Hello and welcome to the Intelligence from the Economist.

In London, I'm Jason Palmer.

And in New York, I'm John Faskin.

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

From building tactical bat houses to activism around one very old mulberry tree, it's clear

that Britain has chokingly restrictive planning laws.

We ask why cities can't grow outward or upward and how one tree can prevent hundreds of new

homes.

And earlier this month, an advisory group warned diners to avoid eating Atlantic lobster

for fear that fishing lines could entangle endangered whales.

Mains, lobstermen are furious and worried that their industry might also be endangered.

They're stuck, though.

The city of Zapparija, home to Ukraine's largest nuclear power plant, came under heavy Russian

shelling yesterday.

On September 30th, Vladimir Putin virus President Vladimir Putin

Russia's president announced the annexation of large parts of Ukraine.

He said that these would become Russian territory, part of Russia, to be defended by all available

means.

Almost as soon as he said that, Russian territory began shrinking dramatically.

Shishankyoshi is our defense editor.

Ukraine's army has been making very impressive advances as part of its two counteroffences

in both East and the South, and they have been smashing through Russian lines in some

...