The Intelligence from The Economist

Feast and famine: vaccine supply

Though over 10bn doses of covid-19 vaccine may be produced this year, much of the poor world will see little of them. The <a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2021/05/15/how-can-more-covid-19-vaccines-be-made-available?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">supply</a> of vaccines is much tighter than it ought to be. Our correspondent in New Delhi offers a personal <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/04/30/indias-second-wave-of-covid-19-feels-nothing-like-its-first?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reflection</a> on India’s spiraling epidemic. And even as British museums re-open today, their future is looking <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2021/04/24/british-museums-have-suffered-particularly-badly-during-covid-19?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">shaky</a>. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Home front: Israel’s war within

<p>As Israel's war with Hamas has intensified, mob violence <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2021/05/14/israel-bombards-gaza-as-it-confronts-mob-violence-at-home?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">between Arabs and Jews</a> within the country has made a tricky situation even more difficult. Is the <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2021/05/13/consumer-price-inflation-in-america-jumps-up-to-42?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">rising price</a> of everything from airline tickets to used cars in America a transitory phenomenon or a sign of overheating? And is pineapple and ham on pizza an inspired <a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2021/05/10/perfection-or-perversion-why-hawaiian-pizza-is-the-polarising-issue-of-our-times?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">combination</a>—or a culinary war crime? </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>

Purged: Liz Cheney’s sacking

Liz Cheney had been a rising Republican star. Now the staunch conservative has been <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/05/09/liz-cheney-a-republican-critic-of-donald-trump-has-lost-her-job-in-house-leadership?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">purged</a> by her own party. Her removal shows that, even in defeat, Donald Trump retains an iron grip on the Republicans. Denmark has taken in thousands of Syrian refugees over the past decade, but its welcome has <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/05/01/denmark-wants-to-send-syrian-asylum-seekers-home?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes%5C" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">waned</a>. The Danish government says that Damascus is safe enough for many to return. And, we explain why companies are paying more attention to the curves and curls of their <a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2021/05/07/how-the-pandemic-made-fonts-friendlier?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">fonts</a>. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Baby bust: China’s census

<p>China just <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2021/05/11/chinas-census-shows-its-population-is-nearing-its-peak?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">unveiled</a> the results of its first census in over a decade. The results are striking, if not surprising: the world’s largest country will soon stop growing. Yet if a greying population causes economic headwinds, Chinese officials also have reason for cheer. With digital currencies in vogue, central banks want to get in on the action. The rise of “<a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/05/08/the-digital-currencies-that-matter?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">govcoins</a>” could transform monetary policy and expand access to bank accounts. But it could also destabilise private banking. And <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2021/05/06/roadkill-provide-a-novel-way-to-sample-an-areas-animals?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">roadkill</a> isn’t just an unsightly nuisance. It also offers a way of counting elusive species.</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>

Rockets over Jerusalem: Israeli-Palestinian violence

Tension in the holy city of Jerusalem has been rising for weeks, amid the attempted eviction of Palestinians and a march by Jewish nationalists. Yesterday it <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2021/05/10/israel-exchanges-fire-with-hamas-as-tensions-in-jerusalem-boil-over" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">erupted</a> into the worst violence in years, as Hamas rockets fired at Israel from Gaza prompted retaliatory air strikes. A cyber-attack that shut down one of America’s largest fuel pipelines reflects the growing problem of <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2021/05/06/new-technology-has-enabled-cyber-crime-on-an-industrial-scale?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ransomware</a>. And in China, authorities are clamping down on a spurt of grave robbing. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

North poll: Boris Johnson’s election victory

<p>Boris Johnson, Britain’s prime minister, is celebrating a wave of election <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2021/05/07/a-conservative-triumph-in-hartlepool-is-a-bleak-day-for-labour" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">victories</a> for his Conservative Party in the north of England. But in Scotland, pro-independence parties continue to dominate. Judges in Germany have <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/05/08/a-court-ruling-triggers-a-big-change-in-germanys-climate-policy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">demanded</a> that the government take a more radical approach to climate change; their ruling could shake up climate policy around the world. And if you’re bored of cardigans, why not knit yourself a <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2021/05/08/knitting-a-road-with-stones-and-string" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">road</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>

