POPULARITY
3 episodes with eu council
4 episodes with eu council
2 episodes with eu council
2 episodes with eu council
3 episodes with eu council
3 episodes with eu council
5 episodes with eu council
2 episodes with eu council
2 episodes with eu council
Next week Ireland takes over the presidency of the EU Council. But what does that mean? What exactly is the EU Council anyway? How does this council and this presidency fit in among the numerous other European councils and presidents? And how is Ireland going to approach the challenges and opportunities the six-month position brings? To find out Pat Leahy talks to Jack Horgan-Jones and Jack Power. Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: irishtimes.com/newsletters/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This Friday's Europe Today covers a busy second day of the EU Council summit, where some leaders are frustrated at President Antonio Costa's unilateral decision to re-open diplomatic channels with Russia. We also have a live update from Switzerland on the US-Iran peace deal that was signed electronically on Wednesday.Europe Today is Euronews' daily podcast hosted by Maria Tadeo and Méabh Mc Mahon, broadcasting directly from Brussels, at the heart of Europe. Every morning, we deliver the top and exclusive stories shaping the European Union (EU) and beyond.Stay ahead with the key news and insights that matter in Europe today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The EU Parliament and EU Council have provisionally agreed to simplify and speed up the return of migrants staying in the bloc unlawfully. Backers of the deal say it is urgent to do something about the low enforcement of deportation orders: 27 percent last year, and just 24 percent the previous year. But critics say governments are giving in to anti-migrant sentiment as they face pressure from rising populist forces across the EU.
Welcome back to The Ties That Bind, a project of the Foreign Policy Research Institute examining the past, present, and future of NATO and the transatlantic relationship.This season we examine how Western European NATO members like Germany are shifting their defense policies, pursuing rearmament, and what lies ahead for the future of European security.This week we are pleased to feature a conversation with FPRI President Aaron Stein and Roderich Kiesewetter, a Member of the German Bundestag (CDU/CSU) who has held various command and staff positions, including at the EU Council , NATO and the German Ministry of Defense. The two discuss the strategic framework of the recently released German defense policy, key reforms and capabilities, and what strength means in the new European security environment. You can read a transcript of their conversation here.The third season of the Ties That Bind is generously supported by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung USA. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe
After marathon five-hour talks, representatives from the EU Parliament and the EU Council agreed on Wednesday to go ahead and ratify the trade pact found with the US in July 2025. US President Donald Trump had threatened to increase tariffs on EU autos to 25 percent if the deal wasn't implemented by July 4. Also in this edition, talks between Samsung and its workers went down to the wire ahead of a scheduled 18-day strike on Thursday.
On today's episode of Europe Today, Méabh Mc Mahon and Jorge Liboreiro break down the major political fault lines shaping the EU this week. EU foreign ministers approve sanctions against Israeli settlers in the West Bank after Hungary's new government lifts its veto, while divisions deepen over whether Europe should engage directly with Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine. We hear from Irish Defence and European Affairs Minister Thomas Byrne as Ireland prepares to take over the EU Council presidency.Europe Today is Euronews' daily podcast hosted by Maria Tadeo and Méabh Mc Mahon, broadcasting directly from Brussels, at the heart of Europe. Every morning, we deliver the top and exclusive stories shaping the European Union (EU) and beyond.Stay ahead with the key news and insights that matter in Europe today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
For review:1. US Secretary of State Rubio announced new sanctions Thursday on Cuba's military-industrial enterprise, its leader and a state-owned natural resources company.2. US President Donald Trump says three US Navy destroyers transited out of the Strait of Hormuz under fire, adding that the American destroyers were not damaged but “great damage was done to Iranian attackers.”3. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Thursday that he had met with the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen in public since his appointment in early March.President Pezeshkian did not say when their meeting took place.4. The US will host the third round of ambassador-level talks between representatives from Israel and Lebanon on May 14 and 15, a State Department official and an Israeli official confirmed to The Times of Israel on Wednesday.Joining diplomats from each side will, for the first time, be military representatives, an Israeli official said, adding that the sides would discuss more concrete measures that can be taken to disarm Hezbollah.5. Israel on Wednesday evening carried out its first airstrike in Beirut since before the ceasefire in Lebanon entered into effect last month, killing the commander of Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force, who the military said had advanced plans to invade the Galilee.6. The 23-year-old son of Hamas's chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya succumbed Thursday to wounds sustained in an Israeli strike on Gaza City on Wednesday, a hospital and senior Hamas official said.Reports of Azzam al-Hayya's death came as Hamas leaders were in Cairo to discuss the future of the ceasefire agreement.7. The United Arab Emirates transferred $100 million to the Board of Peace in recent days to fund a contract for the training of a new Palestinian police force for Gaza, a US official and a Middle Eastern diplomat told The Times of Israel this week.8. Israel said Thursday that it was working to help counter rat infestations in Gaza, helping move hundreds of cartons of rat poison into the territory as the warmer weather sees a surge in pests spreading through the tents of displaced Palestinians.9. European Council President Costa said on Thursday that he believed there was “potential” for the bloc to negotiate directly with Moscow, adding that it had the backing of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to do so.
"I never felt that Lithuania is a soft target. I saw Brussels always as the softest target of all." Lithuania's Foreign Minister, Kęstutis Budrys, passionately lays out why Europe must wake up to the war already being waged against it in this interview. "If we are not doing this, there will be a huge price. And believe me, that price will be much higher than 5% of GDP." Drawing on more than 20 years in national security and intelligence, Budrys described a country witnessing sustained hybrid attack: drones crashing in Lithuanian territory, fighter jets violating airspace, undersea cables sabotaged, civil aviation disrupted by GPS jamming, and assassination plots targeting opposition figures. However, his sharpest message was aimed at Brussels. "I never felt that Lithuania is a soft target. I saw Brussels always as the softest target of all." Budrys recounted how Lithuania spent decades purging Russian influence from its energy, transport, and financial sectors; work he believes much of Europe has yet to begin. He pointed to ongoing purchases of Russian LNG and the continued presence of Rosatom in European nuclear projects as evidence of dangerous complacency. "When we criticise the United States, they point to our numbers and say: you are buying Russian gas that finances their war machine. And they are right." On Ukraine, the minister expressed cautious optimism. He noted that Ukrainian forces have halted Russian advances and are inflicting unsustainable losses: over 30,000 Russian soldiers killed per month by drones alone. A strategic turning point, he suggested, could come within the next year if Europe maintains political and financial pressure. But he refused to entertain territorial concessions. "We will never recognise the occupation of Ukrainian territory, neither de jure nor de facto." Looking ahead to Lithuania's EU Council presidency in January 2027, Budrys outlined a security-first agenda: accelerating EU enlargement for Ukraine and Moldova, building economic defences against hostile actors, and finally treating the bloc as a geopolitical force rather than a collection of national interests. His closing message was unambiguous: Europe's survival depends on shedding its illusions about Russia, about its own vulnerabilities, and about the cost of inaction.
