The Intelligence from The Economist

The for-sixty-dollar question: a cap on Russian oil

<p>Shippers and insurers of Russian crude are now subject to a $60-per-barrel <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/11/30/the-wests-proposed-price-cap-on-russian-oil-is-no-magic-weapon?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">price cap</a>. That may spark Russian production cuts—or an oil-market realignment that undercuts the cap. Senegal might be out of the World Cup, but a visit to its <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/11/24/how-do-budding-african-footballers-make-it-to-the-top?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">football-academy machinery</a> reveals why it will continue to create star players. And why it’s harder <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/11/24/why-its-hard-to-buy-deodorant-in-manhattan?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">to get deodorant</a> in Manhattan.</p><p>Help us make the show better: take our listener survey at <a href="http://economist.com/intelligencesurvey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://economist.com/intelligencesurvey</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>

In sofa as I can recall: troubles for Cyril Ramaphosa

<p>South Africa’s leader says a pile of cash stashed in a sofa represents no wrongdoing. The outcome of an investigation <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/12/01/a-sofa-stuffed-with-cash-imperils-south-africas-president?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">could be the undoing</a> of his presidency and his party. We examine Britain’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/07/25/britains-hydrogen-strategy-is-ambitious-if-imperfect?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hydrogen-economy plans</a> as representing the tradeoffs that many countries will face. And remembering Jay Pasachoff, the world’s foremost expert on and exponent of eclipses.</p><p>Help us make the show better: take our listener survey at <a href="http://economist.com/intelligencesurvey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://economist.com/intelligencesurvey</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>

Square dealing: Jiang Zemin dies

<p>The Chinese leader who took over a squabbling party following the Tiananmen Square massacre <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2022/11/30/jiang-zemin-oversaw-a-wave-of-economic-change-but-not-much-political-reform?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">surprised the world</a> by stifling dissent, overseeing a staggering economic awakening—and occasionally breaking into song. We examine the lessons to be drawn from his legacy. After scores of failures, a new Alzheimer’s treatment <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2022/11/30/a-drug-for-alzheimers-disease-that-seems-to-work?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">shows real promise</a>. And our <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2022/11/30/the-worlds-most-and-least-expensive-cities?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">annual ranking</a> of the world’s most expensive cities.</p><p>Help us make the show better: take our listener survey at <a href="http://economist.com/intelligencesurvey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://economist.com/intelligencesurvey</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></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>

On the Horn’s dilemma: meeting Somalia’s president

<p>The Horn of Africa’s resurgent jihadists of al-Shabab pose the biggest problem to <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/06/02/somalias-new-president-vows-to-beat-back-jihadists-then-talk-to-them?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hassan Sheikh Mohamud</a>. He tells us his plans—political, economic and principally ideological—to calm tensions. <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2022/11/03/former-military-pilots-from-the-west-are-being-lured-to-china?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Western pilots</a> have been training their Chinese counterparts, to widespread consternation. And looking back on the best footballers <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/11/18/some-of-footballs-greatest-players-never-appeared-in-a-world-cup?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">never to have appeared</a> in a World Cup.</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 French connection: Macron’s state visit to America

<p>Behind the pageantry, Presidents Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron will have <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/11/24/on-a-visit-to-america-frances-president-will-confront-new-problems?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">much to chew over</a>, from a unified response in Ukraine to tricky trade negotiations. <a href="https://www.economist.com/interactive/graphic-detail/2022/11/26/high-fuel-prices-could-kill-more-europeans-than-fighting-in-ukraine-has?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Our modelling</a> suggests that Russia’s weaponisation of energy might ultimately kill more people than its efforts on the battlefield will. And a Ghanaian brewer’s struggles reveal the <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/11/10/a-ghanaian-brewery-shows-how-hard-life-is-for-small-businesses?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">difficulty</a> of business-building in sub-Saharan Africa.</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>

Patience zero: China’s remarkable unrest

<p>Protests have become as bold as they are <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2022/11/27/unrest-breaks-out-across-china-as-frustration-at-lockdowns-grows?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">widespread</a>—mostly against the country’s unsustainable zero-covid policies, but increasingly against the ruling regime itself. California’s wildfires have been growing more intense, and a <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2022/10/19/one-year-of-wildfires-undid-decades-of-californias-emissions-policy?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">new analysis</a> shows just how much those blazes undo the good work of the state’s green policies. And a look at the <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/11/17/who-speaks-for-the-great-british-lad?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">evolution</a> of the Great British Lad.</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>

