Hello and welcome to the intelligence from the economist.

In New York, I'm John Fassman.

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

When Vladimir Putin briefly suspended a deal to allow grain exports from Ukraine, he effectively

held the world's food supply hostage.

He backed down, but restricting people's food is a tactic beloved of thugs the world

over.

And if you spent any time over the past couple of years binging quality television

cereals, thanks the network that started the trend.

HBO, an American cable service that turns 50 this year.

Our correspondent reflects on its legacy.

It's election day in America.

Millions of people will go to polling places and cast their ballots.

Administering elections, issuing collecting and counting the ballots, is unglamorous essential

work.

In most democracies, it's unremarkable, barely even noticed.

But in America, election administrators have definitely been noticed lately.

I was called a rhino.

My daughters were called names that one should never call another female.

We've been called cancer.

We've been called scum.

We've been told that we are part of the problem.

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