Down to brash tax: Colombia’s protests grow

Demonstrations initially against tax reform have bloomed—and turned violent. The reforms have been <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2021/05/06/protests-in-colombia-derail-an-important-tax-reform?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">shelved</a>, but the protests now threaten President Iván Duque’s rule. The emissions contributions of the world’s armed forces are rarely reported and largely overlooked; we examine the <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2021/04/27/the-wests-armies-are-getting-more-serious-about-climate-change?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">efforts</a> to make armies a bit greener. And an audio tour through popular music’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/04/28/in-music-accidents-are-the-mother-of-invention?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">accidental innovators</a>. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Who’s to say? Facebook, Trump and free speech

<p>The social-media giant’s external-review body <a href="https://www.economist.com/news/2021/05/05/facebooks-oversight-board-says-donald-trump-can-be-kept-off-for-now?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">upheld</a> a ban on former president Donald Trump—for now. We ask how a narrow ruling reflects on far broader questions of free speech and regulation. America’s young offenders are often handed long sentences and face disproportionate harms; we examine <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/04/03/reforming-marylands-cruel-treatment-of-young-offenders?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reforms</a> that are slowly taking hold. And the Broadway mental-health musical that is a <a href="https://www.economist.com/prospero/2021/04/16/an-american-musical-about-mental-health-takes-off-in-china?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">surprise hit</a> in China.</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>

Cache and carry: American states’ gun-law push

<p>Today another state will enact a “permitless carry” law—no licence, checks or training required. We ask why states’ <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/05/01/many-states-are-pushing-through-more-permissive-gun-laws?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">loosening</a> of safeguards fails to reflect public sentiment. Brexit has supercharged <a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2021/04/15/brexit-has-reinvigorated-scottish-nationalism?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Scottish nationalism</a>, and this week’s elections may pave the way to another independence referendum. And a long-forgotten coffee species <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2021/04/22/how-to-save-coffee-from-global-warming?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">may weather</a> the climate-change era.</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 shooting? The growing peril to Taiwan

A decades-old policy of “strategic ambiguity” is breaking down; we ask about the <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/05/01/the-most-dangerous-place-on-earth?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">risks and the stakes</a> of a potential Chinese bid to take Taiwan by force. The number of diseases jumping from animals to humans is set to keep rising; we look at why, and how to make the jump rarer. And the <a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/04/24/the-misguided-quest-to-interpret-canine-language?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">misguided mission</a> to understand canine communication. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The turn at a century: Northern Ireland’s anniversary

The province’s largest party aligned with Britain has <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2021/05/01/arlene-foster-northern-irelands-first-minister-is-ousted?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">lost</a> its leader; in the 100 years since the island was split it has rarely seemed so close to reuniting. Diplomacy, as with so much else, had to go online during the pandemic—and <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/05/01/thanks-to-the-pandemic-diplomats-have-a-bigger-better-toolkit?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">emerged</a> more efficient and inclusive than many expected. And how art-lovers are getting ever more fully <a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/04/17/a-change-in-how-people-consume-contemporary-art-is-under-way?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">immersed</a>. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Illiberal-arts degrees: Hungary’s universities seized

Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s proudly “illiberal democracy” has nobbled nearly every institution. Now that his ruling party <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/05/01/viktor-orban-seizes-control-of-hungarys-universities?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">will run</a> the higher-education system, expect a propaganda blitz. We examine research that points toward a long-sought blood test for clinical depression—one that would identify targeted treatments. And remembering Native American historian and campaigner <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2021/05/01/ladonna-brave-bull-allard-died-on-april-10th?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">LaDonna Brave Bull Allard</a>. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

