias-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">Peter Obi</a>, who has a handsome poll lead and an appeal that spans the country’s religions and ethnicities. But his presidential bid still faces obstacles. Myanmar’s ruling junta is doing more than suppressing the country’s people: it is <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/09/15/an-economically-illiterate-junta-is-running-myanmar-into-the-ground?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">battering the economy</a> equally efficiently. And remembering <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2022/10/06/brother-andrew-secretly-carried-bibles-behind-the-iron-curtain?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Brother Andrew</a>, who made daring deliveries behind the Iron Curtain.</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>

Crimea and punishment: Russia’s reprisals

<p>An <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/10/08/ukraine-braces-for-retaliation-after-an-attack-on-the-bridge-from-crimea-to-russia?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">attack</a> on the Kerch bridge—a pet project of President Vladimir Putin that links Russia with annexed Crimea—has prompted a swift and brutal response. We ask what is likely to happen next. We examine the <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2022/10/06/how-pop-culture-went-multipolar?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">multipolar</a> nature of popular culture: fears of a globalised monoculture of cool have proved misplaced. And why <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/09/22/indias-capital-has-run-out-of-booze?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">buying booze in Delhi</a> has again become so unpleasant. </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 gains in Ukraine: stalled Russia plainly wanes

<p>Ukraine’s army has <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2022/10/06/ukraine-has-made-stunning-gains-on-the-battlefield?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">pushed</a> Russian forces back in the south and east. We ask how they’ve managed to make such impressive gains so quickly, whether more could follow and what Russia’s reaction might be. Why Britain has such troubles <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/09/01/why-britain-cannot-build-enough-of-anything?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">building</a> homes, power stations and really much of anything. And how Maine’s lobstermen are responding to <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/09/22/maines-lobster-industry-is-feeling-the-pinch?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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 latest threat</a> to their industry.</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>

Bloody and forgotten: Conflict in eastern Congo

Our correspondent reports from <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/09/30/the-world-should-not-ignore-the-horrors-of-eastern-congo?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">eastern Congo</a>, where a three-decade-long conflict has killed thousands, and forced more than five million people from their homes--with no end in sight. Researchers are searching for better <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2022/09/21/better-medicines-are-needed-to-relieve-pain?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">analgesics</a>: ones that reduce pain without the risk of addiction or corollary physiological damage. And a contest in southern Alaska to select the internet’s favourite<a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/10/04/alaskas-fat-bear-week-proves-conservation-can-be-joyful?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> fat bear</a>. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

It does mean a thing: America’s swing voters

<p>In the next instalment of our midterms series, we head to the suburbs of Atlanta in search of that rarest of political creatures: the swing voter. There aren’t many of them, but they may well determine which party controls the Senate. Luxury brands are changing their outlooks and offerings as they seek new markets and younger consumers. And our culture correspondent visits a retrospective of William Kentridge’s works.</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>

Misplaced Truss? Britain’s ruling party meets

<p>Prime Minister Liz Truss has had a bruising first few weeks in office. Amid <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/10/03/kwasi-kwarteng-reverses-course-on-the-top-rate-of-tax?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">policy U-turns</a> and plummeting poll numbers, her Tory party’s annual shindig is a venue for much soul-searching. Russia’s “<a href="https://www.economist.com/news/2022/09/24/how-russia-is-conscripting-men-to-fight-in-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">partial mobilisation</a>” is unlikely to help much on the battlefield—and is proving exceedingly unpopular at home. And <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2022/09/21/on-the-troubles-of-naming-species?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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 dangers</a> of naming species after people who become notorious.</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>

Poll vaulter: Brazil’s surprise election result

<p>Jair Bolsonaro, the incumbent president, did unexpectedly well—giving his campaign <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2022/10/03/brazils-presidential-election-will-go-to-a-run-off?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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 boost</a> and foreshadowing a tough run-up to the second round. Malawi’s incipient democracy stands as a shining regional example, but remaking its economy has proved <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/09/22/malawi-has-saved-its-democracy-but-not-its-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">even harder</a> than ousting its undemocratic leader. And why one tank is a particularly <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/09/26/why-the-capture-of-a-russian-t-90m-tank-matters?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">handsome prize</a> amid Ukraine’s growing pile of captured Russian kit.</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>

