The Intelligence from The Economist

Estranged bedfellows: Israel’s government collapses

A motley collection of parliamentarians, now without its whisper-thin majority, has <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/06/20/israels-government-collapses-prompting-the-fifth-election-in-four-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">crumbled</a>. That will force the country back to the ballot box—and back to familiar political turmoil. Increasing numbers of American cities are enticing people with cash incentives, but do such policies work? And why <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2022/06/08/learning-to-drum-can-help-children-with-behavioural-problems" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">drumming helps people</a> with emotional and behavioural difficulties.  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>

Stuck in the middle with few: Macron’s parliamentary pasting

<p>resident Emmanuel Macron has <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/06/19/emmanuel-macron-loses-his-parliamentary-majority?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 his majority</a> in France’s National Assembly as voters flooded both to the far right and far left. A second term filled with confrontation and compromise awaits him. The shadowy world of corporate spying is <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2022/05/30/corporate-espionage-is-entering-a-new-era?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">broadening</a> to far more than just cola or fried-chicken recipes. And when scare-tactic <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/06/16/shocking-drivers-with-road-death-statistics-leads-to-more-crashes?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">road-death statistics</a> lead to more deaths, not fewer. 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>

Menace to democracy: The January 6th hearings

In its third public hearing yesterday, the committee investigating the <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/06/10/congresss-capitol-riot-hearing-confirms-donald-trumps-complicity" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">January 6th Capitol insurrection</a> detailed the pressure put on Mike Pence to overturn the 2020 election—as well as the continuing threat to American democracy posed by Donald Trump. Can <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/06/14/could-artificial-intelligence-become-sentient" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">artificial intelligence become sentient</a>, and if it did, how would we know? And why <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2022/06/09/syria-like-much-of-the-arab-world-inflicts-country-wide-internet-blackouts-during-exams" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">internet shutdowns</a> are a costly and ineffective way to stop students from cheating. 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>

Powell to the people: The Fed raises rates

<a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/06/15/the-fed-and-the-ecb-turn-on-a-dime" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">America’s central bank </a>raised rates by .75% yesterday—the biggest increase in almost 30 years. Whether that will help tame rising prices without triggering a recession is unclear. The poor performance of Russian tanks in Ukraine has led some to wonder whether <a href="https://www.economist.com/interactive/international/2022/06/15/does-the-tank-have-a-future" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the tank itself</a> is obsolete. And the rousing, darkly humorous defiance of <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/06/08/ukrainian-musicians-have-a-stark-message-for-the-kremlin" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ukrainian war anthems</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>

Planes have changed: Britain’s controversial asylum policy

<p>The European Court of Human rights foiled Britain’s plans to send <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/06/13/deportations-to-rwanda-wont-stop-refugees-trying-to-reach-britain" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">asylum-seekers to Rwanda</a> yesterday by holding that British courts must first find the policy legal. The Taliban have proven <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/06/08/the-taliban-government-has-proved-surprisingly-good-at-raising-money" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">surprisingly adept tax collectors</a>, though they will spend much of the funds on defence rather than improving the lives of struggling Afghans. And the world is buying <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2022/06/02/the-electric-vehicle-revolution-is-not-happening-fast-enough" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">too few electric vehicles</a> to meaningfully reduce carbon emissions.</p><br><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>

No magic bullet: a Congressional agreement on guns

<p>Mass shootings in Buffalo, Tulsa and Uvalde appear to have broken a longstanding impasse over federal <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/06/13/americas-senators-manage-to-reach-a-deal-on-gun-control" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">gun laws</a>. A bipartisan group of senators has laid out a legislative framework—but whether that turns into an actual bill remains unclear. Scientists are rethinking what might constitute the building blocks of <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2022/05/25/how-to-improve-the-search-for-aliens" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">extraterrestrial life</a>. And why people seem to love <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/06/14/mundane-chores-are-all-the-rage-in-gaming" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">boring video games</a>.</p><br><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>

Nyet effects: Russia’s resilient economy

Western sanctions are intended to starve Russia’s economy and hinder its ability to wage war in Ukraine. And while the long-term outlook remains grim, so far oil and gas earnings have kept its economy humming. Why Latin America’s commercial capital isn’t even in Latin America: it’s Miami. And why France is building bridges over motorways for wildlife. 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>

Revolting: The January 6th committee’s public hearings

The <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/06/07/the-january-6th-committee-is-about-to-reveal-its-findings" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">committee</a> investigating the Capitol attacks of January 6th 2021 held the first of several public hearings last night, having gathered evidence for the past year. The hearings may not break Donald Trump’s hold on the Republicans, but they are creating a vital record of an attempted coup. As wolf populations grow, humans are learning to live with them. And why the corporate world has taken an interest in <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2022/06/08/bosses-want-to-feed-psychedelics-to-their-staff" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">psychedelic drugs</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>

