It's Monday the 23rd of October, 2023. I'm Emma Hogan, the Economist's America's editor.

Welcome to Editor's Picks, where you can hear three highlights from the audio edition of The Economist.

This week, we grappled with how profoundly the war between Israel and Hamas will shake the Middle East and America.

Much can and will go wrong in the weeks ahead.

Our cover story argues that President Joe Biden is the only leader who has a hope of pulling the

Middle East back from the brink of a bigger catastrophe.

Next, we turn to Poland, where the recent election ousted the right-wing law and justice

party's majority.

Amid the rise of a liberal government in Europe, Poland's victory offers a lesson in how to push back on populism.

And finally, we reveal the real bedbug resurgence hidden beneath the hysteria on social media.

Before we begin, a quick reminder that Economist Podcast Plus, our new subscriber service, begins tomorrow on October 24th.

If you haven't yet signed up, there's still time.

Our half-price offer has been extended to the end of October.

That means you can get access to all the shows on our award-winning network for just $2, 2 pounds or 2 euros a month.

The link to sign up is in the show notes or just search for Economist Podcasts.

First up, why only America can save Israel and Gaza from a greater catastrophe.

How rapidly things fall apart. The deadly blast in Gaza at Ali Arab Hospital on the evening of October 17th killed many Palestinians who were taking shelter.

Despite strong evidence that their deaths were caused by the failure of a Palestinian rocket laden with fuel, Arab countries rushed

to condemn Israel. Hezbollah, a heavily armed Lebanese militia, is lurching closer to outright war with Israel.

Bridges built painstakingly between Israel and its Arab neighbors lie in ruins.

How fragile are the forces trying to hold things together?

Fifteen hours after the blast, President Joe Biden landed in Israel,

...