The Intelligence from The Economist

Paranoia politics: a Tunisian lesson in demagoguery

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

Going, going… Gabon: another African coup

<p>Putsches in Africa are becoming more common and there appears to be a <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/08/30/a-coup-in-gabon-proves-that-frances-africa-policy-is-in-tatters" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">trend</a>. Are there more to come and is there any hope of restoring democracy? <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/08/24/lebanon-is-experiencing-a-tourism-boom?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Lebanon’s tourism sector</a> is bringing foreign money back into the economy, but it’s not trickling down (10:27). And, the American right is propelling a <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/08/23/how-americas-right-turned-rich-men-north-of-richmond-into-a-hit?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">new song</a> to chart-topping popularity (16:44).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Game of drones: can Ukraine pull ahead?

<p>Three months into the counteroffensive, the military is reaping the fruits of several months of drone development. But as the war continues, will it be able to <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/08/27/inside-ukraines-drone-war-against-putin?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">scale up</a> its capacity and outpace Russia? New international laws cracking down on Caribbean <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/08/21/a-wave-of-international-rule-making-threatens-caribbean-tax-havens?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tax havens</a> seem to be working (10:03). And politicians reignite an old debate on <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/08/21/in-spains-parliament-you-can-now-speak-basque-or-catalan-or-galician?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">official language use</a> in Spain (17:21).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Teutonic plague: is Germany the sick man of Europe?

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

Going non-nuclear: East Asia’s changing families

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

Fellow-BRICS road: a club expands

<p>The alliance was always based more on common fortunes than common interests. We ask what to make of the six new members, and whether the bloc’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2023/08/17/the-brics-are-getting-together-in-south-africa?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">motley nature</a> undermines its purpose. Regulation has struggled in an era when children can become “influencers”, but it is starting to <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/07/27/regulation-could-disrupt-the-booming-kidfluencer-business?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">catch up</a> (9:36). And remembering <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/08/24/bindeshwar-pathak-realised-that-indias-future-depended-on-toilets?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bindeshwar Pathak</a>, who realised India’s future depended on toilets (16:28).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <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>

Flight of the long knives: Prigozhin’s reported death

<p>History would suggest that the crash of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s plane was an assassination. Our correspondent considers what the supposed death of the Wagner Group’s leader means for Ukraine—and <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/08/23/yevgeny-prigozhins-reported-death-may-consolidate-putins-power" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">what it says</a> about Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Indonesia has fostered a more moderate version of Islam that it would now <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/08/16/indonesia-wants-to-export-moderate-islam?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">like to export</a> (9:58). And meeting an indigenous <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/07/27/meet-the-peruvian-indigenous-singer-inspired-by-k-pop?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">pioneer of Peruvian pop</a> (16:21).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital, and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><br><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Vote with no confidence: Zimbabwe goes to the polls

<p>Arranging friendly media coverage, giving handouts to voters, stifling opposition rallies: once again the country’s ruling party has put its <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/08/22/zimbabweans-fear-the-worst-as-they-go-to-the-polls?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">thumb on the scales</a>. It has to, after decades of failed governance. Our correspondent visits fire-ravaged Lahaina in Hawaii, finding equal parts <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/08/17/lessons-from-the-blaze-that-levelled-lahaina?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">shock and anger</a> among residents (10:32). And the curious rise of Britain’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/07/20/the-rise-of-the-self-pitying-mp?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">self-pitying lawmakers</a> (18:38).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Home groan: China’s housing-sector crisis

<p>Once again, fears are ripping through the industry—this time starting from a firm once thought too big to fail. In an economy so dependent on housebuilding, that will have <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/08/16/how-bad-could-chinas-property-crisis-get?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">wide-ranging consequences</a>. We take a ride in one of the autonomous taxis that have flooded onto San Francisco’s streets (10:22). And crunching the numbers on Antarctica’s worrisome <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2023/08/02/the-rapid-loss-of-antarctic-sea-ice-brings-grim-scenarios-into-view?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">dearth</a> of sea ice (19:40). </p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <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>

Latin lessons: two contrasting elections

<p>Ecuador and Guatemala faced similar preoccupations with violence and <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/08/17/guatemalas-elite-may-try-to-scupper-the-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">corruption</a>—one of Ecuador’s candidates was <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/08/10/an-ecuadorian-presidential-candidate-is-assassinated?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">assassinated</a> on the campaign trail—but their electoral outcomes were very different. What does that reveal about the region? Once rare in America, leprosy is on the rise again, particularly in Florida (8:04). And how Singapore <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/07/20/singapore-is-the-world-leader-in-selling-cultivated-meat?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">leads the charge</a> for “alternative proteins” (14:08). </p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Gun-shy: why Niger’s coup stands, for now