March is the WORST month for markets in a long time. International equities getting killed Dollar Up, Oil Up, Equities Down, Bonds Down The markets Trump Card no longer works… PLUS we are now on Spotify and Amazon Music/Podcasts! Click HERE for Show Notes and Links DHUnplugged is now streaming live - with listener chat. Click on link on the right sidebar. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter Warm-Up - Trump may have played the wrong cards (Making up stories for markets) - Oil prices on the move - Monday highest close yet for this cycle ($105) - For Real ? End of War? Markets - WORST month in a long time - International equities getting killed - Dollar Up, Oil Up, Equities Down, Bonds Down Happy Passover and Happy Easter! - Made a brisket 2 ways! One Food item and then back to business - New trend at restaurants: " We do not use any seed oils - no, we use beef tallow..... - Reaction from crowd and recent FDA - Sunflower, Canola, Soybean (unsaturated is better....) Monday Morning Again - 7:30am Monday Morning - More BS for the markets - Talks going great... ---- Problem is that there was a severe threat that if nothing changes by next week- Iran is going to get pummeled ------Iran strikes several key targets in Middle east - Aluminum prices spike, oil prices moves higher.... - It does not look like Iran is too concerned. (Complacency or Strength?) - Unfortunate that markets are not reacting well - (Wolf?) - So we have until the day after Easter? Tuesday.... - Iran's State Media says Iran's President spoke with EU Council on the phone; says Iran is "prepared to end war" with guarantees against further attacks; EU Council President has confirmed this call - - Just moments after WTI hit $105... quickly came down to $102+/- - Everything turned higher - green across the board More Crazy Records - BTIG's Jonathan Krinsky added, "At 12:41 ET today, that NYSE TICK Index hit +2329, the highest on record back to 1993. This index measures the number of NYSE securities trading on an uptick minus those trading on a down tick at any given time of day. - For perspective, there are ~2400 stocks on the NYSE, which means nearly 100% of stocks traded on an uptick, simply unprecedented. - Prior high was 4/9/2025 when President Trump put a 90-day pause on tarrifs ---- More - S&P was up 9.5% that day and then sold off 6.5% over the next seven days Hormuz Tolls/Permits - Ships would have to pay for “safe passage” through the strait - Fees reported as high as $2 million per vessel for some tankers - Mandatory clearance and vetting by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) - Escort through a narrow Iranian-controlled corridor, primarily near Larak Island - Only “non-hostile” vessels would be eligible—a term Iran defines politically Hedge Funds and Money Managers - Plans continue - equities coming out to cash - Hedges applied - H&C is doing the same thing for portfolios - plans for what/if and action ahead of further breakdown --- There is discussion that this sets up for a nice reversal (when/if) ceasefire ------- HOWEVER - damage has been done... More.... - Heavy short sales by hedge funds and disposals by systematic investors have increased the potential for a sharp swing higher for stocks in the event of a de-escalation in the Iran war. - Hedge funds have cut global equity holdings for a sixth straight week, driven by short sales, with net disposals across all major regions and short exposure in macro products in Europe reaching a 10-year high. - Some signs of capitulation are starting to emerge among hedge funds, and the systematic community is running out of steam, with CTAs estimated to be buyers in every scenario over the next month. Capitulation of More To Come? GS Prime Book Market Metrics FRIENDLY REMINDER - It is Tax season - Tax returns due 4/15 - IRA deposits due by 4/15 Food Deal - Sysco Corp. is acquiring Jetro Restaurant Depot LLC for $29.1 billion including debt in a deal that will create one of the largest food-service groups in the US. - Jetro shareholders will receive $21.6 billion in cash and 91.5 million Sysco shares, with the company's existing management team staying in place. - The deal will give Sysco access to the higher-margin and growing cash-and-carry channel, with the combined company expected to have increased purchasing efficiencies and lower prices for customers. - This looks like a smart deal - gives Sysco new footprint and distribution Emerging Markets - According to Bloomberg: The Middle East war risks ending a run of net credit-rating upgrades across emerging markets and could trigger a new downgrade cycle as it fuels inflation and tightens financial conditions. - A prolonged Iran conflict could tilt the balance back toward downgrades, reversing the past three years when many emerging markets repaired balance sheets and implemented fiscal reforms. - The inflation shock and tighter financing conditions will weigh on all countries, according to S&P Global Ratings Director Ravi Bhatia, as higher oil prices boost revenues for exporters and strain importers. - The shift would mark a reversal from the past three years, when many emerging markets repaired balance sheets, implemented fiscal reforms and regained market access after the pandemic triggered widespread defaults and rating cuts. - A prolonged Iran conflict could now tilt the balance back toward downgrades. Oil Pries Factor - Oil prices closed at the highest levels in 3 year on Monday Market Metrics In Stupid News - Former world number one Tiger Woods was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence after his Land Rover rolled over on a two-lane road near his Jupiter Island home in Florida on Friday afternoon, the Martin County Sheriff's Office said. - Woods had been overtaking a work truck pulling a trailer at high speed when he clipped the back of it, causing his vehicle to roll onto its driver's side, Sheriff John Budensiek told a press conference. - Tiger crawled out of the passenger door before law enforcement officers arrived. A breathalyzer test at Martin County Jail returned no trace of alcohol, with investigators believing his impairment was drug or medication-related. - Woods charged with DUI, property damage and test refusal (Woods refused to submit to a urine test, an offense that carries a separate charge under Florida law. No injuries were reported to Woods or the driver of the other vehicle.) - Breathalyzer showed no alcohol; impairment believed drug-related - Woods released after spending eight hours in jail Private Credit - Now Blaming ... Private Credit - Private credit industry execs are blaming the industry for not explaining to retail about lock-ups and liquidity. - That is dumb - clearly easy to understand that you cannot get your money unless allowed by the investment firm - - Here is the fact - they would have never got $ from most retinal if they told them they could not get their money readily - so they glossed over it. USPS Surcharge - The U.S. Postal Service plans to impose its first-ever surcharge on packages to cover the rising cost of fuel and transportation, as the agency looks for ways to stabilize its finances. - The 8% surcharge will begin on April 26th Meta Glasses - Meta announced on Tuesday that it's launching two Ray-Ban smart glasses that are designed for prescription wearers. - While many people already use Meta glasses with prescription lenses, the company says these new ones support nearly all prescriptions and are built to better serve people who rely on all-day eyewear. Wearables - Whoop, the fitness and health tracking wearable company, has closed a $575 million Series G funding round at a $10.1 billion valuation — nearly triple its last reported valuation of $3.6 billion — in a deal that brings together sovereign wealth funds, major health institutions, and some of the world's most recognizable athletes. - The round was led by several VC groups, soverign wealth funds as well as THEFT - Cisco has suffered a cyberattack after threat actors used stolen credentials from the recent Trivy supply chain attack to breach its internal development environment and steal source code belonging to the company and its customers. - A source, who asked to remain anonymous, told BleepingComputer that Cisco's Unified Intelligence Center, CSIRT, and EOC teams contained the breach involving a malicious "GitHub Action plugin" from the recent Trivy compromise. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? ANNOUNCING THE CLOSEST TO THE PIN for NETGEAR Winners will be getting great stuff like the new "OFFICIAL" DHUnplugged Shirt! FED AND CRYPTO LIMERICKS See this week's stock picks HERE Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter
The EU Ambassador to the U.S. Jovita Neliupšienė addresses the European Union's growing role as a key defense actor. Framed within the broader context of EU-U.S. relations and NATO, the discussion focuses on shifting European security concerns, particularly in response to Russian aggression. The conversation highlights the EU's strategic perspective and defense dynamics, and showcases its commitment to increased defense spending. About the speaker: Ambassador Jovita Neliupšienė. She became the Ambassador of the European Union to the United States on January 1, 2024. Before that, she was a Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania from September 2022, where she was responsible for the coordination of European Affairs, European bilateral and regional issues, as well as national sanctions coordinator. From 2020-2022, she was Vice Minister of Economy and Innovation of Lithuania, tasked with investment and export promotion, international cooperation, including policy coordination of state-owned enterprises, as well as chairing the interagency commission for export control. In 2020, she held the post of Chancellor and State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania. This position included responsibility for staff coordination, legal and consular affairs. Between 2015-2020, she served as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Lithuania to the EU. These years were marked by the migration crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. From 2009-2015, she worked as an advisor and chief foreign policy advisor to the President of the Republic of Lithuania Ms. Dalia Grybauskaite. She was responsible for foreign policy coordination, inter-institutional relations, as well as the role of sherpa/EU advisor, and in this respect took a leading position in preparing and coordinating the Lithuanian presidency of the EU Council in 2013. In 2014, she was awarded the State Decoration Order ""For Merit to Lithuania"" Commander's Cross. Rear Admiral Henning Faltin. Previous to his posting as military attaché for the EU Delegation, he served as a German Flotilla Commander and Director of the NATO Centre of Excellence for Operations in Confined and Shallow Waters. **Learn more about IWP graduate programs: https://www.iwp.edu/academics/graduate-degree-programs/ ***Make a gift to IWP: https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E231090&id=3
On Europe Today, this Monday, we report on the escalating tensions in the Middle East as Israel signals an expansion of its military campaign. We break down the latest developments, including the humanitarian toll in Lebanon and emergency G7 talks to contain a growing energy shock. Plus, a diplomatic row erupts over Palm Sunday events in Jerusalem and Cyprus navigates its EU Council presidency amid conflict. Our guests include the EU commissioner for the oceans Costas Kadis and the Irish minister for State Timmy Dooley.Europe Today is Euronews' daily podcast hosted by Maria Tadeo and Méabh Mc Mahon, broadcasting directly from Brussels, at the heart of Europe. Every morning, we deliver the top and exclusive stories shaping the European Union (EU) and beyond.Stay ahead with the key news and insights that matter in Europe today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Today's West Coast Cookbook & Speakeasy Podcast for our especially special Daily Special, River City Hash Mondays is now available on the Spreaker Player!Starting off in the Bistro Cafe, two Florida public universities, two Republican student organizations, two racism and antisemitism scandals in the same month.Then, on the rest of the menu, Trump's EPA is paving the way for the return of smog to national parks; an Oath Keeper MAGA sheriff running for California Governor seized 650,000 Riverside County ballots from the recent redistricting election; and, it's not just vaccines, MAGA parents are refusing other routine preventive care for newborns.After the break, we move to the Chef's Table where Prime Minister Tusk says Poland has long suspected Orban's Hungary shared EU Council details with Russia; and, tens of thousands of protesters rallied in Prague against the new government of Czech prime minister and Putin-puppet Babiš.All that and more, on West Coast Cookbook & Speakeasy with Chef de Cuisine Justice Putnam.Bon Appétit!The Netroots Radio Live PlayerKeep Your Resistance Radio Beaming 24/7/365!"I was never a spy. I was with the OSS organization. We had a number of women, but we were all office help." -- Julia ChildBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/west-coast-cookbook-speakeasy--2802999/support.
