The Intelligence from The Economist

Blood will out: Russian mercenaries

Russian forces advancing on Kyiv have stalled. Ukraine has refused the demand to surrender Mariupol. But it’s not just Russian regular troops fighting: we look at Russia’s use of mercenaries. Lithuania allowed Taiwan to open a representative office in Vilnius, and is now facing the wrath of China. And included in the exodus of Ukrainians are plenty of four-legged companions. 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>

Mention the war: Germany awakes

For decades, Germany was doctrinally pacifist: a legacy left over from the second world war. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/03/19/a-risk-averse-germany-enters-an-age-of-confrontation" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">changed</a> that, seemingly overnight. As Russia’s military advance has stalled, it has turned its firepower against civilian targets, resulting in widespread death, but also in the <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/03/19/vladimir-putins-war-endangers-ukraines-cultural-heritage" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">destruction</a> of Ukraine’s cultural legacy. And remembering one of the many brave, ordinary Ukrainians, fallen in defence of their country. <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>

Shock and war: global prices rise

<p>Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has pushed global prices, which were already climbing, even higher. As America’s central bank raises its target interest rate for the first time in four years, we break down the challenges facing central bankers. In the fourth instalment of our French election series, we look at how the conflict has changed the race. And Russia’s seizure of the Chernobyl nuclear plant ends three decades of scientific research.</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>

Bear hug? China’s take on Ukraine

<p>China appears content to let the carnage continue in Ukraine, anticipating a win for Vladimir Putin. Its <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2022/03/12/xi-jinping-places-a-bet-on-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">real concern</a> is avoiding an apparent win for America and the West. Never mind fears that cryptocurrencies might help Russia dodge sanctions: they are <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/why-crypto-is-unlikely-to-be-useful-for-sanctions-dodgers/21808188?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">far better</a> at helping to finance Ukraine’s efforts. And the cyborg cockroaches that may one day aid search-and-rescue operations.</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>

Capital accounts: on the ground in Kyiv

<p>Our correspondent finds Ukraine's capital already accustomed to an eerie war footing. People are getting married and playing music, even as medicine <a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2022/03/03/in-a-hospital-basement-in-kyiv-medics-work-through-the-shelling?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">runs out</a> and a <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/03/10/kyivs-volunteers-prepare-a-reception-for-the-russians?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 volunteer army</a> braces for fighting. Australia’s barely fathomable floods show freakish weather is becoming <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/03/10/australia-is-battered-by-catastrophic-floods?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 common</a> there. And the case for reforming <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/03/12/rules-for-teaching-grammar-in-schools?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 grammar is taught</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>

Abject lesson: the siege of Mariupol

To the west, strikes near Poland have rattled NATO partners. But look to the south-east to see <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/03/13/the-dire-fate-of-mariupol-is-a-warning-to-other-ukrainian-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">what Russia intends</a> for the Ukrainian cities it encircles. Chile’s new president Gabriel Boric is just the latest leftist to take office in the region; we examine the “<a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2022/03/12/a-new-group-of-left-wing-presidents-takes-over-in-latin-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 tide</a>” that is coming in. And why British retail workers are sporting <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/03/12/body-cameras-are-moving-into-british-retail?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">body cameras</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>

Defog of war: your questions answered

We tackle some of the many questions on the war in Ukraine that listeners sent in this week—why no-fly zones are <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/03/02/what-is-a-no-fly-zone?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 perilous idea</a>, how weapons are <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/03/02/how-western-governments-are-getting-military-gear-into-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">making their way</a> into Ukraine, why mud is a <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/02/07/will-ukraines-muddy-ground-halt-russian-tanks?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 tactical concern</a>, the implications of <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/02/26/if-the-supply-of-russian-gas-to-europe-were-cut-off-could-lng-plug-the-gap?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">oil-and-gas embargoes</a> and much more. 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>

A non-member states: Finland’s ex-PM on NATO

<p>Perched at Russia’s north-western corner, the country has plenty of <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/02/11/what-is-finlandisation?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">history</a> dealing with neighbourly aggression. We speak with Alexander Stubb, a former prime minister, about his views on European security. After a <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/03/05/south-koreas-presidential-election-springs-a-last-minute-surprise?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">nasty campaign season</a>, South Korea has a new president, Yoon Suk-Yeol. We examine the myriad challenges he faces. And how to spot Parkinson’s disease early—with <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/an-artificial-nose-may-be-able-to-detect-parkinsons-disease-early/21808079?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">an electronic nose</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>

