The Intelligence from The Economist

Greg Karlstrom, Middle East correspondent, shares insights on the fragile Gaza ceasefire and its challenges. He discusses the precarious negotiations and potential scenarios for peace, emphasizing U.S. involvement. Ana Lankes, Brazil bureau chief, dives into the Oscar-tipped film "I'm Still Here," which confronts Brazil's painful dictatorship past. Lastly, Rachel Dobbs, Environment Editor, highlights the negative impacts of U.S. budget cuts on scientific research, warning of long-term consequences for innovation and talent in the field.

The meeting between France’s and America’s presidents had a familiarly chummy feel. We ask whether Emmanuel Macron’s charm offensive might have changed Donald Trump’s mind on security matters. Norway’s stocks of wild salmon are in trouble—owing in part to their farmed brethren (9:42). And how the Michelin Guide is trying to maintain its tastemaking primacy (17:20). Additional audio courtesy of @eatingwithtod.Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Tom Nuttall, Berlin bureau chief for The Economist, and Anton La Guardia, the diplomatic editor, dive into Germany's recent elections. They discuss the surprising strength of the Christian Democratic Union and the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany party. The conversation shifts to the complexities of international aid to Ukraine, debunking claims about U.S. support versus European contributions. They also touch on the amusing ceremonial role of Black Rod in British Parliament, blending political insights with light-hearted commentary.

Europe must move boldly as the American-led world order shatters beneath it; we explain how. Many people view the freedom to work from home as a perk. Some academics reckon there should be, in effect, a tax on it (10:41). And we pay tribute to Pableaux Johnson, a New Orleans fixture who understood that supper was more about company than food (18:02).Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Africa’s young are educated, ambitious side-hustlers. But they are hampered by their economies and dispirited by their politicians. How to harness their vast potential? America’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency is, in a real-world accounting, not actually budging the budget much (8:25). And why Germans take more days off sick than other Europeans do (15:48). Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

The possibilities for an inevitable coalition government are a head-spinning colour wheel of party logos. We look at the most likely outcomes, and the smaller parties that may well play kingmakers. A series of scandals in Japan has propelled the country to a belated #MeToo crisis (10:35). And London’s once-abundant pie shops struggle with changing tastes and relocating clientele (16:53).Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

We investigate China’s under-the-radar push to get other countries to change their official language on Taiwan’s independence. Would it make a difference in a bid to reunify by force? The case of a nurse jailed for killing babies exposes deep problems with British justice (10:10). And how top footballers get a smaller slice of their clubs’ take than they once did (17:35).Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Backing away from European security guarantees and seeking mineral rights in Ukraine as recompense for military aid: at the Munich Security Conference the Trump administration made its convention-trashing, transactional nature clear. What Europe will or even can do is not so obvious. And a tribute to Donald Shoup, whose studies on keeping cars moving focused on where they parked (17:45).Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

The American president and Indian prime minister have long been friends. But when the two met at the White House yesterday, they had many thorny issues to discuss, including trade and immigration. Why the skies are getting smaller–and more crowded (10:40). And “Saturday Night Live” at 50 (17:57). Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. 

During a 90-minute telephone conversation, the American and Russian presidents started negotiating a future for Ukraine. What will this mean for Europe? Our correspondent interviews a leader of the Rwandan-backed rebel group M23 in Goma, Congo (9:44). And how Bridget Jones changed cinema (and Chardonnay) (18:08).Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.