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.

As medicine has progressed, the number of mothers and babies who die during pregnancy and childbirth

has plummeted. But not every expectant mother wants so much medical intervention. We take a look

at the increasing politicization of childbirth. And while the kind of software aimed at human

talents has raced ahead, giving us chatbots and chessmasters,

the hardware for robots has lagged behind, largely because they're bad at walking, on two legs or even four.

That is changing in a big way.

But first... On August 13th, the United Arab Emirates and Israel announced a historic agreement that had been brokered by the Trump administration.

This is a really good step in that direction.

Economic relationships between the Emirates,

opportunities for innovation and science,

travel between these two places will now be open.

Now American officials hope to build on that deal.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

is in the middle of a week-long tour of the Middle East,

trying to persuade more Arab countries to normalize relations with Israel.

What's taking place here is deeply consistent with what President Trump set out to do,

created more stable, more prosperous Middle East.

But there are still some knotty details related to both defense and diplomacy to be worked out.

Pompeo's trip to the Middle East is partly a victory lap after this diplomatic agreement between Israel and the UAE,

...