<p>For weeks, the regional bloc ECOWAS has threatened to undo the putsch by force. But appetite for a military response—the ultimate deterrent in a coup-prone region—seems small and waning. Russia’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/08/14/russia-will-struggle-to-cope-with-a-sinking-rouble?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">rouble</a> has become one of the world’s worst-performing currencies, and there are not many good options to rescue it (09:40). And a <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/08/17/richard-simpson-strove-to-balance-buyers-against-manufacturers?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tribute</a> to an American pioneer of consumer-product safety (16:22).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Make ore break: Latin America’s commodities

<p>The region is home to most of the world’s known lithium. Given the mineral’s usefulness in batteries and electric vehicles, could it be on the cusp of a <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/08/08/latin-america-could-become-this-centurys-commodity-superpower?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">commodities boom</a>? Germany’s auto industry is at risk. <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/07/31/what-if-germany-stopped-making-cars?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Volkswagen</a>, one of its biggest carmakers, should be worried (10:27). And, England’s World Cup successes could change the face of <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/08/15/englands-lionesses-are-a-game-changer-for-domestic-football?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">women’s football</a> (18:06).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><p>Runtime: 24 min</p><br><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Through the fire: an update from Hawaii

<p>As the death toll surpasses 100, we report from Maui where fires have ravaged the island in the deadliest American wildfire in over a century. Why was this one so <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/08/11/why-the-fires-in-hawaii-have-been-so-bad?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">catastrophic</a>? The plummet of <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/08/04/parts-of-colombia-are-now-awash-with-cocaine?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">coca prices</a> in Colombia is messing with the market (09:58). And northern Europe fights to <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/08/04/in-northern-europe-a-backlash-against-english-is-under-way?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">preserve its local languages</a> in schools (17:09). </p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

“Witch hunt”, Part Four: Trump indicted, again

<p>The former president has been hit with a new set of charges, under a catch-all racketeering act that has been used to prosecute everyone from rappers to teachers. It’s Mr Trump’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/10/05/how-much-legal-jeopardy-is-donald-trump-in?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">fourth indictment</a>, but perhaps the most unusual. Ukraine’s new, surprisingly effective innovation: the “<a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2023/08/01/ukraines-latest-weapons-in-its-war-with-russia-3d-printed-bombs?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">candy bomb</a>” (10:10). And, the most expensive <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2023/08/04/our-carrie-bradshaw-index-where-americans-can-afford-to-live-solo?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">American cities</a> to live alone (17:30).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

West-siding story? Turkey’s tactical shift

<p>Despite cosying up with Russia and accusing America of trying to topple him, the newly <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/08/08/president-erdogan-wants-to-make-nice-with-the-west-on-his-terms?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">re-elected president</a> now appears to be flirting with old allies. But there is reason to be sceptical. A global survey shows that <a href="https://www.economist.com/interactive/international/2023/08/03/western-values-are-steadily-diverging-from-the-rest-of-the-world?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">liberal values</a> may not be catching on as some expected (09:54). And, have scientists found the <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2023/08/02/an-ancient-whale-like-animal-may-be-the-biggest-to-have-ever-lived?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">biggest animal</a> that ever lived (18:36)? </p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

In the big leagues now: Saudi Arabia’s push into sport

<p>Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman says a presence in <a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2023/08/10/saudi-arabia-is-spending-a-fortune-on-sport?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">top-level global sport</a> is one route to modernising; critics call the effort a distraction from the country’s appalling human-rights record. Brazil’s government is pushing reforms that are clearly <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/08/02/investors-are-increasingly-optimistic-about-brazils-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">calming investors</a>, who had fretted about a return to ruinously spendthrift policies (9:20). And how speedy “first-person-view” drones are <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2023/08/04/how-could-fpv-drones-change-warfare?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">changing the fight</a> in Ukraine (16:25).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <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>