Forgoing a song: protest inside and beyond Iran

<p>Players’ refusal to sing their national anthem at the World Cup has brought their country’s protests onto the global stage. We ask whether the <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/11/24/while-irans-turmoil-persists-jitters-spread-through-the-region?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">discontent back home</a> threatens the regime. A sober look at global economic data reveals a probable global recession—one that <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2022/11/15/even-a-global-recession-may-not-bring-down-inflation?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">may not</a> even tame raging inflation. And remembering <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2022/11/24/hebe-de-bonafini-lived-through-the-lives-of-her-sons?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hebe de Bonafini</a>, Argentina’s icon of resistance.</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>

Scar from the madding crowd: Korea probes a tragedy

<p>Grief about the deaths of more than 150 people in a crush has turned to anger, and the investigation into what actions were taken—or not taken—<a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/11/03/when-a-disaster-shakes-a-country-political-leaders-face-peril?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">has turned political</a>. Our correspondent looks into the vast effort to <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2022/11/14/the-race-to-reinvent-the-car-industry?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">remake the car industry</a> as automobiles turn into software platforms on wheels. And how Britain’s twee National Trust has <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/11/10/why-is-everyone-so-cross-about-the-national-trust?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">waded into</a> the culture wars. </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 whole other kettle of fission: Ukraine’s imperilled nuclear plant

<p>The power station in Zaporizhia has served as an impromptu military base for Russian forces—but <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/11/20/an-alarming-tug-o-war-over-a-ukrainian-nuclear-plant?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">danger is mounting</a> and there are signs that troops may soon give it up. The sportswear-industry boom that has much of the world wearing high-performance kit may soon <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2022/11/10/the-sportswear-giants-are-running-into-hurdles?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">come to an end</a>. And why teenage angst is such a <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/11/18/bones-and-all-probes-the-gruesomeness-of-growing-up?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">good fit</a> for horror films. </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>

Ploy story: a defenestration at Disney

<p>Executives have squeezed out Bob Chapek and re-anointed Bob Iger as boss. But the firm’s woes are less about leadership and more about the <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/11/21/disney-brings-back-a-star-of-the-past-but-its-real-problem-is-the-script?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">new economics of Hollywood</a>. We ask why Zimbabwe’s teen mothers find it so hard to <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/10/20/why-teenage-mothers-in-zimbabwe-struggle-to-get-educated?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">stay in school</a>, and what can be done about it. And pigs prove their intelligence, again, by <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2022/11/09/pigs-reconcile-after-fighting-that-confirms-their-intelligence?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">making up</a> after confrontations.</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><p>Runtime: 22 min</p><br><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Damage collateral: a tide turns at COP27

<p>An issue ignored for three decades <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2022/11/20/a-new-un-fund-for-loss-and-damage-emerges-from-cop27?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">came to dominate</a> the summit’s agenda: reparations to poor countries for climate-driven “loss and damage”. Alas, halting those coming losses did not feature much. Our correspondent speaks with a Ukrainian fighter pilot about <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/11/06/western-air-defence-systems-help-ukraine-shoot-down-more-missiles?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">defending the country’s airspace</a> using mostly Soviet-era kit. And why some words <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/11/17/why-do-some-words-sound-similar-in-completely-unrelated-languages?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sound the same</a> across many languages.</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>

In come taxes: Britain’s austere economic plan

The “Autumn statement” was <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/11/17/jeremy-hunts-autumn-statement-revives-the-rhetoric-of-austerity" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">filled with belt-tightening</a>, from stealthy tax rises to public-service cuts. But perhaps the bitterest part of the pill <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/11/17/britains-chancellor-leaves-the-hard-choices-to-the-next-government?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">has been left</a> for the next government to swallow. As the World Cup begins in Qatar, <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2022/11/10/the-sportswear-giants-are-running-into-hurdles?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">controversies</a> over preparedness and human rights threaten to overshadow what happens on the pitch. And New York City declares war <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/11/10/eric-adams-new-yorks-pied-piper-declares-war-on-rats?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">on rats</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>

Musketeers heading for the exits: chaos at Twitter

<p>Elon Musk gave Twitter’s remaining staff an ultimatum: commit to “working long hours at high intensity” for “hardcore” Twitter, or leave. We evaluate <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2022/10/11/will-elon-musk-owned-twitter-end-up-as-a-deal-from-hell?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">his reign</a> so far. Under President Daniel Ortega, <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2022/11/10/under-daniel-ortega-nicaragua-has-become-a-one-party-state?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nicaragua</a> has become a one-party state. And remembering the long life of Anne Frank’s best friend. 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><br><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Strike price: missiles fall in Poland

