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.

Global shipping levels have been slumping in the past few years. The problem is the shipping

industry didn't seem to notice building massive new ships and ports. We pay a visit to

Rotterdam, one of the world's largest ports, and find that things are pretty quiet.

And OMG, the internet is ruining language. Well, that's what the purists say. Our language

colonist sees it another way. Online communications correspond to neither written language nor

common speech. It's a whole new world. Wide web. Law.

But first, In Venezuela, the contest between democracy and dictatorship has reached a dangerous

impasse. Nicolas Maduro's despotic regime clings on after a series of setbacks for the opposition.

The mood today is nothing like the optimism that took hold six months ago. In January,

opposition leader Juan Guaidó burst onto the international scene with a dramatic bid

for change. As the head of the opposition controlled legislature, he declared himself

into a president. After a rigged election had given Mr. Maduro another term in office.

Thousands took to the streets to support Mr. Guaidó. From relative obscurity, he has

become the living embodiment of the dream. A broad, he won recognition as Venezuela's

legitimate leader. And fresh American oil sanctions put pressure on the regime. Three months

later Mr. Guaidó announced Operation Liberty, the final push to free Venezuela from the

grip of its dictator. He called on military officers to defect, but not enough joined the

rebellion. Today, Mr. Guaidó might have popular support within the country and the support

of foreign governments. Just yesterday, President Donald Trump announced plans to divert more

than $40 million in humanitarian aid to help the opposition. But it's the illegitimate

...