Podcasts about European Council

US to probe China's 2020 trade compliance while Trump has "terminated" all trade talks with CanadaDespite this, APAC bourses firmer as the region focuses on confirmation of a Trump-Xi meeting next weekDXY firmer but rangebound, USD/JPY tested 153.00Fixed benchmarks remain subdued, USTs await CPICrude pulled back from Thursday's rally, XAU is indecisiveLooking ahead, highlights include UK Retail Sales (Sep), EZ, UK & US Flash PMIs (Oct), US CPI (Sep), (Suspended Releases: US Build Permits & US New Home Sales), CBR Policy Announcement, European Council (23rd-24th), Moody's Credit Review on France, Speakers including ECB's Cipollone & Nagel, Earnings from NatWest, Porsche, Sanofi, Eni, Saab, Procter & GambleClick for the Newsquawk Week Ahead.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

US to probe China's 2020 trade compliance while Trump has "terminated" all trade talks with Canada.European bourses opened firmer but now off best levels whilst US equity futures are in the green; INTC +8.3%.USD slightly higher into CPI, EUR boosted on German PMIs but now pared.Bunds & Gilts hit by PMIs, OATs look to Moody's, USTs await CPI.Crude gives back recent strength, XAU also on the backfoot around USD 4.06k/oz.Looking ahead, US Flash PMIs (Oct), US CPI (Sep), CBR Policy Announcement, European Council (23rd-24th), Moody's Credit Review on France, Speakers including ECB's Cipollone & Nagel, Earnings from Procter & Gamble.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

At a jam-packed EU summit in Brussels on 23 October, dominated by the thorny issue of using frozen Russian assets, we caught up with the Deputy Minister for European Affairs of Cyprus, Marilena Raouna. Although Belgium was at the centre of haggling over how to turn the Russian assets into a “reparation loan” to help Ukraine, it is not the only country concerned by the issue. Cyprus has frozen €1.2 billion in Russian assets. Raouna emphasises that Cyprus has “completely turned the page” on Russian money flowing through the country and that supporting Ukraine will be a “top priority” when Cyprus assumes the rotating EU presidency in January 2026.

We discuss the European Council meeting and what’s on the agenda for today’s high-profile talks. Plus: Ramaphosa’s Asia tour, Germany takes on AI, the soft power of football and food news from Tokyo. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Europe Editor Tony Connelly looks ahead as the Taoiseach attends a meeting of the European Council in Brussels with Ukraine loan and Israeli sanction discussion.

US-China frictions weigh on the risk tone; Bessent said they are contemplating the next move if talks don't work outDXY posts modest gains, EUR pressured, while Sterling remains lower but is off the worst levels on WednesdayFixed benchmarks struggled for direction, US 20yr was decentCrude supported by reports around Ukraine's use of Western long-range missiles, metals softerLooking ahead, highlights include US National Activity Index (Sep), Existing Home Sales (Sep), EZ Consumer Confidence Flash (Oct), Canadian Retail Sales (Aug), Australian Flash PMIs (Oct), (Suspended Releases: US Weekly Claims), CBRT Policy Announcement, CCP 4th Plenum (20th-23rd), European Council (23rd-24th), Speakers including ECB's Lane, Fed's Bowman & Barr (Fed on Blackout), Supply from UK & US.Earnings from Dassault, Orange, STMicroelectronics, Beiersdorf, Nokia, BE Semiconductor, Intel, American Airlines, Freeport McMoRan, Honeywell, Dow, Southwest Airlines, Blackstone, PG&E, T-Mobile US & Valero Energy.Click for the Newsquawk Week Ahead.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

China published fourth plenum communique: approved five-year plan, and aiming for a 'big increase' in the level of tech self-reliance.European equities are mostly higher, whilst US equity futures are mixed; TSLA -3%, IBM -7.2%, Quantum stocks +10%.DXY is flat, Antipodeans lead whilst havens lag in quiet trade.Bonds are pressured as the risk tone sees pockets of improvement; decent UK auction sparked little move in Gilts at the time.New Russian sanctions push crude benchmarks higher, XAU continues to consolidate.Looking ahead, Existing Home Sales (Sep), EZ Consumer Confidence Flash (Oct), Canadian Retail Sales (Aug), Australian Flash PMIs (Oct), (Suspended Releases: US Weekly Claims), CBRT Policy Announcement, CCP 4th Plenum (20th-23rd), European Council (23rd-24th). Speakers including ECB's Lane, Fed's Bowman & Barr (Fed on Blackout). Earnings from Intel, American Airlines, Freeport McMoRan, Blackstone, T-Mobile US & Valero Energy.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

Russia continues to bombard Ukraine while looking to boost its propaganda budget. Then: JD Vance meets with Benjamin Netanyahu to assert the US’s commitment to the Gaza ceasefire. Plus: the fate of heritage crafts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chinese exports are booming—but ties with the U.S. are collapsing. Across Asia, from Beijing to Manila, Washington's shifting strategy under Trump is reshaping alliances and testing security guarantees that have underpinned the region for decades. Eric speaks with James Crabtree, a distinguished visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations and the Asia Society, about how Asia's leaders are adapting to a world in flux: China's mix of confidence and anxiety amid its own economic slowdown How Trump's erratic policy is breaking apart the anti-China coalition Growing doubts in Tokyo, Seoul, and Manila about U.S. security guarantees Taiwan's precarious position and fears of being left alone Vietnam's balancing act between U.S. tariffs and China's dominance Why India is quietly building backup plans with Europe JOIN THE DISCUSSION: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social FOLLOW CGSP IN FRENCH: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine JOIN US ON PATREON! Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

Max and Donatienne discuss the recent Czech parliamentary election in which billionaire businessman and former prime minister Andrej Babis and his ANO party roared to a victory (01:00). They also cover last week's informal European Council summit in Copenhagen, where leaders met to discuss how to bolster the continent's security (07:33). Finally, they turn to a conversation with Ben McWilliams, affiliate fellow in the field of energy and climate policy with Bruegel, to discuss the European Union's energy and climate agenda (15:47).  Learn more:   Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts How Europe Can Defend Itself with Less America