A word in edgewise: Turkey, Armenia and genocide

<p>In calling the 1915 campaign against Armenians a genocide, President Joe Biden has rekindled tensions that never really faded—and has perhaps <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/04/27/turkey-and-armenia-show-no-signs-of-reconciling?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">delayed a rapprochement</a>. Chinese authorities fear religion, particularly when it is practised out of sight; we look at increasing <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2021/04/03/china-wants-to-make-its-christians-more-chinese?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">repression</a> of China’s tens of millions of Christians. And tracking the coronavirus’s spread by dipping into Britain’s sewers.</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 great deal to be desired: Europe-Britain trade

Europe’s parliament has overwhelmingly voted to extend a stopgap trade agreement. But the rancour behind the vote, and the deal’s thin measures, say much about <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2021/03/27/hopes-of-a-better-post-brexit-relationship-with-the-eu-are-fading?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">future relations</a>. Female soldiers are entering armed forces in big numbers, but they still face <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2021/04/24/female-soldiers-are-changing-how-armed-forces-work?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">barriers</a> both in getting the job and in doing it. And China’s homegrown Oscar-winning director is <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2021/04/27/news-of-chloe-zhaos-nomadland-oscar-win-is-censored-in-china?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">scrubbed</a> from its internet. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

SPAClash: the buzz and the bust

<p>Special-purpose acquisition companies offer a novel way for companies to list on stockmarkets. We look behind the buzz, and something of a recent <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/04/24/making-sense-of-the-spac-spectacle?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">bust</a>, to discover why they are a useful innovation both for investors and markets. President Jair Bolsonaro <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2021/04/17/jair-bolsonaro-wants-every-brazilian-to-have-a-gun?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">wants</a> every Brazilian citizen to have a gun—especially his supporters. And a visit to the world’s largest magazine <a href="https://www.economist.com/prospero/2021/04/06/inside-hymag-the-worlds-largest-collection-of-magazines?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">archive</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>

Extremist prejudice: rebranding Navalny

<p>Russian courts’ bid to designate opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s movement as a terrorist organisation is unsurprising: it fits <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/04/24/russias-president-menaces-his-people-and-neighbours?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a narrative</a> of increasing repression at home and sabre-rattling at the borders. Africa’s vaccination drive is <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2021/04/24/africas-covid-19-vaccination-drive-is-off-to-a-slow-start?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">beset</a> by shortcomings in both supply and demand; we examine the rising number of bottlenecks. And a forgotten African-American composer at last <a href="https://www.economist.com/prospero/2021/03/31/reinstating-florence-prices-place-in-western-music-history?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">gets her due</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>

Carbon date: Biden’s climate summit

<p>President Joe Biden laid out ambitious emissions targets yesterday, but in order to be taken seriously on climate change, America has some <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/04/24/joe-biden-asserts-americas-role-in-the-fight-against-climate-change?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reputation rebuilding</a> to do. Researchers are starting to <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2021/04/10/love-them-or-hate-them-virtual-meetings-are-here-to-stay?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">understand</a> why online meetings are so exhausting—and are pinpointing the up sides of work lives lived increasingly online. And the <a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/04/24/and-the-winner-iswho-cares?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">waning influence</a> of awards shows such as this Sunday’s Oscars.</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>

Growth negligence: India’s covid-19 failings

<p>Mass gatherings and in-person voting continue, even as new case numbers smash records and fatalities spiral in public view. We ask how a seeming pandemic success has turned so suddenly tragic. Chad’s president of three decades has been <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2021/04/20/chads-strongman-president-idriss-deby-is-killed-by-rebels?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">killed</a>; that has implications for regional violence far beyond the country’s borders. And a deep dive on the international <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2021/04/17/how-covid-19-walloped-sea-cucumber-catchers?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sea-cucumber trade</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>

