Editor’s Picks: March 14th 2022

<p>A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, why <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/03/12/the-stalinisation-of-russia?utm_campaign=editors-picks&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vladimir Putin is resorting to repression at home</a>; (10:15) how <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/03/12/war-and-sanctions-have-caused-commodities-chaos?utm_campaign=editors-picks&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">war and sanctions have caused commodities chaos</a>; (16:35) and <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2022/03/12/xi-jinping-places-a-bet-on-russia?utm_campaign=editors-picks&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">why Xi Jinping has placed a bet on Russia</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Please subscribe to <em>The Economist</em> for full access to print, digital and audio editions:</p><p><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></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>