So this is quizmas: our inaugural holiday face-off

At a meeting of defence ministers from the Asia-Pacific region, heightened tensions between Beijing and Washington were all too apparent. A naval spat in the Taiwan Strait looms large over relations. What will it take for both sides to talk? In Brazil, Lula faces an uphill battle to undo his predecessor’s policies. And are British boarding schools worth it?For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5 Kesä 202324min

Over two decades in office, the prime minister and her Awami League party have overseen impressive growth and reforms in a notoriously corrupt country—but that same firm hand may now be limiting Bangladesh’s progress. Our correspondent visits the frontier of a potentially transformative technology for reducing atmospheric carbon: direct air capture. And a listen to the astonishing boom in Spanish-language music.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2 Kesä 202327min

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.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1 Kesä 202322min

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.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

31 Touko 202325min

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.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

30 Touko 202327min

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.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

29 Touko 202321min

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.Take our listener survey at www.economist.com/intelligencesurveyFor full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

26 Touko 202326min

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.Take our listener survey at www.economist.com/intelligencesurveyFor full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

25 Touko 202324min