In neither camp: Neutrality and war

<p>ONE-THIRD of the world’s population lives in <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/why-so-much-of-the-world-wont-stand-up-to-russia/21808737" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">countries</a> backing neither Russia nor Ukraine. The Biden administration has tried to persuade them off the fence, without much success. In Egypt, social mores make it tricky for <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/04/09/why-single-women-in-egypt-find-it-hard-to-rent-a-flat" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">women</a> to live alone—so they have devised clever tactics to avoid unwelcome attention. And why residents of New Jersey are <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/04/09/self-service-petrol-stations-hit-a-roadblock-in-new-jersey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">banned</a> from pumping their own petrol—for now.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</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>