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.

This year's Nobel Science Prizes were announced this week. We examined the award-winning

research and how it has, as Alfred Nobel's will put it, conferred great benefit to humankind.

And we ask why, once again, all the laureates were men.

And Japan's urbanites are struggling to find mates. Now the government has stepped in,

designing apps and field trips to match city folk with lonely hearts in the countryside.

But first, it's been more than two weeks since Democrats first launched impeachment proceedings

against President Donald Trump.

The actions of the Trump presidency revealed the sonorable fact of the president's betrayal

of his oath of office, betrayal of our national security, and betrayal of the integrity of our elections.

The inquiry began following allegations that Mr. Trump withheld military aid from Ukraine

from a condition of investigating the son of Joe Biden, a Democratic presidential contender.

Mr. Trump mounted a belligerent and chaotic defense of his actions while still complying

with the process.

He's wasting your time on a, you know, let's use a word that they used to use a lot,

a manufactured presses.

But this week, the administration announced it would no longer participate in the proceedings

and would refuse to respond to subpoena requests. The Democrats have said they'll press

a head regardless, although they'll no longer be able to interview key State Department

witnesses.

Yesterday, Mr. Biden threw his weight behind the proceedings.

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