A rough start for German Chancellor Merz
FT News Briefing
Forhecz Topher
4.4 • 1.2K Ratings
🗓️ 7 May 2025
⏱️ 12 minutes
🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS
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Summary
India said it had carried out “precision strikes” on “terrorist infrastructure” at nine sites in Pakistan, Friederich Merz suffered a stinging defeat in the German Bundestag before being voted in as chancellor, and Washington and Beijing will this week hold their first trade talks since US President Donald Trump launched a trade war against China. Plus, Argentina is on the cusp of a copper mining boom that might cause problems for the country’s wine industry.
Mentioned in this podcast:
India launches military strikes on Pakistan
Argentina’s wine heartland eyes copper riches
US and China to launch formal trade talks
Chancellor on pause: Bundestag stings Friedrich Merz on day one
The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian, Ethan Plotkin, Lulu Smyth, and Marc Filippino. Additional help from Katie McMurran, Breen Turner, Sam Giovinco, Peter Barber, Michael Lello, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music.
Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | We're Equinor, an energy company searching for better. Currently, we supply 27% of the UK's gas, |
| 0:07.0 | 15% of its oil, and we're playing our part in the UK's energy transition. In 2023, we invested |
| 0:14.1 | 20% of our global gross spend in renewables and lower carbon solutions. Today, our wind farms power |
| 0:20.0 | 750,000 homes, and we expect this to grow to over 7 million |
| 0:24.2 | UK households. |
| 0:25.7 | We're an energy company searching for better. |
| 0:28.2 | equinore.co.uk. |
| 0:33.5 | Good morning from the Financial Times. |
| 0:36.9 | Today is Wednesday, May 7th, and this is your FT News briefing. |
| 0:41.4 | India has launched military strikes on Pakistan, and Germany's new chancellor had a really rough first day. |
| 0:49.0 | Plus, a new mining boom in Argentina is setting up shop next to the country's vineyards. |
| 0:54.0 | I'm Mark Filipino, and here's the news you need to start your day. |
| 1:10.2 | India says it launched, quote, precision strikes in Pakistan early Wednesday local time. Islamabad |
| 1:16.9 | called them an act of war. There are mounting concerns of a full-fledged conflict because both countries have nuclear weapons. |
| 1:24.2 | Just to note, we recorded this yesterday evening in the U.S. There might be more developments |
| 1:28.4 | by the time you hear this. Tensions have been rising between the two since late last month. That's when |
| 1:34.0 | India blamed Pakistan for a terrorist attack in Kashmir that killed 26 people. Islamabad denied |
| 1:40.7 | any involvement. Both countries also downgraded their diplomatic relationship since |
| 1:45.4 | the Kashmir attack, and India suspended participation in a crucial water-sharing treaty. |
| 1:57.1 | Friedrich Mertz is officially Germany's new chancellor, but whole boy, it did not come easy. |
| 2:03.3 | Merritt's lost the initial vote in the Bundestag yesterday, a historic first. He only got by in a second vote later in the day. |
| 2:12.5 | Here to explain the situation is the F.T's Anselvane Chasinie. Hi, Anselvane. Hello. |
... |
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