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.

It took one referendum, four long years, and countless hours of tense negotiations

for Britain to leave the European Union.

Our diplomatic editor surveys the scene,

laying out how the country can make the most of its history and influence on a global stage.

And in Britain later, its Burns night,

celebrating the birth of Robert Burns, Scotland's national bard.

A great deal of haggis will be eaten because he just loved this stuff.

But there's some not very well-known history behind it that you'd be wise not to tell the Scots.

First up, though.

On Saturday, tens of thousands of Russians took to the streets in more than a hundred towns and cities across the country

in support of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

Protesters there, Chanted Putin, is a thief, as well as freedom to Navalny.

Chilling videos emerged of police beating and kicking demonstrators.

But the response was not one of out and out brutality.

More than 3,000 arrests were made, and even Mr. Navalny's wife was briefly detained.

The demonstrations were sparked by Mr. Navalny's arrest on spurious charges,

just as soon as he returned from Germany last week.

But protesters were also fired up by a two-hour video,

narrated by Mr. Navalny and released a day later.

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