The Intelligence from The Economist

France’s newly-appointed prime minister has resigned only weeks into the job. Now President Emmanual Macron has given him 48 hours to come up with a plan for next year’s budget. Can Macron survive the turmoil? As driverless taxis take over San Francisco, what will happen to the human drivers? And remembering Jilly Cooper, queen of the bonkbuster

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The swiftest way for Prime Minister Mark Carney to ease pressure on Canada’s economy is to convince President Donald Trump today to pare back tariffs. But he has far broader plans afoot, too. A heady online mix of e-commerce and entertainment is creating a new generation of shopping addicts. And why John Singer Sargent’s posh-folk portraits are again in fashion.

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As negotiators gather in Egypt, appetite for a short-term peace seems high on all sides. But there is much ambiguity surrounding a lasting accord. In New York, renters fear being evicted far less than they once did—but pity flat-hunters. And remembering Kim Seong Min, a North Korean defector who dedicated his life to getting information back to his erstwhile countrymen.

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A telling local-election loss, persistent allegations of scandal and an American pledge to prop up the peso: much is chipping away at the experiment of Argentina’s President Javier Milei. Long after the twin troubles of a pandemic and interest-rate rises, America’s commercial-property sector might at last be recovering. And we return to an interview with Jane Goodall from our archives.

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Russia’s dark-fleet maritime operations and brazen incursions into NATO airspace appear to be precision-engineered to test Western resolve. We ask how this new phase of aggression may end. Our correspondent reports from Madagascar, where young people are leading unprecedented anti-government protests. And a return to the topic of sunlight’s benefits: we sift through the mailbag of listeners’ questions and comments.

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After Republicans and Democrats failed to compromise on the budget bill, money to US federal agencies has officially been cut off. Donald Trump threatens “irreversible cuts”. The gaping security flaws in generative AI. And don’t call your colleague a moron, and other tips on how to prevent office feuds.

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After pressure from US President Donald Trump, Israel’s Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has been strong-armed into agreeing a deal for Gaza. Will Hamas sign up too? Our correspondent analyses the path to peace. Lululemon needs a legging-up. And why leopards, crows and monkeys populate India’s cities.

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The collapse of Russia’s wartime economy has long been foretold, yet massive fiscal stimulus has compensated for the effect of sanctions. Though the pinch is now being felt, the labour market is surprisingly resilient. Protesters in China are getting more creative. And why car touchscreens are a hazard.

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President Donald Trump’s executive order ostensibly puts a years-long debate to bed. But questions persist about who will own—and influence—TikTok’s American operations. We examine the evidence on how climate change will aid the spread of dengue fever, a brutal and potentially deadly disease. And a tribute to Patrick McGovern, who obsessively recreated boozy beverages of yore.

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A snapshot of the country reveals deepening military and economic problems—and, perhaps above all, political ones. America’s efforts to clamp down on skilled-worker visas will have far-reaching unintended consequences. And globally, more children today are obese than underweight. We look at which countries are worst affected.

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A long-suspected defence partnership between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan has burst into the open. We ask what Pakistan’s extension of its nuclear umbrella will mean. As Chinese brands sweep the world, some (such as Biemlfdlkk) are wisely changing their names. And a look through history at how authoritarians deal, or do not, with the comedians who mock them.

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Coffers running low and an increasingly absent principal member: the United Nations has never looked so precarious. We discuss its future amid uncertain geopolitics. The generative-AI explosion has mostly been driven by so-called large language models—but small ones look ever more attractive. And we meet the determined students who, against the odds, still want to drive London’s famed black cabs.

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Part commemoration, part megachurch meeting, largely political rally—the memorial service for Charlie Kirk revealed much about how the Trump administration intends to respond to his killing. Sunlight may have got a worse rap than it deserves; we examine the evidence of its benefits. And why today’s pop songstresses sing less about men’s evil deeds and more about their mediocrity.

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India is becoming one of the largest markets for Artificial Intelligence and shaping how the technology develops. Our correspondent assesses what type of AI superpower the country could be. Tracking the meltdown at Swiss chocolatier Nestlé. And celebrating the life of Robert Redford.

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Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has paused a £200m investment in Britain and could move its primary listing to America. Can the UK maintain its status as a “life-science superpower”? Why autonomous air wings are the future of war in the sky. And how scientists in the Caribbean are restoring the barrier reef through “coral IVF”. 

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A new United Nations report says Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute “genocide”. That has not deterred Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, from mounting a ground offensive on Gaza City. The stakes – and steaks – of Donald Trump’s state visit to Britain. And life-hacks, Chinese style.

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Falling fertility makes a global decline in population inevitable. That will change the shape and make up of societies. But it may not make us poorer. Are large language models really woke? And reading is on the wane – and why that matters. 

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After Jair Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years in prison for trying to organise a coup in 2023, Donald Trump accused Brazil of staging a “witch hunt”. How will America respond? Niche sports like padel and tag are now attracting sponsorship and broadcast deals. And meet the real Lord Downton: Julian Fellowes. 

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A high-stakes tussle about who will take over Fox and News Corp from Rupert Murdoch has concluded; Lachlan, his eldest son, came out on top. Will the new boss be the same as the old boss? Our correspondent looks at kush, a synthetic opioid tearing through west Africa. And a look back on the life and style of Giorgio Armani.

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