Moldova, quốc gia nhỏ bé với hơn 2 triệu dân, thành viên Liên Xô cũ, vốn rất ít được chú ý, đột ngột trở thành tâm điểm thời sự châu Âu cuối tháng 9/2025. Bầu cử Quốc Hội Moldova không chỉ là cuộc đấu giữa đảng PAS cầm quyền của tổng thống Maia Sandu, chủ trương nhanh chóng gia nhập Liên Âu và khối đảng phái yêu nước thân Nga (BECS), mà còn là một thử thách lớn với Liên Âu, coi việc mở rộng khối là con đường giúp củng cố hòa bình, an ninh và thịnh vượng. Cuộc bầu cử Modlova là trận quyết đấu mới giữa Liên Âu với Nga trong « cuộc chiến hỗn hợp », khi chiến tranh tâm lý, chiến tranh trên mạng đi kèm với những can thiệp hoặc đe dọa can thiệp bằng vũ lực. Báo chí châu Âu nói đến một « trắc nghiệm lớn đầu tiên » trong cuộc đọ sức giữa Liên Âu và Nga » (RTBF). « Một phần tương lai của Liên Âu và chính sách mở rộng của khối sẽ được quyết định tại đây », theo nhà chính trị học Florent Parmentier, chuyên về khu vực đông Âu hậu Liên Xô. Nhìn từ Ukraina, đang trong cuộc kháng chiến chống xâm lược Nga, đây là một trắc nghiệm « với Ukraina và toàn châu Âu ». Tổng thống Volodymyr Zelensky khẳng định : « Châu Âu không thể cho phép mất Moldavia, như đã mất Belarus và Gruzia ». Tình thế đầy bất trắc trước bầu cử Ngày 28/09/2025 vừa qua, cử tri Moldova đã dành đa số quá bán tại Quốc Hội mới cho đảng của nữ tổng thống Maia Sandu, người đã đặt cử tri trước lựa chọn « địa-chính trị » rõ ràng: Bầu cho PAS là hội nhập hoàn toàn với gia đình Liên Âu. Và ngược lại, nếu đảng PAS mất đa số,  Moldavia sẽ rơi trở lại quỹ đạo của điện Kremlin, đất nước « sẽ mất tất cả ». Xét theo sự ủng hộ trước đó của cử tri, tình thế Moldova trước bầu cử là đầy bất trắc, dù mục tiêu gia nhập Liên Âu được ghi vào Hiến pháp, sau cuộc trưng cầu dân ý cuối năm ngoái 2024. Phe ủng hộ gia nhập Liên Âu chỉ giành chiến thắng trong gang tấc (50,35%). Số người ủng hộ tổng thống Maia Sandu cũng sụt giảm nhiều trong cuộc bầu cử tổng thống năm ngoái. Chiến tranh Ukraina khiến kinh tế Moldova suy trầm, lạm phát tăng vọt. Moldova có lúc phải tiếp nhận đến 1,5 triệu người tị nạn Ukraina. Điện Kremlin cắt khí đốt với Moldova từ đầu năm nay. Chưa kể đến sự tồn tại của vùng ly khai thân Nga Transnistria, nơi có cả nghìn quân Nga trú đóng, và nhiều khu vực, nơi có đến hơn 90% cư dân chống gia nhập Liên Âu. Theo một số ước tính, trước thềm bầu cử, có đến 30% cử tri do dự. Tung tin giả, mua phiếu bầu, gây rối: « Lòng tin vào Liên Âu », mục tiêu triệt hạ chính Nga và các thế lực thân điện Kremlin bị cáo buộc chi hàng trăm triệu euro để can thiệp vào cuộc bầu cử, tương đương với nhiều phần trăm tổng sản phẩm quốc nội của Moldova, một quốc gia thường được xếp vào nhóm nghèo nhất châu Âu. Trong một cuộc trả lời phỏng vấn Viện Pháp về Quan hệ Quốc tế (IFRI), ngay sau cuộc bầu cử Quốc Hội Moldova, nhà nghiên cứu Florent Parmentier, ghi nhận ba yếu tố « can thiệp bầu cử » chính: « Thứ nhất là thông tin bịa đặt, và việc thiết lập một hệ thống tuyên truyền với mục tiêu cuối cùng là lên án Liên Âu,  lĩnh vực được triển khai hết công suất. Một ví dụ : trong chuyến thăm Chisinau của tổng thống Pháp, thủ tướng Đức và thủ tướng Ba Lan ngày 27/8/2025, có một tin giả được tung ra. Nếu tổng thống Maya Sandou chiến thắng trong cuộc bầu cử lập pháp, rất có thể ngay lập tức sẽ có 700 binh sĩ Moldova được cử tham gia liên quân tình nguyện vì Ukraina do Pháp và Anh chủ trương. Loại tin giả này nhằm làm cho mọi người tin là tổng thống Maia Sandou sẽ kéo Moldova vào cuộc chiến tranh (chống Nga). Bên cạnh việc thường xuyên tung tin giả,  một nỗ lực gây bất ổn khác liên quan đến vấn đề mua phiếu bầu, điều vốn đã được bàn luận rộng rãi trong cuộc bầu cử tổng thống cuối năm ngoái. Ngày 20/10/2024, vòng bỏ phiếu đầu tiên, bà Maia Sandou tuyên bố : đã có đến 300.000 cử tri bị mua chuộc. Để đánh giá đúng tầm mức to lớn của con số này, cần liên hệ với tổng số dân Moldova 2,6 triệu người. Yếu tố thứ ba là trong trường hợp có sự chênh lệch sít sao về kết quả bầu cử, có thông tin về kế hoạch của Nga huấn luyện một số phần tử gây bạo loạn người Moldova cùng với người Serbia, tổ chức các cuộc biểu tình phản đối sau bầu cử, và có các hành động gieo rắc không khí lo sợ.  Như vậy, chúng ta thấy cái đích tấn công của Nga là lòng tin vào Liên Hiệp Châu Âu cũng như chính sách kết nạp thành viên mới của Liên Âu và những lợi ích mà Liên Âu có thể mang lại. Tiếp theo đó là làm xói mòn lòng tin vào các định chế nhà nước Moldova. »  ECFR : Gần như hóa giải được nạn mua phiếu trước bầu cử Để chống lại các can thiệp Nga, Liên Âu dồn lực cho Moldova. Tháng 9/2025, trước thềm cuộc bầu cử, Hội đồng Đối ngoại châu Âu (European Council on Foreign Relations - ECFR), viện tư vấn hàng đầu về các chính sách của châu Âu, tiến hành một khảo sát tại quốc gia này. Theo thẩm định của ECFR, với các hỗ trợ của các cơ quan của Liên Âu về điều tra tài chính và chia sẻ các thông tin khác, chính quyền Moldova về cơ bản đã hóa giải được các can thiệp của Nga trong lĩnh vực mua phiếu bầu, giảm mạnh so với kỳ bầu cử tổng thống năm ngoái. Tổng cộng 25.000 người đã bị phạt vì tội mua bán phiếu bầu trong thời gian tranh cử. Chính quyền Moldova kết hợp tấn công các mạng lưới mua bán phiếu bầu với việc tuyên truyền rộng rãi về « tính chất tội phạm » của hoạt động này, nâng cao nhận thức cộng đồng quy mô lớn, « bao gồm quảng cáo, truyền hình và mạng xã hội, đặc biệt tại các nhà thờ Chính thống giáo », khiến « hầu hết các mạng lưới mua bán phiếu bầu » được coi là « đã bị tê liệt » trước bầu cử. Việc nhà tài phiệt Vladimir Plahotniuc bị dẫn độ từ Hy Lạp về Moldova ngay trước thềm bầu cử được coi là một đòn nặng giáng vào các thế lực thao túng. Plahotniuc là cựu chủ tịch đảng Dân Chủ Moldova cánh tả, cựu phó chủ tịch Quốc Hội, được coi là người giàu nhất Moldova. Plahotniuc cùng Ilan Shor, nhà tài phiệt Moldova, cựu chủ tịch đảng Sor thân Nga cánh hữu, hiện đang lưu vong tại Matxcơva, bị cáo buộc lừa đảo 1 tỉ euro. Cả hai đều chạy ra nước ngoài năm 2019 vì sợ bị bắt. Ilan Shor hiện bị cáo buộc đứng sau các tài trợ cho hoạt động đưa tin giả, tin bóp méo trên các mạng Facebook, TikTok, Telegram… Chống tin giả: Lần đầu tiên EU triển khai « Đội Phản ứng Nhanh » Lần đầu tiên Liên Âu triển khai Đội Phản ứng Nhanh chống lại cuộc chiến Hỗn hợp (Hybrid Rapid Response