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The Intelligence from The Economist
The Economist
Join Jason Palmer and Rosie Blau for noise-cancelling news and analysis from The Economist's global network of correspondents. Every weekday this award-winning podcast picks three stories shaping your world—the big shifts in politics, business and culture, plus things you never knew you needed to know. On Saturdays, download The Weekend Intelligence to dive deep into a single story, vividly told. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our FAQs page at https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In the big leagues now: Saudi Arabia’s push into sport
Aug 11, 202325 min<p>Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman says a presence in <a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2023/08/10/saudi-arabia-is-spending-a-fortune-on-sport?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">top-level global sport</a> is one route to modernising; critics call the effort a distraction from the country’s appalling human-rights record. Brazil’s government is pushing reforms that are clearly <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/08/02/investors-are-increasingly-optimistic-about-brazils-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">calming investors</a>, who had fretted about a return to ruinously spendthrift policies (9:20). And how speedy “first-person-view” drones are <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2023/08/04/how-could-fpv-drones-change-warfare?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">changing the fight</a> in Ukraine (16:25).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Taken too soon: why so many Americans die young
Aug 10, 202323 min<p>An <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/07/31/horrifying-numbers-of-americans-will-not-make-it-to-old-age?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">appalling record</a> compared with much of the rich world is not just down to drugs and guns. We ask what changes, both in policy and philosophy, might reduce the death toll. A heat-transporting ocean current in the Atlantic could soon be on the wane—or switch off altogether (10:08). That would have <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2023/08/02/what-is-amoc-the-heat-distributing-atlantic-current?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">disastrous consequences</a>. And musing on <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/08/04/a-refresher-on-business-air-travel-etiquette?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">airborne etiquette</a> for business travelers (18:09).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><p>Runtime: 23 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>
Trust the processor: America’s CHIPS Act one year on
Aug 9, 202322 min<p>Big-money legislation to bring microprocessor manufacturing to the country is off to a <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/08/07/how-real-is-americas-chipmaking-renaissance?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">reasonable start</a>—but dominance of the industry is and will probably remain distant. Britain was once a leading light when it came to international aid; we ask why that reputation is now <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/07/27/britain-has-blown-its-reputation-as-a-world-leader-in-aid?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">in tatters</a> (tk:tk). And exploring all the <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/07/27/why-your-new-ev-is-making-funny-noises?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">funny noises</a> coming from electric vehicles (tk:tk).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Bloc can tackle? ECOWAS and Niger’s coup
Aug 8, 202328 min<p>The Economic Community of West African States <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/08/07/after-nigers-coup-the-drums-of-war-are-growing-louder?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 yet try</a> to restore President Mohamed Bazoum militarily. Either way, Niger’s status as a bulwark against jihadism is threatened. America’s Republican hopefuls are <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/07/06/republican-presidential-candidates-canoodle-with-moms-for-liberty?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">courting</a> Moms for Liberty, a pressure group with some outlandish ideas; we meet a few of them (10:51). And the design principles of a <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/06/29/how-to-design-better-flags?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 flag</a> (19:33).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Back to front: visiting Ukraine’s firing line
Aug 7, 202322 min<p>As diplomatic efforts played out in Saudi Arabia our correspondent recounts travels along the nearly unbroken <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/08/02/ukrainian-soldiers-describe-their-experiences-battling-russia?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">front line</a> of the war—finding frustrated but determined soldiers and exhausted, fearful civilians. We examine the row around Japan’s plan to <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/07/13/asia-is-rowing-about-fukushima-nuclear-wastewater?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">release wastewater</a> from the Fukushima disaster (09:21). And how rosé wine became summertime’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/08/04/how-provencal-rose-became-the-summer-tipple-par-excellence?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">go-to tipple</a> (15:39).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><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>
Too big tech: is Alphabet approaching a growth ceiling?