Form-annex trick: Russia’s Ukraine-seizure bid

<p>After a series of <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/09/29/ignore-putins-fake-referendums-and-keep-helping-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">sham referendums</a>, President Vladimir Putin is expected to annex four partly occupied regions of Ukraine. We ask what risks that move would pose. What has driven China’s president to amass such <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/09/29/how-to-make-sense-of-xi-jinping-chinas-enigmatic-ruler?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tremendous personal power</a>? We introduce our new, long-form podcast “<a href="https://www.economist.com/theprincepod?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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 Prince</a>”, which dives deep into his life. And video-game music is rapidly <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/08/23/video-game-soundscapes-are-growing-in-prestige?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">growing in prestige</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>

Lula loop: meeting Brazil’s presidential front-runner

<p>Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a leftist former president, looks well-placed to win a third term. But <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2022/09/19/how-left-wing-on-economics-is-luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">which Lula</a> would Brazil get—the fiscal conservative or the populist spendthrift? Germany has an earned reputation as an industrial powerhouse, but its dependence on Russian gas and Chinese demand are <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2022/09/11/germany-faces-a-looming-threat-of-deindustrialisation?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hobbling it</a>. And why the propaganda-spewing loudspeakers in Vietnam’s capital are <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/09/08/loudspeakers-in-vietnams-capital-will-blare-propaganda-once-more?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">firing up</a> again.</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>

Off the top of their heads: Iran’s widespread protests

Women are burning their hijabs on bonfires and hacking off their hair—but the <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/09/26/irans-rebellion-spreads-despite-lethal-repression?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">unrest</a> has come to be about far more than the heavy hands of the morality police. The murder of Abe Shinzo, a former Japanese prime minister, <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/09/26/the-fallout-from-abe-shinzos-murder-could-unseat-his-successor?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">exposed</a> troubling government links to a cult-like sect; the fallout could unseat his successor. And using flying robots as <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2022/09/21/teams-of-drones-can-print-in-3d?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">3D printers</a>. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

In for a penny, in for a pounding: Britain’s economic gyrations

<p>The markets are so far entirely unconvinced that the new administration’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/09/22/liz-trusss-selective-reaganomics-wont-work?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Reagan-esque economic plans</a> will work to spur growth—just look at <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/09/26/the-pound-is-plumbing-near-historical-depths-why?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sterling's tumble</a>. In Tibet, China’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2022/09/13/chinas-government-is-mass-collecting-dna-from-tibetans?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mass collection</a> of DNA samples has one unabashed motive: social control. And the curious wave of “unretirees” <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2022/09/15/against-expectations-covid-19-retirees-are-returning-to-work?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">returning to work</a> after the pandemic.</p><p><em>Additional audio courtesy of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.</em></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>

Giorgia on my mind: Italy’s far-right government

<p>Italians have voted decisively for a coalition of <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/09/25/italy-votes-decisively-for-a-coalition-of-nationalist-right-parties?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">right-wing parties</a>, with Giorgia Meloni, leader of the Brothers of Italy, the likely next prime minister. What this means for Italy, Europe and the war in Ukraine remains unclear. Latin American prisons are awful and getting worse. And a surprising <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2022/09/15/a-film-about-rural-outcasts-made-waves-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">hit film</a> makes Chinese authorities nervous.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Empire State v real-estate empire: Donald Trump’s legal woes

Letitia James, New York’s attorney general, announced a sweeping <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/09/21/donald-trump-faces-a-sweeping-new-lawsuit?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">lawsuit</a> against Donald Trump, his businesses and three of his children. He’s also being investigated over allegations of election interference in Georgia and storing classified documents at his Florida resort. The battle to be the top provider of <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2022/08/29/the-cloud-computing-giants-are-vying-to-protect-fat-profits?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">cloud-computing services</a> is heating up. And reflecting on the legacy of “<a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/09/20/the-joy-of-sex-is-a-book-for-the-ages?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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 Joy of Sex</a>,” published 50 years ago. 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>

Inflation nation: The Fed raises rates, again

America’s Federal Reserve made its third straight 0.75% <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2022/09/21/as-america-raises-rates-the-rest-of-the-world-bears-the-pain?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">interest-rate hike</a>, with Jerome Powell, the Fed’s chair, warning that more hikes would follow. But with inflation still high, and labour markets still tight, is the Fed doing all it can? A new report suggests that <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2022/09/20/the-number-of-people-in-modern-slavery-is-increasing?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">forced labour and marriage</a> are on the rise around the world. And <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2022/09/21/frank-drake-believed-that-the-universe-had-to-contain-other-intelligent-beings?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reflecting</a> on one man’s long search for extraterrestrial life. 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 300,000 body problem: Russia mobilises and threatens