Taken too soon: why so many Americans die young

<p>An <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/07/31/horrifying-numbers-of-americans-will-not-make-it-to-old-age?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">appalling record</a> compared with much of the rich world is not just down to drugs and guns. We ask what changes, both in policy and philosophy, might reduce the death toll. A heat-transporting ocean current in the Atlantic could soon be on the wane—or switch off altogether (10:08). That would have <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2023/08/02/what-is-amoc-the-heat-distributing-atlantic-current?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">disastrous consequences</a>. And musing on <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/08/04/a-refresher-on-business-air-travel-etiquette?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">airborne etiquette</a> for business travelers (18:09).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><p>Runtime: 23 min</p><br><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Trust the processor: America’s CHIPS Act one year on

<p>Big-money legislation to bring microprocessor manufacturing to the country is off to a <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/08/07/how-real-is-americas-chipmaking-renaissance?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reasonable start</a>—but dominance of the industry is and will probably remain distant. Britain was once a leading light when it came to international aid; we ask why that reputation is now <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/07/27/britain-has-blown-its-reputation-as-a-world-leader-in-aid?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">in tatters</a> (tk:tk). And exploring all the <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/07/27/why-your-new-ev-is-making-funny-noises?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">funny noises</a> coming from electric vehicles (tk:tk).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <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>

Bloc can tackle? ECOWAS and Niger’s coup

<p>The Economic Community of West African States <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/08/07/after-nigers-coup-the-drums-of-war-are-growing-louder?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">may yet try</a> to restore President Mohamed Bazoum militarily. Either way, Niger’s status as a bulwark against jihadism is threatened. America’s Republican hopefuls are <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/07/06/republican-presidential-candidates-canoodle-with-moms-for-liberty?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">courting</a> Moms for Liberty, a pressure group with some outlandish ideas; we meet a few of them (10:51). And the design principles of a <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/06/29/how-to-design-better-flags?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">good flag</a> (19:33).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <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>

Back to front: visiting Ukraine’s firing line

<p>As diplomatic efforts played out in Saudi Arabia our correspondent recounts travels along the nearly unbroken <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/08/02/ukrainian-soldiers-describe-their-experiences-battling-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">front line</a> of the war—finding frustrated but determined soldiers and exhausted, fearful civilians. We examine the row around Japan’s plan to <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/07/13/asia-is-rowing-about-fukushima-nuclear-wastewater?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">release wastewater</a> from the Fukushima disaster (09:21). And how rosé wine became summertime’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/08/04/how-provencal-rose-became-the-summer-tipple-par-excellence?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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-to tipple</a> (15:39).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Too big tech: is Alphabet approaching a growth ceiling?

<p>As <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/07/30/is-there-more-to-alphabet-than-google-search?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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 tech giant</a> approaches its 25-year anniversary, there are questions of just how much more it can <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/08/02/can-big-tech-keep-getting-bigger-in-the-age-of-ai?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">possibly grow</a>. Investors are used to stratospheric returns. Is it time to manage expectations? Nested behind the appearance of social discontent in <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/07/27/beneath-frances-revolts-hidden-success?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">France</a> is an economy that is actually thriving (10:51). And, a tribute to a <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/08/02/sunray-kelley-wanted-to-build-in-rhythm-with-nature-his-teacher?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">true man of the woods</a> (19:02). </p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Industrial waste: the world’s misguided manufacturing policies

<p>The <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/07/13/the-world-is-in-the-grip-of-a-manufacturing-delusion?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">industrial arms race</a> is on. For many political reasons, countries with the means are throwing billions of dollars into local industries. But when will leaders realise that it might harm their economies? Japan’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/06/28/japan-is-making-asylum-even-harder-for-refugees?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">refugee policy</a> was already stringent, but now the country is cracking down on asylum seekers even more (10:26). And, how Oppenheimer has reignited <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/07/24/oppenheimers-secret-city-is-a-shrine-to-the-manhattan-project?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Los Alamos's</a> tourist appeal (18:22).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Big-claims court: Donald Trump’s latest indictment

<p>The former American president is facing a new set of unprecedented <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/08/02/donald-trump-is-indicted-for-trying-to-steal-the-2020-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">legal challenges</a> linked to his claims that he won the 2020 election. These charges are perhaps the most serious ones yet, but how will they affect his campaign? A closer look at <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/07/17/how-much-trouble-is-chinas-economy-in?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">China’s economic figures</a> suggest that their post-pandemic recovery has been more modest than expected (09:49). And, sneaking <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/07/20/how-well-connected-iranians-import-their-goodies?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">pianos</a> into Iran (17:59).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Strong arms: North Korea’s pandemic era weapons program