Team) để hỗ trợ một quốc gia, là Moldova, chống lại can thiệp của nước ngoài, từ đầu năm nay, với thành phần gồm nhóm chuyên gia từ Bruxelles và từ nhiều quốc gia thành viên. Vào tháng 6, Liên Âu họp với đại diện các tập đoàn truyền thông kỹ thuật số Google, Meta và TikTok cùng các cơ quan chức năng Moldova và các nhóm thuộc xã hội dân sự nước này để phối hợp đối phó với các chiến dịch thông tin sai lệch. Kể từ tháng 7/2025, Ủy Ban Châu Âu lập FACT, một chi nhánh khu vực thuộc Đài quan sát Truyền thông Kỹ thuật số Châu Âu (EDMO), tập trung vào việc chống các chiến dịch thông tin sai lệch của Nga trong kỳ bầu cử vừa qua tại Moldova. Chủ thuyết của Liên Âu : Kết nạp thành viên mới giúp « bảo đảm an ninh »  Liên Hiệp Châu Âu hiện tại gồm 27 quốc gia thành viên. Tính từ Cộng đồng Kinh tế châu Âu, thành lập năm 1957, với 6 nước (Pháp, Đức, Ý, Bỉ, Hà Lan, Luxembourg), được coi là tiền thân của Liên Âu, khối đã trải qua 7 đợt kết nạp. Việc mở rộng cho sự tham gia của các thành viên mới, về mặt nguyên tắc, được Liên Âu coi là điều giúp mang lại hòa bình và an ninh cho châu lục, thúc đẩy kinh tế, củng cố nền dân chủ, nhà nước pháp quyền, nhân quyền. Moldova và Ukraina, cùng Gruzia là ba quốc gia chính thức đệ đơn gia nhập Liên Âu ngay sau khi Nga tấn công Ukraina đầu năm 2022. Trong bối cảnh này, Ủy Ban Châu Âu tiếp tục coi việc mở rộng khối như một chiến lược không những là hàng đầu, mà còn có ý nghĩa sống còn với khối. Ủy viên châu Âu phụ trách việc kết nạp các thành viên mới, bà Marta Kos, nhận định : « Việc mở rộng Liên Âu là một yếu tố then chốt trong việc đảm bảo an ninh của châu Âu trong bối cảnh đối đầu leo ​​thang giữa các chế độ dân chủ và độc tài. » (họp báo sau cuộc gặp của các bộ trưởng phụ trách các vấn đề Châu Âu đầu tháng 9/2025, tại Copenhagen).   Ủy viên châu Âu phụ trách việc kết nạp các thành viên mới nhấn mạnh : « tiến trình mở rộng Liên Âu đã trở thành một phần của cuộc đối đầu địa-chính trị giữa các xã hội dân chủ tự do và các chế độ độc tài. Điều này được thể hiện rõ ràng và khắc nghiệt nhất ở Ukraina, cũng như qua các hình thức chiến tranh hỗn hợp, kín đáo hơn ở các quốc gia ứng cử viên khác, chẳng hạn như Cộng hòa Moldova ». Ủy viên phụ trách kết nạp khẳng định tiến trình gia nhập của Ukraina và Moldova đang tiến triển nhanh chóng, và Ủy Ban Châu Âu đang nỗ lực để thúc đẩy.  Trắc nghiệm « khả năng đề kháng » của châu Âu trước Putin Sau chiến thắng của đảng cầm quyền chủ trương hội nhập Liên Âu, thủ tướng Ba Lan Donald Tusk phát biểu trên X: « Các vị đã ngăn chặn được nỗ lực của Nga kiểm soát toàn bộ khu vực. Một bài học tốt cho tất cả chúng ta. » Trước thềm bầu cử, một báo cáo của Hội đồng Đối ngoại châu Âu ECFR,  nói rõ: « nếu các đảng phái hoặc nhóm đảng phái liên kết với điện Kremlin trúng cử, sẽ có rủi ro an ninh trực tiếp ở biên giới phía tây nam Ukraina và Nga sẽ có một căn cứ ở vùng trung tâm để tiến hành các hoạt động chống lại các nước Liên Âu ». Hội đồng Đối ngoại châu Âu giải thích: « Châu Âu nên xem Moldova như một nơi thử nghiệm khả năng đề kháng của chính mình (European resilience). Cuộc bầu cử này có thể mang đến cho Bruxelles cái nhìn sâu sắc và quý giá về các chiến thuật, các công cụ và các hệ quả từ các hoạt động của Matxcơva… Cơ hội để phản bác chiến lược tuyên truyền sai lệch và chiến tranh hỗn hợp của Nga ». Nga: Tham vọng phục hồi quyền lực tại nhiều vùng thuộc Liên Xô cũ Về mặt chính thức, chính quyền Nga không chống lại việc các nước nằm trong phạm vi ảnh hưởng của Matxcơva gia nhập Liên Hiệp Châu Âu. Tuy nhiên, tham vọng của Matxcơva khôi phục ảnh hưởng, thậm chí chi phối trở lại các vùng thuộc Liên Xô trước đây là điều mà đông đảo giới quan sát ghi nhận. Cách nay hai năm, truyền thông Mỹ loan tải kế hoạch bí mật của cơ quan an ninh Nga FSB, đề ra chiến lược 10 năm để đưa Moldova trở lại phạm vi ảnh hưởng của Nga. Chiến lược dường như được soạn thảo vào năm 2021. Trong các mục tiêu đề ra có việc phản đối « chính sách bành trướng của Rumani » tại Moldova, nơi Rumani là tiếng nói của đa số, và là ngôn ngữ chính thức. Chiến lược được coi là của cơ quan an ninh Nga cũng phản đối sự hợp tác của Moldova với khối NATO, tạo lập « các nhóm truyền bá cho quan điểm của điện Kremlin tại Moldova ». Làm thế nào để quyết tâm hội nhập với EU không dẫn đến xung đột với Nga ? Việc đảng cầm quyền tại Moldova, chủ trương nhanh chóng gia nhập Liên Âu, thắng cử Quốc Hội khiến không ít người thở phào nhẹ nhõm. Tuy nhiên nhiều nhà quan sát đặt câu hỏi : Liệu Moldova có thể hội nhập hoàn toàn với Liên Âu cùng lúc duy trì quan hệ bình thường với Matxcơva ? Trang mạng Le Diplomate, chuyên về địa chính trị, giới thiệu bài « Moldavia, thùng thuốc súng ở ngưỡng cửa châu Âu ? », dẫn lời chuyên gia Nga Andrew Korybko, thuộc trung tâm tư vấn Club Valdai, gần gũi với điện Kremlin, nói thẳng là việc NATO tiếp tục mở rộng về phía đông, có thể khiến quan hệ giữa Nga và NATO thêm căng thẳng. Và Moldavia có thể bị cuốn vào chiến tranh với Nga, như Ukraina. Tuy nhiên, trên thực tế, theo một số thăm dò dư luận gần đây, chỉ có một phần tư người Moldova ủng hộ gia nhập NATO, và tỉ lệ này gần như không thay đổi kể từ năm 2022, tức từ đầu cuộc xâm lăng của Nga chống Ukraina. Sự lựa chọn tỉnh táo và môi trường thông tin lành mạnh Vấn đề căn bản với đông đảo người dân Moldova, khi chọn con đường hội nhập nhanh chóng với Liên Âu, không phải là tham gia vào một khối quân sự bị Nga coi là đối thủ, mà là được sống trong một xã hội có an ninh, Nhà nước pháp quyền, các thể chế nhà nước có trách nhiệm, đời sống kinh tế được cải thiện, một xã hội không bị tham nhũng hoành hành, một xã hội mở cửa với những tiếng nói khác biệt. Đây cũng là các tôn chỉ của cơ chế Đối tác phía Đông giữa Liên Âu và Moldova, được xác định từ năm 2009. Xét theo các mục tiêu này, chiến thắng của đảng chủ trương hội nhập Liên Âu tại Moldova vừa qua, dù là một thắng lợi đáng kể, cũng chỉ là một bước tiến trên chặng đường dài và gian nan của quốc gia nhỏ bé, thuộc Liên Xô cũ. Trong hành trình dài này, điều quyết định là sự lựa chọn của người dân Moldova. Lựa chọn đúng hướng và tỉnh táo ắt chỉ có thể có được trong một môi trường thông tin minh bạch và lành mạnh, điều mà Liên Âu đã góp phần nỗ lực bảo vệ trong kỳ tranh cử Quốc hội Moldova vừa qua.

