The Intelligence from The Economist

You shall not pass: standardising vaccine passports

<p>Covid certificates are a global mess, with countries operating a patchwork of incompatible systems. We look at why it’s so difficult to standardise digital health passes. When the results of Uzbekistan’s elections are published today, the only surprise will be the margin of victory for Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the country’s autocratic leader since 2016. The question is how far he can take his <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2021/10/21/why-we-are-selling-our-cover-as-an-nft?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">agenda of economic and political reform</a>. And Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), a way of representing ownership of digital media, have taken the art world by storm. Why <em>The Economist</em> is <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2021/10/21/why-we-are-selling-our-cover-as-an-nft?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">getting in the game</a>. </p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Flu into a rage: Brazil’s Bolsonaro inquiry

<p>President Jair Bolsonaro’s early dismissal of the pandemic as “a little flu” presaged a calamitous handling of the crisis. We ask how a congressional investigation’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2021/10/23/jair-bolsonaro-is-accused-of-crimes-against-humanity-in-brazil?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">dramatic assessment</a> of his non-actions may damage him. China’s test of a hypersonic, nuclear-capable <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2021/10/23/chinas-test-of-a-hypersonic-missile-worries-america?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">glider</a> may rattle the global weapons order. And our obituaries editor reflects on the life of level-headed American statesman <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2021/10/23/obituary-colin-powell-thought-america-should-tread-carefully-in-the-world?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Colin Powell</a>.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

States of emergency: Nigeria

<p>Criminal gangs in north-western states, jihadists in the north-east, a rebellion in the south-east: kidnappers, warlords and cattle rustlers are making the country <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/how-kidnappers-zealots-and-rebels-are-making-nigeria-ungovernable/21805737?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ungovernable</a>. The new head of Samsung Electronics has a legacy to build—and aims to do so by breaking into the cut-throat business of <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2021/10/17/samsung-electronics-wants-to-dominate-cutting-edge-chipmaking?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">processor chips</a>. And the sci-fi classic “Dune” gets a <a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/09/06/denis-villeneuve-has-produced-the-first-great-dune-adaptation?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">good cinematic treatment</a> at last.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Gas-trick distress: a visit to Ukraine

<p>Russia continues to pile pressure on the country, and will soon have the power to cut off its natural gas. Our correspondent pays a visit to find <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/ukrainians-are-coping-stoically-with-russian-aggression/21805700?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">how Ukrainians cope</a>. The simplest solution to renewables’ intermittency is to move electricity around—but that requires vast new international networks of <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2021/10/16/the-booming-business-of-knitting-together-the-worlds-electricity-grids?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">seriously beefy cables</a>. And Canada’s version of American football is <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2021/10/09/a-venerable-canadian-sport-is-wasting-away?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">wasting away</a>. </p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Meeting them where they are: a British MP’s murder

<p>Sir David Amess was killed doing what he loved: speaking directly with voters. We examine the dangers inherent in the “<a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2021/10/16/the-murder-of-sir-david-amess-will-change-the-nature-of-british-democracy?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">constituency surgeries</a>” that British politicians cherish. The fight against tuberculosis is made harder by mutations that confer drug resistance; we look at <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2021/10/19/most-resistance-causing-mutations-in-tb-have-now-been-identified?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">research</a> that has traced nearly every one of them. And why Andy Warhol is big in Iran, again.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Chinese draggin’: growth slows

<p>A paltry GDP rise is down to the pandemic, power and property. We ask what growing pains President Xi Jinping will endure in the name of economic reforms. Emmanuel Macron, France’s president, will probably end up in the second round of next year’s election; who will stand against him is <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/eric-zemmour-the-anti-immigrant-radical-who-could-supplant-marine-le-pen/21805511?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ever more unpredictable</a>. And fixing meeting inefficiency with <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2021/10/16/how-to-run-better-meetings?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">an 850-year-old idea</a>.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Port, and a storm: sectarian violence in Lebanon

<p>The effort to <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/a-year-after-the-beirut-blast-still-no-bottom-to-lebanons-crisis/21803288?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">investigate</a> last year’s port explosion in Beirut has fired up political and religious tensions—resulting in Lebanon’s worst violence in years. We speak with Dmitry Muratov, a Russian journalist who shared this year’s Nobel peace prize, about what the award <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2021/10/14/a-russian-editor-says-he-won-the-nobel-because-his-slain-colleagues-could-not?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">means to him</a>, and to press freedom. And why autocratic regimes like to <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2021/10/08/why-do-authoritarian-regimes-like-to-buy-english-football-clubs?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">snap up</a> English football clubs.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

