The Intelligence from The Economist

A Biden by their decision? Democrats debate

The race for the Democratic nomination looks much like it did a year ago—but previous contests prove that once voting starts, momentum can reshuffle the pack. Iran has been roiling with protests following the accidental downing of an airliner; what should Iranians and the wider world expect now? And we examine how Bogotá’s once-adored public-transport system went so wrong. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

Tsai of the times: Taiwan’s defiant election

<p>China has been getting more aggressive in its claims over the island, but voters have made it clear just how much they favour democracy. The relentless slipping of interest rates around the world isn’t recent: new research suggests it’s been going on since the Middle Ages. And why the language of scientific papers disfavours female authors.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

Scorched-earth policies: Australia and climate change

Evacuations are expanding as fast as the flames, and worse may yet be to come. We visit the fiery extremes that climate change is making more likely. At a museum dedicated to disgust, our correspondent tries some repugnant stuff, learning that the reaction is about far more than food. And why Japan’s new, surname-first rule reveals a big shift in attitudes. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

Will you still feed me when I’m 62? Macron’s pension fight

<p>He won a landslide victory campaigning on it, but like French presidents before him Emmanuel Macron is struggling to push through his grand pension reform; we ask why. The belief in guardian spirits in Myanmar is being cracked down on by increasingly intolerant monks. And the Canadian town of Asbestos considers a name-change. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

Return fire: Iran’s missile attacks

Attacks on bases that house American troops seem a dramatic retaliation to the killing of Iranian commander Qassem Suleimani—yet both sides seem to be tuning their tactics toward de-escalation. After nearly a year without one, Spain has a government. But amid fragmented politics, it may not get much done. And how darts is moving from British-pub pastime to American prime time. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

Two heads aren’t better than one: Venezuela

<p>After chaotic scenes in the National Assembly, it seems the country’s legislature has two leaders. Has Juan Guaidó’s chance at regime change run out of steam? Allegations against Harvey Weinstein sparked the #MeToo movement; as he stands trial in New York we examine how the movement is progressing. And unpicking the weird theories for Sudan’s nasty traffic. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

The general and specific threats: Iran

Killing Iran’s top military commander does not seem likely to further America’s aims for the region. What should America and its allies expect now? Biologists have long struggled to explain why homosexual behaviour is so widespread in nature, but a new theory simply asks: why not? And the global comeback of dubbing in foreign films. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

Negative feedback: reversing carbon emissions

<p>It is increasingly clear that putting less carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will not be enough to combat climate change; we take a look at the effort to actively remove the stuff from the air. Our correspondent takes a ride on Chicago’s Red Line, whose length represents a shocking level of inequality. And why a push to go organic in Turkey isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

Made (entirely) in China: a tech behemoth rises

No longer content just to assemble devices, Chinese firms want to design them and the infrastructure around them—and in some sectors they look set to succeed. Our correspondent visits indigenous communities along the icy sliver of water between Russia and America. And why North Korean students get illegal tutoring. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

Lifesaver: meet a death-row detective

Death sentences are occasionally overturned in America; we meet a private detective responsible for saving many of those lives. We scour our foreign department taking nominations for <em>The Economist</em>’s country of the year. And our correspondent joins a shipment of Congolese beer for its long river journey from brewery to bars. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

Lying in states: fibbing politicians

Lies and politics have always come as a pair, but the untruths keep getting bigger and more frequent; our correspondent digs into why. We speak with an adventurer who fought off the murderous boredom of a whole Antarctic winter with little more than books. And, the benefits and risks of home genetic-testing kits. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

Old China hands: ageing in the Middle Kingdom

Next year, China’s median age will surpass America’s, but with just a quarter the median income; the government is nervous that China will get old before it gets rich. This weekend’s elections in Uzbekistan are another sign of astonishing change in the country—but plenty of political reform is still needed. And a sidelong glance at the tradition of the boss’s end-of-year memo. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

Exclusionary rule: India’s citizenship law

The Hindu nationalist government’s latest move pointedly excludes Muslims from immigration reform. Protesters reckon that is an attack on the country’s cherished secularism. Tuberculosis is still among the world’s biggest killers; we look at emerging new tools to fight an old disease. And a deep dive on the sex lives of eels. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

Marching orders: impeachment around the world

America’s impeachment battle falls along unhelpfully partisan lines—but the process has other shortcomings. We take some lessons from how the rest of the world does it. Cuba has long run an official two-currency economy; now, the once-banned American dollar is establishing itself as a third. And another take on American partisanship: our analysis shows intriguing divides in the country’s music tastes. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

Majority rules: Britain’s new Parliament sits

<p>Now that the prime minister has a thumping parliamentary majority, Brexit is assured—but on what terms? And what other legislative shake-ups are in the works? President Donald Trump has relied heavily on financial sanctions, often in place of old-fashioned diplomacy. We ask whether that is an effective avenue of foreign policy. And an attempt to peek into Asia’s illegal tiger farms.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