Thema: Wie soll Europa auf Drohnen reagieren?

When Truman Burbank finally realises that his life is a television show – every neighbour an actor, every event scripted – he faces a terrifying choice: walk through the exit door into the unknown, or carry on in a comfortable illusion. Is this is the predicament Europe is facing under Donald Trump's second term? In his report for the European Sentiment Compass 2025, Pawel Zerka, of the European Council on Foreign Relations, suggests Europe is living its own “Truman Show moment”. The United States, he says, is no longer the ally Europeans had been accustomed to having. Instead, under Trump, Washington is not only pulling the strings in trade, defence and digital disputes – it is waging an outright “culture war” on Europe. The big question is whether the EU has the courage to step off the set, reclaim its autonomy and begin writing its own story. Europe's uncertainty after Trump's first 100 days Trump 2.0 Transatlantic tensions are nothing new. Rows over trade, NATO spending and climate policy have flared under every president from Kennedy to Obama. But Zerka insists that Trump marks a rupture. “There is a clear difference vis-à-vis previous presidents, and even vis-à-vis Donald Trump 1.0,” he told RFI. “Before, we had never seen a US president targeting Europe so clearly and aggressively.” This time round, the barbs are sharper, the interventions more deliberate. Trump openly mocks Europe's migration and climate policies, last week using the world stage of the United Nations to declare that Europeans are “going to hell” with their “crazy” ideas. Such rhetoric, Zerka argues, is not just bluster. It is part of a deliberate strategy to humiliate Europe, a way of painting the European Union as weak, dependent and incapable of agency. And this culture war is not confined to speeches, Zerka says – the Trump administration has moved from commentary to active interference. In Germany, US Vice President JD Vance and former Trump advisor Elon Musk openly backed the far-right AfD party during the country's legislative elections in February. Similar interference was seen in Poland, Romania and Ireland, where Washington lent support to Conor McGregor, a former mixed martial arts champion who had thrown his "Make Ireland Great Again" hat in the ring for the country's upcoming presidential election on 24 October, but withdrew from the race in September.  McGregor's political ambitions had been boosted by an invitation to the White House on St Patrick's Day, with Trump calling him his "favourite" Irish person. “We haven't seen anything like this before,” Zerka stresses. “There's such active involvement in domestic politics of European countries, supporting rivals of the governments in place – and very often those rivals are problematic political players.” “There is a lot of appetite among the European public for an assertive Europe, but leaders keep finding themselves in situations where they look ridiculous and Europe gets humiliated” – Pawel Zerka Europe's new right: how the MAGA agenda crossed the Atlantic A Truman moment So what does it mean for Europe to “walk off the set”? In Truman Burbank's case, it was about courage – daring to leave behind the artificial comfort of a staged life. For the EU, Zerka says, it is about dignity and identity. “European leaders must be ready,” he argues. “Currently they are buying time with Trump, because they depend so much on America for security, especially with Russia's war in Ukraine. But the danger is that by playing along, they risk repeated humiliation – whether at NATO summits or in trade negotiations – where Europe ends up looking ridiculous to its own public and to the wider world.” The challenge, Zerka believes, is that many EU leaders still don't grasp the true nature of the confrontation. They treat disputes over tariffs or defence spending as technical haggles, missing the larger picture – that they are part of a cultural battle over values, sovereignty and the very meaning of the West. Without that recognition, Europe risks stumbling from one Trump-scripted crisis to another, always reacting, never setting the agenda. The role of the prophet In The Truman Show, it was a character named Sylvia who first whispered the truth to Truman, that his life was staged. In today's Europe, Zerka sees Denmark as playing that role. Trump's suggestion that the US might buy Greenland directly questioned Danish sovereignty, giving Copenhagen a unique impetus for defending European autonomy. “Denmark is the one country really trying to show Europe the difference between reality and illusion,” Zerka says, adding though that Sweden and Finland, both scarred by the Russian threat and largely resistant to Trump's personal appeal, could also be well placed to push for European autonomy. Then there are what he calls the “door holders”, the heavyweight countries whose choices could swing the EU's future one way or another: France, Germany and Poland. Each stands at a crossroads. Elections in the coming years could see them drift towards the pro-Trump “director's crew” – Hungary, Italy, Slovakia – or rally behind the prophets calling for strategic autonomy. The outcome, Zerka warns, will determine whether Europe claims its agency or sinks deeper into dependency. Can Europe withstand the ripple effect of the MAGA political wave? Walking the line However, with Russian aggression on its doorstep, Europe cannot simply sever ties with Washington. Yet, Zerka argues, the notion that Europeans must appease Trump to preserve the transatlantic bond is a fallacy. “It's completely the other way around,” he says. “Only if Europe steps up in building its own capacities, and shows assertiveness, can it become a real partner rather than a subordinate.” That means investment in defence, technology and energy resilience. It also means recognising the culture war for what it is, and refusing to be defined by Trump's caricatures. Trust in the EU is its strongest since 2007, with polls showing that citizens increasingly view the bloc not just as an economic club but as a community of shared values, and destiny. Zerka believes European leaders must harness the public appetite for a more assertive Europe. The risk of inaction, he warns, is cultural subordination. The reward of courage, by contrast, is the chance for Europe to write its own story, and participate in the transatlantic partnership as an equal.

