Hello and welcome to the Intelligence from the Economist. I'm your host Jason Palmer.

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

For the second time since October, Sudan is without a Prime Minister. It seems clear the

military isn't looking for much leadership help from civilians and equally clear that

enraged civilian protesters aren't interested in military leaders.

And Safron is a potent spice but a really expensive one. So you'd hope that the stuff you

get is pure. Increasingly, it isn't. In large part because of sanctions on Iran.

First up though. Hong Kong's largest remaining independent news outlet shut down yesterday.

The editors of citizen news said they could no longer protect their journalists from Hong

Kong's national security law. The indications are clear that overall media is facing an

increasingly tough environment. And for those who are being seen as critical or trouble

makers, they are more vulnerable.

Days earlier police had raided another publisher, stand news and arrested its leaders.

Police superintendent Steve Lee said stand had conspired to publish seditious stories, inciting

discontent among Hong Kongers and hatred toward the government. He warned the city's few

remaining independent journalists not to make the same mistake.

The number one concern for artists. Don't be biased. Don't be biased. You know well how

to report, how to be a responsible reporter, how to make a non-biased report to your readers.

Press or I can give you. The closure of these two news outlets leaves the

local free press all but extinguished in Hong Kong.

So citizen news and stand news really were the last of a vibrant Chinese language media

scene that grew up around the protest movement in Hong Kong over the past few years. And

...