The Intelligence from The Economist

In the end, President Donald Trump’s tariff threat did what he had hoped: Mexico has pledged to tighten immigration flows. But such weaponisation of tariffs bodes ill for the future. China’s “green Great Wall” of trees—a bid to halt desertification—may be doing more harm than good. And, we meet some of the Filipino sailors who keep the global shipping industry afloat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.co...

Today Theresa May stepped down as leader of the Conservative Party, and would-be replacements are already lining up. There’s little hope that any would be able to arrange an elegant exit from Europe. Also, we take a look at the astonishing range of ailments that could be treated by magic mushrooms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

European officials have threatened a substantial fine if Italy doesn’t shrink its debt and budget deficit. Whether or not it follows through, markets are already punishing the country. Tens of thousands of refugees have snuck into Canada from America, but as an election looms, the government is rethinking its openness. And, the plague of “presenteeism”: when your work is done, just go home. Hosted...

Nearly two months after staging a coup, military leaders have brutally cracked down on protesters in Sudan. Talks with the opposition have fallen apart—as have hopes for a resurgent Sudanese democracy. We examine the rise in gun violence in Latin America and how much of it can be pinned on American-made weapons. And, a look at the striking effects of a striker: how one footballer’s image is reduci...

On the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square tragedy, our correspondents reflect on a dark and confusing day—and the Chinese government’s efforts to suppress the memory of it. Could such widespread dissent flare up in today’s China? Also, why laws requiring immigrants to speak host-nations’ languages are counter-productive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Donald Trump kicks off his state visit to Britain with some opening shots at London's mayor Sadiq Khan. But larger issues will take center stage. Amid Brexit, a leadership contest and simmering security tensions, we discuss the strains to the “special relationship”. We consider how regulators and the tech giants can tackle the wilds of the internet to make browsing safe for children. And...

As President Donald Trump threatens new tariffs on Mexican goods, retaliatory ones between China and America are starting to bite. That puts China’s party leaders—and their hardening nationalist message—in a tricky spot. We examine how the global grounding of Boeing’s 737 MAX planes might change air-safety regulation. And a visit to Venice’s Biennale, where immigration and climate change are takin...

For the first time since Israel’s founding, efforts to form a government have failed. What will the resulting snap election mean for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu? Alleged meddling in the Czech judiciary has sparked protests; it seems that challenges to the rule of law are proliferating in eastern Europe. And, we visit Crimea’s winemakers, who are struggling after annexation by Russia. Hosted...

Muhammadu Buhari earned the nickname “Baba Go Slow” for a lackadaisical approach to reform as Nigeria’s president. He mismanaged the economy, failed to tackle corruption and has been unable to restrain the terrorist group Boko Haram. Will he be more effective in his second term? Also, why so many climbers are perishing on the slopes of Everest. And for the first time in football history, clubs fro...

Europe’s voters have shown they are not happy with traditional parties. But even as the Brexit Party surged in Britain, populists across the continent found elections to the European Parliament tougher than expected, while the Green Party made a strong showing, buoyed by climate concerns. Despite being "asset-light", some tech companies need property to keep expanding. That’s good news for real-es...

Britain’s prime minister Theresa May has at last revealed the date she will step down. She had the unenviable task of trying to deliver Brexit, which she failed to, and her successor may not fare any better. President Donald Trump has lost crucial legal battles over his financial records, and more defeats are likely if the cases head to the Supreme Court. And, why is it that some music can give yo...

Narendra Modi’s BJP appears to have won a convincing re-election victory. What will that mean for India and the region? We look back on the life of Bob Hawke, a former Australian prime minister who convinced the world that his country deserved a place in global politics. And, why Silicon Valley’s latest obsession is optimising sleepy time. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informatio...

As a scandal involving Austria’s hard-right Freedom party causes the government to unravel, we examine the fringe parties of Europe and their chances in this week’s European election. As tech billionaires continue to indulge their obsession with space travel, we look at the sketchy economics of moving off-world. And, a stark warning for lovers of avocados: supply concerns make it a volatile brunch...

