Forces to be reckoned with: Afghan peace talks

<p>Negotiations in Moscow may at last forge agreement between the Afghan government and Taliban insurgents; that, in turn, would inform America’s long-promised <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/02/13/if-america-leaves-afghanistan-there-will-be-trouble?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">drawdown</a>. The International Criminal Court can investigate crimes against humans, but there is <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2021/02/28/is-it-time-for-ecocide-to-become-an-international-crime?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a push</a> to make injury to the environment a high crime, too. And a look at Britney Spears’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2021/03/16/why-are-conservatorships-controversial?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">conservatorship</a>, a legal arrangement ripe for abuse. 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></p> &#10;&nbsp;<br /><hr><p style='color: grey; font - size: 0.75em; '>See <a style='color: grey; ' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.</p>