As the Biden administration fires a $1.9trn pandemic-relief bazooka, we consider how governments might <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/03/06/how-to-make-a-social-safety-net-for-the-post-covid-world?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">rethink welfare</a>: providing more-flexible benefits, investing in human capital and acting as an insurer against the gravest risks. The simple pleasure of human touch, so constrained of late, is not an emotional luxury—it’s a <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2021/02/20/the-pandemic-made-the-world-realise-the-importance-of-human-contact?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">physical need</a>. And why it’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/03/13/making-up-new-words-is-easy-getting-them-used-is-harder?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">so hard</a> to coin a word.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> &#10;&nbsp; <hr>See <a style='color: grey; ' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Casting the net wider: remaking the welfare state

In calling the 1915 campaign against Armenians a genocide, President Joe Biden has rekindled tensions that never really faded—and has perhaps <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/04/27/turkey-and-armenia-show-no-signs-of-reconciling?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">delayed a rapprochement</a>. Chinese authorities fear religion, particularly when it is practised out of sight; we look at increasing <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2021/04/03/china-wants-to-make-its-christians-more-chinese?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">repression</a> of China’s tens of millions of Christians. And tracking the coronavirus’s spread by dipping into Britain’s sewers.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> &#10;&nbsp; <hr>See <a style='color: grey; ' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

A word in edgewise: Turkey, Armenia and genocide

The <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/03/01/nicolas-sarkozys-jail-sentence-shocks-frances-political-class?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">first conviction</a> of France’s former president shocked the nation; the second confirms for citizens that, these days, politicians will be held to account. Our correspondent meets a Burmese hipster who, after this year’s military coup, has become a somewhat conflicted <a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2021/09/27/killing-informants-is-cool-how-a-myanmar-hipster-became-a-guerrilla-fighter?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">freedom fighter</a>. And the record label whose name you may never have heard but whose music you <a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/09/22/kpm-music-is-one-of-the-most-important-record-labels-in-history?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">certainly have</a>.&nbsp;For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> &#10;&nbsp; <hr>See <a style='color: grey; ' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

The courage of two convictions: Nicolas Sarkozy

With the propaganda machine at fever pitch, not everyone in Russia agrees on—<a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2022/03/05/vladimir-putins-invasion-of-ukraine-is-wrecking-two-countries?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">much less agrees with</a>—what is going on in Ukraine. Dissent is being met with increasing repression. A wave of jihadism is <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/02/24/west-africas-coastal-states-are-bracing-for-a-jihadist-storm?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">crashing</a> across the states of West Africa and the battle lines are moving south. And reasons for both hope and concern in our annual <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/glass-ceiling-index?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">glass-ceiling index</a>.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> &#10;&nbsp; <hr>See <a style='color: grey; ' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

War stories: the view from Russia

Voters in the UK head to the polls for local elections tomorrow. In <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/04/28/nationalists-are-set-for-a-historic-win-in-northern-irelands-vote" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Northern Ireland</a>, a party that does not want the country to exist appears poised to win the largest number of seats. Why <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/05/08/warren-buffett-should-step-aside-for-his-chosen-successor" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a Nebraskan company</a>’s annual general meeting has become known as “the Woodstock of capitalism.” And how the art of <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/04/21/indian-cows-and-buffaloes-are-going-online" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">cattle trading</a> is getting a 21st century makeover.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> &#10;&nbsp; <hr>See <a style='color: grey; ' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Stormont weather: elections in Northern Ireland

<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 The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> &#10;&nbsp; <hr>See <a style='color: grey; ' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Luna landing: Crypto chaos

<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 The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> &#10;&nbsp; <hr>See <a style='color: grey; ' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Powell to the people: The Fed raises rates

