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The Intelligence from The Economist

State of disarray: the killing of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

The Intelligence from The Economist

The Economist

Daily News, Global News, News

4.53.7K Ratings

🗓️ 28 October 2019

⏱️ 20 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The man who brought Islamic State to the world stage with visions of a brutal “caliphate” has been killed. But the jihadist movement, while weakened, lives on. Argentines voted their reformist president out and protectionist, big-state Peronists back in. Can the hobbled economy cope? And America’s push to start school later could boost grades and the economy, and even save lives.

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Transcript

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0:00.0

Hello and welcome to the Intelligence on Economist Radio.

0:07.0

I'm your host, Jason Palmer.

0:09.0

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

0:18.0

This weekend, Argentines voted out their reformist president.

0:22.0

Instead, they chose candidates who will return to protectionist, big-state, perinism,

0:27.0

a movement that has dominated the country's post-war politics and decimated its economy.

0:34.0

And, in America, lots of kids have to start school early, really early.

0:39.0

But there's a growing push to give them more time in bed.

0:43.0

Research suggests that later starts result in better grades, and economic boost,

0:48.0

even fewer deaths on the roads.

0:51.0

But first, the Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead.

1:05.0

On Saturday, an American special forces team moved on a compound in northern Syria, where he was hiding.

1:11.0

The United States has been searching for Baghdaddi for many years.

1:18.0

Capturing or killing Baghdaddi has been the top national security priority of my administration.

1:25.0

President Donald Trump announced details of the raid on Sunday morning.

1:29.0

Military was able to confirm Mr. Baghdaddi's identity through DNA testing.

1:34.0

His death is a blow to the scattered remnants of Islamic State.

1:38.0

The group killed and enslaved tens of thousands of people and ruled brutally over millions more in its quest to form a caliphate,

1:46.0

according to a savage interpretation of Islam.

1:49.0

His death is certainly a symbolic blow to the group. He was a very aspirational figurehead.

1:55.0

Greg Khrostrum is our Middle East correspondent.

1:57.0

It was really Baghdaddi who pioneered this idea of establishing a so-called caliphate that spanned borders,

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