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.

Among the thousands of satellites in Earth orbit are some involved in defense. But what about

satellites that actually attack each other? It turns out that the law is quite fuzzy on that

kind of space war, and the risk of one is rising. And Lebanese citizens are furious following

an explosion that tore through Beirut last month.

But they're also a resilient people with a deliciously dark sense of humor.

We take a look at a new card game that skewers the country's dysfunction.

But first... This week, the eighth round of Brexit negotiations is due to start in Brussels.

Back in June, Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised to put a bit of oomph into trade talks,

aiming for an agreement in July.

That didn't happen. By August, the frustration of the European Union's chief negotiator,

Michel Barnier, was clear. Given the short time left, today, at this stage,

an agreement between UK and the European Union seems unlikely.

I simply do not understand why we are wasting valuable time.

Britain formally left the Union in January, with a transition period until the end of the year

to hammer out the logistics and legalities of life after the divorce.

That is proving as sticky as it was to finalize the terms of the exit back in January. And the sticking points are familiar

about the rights to fisheries, about subsidies to industries that will trade with Europe,

and most of all about what happens at the border with Northern Ireland. More familiar still,

Britain's refrain that leaving without a deal on all of it would be just fine.

...