The Intelligence from The Economist

The dengue-fever case counts now break regional records every year—and the structural reasons behind the spike suggest this sometimes-deadly virus will soon threaten more of the world. Breaches and security holes keep revealing how much of the internet’s innards are maintained by volunteers ; we ask why (09:45). And the case for moving over , not up, at work (17:10).  Listen to what matters m...

The ruling military junta that seized power in a coup in 2021 is losing ground , slowly—and the rebels are now thinking about what happens if they win. We examine the structural reasons behind Britain’s dearth of industrial robots (10:22). And climate change boosts Canada’s yields of maple syrup , but also threatens to make them unpredictable (15:44). Listen to what matters most, from global polit...

As Parliament has now agreed to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, many members of the ruling Conservative party want to quit the court that tried to block it. It would be yet another costly mistake. Earth’s largest refrigerator, Antarctica , is defrosting. What does this mean for the rest of the world (09:24)? And a tribute to the American journalist held captive by Hizbullah for almost 7 years (17:5...

Ravaged by a civil war, Sudan could see a nationwide famine by August. With humanitarian aid being blocked on both sides, it is increasingly difficult to get supplies to those who need them the most. How to protect an endangered language (09:01). And, why domestic cats have become an existential threat to Scottish wildcats (14:43). Additional audio courtesy of the Endangered Language Alliance List...

Police clashes with protesters at Columbia University have spilled over into other institutions, raising the question of how to protect free speech on campuses. Given America’s history with students’ anti-war protests going awry, should politicians be worried? Why most British voters now think Brexit was a mistake (we did warn you!) (08:53) And, could new tech protect whales from speeding ships (1...

The companies behind this wonder of tech are facing allegations of using copyrighted material to build their large language models (LLMs). But will the courts consider it fair use? Why ex-inmates are so likely to die just after they leave prison (10:15). And, the case for booing in sports (16:13).  Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology— Subsc...

At a time when Russia has been making significant gains, an allocated $61bn of aid for Ukraine will be felt on the battlefield almost instantly. Will it help turn the course of the war? In a world of endless supply chain disruptions , how can businesses shore up against the costs (11:26)? And the appeal of two-month-old stew (18:37). Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business t...

A missile has reportedly struck a site in the Islamic Republic. If this is retaliation for Iran’s most recent attacks, then it is a muted response. But is there still a risk of escalation? As India’s election kicks off, a look into why the opposition is likely to have a poor showing (09:07). And, a tribute to the first foreign-born grand champion of sumo (19:15). Listen to what matters most, from...

Governments particularly in the rich world are struggling to get young people in uniform. Will some form of conscription become necessary? In America, how remote working husbands may be liberating their wives (10:19). And, the generational hunting prowess of the killer whale (16:53). Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology— Subscribe to Economist Po...

All over the world, young men are identifying more with the political right, even as women drift more to the left. What is behind the gulf, and how to close it ? The seeming drop in crime in Naples is not because the notorious mafia activity has disappeared— it has evolved (10:11). And exploring the history and the present of the flat white (17:08). Listen to what matters most, from global politic...

The case for assisted dying is essentially one of individual freedom—and plenty of Britons support a change in the law to permit it. Japan’s Noto peninsula is still reeling from a New Year’s Day earthquake. It could well have been worse, but geography and demography may ultimately limit improvements to earthquake preparedness (10:46). And the pros and cons of corporate uniforms (18:49). Listen to...

For the first time Iran launched a huge attack on Israel from its own territory, though the effort largely failed. Israel’s response could easily lead to regional war; what is it likely to be ? The first of the four criminal trials that Donald Trump faces will get under way today. It is by some margin the tawdriest (11:46). And celebrating the 150th anniversary of Impressionism (20:02). &nbsp...

We have combined polling data to make a detailed portrait of the American electorate. Have a tinker with our interactive model: plug in their age, sex, religion, and more, and let us estimate how your hypothetical voter will vote in the presidential election. Allegations of extortion at the Rafah crossing out of Gaza (09:57). And, a tribute to an heiress-turned-IRA bombmaker (20:17). Listen to wha...