Aug 4, 202327 min<p>As <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/07/30/is-there-more-to-alphabet-than-google-search?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 tech giant</a> approaches its 25-year anniversary, there are questions of just how much more it can <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/08/02/can-big-tech-keep-getting-bigger-in-the-age-of-ai?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">possibly grow</a>. Investors are used to stratospheric returns. Is it time to manage expectations? Nested behind the appearance of social discontent in <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/07/27/beneath-frances-revolts-hidden-success?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">France</a> is an economy that is actually thriving (10:51). And, a tribute to a <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/08/02/sunray-kelley-wanted-to-build-in-rhythm-with-nature-his-teacher?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">true man of the woods</a> (19:02).&nbsp;</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Industrial waste: the world’s misguided manufacturing policies
Aug 3, 202326 min<p>The <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/07/13/the-world-is-in-the-grip-of-a-manufacturing-delusion?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">industrial arms race</a> is on. For many political reasons, countries with the means are throwing billions of dollars into local industries. But when will leaders realise that it might harm their economies? Japan’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/06/28/japan-is-making-asylum-even-harder-for-refugees?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">refugee policy</a> was already stringent, but now the country is cracking down on asylum seekers even more (10:26). And, how Oppenheimer has reignited <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/07/24/oppenheimers-secret-city-is-a-shrine-to-the-manhattan-project?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">Los Alamos's</a> tourist appeal (18:22).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="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>
Big-claims court: Donald Trump’s latest indictment
Aug 2, 202325 min<p>The former American president is facing a new set of unprecedented <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/08/02/donald-trump-is-indicted-for-trying-to-steal-the-2020-election?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">legal challenges</a> linked to his claims that he won the 2020 election. These charges are perhaps the most serious ones yet, but how will they affect his campaign? A closer look at <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/07/17/how-much-trouble-is-chinas-economy-in?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">China’s economic figures</a> suggest that their post-pandemic recovery has been more modest than expected (09:49). And, sneaking <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/07/20/how-well-connected-iranians-import-their-goodies?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">pianos</a> into Iran (17:59).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Strong arms: North Korea’s pandemic era weapons program
Aug 1, 202322 min<p>The country is not new to seclusion, but under the aegis of the pandemic, <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/07/24/kim-jong-un-has-no-desire-to-let-his-country-rejoin-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">Kim Jong Un</a> tightened borders even more. His regime has enjoyed the extra control, but are things finally opening up? The world’s biggest rice exporter is <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2023/07/26/what-will-be-the-impact-of-indias-rice-export-ban?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">banning rice exports</a> and the developing world is going to feel the heat (10:13). And, a new approach to dairy – <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/07/20/startups-are-producing-real-dairy-without-a-cow-in-sight?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">without cows</a> (14:39).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Putsched out: Niger’s coup d’état
Jul 31, 202324 min<p>Following years of military takeovers in the region, <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/07/28/nigers-putsch-is-bad-for-the-country-and-for-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">Niger</a> is the West’s last solid ally in the Sahel. But with this coup, and growing alignment with Russia, these relations are in jeopardy. Why is a <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/07/25/londons-latest-effort-to-clear-bad-air-is-contested-but-necessary?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">policy</a> to decongest London proving such a politically divisive issue (10:49)? And, a deep dive into a Canadian lake shows that humanity may be entering <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2023/07/12/a-canadian-lake-could-mark-the-start-of-humanitys-geological-epoch?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a new epoch</a> (17:01).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Trading criminality for autocracy: El Salvador
Jul 28, 202326 min<p>A country that was not long ago gripped by gang violence and crime is slowly emerging from fear, thanks to a <a href="https://www.economist.com/films/2023/07/21/inside-el-salvadors-war-on-crime" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">brutal roundup</a> of young men by a wildly popular, social-media-savvy <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/07/20/nayib-bukele-shows-how-to-dismantle-a-democracy-and-stay-popular" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">president</a>. The streets may be safer, but now it is El Salvador’s democracy that is in danger—and neighbouring countries’ leaders may take lessons from its budding <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/07/20/what-the-worlds-budding-autocrats-are-learning-from-el-salvador?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">autocrat</a>.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