In this episode, Alice interviews Dr Florence Gaub, Director of the Research Division at the NATO Defense College in Rome. A security expert and futurist, she has held key positions such as deputy director at the EU Institute for Security Studies, foresight advisor at the EU Council, and special advisor to EU Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič. Beginning her career at NATO's Middle East Faculty in 2009, Florence now focuses on strategic foresight and geopolitical trends. Her publications include the bestseller Zukunft: Eine Bedienungsanleitung (2023 – soon to be published in English as Future: A Manual), the EU's Global Trends to 2030 (2019), and The Cauldron: NATO's Libya Operation (2018). Florence serves on the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Complex Risks and is a member of the World Science Fiction Society; and last year, she published a graphic novel, NATO 2099, which we discuss in this episode.To get us started, Florence outlines the work of the Research Division at the NATO Defence College, and we discuss the challenges of looking beyond known and predictable futures. We reflect on the fast pace of change across many domains today, and our collective experience of 'future shock' as we grapple with many different kinds of uncertainty and transition at one time. Florence discusses some of the ways in which war in particular is being transformed, pointing to cognitive warfare, biological warfare and grey war, where distinctions between military and civilian spheres of action become blurred. This leads us to consider the tools we can cultivate to predict the unpredictable. We chat about the power of boredom in prompting us to pay attention to 'weak signals' and the role of imagination in visualising future scenarios. Florence stresses the importance of creative methods, both to foster and to communicate futures thinking. She discusses some of her own initiatives in this space, such as the creation of 'newspapers from the future'; and we delve deep into her graphic novel NATO 2099, which transports readers to a world that our children and grandchildren might inhabit, prompting us to reflect on both technological and human methods of prediction. We hope you enjoy the episode! For a version of our podcast with close captions, please use this link. For more information about individuals and their projects, please visit the University of St Andrews' Visualising War website and the Ancient Peace Studies Network.Music composed by Jonathan YoungSound mixing by Zofia Guertin
As FRANCE 24 covers another grim milestone in Ukraine – four years of full-scale war – Talking Europe hosts the former president of the EU Council, Charles Michel, who was in the job when that geopolitical earthquake struck the European continent on February 24, 2022. We also bring you a special feature, “Ukraine: Europe on the front line”, about the EU's wide-ranging support for Ukraine, by our reporter Mélina Huet.
A version of this essay was published by firstpost.com at https://www.firstpost.com/opinion/india-us-trade-deal-trump-skepticism-13977047.htmlI am beginning to feel quite like ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf', who was destined to be ignored. Or maybe I am the boy who cried ‘The Emperor Has No Clothes'. For, I was skeptical last week about the India-EU FTA, which I called a triumph of hope over experience. Now I am equally skeptical about the so-called India-US trade ‘deal', which in fact is not a deal at all, but a sort-of statement of direction about the way to an actual deal.I expressed my caution on a Malayalam TV program where the host was a retired Ambassador. He was less skeptical than me, but he understood where I was coming from: after all, a diplomat's job is to put the best spin on the news (good or bad) from his country's perspective. And I spent much of my professional career in marketing: I can tell spin when I see it. Reason No. 1: Trump is famous for exaggeration and U-turns.The very first reason for the scepticism about the Indo-US lovefest is that it was announced by President Trump, who, in the past six months, has, in his whimsical way, executed any number of U-turns, as well as Z-turns, and various other pretzel-logic twists, so much so that anything he says, and its opposite, can be equally true, in a quantum Schrodinger's Cat sort of way. It is prudent not to take him at face value when he swears eternal allegiance to India. Again.Quoth he: “It was an Honor to speak with Prime Minister Modi, of India, this morning. He is one of my greatest friends, and a Powerful and Respected Leader of his Country. We spoke about many things, including Trade, and ending the War with Russia and Ukraine. He agreed to stop buying Russian Oil, and to buy much more from the United States and, potentially, Venezuela. This will help END THE WAR in Ukraine, which is taking place right now, with thousands of people dying each and every week! Out of friendship and respect for Prime Minister Modi and, as per his request, effective immediately, we agreed to a Trade Deal between the United States and India, whereby the United States will charge a reduced Reciprocal Tariff, lowering it from 25% to 18%. They will likewise move forward to reduce their Tariffs and Non Tariff Barriers against the United States, to ZERO. The Prime Minister also committed to “BUY AMERICAN,” at a much higher level, in addition to over $500 BILLION DOLLARS of U.S. Energy, Technology, Agricultural, Coal, and many other products. Our amazing relationship with India will be even stronger going forward. Prime Minister Modi and I are two people that GET THINGS DONE, something that cannot be said for most. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”Okay. Very interesting. There has been no Indian readout corroborating a number of these claims, especially on agriculture, which I imagine is a redline, a no-go, for India.Besides, these are supposed to be ‘reciprocal' tariffs. If Indian tariffs go to zero on US products, why is the US imposing 18% on Indian products?Reason No. 2: Desperation of ‘jilted lovers'The ‘shotgun wedding' vibe was present in the India-EU FTA as well: a sort of desperation. There is not much choice: you simply have to do this. I am not the only one saying this. Here is a tweet from a senior EU leader, former PM of Sweden and co-chair of the EU Council for foreign relations. Of course you could say that he would say this, wouldn't he? But it happens to be true. The number of suitors is declining rapidly, so you compromise. But that is not a recipe for the longevity of the relationship, nor for faithfulness. You can expect er… adultery (early and often). The roving eye roveth.Reason No. 3: Agriculture and dairy red-linesWe really don't know much about the fine print. I am aware that sales and marketing people tend to promise anything (even things they are completely aware are impossible) just to get the sale. Thus, when India diversifies away from the US market, and its Q3 numbers are not badly affected by the Trump tariffs, it is incumbent upon Trump and Navarro, Bessent, Lutnick et al to reverse their previous abuse, and be all milk and honey.The problem here, as always, is the agriculture and dairy product front. It is an absolute red line for India: no government can afford to piss off its farmers, nor to open up the country, home of much of the world's genetic diversity, to Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) including Terminator Seeds (that would forever put farmers at the mercy of Cargill and friends).Not only that, non-veg milk (that is, milk from cows that have been fed, among other things, ground-up animal bodies) is abhorrent to a large number of Indians. Not to mention the risk of things like Creuzfeldt-Jakob Disease or mad-cow disease (transmitted via feed that includes the ground-up brains of diseased cattle: see also the fatal brain disease Kuru, transmitted between cannibals in Papua New Guinea).The US rather urgently needs to get rid of its soybean and corn mountains and milk lakes (in contrast with the EU's butter mountain and wine lakes) and in both, exporters salivate at the prospect of the proverbial billion-customer market. (The Chinese expertly used this rather illusory meme to attract foreign makers of consumer goods. That didn't end well).In the case of India, there is no demand for soybeans, and the one place where I can see demand for corn is in ethanol, especially for blending into petrol. That would be a win-win, because it would reduce the need for India to grow highly thirsty sugarcane, thus drawing down the already alarmingly depleted water-table.Reason No. 4: Russian oil and energy in generalThe unseemly pressure over Russian oil raises hackles on the Indian side. After all, this is not the only time India has been pushed to the wall by American sanctions: there was the post-'Buddha is smiling' period, and the prevention of the sale of ex-Soviet cryogenic rocket technology, as immortalized in Nambi Narayanan's story in “Rocketry: The Nambi Effect”. Earlier, there was the embargo on supercomputers.In each of these cases, India rode out the sanctions and denials. But the question arises: why should India not use Russian oil if it makes commercial sense to India? Just because there is a conflict between Russia and Ukraine? That is really not India's problem: India does not have a dog in that fight.Now there is the allegedly impending US attack on Iran. India has been denied Iranian oil for some time, and now under US pressure, it is being forced to ramp down its involvement in Chabahar Port in Iran that India built, and views as a gateway to Central Asia. Notably, China continues to import