COP out: the UN climate talks

Again, the annual COP conference ran long and ended with disappointment. Why can’t countries agree on what so clearly must be done? One big contributor to the changing climate is meat-eating, and China looks ever more carnivorous. And a new, push-button system to land planes whose pilots are incapacitated. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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: Britain’s Conservatives triumph

<p>A thumping win for Boris Johnson’s Tory party is more complex than it seems; the returns cast a light on changes bubbling under the surface of the country’s politics. A renewed push for land restitution in Kenya is making life hard for foreign firms. And the hardcore safety training that Chinese students think they need before heading to the West. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

Defending the indefensible: Aung San Suu Kyi

Myanmar’s de facto leader appeared before the International Court of Justice to answer allegations of war crimes. We look at the stark turnaround of an icon of democracy. Storing renewable energy remains a powerful problem, but engineers are getting more creative. And a look at Americans’ obsession with dogs. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

Articles of faith: charges laid against Trump

<p>House Democrats have issued their narrowly focused articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump. We look back on the history of impeachments and ask whether the process is working as first intended. Killings of French women by their partners account for a tenth of the country’s murders; at last, the problem is being addressed. And what climate change is doing to the wine industry.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Running into debt: Argentina’s new president

<p>For the first time in decades, a non-Peronist president will peacefully hand over power. But the new president—and his deputy, former president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner—have their work cut out for them. There’s a resurgence in radical-left ideas brewing; our correspondent picks through the manifestos. And an American mega-mall attempts to beat the rise of e-commerce with thrills.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

Oil be going: Canada’s separatist west

Long-simmering tensions in the oil-rich west of the country have boiled over, and now there’s an increasingly credible push for secession. Investors are gobbling up startups that turn reams of climate data into better climate-risk predictions. And the lessons to be drawn from Sweden’s vast crop of billionaires. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

Writing on the Wall: a revealing British-election hike

Our correspondent walked the length of Hadrian’s Wall, in northern England, finding shifting party alliances and surprising views on Brexit. We take a look at the phenomenon of Japan’s <em>hikikomori</em>, who shut themselves in for years on end. And why a plague of rats in California is likely to get even worse. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

Not shy about retiring: strikes in France

A massive, rolling, national strike begins today, in protest against proposed reforms of the sprawling pension system. But details of the changes haven’t even been published yet. Our correspondent visits the conflict-ravaged Darfur region, and sees a historic opportunity for peace. And a look at how best to let entrepreneurial immigrants get back in business. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

Inquiring minds: impeachment’s next stage

The House Judiciary Committee will now take up the inquiry into President Donald Trump. But will any of it matter to uninterested voters? The probe into the mysterious death of an investigative journalist is now haunting Malta’s halls of power. And a look back on the life of a beloved athlete who never quite won cycling’s biggest prize. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

With allies like these: NATO’s bickering leaders hold a summit

It will be all smiles at the NATO summit today in London--but many of them will be forced. Behind the scenes, the alliance’s leaders are arguing about what its purpose should be. We also look at the disputed data behind the idea that inequality has been rising inexorably in recent years. And how a novel way to reduce cow and sheep burps could help in the fight against climate change. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

Terrorist on parole: A jihadist killer fools Britain’s justice system

The Islamic militant who killed two people in London last week was supposedly being monitored by the authorities. That revelation has prompted a fierce debate about what went wrong. We take a look at the state of the global AIDS epidemic. And as their country goes to wrack and ruin, Venezuelans have been turning to video games, but not for the reasons you might think. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

AMLO and behold: Mexico’s president tries to tackle corruption

Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Mexico’s president, is wildly popular, in part because of his determination to wipe out corruption. But is his crusade against graft everything it’s cracked up to be? We also look at the debate around randomised control trials, a popular but controversial tool in economics. In Congo, caterpillars are considered a delicacy. We explain why they deserve to be the next superfood. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

Presidential SEAL: Donald Trump puts his stamp on military discipline

Donald Trump used to lionise generals, but this week he had a falling out with the top brass. Are the armed forces becoming as politicised as America’s other institutions? We also take a look at the emergence of a new narco-state in West Africa, Guinea-Bissau. And Silicon Valley has been trying to shed a reputation for sexism, but many of its products remain ill-suited to women. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

Global warning: The UN sounds the alarm on climate change

The UN has just released its annual report on how well the fight to slow climate change is going. It finds that efforts to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions are going from bad to worse. We also look at a surprising new lease on life for China’s regional dialects. And while people debate about the merits of Uber, one thing is clear -- it drives people to drink -- or so new research suggests. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>

Start spreading the cash: Michael Bloomberg runs for president

Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire former mayor of New York, has announced he is running for president. But he is late to join the race and not very popular with Democratic primary voters. We also look at TikTok, a wildly successful video-sharing app, that some see as a threat to security in the Western world. And much of Switzerland is up in arms--about the reliability of the country’s coffee supply. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="www.economist.com/radiooffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/radiooffer</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>