Ghana has overtaken South Africa as the continent's chief gold producer. But many Ghanaians say they see no benefits. Instead, they're left with poisoned rivers, destroyed farmlands, and foreign companies pocketing most of the profits. Join us to discuss the gold rush with DW's Adwoa Tenkoramaa Domena in Accra, Ghana and Alex Vines, the Africa Director at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

Is the Green Deal dead or is it just resting? Does it make sense for Europe to create ambitious climate goals without the United States and China? And what should we know about climate-focused industrial partnerships of the European Union? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Susi Dennison, a Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), where she acts as Chief of Staff to the Director and leads the European Power programme as well as the organizational growth and transformation process. Her topics of focus include strategy, politics and cohesion in European foreign policy; climate and energy, migration, and the toolkit for Europe as a global actor. Tune in for their talk! This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.

On this week's Centre for European Reform podcast, research fellow Aslak Berg sat down with Agathe Demarais, senior policy fellow in Geoeconomics at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) to discuss where EU trade policy stands since the signing the EU-US trade agreement in July. They discussed how and why the EU prioritised damage limitation, where EU trade policy goes from here, the impact on the global trade system and priorities for the EU going forward.

Research from Dr. Andrey Kostyuk at the Grenoble Ecole de Management supervised by Prof. Martina Battisti, a Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy, and Director of European Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, reveals that successful startup mentoring operates as a complex social exchange where both mentors and entrepreneurs must benefit for ventures to thrive. The findings advance the understanding of entrepreneurial mentoring and provide a blueprint for designing more effective mentoring programs that could accelerate sustainable startup growth worldwide.

Iran is once again under pressure for its nuclear programme. The UN has reimposed sanctions that were lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal. Tehran insists its programme is peaceful, but Western countries say it's not. So, what's next in this long-standing crisis? And does diplomacy still stand a chance? In this episode: Ellie Geranmayeh, Senior Policy Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations. Mark Fitzpatrick, Associate Fellow, International Institute for Strategic Studies. Marzie Khalilian, Iranian Political Analyst. Host: Nick Clark Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Can we talk about Trump's culture war, Putin's war on inclusivity, and just about everyone's unwillingness to pay teachers fair wages—and giggle throughout? You better believe it. Nina Lamparski is back in the hosting chair, and strap in, listeners, because this week's show is a *ride.* Our guest this week is the delightful and incisive political analyst Paweł Zerka of the European Council on Foreign Relations. Paweł returns to the podcast to tell us why Europe is living in a Truman-Show-style universe directed by Donald Trump and his international team. We pick Paweł's terrific brain about what our leaders can do to build upon the growing pro-European sentiment (really!) and engage with the US as its peer, not its lackey. Plus: Nina raises a glass of crémant to Luxembourgish teachers, who had what seems to us like a very swanky Good Week. And Dominic awards Bad Week to Eurovision, which seems to be crumbling whilst Russia's Intervision is back and creepier than ever. Mentioned in this episode:  The European Sentiment Compass 2025 from ECF and ECFR, “Reality show: Why Europe must not cave in Trump's culture war” culture war” Europeans jingles composer Jim Barne's Broadway(!) musical, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) This live blog from Czech Radio's Zlín service that tracked the movements of Emil the Elk all summer  This week's Inspiration Station recommendations are Twelve Months of Monastery Soups, a cookbook by Brother Victor-Antoine d'Avila-Latourrette, and Rejected: Designs for the European Flag by Jonas von Lenthe.   This podcast was brought to you in cooperation with Euranet Plus, the leading radio network for EU news. But it's contributions from listeners that truly make it all possible—we could not continue to make the show without you! If you like what we do, you can chip in to help us cover our production costs at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/europeanspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (in many different currencies), or you can gift a donation to a superfan. We'd also love it if you could tell two friends about this podcast. We think two feels like a reasonable number.   00:00:47 This podcast is co-hosted by a bionic woman 00:04:45 Good Week: Luxembourgish teachers 00:12:18 Bad Week: Eurovision 00:29:09 Interview: Paweł Zerka of the European Council on Foreign Relations 00:43:50 The Inspiration Station: The books Twelve Months of Monastery Soups and Rejected: Designs for the European Flag 00:50:14 Happy Ending: Central Europe adopts elk mascot Producers: Morgan Childs and Wojciech Oleksiak Mixing and mastering: Wojciech Oleksiak Music: Jim Barne and Mariska Martina YouTube | Bluesky | Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Mastodon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | hello@europeanspodcast.com  