<p>This morning Vladimir Putin <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/09/20/vladimir-putins-situation-looks-ever-more-desperate?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">announced</a> that Russia would call up more troops to fight in Ukraine, said his goal of “liberating” eastern Ukraine remained unchanged and accused the west of “nuclear blackmail.” Our correspondent parses his speech. Our midterm series heads to <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/08/18/democrats-are-wrong-to-give-up-on-rural-america?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Maine</a>, to see how Democrats are fighting for rural voters. And a new <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2022/09/07/humans-were-performing-amputations-earlier-than-thought?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">discovery</a> in Borneo rewrites the history of surgery.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Charles in charge: the future of the Commonwealth

Elizabeth II was devoted to <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2022/09/09/the-commonwealth-will-miss-queen-elizabeth" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the Commonwealth</a>, a club of countries that are home to one-third of the world’s population. What is its future under Charles III? <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/09/08/the-ancient-city-of-jeddah-is-being-bulldozed" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jeddah</a> is Saudi Arabia’s most charming and cosmopolitan city, which Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Prince Muhammad bin Salman, is swiftly bulldozing. And why <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/09/06/will-chinas-economy-ever-overtake-americas" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">China’s economy</a> may struggle to overtake America’s. <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 draft is history: Chile’s rejected constitution

<p>Two years in the making, the country’s new foundational document was summarily <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2022/09/05/common-sense-prevails-as-chileans-reject-a-new-constitution?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">swatted down</a> in a referendum. We ask how it went so wrong, and what comes next. Data show a long-held view on fertility and prosperity is <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2022/09/15/richer-societies-mean-fewer-babies-right?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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 as straightforward</a> as thought; we examine the policy implications. And learning about <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/09/11/what-are-harm-the-air-to-surface-missiles-destroying-russian-air-defence-radar?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">HARM</a>—the missiles causing so much harm to Russian forces.</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>

Minority report: the Rohingya, five years on

<p>Five years after a brutal campaign that drove nearly 750,000 out of Myanmar and into Bangladesh, conditions for the Muslim minority remain appalling on <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/08/18/the-rohingyas-are-being-wiped-out-in-slow-motion?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">both sides of the border</a>. Central Asian countries are laying <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/09/06/two-new-railway-lines-could-transform-central-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">plans for railways</a> that would fill their coffers, distance Russia and empower China. And the <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/09/15/why-britons-love-to-queue?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">economics lessons</a> in London’s queue to see Queen Elizabeth II.</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>

Xi sells sanctuary: a telling Putin meeting

<p>As the presidents of China and Russia <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2022/09/08/xi-jinping-will-at-last-venture-abroad-again?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">meet in Uzbekistan</a>, we examine their friendship. They have much in common—but Russia’s prosecution of the war in Ukraine may strain relations. Islamic State and al-Qaeda may be less in the news but their foothold in Africa only keeps <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/08/11/how-al-qaeda-and-islamic-state-are-digging-into-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">growing</a>. And why so many young Korean city-slickers are <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/09/01/young-koreans-are-moving-to-the-countryside-to-farm?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">becoming farmers</a> in the countryside.</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>

Cautiousness in the Caucasus: Azerbaijan and Armenia clash

<p>A conflict smouldering since a war in 2020 has again <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/09/13/why-azerbaijan-and-armenia-are-fighting-again?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">caught alight</a>; Azerbaijan may feel emboldened by a distracted Russia and its own energy prospects. Gulf countries are swimming in <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2022/08/07/an-oil-windfall-offers-gulf-states-one-last-chance-to-splurge?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">piles</a> of unexpected, oil-derived cash: we ask whether they will sock it away or splurge on citizens and pet projects. And why many Lebanese couples are choosing to <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/09/08/lebanese-seeking-civil-marriages-are-getting-wed-online?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">wed online</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>