How did apparently Russian-made munitions kill two people on NATO soil? An accident in the fog of war seems likely, but listen closely: the immediate international response has been telling. Donald Trump <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/11/16/of-course-donald-trump-is-running-again?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">has announced</a> he will run for the American presidency again; we ask about his chances and his motivations. And we take you inside India’s tangled <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/11/03/indias-hair-industry-is-in-a-tangle?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hair industry</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>

Get the Bali rolling: the G20 meet begins

The <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/11/13/the-dynamics-of-distrust-around-the-g20-summit?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">G20 Summit</a> gets under way in Bali today at a time of tensions over Ukraine and Taiwan, and worries about high food and energy prices. We look at what progress, if any, is likely to result from the high-level meeting. An unusually warm autumn has kept <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2022/11/03/mild-autumn-weather-has-sent-european-gas-prices-plummeting?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">gas prices</a> low in Europe. And what a Nobel-prize winner’s work suggests about <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2022/10/19/dna-grants-a-glimpse-of-neanderthal-family-life?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Neanderthal</a> family life. 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>

Bolt from the blue: Democrats hold the Senate

America’s upper legislative chamber remains in Democrats’ hands; they may even expand their majority. We explain what that means for the Biden administration, and why Democrats outperformed expectations. President Biden’s biggest foreign-policy headaches involve China; we ask what to expect from his first in-person meeting with President Xi Jinping. And we introduce our new China-focused podcast, “Drum Tower.” For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer <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>

Tales from the crypto: An exchange implodes

At the start of this week, FTX was the world’s third-largest crypto exchange. After rumours of illiquidity swirled, customers pulled $6bn in assets. It now reportedly faces an $8bn shortfall, and the contagion is spreading. The Sama-Bajau have fished the same waters for centuries, but are citizens of nowhere, which makes their hard lives harder. And what Rishi Sunak can learn from his fictional predecessors. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer <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>

Beaten, a retreat: cautious hope in Kherson

<p>Russia says it will withdraw from the only captured Ukrainian provincial capital. We ask how <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/11/09/russia-says-it-is-abandoning-the-southern-city-of-kherson?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the drawdown</a> might go and what it means for the wider war. Britain is set for the largest wave of industrial action in decades; the strikes could throw the country <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/11/03/britain-faces-a-wave-of-industrial-action-this-winter?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">into chaos</a>. And the long life of Shyam Saran Negi, India’s first-ever voter.</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><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Red ripple: America’s midterm elections

America’s midterm elections have finished. While the full results may not be known for some time, Democrats appear to have outperformed expectations: Republicans will probably narrowly win the House, while the Senate remains too close to call. Argentina’s slum policy is a rare bright spot in the country’s politics. And why the war in Ukraine may put paid to ground-attack aircraft. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer <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 counts wins: Election-administration fears

In the final episode of our midterms series, we examine how the Republican party’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/10/27/why-the-republicans-anti-democracy-turn-has-become-normalised?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">anti-democratic turn</a> is putting pressure on election administrators. When he briefly reneged on a deal to allow Ukrainian grain exports, Vladimir Putin held the world’s grain supply hostage  – a <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2022/11/02/how-men-with-guns-aggravate-global-hunger?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tactic </a>beloved of strongmen the world over. And <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/11/07/how-to-win-prizes-and-influence-tv-hbo-turns-50?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">HBO</a> turns 50 this year: we assess its legacy. 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>

Degrees of risk: COP27 and the 1.5C myth

As the UN’s annual climate jamboree begins, our correspondent calls for a strong dose of realism: limiting warming to 1.5C is just <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/11/03/the-world-is-missing-its-lofty-climate-targets-time-for-some-realism?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">no longer feasible</a>. On average the rule of law is losing ground globally, yet one place it appears to be strengthening is on <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2022/10/26/the-eu-is-strengthening-democracy-in-eastern-europe?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Russia’s doorstep</a>. And a look at the sports teams everyone <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/10/28/the-sports-teams-everyone-loves-to-hate?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">loves to hate</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>

Red fights and blue: America’s midterm elections

<p>America’s midterm elections, which will determine control of both chambers of Congress, end on Tuesday. For the past three months our correspondents have been travelling across the country, reporting on the trends and concerns shaping the race. This compilation episode highlights the best of their work. 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><br><p><br></p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Peace meal: Ethiopia’s civil war

