Editor’s Picks: July 12th 2021

<p>A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/07/10/the-new-fault-lines-on-which-the-world-economy-rests?utm_campaign=editors-picks&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the new fault lines in the world economy</a>, <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/07/10/americas-longest-war-is-ending-in-crushing-defeat?utm_campaign=editors-picks&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the catastrophic consequences of America abandoning Afghanistan</a> (10:28) and how <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2021/07/10/mills-and-boon-wants-to-diversify-its-hero-base?utm_campaign=editors-picks&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mills &amp; Boon, a famed publisher of romantic novels, wants to diversify its hero base</a> (17:30)&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Subscribe to <em>The Economist</em> for full access to print, digital and audio editions: <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastoffer?utm_campaign=editors-picks&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/podcastoffer</a>&nbsp;</p> &#10;&nbsp;<br /><hr><p style='color: grey; font - size: 0.75em; '>See <a style='color: grey; ' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.</p>