Iranian crude. Is India getting some relief there?It is not realistic to imagine that large amounts of Venezuelan crude will now flow to India if it abjures the Russian stuff. For one, even though Reliance's Jamnagar refiner can process the heavy, sour Venezuelan oil, it is said that Venezuela will take some time and a lot of money to ramp up its output because of years of neglect, lack of naphtha to dilute and pump out the crude, and so on.Reason No. 5: Non-tariff barriers and subsidies.The US claims that India will drop all its non-tariff barriers, but what is the guarantee that the US will not raise an impenetrable wall on their side? It is a simple matter to impose difficult-to-comply-with rules that basically say “Your products are not welcome”. These may include environmental, carbon tax, quality, and various other demands.For example, there is the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 that insists that only American owned/built/crewed ships can transport goods between US ports. Then there are Buy American Act procurement restrictions that handicap foreign-origin products. Furthermore, quality standards e.g. on hormone-treated meat products, and on certification that seafood is tuna-safe have been used to keep out imported products.The US Farm Bill provides gigantic subsidies for five major crops – corn, soy, wheat, rice and cotton – amounting to $9.3 billion in 2024. Reports suggest that crop insurance and new benefits from the ‘bridge payments' announced in 2025 may add another $10 billion+ to this sum. That is an enormous subsidy, pricing competitors out of the market.Reason No. 6: Loss of trustFinally, there is a sixth and critical reason: the loss of trust. For the longest time, India had convinced itself that it was an essential strategic partner to the US, if for nothing else to contain China. But that illusion is now gone, quite possibly because the US has decided to create a G2 condominium with China and retreat into Fortress America. The US administration now considers India, at best, a transactional vassal, and at worst, a potential rival to apply the Thucydides Trap to: and what better than to do war by economic means? India has to adjust.On the other hand, there are indeed positives. In the interest of fairness, here are the immediate views of Citibank and Bank of America, who both considered it a net positive for India.If you accept the tariff reductions by the US at face value, then India at 18% is doing marginally better than several other nations, including Vietnam, Thailand and Bangladesh. Ironically, Trump's recent best-friend-forever Pakistan is hit with 19%. There was a video circulating showing Raghuram Rajan, the economist who wants to be to Rahul Gandhi who Manmohan Singh was to his mother, gloating earlier that India was suffering from 50% tariffs compared to Pakistan's 19%.That brings up one more observation: the Opposition in India is screaming bloody murder about this supposed India-US ‘deal' not because they claim India is getting a bad deal, but apparently because they think India is getting a good deal. They should see Trump's latest triumph.Opposition, fear not: Trump is making even more entertaining claims about his ‘deal' with Xi. The sum and substance: “Please buy my soybeans”. This, despite the fact that China is the biggest buyer of oil from both Russia (48% of exports) and Iran (80%). Clearly, there is a lot of marketing going on, and it's too early to tell what the reality is. The devil is in the details.1750 words, 5 Feb 2026 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rajeevsrinivasan.substack.com/subscribe
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you'll hear the answer to the question about the difference in “freedom of expression” between the US and the EU. There are your answers to the bonus question on “The Listeners Corner”, and a tasty musical dessert on Erwan Rome's “Music from Erwan”. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll hear the winner's names announced and the week's quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you've grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week. World Radio Day is just around the corner, so it's time for you to record your greetings for our annual World Radio Day programme! WRD is on 13 February; we'll have our celebration the day after, on the 14 February show. The deadline for your recordings is Monday 2 February, which is not far off! Try to keep your greeting to under a minute. You can record on your phone and send it to me as an attachment in an e-mail to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Be sure to record your greeting from underneath a blanket. Then the sound will be truly radiophonic – I mean, you want everyone to understand you, right? Don't miss out on the fun. 2 February is just around the corner, so to your recorders! Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all! Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos. Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you! Our website “Le Français facile avec rfi” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard. Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”, and you'll be counselled on the best-suited activities for your level according to your score. Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you'll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it! Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts! In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more. There's Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, the International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we'll surprise you with! To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you'll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone. To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. NB: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload! This week's quiz: On 13 December, I asked you a question about the then-new US security strategy, which presented Europe as lacking in "self-confidence" and facing "civilizational erasure" due to immigration. You were to re-read our article “EU Council president rejects political influence in US security plan”, and send in the answer to this question: What did the EU Council president, Antonio Costa, say about the difference in the idea of “free speech” between Europe and the United States? The answer is, to quote our article: "The United States cannot replace Europe in what its vision is of freedom of expression,” Costa said. "There is no freedom of speech if citizens' freedom of information is sacrificed to defend the techno oligarchs in the United States." In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by RFI Listeners Club member Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India. Jayanta's question was: “What inspiring act have you witnessed that could motivate a nation or society?” Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us! The winners are: RFI English listener Khizar Hayat Shah from Punjab, Pakistan. Khizar is also the winner of this week's bonus question. Congratulations on your double win, Khizar. Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Faheem Noor, the president of the World United RFI Listeners Organization in Nankana Sahib, Pakistan, and RFI Listeners Club members Solomon Fessahazion from Asmara, Eritrea, as well as Deekay Dimple from Assam, India. Last but not least, there's RFI English listener Liton Hossain Khan from Naogaon in Bangladesh. Congratulations winners! Here's the music you heard on this week's programme: “Scherzo” from the Piano Quintet in G minor, Op. 57, by Dmitri Shostakovich, performed by the Quintetto Chigiano; “What's Going On?” by Marvin Gaye, Al Cleveland, and Reynaldo Benson, performed by Marvin Gaye; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children's Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “ Pithecanthropus Erectus” by Charles Mingus, performed by Mingus and his ensemble. Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr This week's question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you've listened to the show, tune into Alison Hird's report on alternative retirement living on the “Spotlight on France” podcast number 138 (Reinventing retirement, saving a Paris cinema, counting the French), which will help you with the answer. You have until 23 February to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 28 February podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: english.service@rfi.fr or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France Click here to find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize. Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
After the presidents of the EU Commission and EU Council signed a free trade deal in New Delhi with India's Prime Minister this Tuesday, we take a look at what the pact actually entails. Tariffs will be reduced on a large number of goods going both ways, but some sectors will remain protected. Both sides are looking to further diversify their trade relationships as Donald Trump's global tariff war upends commercial flows.
A majority of EU member states have voted in favour of a landmark free trade deal with Latin American countries. The Mercosur agreement has been 25 years in the making, and its supporters are adamant that it will assert Europe's geostrategic position and benefit consumers. But despite the green light from the EU Council, Mercosur continues to face opposition from countries such as France, as well as from many farmers in the EU. Meanwhile, the European Parliament still has to have its final say. We discuss the deal with two MEPs.
