The Intelligence from The Economist

The Economist
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Oct 4, 2022 • 26min

Misplaced Truss? Britain’s ruling party meets

Prime Minister Liz Truss has had a bruising first few weeks in office. Amid policy U-turns and plummeting poll numbers, her Tory party’s annual shindig is a venue for much soul-searching. Russia’s “partial mobilisation” is unlikely to help much on the battlefield—and is proving exceedingly unpopular at home. And the dangers of naming species after people who become notorious.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Oct 3, 2022 • 24min

Poll vaulter: Brazil’s surprise election result

Jair Bolsonaro, the incumbent president, did unexpectedly well—giving his campaign a boost and foreshadowing a tough run-up to the second round. Malawi’s incipient democracy stands as a shining regional example, but remaking its economy has proved even harder than ousting its undemocratic leader. And why one tank is a particularly handsome prize amid Ukraine’s growing pile of captured Russian kit.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Sep 30, 2022 • 23min

Form-annex trick: Russia’s Ukraine-seizure bid

After a series of sham referendums, President Vladimir Putin is expected to annex four partly occupied regions of Ukraine. We ask what risks that move would pose. What has driven China’s president to amass such tremendous personal power? We introduce our new, long-form podcast “The Prince”, which dives deep into his life. And video-game music is rapidly growing in prestige.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Sep 29, 2022 • 27min

Lula loop: meeting Brazil’s presidential front-runner

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a leftist former president, looks well-placed to win a third term. But which Lula would Brazil get—the fiscal conservative or the populist spendthrift? Germany has an earned reputation as an industrial powerhouse, but its dependence on Russian gas and Chinese demand are hobbling it. And why the propaganda-spewing loudspeakers in Vietnam’s capital are firing up again.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Sep 28, 2022 • 25min

Off the top of their heads: Iran’s widespread protests

Women are burning their hijabs on bonfires and hacking off their hair—but the unrest has come to be about far more than the heavy hands of the morality police. The murder of Abe Shinzo, a former Japanese prime minister, exposed troubling government links to a cult-like sect; the fallout could unseat his successor. And using flying robots as 3D printers. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Sep 27, 2022 • 23min

In for a penny, in for a pounding: Britain’s economic gyrations

The markets are so far entirely unconvinced that the new administration’s Reagan-esque economic plans will work to spur growth—just look at sterling's tumble. In Tibet, China’s mass collection of DNA samples has one unabashed motive: social control. And the curious wave of “unretirees” returning to work after the pandemic.Additional audio courtesy of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Sep 26, 2022 • 24min

Giorgia on my mind: Italy’s far-right government

Italians have voted decisively for a coalition of right-wing parties, with Giorgia Meloni, leader of the Brothers of Italy, the likely next prime minister. What this means for Italy, Europe and the war in Ukraine remains unclear. Latin American prisons are awful and getting worse. And a surprising hit film makes Chinese authorities nervous.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Sep 23, 2022 • 26min

Empire State v real-estate empire: Donald Trump’s legal woes

Letitia James, New York’s attorney general, announced a sweeping lawsuit against Donald Trump, his businesses and three of his children. He’s also being investigated over allegations of election interference in Georgia and storing classified documents at his Florida resort. The battle to be the top provider of cloud-computing services is heating up. And reflecting on the legacy of “The Joy of Sex,” published 50 years ago. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Sep 22, 2022 • 24min

Inflation nation: The Fed raises rates, again

America’s Federal Reserve made its third straight 0.75% interest-rate hike, with Jerome Powell, the Fed’s chair, warning that more hikes would follow. But with inflation still high, and labour markets still tight, is the Fed doing all it can? A new report suggests that forced labour and marriage are on the rise around the world. And reflecting on one man’s long search for extraterrestrial life. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Sep 21, 2022 • 29min

The 300,000 body problem: Russia mobilises and threatens

This morning Vladimir Putin announced that Russia would call up more troops to fight in Ukraine, said his goal of “liberating” eastern Ukraine remained unchanged and accused the west of “nuclear blackmail.” Our correspondent parses his speech. Our midterm series heads to Maine, to see how Democrats are fighting for rural voters. And a new discovery in Borneo rewrites the history of surgery.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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