<p>A surprise peace agreement should permit desperately needed humanitarian relief for millions in the region of Tigray—but there are reasons to doubt the <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/10/27/ethiopias-peace-talks-may-be-overtaken-by-battlefield-advances?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">grinding conflict</a> is at an end. Britain has a problem that other rich countries do not: its over-50s are <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/10/27/where-did-all-britains-50-somethings-go?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">flooding out</a> of the labour market. And our correspondent attends an unexpectedly tame “<a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2022/10/27/the-surprising-maturity-of-the-crypto-rave-crowd?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">crypto rave</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 elephant in the chamber? America’s midterms

<p>Our election model <a href="https://www.economist.com/mid-terms-2022?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">suggests</a> that at least one legislative chamber will revert to Republican control; we ask what sort of government would result. The breach of the Nord Stream pipelines is a reminder of how much infrastructure is at risk of <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/09/29/how-does-underwater-sabotage-work?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">subsea sabotage</a>. And what the trendy term “ikigai” <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/10/27/what-japan-makes-of-ikigai?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">actually means</a> in Japan, its ostensible country of origin.</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 curious case of Binyamin’s butt-in: Israel’s election

<p>After a 16-month absence from leadership, Binyamin Netanyahu is <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/10/27/israels-binyamin-netanyahu-bids-for-an-election-comeback?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">back</a> at the centre of the country’s messy politics. We ask how his divisive ways will play out this time. Apple is slowly <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2022/10/24/the-end-of-apples-affair-with-china?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">weaning itself off</a> China as a place both to make and to sell its gizmos. And how the “palaeo” diet bears <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2022/10/12/the-palaeo-diet-bears-little-resemblance-to-the-real-thing?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">little resemblance</a> to the real thing.</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>

Falling tsar? Russians eye life after Putin

<p>As President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine continues to falter, Russian elites are now daring to consider the once unthinkable: a life <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/10/26/russias-elite-begins-to-ponder-a-putinless-future?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">after his leadership</a>. Haiti is in grave disarray, but <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2022/10/20/an-american-backed-foreign-force-may-be-sent-to-haiti?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">calling in foreign help</a> to sort things out is proving tricky. And the diamond in Britain’s crown jewels that India <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/10/20/indians-want-the-koh-i-noor-diamond-back?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">wants back</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>

Once and future: Brazil’s Lula wins again

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a leftist former president, <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2022/10/31/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva-will-be-brazils-next-president?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">has won again</a>. Even if President Jair Bolsonaro gracefully concedes, his followers and fellow party members will make Lula’s hard job harder. We ask why California’s green-tinged Democratic governor is against a <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/10/17/californians-may-tax-the-rich-more-to-subsidise-electric-cars?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">progressive ballot initiative</a> on electric vehicles. And our say on the <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/10/27/the-joys-of-pan-de-muerto-a-sweet-tribute-to-departed-loved-ones?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">bread</a> of the day of the dead. 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>

Elon-gate: the Musk-Twitter story

After months of wrangling, Elon Musk completed his deal to buy <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2022/10/05/elon-musk-is-buying-twitter-really-probably?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, and immediately sacked several top executives. We ask what’s next for the platform and its users. <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/10/20/how-organised-crime-is-blighting-south-africas-economy?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Organised crime</a> is damaging South Africa’s economy. And our obituaries editor looks back at one of the 20th century’s most daring <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2022/10/27/ian-hamilton-masterminded-one-of-the-most-daring-heists-of-the-last-century?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">heists</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>

Power play: electricity in Ukraine

<p>Russia has been targeting <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/10/24/ukraine-races-to-stop-russia-from-destroying-its-power-grid?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ukraine’s energy infrastructure</a> with missiles and drones. Ukraine’s air defences are struggling to keep up, and many households are without power as winter approaches. Bill Gates has a <a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/02/15/bill-gates-has-a-plan-to-save-the-world?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">plan</a> to boost African crop yields. And as <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/10/13/the-bbc-marks-its-100th-birthday?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the BBC turns 100</a>, we reflect on its legacy, and look at challenges ahead. 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><br><p><br></p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Tough Roe to go: abortion and the midterms

When America’s Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, the conventional wisdom was that it would <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/09/08/the-demise-of-roe-v-wade-has-fired-up-the-democrats?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">help Democrats</a> by galvanising them for the midterm elections. Two weeks away from Election Day, the picture isn’t quite so clear. We meet Russia’s ruthless new battlefield <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/10/13/who-is-sergei-surovikin-russias-new-commander-in-ukraine?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">commander</a>. And what scientists can learn from training nerve cells to <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2022/10/12/nerve-cells-in-a-dish-can-learn-to-play-pong?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">play Pong</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>