Gleich über vier dänischen Flughäfen sind Drohnen gesichtet worden. Die Regierung spricht von einem hybriden Angriff. Es gibt Stimmen, die Russland dahinter vermuten. Vieles ist unklar, fest steht aber: Es ist ein Spiel mit der Angst. Was steckt hinter dieser hybriden Kriegsführung? Habt Ihr Fragen oder Themen-Inputs? Schreibt uns gerne per Mail an newsplus@srf.ch oder sendet uns eine Sprachnachricht an 076 320 10 37. ____________________ In dieser Episode zu hören: - Ulrike Franke, Politologin und Sicherheitsexpertin, Senior Policy Fellow beim European Council on Foreign Relations ____________________ Links: - News Plus: Russland verletzt Europas Luftraum: Wie leben mit der Bedrohung? https://www.srf.ch/audio/news-plus/russland-verletzt-europas-luftraum-wie-leben-mit-der-bedrohung?id=AUDI20250923_NR_0042 ____________________ Team: - Moderation: Reena Thelly - Produktion: Corina Heizmann - Mitarbeit: Yves Kilchör ____________________ Das ist «News Plus»: In einer Viertelstunde die Welt besser verstehen – ein Thema, neue Perspektiven und Antworten auf eure Fragen. Unsere Korrespondenten und Expertinnen aus der Schweiz und der Welt erklären, analysieren und erzählen, was sie bewegt. «News Plus» von SRF erscheint immer von Montag bis Freitag um 16 Uhr rechtzeitig zum Feierabend.

Als Europese landen niet snel migratie terugdringen en afstand doen van de ‘groene waanzin', zullen zij naar de verdommenis gaan. Dat was de boodschap van Donald Trump toen hij gisteren de VN toesprak. Volgens een nieuw rapport van denktank European Council on Foreign Relations is Trump bezig met een agressieve beïnvloedingscampagne in Europa, en laten Europese landen hun agenda daardoor te veel bepalen. Hoe kan het beter? Daarover Caroline de Gruyter, Europa-correspondent en columnist voor NRC. (13:00) Het Kremlin wil Moldavië voor zich winnen Kandidaat-EU-lid Moldavië houdt dit weekend parlementsverkiezingen. Daarbij staan Moldaviërs voor de keuze tussen een pro-Europese, of een pro-Russische koers. Volgens president Maia Sandu zou Rusland actief proberen de aankomende verkiezingen te beïnvloeden om haar pro-Europese regering te verzwakken. Daarbij lijken steeds minder methoden geschuwd te worden. Analist Wouter Zweers van Instituut Clingendael praat ons bij. Presentatie Sophie Derkzen. 

India's once-flourishing ties with Washington have soured in Trump's second term, marked by punishing tariffs and penalties over Russian oil. This turbulence reinforces New Delhi's instinct for “multi-alignment,” and the desire to hedge between great powers rather than bet on any single partner.Against this backdrop, a new paper by the journalist and analyst James Crabtree argues that now is the time for Europe to shine and to make the case that it is India's most promising alternative in a shifting global order. The paper is called, “Pivot to Europe: India's Back-Up Plan in Trump's World,” and it has just been published by the European Council on Foreign Relations, where James is a distinguished visiting fellow. James spent ten years as a journalist and foreign correspondent, notably for the Financial Times, where he served as the Mumbai bureau chief. He is the author of the much-celebrated book, The Billionaire Raj: A Journey Through India's New Gilded Age, published in 2018. He is currently a columnist for Foreign Policy and hard at work on a second book on the United States in Asia.James joins Milan on the show this week to discuss the turmoil in U.S.-India relations, the historical underperformance of Europe-India relations, the looming China challenge, and the factors which have made Europe a more “geopolitically serious” actor. Plus, the two discuss the nascent thaw in China-India ties and how Europe can avoid short-termism to forge stronger bonds with India over the long haul.Episode notes:1. James Crabtree, “Why India Should Not Walk Into the China-Russia Trap,” Foreign Policy, August 27, 2025.2. “India and the Reordering of Transatlantic Relations (with Tara Varma),” Grand Tamasha, March 11, 2025.

The United Nations General Assembly meets to debate next week. Crises including the Gaza genocide, Ukraine war and climate change are placing the world body under severe scrutiny. It's also facing pressure from the Trump administration. What role can the gathering of world nations play? In this episode: Donnacha Ó Beacháin, Professor, International Relations, Dublin City University. Shahd Hammouri, Lecturer, International Law, University of Kent. Hugh Lovatt, Senior Policy Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations. Host: Adrian Finighan Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

It's crunch time for "chat control", the European Commission's plan to scan private messages and report content suspected of being child sexual abuse. At a European Council meeting on Friday, security officials from across the EU debated the latest proposal, whereby photos and links sent on messaging apps – encrypted or not – would be scanned on-device by an artificial intelligence on the lookout for child sexual abuse material, known to the general public as child pornography.

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with Daniel Levy, President of the U.S./Middle East Project (USMEP). They discuss Levy's argument that the way that Israel withdrew Israeli settlements from Gaza in 2005 set the stage for today's genocide; as Levy put it in a recent +972 Magazine piece, the current Israeli paradigm is "not just separating from the Palestinians, relegated to shrinking Bantustans, but annihilating and erasing them." Moor and Levy also discuss the impact of Israel's attacks in Qatar this week both in the near and longterm, the need for Netanyahu to formally deny Israeli involvement in the assassination of Charlie Kirk, and shifting political approaches to Israel/Palestine.  Daniel Levy is the President of the U.S./Middle East Project (USMEP), which emphasizes the Palestine-Israel issue alongside regional conflicts, trends and geopolitics. From 2012 to 2016, Levy was Director for the Middle East and North Africa at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Prior to that he was a senior Fellow and Director of the New America Foundation's Middle East Taskforce in Washington D.C. and a Senior Fellow at The Century Foundation in New York. Levy was a Senior Advisor in the Israeli Prime Minister's Office and to Justice Minister Yossi Beilin during the Government of Ehud Barak (1999-2001). He was a member of the official Israeli delegation to the Israel/Palestine peace talks at Taba under Barak and at Oslo B under Yitzhak Rabin (1994-95). Levy is a founder and Advisory Board member of Diaspora Alliance (combatting antisemitism and its conflation), a Council Member of the ECFR, and serves on the board of the European Middle East Project. He is a former Trustee of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund in New York and of the New Israel Fund, a co-founder of J Street, and a founding Editor of the Middle East Channel at foreignpolicy.com.  Ahmed Moor is a Palestinian-American writer born in Gaza and a 2025 Fellow at FMEP. He is an advisory board member of the US Campaign for Palestinian rights, co-editor of After Zionism (Saqi Books) and is currently writing a book about Palestine. He also currently serves on the board of the Independence Media Foundation. His work has been published in The Guardian, The London Review of Books, The Nation, and elsewhere. He earned a BA at the University of Pennsylvania and an MPP at Harvard University. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

Droni (presunti) russi hanno solcato i cieli della Polonia la scorsa notte. La risposta è stata immediata: la Difesa aerea Nato si è attivata neutralizzando la minaccia. L'episodio però ha acceso una miccia che difficilmente potrà essere spenta. Ne parliamo con Pietro Batacchi, direttore di Rivista Italiana Difesa, e con Fabio Turco di Centrum Report.Dopo l'attacco israeliano in Qatar ci si chiede quale tenuta possano ancora avere i patti di Abramo. Lo chiediamo a Cinzia Bianco, visiting fellow allo European Council on Foreign Relations, esperta di Paesi del Golfo.

