The Intelligence from The Economist

Mass destruction: is the Ethiopian government covering up war crimes?

<p>The burning of burial grounds in the northern region of the country suggests that authorities are destroying evidence. If these <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/07/09/war-crimes-in-tigray-may-be-covered-up-or-forgotten?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">claims</a> are proven true, will the government be held accountable? In news that might please your boss, emerging research suggests that <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/07/10/the-fight-over-working-from-home-goes-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">working from home</a> is stifling productivity (10:36). And honouring the life of a Ukrainian <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/07/13/victoria-amelina-explored-a-land-of-atrocities-and-secrets?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">civil-rights campaigner</a> (19:22). </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>

Second thoughts: Donald Trump’s policy plans

<p>When he was last elected, many were surprised, even in his own camp. This time around, his backers are taking no such chances. We take a closer look at his <a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2023/07/13/a-second-trump-administration-would-get-its-way-far-more-than-the-first?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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 plans</a>. China currently supplies nearly all the world’s processed critical minerals. Could <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/06/20/can-australia-break-chinas-monopoly-on-critical-minerals?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Australia</a> change that (10:52)? And, a <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2023/06/29/a-chinese-reality-tv-show-about-farming-doubles-as-propaganda?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reality TV show</a> with a greenfingered twist (19:03). </p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

AI-pocalypse: predicting the threat from artificial intelligence

<p>Wiping out a tenth of the world? Possible. Wiping out all of humanity? Less likely, but not entirely impossible. We examine how two groups of experts have arrived at these <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2023/07/10/what-are-the-chances-of-an-ai-apocalypse?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">worrying predictions</a> about AI. Education is giving hope to inmates in a maximum security prison in New York (11:17). And, on Britain’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/06/27/in-britain-working-mens-clubs-have-been-incubators-of-rock-music?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">working men’s clubs</a> which have nurtured rock bands for decades (18:00).</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>

Rutte, damn: the Dutch prime minister steps down

Mark Rutte is <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/07/10/mark-rutte-the-dutch-prime-minister-quits-politics?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">stepping down</a> after leading the Netherlands for 13 years. Despite his renowned political survival skills, our correspondent explains why it was migration policy that brought about his downfall. As the <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2023/07/02/nato-is-drafting-new-plans-to-defend-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">NATO summit</a> kicks off, what are the alliance’s plans for defending Europe (9:30)? And a look at the changing face of Britain’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2023/07/02/nato-is-drafting-new-plans-to-defend-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">lighthouses</a> (19:00). <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>

States, disunited: the controversy around cluster bombs

<p>Despite considerable opposition from allies in NATO, America has agreed to send them to Ukraine. The highly controversial munitions could speed up Ukraine’s counteroffensive, but at what cost? As excitement around AI continues to generate, our new index examines how American firms are deploying the tech (11:16). And, what to read to learn more about the juiciest corporate scandals (19:11). </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>

I spy: meeting Ukraine’s intelligence chief

<p>We sit down with Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine’s youngest-ever <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/06/20/ukraines-spymaster-has-got-under-the-kremlins-skin?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">spymaster</a>. He is intense, resolute—and oddly charismatic. A world of electrified transport is going to need lots of nickel for batteries. We argue that, environmentally speaking, gathering it from the seafloor <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/07/06/the-world-needs-more-battery-metals-time-to-mine-the-seabed?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">clearly beats</a> mining it on land (11:12). And remembering <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/07/06/donald-triplett-was-the-first-man-diagnosed-with-autism?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Donald Triplett</a>, the first person ever to be diagnosed with autism (19:25).</p><br><p><em>Additional audio courtesy of “In A Different Key”, inadifferentkeythemovie.com</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="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>