For watt it’s worth: energy markets’ squeeze

<p>A fossil-fuel scramble reveals energy markets in <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2021/10/16/dont-expect-big-oil-to-fix-the-energy-crunch?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">desperate need</a> of a redesign. We examine what must be done to secure a renewable future. Throngs of Hong Kong residents fleeing China’s tightening hand are <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2021/09/23/britains-newest-immigrant-group-is-unlike-any-that-came-before?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">settling in Britain</a>; our correspondent finds an immigrant group unlike any that came before. And the boom in <a href="https://espresso.economist.com/1b984659debd729d742b0035a987f069?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">“femtech” entrepreneurs</a> at last focusing on women’s health.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Keep your friends close: Pakistan’s shifting role

<p>As the Taliban’s closest ally, the country bears a big responsibility for Afghanistan’s fate. We examine its diplomatic <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/10/07/pakistan-got-its-way-in-afghanistan-now-what?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">risks and opportunities</a>. Mastercard is pressing porn purveyors this week; we look at how financial companies are reluctantly <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/credit-card-firms-are-becoming-reluctant-regulators-of-the-web/21805450?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">stepping up</a> as the internet’s police. And a timely social-inequality take drives South Korea’s “<a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/10/09/south-koreans-are-bemused-by-the-global-success-of-squid-game?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Squid Game</a>” to the top of Netflix's charts worldwide.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Exit Poles? A bold challenge to the EU

<p>After a court ruling in Poland that is <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/10/10/governments-fall-as-the-eu-battles-corruption?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">an affront</a> to a core European Union principle, Poles hit the streets—fearing a “Pol-exit” they do not want. Who will back down? Hydrogen has been touted for decades as a fuel with green credentials. At last its time <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/10/09/hydrogens-moment-is-here-at-last?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">has come</a>. And the <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2021/10/09/mexico-is-finally-seeing-a-startup-bonanza?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">herd of unicorns</a> popping up in Mexico.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Zero-to-some game: Asia-Pacific covid-19 plans crack

<p>Where governments enacted zero-tolerance coronavirus strategies, numbers indeed stayed low. That was before the Delta variant. We ask how countries can now <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/10/09/asian-countries-are-at-last-abandoning-zero-covid-strategies?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">wind back</a> those policies. A <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/10/09/the-french-catholic-church-acknowledges-a-staggering-pattern-of-sexual-abuse?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">shocking report</a> of sexual abuse within France’s Catholic church further threatens the institution’s connection with society. And countering the notion that the “<a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/10/02/dont-ditch-standard-english-teach-it-better?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">standard English</a>” taught the world over is the only proper one. </p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Strait of tension: Chinese jets test Taiwan

<p>China has sent more than 100 planes to probe Taiwan’s air-defence zone. We explain why Beijing has chosen this moment to send a message across the strait. The WHO has approved a vaccine against malaria—a turning-point in fighting a disease that kills 260,000 African children a year. And if you want a Nobel prize, it helps to be lauded by a laureate.    </p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

How to lose friends and alienate people: Ethiopia’s civil war

<p>Abiy Ahmed is sworn in again as prime minister, even as continuing strife increases the country’s isolation. Our correspondent witnesses the gruesome aftermath of a telling battle. China once encouraged, even forced abortions. Now, as it frets about declining birth rates, it’s discouraging them. And we report on India’s “godmen” and “godwomen”, their moneyspinning schemes and their fanatical followers.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Ticker shock: London’s wheezing stockmarket

<p>A global financial centre must move with the times, and—so far—London has not. Our correspondent lays out the causes of the malaise, and <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/10/02/how-to-revive-britains-stockmarket?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">how to fix it</a>. For many years compulsory military service was on the decline; we ask why so many countries are <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2021/10/02/the-military-draft-is-making-a-comeback?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">bringing it back</a>. And why Europe is the destination for a growing class of <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/10/02/why-europe-is-a-great-place-for-digital-nomads?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">digital nomads</a>.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

When it goes dark: Facebook’s terrible week

<p>Yesterday’s global outage is not even the worst of it: today’s congressional testimony will examine a whistleblower’s <a href="https://espresso.economist.com/4f372ad0cb173caf4691d83696b3b08a?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">allegations</a> that the company knows its products cause widespread harm. The modern food-industrial complex is great for eaters but appalling for the planet; we examine technological <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/10/02/new-ways-to-make-food-are-coming-but-will-consumers-bite?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">fixes</a>, and whether consumers will bite. And how Afghanistan's embassies abroad are—<a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/10/02/afghan-embassies-dont-recognise-the-taliban?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">or aren’t</a>—dealing with the Taliban.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Docket launch: a new term for America’s Supreme Court