Heute soll das Wehrdienstgesetz von Verteidigungsminister Pistorius vom Bundeskabinett verabschiedet werden. Reicht eine Musterungspflicht für Männer aus, um den Personalbedarf der Bundeswehr zu decken? Oder brauchen wir die allgemeine Wehrpflicht sofort zurück, um den deutschen Beitrag für die Sicherheit in Europa zu garantieren? Claus Heinrich diskutiert mit Prof. Dr. Kathrin Groh – Juristin, Universität der Bundeswehr, München; Rafael Loss – Verteidigungs- und Sicherheitsexperte, European Council on Foreign Relations, Berlin; Oberst André Wüstner – Vorsitzender des Deutschen Bundeswehrverbandes

You know Thordis Elva as Jann's beloved girlfriend...but she's also an expert on internet safety and digital rights. As the kids head back to school, we figured it was a good time to talk about privacy, consent, location services, and so much more. She takes Jann, Caitlin & Sarah through a deep conversation about how to navigate the digital landscape in 2025. They discuss the impact of social media on abuse in the space with insights from her work in the field. She also tells us about some research grants she was recently awarded for online safety research. Resources mentioned for this episode: Remove intimate images 18+: www.stopncii.org Remove intimate images for children & minors: https://takeitdown.ncmec.org/ Nordic Digital Rights and Equality Foundation: www.nordref.org More About Thordis Elva: ⁠Thordis Elva⁠ is an Icelandic writer, speaker and activist. Her memoir, South of Forgiveness, which she co-authored with her perpetrator of sexual assault, is out in14 countries with the accompanying TED talk having been viewed over 10 million times. Her books, films and plays have won various ⁠awards⁠ and she was elected Woman of the Year for her contributions to gender-equality. As a public speaker, she has given talks at the UN, the European Council and the EU, to name a few. Her work has been published across four continents and has influenced national policy as well as the global dialogue. Thordis also works as a clinical hypnotherapist and is the founder and current chairperson of the ⁠Nordic Digital Rights and Equality Foundation⁠, working to further human rights and democracy in online spaces. She resides in Reykjavik with her three children, including her miracle twins who sparked a social media movement when they were given a less than one percent chance of survival, and is currently writing their story. South of Forgiveness: A True Story of Rape and Responsibility  ⁠https://a.co/d/b4GkdBu⁠ TED Talk: ⁠https://www.ted.com/talks/thordis_elva_and_tom_stranger_our_story_of_rape_and_reconciliation?subtitle=en⁠ Get tickets to our live show in Calgary! OnlyJanns patreon presale August 22-24th, tickets go on sale to the public Monday at 10am MT / 12pm ET. https://www.studiobell.ca/whats-on/event/the-jann-arden-podcast-live Leave us a voicenote! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jannardenpod.com/voicemail/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get access to bonus content and more on Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/JannArdenPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Order ONLYJANNS Merch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cutloosemerch.ca/collections/jann-arden⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.jannardenpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/jannardenpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/jannardenpod⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

durée : 00:58:45 - Ils ont changé le monde - par : Isabelle Lasserre - En 1994, l'Ukraine renonce à son arsenal nucléaire contre la garantie de son indépendance et de son intégrité territoriale. Ouvertement violé par la Russie en 2014, puis lors de l'invasion de l'Ukraine en février 2022, comment expliquer l'échec du Mémorandum de Budapest ? - réalisation : Laure-Hélène Planchet - invités : Pierre Levy ancien ambassadeur de France à Moscou (2020-2024); Marie Dumoulin Directrice du programme Wider Europe au sein du think tank European Council on Foreign Relations

durée : 00:58:45 - Ils ont changé le monde - par : Isabelle Lasserre - En 1994, l'Ukraine renonce à son arsenal nucléaire contre la garantie de son indépendance et de son intégrité territoriale. Ouvertement violé par la Russie en 2014, puis lors de l'invasion de l'Ukraine en février 2022, comment expliquer l'échec du Mémorandum de Budapest ? - réalisation : Laure-Hélène Planchet - invités : Pierre Levy ancien ambassadeur de France à Moscou (2020-2024); Marie Dumoulin Directrice du programme Wider Europe au sein du think tank European Council on Foreign Relations

durée : 00:58:45 - Ils ont changé le monde - par : Isabelle Lasserre - En 1994, l'Ukraine renonce à son arsenal nucléaire contre la garantie de son indépendance et de son intégrité territoriale. Ouvertement violé par la Russie en 2014, puis lors de l'invasion de l'Ukraine en février 2022, comment expliquer l'échec du Mémorandum de Budapest ? - réalisation : Laure-Hélène Planchet - invités : Pierre Levy ancien ambassadeur de France à Moscou (2020-2024); Marie Dumoulin Directrice du programme Wider Europe au sein du think tank European Council on Foreign Relations

Chinese President Xi Jinping has met with EU leaders in Beijing, calling on the two sides to deepen cooperation in a more challenging and complex international situation.

It was a week that brought the future of Greece and the Eurozone to the brink. Ten years ago, on 6 July the Greek people voted against the terms of a financial bailout which included raising taxes and slashing welfare spending. Greece owed €323bn to various countries and banks within Europe. Its banks were closed. A quarter of the population and half of Greece's young people were unemployed.The morning after the vote, Euclid Tsakalotos was brought in to replace Yanis Varoufakis as finance minister. His predecessor had accused European leaders of “terrorism” in their handling of the crisis. Parachuted in to last-ditch talks with angry European leaders, Euclid Tsakalotos describes to Josephine McDermott the make-or-break 17-hour summit in Brussels. He reveals that when Angela Merkel, the leader of Greece's biggest lender Germany, said she was leaving the room because she could not accept what was on the table, Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, actually locked the door to stop her leaving and force an agreement to be reached. Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic' and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy's Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they've had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America's occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.(Photo: A queue outside a bank in Greece in 2015. Credit: Getty Images)