With Ireland assuming the rotating Presidency of the EU Council from July, what are some things we can expect will be on its agenda? Joining Seán to discuss why the EU Presidency will be pivotal for our domestic and foreign policy is Andrew Forde…
With Ireland assuming the rotating Presidency of the EU Council from July, what are some things we can expect will be on its agenda? Joining Seán to discuss why the EU Presidency will be pivotal for our domestic and foreign policy is Andrew Forde…
Hello and welcome to episode 211 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast. I am Chris Kirkbride. In this episode, the US seizes a crude oil tanker linked to an oil shipping network supporting Hizballah and Iran's IRGC-Qods Force, while the EU Council sanctioned nine shadow fleet enablers and twelve individuals and two entities involved in hybrid threats, cyberattacks, and foreign information manipulation against Ukraine and NATO allies. We also reflect on geopolitical shifts, as the US Treasury lifted Global Magnitsky sanctions against Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes following political negotiations, and the UK designated four Sudanese RSF commanders for grave humanitarian law violations in Darfur. On other financial crime threats, the conviction of three City fund managers in a £11.4 million fraud targeting Libya's sovereign wealth fund, the FATF flagging serious effectiveness weaknesses in Belgium's fight against money laundering, and the US Treasury warning consumers about a surge in AI-enabled cyber scams during the holiday season. Finally, we look at regulatory action, as the UK's FCA launched a consultation to bring a market abuse regime and disclosure requirements to cryptoassets, and the ICO fined LastPass £1.2 million for a 2022 data breach impacting 1.6 million UK users.A transcript of this podcast, with links to the stories, will be available at www.crimes.financial.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you'll hear the answer to the question about the water hyacinths in Ghana. There's The Sound Kitchen mailbag, your answers to the bonus question on “The Listeners Corner” with Paul Myers, and a tasty musical dessert on Erwan Rome's “Music from Erwan”. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll hear the winner's names announced and the week's quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you've grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week. Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all! Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos. Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you! Our website “Le Français facile avec rfi” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard. Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”, and you'll be counselled on the best-suited activities for your level according to your score. Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you'll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it! Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts! In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more. There's Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, the International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we'll surprise you with! To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you'll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone. To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload! This week's quiz: On 8 November, I asked you a question about an article sent to us by RFI English correspondent Michael Sarpong Mfum, who reports for us from Ghana. His article, “Invasive water hyacinths choke wildlife and livelihoods in southern Ghana”, is about the water hyacinth, a free-floating aquatic plant native to the Amazon River basin in South America. It's also one of the world's most invasive species. The water hyacinth has found its way to Ghana, notably Lake Volta, a vast reservoir behind a hydroelectric dam that generates much of the country's power. Your question was: What are the consequences for Ghana's Eastern and Volta regions from this hyacinth invasion? What did Jewel Kudjawu, the director of the EPA's Intersectoral Network Department, warn about? The answer is, to quote Michael's article: “Jewel Kudjawu, director of the EPA's Intersectoral Network Department, warned that the weed's uncontrolled growth has dire consequences for aquatic life, fishing communities and hydropower production.” In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: What was the best week of your life? Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us! The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Radhakrishna Pillai from Kerala State, India. Radhakrishna is also the winner of this week's bonus question. Congratulations on your double win, Radhakrishna. Be sure and look at The Sound Kitchen and the RFI English Listeners Forum Facebook pages to see the stamps from Bhutan with Radhakrishna's picture! Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Debjani Biswas, a member of the RFI Pariwar Bandhu SWL Club in Chhattisgarh, India, and RFI Listeners Club member Mahfuzur Rahman from Cumilla, Bangladesh. Rounding out the list are RFI English listeners Shihabur Rahaman Sadman from Naogaon, Bangladesh, and Bashir Ahmad, a member of the International Radio Fan and Youth Club in Khanewal, Pakistan. Congratulations winners! Here's the music you heard on this week's programme: Music for the Royal Fireworks by George Frederick Handel, performed by Le Concert des Nations conducted by Jordi Savall; “Igbo Highlife”, produced by Mr. Zion; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children's Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Lança Perfume” by Roberto de Carvalho and Rita Lee, sung by Rita Lee. Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr This week's question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you've listened to the show, re-read Jan van der Made's article “EU Council president rejects political influence in US security plan”, which will help you with the answer. You have until 26 January to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 31 January podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: english.service@rfi.fr or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France Click here to find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize. Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
The Cost of Underfunding Science Almost 40 years ago the interviewer read a paper on how Europe lacked behind in science and how an economic deficit compared to USA and Japan was building up year year after year. In the year 2000 Minister Mariano Gago mobilised the EU Council of Ministers to agree on an investment scheme for public research suggesting a minimum of 1% of GDP . This was followed by a recommendation of 2% private investment. Further inputs came with the Sapir Report in 2003 And the establishment of European Research Council (2007) Now Europe is discussing the Mario Draghi report (2024) But most European countries are still underspending in their funding for science. The interview is with former Head of Communication at the European Science Foundation Jens Degett and former President of the European Research Council Jean Pierre Bourguignon.
The EU Council insists that the EU must leave next month's COP30 climate summit in Brazil with a clear path forward to keeping a lid on 1.5°C of warming. But is that target already out of reach? Our guest says that the world is actually on course for 2.9°C of warming, and that the international community is failing to live up to the promise of the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement. Isabella Lövin is a prominent Green MEP, a former minister for the environment and climate in the Swedish government, a former minister for international development cooperation, and a former deputy prime minister of Sweden.
Shona Murray Europe Correspondent for Euronews Scott Lucas, Professor of US and International Politics at Clinton Institute in UCD
Noelle O'Connell, CEO, European Movement Ireland
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has criticised the Taoiseach for saying Brussels should crack down on what he termed Hungary's "abuse of vetoes" at EU Council meetings. We hear from Shona Murray, Europe Correspondent for Euronews, and Fianna Fail MEP Billy Kelleher.
Europe's self-care industry leaders, policymakers and stakeholders are heading to Warsaw, Poland between the 4th and 6th June this year for the Association of the European Self-Care Industry's 61st Annual Meeting. With Poland heading up the EU Council and the country being one of the largest and most self-care friendly markets in Europe, the location made sense, explains AESGP director general Jurate Švarcaite, in this episode of Over the Counter. As always, there's a jam-packed line up for the event, which every year sets the agenda for industry in the months to come. Highlights for Jurate include sessions on the role of prevention in self-care and the competitiveness of European industry on the world stage. I'm personally also looking forward to discussions about how industry will square the circle of sustainability, with medicines posing unique challenges for both regulators and manufacturers. Sign up for AESGP's 61st Annual Meeting: https://aesgp.eu/events/61st-aesgp-annual-meeting
Today, 6th of March 2025, Brussels is set for yet another day of critical discussions. EU heads of state are gathering in Europe's Capital for a much-awaited Special European Council. On the agenda? Nothing less than how the EU will act amidst a geopolitical crisis which has seen US President Donald Trump cornering Ukraine's Volodimir Zelensky, almost forcing the latter into a peace deal negotiation with Vladimir Putin. So, what's going to happen in Brussels today? And why is this meeting so special?Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.Production: By Europod, in co-production with Sphera Network.Follow us on: LinkedIn and Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The upcoming presidential elections, the visit of a Belarusian opposition leader, a new civil partnership legislation, an investigation into the emergency medical team in Wrocław, death threats against the head of WOŚP, and much more!Thanks for tuning in!Let us know what you think and what we can improve on by emailing us at info@rorshok.com You can also contact us on Twitter & Instagram @rorshokpoland Like what you hear? Subscribe, share, and tell your buds.We want to get to know you! Please fill in this mini-survey: https://forms.gle/NV3h5jN13cRDp2r66Wanna avoid ads and help us financially? Follow the link: https://bit.ly/rorshok-donate
Comparing the EU to the Soviet Union, an analysis of migration trends in Georgia, Russia placing a Georgian citizen on a wanted list, updated political party ratings, expanding the visa-free regime for Georgians, and much more! Thanks for tuning in!Let us know what you think and what we can improve on by emailing us at info@rorshok.com You can also contact us through Instagram @rorshok_georgia or Twitter @RorshokGeorgiaLike what you hear? Subscribe, share, and tell your buds. We want to get to know you! Please fill in this mini-survey: https://forms.gle/NV3h5jN13cRDp2r66Wanna avoid ads and help us financially? Follow the link: https://bit.ly/rorshok-donate
NATO's Washington summit takes place amid growing uncertainty about US leadership, and some of Russia's heaviest missile attacks on Ukraine since the start of the war. Bronwen Maddox is joined by two former US ambassadors to NATO, Kurt Volker and Ivo Daalder, to discuss the challenges facing the alliance. With them is The Telegraph's Roland Oliphant and Chatham House's Armida van Rij. Read our latest: As NATO leaders gather, Putin has been making peace proposals – why? Orbán is using Hungary's EU Council presidency to bulldoze EU norms China's third plenum marks a sea change in growth model Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast
Viktor Orban has been taking secret flights. Dodging the CIA's aviation monitoring to jet into Moscow. The Hungarian honcho is now fashioning himself as a shuttle diplomat in the Russo-Ukranian War, just as his country takes the rotating Presidency of the EU Council. What was the goal of this clandestine trip? And did he still get the air miles? Meanwhile, in the French parliamentary elections, Emmanuel Macron's calculation was effectively like the old puzzle about a man who has to get a fox, a chicken and a bag of grain from one side of a river to another. Today, he's like a man stood on the far bank of a river watching a fox murder a chicken as it swallows all the grain. Whoops. Finally, in Britain the maths was easy. An epochal nuking for the Tories has brought Labour to power on a one-word slogan of Change. But with the coffers bare, is the change Starmer's looking for spare? *** Be excellent to each other, and -Get us on Twitter. On Patreon. On Youtube. Or on our Substack.
