Words, they have the power to excite and provoke or calm and reassure.

Like chatting through your money worries with the TSP money confidence expert,

they can help with everything from budgeting to managing debt.

You can now chat on a video call and you don't even need to bank with us.

We know it can be hard to talk about money, so to feel more confident about it,

just search the words TSP appointments.

TSP, life made more.

Hello and welcome to the Intelligence from the Economist.

Today from London I'm your host Jason Palmer.

And in New York, I'm John Fassman.

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

For all of China's successes at sport, there's one repeated crushing failure.

The country just can't put together a good national football team.

We ask why not?

And in America, rap songs are increasingly being used against defendants in court.

The song's lyrics can often sound like an admission of guilt by the singer.

Fair warning to your listener. The songs you'll hear today contain some pretty sweary language.

But first.

As the cold weather relents and green shoots emerge across America,

the house buying season is getting underway.

Spring is the property market's most active period.

And the way it goes can tell us a lot about the American economy.

...