Hello and welcome to the Intelligence on Economist Radio. I'm your host, Jason Palmer.

Every weekday we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.

In one of the remotest parts of Uzbekistan is Jasslik, a prison notorious for its treatment

of inmates. In 2002, a pair of them were boiled alive. We look at why the government

at last wants to shut the gulag down. And until 1992, no one was certain that there

were any planets orbiting distant stars. Since then, astronomers have catalogued thousands

of them. Now that Earthlings know they're out there, a huge effort is underway to find

out what they're like.

But first, yesterday the G7 meeting of world leaders wrapped up after a long weekend

of delights on the French coast, including dinner in a lighthouse and meetings in a venerable

hotel with enchanting views of cliffs. It was enough to soothe the most troubled spirit,

which is fortunate because ahead of the conference there was plenty of global acrimony.

On trade wars, to escalating tensions with Iran, to fires raging in the Amazon, there

were many problems and little consensus. Last year, the meeting ended in disaster. President

Donald Trump left early, refused to endorse the summit's final statement, and tweeted insults

at the host, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. This year, Mr. Trump's tone at least

was different.

This is a truly successful G7. There was tremendous unity. There was great unity. Sometimes

I'd read a little bit of false reporting, and I will tell you there was, in fact, we

would have stayed for another hour. Nobody wanted to leave. We were accomplishing a lot.

I'd say that measured by expectations, this meeting went reasonably well.

Edward Carr is the economist's deputy editor. It produced some outcomes. There were no blow-ups.

...