Second time’s the charm? Somalia’s new president

Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is Somalia’s first-ever reelected president. In an <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">interview</a> with our correspondent, he lays out his second-term ambitions for beating back jihadist insurgents and repairing relations with his neighbours. Why adapting to <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2022/06/01/climate-change-is-harder-on-less-educated-people?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">climate change</a> is harder for people with less education. And why the <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2022/06/02/top-gun-flies-high-sparking-hopes-of-a-theatrical-recovery?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">film industry</a> has high hopes for this summer’s blockbusters. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The wrath of Khan: Pakistan’s turbulent spring

Pakistan’s government faces an unpleasant choice between doing what’s popular and what is economically necessary, as <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/06/02/imran-khan-is-jeopardising-pakistans-attempts-to-fix-its-economy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Imran Khan</a>, the former prime minister, exploits widespread discontent for his own ends. Russia’s invasion is threatening <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2022/05/25/ukraines-agricultural-research-is-threatened-by-the-war" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ukraine’s unique seed bank</a>. And why so many <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/06/02/some-languages-pay-closer-attention-to-family-ties-than-others" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">languages</a> have such a rich variety of words to describe family members and relationships. 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>

After the party, the hangover: Boris survives, barely

Boris Johnson, Britain’s prime minister, narrowly survived a <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/06/06/boris-johnson-narrowly-wins-a-vote-of-confidence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">no-confidence vote</a> last night. As he limps on, the informal contest to succeed him will intensify, as will questions about the Conservative Party’s direction. San Francisco’s progressive district attorney faces a <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/06/05/why-san-franciscos-clash-with-its-district-attorney-matters" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">recall election</a> today, in a vote with broader implications for the future of criminal-justice reform in America. And why Ukraine’s army relies on <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/05/11/why-ukraines-army-still-uses-a-100-year-old-machinegun" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">century-old machineguns</a>. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

A farewell to arms control? Ukraine and nuclear weapons

<p>For almost 80 years, the world has refrained from using or, for the most part, even seriously pondering the use of nuclear weapons. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has <a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2022/06/02/russias-invasion-of-ukraine-has-eroded-the-nuclear-taboo" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">eroded</a> that taboo. Avian flu is spreading around the world, threatening birds’ health and contributing to rising egg and poultry prices. And Sun Ra’s huge, weird and wonderful <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/05/30/journey-through-time-and-space-with-the-sun-ra-arkestra" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Arkestra</a> is back on the road. </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>

Hide, park: Russian money in London

<p>Britain’s capital is packed with foreign capital, in particular the Russian kind. We ask what it is about London that <a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2022/05/05/londongrad-is-falling-down?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">attracts</a>—and protects—the oligarchs. We check in again with Lusya Shtein of the anti-Putin punk-rock group Pussy Riot about her <a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2022/06/01/with-her-playstation-and-her-pet-rat-how-one-member-of-pussy-riot-fled-russia" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">daring escape</a> from Russia. And amid celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II’s 70-year tenure, we reflect on <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/05/26/britain-celebrates-a-jubilee-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">royal jubilees</a> through history.</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>

Press clipping: Ethiopia’s media crackdown

<p>The government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has expelled our correspondent. Abiy’s proxies at home and abroad are helping a propaganda push that is <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/05/19/ethiopias-civil-war-has-been-bad-news-for-press-freedom?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">silencing criticism</a>. California’s legal-marijuana market is enormous, but its growers are floundering under taxes and regulations; the industry is getting <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/05/14/in-california-the-worlds-largest-legal-weed-market-is-going-up-in-smoke?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">stubbed out</a>. And a look at how companies that have withdrawn from Russia <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2022/05/09/how-companies-exiting-russia-are-faring?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">are faring</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 diet is cast: a coming food catastrophe

War and blockades in Ukraine are the largest but far from the only problems squeezing the global food system—and with prices already way up, a <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/05/19/the-coming-food-catastrophe?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">catastrophe of hunger</a> looms. The prospect of whole-genome screening for newborns opens up many opportunities to avoid or treat disease, and many <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/full-genome-screening-for-newborns-is-now-on-the-cards/21809246?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">ethical debates</a>. And more than just sordid history at Bangkok’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/05/27/a-museum-tells-the-history-of-one-of-bangkoks-notorious-districts?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">red-light-district museum</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>