The visit of America’s speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi has Chinese tempers flaring. We ask what the trip suggests about <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/08/02/nancy-pelosis-trip-to-taiwan-highlights-americas-incoherent-strategy?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">American policy</a> and what it means for Taiwan. Crowdfunding is making a <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/07/27/how-crowdfunding-is-shaping-the-war-in-ukraine?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">real difference</a> in the war in Ukraine—but its effects vary between the two sides. And a close listen to a young pianist’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/07/21/the-wonder-of-lim-yun-chans-performance-of-rach-3?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">prizewinning</a> Rachmaninoff-concerto performance.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr> See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Nancy meeting you here: a tetchy Taiwan trip

&nbsp;<a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/07/07/democrats-have-a-hispanic-problem?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Our series</a> on America’s mid-term elections begins with a visit to a citizenship class in Doral, Florida, given by Republicans. We examine how the GOP is cutting into Democrats’ advantage with Latino voters. Britain’s trial of a <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/07/21/a-superhighway-for-drones-to-fly-between-british-cities?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">superhighway for drones</a> is a bid to unleash their commercial potential. And meeting &nbsp; a <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/07/28/a-thai-pop-star-uses-her-music-to-critique-her-homeland?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Thai dissident</a> issuing dystopian pop music from self-imposed exile. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr> See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Latin-ex Democrats: Republicans and Hispanic voters

Rights for women and girls have regressed by decades; the economy is cratering. Yet, for many rural Afghans, things are actually <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/08/11/afghanistan-is-poorer-and-hungrier-than-a-year-ago?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">better</a> than they were before America scarpered. Silicon Valley types once righteously spurned the military-industrial establishment—now they’re <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2022/08/08/can-tech-reshape-the-pentagon?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">queuing up</a> to fund defence startups. And the surprising truth about the most famous scene in “Bambi”, which is <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/08/11/bambi-offers-a-horrifying-portrait-of-eco-catastrophe?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">turning 80</a>.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr> Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

Poorer, hungrier, safer? Afghanistan one year on

The names are familiar but the establishment-choice and rabble-rouser roles are reversed. That the vote was along class lines rather than ethnicity marks an important shift. Will <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/08/15/william-ruto-is-declared-kenyas-next-president?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the result</a> stand? For years Mexico was seen merely as a conduit for illegal drugs; now it has a <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2022/07/21/mexicans-are-increasingly-consuming-illegal-drugs?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">growing user base</a> as well. And the <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/08/11/more-americans-are-trying-to-take-their-weapons-on-planes?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">rising number</a> of Americans bringing guns onto flights. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr> Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

Class action: Kenya gets a new president

Wyoming’s sole representative in the House, once a Republican leading light and now a pariah for her views on Donald Trump, has been <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/08/17/liz-cheney-is-vanquished-by-donald-trump?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ousted</a> from Congress. We attend her election-night defeat. The science behind behavioural nudges seems to be on increasingly <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2022/07/27/evidence-for-behavioural-interventions-looks-increasingly-shaky?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">shaky ground</a>. And investigating the UAE’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/08/11/the-emirates-hope-to-jolt-clouds-into-sharing-their-bounty?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">questionable plans</a> to make more rain. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr> Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

The WY and the wherefore: Liz Cheney’s loss

As Liz Truss becomes prime minister, we ask whether her meat-and-potatoes <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/09/05/what-kind-of-prime-minister-will-liz-truss-be?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tax-slashing agenda</a> will work for a crisis-stricken Britain. Japan’s prison population is ageing just as its wider society is—and that is at last prompting <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/09/01/japans-prisons-are-adapting-to-cope-with-ageing-inmates?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reforms</a> to its punitive penal system. And why Ukraine’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/08/23/why-ukraines-supply-of-anti-tank-weapons-may-tail-off?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">short supply</a> of anti-tank missiles is not as worrying as it would once have been.&nbsp;For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr> Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

Deed of Truss: Britain’s new leader

Five years after a brutal campaign that drove nearly 750,000 out of Myanmar and into Bangladesh, conditions for the Muslim minority remain appalling on <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/08/18/the-rohingyas-are-being-wiped-out-in-slow-motion?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">both sides of the border</a>. Central Asian countries are laying <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/09/06/two-new-railway-lines-could-transform-central-asia?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">plans for railways</a> that would fill their coffers, distance Russia and empower China. And the <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/09/15/why-britons-love-to-queue?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">economics lessons</a> in London’s queue to see Queen Elizabeth II.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr> 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.