With a grain assault: a deal abandoned
Jul 27, 202324 min<p>Russia’s axeing of the Black Sea grain deal reveals a war machine running out of options. We explore how to get the deal <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/07/26/the-world-should-not-let-vladimir-putin-abandon-the-grain-deal?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 on track</a>. A month-long mystery surrounding China’s absent foreign minister has <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2023/07/25/chinas-missing-foreign-minister-loses-his-job?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">grown deeper</a>: now his memory is being scrubbed from official websites (10:15). And literary criticism has <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/07/21/critics-are-getting-less-cruel-alas?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">lost its claws</a>—gaining a newfound civility that is bad for readers (16:37).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Forewarned before armed: how to predict war
Jul 26, 202327 min<p>Military types need not wait until mass movements of troops to know a conflict is coming. We examine a raft of subtle and not-so-subtle market moves that would precede a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. France’s quiet <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/07/20/frances-foreign-policy-revolution?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">volte face</a> on the extent of NATO and the European Union will reshape European security (12:04). And how scrapyards are becoming efficient, lucrative <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2023/07/19/scrapyards-adopt-new-high-tech-ways-to-dismantle-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">disassembly lines</a> (19:41).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Squash court: Israel’s controversial law reform
Jul 25, 202321 min<p>A seemingly small change to the Supreme Court’s powers to adjudicate “reasonableness” represents a <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/07/24/a-blow-against-israels-supreme-court-plunges-the-country-into-crisis?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">significant risk</a> to the country’s democratic functioning—and 30 weeks of popular protest about it will continue. Our correspondent looks into why Vietnam’s schools produce such <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/06/29/why-are-vietnams-schools-so-good?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">excellent students</a> (09:54). And examining the debate on whether cryptocurrency trading <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/07/13/does-islam-smile-on-cryptocurrency?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">conflicts</a> with Islamic strictures (15:15).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><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>
Small-Vox symptoms: Spain’s elections
Jul 24, 202324 min<p>After no party won a majority, forming a government <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/07/23/spains-election-ends-in-deadlock?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 take weeks</a>—or another election. But predictions that Vox, a far-right party, might enter government failed to materialise. Russia’s navy is <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2023/07/03/can-russias-navy-thwart-attacks-by-repainting-its-ships?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">repainting its vessels</a> in a bid to frustrate munitions powered by artificial intelligence (10:03). And why the push to invent outlandish ice-cream flavours such as ketchup is <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/07/13/when-it-comes-to-ice-cream-the-instinct-to-innovate-is-misguided?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">deeply misguided</a> (17:59).</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Palace intrigue: the Kremlin after the mutiny
Jul 21, 202325 min<p>It has been a month since the head of the Wagner group led a march on Moscow. Although it failed, <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/07/18/post-mutiny-moscow-descends-into-factional-murk?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">Putin</a> appears considerably weaker. What does this mean for outcomes on the battlefield? India is facing <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2023/07/13/visualising-indias-record-breaking-rainfall?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">record-breaking rainfall</a> as monsoon seasons continue to worsen. The government’s response has fallen short (12:29). And, the highly-anticipated <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/07/14/realism-with-oppenheimer-or-escapism-with-barbie?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">Barbie and Oppenheimer</a> films hit cinemas (18:04).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Runaway soldier: American detained in North Korea
Jul 20, 202322 min<p>Little is known about why he <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/07/19/an-american-soldier-has-deserted-to-north-korea?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">fled across the border</a> into the hermit kingdom, but securing his release will require some tactical diplomacy. Given the tense relationship between both countries, is Kim Jong Un prepared to come to the table? A look at research which suggests <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/07/13/the-mystery-of-gold-prices?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">gold</a> might not always be an effective hedge against inflation (08:52). And, why <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2023/07/06/a-gigantic-landslide-shows-the-limit-to-how-high-mountains-can-grow?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">mountains</a> stop growing (15:42).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Model growth: Tesla’s ambitious plans