Insuperable: Europe’s football fiasco

<p>A “Super League” <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2021/04/19/europes-top-football-clubs-plan-a-super-league-of-their-own?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">plan</a> wrong-footed fans, clubs, even governments. We examine what the failed bid says about the sport’s economics. We return to the George Floyd case and the landmark <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/04/20/derek-chauvin-is-found-guilty-of-murdering-george-floyd?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">conviction</a> of his murderer. The Kurds have long sought their own state in the Middle East; that now looks as <a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2021/04/10/the-kurdish-spring-did-not-happen?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">unlikely as ever</a>. And why spelling is so persistently <a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/04/10/why-its-so-hard-to-fix-maddening-spelling-systems?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">counter-intuitive</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>

A case rests, a city does not: Derek Chauvin’s trial

<p>The former police officer involved in George Floyd’s death awaits a verdict. What would conviction mean in <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/04/18/the-meaning-and-value-of-derek-chauvins-trial?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a case</a> emblematic of a far wider racial-justice movement? Internal migration has left a third of China’s young people separated from one or both parents—with serious <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2021/04/08/the-plight-of-chinas-left-behind-children?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">costs and risks</a> to those children. And the bid to make the art of tasting the <a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2021/04/09/a-byte-to-eat-will-ai-super-tasters-disrupt-food?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">province of engineering</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>

Lai of the land: Hong Kong’s democrats quashed

<p>Some of the territory’s most outspoken activists—from media mogul Jimmy Lai to “father of democracy” Martin Lee—have been sentenced. We look at <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/03/20/how-to-deal-with-china?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">what’s left</a> of Hong Kong’s protest spirit. Scientists have been making hybrid animal “chimeras” for decades, but newly developed <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2021/04/15/researchers-have-created-embryos-that-are-part-human-and-part-monkey?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">human-monkey embryos</a> raise serious ethical questions. And how the Arab world is changing channels as propaganda <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2021/04/10/how-egyptian-entertainment-has-changed-under-military-rule?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">consumes</a> Egyptian television.</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 path of increased resistance: Myanmar

Protests against February’s military coup are only growing, even as the army becomes more murderous. The economy is paralysed. <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/04/15/myanmar-could-be-asias-next-failed-state?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">What can be done</a> to put the country back together? In Cuba, the end of the Castro-family era is <a href="https://espresso.economist.com/af78d2a38e4953c40fe70c54195c83b3?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nigh</a>; a new leader inherits a cratered economy and an ambitious vaccine-development effort. And some surprising road-fatality <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2021/04/03/americans-are-driving-less-but-more-are-dying-in-accidents?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">statistics</a> from America. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Boots off the ground: America’s Afghanistan drawdown

Few believe President Joe Biden’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/04/13/joe-biden-gives-up-on-the-war-in-afghanistan-leaving-a-weak-ally?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">withdrawal plan</a> is wise; it is already prompting allied forces to go. We ask about the risks of that untimely vacuum. Much climate-change angst focuses on carbon dioxide, but addressing sources of methane would be an <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/04/03/governments-should-set-targets-to-reduce-methane-emissions?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">easy way</a> to slow warming—and even to save money. And Bhutan’s world-beating vaccination drive took just <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/04/10/bhutan-vaccinated-almost-all-adults-against-covid-19-in-a-week?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">one week</a>. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Arms’ reach: Russia flexes at Ukraine border

The troops and hardware piling up at the border are probably just posturing. But look closely: Russia’s military is swiftly getting <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2020/11/02/russian-military-forces-dazzle-after-a-decade-of-reform?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">better-equipped and better-trained</a>. Outsized <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2021/04/13/american-inflation-shoots-up-to-26?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">inflation numbers</a> in America are partly a statistical quirk—but also a sign of the tricky balance pandemic-era policymakers must navigate. And why you may soon be getting a lift from a <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2021/04/03/flying-taxis-are-about-to-take-off-at-last?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">flying taxi</a>. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Fission expedition: nuclear-site attack in Iran

