The Intelligence: Israeli hostages’ fortunes

Amid record-tickling yields, the bond markets are now trying to make sense of what Scott Bessent, America’s Treasury secretary, has announced—a move that might put him on a collision course with the Federal Reserve. We ask why it is so easy for hackers to infiltrate America’s wat ...  Show more

After much hullabaloo America announced its “Operation Economic Outcast”, a new tranche of sanctions. It is thin gruel, and might in fact invite military reprisals from Iran. Call centres form a large part of the economy of the Philippines; surprisingly, AI is not stopping the in ...  Show more

A network of captives’ families has sprung up to accomplish what Israel’s government has so far failed to do—and may yet emerge as a political force. Protecting rhinoceroses from poachers is an expensive business; we look at what has become a bear market for rhinos (12:37). And w ...  Show more

As its ground offensive appears to be expanding, Israel is acutely aware that time and international support will run out; we examine its impossible set of aims to achieve before then. Europe has not yet faced the kind of fentanyl crisis that has plagued America—but there are ris ...  Show more

They fled round after round of gunfire, hid for hours and saved hundreds of lives. It is a rare story of survival on what was a horrific day for Israel. Mexico’s national oil company has accrued immense amounts of debt. Why is the government still propping it up (12:47)? And, vid ...  Show more

As the retribution continues, the state has now cut off supplies to the Palestinian enclave, and America is sending military support to Binyamin Netanyahu. But how will Hamas respond? From cowboys to country music, Brazil’s hinterland is taking on a sepia-tinged Americanness (10: ...  Show more