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.

The president of Congo Brazzaville has been in power for almost 37 years.

Unsurprisingly, he's just won another election.

Our correspondent takes a look at how the country is faring under a ruler only half-jokingly

called the Emperor.

And Europe's history is peppered with grand families and hereditary titles, all very noble and romantic.

But here's the thing. There was a lot of inbreeding.

And now researchers have shown how inbred rulers weren't very good ones.

First up, though.

Today, European Union leaders will hold a virtual summit to discuss improvements to the bloc's vaccine rollout.

The most contentious topic will be plans to increase Europe's ability to block exports of vaccines. The proposed legislation was unveiled yesterday by the EU's trade chief,

Valdes Dombrowskis. The Commission has adopted and implementing regulation to adapt

an export authorization mechanism for vaccines with the aim of preserving the security of our supply chains.

The wording is general, but the intent specific.

The proposal comes as a battle plays out between the EU and the British-Swedish company, AstraZeneca,

which has been accused of failing to honor its supply contract with Europe.

The move marks a sharp escalation in the EU's response to a floundering vaccination rollout at home,

beset by delivery delays, supply issues, and a third wave of the disease.

Britain would be hardest hit by those new rules, because so far it's benefited the most from Europe's

vaccine exports. But yesterday, Britain and the EU issued a joint statement, aiming for a win-win

situation that would boost supplies for both. That might sound like a cooling of tensions,

but the vaccine row has been long in coming and marks another jolt on an already

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