Shock and thaw: Syria’s frozen war resumes
2024-12-02
The country’s civil war never ended—it became a fragile stalemate that fell out of the news. A surprise rebel advance (https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2024/11/30/syrian-rebels-sweep-into-aleppo-in-an-embarrassing-rout-for-bashar-al-assad?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) reveals how the war’s international players are busy facing their own challenges. Our correspondent found it so difficult to disappear from the internet that she gave up
Rio brand: why Brazil is courting China
2024-11-19
Trade ties between the two countries (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) have been increasing for over a decade. The election of Donald Trump for a second term means the relationship could now become even closer. Going to space (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) could harm human health (7:57). And why Britain has such miserable
What are Donald Trump’s policies?
2024-10-02
A second Trump presidency would leave a much greater mark on America than the first. Adam O’Neal, our Washington correspondent, explains why.
Sign up to our US politics newsletter: https://econ.st/3BC94Xb
See Harris and Trump’s latest polling numbers: https://econ.st/4dtMpK7
What are Harris and Trump’s economic plans?: https://econ.st/3Nb64Uy
What J.D. Vance is learning from Donald Trump: https://econ.st/4dtJeSM
What will happen if America’s election result is contested?: https://econ.st/3BwJPWA
War or less? Lebanon on the brink
2024-09-26
For now, Israel’s moves (https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2024/09/25/hizbullah-seems-to-have-miscalculated-in-its-fight-with-israel?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) seem to be posturing, a means to intimidate Hizbullah into backing down. But there remains a prospect of a ground invasion—and another pointless war. Our swing-state series starts with a state that only recently became swing-y: North Carolina
Rocketing: Israel escalates Lebanon conflict
2024-09-20
After Israeli fires rockets (https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2024/09/18/israel-has-bloodied-hizbullah-but-is-stuck-in-a-war-of-attrition?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) into Lebanon and Hizbullah warns of “red lines” crossed, the Middle East is braced for further attacks. As the planet warms, sport is getting harder (https://www.economist.com/international/2024/09/12/sport-is-getting-hotter-harder-and-deadlier?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) – and deadlier (6:32). And celebrating Francisco Lopera
Tense exchange: Russia’s prisoner swap
2024-08-02
The biggest exchange of prisoners (https://www.economist.com/europe/2024/08/01/the-deal-that-freed-evan-gershkovich-was-not-just-a-prisoner-swap?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) between Russia and the West since the Cold War included opposition leaders, journalists and prisoners of conscience. Our correspondent accompanies America’s defence secretary on a tour of Asia designed to bolster military alliances (https://www.economist.com/asia/2024/07/27/america-recreates-a-warfighting-command-in-japan?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)
Bibi talk: a speech light on detail
2024-07-25
Anyone hoping to glean hints of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s plans for the Gaza war and its aftermath will have been disappointed: it was a political speech aimed at Israelis. Nigerians spend more than anyone on food, as a fraction of income. We look at the factors making the squeeze even tighter (https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2024/07/11/soaring-food-price-inflation-is-hurting-nigerias-poor?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) (11:44). And Starbucks franchises as community-level drivers of innovation
Starming victory: Labour sweeps to power
2024-07-05
Britain has elected a Labour government (https://www.economist.com/britain/2024/07/05/labours-landslide-victory-will-turn-politics-on-its-head) for the first time in 14 years. The party inherits a spattered legacy and a country that is often seen as a laughing stock internationally. We consider Sir Keir Starmer’s long to-do list: growing the economy, mending Britain’s reputation…and moving house within 24 hours (https://www.economist.com/britain/2024/07/04/nukes-and-king-charles-but-no-door-key).
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