AT&T Landlines, US Bans Kaspersky and DJI Microsoft delays Recall after security concerns, and asks Windows Insiders for help I just ordered the cheapest Surface Pro option - why I (probably) won't regret it Biden bans US sales of Kaspersky software over Russia ties The DJI Drone Ban: A Uniquely American Clusterf*ck Surgeon General: Social Media Platforms Need a Health Warning The Surgeon General Is Wrong. Social Media Doesn't Need Warning Labels LAUSD approves cellphone ban as Newsom calls for statewide action EU Council has withdrawn the vote on Chat Control US sues Adobe for hiding termination fees and making it difficult to cancel subscriptions Apple Won't Roll Out AI Tech In EU Market Over Regulatory Concerns AT&T can't hang up on landline phone customers, California agency rules Amazon mulls $5 to $10 monthly price tag for unprofitable Alexa service, AI revamp What Game of Thrones did to the media Elon Musk Tweeted a Thing This Old House' Pays Tribute to Creator Russell Morash Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Amanda Silberling, Louise Matsakis, and Ed Bott Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: NetSuite.com/TWIT eufy.com canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT wix.com/studio expressvpn.com/twit
AT&T Landlines, US Bans Kaspersky and DJI Microsoft delays Recall after security concerns, and asks Windows Insiders for help I just ordered the cheapest Surface Pro option - why I (probably) won't regret it Biden bans US sales of Kaspersky software over Russia ties The DJI Drone Ban: A Uniquely American Clusterf*ck Surgeon General: Social Media Platforms Need a Health Warning The Surgeon General Is Wrong. Social Media Doesn't Need Warning Labels LAUSD approves cellphone ban as Newsom calls for statewide action EU Council has withdrawn the vote on Chat Control US sues Adobe for hiding termination fees and making it difficult to cancel subscriptions Apple Won't Roll Out AI Tech In EU Market Over Regulatory Concerns AT&T can't hang up on landline phone customers, California agency rules Amazon mulls $5 to $10 monthly price tag for unprofitable Alexa service, AI revamp What Game of Thrones did to the media Elon Musk Tweeted a Thing This Old House' Pays Tribute to Creator Russell Morash Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Amanda Silberling, Louise Matsakis, and Ed Bott Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: NetSuite.com/TWIT eufy.com canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT wix.com/studio expressvpn.com/twit
AT&T Landlines, US Bans Kaspersky and DJI Microsoft delays Recall after security concerns, and asks Windows Insiders for help I just ordered the cheapest Surface Pro option - why I (probably) won't regret it Biden bans US sales of Kaspersky software over Russia ties The DJI Drone Ban: A Uniquely American Clusterf*ck Surgeon General: Social Media Platforms Need a Health Warning The Surgeon General Is Wrong. Social Media Doesn't Need Warning Labels LAUSD approves cellphone ban as Newsom calls for statewide action EU Council has withdrawn the vote on Chat Control US sues Adobe for hiding termination fees and making it difficult to cancel subscriptions Apple Won't Roll Out AI Tech In EU Market Over Regulatory Concerns AT&T can't hang up on landline phone customers, California agency rules Amazon mulls $5 to $10 monthly price tag for unprofitable Alexa service, AI revamp What Game of Thrones did to the media Elon Musk Tweeted a Thing This Old House' Pays Tribute to Creator Russell Morash Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Amanda Silberling, Louise Matsakis, and Ed Bott Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: NetSuite.com/TWIT eufy.com canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT wix.com/studio expressvpn.com/twit
AT&T Landlines, US Bans Kaspersky and DJI Microsoft delays Recall after security concerns, and asks Windows Insiders for help I just ordered the cheapest Surface Pro option - why I (probably) won't regret it Biden bans US sales of Kaspersky software over Russia ties The DJI Drone Ban: A Uniquely American Clusterf*ck Surgeon General: Social Media Platforms Need a Health Warning The Surgeon General Is Wrong. Social Media Doesn't Need Warning Labels LAUSD approves cellphone ban as Newsom calls for statewide action EU Council has withdrawn the vote on Chat Control US sues Adobe for hiding termination fees and making it difficult to cancel subscriptions Apple Won't Roll Out AI Tech In EU Market Over Regulatory Concerns AT&T can't hang up on landline phone customers, California agency rules Amazon mulls $5 to $10 monthly price tag for unprofitable Alexa service, AI revamp What Game of Thrones did to the media Elon Musk Tweeted a Thing This Old House' Pays Tribute to Creator Russell Morash Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Amanda Silberling, Louise Matsakis, and Ed Bott Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: NetSuite.com/TWIT eufy.com canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT wix.com/studio expressvpn.com/twit
AT&T Landlines, US Bans Kaspersky and DJI Microsoft delays Recall after security concerns, and asks Windows Insiders for help I just ordered the cheapest Surface Pro option - why I (probably) won't regret it Biden bans US sales of Kaspersky software over Russia ties The DJI Drone Ban: A Uniquely American Clusterf*ck Surgeon General: Social Media Platforms Need a Health Warning The Surgeon General Is Wrong. Social Media Doesn't Need Warning Labels LAUSD approves cellphone ban as Newsom calls for statewide action EU Council has withdrawn the vote on Chat Control US sues Adobe for hiding termination fees and making it difficult to cancel subscriptions Apple Won't Roll Out AI Tech In EU Market Over Regulatory Concerns AT&T can't hang up on landline phone customers, California agency rules Amazon mulls $5 to $10 monthly price tag for unprofitable Alexa service, AI revamp What Game of Thrones did to the media Elon Musk Tweeted a Thing This Old House' Pays Tribute to Creator Russell Morash Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Amanda Silberling, Louise Matsakis, and Ed Bott Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: NetSuite.com/TWIT eufy.com canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT wix.com/studio expressvpn.com/twit
This is a recap of the top 10 posts on Hacker News on June 20th, 2024.This podcast was generated by wondercraft.ai(00:36): EU Council has withdrawn the vote on Chat ControlOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40736771&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(01:50): Tetris FontOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40737294&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(02:55): Claude 3.5 SonnetOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40738916&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(04:06): Gilead shot prevents all HIV cases in trialOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40742163&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(05:19): More disabled Americans are employed, thanks to remote workOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40742026&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(06:32): Small claims court became Meta's customer service hotlineOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40741197&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(07:48): Free software hijacked Philip Hazel's lifeOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40736577&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(08:56): Donald Sutherland has diedOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40741672&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(10:05): Oldest white wine in the world found in a first-century tomb in SpainOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40735743&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(11:11): NPM and NodeJS should do more to make ES Modules easy to useOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40737508&utm_source=wondercraft_aiThis is a third-party project, independent from HN and YC. Text and audio generated using AI, by wondercraft.ai. Create your own studio quality podcast with text as the only input in seconds at app.wondercraft.ai. Issues or feedback? We'd love to hear from you: team@wondercraft.ai
This is a recap of the top 10 posts on Hacker News on June 19th, 2024.This podcast was generated by wondercraft.ai(00:32): Safe Superintelligence Inc.Original post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40730156&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(01:40): Fast Crimes at Lambda SchoolOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40729501&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(02:45): Neofetch developer archives all his repositories: "Have taken up farming"Original post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40726974&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(03:46): Please don't mention AI againOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40725329&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(05:07): EU Council to Vote on Chat Scanning Proposal on ThursdayOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40725983&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(06:23): 1/25-scale Cray C90 wristwatchOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40729906&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(07:37): X debut 40 years ago (1984)Original post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40731922&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(08:45): ExectOS – brand new operating system which derives from NT architectureOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40725451&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(10:00): Monitoring marine litter from spaceOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40726426&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(11:07): The demise of the mildly dynamic website (2022)Original post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40729671&utm_source=wondercraft_aiThis is a third-party project, independent from HN and YC. Text and audio generated using AI, by wondercraft.ai. Create your own studio quality podcast with text as the only input in seconds at app.wondercraft.ai. Issues or feedback? We'd love to hear from you: team@wondercraft.ai
The first 500 people to use my link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare: https://skl.sh/tldrnewseu1023Welcome to the TLDR News Daily BriefingIn today's episode, we run through the escalating tensions between Israel & Hezbollah. Also, we discuss Putin's trip to North Korea; Hungary's new slogan for EU Council presidency; & Nvidia becomes world's most valuable company.
