The Intelligence from The Economist

The country?s homophobes claim that homosexuality is a malign foreign import; in reality it was anti-LGBT groups from abroad who helped lay the ground for vicious new legislation. Starlink, a satellite-internet constellation, has given Ukraine a battlefield advantage; we ask why that has China?s army so concerned. And the unlikely resurgence of pinball, thanks to some canny marketing.

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Many of the continent?s economies are hamstrung by debt?much of it held internationally. We look at the growing need for closer co-operation between China, Western creditors and multilateral institutions. A city on Ukraine?s front line has become an unlikely locus for love stories. And unpicking the link between workers? productivity and their drugs of choice.

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The global digital-payments shift is more than just a matter of convenience. We examine the cashlessness push in different economies and potential effects on different currencies. The Golden Mile, a pioneering multi-purpose architectural experiment in Singapore, is crumbling. We discuss efforts to spare it from the wrecking ball. And a reading list to learn about, and from, history?s greatest hoaxes.

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Recep Tayyip Erdogan has again retained the presidency. We ask how the best chance in a generation to unseat him came unstuck?and what to expect from an emboldened autocrat. South Korea?s suicide rates have turned a dark corner, with deaths among women driving rising numbers. And Paul Simon?s new album prompts a look at musical hits first conceived in dreams.

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From infantry to air defences and even electronic warfare, improved strategies and engineering could threaten Ukraine?s counter-offensive plans. How can these ramped-up defences be breached? What would a world of superintelligent AI look like? We use economic theory to conduct a thought experiment. And a tribute to the British novelist Martin Amis.

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After a glitchy announcement on Twitter, the Florida governor?s campaign is off to a shaky start. And despite strong donor backing, he will struggle to secure the Republican party nomination. Airlines are under increasing pressure to decarbonise but their journey to net zero is going to be long and pricey. And, how British shows can make hay while the Hollywood writers strike.

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Although Kyriakos Mitsotakis? party fell short of a majority in parliament, meaning there will be a second vote, the incumbent prime minister did much better than expected. Will he be able to continue the country?s rebound story? America?s clean energy investments are spurring green lobbyists to action. And, how might simple nets protect Ukrainians from drones?

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In attempts to amass more wealth, these organisations are dabbling in newer narcotics and even taking on the mining sector. The result is taking a toll on the country?s economy. Can a 100-year-old discovery solve the problem of antibiotic resistance? And we celebrate the anniversary of William Shakespeare?s first folio.

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Today, the president will meet with the Republican leader in the house of representatives to try and prevent the country from defaulting. But what if they cannot come to an agreement? Britain is reviewing its surrogacy laws which could ease the process for gay parents. And come with us on a foraging adventure.

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Henry Kissinger was one of the most influential and controversial diplomats of the 20th century. He was National Security Advisor and Secretary of State to two American presidents. Now, with China?s growing influence and the prospect of powerful technology that could change the nature of war, his ideas on great power conflict are more relevant than ever. On the eve of his 100th birthday, The Economist spent over eight hours in conversation with Mr Kissinger. In this podcast special, we focus on three elements of the wide-ranging discussion: the role of China, AI and weak American leadership. 

Zanny Minton Beddoes hosts with Edward Carr. The full transcript of the conversation with Mr Kissinger is available online. 

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Over the last couple of decades, the state has been making significant investments into its armed forces in an attempt to challenge America?s dominance. We ask how much further they will go. When the Ukraine war sent energy prices soaring, the consequences for Europe proved fatal. And, a tribute to the father of Tibetan film. 

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Tomorrow, Syria?s president will be welcomed back into the Arab League as regional leaders meet in Jeddah. Is this the dictator?s first step in a journey to restore ties with the rest of the world? America?s small banks are capturing rural communities in a way that the big ones can?t. And, the world?s largest sporting tournament features some rather niche events.

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In a conversation that lasted eight hours over two days, the statesman discussed paths to peace in Ukraine, his evolving view on their NATO membership, and where China comes into play. Our crony-capitalism index is back, and the chart-topping culprits haven?t changed so much. And, the toymaker, Lego, is facing roadblocks in China. 

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Largely thanks to young, liberal citizens, a reformist third party won the most seats in Thailand?s general election. But a powerful army and influential incumbents could look to prevent its leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, taking charge. Bureaucracy is getting in the way of America?s international aid programme. And, with the help of DNA sequencing, a new ocean survey is on the hunt for 100,000 new species.  

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Despite the opposition?s lead in the pre-election polls, the incumbent president seems to have performed better than expected. What does a run-off mean for the nation? The mental health of teenage girls is plummeting and according to our data, social media might be to blame. And, have you ever wondered what it takes to be a spy? Start with our reading list. 

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The past few years have proved tumultuous both for American consumers and for retailers selling to them. The end result is a curious slump for middle-of-the-road brands. Artificial intelligence like ChatGPT stands to disrupt everything from art to coding; we self-interestedly explore probable effects on journalism. And remembering Ranajit Guha, a historian who saw a different India by looking bottom-up. 