Clone wars: Meta’s Threads takes on Twitter

<p>If there is one thing Facebook’s parent company does well, it is aping other social-media features and platforms—and it is a <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/07/04/the-musk-zuckerberg-social-media-smackdown?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">propitious time</a> to steal Twitter’s thunder. Deeply indebted Arab countries desperately need loans from the IMF, but have <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/06/27/after-years-of-talks-indebted-arab-states-and-the-imf-are-at-an-impasse?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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 reasons</a> to balk at the fund’s terms (10:00). And New Yorkers love their <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/06/15/attack-of-the-feral-parakeets?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">invasive parakeets</a>; the birds’ enormous nests, less so (18:41).</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>

Group dynamics: Wagner in Africa

<p>Its leader is in exile and its future is uncertain. But the Wagner Group will be loth to abandon the influence and the cashflow that its <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/06/27/what-next-for-wagners-african-empire?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">murky African operations</a> bring. The striking down of affirmative-action university-admissions policies in America may counterintuitively spur more-progressive and more-efficient <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/06/29/how-american-universities-will-react-as-race-based-admissions-end?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">alternatives</a> (9:56). And the reinvention (again) of a beloved Chinese <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2023/06/01/a-famous-brand-of-chinese-sweets-reinvents-itself-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">sweet treat</a> (17:08).</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>

Break camp: Israel’s West Bank raids

<p>The so-called refugee camp in the city of Jenin has been subject to raids for months—and a hotspot for militants for decades. We ask what set things off <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/07/03/israel-launches-its-biggest-raid-on-the-west-bank-in-over-20-years?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">so violently</a> this week. Now that Jair Bolsonaro is barred from Brazilian office for <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/06/30/jair-bolsonaro-is-barred-from-office-for-eight-years?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">eight years</a>, what happens to his brand of politics (11:17)? And how America got a <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/06/20/the-new-king-of-beers-is-a-mexican-american-success-story?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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 king of beers</a> (19:17).</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>

Riot-geared: the tensions behind France’s unrest

<p>The killing of a teenager in a Paris suburb has ignited <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/07/01/rioting-in-france-presents-a-fresh-political-test-for-emmanuel-macron?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">national unrest</a>. We ask what is driving the disquiet, and what it means for a president squeezed on both political sides. In high-inflation times, rising wages worry economists—“wage-price spirals” are a textbook bogeyman. But perhaps the risk is <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/06/15/wage-price-spirals-are-far-scarier-in-theory-than-in-practice?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">overblown</a> (10:34). And the researchers making burgers from extinct animals (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="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>

Hot to trot: the up sides of climate migration

<p>Mass movements of people expected as climate change progresses are often depicted as catastrophes-in-waiting. We visit Niger, where that shift has begun, finding there is <a href="https://www.economist.com/interactive/briefing/2023/07/01/the-surprising-upside-of-climate-migration?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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 news</a> amid the bad. We examine the spate of <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/06/13/want-to-contribute-to-ukraines-war-effort-in-these-games-you-can?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">video games</a> depicting Ukraine’s live theatre of war (11:32). And the end of Indiana Jones’s run prompts a reflection on what made his adventures <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/06/29/the-secrets-of-indiana-jones?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">so compelling</a> (17:12).</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><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>

Antitrust, the process: America’s competition cops

<p>This week’s court battle involving Microsoft and Activision, giants of tech and gaming, reflects a sea change under way in America’s trustbusting machinery; it <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/06/21/why-joe-bidens-trustbusters-have-fallen-short-of-their-ambitions?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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 not go as far</a> as the top competition cop might like. A boom in China’s post-pandemic economy now seems to be <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/06/18/chinas-economy-is-on-course-for-a-double-dip?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sputtering</a> (11:29). And a paean to the <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/06/15/a-potato-can-have-no-finer-fate-than-ending-up-as-an-irish-crisp?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tayto crisp</a>—cheese-and-onion flavour, naturally (18:29).</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>

