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Aug 1
29m 26s

State swing: recognising Palestine

The Economist
About this episode

The aims of France, Britain and Canada in recognising a Palestinian state are laudable—but now is not the time to deploy what little leverage they have. AI optimists reckon the era of superintelligence will bring about explosive growth; we ask what that world would look like. And remembering Tom Lehrer, whose rare gift for satirical song skewered anything and anyone.


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