A new strain of covid-19 is surging in Britain, America and Europe—vaccines can curb the effects, but can governments speed up the roll-out? Also, in 2020 some regions acted rapidly enough to avoid severe waves of infection. Host Kenneth Cukier speaks to the public health leaders who initiated “elimination” strategies.
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Babbage: Viral defences

Every weekday our global network of correspondents makes sense of the stories beneath the headlines. We bring you surprising trends and tales from around the world, current affairs, business and finance &mdash; as well as science and technology. &nbsp; Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News & Politics

News

Police clashes with protesters at Columbia University have spilled over into other institutions, raising the question of how to protect free speech on campuses. Given America’s history with students’ anti-war protests going awry, should politicians be worried? Why most British voters now think Brexit was a mistake (we did warn you!) (08:53) And, could new tech protect whales from speeding ships (15:45)?
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The Intelligence: America’s college crackdowns

The companies behind this wonder of tech are facing allegations of using copyrighted material to build their large language models (LLMs). But will the courts consider it fair use? Why ex-inmates are so likely to die just after they leave prison (10:15). And, the case for booing in sports (16:13). 
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The Intelligence: AI rest my case

At a time when Russia has been making significant gains, an allocated $61bn of aid for Ukraine will be felt on the battlefield almost instantly. Will it help turn the course of the war? In a world of endless supply chain disruptions, how can businesses shore up against the costs (11:26)? And the appeal of two-month-old stew (18:37).
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The Intelligence: Ready, Aid, Fire

A missile has reportedly struck a site in the Islamic Republic. If this is retaliation for Iran’s most recent attacks, then it is a muted response. But is there still a risk of escalation? As India’s election kicks off, a look into why the opposition is likely to have a poor showing (09:07). And, a tribute to the first foreign-born grand champion of sumo (19:15).
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The Intelligence: Iran and Israel’s new era?

More than 1bn people around the world are obese. That means there should be extraordinary demand for drugs to cure or mitigate the condition. Novo Nordisk is now Europe’s most valuable company and Eli Lilly’s market value has more than doubled. Both make the “miracle” drugs that can help people shed up to a fifth of their body weight. But these drugs promise to do more than boost drug companies’ profits. How will they reshape the economy?
Hosts: Alice Fulwood, Mike Bird and Tom Lee-Devlin. Guests: The Economist’s Georgia Banjo; pharmaceuticals analyst Michael Nedelcovych; and John Cawley, a professor of public policy and economics at Cornell University.
Subscribers to Economist Podcasts+ can listen to our January 2023 episode on the economics of thinness.
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Babbage: Viral defences

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