Editor’s Picks: June 1st 2020

<p>A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, how the <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2020/05/28/how-the-worlds-most-powerful-country-is-handling-covid-19" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">world’s most powerful country</a> is handling covid-19, China’s decision to <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2020/05/28/china-has-launched-rule-by-fear-in-hong-kong" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">impose a security law on Hong Kong</a> threatens a broader reckoning (10:04). And why <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2020/05/28/why-african-governments-still-hire-mercenaries" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mercenaries are still hired by African governments</a> (18:30).</p><p><br></p><p>For more on the pandemic, see The Economist's coronavirus <a href="https://www.economist.com/news/2020/03/11/the-economists-coverage-of-the-coronavirus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hub</a>.</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>