Strikes, fear: an update from Kharkiv

After failing to take Ukraine’s second city, Russian forces continue to <a href="https://www.economist.com/interactive/2022/03/08/curious-case-russias-missing-air-force?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">pummel</a> it with air, artillery and missile strikes. We speak again with an increasingly despondent Kharkiv native. Many schoolyard games have deep histories, conveying culture down the generations; these days they are <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/02/04/covid-19-has-given-children-new-words-and-ideas-to-play-with?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">adapting</a> to the pandemic era. And the <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/02/26/mexico-revives-a-tradition-of-painting-murals-with-a-purpose?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">revival</a> of Mexico’s murals with a purpose. 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>

War stories: the view from Russia

<p>With the propaganda machine at fever pitch, not everyone in Russia agrees on—<a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2022/03/05/vladimir-putins-invasion-of-ukraine-is-wrecking-two-countries?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">much less agrees with</a>—what is going on in Ukraine. Dissent is being met with increasing repression. A wave of jihadism is <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/02/24/west-africas-coastal-states-are-bracing-for-a-jihadist-storm?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">crashing</a> across the states of West Africa and the battle lines are moving south. And reasons for both hope and concern in our annual <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/glass-ceiling-index?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">glass-ceiling index</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>

Bear trapped: the sanctions on Russia

<p>The West’s co-ordinated financial weaponry is starting to bite, opening a <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/a-new-age-of-economic-conflict/21807968?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 age of economic conflict</a>; once-unthinkable oil embargoes seem now to be on the table. Taiwan is another democratic country with a big, bullying neighbour; we examine how the war has <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/03/05/ukraine-has-changed-how-taiwanese-see-themselves?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">sparked introspection</a>. And celebrating Pier Paolo Pasolini, a <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/03/03/on-his-centenary-pier-paolo-pasolini-remains-misunderstood?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">polymathic auteur</a> unjustly known only for his most controversial film.</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>

Rushing from Russians: Ukraine’s refugees

<p>Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has triggered a <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/03/05/a-new-refugee-crisis-has-come-to-europe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">refugee crisis</a> in Europe. More than a million people have left; millions more could follow. Turkey’s reasonably stable relationship with Russia <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/02/24/turkeys-rapprochement-with-russia-may-not-survive-the-war-in-ukraine" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">may not survive</a> the war. And remembering a champion of<a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2022/03/05/cristina-calderon-was-the-only-full-blooded-member-of-her-people" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Yaghan language and culture</a>, at South America’s southernmost tip. </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>

Climate of fear: the IPCC’s new report

A new report shows that <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/the-latest-un-climate-report-is-gloomy-with-some-sunny-patches/21807952" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">climate change</a> is already causing widespread, tangible damage, and argues that adaptation is now as important as mitigation. A <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/02/19/meet-valerie-pecresse-the-french-centre-right-hopeful" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">once-promising candidate </a>for the French presidency sees her campaign sputter. And why America needs to shore up the <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/02/17/long-queues-are-the-least-of-the-us-postal-services-problems" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">postal service’s finances</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>

All that Xi wants: China’s Ukraine dilemma

After backing Russia’s grievances against NATO, China now finds itself treading a <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2022/02/26/xi-jinping-drew-closer-to-russia-on-the-eve-of-war-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">very fine line</a> on Ukraine. There are often reasons to be suspicious of a country’s covid-death tally; we examine research showing how fraud <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2022/02/25/are-some-countries-faking-their-covid-19-death-counts?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">can be spotted</a> mathematically. And why women are <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/02/18/why-women-are-less-likely-to-be-corrupt-than-men?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 likely</a> than men to be corrupt. 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>

Square in their sights: Kharkiv under siege

<p>The levelling of Freedom Square in Ukraine’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/02/28/-rocket-attacks-on-civilians-in-kharkiv-take-the-war-into-a-new-phase?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">second city</a> is powerfully symbolic. One resident has been speaking to us daily since the invasion began. In the American West, minerals crucial to a clean-energy transition abound. We examine the opposition to a looming new <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/the-energy-transition-is-sparking-americas-next-mining-boom/21807704?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">mining boom</a>. And a <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/02/19/in-the-fickle-world-of-restaurants-sticking-to-a-vision-takes-guts?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">revealing meal</a> with our food columnist: we have big news about “The Intelligence”.</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 battlefield broadens: Ukraine resists