Jul 19, 202322 min<p>The carmaker, which reports results today, is still celebrating <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/07/18/teslas-surprising-new-route-to-ev-domination?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">impressive growth</a> and its boss has even bigger plans for it. But with the threat of fast-scaling competitors in the EV market, is the company losing its disruptive edge? Our data correspondent’s novel approach to counting <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2023/07/10/how-many-russian-soldiers-have-been-killed-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">Russian casualties</a> in Ukraine (09:39). And, a nail-biting, ever riskier <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/07/05/high-speed-descents-are-the-talk-of-the-tour-de-france?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">Tour de France</a> nears its end (15:26).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Charming the prince: Biden seeks a deal with Saudi Arabia
Jul 18, 202325 min<p>America is keen to mend the relationship between the Gulf state and Israel, but Muhammad bin Salman has <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/07/05/what-mbs-wants-from-joe-biden?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">hefty demands</a>. Is the deal worth the price? Asia’s longest serving leader is carefully planning his <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/07/13/cambodias-autocrat-is-fixing-his-succession?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">succession</a>, and crushing anyone who objects (10:41). And, Sweden’s plan for a <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2023/06/21/sweden-wants-to-build-an-entire-city-from-wood?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 city</a> is built on old materials. But it is posed to be an innovative model for sustainability (18:28).&nbsp;</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Cruel summer: heatwaves rage across the world
Jul 17, 202325 min<p>Europe, America and Asia are all enduring scorching heatwaves, air temperatures are repeatedly <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2023/07/07/global-temperatures-have-broken-records-three-times-in-a-week?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">breaking records</a> and the health impacts are alarming. But is the worst yet to come? Why <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/07/04/can-anything-pop-the-everything-bubble?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">risky assets</a> are proving more resilient than investors expected despite war, inflation and the threat of recession (10:10). And Europe says farewell to its symbolic <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/06/21/a-farewell-to-small-cars-the-industrial-icons-that-put-europe-on-wheels?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">small cars</a> (16:50).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Mass destruction: is the Ethiopian government covering up war crimes?
Jul 14, 202328 min<p>The burning of burial grounds in the northern region of the country suggests that authorities are destroying evidence. If these <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/07/09/war-crimes-in-tigray-may-be-covered-up-or-forgotten?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">claims</a> are proven true, will the government be held accountable? In news that might please your boss, emerging research suggests that <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/07/10/the-fight-over-working-from-home-goes-global?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">working from home</a> is stifling productivity (10:36). And honouring the life of a Ukrainian <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/07/13/victoria-amelina-explored-a-land-of-atrocities-and-secrets?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">civil-rights campaigner</a> (19:22).&nbsp;</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Second thoughts: Donald Trump’s policy plans
Jul 13, 202326 min<p>When he was last elected, many were surprised, even in his own camp. This time around, his backers are taking no such chances. We take a closer look at his <a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2023/07/13/a-second-trump-administration-would-get-its-way-far-more-than-the-first?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">policy plans</a>. China currently supplies nearly all the world’s processed critical minerals. Could <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/06/20/can-australia-break-chinas-monopoly-on-critical-minerals?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Australia</a> change that (10:52)? And, a <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2023/06/29/a-chinese-reality-tv-show-about-farming-doubles-as-propaganda?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reality TV show</a> with a greenfingered twist (19:03).&nbsp;</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
AI-pocalypse: predicting the threat from artificial intelligence
Jul 12, 202323 min<p>Wiping out a tenth of the world? Possible. Wiping out all of humanity? Less likely, but not entirely impossible. We examine how two groups of experts have arrived at these <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2023/07/10/what-are-the-chances-of-an-ai-apocalypse?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">worrying predictions</a> about AI. Education is giving hope to inmates in a maximum security prison in New York (11:17). And, on Britain’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/06/27/in-britain-working-mens-clubs-have-been-incubators-of-rock-music?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">working men’s clubs</a> which have nurtured rock bands for decades (18:00).</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Rutte, damn: the Dutch prime minister steps down