Minority report: the Rohingya, five years on

The former president may well ignore the January 6th committee’s summons; the whole affair may be unceremoniously shut down next year. But that is not to say the process has been in vain. Russia’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/10/09/the-war-in-ukraine-has-battered-the-reputation-of-russian-spies?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">intelligence failures</a> during the war in Ukraine have taken the shine off the security services’ fearsome reputations. And remembering <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2022/10/13/loretta-lynn-gave-all-struggling-women-a-voice?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Loretta Lynn</a>, country music’s most-successful-ever female star. Additional audio courtesy of <a href="https://www.honoryourhometown.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Honor Your Hometown</a>. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr> 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.

Witness self-protection programme? Trump and the Capitol riot inquiry

State media have taken to calling President Xi Jinping “the helmsman”; at the five-yearly meeting he <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2022/10/16/at-chinas-communist-party-congress-xi-jinping-sails-on-undaunted?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">defended</a> his means of steering the country. We ask how to read between his tightly prepared lines. Many of America’s firms will soon deliver disappointing profits—and there is <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2022/10/09/have-profits-peaked-at-american-businesses?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">more to blame</a> than simple business cycles. And research suggests that parenthood causes fathers’ brains <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2022/09/28/becoming-a-father-shrinks-your-cerebrum?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">to shrink</a>.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr> 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.

Helmsman’s high water: China’s Communist Party Congress

Regional leaders recognise the abject failure of the war on drugs. We speak with Colombia’s president about some <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2022/10/13/booming-cocaine-production-suggests-the-war-on-drugs-has-failed?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">bold new ideas</a> to tackle the problem. Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook, is a big gamble on the metaverse—but the <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2022/10/16/how-much-trouble-is-mark-zuckerberg-in?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">real risk</a> is that the company still known as Facebook is waning. And a zippy ride through England’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/10/11/a-trial-of-e-scooters-in-britain-has-encouraging-results?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">electric-scooter trial</a>. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr> 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.

Redrawing the lines: cocaine policy in Latin America

The Economist’s comparison of Liz Truss’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/10/20/who-will-be-britains-next-leader?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">staying power</a> to that of a lettuce captured global imaginations. Will the next prime minister have a longer shelf-life? We ask why it has proven so tricky to get the Middle East’s considerable <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/10/13/middle-eastern-countries-are-sitting-on-an-ocean-of-natural-gas?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">natural-gas resources</a> to market. And the murder of <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2022/10/20/yurii-kerpatenko-refused-to-bow-to-russian-orders?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Yurii Kerpatenko</a>, a conductor from Kherson who refused to bow to Russian orders.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr> 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.

No wilt to go on: let us bid Truss goodbye

Rishi Sunak becomes Britain’s prime minister today, making him the third in the past seven weeks. Our correspondent explains who he is, and analyses his road ahead. In Mexico there are growing concerns over the army’s increasing wealth and power. And why “The Stepford Wives,” a novel published 50 years ago, remains relevant and influential today. <hr> 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.

Third time’s the charm? Britain’s new prime minister

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

Once and future: Brazil’s Lula wins again

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

The elephant in the chamber? America’s midterms

America feared that letting <a href="https://www.economist.com/topics/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">Ukraine use US weapons</a> to attack far-off targets in Russia would escalate the conflict. Why has President Joe Biden finally changed his mind? <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2024/11/14/whats-about-to-hit-the-world-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">Markets soared</a> when Donald Trump was elected, but the longer-term impact of Trumponomics may be less positive (9:42). And why<a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2024/10/30/airships-may-finally-prove-useful-for-transporting-cargo?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"> airships are back</a> in our skies (18:12). Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—<a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+</a> For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a> or watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">our video</a> explaining how to link your account. <hr> 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.