Juan way, or another? Argentina’s election

<p>For decades, leftist policies first espoused by Juan Perón have dominated the country’s politics. But as electioneering begins it is clear that rampant inflation is driving voters away from Peronism and <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/06/22/annual-inflation-of-114-is-pushing-argentina-to-the-right?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">toward the populist right</a>. We examine why big American retailers <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/06/21/doctor-walmart-will-see-you-now?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">see opportunity</a> in providing primary health care (9:33). And our annual list of the world’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2023/06/21/the-worlds-most-liveable-cities-in-2023?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">most liveable cities</a> (15:38).</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> <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>

Belarusian roulette: a mutiny’s aftermath

<p>Yevgeny Prigozhin and his Wagner Group fighters are said to be welcome in safe-haven Belarus. We ask how Aleksandr Lukashenko, the country’s puppet president, ended up in the role of <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/06/26/alexander-lukashenko-is-the-clearest-beneficiary-of-wagners-mutiny?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">peace broker</a>. Our correspondent investigates why so many American states are having to <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/06/15/american-states-are-bailing-out-public-transport?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">bail out</a> public-transport companies. And the diplomatic benefits of <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2023/06/22/why-foreign-dignitaries-wear-red-when-meeting-xi-jinping?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">wearing red</a> on visits to China.</p><p><em>Please take a moment to fill out our listener survey: </em><a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsurvey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>www.economist.com/podcastsurvey</em></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>

Putin’s chef spoils the broth: mutiny in Russia

<p>Yevgeny Prigozhin, nicknamed “Putin’s chef”, leads the Wagner Group of mercenaries fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. He had lambasted Russia’s military leaders for months, but the mutiny he <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/06/24/wagner-rebels-turn-against-putins-army?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">began</a> over the weekend lasted <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/06/24/the-wagner-group-halts-its-march-on-moscow?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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 than a day</a>. Nevertheless it is a <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/06/25/the-meaning-of-prigozhins-short-lived-mutiny?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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 blow</a> to President Vladimir Putin’s leadership—and may prove to be <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/06/24/how-the-mutiny-in-russia-will-shape-the-battlefield-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">a boon</a> for Ukraine’s counter-offensive.</p><br><p><em>Please take a moment to fill out our listener survey: </em><a href="http://economist.com/podcastsurvey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>www.economist.com/podcastsurvey</em></a><em> </em></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>

Pro-life post-Dobbs: America’s anti-abortion campaigns

<p>In the months since America’s Supreme Court gave states the power to ban abortions, those in support of the ruling have become <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/06/22/one-year-after-dobbs-americas-pro-life-movement-is-in-flux?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">more splintered</a>. And with the help of leftist language, they are finding new recruits. A new discovery about the intelligence of a <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2023/06/08/a-tiny-ancient-hominin-may-have-been-surprisingly-clever?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">human-like species</a> is changing how we understand evolution. And, a tribute to the man who leaked the <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/06/21/daniel-ellsberg-leaked-the-pentagon-papers-to-try-to-stop-the-vietnam-war?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pentagon Papers</a>.</p><br><p>Please take a moment to fill out our listener survey: <a href="http://economist.com/podcastsurvey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/podcastsurvey</a> </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>

No guarantees: NATO members debate Ukraine’s future

<p>Members of the alliance are conflicted over the prospect of <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2023/06/21/nato-is-agonising-over-whether-to-let-ukraine-join?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ukraine’s membership</a>. In particular, America has changed its mind, and this could affect the future of the war. Because of rapidly rising sea levels, China’s coastal cities are on sinking sand. Will another <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2023/06/05/chinas-new-great-wall?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">great wall</a> slow the tide? And, say hello to our new Style Guide.</p><br><p>Please take a moment to fill out our listener survey: <a href="http://economist.com/podcastsurvey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/podcastsurvey</a> </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>

