Hello and welcome to the Intelligence on Economist Radio.

I'm your host Ed McBride, filling in for Jason Palmer.

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

The video sharing app Tiktok has been taking the world by storm.

As a result, its Chinese parent company is valued at $75 billion.

Some American officials see a sinister side to its success, while other tech firms see a daunting rival.

And Switzerland has maintained a strategic reserve of various foods since the 1920s.

But when the government decided there was no longer any reason to stockpile coffee, ordinary Swiss dropped their mugs in horror.

First up though.

The field of hopefuls jostling to be the Democrat's nominee for president is already crowded.

What happens in 2020?

It's going to determine the direction of our country.

Our country farmers and everybody here knows it. Climate change is real. It is a crisis.

Corvalentization, our standing in the world, our very democracy.

Everything that makes America American is literally at stake.

But the entrance of Michael Bloomberg as a candidate could change the race.

On Sunday he announced his run via a campaign ad.

It features pictures of him as a boy scout, spins the story of him building his media empire,

and extolls his 12 years as mayor of New York.

Raising teacher salaries and kids graduation rates and creating a more open and livable city for the millions who call it home.

Mr. Bloomberg is the world's ninth richest man.

He's spending more than $30 million on ads just for the first week of his campaign alone.

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