The long game: how will US missiles help Ukraine?

Necoclí is a tiny town on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. Beach bars blast party music and sell brightly-coloured cocktails. But Necoclí is not just a tourist destination. It is also a stopping point for migrants heading to the United States. The fastest-growing group among them are Chinese. They are on a journey they call zouxian, or walking the line. Disillusioned with the Chinese dream, they have decided to chase the American version. But first they face a journey that is fraught with peril.&nbsp;&nbsp; Necoclí is the place migrants stock up on supplies and cash, before putting their trust in smugglers who will guide them across the Darién Gap, a treacherous stretch of jungle separating Colombia and Panama. In the first episode of this four-part series, Alice Su, The Economist’s senior China correspondent, travels to Necoclí to meet Chinese migrants on their zouxian journey, and asks what drove them to leave China and take such risks. Transcripts of our podcasts are available via <a href="http://economist.com/podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">economist.com/podcasts</a>. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—<a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">subscribe to Economist Podcasts+</a>.&nbsp; For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a> or watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">our video </a>explaining how to link your account. <hr> 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.

Climbers (part one): A way out of China

Trade ties between <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2024/11/17/brazil-courts-china-as-its-musk-feud-erupts-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">the two countries</a> have been increasing for over a decade. The election of Donald Trump for a second term means the relationship could now become even closer. <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2024/10/30/space-may-be-worse-for-humans-than-thought?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">Going to space</a> could harm human health (7:57). And why Britain has such miserable <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2024/11/11/the-rich-country-with-the-worst-mobile-phone-service?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">mobile-phone service</a> (14:43).&nbsp; Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—<a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+</a> For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a> or watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">our video</a> explaining how to link your account.&nbsp; <hr> 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.

Rio brand: why Brazil is courting China

Donald Trump tore up America’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2024/11/19/get-ready-for-maximum-pressure-20-on-iran?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">nuclear deal with Iran</a> in his first term. What will he do when he becomes president again? The pushy tactics China’s government uses to press women to have more children (10:24). And the <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2024/11/14/nike-and-adidas-are-losing-their-lead-in-running-shoes?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">sneaker wars</a> get more competitive (18:06). Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—<a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+</a> For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a> or watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">our video</a> explaining how to link your account. <hr> 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.

Up and atom: can Trump stop Iranian nukes?

What will the world’s richest man do in the White House? Our correspondent analyses the political and ideological role <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2024/11/17/how-to-make-elon-musks-budget-slashing-dreams-come-true?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">Elon Musk</a> could play in Donald Trump’s second term. <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2024/11/01/exposing-the-horrors-of-irelands-magdalene-laundries?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 things like these”</a> may be fiction but it is based on grim historical truths in Ireland (9:30). And Chile is suffering a spate of salmon heists (15:22). Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—<a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+</a> For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a> or watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">our video</a> explaining how to link your account.&nbsp; <hr> 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.

All for one: Donald Trump and his key Musketeer

Should people have the <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2024/11/21/why-british-mps-should-vote-for-assisted-dying?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">right to choose</a> how they die? Though many Britons support the principle, a vote on assisted dying in the House of Commons may fail. Donald Trump reshaped the <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2024/10/28/donald-trumps-potential-scotus-picks?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">Supreme Court</a> in his first term. His second act could be just as dramatic (09:30). And remembering figurative painter <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2024/11/20/frank-auerbach-aimed-only-at-one-memorable-image?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">Frank Auerbach</a> (18:10).&nbsp;&nbsp; Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—<a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+</a> For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a> or watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">our video</a> explaining how to link your account.&nbsp; <hr> 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.

