Team-building exercise: America’s Middle East diplomacy

American officials hope more Arab states <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2020/08/22/the-israel-uae-deal-is-good-news-for-a-troubled-region?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">will follow</a> the United Arab Emirates in normalising relations with Israel; the groundwork for that has been quietly laid for years. Not every expectant mother wants all those doctors and nurses fussing over them; we take a look at the increasing <a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2020/08/03/the-battle-over-birth?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">politicisation of childbirth</a>. And a step change for <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2020/08/25/robots-that-can-walk-are-now-striding-to-market?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">robots that can walk</a>.&nbsp;For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>