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.

Across Asia, life as a migrant worker was tough even before the pandemic.

Low status, crowded dormitories, extortion-minded employers.

As COVID-19 crushed the industries that employed them, things got even worse and only now seem to be improving.

And there's a perplexing preponderance of pop stars in the charts who are ethnic Albanians.

We take a look at why the tiny Balkan region has given rise to so many huge celebrities.

But first... President Donald Trump is still in the hospital with questions about the seriousness of his illness.

Yesterday, he released his third video since announcing on Friday morning that he had been

diagnosed with COVID-19.

I learned a lot about COVID.

I learned it by really going to school.

This is the real school.

This isn't the, let's read the book school.

And I get it, and I understand it.

I also think we're going to pay a little surprise to some of the great

patriots that we have out on the street.

That surprise visit involved Mr. Trump briefly leaving the hospital for a drive past for

the benefit of supporters gathered outside. Doctors caring for the president have suggested

he may be discharged today, though information about his condition given out over the weekend has been conflicting, to say the least.

Mr. Trump's oxygen level dipped twice, and he received a steroid treatment that's normally reserved for severe cases of COVID-19.

...