<p>On the ground, Ukrainian resistance is holding—so far—and Vladimir Putin’s nuclear posturing <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/02/27/vladimir-putins-nuclear-threat-shows-how-much-is-going-wrong-for-him-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">reveals</a> a crumbling of his plans. Meanwhile the international response grows more serious and more united. We examine President Joe Biden’s savvy Supreme Court pick, <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/02/25/joe-biden-nominates-ketanji-brown-jackson-to-the-supreme-court?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">Ketanji Brown Jackson</a>. And how to get around the fact that <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/eyewitness-evidence-is-more-reliable-than-has-been-thought/21807826?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">eyewitness testimony</a> can be fuzzy or change over time. </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>

Capital offence: the battle for Ukraine

<p>As promised, Ukraine’s forces are fighting back tenaciously against a Russian invasion on <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/02/24/russian-ground-forces-are-advancing-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">multiple fronts</a>—but Kyiv, the capital, is now squarely in the invaders’ sights. In England, the last covid restrictions were <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/02/25/englands-coronavirus-regulations-are-no-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">lifted entirely</a> this week; we consider the calculations many leaders are making in this phase of the pandemic. And an assessment of romantic comedies as a <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/02/14/a-new-oral-history-of-the-modern-romantic-comedy?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 force</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>

It begins: Russia invades Ukraine

Ukrainians woke to the sound of sirens. Volleys of cruise missiles, artillery, widespread reports of explosions: a <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/02/24/russia-invades-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">large-scale invasion</a> appears to be under way. Our correspondent in Kyiv reports on the mood and on what is known so far. And we examine the <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/02/12/what-the-carjacking-wave-says-about-american-policing?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">sharp rise</a> in carjackings in America, asking why so many young people end up behind the wheel. 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>

Given choice: Colombia’s abortion-law change

In little more than a year, three of Latin America’s four most populous countries have expanded access to abortion. We ask what is driving that change in the region. Austin is the destination for many fleeing Silicon Valley; our correspondent examines the <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/01/15/as-austin-thrives-as-a-tech-hub-will-it-avoid-san-franciscos-problems?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">risks posed</a> to the hot new tech spot. And the sugarloaf pineapple: the lucrative fruit of Benin’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/02/19/how-the-sugarloaf-pineapple-became-the-champagne-of-benin?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">branding labours</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>

Putting his first boot forward: Russian troops move

<p>President Vladimir Putin has declared the independence of the two Ukrainian provinces of <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/02/15/why-donetsk-and-luhansk-are-at-the-heart-of-the-ukraine-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">Donbas</a>—and <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/02/21/vladimir-putin-orders-troops-to-two-breakaway-republics-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">sent in "peacekeepers"</a>. We ask what is next. The African Union was founded two decades ago this year; its early integration and diplomatic successes have since sharply <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/02/12/the-african-union-is-less-effective-at-20-than-it-was-at-two?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">faded</a>. And our deep, <a href="https://www.economist.com/interactive/graphic-detail/2022/01/29/what-spotify-data-show-about-the-decline-of-english#interactive_chart?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">interactive</a> dive into Spotify reveals the slipping global dominance of English-language lyrics.</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>

Trial run: genocide claims against Myanmar

The Gambia’s first-of-its-kind case at the International Court of Justice might bring a rebuke and shine light on Myanmar’s brutal tactics. It might not, alas, bring succour for the Rohingyas. Our correspondent considers a grand geopolitical gamble from exactly 50 years ago, seeking <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2022/02/03/nixons-visit-to-china-50-years-on?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">lessons for today</a> from Richard Nixon’s visit to China. And research reveals that noise <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/plants-are-adversely-affected-by-the-racket-of-urban-traffic/21807602?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">stresses plants out</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>

On the brinkmanship: a special episode on Ukraine and Russia

<p>We unpick the week’s torrent of headlines; an invasion may yet come but either way President Vladimir Putin has already harmed Russia. The country’s digital self-isolation project is quietly forging ahead; we examine its home-grown “tech stack” with everything from chips up to apps. And we hear from a Ukrainian woman whose life has been upended by the conflict’s uncertainties.</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>

Sharpest tools, in a box: miniature vaccine factories

<p>BioNTech, the German firm behind the first licensed coronavirus jab, reveals its attempts to stuff its technology into <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/biontech-plans-to-make-vaccines-in-shipping-containers/21807708?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">shipping containers</a>—to be used where they are most needed. In the second instalment of our French-election series, we ask <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/01/13/the-french-left-faces-disaster-in-aprils-presidential-election?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">what is left</a> of the country’s left. And, as the Olympics wrap up, putting numbers to judges' <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2022/02/12/how-to-detect-nationalism-in-winter-sport-judges?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">biases</a> that favour their compatriots. </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>

