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One evening, Michael Kovrig, a former Canadian diplomat, grabbed a late dinner in Beijing with his partner. When they arrived back at his apartment, men in black were waiting for them. Mr Kovrig was pushed into a waiting SUV. Handcuffed and blindfolded, he was driven to a detention centre in southern Beijing that would be his home for the next 1,019 days. September 24th 2024 is the third anniversary of Mr Kovrigâs release. And now he is ready to talk publicly about his ordeal.
On the Weekend Intelligence, we bring you the first in a two-part series from Drum Tower, our weekly podcast on China. David Rennie, The Economistâs geopolitics editor, speaks with Mr Kovrig about the night he was seized, and how his detention was part of a far bigger geopolitical game.
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In a matter of weeks the conflict between Israel and Hizbullah has transformed life in Lebanon. Our correspondent reports from the streets of Beirut. After a pandemic-sized hiccup in the gym industry only the cheap ones and the really pricey ones are building muscle (11:10). And why chess grandmasters are getting younger and younger (17:45).
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After years of slowing growth, the Chinese government is finally attempting to bolster consumer demand, business confidence and the stock market. Our correspondent analyses the surprise shift in policy (10:25). How will immigration policy play with swing voters in Arizona? And Sally Rooney, a modern-day Jane Austen with a dash of S&M (19:35).
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After JD Vance and Tim Walz squared off against each in last nightâs vice-presidential debate, our correspondent assesses their performance â and its effect on the US election. In Britain the pro-European cause is popular, but its advocates are ineffective (10:53). And why the gleam of a Michelin star may tarnish (19:18).
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As Israeli troops move into Lebanon and missiles strike Damascus in Syria, can Israelâs next offensive really stay âlimited, localised and targetedâ? Japanâs new prime minister loves planes, trains and ramen, but with few allies within his own party, his premiership may attract less devotion (8:57). And the worst invention in modern office life: âthe sandwich lunchâ (15:24).
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Israelâs attacks on Lebanon and Yemen this weekend will have implications far beyond the militant groups that were the apparent targets. Our correspondents analyse what may happen next. Our correspondent reports from a conference for journalists exiled from Belarusâhome to âEuropeâs last dictatorââto find out how they get news in (11:30). And a new card game is shaking Communist Party offices in China (19:21).
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Ukraineâs President has been in New York this week. With a victory plan in his pocket, heâs been shoring up support at the UN and among Americaâs presidential contenders.
On the world stage Mr Zelensky presents a united front but back home things are a little more patchy. It's crunch time for Ukraine. Winter is coming, some Western partners are tiring, Ukrainians are tiring too. In this special episode of The Weekend Intelligence our Editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes travels to Ukraine to speak to generals, soldiers and civilians to find out what lies ahead.
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To hear more about Ukraine, join our live event on October 25th. Our editors will discuss the situation on the battlefield, the impact of the American election and the diplomacy in the background. To sign up, go to: economist.com/registertoday
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Ukraineâs president is again on American shores, trying to secure support of all kinds. He needs itâdiplomatically, militarily and politically. Americaâs tendencies toward âwokeâ discourse and policies have permeated its politics, but our analysis finds that âpeak wokeâ is already in the past (8:57). And the latest instalment of the wildly popular football video-game formerly known as simply âFIFAâ (17:13).
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For now, Israelâs moves seem to be posturing, a means to intimidate Hizbullah into backing down. But there remains a prospect of a ground invasionâand another pointless war. Our swing-state series starts with a state that only recently became swing-y: North Carolina (10:08). And a look back at a yearâs worth of Economist Podcasts+ audio journalism (19:15).
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Even before last monthâs revised religious rules, Afghanistanâs women were being crushed under the Talibanâs thumb. Now they cannot even so much as raise their voices. While other countries try to crimp the flow of cheap Chinese electric cars, Britain is welcoming themâfor now (9:55). And why the French have at last come to appreciate âEmily in Parisâ (16:12).
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A handful of Republican leaders have been denouncing Donald Trump since his first presidential campaign. Will the voices of those who remain be heeded this time around? Chinaâs attempt to fix its pensions by raising the retirement age will create a different problem with childcare (7:40). And the seemingly bottomless market for pet-pampering (14:21).
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Artificial Intelligence has gained ground so fast that OpenAI, the firm powering ChatGPT, is changing Silicon Valleyâs investment model and how it innovates. Why the global nuclear order may be in peril (10:24). And an alternative type of electoral forecasting is gaining ground: political astrology (19:02).
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After Israeli fires rockets into Lebanon and Hizbullah warns of âred linesâ crossed, the Middle East is braced for further attacks. As the planet warms, sport is getting harder â and deadlier (6:32). And celebrating Francisco Lopera, who dedicated his life to researching Alzheimerâs disease (13:36).
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The first reduction in interest rates for four years shows Americaâs Federal Reserve thinks inflation is now in check. But does the central bankâs decision suggest it is now concerned about the labour market? Ukraine wants its allies to provide long-range missiles (9:50). Our correspondent explains what difference these would make to the war. And how fashion brands conquered TV (19:44).
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The explosion of thousands of pagers across Lebanon and Syria was an attack on Hizbullah, a Shia militant group which had been trying to evade Israeli surveillance by using these low-tech devices. What will such an escalated attack mean for the region? Why Americansâ obsession with big cars makes the countryâs roads so deadly (9:25). And the thrill of fossil-hunting (16:31).
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Large fuel subsidies in Nigeria are popular but ruinous to other public services. Our correspondents report from Lagos on how home-grown oil refining could help wean people off this popular premium. Texas was once a haven for crypto-mining; now many people are souring on it (11:06). And the terrifying rise of Indonesian horror films (17.05).
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With less than eight weeks to go to the presidential election, tension is running high after a second probable assassination attempt on Donald Trump. Has political violence become routine in America? Virtual replicas of racing cars, plane engines, even bodies, may change how we diagnose problems (9:08). And celebrating Sergio Mendes, the king of Bossanova (17:04).
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Capsule that can withstand vacuum? Check. Low-pressure spacesuit? Check. Space-friendly Doritos? Check. The first spacewalk by private citizens showcases SpaceXâs prowess, the viability of privately funded explorationâand extraplanetary product placement. Gene editing has revolutionised the treatment for certain conditions, but can the staggering prices be brought down (11:30)? And some big news about Espresso, our daily briefing app (20:20).
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One of Americaâs stalwart tech giants is on the ropes, having first missed the move to mobile and then the one to AI. We ask what fate awaits it. Our correspondent meets with Vadym Sukharevsky, head of Ukraineâs Unmanned Systems Forcesâthe worldâs first drone commander (9:05). And what is behind Donald Trumpâs outlandish claim of immigrants eating pets in Ohio (16:40).
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The vice-president turned in a confident if imperfect performance, leaving Donald Trump flustered. But will it change anything? A global shortfall of blood plasma is hampering the development of new medicines; we argue for some simple market forces that could plug the gap (11:40). And how Nigerians are slimming their legendarily lavish weddings amid a cost-of-living crisis (18.10).
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