G7 nations agree on a $50bn aid package to Ukraine, using frozen Russian assets to underwrite the deal. We are live in Bari for the latest where EU Council President Charles Michel tells CNBC that Russia must pay up for its invasion of the country. In Asia, the yen slides as the BoJ keeps rates on hold but signals that quantitative tightening is on the way. Tesla shareholders approve CEO Elon Musk's $56bn pay package for the second time to make it the largest public company compensation in history. In the UK, the Labour Party unveils its election manifesto with pledges on the economy at its core. A new YouGov poll puts Reform in second place ahead of the incumbent Conservative Party.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
On this week of Serious Privacy, Paul Breitbarth of Catawiki and Dr. K Royal discuss a hot week in privacy! Topics include the amendment of Colorado's privacy act to include protecting children, CT's AI bill did not pass, but the TikTok bill was rolled not a foreign aid bill. ByteDance is ordered to divest themselves of TikTok by January 19, 2025 with the allowance for a 90 days extension. But Bytedance has already filed a suit in the DC Court of Appeals and no matter what the outcome is, it will likely be appealed to the US Supreme Court - so regardless of constitutional arguments, it likely won't see action as long as it moves through the court system. Germany appointed a new data protection commissioner. We also discussed Global CBPRs and BCRs - along with guidance from the CNIL on BCRs. There was developments about the EU Council approved a protocol for the freeflow of data in Japan and in Kenya, there was also a big privacy event because the Pan African Network of Data Protection Authorities held their annual general meeting and as part of that event Kenya's cabinet secretary for ICT and digital economy called for digital sovereignty and data governance in Africa.A lot happened this week and this only scrapes the surface! If you have comments or questions, find us on LinkedIn and IG @seriousprivacy @podcastprivacy @euroPaulB @heartofprivacy and email podcast@seriousprivacy.eu. Rate and Review us! Proudly sponsored by TrustArc. Learn more about NymityAI at https://trustarc.com/nymityai-beta/ #heartofprivacy #europaulb #seriousprivacy #privacy #dataprotection #cybersecuritylaw #CPO #DPO #CISO
Tony Connelly, Europe Editor, looks ahead to what's on the agenda for Simon Harris' first EU Council summit as Taoiseach.
Nick and Ciarán determine who in the EU council has what it takes, to beat each other in a fight HOW TO SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/cornerspaeti HOW TO REACH US: Corner Späti https://twitter.com/cornerspaeti Julia https://twitter.com/KMarxiana Rob https://twitter.com/leninkraft Nick https://twitter.com/sternburgpapi Uma https://twitter.com/umawrnkl Ciarán https://twitter.com/CiaranDold
Jennifer Bray and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan for the final weekly politics wrap of 2023.Jennifer Bray is dialling in from Brussels, where the EU Council summit has been taking place, with national leaders meeting to discuss difficult issues including the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. And Pat fails miserably to tell the political story of 2023 in 60 seconds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Senator Wyden blocks the Senate vote on the new NSA and Cyber Command lead. GPS interference is attributed to Iran. Meta identifies and removes Chinese and Russian accounts and groups for coordinated inauthenticity. The EU Council president proposes ‘European cyber force' with ‘offensive capabilities'. Twisted Spider is observed conducting new ransomware campaigns. Staples sustains a cyberattack. Apple releases security updates for two actively exploited zero-days. On today's Mr. Security Answer Person segment, John Pescatore joins us to talk about Microsoft's Secure Future Initiative. And how can you tell if your bot is involved in insider trading? CyberWire Guests On today's Mr. Security Answer Person segment, John Pescatore joins us to talk about Microsoft's Secure Future Initiative. For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news briefing: https://thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/12/228 Selected Reading Wyden to block Senate vote on new NSA, Cyber Command lead (Politico) Meaconing, Intrusion, Jamming, and Interference Reporting (Federation of American Scientists) Commercial Flights Are Experiencing 'Unthinkable' GPS Attacks and Nobody Knows What to Do (Vice) GPS Spoofing Traced To Iran (Location Business News) Adversarial Threat Report, Third Quarter 2023 (Meta) EU Council president proposes ‘European cyber force' with ‘offensive capabilities' (The Record) Microsoft warns of new ransomware campaign by Twisted Spider group (Computing) Staples confirms cyberattack behind service outages, delivery issues (BleepingComputer) Technical Report: Large Language Models can Strategically Deceive their Users when Put Under Pressure (Cornell University) Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here's our media kit. Contact us at cyberwire@n2k.com to request more info. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © 2023 N2K Networks, Inc.
This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Friday, April 14th, 2023. Fight Laugh Feast Magazine Our Fight Laugh Feast Magazine is a quarterly issue that packs a punch like a 21 year Balvenie, no ice. We don’t water down our scotch, why would we water down our theology? Order a yearly subscription for yourself and then send a couple yearly subscriptions to your friends who have been drinking luke-warm evangelical cool-aid. Every quarter we promise quality food for the soul, wine for the heart, and some Red Bull for turning over tables. Our magazine will include cultural commentary, a Psalm of the quarter, recipes for feasting, laughter sprinkled through out the glossy pages, and more. Sign up today, at fightlaughfeast.com. https://www.foxnews.com/us/texas-dairy-explosion-leaves-least-18000-cattle-dead-person-critically-injured Texas dairy explosion leaves at least 18,000 cattle dead, 1 person critically injured Approximately 18,000 cows were killed, and one person was critically injured, in an explosion at a dairy farm in the Texas Panhandle on Monday. The Castro County Sheriff’s Office confirmed with Fox News Digital that the cows were in a holding area before being brought in for milking when the blast occurred at the Southfork Dairy Farm in Dimmitt. Very few cows in the holding area survived, officials told local outlet KFDA. Police said they received eight calls just before 7:30 p.m. Monday about an explosion and fire. Callers said some employees were trapped inside the milking building. When law enforcement officials arrived at the dairy farm, they determined only a woman was trapped in the dairy building. Officials said the trapped individual was rescued from the building and airlifted to UMC Hospital in Lubbock for treatment. Lubbock is located about 80 miles from Dimmitt. Officials said all the other dairy employees were accounted for and were safe. The Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/community-family/legal-abortions-fell-post-roe Legal abortions fell 6% in six months after Supreme Court overturned Roe Legal abortions in the United States dropped more than 6% in the six months after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade , a testament to the new rules and regulations that now vary from state to state. A new report released by the Society of Family Planning, called the "#WeCount" report, determined that there were 32,260 fewer abortions from July to December 2022 when compared to data taken in April and May. In the months post-Dobbs v. Jackson's Women's Health Organization decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade in June, there were an average of 5,377 fewer abortions per month. Telehealth abortions provided through virtual clinics have increased every month since pre-Dobbs in April, and by December, the appointments represented 9% of all abortions across the six months post-Dobbs. The organization found that the effect of the Dobbs decision is based on state abortion policies. States with bans in place witnessed a total of 43,410 fewer people cumulatively having abortions. On the other side, states that permitted abortion access following the end of Roe v. Wade saw a total of 11,150 more people who had abortions. By Dec. 31, 13 states had banned abortion with almost no exceptions, and Georgia imposed a six-week ban. In Georgia, the number of abortions decreased by 40%, according to the report. Florida saw 1,200 more abortions in the months post-Dobbs because state law currently permits abortions up to 15 weeks. The Sunshine State is inching closer to a six-week ban after the state Senate passed the legislation , sending it to the House, where it is also expected to pass, and eventually Gov. Ron DeSantis's (R-FL) desk, where he is likely to sign it. The Dobbs decision also pushed thousands of women to travel long distances to obtain abortions if their home states had restrictions. The report showed that the number of abortions increased significantly in states that have solidified abortion access and are located near states with bans, the largest increases occurring in Florida, Illinois, and North Carolina. Abortions declined significantly in places where the courts overturned proposed bans, such as Arizona and Ohio. Several clinics in Arizona, which allows abortions up to 15 weeks, temporarily shut down while the court determined whether the near total ban that predated Arizona's statehood could be enforced. Eventually, the court ruled that the 15-week ban overruled the near-total ban and went into effect in December 2022. The number of abortions per month in Arizona dropped 85% to 230 between April and July and