Judge, jury and executive: another power-grab in Tunisia

Last summer President Kais Saied nobbled the legislature; now he has abolished the judiciary. We ask where the country <a href="https://espresso.economist.com/8218219cb109041baf61ea3cf8b7dd7e?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">is headed</a>, and why there is so little protest. Brazil’s modern-art scene, born a century ago this week, <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2022/02/12/how-the-cannibal-manifesto-changed-brazil?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">flourished</a> despite rocky politics—but the current president has a chokehold on it. And the Thai army’s quixotic <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/02/12/bangkok-is-trying-to-evict-its-street-hawkers?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">mission</a> to evict Bangkok’s legendary street-food hawkers. 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>

Yen here before: Japan’s “new capitalism”

<p>Today’s figures showing the first annual economic growth in three years may seem promising. But the grand plans of Prime Minister Kishida Fumio <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/02/12/kishida-fumios-new-capitalism-is-many-things-but-it-is-not-new?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">resemble past policies</a> that have not worked. The finely tuned government of Bosnia is under <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/02/12/bosnia-is-on-the-brink-of-falling-apart-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">grave threat</a> from some of the same forces that caused its brutal war. And why roadkill is now <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/02/12/roadkill-is-now-on-the-menu-in-wyoming?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">on the menu</a> in Wyoming.</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>

Not trucking around: Canada’s protests spread

<p>It has become much more than a fight against proof-of-vaccination strictures. The anti-government mood has spread in Canada and abroad. What happens next? Haiti has received billions upon billions in foreign assistance but its situation remains dire; we ask why all that aid has not aided much. And <em>Reader’s Digest</em>, a surprisingly influential American snappy-excerpts magazine, turns 100.</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>

Withdrawal symptoms: Afghanistan goes hungry

<p>Since American forces left, <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/01/29/afghans-are-more-pessimistic-about-their-future-than-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">pessimism</a> has skyrocketed—and with good reason. Starvation is driving Afghans to sell their organs and even their children in order to eat. The artificial snow of this year’s winter Olympics is unsustainable and environmentally troubling; we meet a “<a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2022/01/31/can-the-winter-olympics-survive-on-a-warming-planet?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">snow consultant</a>” pioneering a better way. And remembering <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/lata-mangeshkar-was-the-soundtrack-of-the-newly-independent-country/21807600?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">Lata Mangeshkar</a>, who gave voice to a newly liberated India.</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>

Which way UP: India’s bellwether election

The state-legislature <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/indias-democracy-is-not-as-healthy-as-this-months-elections-make-it-seem/21807621?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">poll</a> in Uttar Pradesh is in effect a vote on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s increasingly stringent Hindu-national agenda—and will hint at his party’s chances in 2024. Oil majors are getting points for selling off their dirtiest oil-and-gas operations; we ask <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/who-buys-the-dirty-energy-assets-public-companies-no-longer-want/21807594?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">who is buying them</a>. And which countries are up and which are down in our annual <a href="https://www.eiu.com/n/campaigns/democracy-index-2021?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Democracy Index</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>

The quiet man of Europe: Olaf Scholz

So far Germany’s new chancellor has been all but invisible at home and on the international stage. We examine the <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/germanys-new-chancellor-hesitates-in-the-face-of-russias-threats/21807378?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">motives</a> behind his reticence—and his abilities during a European crisis. As space becomes a battleground and satellites become targets, new research aims to bring nuclear power <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/why-space-is-about-to-enter-its-nuclear-age/21807486?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">to bear</a>. And visiting a <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/01/19/kaws-the-serpentine-fortnite-and-the-worlds-biggest-art-show?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">red-hot art exhibition</a> in three ways at once. 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>

FAANGer danger: big tech takes a beating

<p> For years, the big tech firms Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Google were seen as a collective good bet; investors will soon judge them each on <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2022/02/04/metamorphosis-facebook-and-big-tech-competition?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">their merits—or demerits</a>. After Israel’s creation, Jews were shunned in the Arab world; that now seems to be changing, <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/the-arab-world-is-re-embracing-its-jews/21807243?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">and quickly</a>. And, on the frozen ground at Ukraine’s border, <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/02/07/will-ukraines-muddy-ground-halt-russian-tanks?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">there will be mud</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>