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.

For many, the empty shelves sparked by the pandemic were an unusual experience, not for Cubans.

But shopping there now is all but impossible.

A crippling food crisis could at last put an end to Cuba's confusing, market-distorting dual-currency system.

And tens of millions of birds stop off in Asia's wetlands on their annual migrations.

Those ecosystems are slowly disappearing.

Birdwatchers are trying to coordinate helpful policies across national borders,

but geopolitics is sticking its beacon.

First up, though.

In Kingsbury Hall tonight, we have a small and socially distant audience.

For days, there had been debate about the vice presidential debate.

In the wake of President Donald

Trump's COVID diagnosis and the cascade of positive test results from those in his inner circle.

And we've taken extra precautions during this pandemic. Among other things, everyone in the audience

is required to wear a face mask and the candidates will be seated 12 feet apart.

Last night at the University of Utah, current Vice President Mike Pence and California Senator

Kamala Harris took the stage for their only debate of the 2020 campaign.

It was a calmer affair than the first presidential debate with less frequent pleas for rule

following from the moderator, Susan Susan Page of USA Today.

And I just, this is very important, Susan.

...