 Unicorns are becoming a common sight in China. In 2022 there were more than 300 private firms valued at more than $1bn—more than double the number from just five years ago. Alice Su, The Economist’s senior China correspondent, and Don Weinland, our China business and finance editor, discuss what these valuable startups say about the country’s shifting industrial priorities and how they fit into President Xi Jinping’s plans for “self-reliance”. We would love to hear from you. Please fill out our listener survey at economist.com/drumsurvey Sign up to our weekly newsletter here and for full access to print, digital and audio editions, as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/drumoffer.

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Drum Tower: Cash into their chips

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

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.
Sign up for our new weekly newsletter dissecting the big themes in markets, business and the economy at www.economist.com/moneytalks 
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Money Talks: Why weight-loss drugs will reshape the world

Governments particularly in the rich world are struggling to get young people in uniform. Will some form of conscription become necessary? In America, how remote working husbands may be liberating their wives (10:19). And, the generational hunting prowess of the killer whale (16:53).
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The Intelligence: Your country needs you!

All over the world, young men are identifying more with the political right, even as women drift more to the left. What is behind the gulf, and how to close it? The seeming drop in crime in Naples is not because the notorious mafia activity has disappeared—it has evolved (10:11). And exploring the history and the present of the flat white (17:08).
Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. 
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The Intelligence: He said, she fled

The case for assisted dying is essentially one of individual freedom—and plenty of Britons support a change in the law to permit it. Japan’s Noto peninsula is still reeling from a New Year’s Day earthquake. It could well have been worse, but geography and demography may ultimately limit improvements to earthquake preparedness (10:46). And the pros and cons of corporate uniforms (18:49).
Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Drum Tower: Cash into their chips

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