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It is probably this year?s most important election?and for the first time in a long time, the country?s strongman leader has a plausible adversary. Our correspondent heads along to the Hollywood writers? strike, finding an age-old conflict centred on the technologies that shape the film-and-television industry. And the books to read to become a better home bartender.

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A jury unanimously found Donald Trump liable for sexual assault and defamation. We examine his first major legal loss. Thailand?s opposition looks set to prevail in this weekend?s election?whether it ends up in office is another matter. And, Ukraine is blowing up tanks, but not in the way you might think; we explore the battlefield value of inflatable decoys.

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Our Russia and defence editors travelled to the capital, finding a city largely back to normal. They ask both civilians and the country?s top brass about Ukraine's position?and its future. China?s population-control measures worked perhaps too well, yet even an incipient labour-market crisis is not changing resistance to immigration. And the issues with America?s springtime rattlesnake round-ups.

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Their return to rule is unequivocally bad for the country?s women and girls. But wholesale collapse has not come and some aspects of government have improved; it turns out threats of grotesque violence change behaviours. We investigate the curious case of Morocco?s absent king?and his unlikely mixed-martial-artist pals. And how the mobile phone has shaped cinema for half a century.

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He has been king since September; now it is time for the pomp. We examine the modern monarchy?and the ancient frippery of coronations. Despite prior reluctance to do much about climate change, America is set to become a clean-energy superpower. And reflecting on the life of Carolyn Bryant, whose testimony led to a lynching that set off America?s civil-rights movement.

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Florida?s governor has made a headline-grabbing rightward lurch as part of a presumed bid for the White House. But both Mr DeSantis?s critics and his donors are starting to think he has overplayed his hand. Our correspondent finds that jihadist violence has, as was long feared, come to Burkina Faso. And rural America?s love affair with Japan?s tiny Kei trucks.

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Geoffrey Hinton, a legend of artificial-intelligence research, wants to be able to speak his mind about the technology?s risks. We ask whether those steeped in a field are best-placed to judge it. It has long been clear Ukraine needs more fighter jets; we look at the ones it may get at last. And the first video game about the Holocaust. 

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Criminal networks have had to reorganise since Russia?s invasion of Ukraine, with knock-on effects from Afghanistan to the Andes. We take a look at the scourge of abductions in Nigeria, and what is being done for the families of the missing. And Scotland?s Campbeltown whisky is enjoying a long-awaited resurgence.

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Climate change is stirring up internecine conflicts, criminality is making them longer, and cross-border contagion is complicating matters further. We explain why civil wars are so hard to resolve. Japanese carmakers? dominance of the automobile industry could be at risk if they don?t catch up in the race for EVs. And, a tribute to musician and civil-rights campaigner, Harry Belafonte.

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AS A GAS // As a gas producer, the state was able to build up enormous reserves. But failing to pivot when global prices fell has created debt, a dollar shortage and rampant panic. The exposure of Western companies to China suggests both poles are closer than politics suggests. And, the Italian team upsetting the status quo of European football.

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As the country prepares to go to the polls next year, The Economist sits down with the leader of the Labour Party. Could Sir Keir Starmer?s agenda revive the UK economy? Our data-driven analysis on the women most affected by the overturning of Roe v Wade. And, five books that illustrate the plights of Iranian women

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He made the same announcement on the same day four years ago and went on to win. But this time, the President is older and less popular. Could he be elected again? The rollout of a new education campaign in China shows just how much control Xi Jinping has. And, a deadly war tactic that is working well for Ukraine.

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ATTEMPTS TO MAINTAIN // Attempts to maintain a neutral stance on the invasion of Ukraine, while also buddying up with China, are sending confusing signals. Does Brazil have the heft to be a successful peace-broker? The gay Ukranian soldiers influencing policy from the front lines. And, what your voice says about your health.

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Ceasefires have failed, civilians are fleeing, and there is no end in sight to the fighting. We bring you an update on the escalating conflict. A Ukrainian church accused of spreading Russian propaganda is in trouble, raising questions about the limits of religious freedom. And a lucrative cricket league is about to get even more so by going global. 

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In a historic first, the largest rocket ever assembled managed to get off the ground. But then it exploded midair. We ask if this launch can still be called a success. Alexei Navalny is still holed up in tortuous conditions in Russia and could be facing even more charges. And, a tribute to a trendsetting fashion designer.

For a full examination of Alexei Navalny?s story so far ? told by the people who know him -- search for our Russia podcast "Next Year in Moscow". Or find it here economist.com/moscowpod

To explore the Starship rocket's potential impact on space travel ?and find out why exploding is an important part of SpaceX?s model?listen to a previous episode of our "Babbage" podcast. Find that at economist.com/starship-pod or wherever you listen

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Deep in the mountains along the Thai border, a bloody civil war rages. Our correspondent gives us rare insight into one of the world?s oldest insurgencies. New, stringent election rules will soon be tested in Britain. We ask if voters are ready. And, the bubble tea franchise taking South-East Asia by storm.