Joule of denial: Russia’s energy games

<p>Vladimir Putin hopes the threat of cutting off fuel supplies this winter will weaken Europe’s support for Ukraine. European leaders are trying to cobble together<a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/09/08/how-to-deal-with-europes-energy-crisis?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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 collective response </a>to prevent such fracturing. Before Russia invaded, Ukraine’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/09/08/the-war-has-thrown-ukraines-surrogacy-industry-into-crisis?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">surrogacy industry</a> was booming. It has since been disrupted, but not ended. And <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/08/25/a-few-bird-species-are-faring-amazingly-well-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">Britain’s bird populations</a> are changing: we ask why.</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>

Russian rush-out: Ukraine’s stunning gains

<p>Russia has lost in a week what cost it months to gain in eastern Ukraine. We ask what the <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/09/11/is-russia-on-the-run?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">lightning counter-offensive</a> means for the war. What is more surprising than Mississippi’s capital <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/09/06/a-water-crisis-in-mississippis-capital-is-a-harbinger-of-worse?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">lacking access</a> to clean drinking water is that millions of other Americans face the same struggle. And the <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2022/09/01/why-investors-are-reaching-for-the-astrology-of-finance?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">quasi-astrological methods</a> some investors use to predict market movements.</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>

Beyond the call of duty: Britain’s queen dies

<p>The death of Queen Elizabeth II marks the <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/09/08/the-death-of-elizabeth-ii-marks-the-end-of-an-era?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">end of an era</a>. We explore her long, <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2022/09/08/elizabeth-ii-never-laid-down-the-heavy-weight-of-the-crown?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">dutiful reign</a> and how it shaped the modern monarchy. The country has <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2022/09/08/elizabeth-ii-was-the-longest-reigning-monarch-in-british-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">changed substantially</a> during her time, but one parallel remains: her successor, King Charles III, will also take over at a time of uncertainty for the country and <a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2022/09/08/britains-longest-serving-ruler-strengthened-the-monarchy?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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 the monarchy</a> itself.</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>

Playing his Trump card: Bolsonaro and the election

<p>In Brazil, fears are growing that if <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/09/08/win-or-lose-jair-bolsonaro-poses-a-threat-to-brazilian-democracy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jair Bolsonaro </a>loses in October, as polls suggest is likely, he may try to stage a coup or foment violence. He’s been sowing distrust in the country’s electoral system, and many of his supporters are well-armed. Should <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2022/09/01/should-every-schoolchild-eat-free?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">school lunches</a> be free? And why <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/09/01/why-is-indias-sex-ratio-normalising?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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 gap</a> between the number of boys and girls born in India is narrowing.</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

America’s next top model: predicting the midterm results

<p>Our model, built to predict the outcome of this year’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/mid-terms-2022" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">midterm elections</a>, tips Republicans to take the House and Democrats to retain control of the Senate. The model’s architect discusses how and why he built it, and our polling guru explains why polls matter. Why there’s no nuclear-arms race in <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/08/11/the-nuclear-arsenals-of-china-india-and-pakistan-are-growing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Asia</a>—yet. And Egypt wants the <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/09/01/egyptians-want-britain-to-return-the-rosetta-stone" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rosetta Stone</a> back, but it’s not that simple.</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>

Deed of Truss: Britain’s new leader

<p>As Liz Truss becomes prime minister, we ask whether her meat-and-potatoes <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/09/05/what-kind-of-prime-minister-will-liz-truss-be?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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-slashing agenda</a> will work for a crisis-stricken Britain. Japan’s prison population is ageing just as its wider society is—and that is at last prompting <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/09/01/japans-prisons-are-adapting-to-cope-with-ageing-inmates?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reforms</a> to its punitive penal system. And why Ukraine’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/08/23/why-ukraines-supply-of-anti-tank-weapons-may-tail-off?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">short supply</a> of anti-tank missiles is not as worrying as it would once have been. </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>

Cereal numbers: the fall in food prices

<p>The worst predictions for costs have <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2022/08/22/against-expectations-global-food-prices-have-tumbled?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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 come to pass</a>, partly because Russia is selling plenty of wheat. But plenty of food-price woe may still await. We examine the <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/08/19/why-has-polio-returned-to-london-and-new-york?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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 re-appearance</a> of the polio virus in the West. And the trials of “<a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/08/25/pink-sauce-and-the-fashion-for-homemade-food-in-america?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pink Sauce</a>” reveal the perils of being a cottage-food producer—or consumer—in the social-media age.</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>