Assisted dying: why Britain should back a change

<a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2024/11/24/the-adani-scandal-creates-a-storm-for-narendra-modi?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">Gautam Adani</a> is one of India’s richest men, whose fortunes are closely aligned to those of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. What will the political ramifications be of bribery charges against him? <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2024/10/31/why-china-needs-to-fill-its-empty-homes?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 property crisis</a> has left a truly staggering number of new homes empty (9:01). And why <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2024/11/19/the-cult-of-jordan-peterson?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">Jordan Peterson</a> is so contrarian, yet so popular (17:09). Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—<a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+</a> For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a> or watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">our video</a> explaining how to link your account.&nbsp; <hr> 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.

Scandal in the wind: Adani’s indictment could hurt Modi

<a href="https://www.economist.com/topics/united-states?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 Trump</a> had been facing a swathe of lawsuits this year. Now he has won a second term in office, the cases against him are falling away. Why wellness trends may be contributing to <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2024/11/06/as-wellness-trends-take-off-iodine-deficiency-makes-a-quiet-comeback?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">iodine deficiency</a> (8:02). And the secrets of <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2024/11/21/how-to-behave-in-lifts-an-office-guide?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">elevator etiquette</a> (13:58). Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—<a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+</a> For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a> or watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">our video</a> explaining how to link your account.&nbsp; <hr> 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.

Legally bombed: Trump cases dropped

This morning, a <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2024/11/26/israel-and-hizbullah-strike-a-fragile-deal-to-end-their-war?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">deal halting fighting</a> between Israel and Lebanon for 60 days came into effect. Our correspondent considers if that can hold, and what it means for Gaza. What do Northvolt’s financial troubles mean for European hopes to produce batteries for electric vehicles (10:06)? And why the French are realising that <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2024/11/14/how-older-french-women-are-redefining-the-aesthetics-of-ageing?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">women can still be sexy</a> at 60 (16:08). Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—<a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+</a> For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a> or watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">our video</a> explaining how to link your account.&nbsp; <hr> 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.

Moment of truce: a ceasefire in the Middle East

As <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2024/11/21/a-genocidal-militias-quest-for-legitimacy?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 war rages in the country</a>, millions of people have been displaced and famine is widespread. Why won’t the warring parties join talks to end it? Accusations of <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2024/11/22/bolsonaros-bid-to-regain-brazils-presidency-may-end-in-prison?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">assassination plots</a> and an attempted coup swirl in Brazil (9:28). And why Chinese bubble tea shops are conquering your local shopping street (17:33).&nbsp; Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—<a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+</a> For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a> or watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">our video</a> explaining how to link your account.&nbsp; <hr> 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.

A losing battle: Sudan’s elusive peace deal

Venezuela is in dire need of humanitarian aid, and Juan Guaidó, the interim president, has pledged to deliver it tomorrow. Will Nicolás Maduro, the dictatorial leader still formally in power, let him? Ahead of Warren Buffett’s annual letter to shareholders, we look back on a half-century’s-worth of wisdom from the “Sage of Omaha”. And in Japan, longer lives are leading to more books by and for the elderly.

Alms held up: Venezuela

Terror groups and separatists run riot in the sprawling region, and France has had <a href="https://espresso.economist.com/9f5a14374960400c7f537198d1e26acd?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">some success</a> in keeping the peace. But how, and when, to draw down its troops? Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the World Trade Organisation’s history-making new leader, has <a href="https://espresso.economist.com/81517079882bbb04ab3b2c1fb244f336?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">quite the task</a> ahead to rebuild trust in and among the institution’s members. And the <a href="https://espresso.economist.com/4f4c7d3dd85ea84eb208d7cd031dbfe7?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">worrying shifts</a> in subsea soundscapes.&nbsp;Additional audio courtesy Jana Winderen. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> &#10;&nbsp; <hr>See <a style='color: grey; ' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Desert stands: France in the Sahel

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