Bear traps: Russia’s push in eastern Ukraine

<p>Russian forces are having some successes in eastern Ukraine; our defence editor discusses the situation on the ground and what may <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/05/26/ukraine-needs-support-not-timorous-advice?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">tip the balance</a> in the grinding war. We examine a <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/05/22/the-title-42-furore-highlights-americas-broken-immigration-system?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">contentious American law</a> that reveals the country’s broken immigration system. And why independent Chinese bookshops are becoming so <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2022/03/26/how-narcissistic-youth-might-help-struggling-chinese-booksellers?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">social-media-friendly</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>

Base motives? China in the Pacific

The country has just one foreign military base, but there are fears it wants to dot the Pacific region <a href="https://espresso.economist.com/8f51d048845867380207217d2b5c3156?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">with more</a>—and that is, so far, proving tricky. With ties between Western and Russian scientists severed, decades of research in the Arctic, particularly on climate change, are <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/russian-and-western-scientists-no-longer-collaborate-in-the-arctic/21809236?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">at risk</a>. And a new series further unpicks the <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/06/01/the-short-lived-punk-movement-generated-decades-of-mythmaking" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mythology of punk</a> music. 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>

Take the first left? Colombia’s election

<p>POLLS SUGGEST // Polls suggest the country <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2022/05/26/a-divided-colombia-is-poised-to-elect-its-first-leftist-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">might get</a> its first-ever leftist leader. Whatever the outcome, a fresh outbreak of violent protest may await. Africa’s increasingly crippling <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/05/07/why-fuel-shortages-are-spreading-across-africa?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">fuel shortages</a> can be blamed on more than just higher prices. And reflecting on the life of Lawrence MacEwen, laird of a tiny Scottish island whose austere simplicity he <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2022/05/26/lawrence-macewen-made-a-tiny-island-prosper?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">fought</a> to preserve. </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>

Let’s get the parties charted: the Partygate report

A long-awaited inquiry into lockdown gatherings on Boris Johnson’s watch <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/05/25/sue-gray-produces-a-strikingly-patchy-account-of-the-downing-street-parties?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">reveals</a> lurid details of brash bashes. Yet the prime minister will be able, once again, to brush off the controversy. We ask why Switzerland is such a <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2022/05/23/the-recipe-for-the-outperformance-of-swiss-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">powerhouse</a> in business and finance despite its modest resources. And how Russia’s war propaganda is <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2022/05/14/russia-is-swaying-twitter-users-outside-the-west-to-its-side?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">winning over</a> plenty of Twitter users. 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>

Active shooters, inactive politics: America’s latest school massacre

After 19 children and two adults were <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/05/25/the-spate-of-gun-violence-shows-american-exceptionalism-at-its-worst?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">gunned down</a> in Texas, we ask why gun laws are actually loosening in many states and why even moderate gun controls do not get passed. The <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2022/05/24/where-is-monkeypox-spreading-fastest?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">rapid spread</a> of monkeypox has rattled a covid-weary world; how much <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/05/20/monkeypox-is-popping-up-in-more-countries-how-worrying-is-this?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">cause for concern</a> is there? And why teams of professional writers are <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/05/10/video-game-writing-is-improving-by-leaps-and-bounds?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">getting involved</a> in games development. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The city that never slips: Beijing and covid

<p>China’s Communist Party leaders have painted themselves <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2022/05/19/the-chinese-capital-tries-to-avoid-a-lockdown?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 a corner</a>: they cannot be seen to put the capital into lockdown, but permitting covid to spread could be catastrophic. We look into the <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2022/05/17/a-baby-formula-shortage-feeds-criticism-of-corporate-heft-and-price-gouging?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">myriad reasons</a> behind America’s sharp shortages of baby formula, and how to solve them. And why it is <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/05/19/turkmenistans-new-president-is-clamping-down-on-womens-freedoms?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">illegal</a> for women to get a manicure in Turkmenistan.</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>

Labor’s day: Australia’s election

<p>Anthony Albanese, the first Labor prime minister in a decade, has <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/05/22/what-australias-new-government-will-do?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">pledged</a> to do far more on climate change. His party’s slim win shows how Australian politics is changing. Bosses are increasingly turning to surveillance software to <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/welcome-to-the-era-of-the-hyper-surveilled-office/21809219?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">monitor employees</a> (so be careful if listening to this show during work hours). And why the fortune-telling tradition of <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2022/05/19/in-brazil-if-you-need-answers-see-a-cowrie-shell-thrower?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">shell-throwing</a> thrives in Brazil.</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>