<p>The court will be <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/10/02/the-new-supreme-court-term-is-about-to-begin?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tackling</a> just about every judicial and social flashpoint in the country during the term that starts today; our correspondent lays out the considerable stakes. A vast and costly die-off of Britain’s trees could have been averted simply and cheaply: just let them stay put. And why hotels are such <a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/09/24/why-do-hotels-make-for-such-good-drama?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ideal backdrops</a> for filmmakers and scriptwriters.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The courage of two convictions: Nicolas Sarkozy

<p>The <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/03/01/nicolas-sarkozys-jail-sentence-shocks-frances-political-class?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">first conviction</a> of France’s former president shocked the nation; the second confirms for citizens that, these days, politicians will be held to account. Our correspondent meets a Burmese hipster who, after this year’s military coup, has become a somewhat conflicted <a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2021/09/27/killing-informants-is-cool-how-a-myanmar-hipster-became-a-guerrilla-fighter?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">freedom fighter</a>. And the record label whose name you may never have heard but whose music you <a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/09/22/kpm-music-is-one-of-the-most-important-record-labels-in-history?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">certainly have</a>. </p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Nobody’s fuel: Britain’s shortages

<p>From chicken to petrol, Britons are facing <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/boris-johnson-dodges-the-blame-for-britains-petrol-pump-nightmare/21805106?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">long queues and bare shelves</a>. We ask about the multifarious reasons behind the shortfalls, and how long they will last. Tunisia’s democracy has been looking shaky <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2021/07/26/tunisias-democracy-totters-as-the-president-suspends-parliament?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">for months</a>; we examine what may change with yesterday’s appointment of its first-ever female prime minister. And India’s beleaguered unmarried couples at last are getting <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/09/23/love-hotels-are-blossoming-in-india?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">some privacy</a>.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Suga-free Diet: Japan’s next leader

<p>The ruling party’s choice for its president—a shoo-in for prime minister—seems to overlook the people’s will. We ask how Kishida Fumio is likely to lead, and for how long. Some of Nigeria’s megachurches are larger than stadiums, and have considerable assets—as do many of their charismatic pastors. And keeping up with demand for vinyl records presents pressing problems. </p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

A run for its money: funding crunches in Congress

<p>America’s crash of deadlines carries risks for the government’s budget and just possibly its <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2021/09/21/what-is-americas-debt-ceiling?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sovereign debt</a>, and threatens Joe Biden’s presidency-defining social-spending reforms. We ask what happens next. South Korea’s government is ostensibly cracking down on fake news; in practice it may be <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/09/23/south-koreas-plan-to-fight-fake-news-could-hobble-real-journalism?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hobbling real journalism</a>. And the hopeful view provided by a French conceptual artist’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/09/25/a-bold-artists-work-is-at-once-high-tech-and-primeval?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">latest work</a>.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Colour schemes: Germany’s coming coalition

<p>The country heads for a three-party government after a <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/09/26/after-a-tight-election-olaf-scholzs-social-democrats-come-out-just-in-front?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nail-biting election</a>. We cut through the flurry of letters and colours to ask what is likely to happen next. The technology swiftly deployed to combat the coronavirus may also crack a four-decade-old problem: <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/a-new-aids-vaccine-heads-to-clinical-trials/21804378?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">vaccinating against HIV</a>. And evidence that the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex may have liked a love bite.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Clubs seal: China’s view as alliances multiply

<p>Leaders of “the Quad” are meeting in person for the first time; drama from the AUKUS alliance still simmers. Our Beijing bureau chief discusses how Chinese officials <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2021/09/25/china-believes-that-america-is-forging-alliances-to-stop-its-rise?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">see</a> all these club ties. As Chancellor Angela Merkel’s time in office wanes, we assess Germany’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/09/25/the-mess-merkel-leaves-behind?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">many challenges</a> she leaves behind. And the sweet, sweet <a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2021/09/15/go-nuts-the-multilayered-history-of-baklava?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">history of baklava</a>, a Middle Eastern treat gone global.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Same assembly, rewired: the United Nations meets

<p>The annual United Nations General Assembly is more than just worthy pledges and fancy dinners; we ask where the tensions and the opportunities lie <a href="https://espresso.economist.com/70431822025c237eddc9145838fc7046?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">this time around</a>. Last year’s fears of a crippling “twindemic” of covid-19 and influenza proved unfounded—and that provides more <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/measures-to-prevent-the-spread-of-covid-19-have-also-fended-off-flu/21804978?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reason to worry</a> this year. And why “like” is, like, <a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/09/18/if-you-like-dislike-like-maybe-like-think-again?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">really useful</a>. </p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The homes stretch: Evergrande