Since the invasion began, Ukraine's second city has suffered a third of all aerial attacks. The latest one has been especially gruelling. A census of Mexico’s missing people is likely underestimating the scale of the problem. Is the president deliberately trying to minimise its scale (11:08)? And, why those with the least to spend on lottery tickets are most likely to try their luck (19:20). ...

The leaders of both countries will meet for dinner at the White House tonight. In light of Asia’s changing geopolitics , defence will certainly be high up on the agenda. Somali pirates are wreaking havoc in the Indian Ocean again. What explains their resurgence (8:34)? And, have a listen to what AI can do with music (13:29).  Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to s...

In Russia inflation is under control, wages are on the up and supposedly tough sanctions have been successfully skirted. Why is the pariah economy proving so resilient? Despite the nasty rhetoric of many of its politicians, Britain has turned out to be quite good at assimilating immigrants (09:29). And how lorries can be electrified faster (19:11). Listen to what matters most, from global politics...

The 1994 slaughter of hundreds of thousands of minority Tutsis completely reshaped the country. It also produced Africa’s most polarising leader, whose outsized power and regional influence is proving ever more divisive. How a shadow economy of gangs and clans is running Gaza (11:45). And a total solar eclipse is coming to America (20:01). Listen to what matters most, from global politics and busi...

Twenty-two years ago, Palestinian politician-turned-revolutionary Marwan Barghouti was convicted of acts of terrorism and sentenced to spend the rest of his life in an Israeli prison. Now, there’s a chance he could be released. Barghouti is at the top of Hamas’s list of prisoners they want exchanged for the hostages they took on October 7th. And Palestinians overwhelmingly want him to lead them. T...

After more than 100 days in office, President Javier Milei has managed some much-needed economic reforms . But the hit to voters’ pockets may limit his popularity, and progress. Sprucing up a peripheral Paris neighbourhood for the Olympics is just part of a plan to transform the city’s geography (9:42). And the astonishing life of the longest-ever user of an iron lung (17:20). Listen to what matte...

The game theory was simpler during a cold war between two states armed to the teeth; the nuclear world order has since become far more complex and dangerous. Nvidia is on a tear making the artificial-intelligence community’s favoured chips. What plans, and perils, lie ahead for the firm (10:55)? And why there are ever fewer accountants on the books in America (18:25). Additional audio "As an accou...

India is not the first country to leapfrog from poverty-induced undernourishment to also having an obesity crisis—but a number of factors make that a far chunkier problem than it is elsewhere. A shock local-election result in Turkey suggests the country’s strongman leader may not be so strong (9:48). And China’s solar-panel bonanza upsets the lucrative market for ultra-pure sand (17:43). Listen to...

As yet more aid workers die in Gaza and an airstrike levels an Iranian consulate, pressure on Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu mounts. But all that chaos is paradoxically protective . We take an economist’s view on the “superfakes” that are chipping away at the luxury-handbag industry (10:18). And French winemakers face the twin challenges of brewers and abstemious youth (18:37). Listen...

There are fears about TikTok, but it’s not the only social media platform that the Chinese state might be using to monitor the rest of the world. That’s especially worrying for those in its diaspora who thought they were free. How monopolies are transforming America’s skiing industry (08:59). And just how much stuff are museums sitting on (15:37)? Listen to what matters most, from global politics...

Alexei Navalny was sent to one to die and American journalist Evan Gershkovich is being held in another. Our correspondent reports on the notorious brutality of Russia’s prisons . Without the right policies, undoing years of dependency on oil will take much longer than hoped (11:03). And a tribute to the Israeli luthier who restored violins from the Holocaust (18:53).  Listen to what matters...

It has been called one of the biggest financial frauds in American history . After the collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, its founder is facing a maximum jail sentence of 110 years. Why the race to build new cities is difficult, but potentially worthwhile (10:01). And how M&S knickers can help solve murders (16:15). Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science an...