Straight out of Orwell: Russia’s propaganda machine

<p>The Kremlin’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/interactive/international/2022/05/17/the-putin-show" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">propaganda machine</a> ensures that Russians have a much different view of the war in Ukraine than the rest of the world. Our correspondent spent a day immersed in Russian media, to learn what people there see—and what they don’t. The spectre of <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/05/14/zimbabwes-president-orders-banks-to-stop-lending" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hyperinflation</a> is once again stalking Zimbabwe. And our obituaries editor <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2022/05/19/saotome-katsumoto-insisted-that-japan-should-not-forget" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">remembers</a> a man who refused to let Japan forget its painful past.</p><br><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>

Pestilent peninsula: covid in North Korea

North Korea’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/05/17/covid-19-is-spreading-like-wildfire-in-north-korea" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">zero-covid strategy</a> appears to have failed. The country has officially acknowledged 162 cases; the true number is probably orders of magnitude more. The country’s health-care system is inadequate, and pre-existing conditions such as tuberculosis and malnutrition are rampant. With elections impending in Turkey, politicians have begun competing with each other to scapegoat <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2020/04/23/as-turkey-locks-down-refugees-are-the-first-to-suffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">refugees</a>. And why <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/05/07/why-arab-schoolboys-are-getting-trounced-by-girls" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">girls outperform boys</a> in the Arab world’s schools. <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>

It’s his party: American primaries

Five American states held primary elections yesterday. The most important were in<a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/04/30/pennsylvanias-primaries-point-to-the-future-of-american-politics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Pennsylvania</a>, where a Trump-backed candidate won the Republican gubernatorial primary. The Republican senate race remains too close to call. <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/the-spy-in-the-sky-that-sees-backwards-in-time/21809102" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Wide-area motion imaging</a> is a surveillance technique developed by the military in Iraq but now creeping into the civilian world. And why war in Ukraine is raising the price of <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/05/14/ukrainian-seasonal-workers-pick-much-of-britains-fruit" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">berries</a> in Britain. 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>

Luna landing: Crypto chaos

<a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2022/05/12/the-crypto-infrastructure-cracks" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Stablecoins</a> are essential to the financial plumbing of the cryptocurrency world. They’re pegged to a real-world asset, usually the dollar. But when that peg breaks, things can turn ugly in a hurry. Much of India is suffering through a particularly blistering and costly <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/05/13/the-increasing-frequency-of-fatal-wet-bulb-temperatures" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">heatwave</a>. And Indonesians’ love of songbirds is threatening wild bird populations within and beyond Indonesia itself. 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>

Not stuck in neutral: Sweden, Finland and NATO

Neither Finland nor <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/05/12/sweden-is-following-finlands-lead-on-joining-nato" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sweden </a>ever joined NATO, the Western military alliance formed in 1949: Finland for pragmatic reasons and Sweden for ideological ones. But Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has prompted both to change course. <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/facebooks-retirement-plan/21809131" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Facebook</a>’s appeal is waning – to both users and investors. And for the first time, a telescope has captured images of the <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/05/13/how-to-take-a-picture-of-a-black-hole" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">black hole</a> at the centre of our galaxy. 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>

Arm Scandi: Britain’s mutual-defence pact

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s collective-defence deal with Swedish and Finnish leaders represents a shift in the European order—and Britain’s post-Brexit <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/05/14/britains-security-deals-with-finland-and-sweden-shine-a-light-on-boris-johnson?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">place in it</a>. Our correspondent visits Great Zimbabwe, a long-overlooked archaeological site of stunning proportions whose secrets are only now <a href="https://www.economist.com/interactive/christmas-specials/2021/12/18/great-zimbabwe-archaeology?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">being revealed</a>. And a look at the weird sensory thrill of ASMR through a <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/05/13/the-curious-pleasures-of-asmr?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 exhibition</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>

Entrenched: stalemate in Ukraine’s east

Russia’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/russia-begins-a-new-phase-of-its-war-in-ukraine/21808840?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">bid</a> to conquer the eastern region of Donbas is proceeding at a snail’s pace. All over Ukraine resistance continues and a grinding, prolonged conflict looms. Police reform remains controversial in America even two years after George Floyd’s murder. We visit two alternative-policing efforts to see how things might change. And examining the cultural chronicle tucked within Britain’s rules-of-the-road handbook. 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>

It’s a family affair: Sri Lanka’s protests turn deadly

<p>Demonstrations that eventually <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/sri-lankas-prime-minister-resigns-in-the-face-of-escalating-protests/21809223?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">ousted</a> the prime minister have cost lives, but the protest mood is not fading: many want every member of the storied Rajapaksa family out of government. We examine an effort to develop <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/gps-for-the-oceans/21808966?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">undersea GPS</a> and learn why a watery sat-nav would be so useful. And why 1972 was such a <a href=" https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/05/12/brazilian-music-reached-a-crescendo-in-1972-why" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">formative year</a> for music in Brazil.</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>