An apparent act of <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2021/04/12/israel-apparently-strikes-an-iranian-nuclear-facility-again?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sabotage</a> at an Iranian nuclear site, blamed on Israel, has complicated the prospect of America returning to the 2015 nuclear deal; we ask what happens next. Many of Europe’s public-service broadcasters are being <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/04/08/populists-are-threatening-europes-independent-public-broadcasters?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">squeezed</a> by populist movements and illiberal governments. How to keep them independent? And an <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/03/31/latvias-ancient-poetry-is-getting-its-first-major-translation?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">effort</a> to translate Latvia’s short but dense ancient poems.  For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Plagued by uncertainty: German politics

<p>As the country <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/04/03/germanys-management-of-covid-19-is-growing-shakier?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">wrestles</a> with another covid-19 wave, the battle to succeed Chancellor Angela Merkel is building. We look at the <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/03/14/germanys-ruling-party-takes-a-serious-hit-in-two-state-elections?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">political</a> and epidemiological races. Prince Philip was a loyal consort to Britain’s queen for seven decades; our correspondent <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2021/04/09/prince-philip-duke-of-edinburgh-is-dead?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">recalls</a> meeting him at a difficult time for the family. And why Kenyans are at last <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2021/04/08/kenyans-are-starting-to-drink-their-own-coffee?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">indulging</a> in their own coffee.</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>

Like a tonne of bricks: violence in Northern Ireland

<p>The ostensible reason for continuing clashes relates to a well-attended funeral. But the terms of Brexit have <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2021/04/08/brexit-is-the-catalyst-for-rioting-in-northern-ireland?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">raised tempers</a>, inflaming centuries-old tensions; we ask what might calm them. Alexei Navalny’s condition is <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/04/10/does-the-kremlin-want-andrei-navalny-to-die-in-prison?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">worsening</a> in prison: does it really serve the Kremlin’s interests to let him perish? And “poetry slams” are a welcome <a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/04/10/spoken-poetry-finds-fans-in-eastern-congo?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">release</a> in the Democratic Republic of Congo. </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>

Clotting factors: the AstraZeneca vaccine

<p>British and European regulators have addressed a possible link with blood clots. Expect more rare side-effects <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2021/04/07/with-millions-vaccinated-rare-side-effects-of-jabs-are-emerging?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">to emerge</a>; what seems clear for now is that the vaccine’s benefits outweigh any risks. A new analysis shows that a racist American film from 1915 left a long <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2021/03/27/how-a-racist-film-helped-the-ku-klux-klan-grow-for-generations?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">legacy</a> of racial violence. And a <a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2021/04/06/the-geeky-origin-of-your-cool-sunglasses?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">shady history</a> of the function and fashion of sunglasses.</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>

Deaths spiral: America’s spike in murders

<p>Estimates suggest that last year’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/03/27/in-2020-america-experienced-a-terrible-surge-in-murder-why?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">rise</a> in murder rates was the greatest in perhaps half a century, reversing a long decline; we ask what is behind it. Amid Europe’s woefully slow vaccine rollouts, Serbia <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/04/03/serbia-is-outpacing-nearly-every-country-in-the-eu-at-vaccination?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">stands out</a> as an unlikely success story. And the pandemic’s natural experiment on the <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2021/04/03/the-benefits-of-part-time-work?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ideal number</a> of working hours.</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>

Crown and thorn: Jordan’s royal ruckus

Pressure on the king’s half-brother may represent a mere family feud, but Prince Hamzah’s complaints <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2021/04/05/a-feud-in-jordans-royal-family?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">resonate</a> with the country’s people. We ask what will happen next. Study the fast-growing list of India’s billionaires: who has joined it and who has left are <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2021/03/27/who-are-indias-newest-billionaires?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">signs</a> of the country’s shifting economy. And an indigenous group’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2021/03/27/how-a-canadian-indigenous-group-could-outwit-nimbys?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tall order</a> in Vancouver’s property market. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>