<p>The country is not new to seclusion, but under the aegis of the pandemic, <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/07/24/kim-jong-un-has-no-desire-to-let-his-country-rejoin-the-world?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kim Jong Un</a> tightened borders even more. His regime has enjoyed the extra control, but are things finally opening up? The world’s biggest rice exporter is <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2023/07/26/what-will-be-the-impact-of-indias-rice-export-ban?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">banning rice exports</a> and the developing world is going to feel the heat (10:13). And, a new approach to dairy – <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/07/20/startups-are-producing-real-dairy-without-a-cow-in-sight?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">without cows</a> (14:39).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Putsched out: Niger’s coup d’état

<p>Following years of military takeovers in the region, <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/07/28/nigers-putsch-is-bad-for-the-country-and-for-the-region?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Niger</a> is the West’s last solid ally in the Sahel. But with this coup, and growing alignment with Russia, these relations are in jeopardy. Why is a <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/07/25/londons-latest-effort-to-clear-bad-air-is-contested-but-necessary?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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</a> to decongest London proving such a politically divisive issue (10:49)? And, a deep dive into a Canadian lake shows that humanity may be entering <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2023/07/12/a-canadian-lake-could-mark-the-start-of-humanitys-geological-epoch?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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 new epoch</a> (17:01).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Trading criminality for autocracy: El Salvador

<p>A country that was not long ago gripped by gang violence and crime is slowly emerging from fear, thanks to a <a href="https://www.economist.com/films/2023/07/21/inside-el-salvadors-war-on-crime" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">brutal roundup</a> of young men by a wildly popular, social-media-savvy <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/07/20/nayib-bukele-shows-how-to-dismantle-a-democracy-and-stay-popular" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">president</a>. The streets may be safer, but now it is El Salvador’s democracy that is in danger—and neighbouring countries’ leaders may take lessons from its budding <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/07/20/what-the-worlds-budding-autocrats-are-learning-from-el-salvador?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">autocrat</a>.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

With a grain assault: a deal abandoned

<p>Russia’s axeing of the Black Sea grain deal reveals a war machine running out of options. We explore how to get the deal <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/07/26/the-world-should-not-let-vladimir-putin-abandon-the-grain-deal?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">back on track</a>. A month-long mystery surrounding China’s absent foreign minister has <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2023/07/25/chinas-missing-foreign-minister-loses-his-job?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">grown deeper</a>: now his memory is being scrubbed from official websites (10:15). And literary criticism has <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/07/21/critics-are-getting-less-cruel-alas?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">lost its claws</a>—gaining a newfound civility that is bad for readers (16:37).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <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>

Forewarned before armed: how to predict war

<p>Military types need not wait until mass movements of troops to know a conflict is coming. We examine a raft of subtle and not-so-subtle market moves that would precede a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. France’s quiet <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/07/20/frances-foreign-policy-revolution?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">volte face</a> on the extent of NATO and the European Union will reshape European security (12:04). And how scrapyards are becoming efficient, lucrative <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2023/07/19/scrapyards-adopt-new-high-tech-ways-to-dismantle-cars?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">disassembly lines</a> (19:41).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <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>

Squash court: Israel’s controversial law reform

<p>A seemingly small change to the Supreme Court’s powers to adjudicate “reasonableness” represents a <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/07/24/a-blow-against-israels-supreme-court-plunges-the-country-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">significant risk</a> to the country’s democratic functioning—and 30 weeks of popular protest about it will continue. Our correspondent looks into why Vietnam’s schools produce such <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/06/29/why-are-vietnams-schools-so-good?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">excellent students</a> (09:54). And examining the debate on whether cryptocurrency trading <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/07/13/does-islam-smile-on-cryptocurrency?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">conflicts</a> with Islamic strictures (15:15).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Small-Vox symptoms: Spain’s elections

<p>After no party won a majority, forming a government <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/07/23/spains-election-ends-in-deadlock?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">may take weeks</a>—or another election. But predictions that Vox, a far-right party, might enter government failed to materialise. Russia’s navy is <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2023/07/03/can-russias-navy-thwart-attacks-by-repainting-its-ships?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">repainting its vessels</a> in a bid to frustrate munitions powered by artificial intelligence (10:03). And why the push to invent outlandish ice-cream flavours such as ketchup is <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/07/13/when-it-comes-to-ice-cream-the-instinct-to-innovate-is-misguided?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">deeply misguided</a> (17:59).</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>