Jul 11, 202327 minMark Rutte is <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/07/10/mark-rutte-the-dutch-prime-minister-quits-politics?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">stepping down</a> after leading the Netherlands for 13 years. Despite his renowned political survival skills, our correspondent explains why it was migration policy that brought about his downfall. As the <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2023/07/02/nato-is-drafting-new-plans-to-defend-europe?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NATO summit</a> kicks off, what are the alliance’s plans for defending Europe (9:30)? And a look at the changing face of Britain’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2023/07/02/nato-is-drafting-new-plans-to-defend-europe?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">lighthouses</a> (19:00). <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
States, disunited: the controversy around cluster bombs
Jul 10, 202327 min<p>Despite considerable opposition from allies in NATO, America has agreed to send them to Ukraine. The highly controversial munitions could speed up Ukraine’s counteroffensive, but at what cost? As excitement around AI continues to generate, our new index examines how American firms are deploying the tech (11:16). And, what to read to learn more about the juiciest corporate scandals (19:11).&nbsp;</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
I spy: meeting Ukraine’s intelligence chief
Jul 7, 202327 min<p>We sit down with Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine’s youngest-ever <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/06/20/ukraines-spymaster-has-got-under-the-kremlins-skin?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">spymaster</a>. He is intense, resolute—and oddly charismatic. A world of electrified transport is going to need lots of nickel for batteries. We argue that, environmentally speaking, gathering it from the seafloor <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/07/06/the-world-needs-more-battery-metals-time-to-mine-the-seabed?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">clearly beats</a> mining it on land (11:12). And remembering <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/07/06/donald-triplett-was-the-first-man-diagnosed-with-autism?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Donald Triplett</a>, the first person ever to be diagnosed with autism (19:25).</p><br><p><em>Additional audio courtesy of “In A Different Key”, inadifferentkeythemovie.com</em></p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Clone wars: Meta’s Threads takes on Twitter
Jul 6, 202324 min<p>If there is one thing Facebook’s parent company does well, it is aping other social-media features and platforms—and it is a <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/07/04/the-musk-zuckerberg-social-media-smackdown?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">propitious time</a> to steal Twitter’s thunder. Deeply indebted Arab countries desperately need loans from the IMF, but have <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/06/27/after-years-of-talks-indebted-arab-states-and-the-imf-are-at-an-impasse?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">good reasons</a> to balk at the fund’s terms (10:00). And New Yorkers love their <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/06/15/attack-of-the-feral-parakeets?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">invasive parakeets</a>; the birds’ enormous nests, less so (18:41).</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Group dynamics: Wagner in Africa
Jul 5, 202323 min<p>Its leader is in exile and its future is uncertain. But the Wagner Group will be loth to abandon the influence and the cashflow that its <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/06/27/what-next-for-wagners-african-empire?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">murky African operations</a> bring. The striking down of affirmative-action university-admissions policies in America may counterintuitively spur more-progressive and more-efficient <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/06/29/how-american-universities-will-react-as-race-based-admissions-end?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">alternatives</a> (9:56). And the reinvention (again) of a beloved Chinese <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2023/06/01/a-famous-brand-of-chinese-sweets-reinvents-itself-again?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sweet treat</a> (17:08).</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Break camp: Israel’s West Bank raids
Jul 4, 202326 min<p>The so-called refugee camp in the city of Jenin has been subject to raids for months—and a hotspot for militants for decades. We ask what set things off <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/07/03/israel-launches-its-biggest-raid-on-the-west-bank-in-over-20-years?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">so violently</a> this week. Now that Jair Bolsonaro is barred from Brazilian office for <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/06/30/jair-bolsonaro-is-barred-from-office-for-eight-years?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">eight years</a>, what happens to his brand of politics (11:17)? And how America got a <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/06/20/the-new-king-of-beers-is-a-mexican-american-success-story?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">new king of beers</a> (19:17).</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Riot-geared: the tensions behind France’s unrest
Jul 3, 202324 min<p>The killing of a teenager in a Paris suburb has ignited <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/07/01/rioting-in-france-presents-a-fresh-political-test-for-emmanuel-macron?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">national unrest</a>. We ask what is driving the disquiet, and what it means for a president squeezed on both political sides. In high-inflation times, rising wages worry economists—“wage-price spirals” are a textbook bogeyman. But perhaps the risk is <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/06/15/wage-price-spirals-are-far-scarier-in-theory-than-in-practice?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">overblown</a> (10:34). And the researchers making burgers from extinct animals (18:22).&nbsp;</p><br><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