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The top-secret plan to pierce Russia?s defenses and reclaim territory could unfold any day now. We ask why this moment, in particular, could prove crucial. Migrants from a lesser-known coastal city in China are transforming the business environment in a number of European cities. And, the 50-year-old film that warned us about the state of the world today. 

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Contrary to the groaning of both Republicans and Democrats, the economy is still the world?s largest. How has this success been sustained? We ask why choosing the wrong degree could leave you worse off than if you had never bothered at all. And our correspondent?s picks of the books that have been banned.

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Clashes in Khartoum have turned deadly as two rival military factions fight for power. As the conflict escalates, a transition to civilian rule could be in jeopardy. Europe?s cities have a worrying pollution problem and clearing the air is proving difficult. And a new way to measure the environmental impact of food.

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It will be years until the country recovers from February?s devastating earthquakes?but progress toward that goal will determine whether President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wins another mandate next month. Oft-overlooked data suggest that Africa?s baby boom is slowing, in a ?demographic transition? the world has seen before. And remembering Traute Lafrenz, the last leafleter of the ?White Rose? Nazi resistance.

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The International Monetary Fund is sitting on oodles of cash, but failing to disburse it. We examine why China?s lending practices are putting the IMF on a path to irrelevance. Climate change is already squeezing farmers in Latin America; some outright crazy agricultural policies are making matters worse. And reasons not to ban a well-known workplace species: the ?talented jerk?.

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A trove of once-secret documents is proving an embarrassment to both America and its allies, and a danger to Ukraine?s planned counter-offensive. The tech industry is shedding workers at a striking pace; we ask where all those laid-off experts are going. And more evidence that suggests pet ownership reduces childhood allergies.

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The famed power-sharing deal did its work of sharply reducing sectarian violence, but a quarter-century on it has led to depressingly dysfunctional politics. The next generation of vaccines is already on the way?and the first thing to do is get them out of the freezer. And why the long-frothy market for works by Pablo Picasso may at last be cooling.

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Many people think that with inflation and interest-rate rises abating, the worst effects on housing markets might be over. Not so fast. A study that reignited mask-wearing debates really should not have: there are simply not enough good data to prove either side?s case. And an immersive, participatory production of ?Guys and Dolls? shows the way ahead for live-entertainment industries.

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These days the gaming industry takes in much more than the global cinema box office. We ask how things are changing, from gamers? demographics to the games? content. And a year after our last conversation with Dmytro, a heartsick resident of the besieged Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, we check back in to see how he has been.

Additional music courtesy of Sabrepulse.

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Russia?s arrest of a Wall Street Journal correspondent is heading toward a diplomatic crisis?and will certainly chill foreign reporting in the country. It is startlingly easy to siphon money out of America?s social-welfare programmes, but devilishly difficult to thwart those efforts without threatening needy families. And ChatGPT may make things up, but it does so fluently in more than 50 languages.

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Perhaps the only surprising thing about the former president?s arraignment was that it was not followed by big demonstrations?but he did take to the airwaves to seethe. A global rice crisis is brewing; the world?s most important crop is fuelling both climate change and diabetes. And what connects leased pandas in America and Chinese nationalists? anger.

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On his visit to Beijing Emmanuel Macron, France?s president, has much to balance: his peacemaking ways, a more hawkish travel partner and the commercial interests of his delegation of business leaders. What will result? We ask what is being done to avoid a looming famine in North Korea. And why baseball is getting speedier and more action-packed this season. 

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There are similarities between the two economies set to be the fastest-growing this year?but their paths to greater prosperity will not look like those that came before. One of Australia?s most important river systems is in trouble, and a logjam of millions of dead fish is just one sign. And what to do with the abandoned luxury yachts of Russia?s super-rich.

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For the first time in history, a former American president faces arrest. Mr. Trump denies the charges, but what could this mean for the 2024 presidential election? Burgeoning ?second cities? in Africa are changing the face of urbanization on the continent. And a look at the vital yet underappreciated stars of broadcast sport: the commentators. 

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Links with China and allegations of surveillance have highlighted the threat that the social-media app may pose to national security. There is bipartisan support for some regulation?but could there be an outright ban? Britain?s courts are falling into disrepair, delaying justice for thousands. And the eco-friendly alternative to traditional burials. 

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The two regional rivals have negotiated a deal, ending a seven-year lapse in diplomatic ties. Elsewhere, though, Iran remains aggressive. We ask what to make of its apparent inconsistency. Geothermal is a viable renewable source. What would it take for America to tap in? And, the multibillion-dollar Chinese industry being hit by a theory of covid-19?s origins

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After ten months of haggling, the military alliance is gaining a new member: Finland. We ask why a historically neutral country has switched tack, and what this means for Russia. How can multinationals navigate an increasingly fragmented world? And how TikTok has spurred a newfound love for romantic novels in Britain.

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Protests against proposed judicial reforms have intensified. Could Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu succumb to the pressure at last? Pregnant Russians are flocking to countries with birthright citizenship; we ask why so many are aiming for Argentina. And a chat with our new co-host, Ore Ogunbiyi. 

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