Balancing of Powers: India’s foreign policy

<p>Narendra Modi is cosying up to America, but not at the expense of valuable relationships with Russia and China. Our correspondent speaks with the country’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/06/15/indias-foreign-minister-on-ties-with-america-china-and-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">foreign minister</a> who details its unique worldview. After losing its charismatic leader, what does the future hold for the <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/06/01/after-a-decade-of-snp-dominance-scotlands-politics-is-suddenly-in-flux?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Scottish National Party</a>? And a change the supply of <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/06/14/how-much-is-a-human-head?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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 parts</a> in Britain.</p><br><p>Please take a moment to fill out our new listener survey: <a href="http://economist.com/podcastsurvey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/podcastsurvey</a> </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>

Abodes well? The housing crash that wasn’t

<p>Much to the chagrin of hopeful first-time buyers, <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/06/12/is-the-global-housing-slump-over?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">property prices</a> remain stubbornly high across the West. Our correspondent explains why housing is defying the laws of financial gravity. A new diamond deal in <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/06/08/botswana-an-african-success-story-looks-ever-less-exceptional?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Botswana</a> risks jeopardizing the country’s sparkling record. And why a failed crop of peaches will not cripple America’s Peach State.</p><br><p>Please take a moment to fill out our listener survey: <a href="http://economist.com/podcastsurvey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/podcastsurvey</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>

More Blinken meetings: a diplomatic visit to China

In a first since 2018, America’s secretary of state is visiting China amid escalating tensions between both countries. Can diplomats successfully stabilise the strained relationship? Latin American countries are in a developmental limbo. We explore why this is disproportionately affecting <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/06/08/latin-americas-single-mothers-are-being-left-behind?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">single mothers</a>. And, come with us to a British <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/06/01/can-british-seaweed-farms-bloom?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">seaweed farm</a> bubbling with economic potential. <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>

I, of the tiger: India’s influential diaspora

<p>They lead startups, giant corporations, even countries: people of Indian origin are finding <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2023/06/12/indias-diaspora-is-bigger-and-more-influential-than-any-in-history?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">great success</a> outside their home country—and wielding much influence inside it. On its 30th anniversary we revisit Derek Jarman’s film “Blue”, finding it to be a sound-design masterpiece as much as a daring cinematographic experiment. And examining whether breeding racehorses has hit a <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2023/06/07/a-new-study-asks-whether-racehorses-have-hit-their-genetic-peak?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">genetic limit</a> of speed. </p><p><em>Additional audio taken from Blue Now featuring: Joelle Taylor, Russell Tovey, Jay Bernard, Neil Bartlett. Sound/music: Simon Fisher Turner</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="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>

Guilty party: Boris Johnson’s lies catch up with him

<p>The investigation into covid-lockdown-era parties during Boris Johnson’s premiership—and his denials of their impropriety—comes to damning conclusions. Is it <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/06/15/reading-the-death-certificate-on-boris-johnsons-political-career?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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 end for the former prime minister</a>? Japan’s <em>onsen</em> hot baths exploit the country’s plentiful hot springs and are now <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/05/28/japans-hot-spring-resorts-are-blocking-geothermal-energy-plants?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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 conflict</a> with the push to develop geothermal energy. And building a better hypodermic needle, <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2023/05/31/mosquitoes-wasps-and-parasitic-worms-could-help-make-injections-less-painful?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">inspired by nature</a>.  </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>

Call of duties: the global costs of war

<p>Conflict in Ukraine has cut short the “peace dividend” the world was reaping. We count the <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2023/05/23/the-cost-of-the-global-arms-race?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">economic costs</a> of a widespread return to a war footing. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s appointment of two <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/06/04/turkeys-president-erdogan-shifts-towards-sane-economics?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">economic realists</a> should, at last, overturn Turkey’s upside-down monetary policy—if they are free to act. And why so many whales are <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/03/16/why-are-so-many-whales-washing-up-dead-on-east-coast-beaches?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">washing up dead</a> on America’s East Coast.</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>