The strict anti-abortion bills cropping up in multiple American states aren’t expected to become the law of the land—but proponents want them to chip away at Roe v Wade , which is. Attacks on albinos have risen ahead of Malawi’s presidential election; we discuss the superstitions driving the violence. And, why young Americans are having so little sex. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mor...

After 18 years and almost a trillion dollars to fight the Taliban, Afghanistan’s government still struggles for legitimacy; we ask why. A list of the world’s ultra-rich reveals a disproportionate number of self-made female billionaires from China—but the trend isn’t set to continue. And we examine why presidential libraries are so controversial, and why Barack Obama’s is no exception. Hosted on Ac...

Not long ago, Abraaj was one of the world’s highest-profile private-equity firms. We take a look at its spectacular downfall, and the fate of its charismatic boss, Arif Naqvi. This weekend Australian voters will elect a new parliament. How can politicians win back a disillusioned electorate? And why do sausages figure so strongly on voting day? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more infor...

As party leaders grill Britain’s prime minister—and with a looming European election the country was due to avoid—we examine how the Brexit mess is dissolving party allegiances. Turkey was once seen as a success story in dealing with Syrians fleeing conflict, but as war has dragged on their welcome is wearing thin. And, kinky and camp meet fraught politics in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. A...

The International Monetary Fund has struck another deal to bail out Pakistan—its 22nd. But how did the country’s economy end up in such a mess? Never mind rising numbers of vegetarians: the world is eating more meat, and in a way, that’s a good thing. And, how French names reveal social trends that census data cannot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UN negotiators are trying to salvage a ceasefire agreement surrounding the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah. The Arab world’s poorest country is suffering mightily, but the patchwork of actors makes a successful deal ever more difficult. In Latin America, democracy has stalled as economies have stagnated. Yet for democracy to succeed elsewhere, its Latin American shoots must be preserved. And, a splas...

Personalities, not policies, will determine votes in today’s poll in the Philippines to fill some 18,000 government jobs. Loyalists of the firebrand president Rodrigo Duterte—including his daughter—will do well. Also, why is it that amid a growing need for new antibiotics, the incentives to produce them are fewer? And, a trip to the tiny Greek island of Delos, for an unusual meeting of modern art...

Negotiations to end the trade war have been ruffled as the Trump administration again ramped up tariffs. But even if a deal is struck, that won’t address serious systemic troubles in the countries’ relationship. Many diets rely on simply counting calories, but the truth is that the scientific-sounding measure is mightily misleading. And, as Uber goes public, we take an instructive ride through his...

The military junta that runs Thailand almost completely sewed up a momentous vote—almost. After further electoral meddling the generals will now lead a weak government, with a surging youth-led party nipping at their heels. As Russia intensifies bombings in Idlib, the last stronghold of Syrian rebels, we examine how Russia’s involvement in Syria has expanded its role in the Middle East. And, a vis...

Exactly a year after President Donald Trump pulled America out of the Iran nuclear deal—and days after America moved warships into the Persian Gulf—Iran has announced it will break the terms of the deal. Is it more than just sabre-rattling? We examine an impressive new effort to get inside the minds of those unable to speak. And, why is it that British food gets such a bad rap? The answer stretche...

Turkey’s ruling AK party never conceded defeat in Istanbul’s mayoral election in March. Now the result has been annulled, worrying the opposition and international observers. A China-America trade deal has been thrown into doubt thanks to a presidential tweet, but one senator is warning of a grave danger that transcends tit-for-tat tariffs. And, why there’s a growing feminist contingent in a genre...

Susan Wojcicki, YouTube’s chief executive, tells our correspondent that moderating the streaming giant’s content is her biggest challenge. No wonder: every minute, 500 hours-worth of it is added. Also, how West African research is being used to address gun violence in Chicago. And a look at the declining number of royal families, and why some that have survived will stick around. Hosted on Acast....