<p>China’s property behemoth has slammed up against new rules on its giant debt pile. We ask what <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2021/09/21/what-are-the-systemic-risks-of-an-evergrande-collapse?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">wider risks</a> it now poses as a cash crunch bites. Britain has begun a demographic trend unusual in the rich world: its share of young people is <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2021/08/21/the-number-of-young-adults-in-britain-is-about-to-rise-sharply?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">spiking</a>—and will be for a decade. And what the pandemic has done for the <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2021/09/11/the-pandemic-has-refashioned-corporate-dress-codes?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">future of office-wear</a>.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Running to stand still: Canada’s election

<p>Prime Minister Justin Trudeau remains in power after Monday’s election, but he emerges without the majority he wanted, and with his soft power damaged. He now faces a fourth wave of the pandemic and an emboldened far-right from a weaker position. Child labour fell markedly in the 16 years after the turn of the millennium. Now it’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2021/09/18/why-the-number-of-children-working-is-rising?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">on the rise again</a>. Efforts to prevent children from working can often exacerbate the problem. And we consider one of the more unusual ideas for combating climate change: <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/how-to-toilet-train-your-cow/21804770?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">potty-training cows</a>.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Potemkin polls: Russia’s elections

<p>The winner of Russia’s elections was not in doubt. Vladimir Putin’s party, United Russia, came out on top. But despite the ballot stuffing and repression, the opposition still managed to rattle the Kremlin. The Gates Foundation is America’s biggest charitable foundation by far and a powerhouse in the world of public health. But its money <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2021/09/18/the-gates-foundations-approach-has-both-advantages-and-limits?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">could be better spent</a>. And we read the tea leaves to explain why <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2021/07/08/micro-organisms-play-a-bigger-part-in-tea-making-than-was-realised?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">bugs are important</a> for your brew. </p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Sub plot: the AUKUS alliance

<p>The alliance between America, Britain and Australia has <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/australia-is-getting-nuclear-subs-with-american-and-british-help/21804790?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">enormous significance</a>, most of all for its nuclear-submarine provisions. We look at the global realignment it represents. The container-shipping industry has had a wild year and its prices reflect the <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/a-perfect-storm-for-container-shipping/21804500?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">vast disarray</a>; we ask whether things will, or should, get back to normal. And the <a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/09/10/american-politicians-are-setting-up-their-own-production-companies?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">growing trend</a> of politicians’ media-production companies.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Shake, rattle the roles: Britain’s cabinet reshuffle

<p>Prime Minister Boris Johnson has <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2021/09/16/boris-johnson-has-stamped-his-authority-on-his-cabinet?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">re-allocated</a> a number of key government posts. We ask how the changes reflect his political standing and what they mean for his agenda. A first-of-its-kind study that deliberately infected participants with the coronavirus is ending; we examine the <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2021/09/11/why-scientists-are-deliberately-infecting-volunteers-with-covid-19?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">many answers</a> such research can provide. And the rural places aiming to <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/09/04/rural-colorado-hopes-to-cash-in-on-its-dark-skies?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">capitalise</a> on their dark skies.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Hunger gains: Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis

<p>Economic collapse and halting international aid following the Taliban’s takeover have compounded shortages that were already deepening; we examine the <a href="https://espresso.economist.com/ce86348064f870f0f4a4f72d42413062?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">unfolding disaster</a>. The verdict in a blockbuster case against Apple might look like a win for the tech giant; <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/apple-wins-a-court-battle-with-epic-games-sort-of/21804498?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a closer read</a> reveals new battle lines. And the data that reveal how polluters <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2021/09/04/poorly-devised-regulation-lets-firms-pollute-with-abandon?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">behave</a> when regulators are not watching.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Percent of the governed: California’s recall vote

<p>Governor Gavin Newsom is fighting off <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/08/28/the-trials-of-gavin-newsom?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a bid</a> to remove him that puts the world’s fifth-largest economy and, possibly, control of the Senate in play for Republicans. Russia’s exercises in Belarus are <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/09/13/russia-holds-the-largest-military-exercise-in-europe-for-40-years?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the largest</a> in 40 years—showcasing a chummy relationship and worrisome military might. And how Dante Alighieri’s masterwork “The Divine Comedy” still <a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/08/21/the-divine-comedy-is-a-salutary-guide-to-hope-amid-adversity?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">holds lessons</a>, 700 years after his death.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>