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For months, the fighting in Ukraine has been concentrated on the city of Bakhmut. Now Russian forces have intensified their campaign after Vladimir Putin called for a ceasefire that his own troops violated. In much of the Middle East, finding a sex toy is difficult - but with a little ingenuity, not impossible. It's part of a quiet revolution in which the region's women are increasingly taking control of their own sexuality.

Russian troops have turned Bakhmut, in eastern Ukraine, into a charnel house—and a proving ground for its mercenary army. The booming North Sea region could reshape Europe’s economy. And how women across the Middle East are taking their sexuality into their own hands. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer