logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2023
26m 16s

Hedge of allegiance: South Africa’s dipl...

The Economist
About this episode

A policy of ambiguity is swiftly shifting; the country is falling into a Sino-Russian orbit at just the time it needs the most help from Western allies. How learning to debate can improve the lives of those inside and released from New York City’s biggest prison. And meeting a street artist who decorates the wreckage of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second city.


For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Today
The Weekend Intelligence: The hunt for Austin Tice
On December 8th, 2024, rebels swept into Damascus and ousted Syria's dictator, Bashar al-Assad. One of the first things they did was open up the prisons. Syrians who disappeared years earlier began to emerge from their grim detention cells. Would missing American journalist Austi ... Show More
38m 42s
Yesterday
At your services: Britain’s economic bright spot
Growth is abysmal; wages are low. But seen from the outside, Britain is a great place to contract services and buy bargain-basement bonds. We explore the opportunities amid the challenges. After months of reporting, our correspondent shares what he learned about Austin Tice, a mi ... Show More
23m 14s
Jul 10
Migration roots: the broken asylum system
Immigration is a political lightning rod in part because the ageing global asylum pact is no longer fit for purpose. We examine how best to update it. As paycheques for top-notch AI researchers go stratospheric, demand for rank-and-file coders is quickly cooling. And what a gimmi ... Show More
21m 49s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2023
Hedge of allegiance: South Africa’s diplomatic shift
A policy of ambiguity is swiftly shifting; the country is falling into a Sino-Russian orbit at just the time it needs the most help from Western allies. How learning to debate can improve the lives of those inside and released from New York City’s biggest prison. And meeting a st ... Show More
26m 16s
Sep 2023
Preparing for the long war: an interview with President Zelensky
As the counter-offensive continues, Ukrainian forces are running out of time to make substantial gains. Diplomatic attempts to isolate Russia have failed and progress on the front lines is slowing. From the capital Kyiv, the president tells The Economist’s editor-in-chief how the ... Show More
24 m
Apr 2023
Situation reporter: Evan Gershkovich’s detention
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 effo ... Show More
26m 43s
Mar 2022
The Economist Asks: What more should the West do to help Ukraine?
As the war in Ukraine enters its second month, Nato and European leaders have pledged to send in more weapons and to ramp up sanctions against Russia. But is it enough? Anne McElvoy assesses the strength of those promises with Marie Yovanovitch, a former US ambassador to Ukraine. ... Show More
29m 11s
Jun 2023
No guarantees: NATO members debate Ukraine’s future
Members of the alliance are conflicted over the prospect of Ukraine’s membership. In particular, America has changed its mind, and this could affect the future of the war. Because of rapidly rising sea levels, China’s coastal cities are on sinking sand. Will another great wall sl ... Show More
24m 59s
May 2024
The Intelligence: Singapore’s “4G” era
Lawrence Wong will only be the city-state’s fourth leader since its independence. Our foreign editor asks him how he hopes to balance diplomatic relationships with America and China, maintain economic success, and strengthen the country’s democracy. The impact of climate change o ... Show More
24m 50s
Mar 2024
The Intelligence: Russia pushes back on Kharkiv
The northeastern province has been subject to more and more shelling, and Western officials are worried about Ukraine’s capacity to respond. Could there be a breakthrough? Not everyone is happy with the 28-year-old building America’s first nickel-cobalt refinery (08:51). And, som ... Show More
23m 24s
Nov 2023
The Intelligence: Gaza sparks a global culture war
Online and on-screen reactions to the conflict reflect a subtle but important shift in Western attitudes, driven by three related forces: technology, demography and ideology. Britain’s King Charles is visiting Kenya—and will have a harder time navigating historical tensions than ... Show More
24 m
Nov 2023
The Intelligence: Asia’s transnational crime gangs
A high-profile money-laundering case in Singapore with links to Chinese gamblers has shed light on a broader web of organised crime across the region. As governments wake up to the problem, what are the odds of them getting it under control? Muhammad Dahlan, often tipped to be ne ... Show More
23m 22s