shot back up to 870 by December, according to the report. In Ohio, a six-week ban went into effect after the Dobbs decision. In that time, the number of abortions dropped 62% from before Dobbs to 790. However, a judge halted the six-week ban, and abortions are now legal up to 22 weeks of pregnancy. The number of abortions now sits at over 1,400 per month. Pro-abortion activists in Ohio created a committee in December to explore putting abortion on the ballot , and in March, the Ohio Ballot Board certified the language of the proposed ballot initiative that would enshrine abortion in the state constitution. https://www.politico.eu/article/euco-eu-crosses-into-the-border-fence-game-migration/ EU vows more cash for frontier policing as border fence debate revives The EU that once largely dismissed border walls as a crude Trumpian solution is vowing to channel “substantial” funds into frontier guards and surveillance equipment, as countries ramp up calls for help paying for their border fences. For several hours at an EU Council summit on Thursday, the only show in town was Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Then the Ukrainian leader left, and a well-worn clash over migration instantly returned. There were stark signs that the bloc’s stance is hardening. Well into the early hours of Friday morning, EU leaders made proposal after proposal, all seeking to stem the rise in people arriving to the Continent outside legal channels. Some wanted Brussels to help pay for border fences. Others stressed a focus on returning rejected asylum seekers. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at one point tried to calm passions, according to one official familiar with the discussion. Did the EU want to turn itself into a fortress? Walls, simply put, do not work, he said, pointing to the U.S.-Mexico border, where a fractious debate over a wall hasn’t abated crossings. Ultimately, however, Scholz and the other EU leaders did back more stringent EU border control methods — an indication of how the EU has toughened its stance on the subject since the apex of the 2015-2016 Syrian refugee crisis. Border fences, especially, were once anathema in much of Europe, treated as a blunt instrument meant more for show than practical use. But a growing coalition of EU countries has now built such barriers, with some wanting Brussels to help pay for more. And while EU officials won’t cross the red line into fence funding, they usually agree to fund surveillance technology and border guards. As EU leaders went round and round, Austria led the pack in pushing for more border resources from Brussels. The country has experienced an increase in migrants arriving through the Western Balkans, often crossing from Serbia into Hungary and then into Austria. At Thursday’s summit, the country got its preferred language into the final statement, which implores the Commission “to immediately mobilise substantial EU funds and means” to help countries bolster their “border protection capabilities and infrastructure.” The statement specifically referenced “surveillance, including aerial surveillance, and equipment.” After the leaders broke up around 3 a.m., Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer lauded the result, which may be the EU’s strongest language yet on the issue. Bulgaria has been a particular focus for Austria. It wants the EU to help reinforce a fence between the EU border country and Turkey, a project it pegs at €2 billion. But the Commission has cautioned that it only has €3 billion left for all fence-related projects, according to multiple diplomats. Austria was not the only country stumping for more border funding. A clutch of countries including Hungary, Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Greece signed a letter backing tougher border measures on the eve of the summit. The missive echoed a similar letter from October 2021 that saw 12 member states asking the European Commission to let EU cash go toward border barriers. Von der Leyen, who opposes the EU entering the fence-funding business, said after the meeting that leaders had only agreed to use EU money for infrastructure like cameras, watch towers and vehicles. She even made a point of mentioning that an existing fence the EU was looking to rehab “doesn’t function” since it doesn’t have adequate personnel and surveillance equipment. The effort is part of a series of “pilot projects” von der Leyen said the EU would launch to illustrate, among other things, how an ideal border would process asylum seekers. https://www.conservativereview.com/trans-teacher-allegedly-threatened-to-shoot-students-and-parents-say-the-middle-school-failed-to-notify-them-2659853038.html Trans teacher allegedly threatened to shoot students, and parents say the middle school failed to notify them Parents with children attending Fox Chapel Middle School in Hernando County, Florida, told the Daily Caller News Foundation that school officials failed to notify them after a transgender teacher allegedly threatened to shoot and kill students. Assistant Principal Kerry Thornton and guidance counselor Kimberly Walby contacted the middle school’s resource officer on March 24 to file an incident report regarding a teacher allegedly expressing thoughts about suicidal ideation and possibly shooting students. The report, obtained by Moms for Liberty’s Hernando County chapter, stated that Alexander Renczkowski, a biologically male teacher who identifies as female and goes by the name Ashlee, had confessed to having “bad thoughts” but denied threatening to harm students. According to the report, the teacher stated that “she does not want to harm herself.” Authorities then confiscated three firearms and ammunition from Renczkowski’s home, the report noted. After conducting a threat assessment, Hernando County School District’s mental health coordinator, Sandra Hurst, found that the teacher did not meet the criteria to be involuntarily institutionalized for mental illness under Florida’s Baker Act law, the report added. Renczkowski was reportedly allowed back into the classroom the next day. Several parents told the DCNF that they learned about the incident from a local reporter, not the school. According to the parents, the school did not contact them until 17 days after the report was filed and the news had already circulated. Hernando County Sheriff’s Office released a statement Wednesday about the March incident. “On 03-24-23, the HCSO was notified of, and did investigate, an event at Fox Chapel Middle School,” the sheriff’s office said. “The investigation revealed that no criminal offense(s) occurred; therefore, no arrest(s) could be made. Further, deputies found that the individual did not, at that moment, meet the required criteria for involuntary commitment under the Baker Act.” The sheriff’s office noted that the teacher cooperated with law enforcement to hand over all firearms. The Hernando County School District, Fox Chapel Middle School, and Alexander Renczkowski did not respond to requests for comment, the DCNF reported. https://dailycaller.com/2023/04/12/south-korea-ammunition-biden-administraiton-ukraine/ US Gets 500,000 Artillery Shells On Loan From South Korea To Fill Plummeting Stocks The U.S. reached an agreement last month to obtain 500,000 rounds of 155 mm artillery shells on loan from South Korea, Reuters reported Wednesday, citing a South Korean newspaper. U.S. stocks of the 155 mm round, which see a high level of consumption on the battlefield in Ukraine, have fallen to critically low levels, and the Biden administration sought artillery ammunition from South Korea in March, according to documents seen by the DCNF. South Korea will “lend” the shells to the U.S. rather than selling to avoid the possibility of those shells being delivered to Ukraine in a future assistance package, thereby violating a South Korean policy against supplying lethal items to countries at war, the DongA Ilbo outlet reported, citing government sources, according to Reuters. South Korea’s defense ministry told Reuters that Seoul and allies are exploring a variety of ways to provide Ukraine with much needed munitions but did not speak to specific discussions or agreements. The U.S. for the first time struck a deal with South Korea to purchase 100,000 155 mm rounds for ultimate delivery to Ukraine in November. Routing the deal through the U.S. allowed South Korea to avoid complicity in Ukraine’s attacks on Russian forces, Reuters and The Wall Street Journal reported, citing U.S. officials familiar with the matter. The shells will primarily serve to backfill U.S. stockpiles, DongA Ilbo reported, according to Reuters. News of the agreement comes after leaked Pentagon documents from March described a conversation between two South Korean national security officials about potentially routing artillery through Poland — alarming officials and prompting Seoul to confront Washington about the disclosure, Reuters reported. The South Korean president’s office affirmed the leaked documents would not damage relations with the U.S., The New York Times reported. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup agreed in a phone call Tuesday that “quite a few of the documents in question were fabricated.” So far, the country has declined to provide overt military assistance to Ukraine, citing its own precarious security situation as its northern neighbor has not relented on threats against Seoul’s sovereignty, according to Reuters. However, Seoul is one of the U.S. key allies in Asia and a large ammunition producer. The U.S. has sent more than 1.5 million 155 mm shells for the Howitzer system to Ukraine, as well as an additional 6,500 GPS-guided rounds, according to a fact sheet that was accurate as of April 4. For comparison, the U.S. produces about 15,000 rounds per month, the NYT reported.
© 2020-2026 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