Death of a salesman: Silvio Berlusconi

<p>Italy’s longest-serving prime minister has <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/06/12/silvio-berlusconi-has-died-aged-86?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">died</a> aged 86. He inspired as much derision as devotion, and for all his gaffes and scandals he helped to shape the country’s media—and its economic malaise. Unfettered by the abandoned nuclear deal, Iran is now making its bomb programme <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/05/30/iran-puts-its-nuclear-programme-beyond-the-reach-of-american-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">unassailable</a>. And bringing the 20th-century idea of “<a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2023/05/10/how-to-bring-scents-to-the-metaverse?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Smell-o-vision</a>” into the 21st.</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>

Gain, wait: Ukraine’s tentative push

<p>Hints of the long campaign ahead are emerging, but all the <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/06/11/ukraine-is-counter-attacking-in-multiple-directions-with-mixed-results?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">operations so far</a> are just drawing the eventual, full-scale battle lines. Cheap vaccinations could save millions of lives lost to cervical cancer; we ask why and where jab rates <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2023/05/31/cheap-single-dose-hpv-vaccines-could-save-millions-of-lives?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">are falling</a>. And why airlines have more money tied up <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/05/18/foreign-airlines-in-nigeria-are-frustrated-by-the-blocking-of-their-funds?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.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 Nigeria</a> than in the rest of the world combined.</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>

Charged up: Trump’s latest indictment

<p>He is expected to be charged for failing to return classified documents and obstructing justice. The former president denies wrongdoing, and any possible convictions are still a long way away, but how does this affect his election campaign? <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2023/06/07/smoke-blackens-the-air-in-americas-north-east?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Wildfires</a> raging across Canada are choking New Yorkers. We take a closer look at the air quality data. And Putin’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/06/08/vera-putina-claimed-to-be-vladimir-putins-real-mother?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">alleged birth mother</a> dies in Georgia. </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>

No Khan do: Pakistan’s meddling army

<p>The country’s military is renowned for political overreach. Now, its leaders are taking on former prime minister <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/06/01/pakistans-perma-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">Imran Khan</a>. Is violent unrest on the horizon? Why a new <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/05/30/polands-government-may-seek-to-bar-opponents-from-politics?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Polish law</a> to rid the country of Russian influence could threaten its democracy. And, the Japanese are taking a new approach to <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/05/25/japans-ageing-society-is-finding-creative-ways-to-dispose-of-its-dead?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">funerals</a>.</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>

Not born yesterday: the world’s ageing population

<p>Fertility rates are falling to worrying levels, and an <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/06/01/global-fertility-has-collapsed-with-profound-economic-consequences?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">older, smaller, global population</a> is bad news for economic growth. Apple’s new <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/06/06/apples-vision-pro-is-an-incredible-machine-now-to-find-out-what-it-is-for?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">headset</a> could revolutionise the virtual reality world, but only if it sells. And, despite being in decline for decades, the tide is turning for Britain’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/06/03/britons-still-do-like-to-be-beside-the-seaside?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">seaside towns</a>. </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>

Dam and blast: Ukraine launches counter-offensive

<p>After months of waiting, <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/06/05/ukraines-counter-offensive-appears-to-have-begun?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">probing attacks</a> have begun. A destroyed dam in Kherson suggests that Russia is upping the ante in response. But what else is in store? <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2023/03/23/china-wants-the-world-to-forget-about-its-crimes-in-xinjiang?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Uyghurs</a> are still suffering in Xinjiang, and those who managed to escape China are being gagged. And, our columnist has some advice on keeping it together when the office is <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/06/01/how-to-beat-desk-rage?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">driving you mad</a>.</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>

Trouble in Shangri-La: Sino-American tensions escalate

<p>At a meeting of defence ministers from the Asia-Pacific region, heightened tensions between Beijing and Washington were all too apparent. A naval spat in the Taiwan Strait looms large over relations. What will it take for both sides to talk? In Brazil, Lula faces an uphill battle to undo <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/05/25/lula-wants-to-purge-brazil-of-jair-bolsonaros-influence?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">his predecessor’s policies</a>. And are British <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/05/28/sad-little-boys-the-backlash-against-britains-boarding-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">boarding schools</a> worth it?</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> <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>