Discussion Highlights:Building Schengen: Origins in the Coal and Steel Community (1952), the Treaty of Rome (1958), and the Schengen Agreement (1995), creating 16,000 km of invisible internal borders through a single market and shared enforcement mechanisms.Asylum strains: Germany and Austria have received over half of all EU asylum seekers during the Syrian and Ukrainian crises, revealing the breakdown of the Dublin allocation rules under free movement.Humanitarian crisis at the external border: Approximately 30,000 people have died attempting Mediterranean crossings in the last decade, underscoring the need to address smuggler-driven journeys.EU–Turkey precedent: The 2016 agreement cut irregular crossings from about 1 million to 30,000 and deaths from 1,100 to 80 within a year, demonstrating the efficacy of safe-third-country arrangements.Safe-third-country proposals: Knaus calls for similar pacts with West African states to deter Canary Islands crossings, coupled with procedural guarantees under international law.Regular migration frameworks: Expansion of refugee resettlement and labour migration via planned pathways—in the style of Canada or Australia—to meet workforce needs and reduce reliance on smugglers.European deterrence: With U.S. reliability in doubt, Europe must bolster its own deterrent capacity—including possibilities such as a German nuclear option—and integrate frontline democracies.EU enlargement: A clear, merit-based accession roadmap for Ukraine, Moldova, and Western Balkan candidates is essential to reinforce democracy, security, and prosperity.Engaging the next generation: Francesca Knaus highlights a gap in how Europe's peace “miracle,” the lived threat of modern warfare, and climate urgency are communicated to younger Europeans.About Gerald KnausGerald Knaus is an Austrian social scientist and co-founder and chairman of the European Stability Initiative (ESI), which he helped establish in Sarajevo in June 1999. An alumni of the University of Oxford, the Institut d'Études Européennes in Brussels, and the Johns Hopkins University Bologna Center, Knaus taught macroeconomics at the State University of Chernivtsi in Ukraine,  worked for NGOs and international organisations in Bulgaria and Bosnia-Herzegovina and directed the Lessons Learned and Analysis Unit of the EU pillar of UNMIK in Kosovo. He is a founding member of the European Council on Foreign Relations and served as an Associate Fellow at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard Kennedy School. Knaus was a Mercator-IPC Senior Fellow in Istanbul and a Europe's Futures Fellow at the IWM here in Vienna.Knaus co-initiated and co-negotiated the 2016 EU–Turkey migration statement, authored Can Intervention Work? (2011) and Welche Grenzen brauchen wir? and received the Karl Carstens Award in 2021. He lives in Berlin. Further Reading & ResourcesEuropean Stability Initiative profile: https://www.esiweb.org/esi-staff/gerald-knausRumeli Observer blog: https://www.esiweb.org/rumeliobserverPiper Verlag author page: https://www.piper.de/autoren/gerald-knaus-6417Twitter: https://twitter.com/rumeliobserverGerald and Francesca Knaus's new book, Welches Europa Bracuhen Wir? is available to pre-order from amazon.de and will be published at the end of August 2025. Ivan Vejvoda is Head of the Europe's Futures program at the Institute for Human Sciences (IWM Vienna) implemented in partnership with ERSTE Foundation. The program is dedicated to the cultivation of knowledge and the generation of ideas addressing pivotal challenges confronting Europe and the European Union: nexus of borders and migration, deterioration in rule of law and democracy and European Union's enlargement prospects.The Institute for Human Sciences is an institute of advanced studies in the humanities and social sciences. Founded as a place of encounter in 1982 by a young Polish philosopher, Krzysztof Michalski, and two German colleagues in neutral Austria, its initial mission was to create a meeting place for dissenting thinkers of Eastern Europe and prominent scholars from the West.Since then it has promoted intellectual exchange across disciplines, between academia and society, and among regions that now embrace the Global South and North. The IWM is an independent and non-partisan institution, and proudly so. All of our fellows, visiting and permanent, pursue their own research in an environment designed to enrich their work and to render it more accessible within and beyond academia.For further information about the Institute:https://www.iwm.at/

Lesia Ogryzko is a visiting fellow with the Wider Europe programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations. She leads a Ukrainian think-tank on security and defence, Sahaidachnyi Security Center, and is board member of Ukraine's biggest expert coalition on the country's reconstruction, RISE Ukraine. Previously, Ogryzko served as international civil servant across the UN system, dealing with human rights and the coordination of UN agencies in Ukraine. She also worked for the Ukrainian government on the implementation of reforms, including in public administration for the cabinet of ministers' reforms delivery office. She is also the co-founder of several civic initiatives, as well as the Ukrainian office of the humanitarian international NGO Save the Children. Prior to that, Ogryzko worked for the Spanish think-tank FRIDE, researching international affairs. She is the author of numerous publications in international media on the Russia-Ukraine war, Ukraine's reconstruction, and the country's civil society.Ogryzko holds an MA in international relations and security studies from the Institute of international relations at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and an MA in European public affairs from the Maastricht University, the Netherlands.----------LINKS:https://ecfr.eu/profile/lesia-ogryzko/https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesia-ogryzko-33285163/https://x.com/ogryzko_lhttps://ecfr.eu/profile/lesia-ogryzko/type/media/https://defence.org.ua/en/tag/lesia-ogryzko/----------DESCRIPTION:Understanding Ukraine's Resilience and European Geopolitical Dynamics: An In-depth DiscussionIn this episode, we dive deep into the resilience of Ukrainian society amid the ongoing war, with a visiting fellow from the European Council on Foreign Relations. We discuss the historical and cultural foundations of Ukraine's societal strength, the shifting strategies of Russian aggression, and the critical role of decentralized networks in the country's endurance. The conversation also touches on the international response, European threat perceptions, and the geopolitical implications of the conflict. Key points include the necessity of robust sanctions against Russia, the influence of external nations like China, and the various potential future scenarios for Russia as analyzed in a recent report. This episode provides a multifaceted look at the current situation and the broader implications for global security.----------CHAPTERS:00:00 Introduction and Guest Background00:32 Channel Support and Fundraiser01:16 Resilience of Ukrainian Society03:01 Historical Context of Ukrainian Resilience08:46 Impact of Russian Strategy on Ukraine12:36 Western Response to Russian Aggression23:28 Challenges in European Preparedness25:42 Russia's Hybrid Warfare Tactics30:20 China's Role in the Conflict32:21 Economic Sanctions and Their Impact39:47 Future Scenarios for Russia46:44 Conclusion and Next Steps----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Save Ukrainehttps://www.saveukraineua.org/Superhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemyślhttps://kharpp.com/NOR DOG Animal Rescuehttps://www.nor-dog.org/home/----------

All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file. - Palestine’s Stolen Future - The Genocide Budget (And How to Stop It) - Protest, Immigration Enforcement, and the Unhoused Community - The Minnesota Assassination & Evangelical Terrorism - Executive Disorder: White House Weekly #24 You can now listen to all Cool Zone Media shows, 100% ad-free through the Cooler Zone Media subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts. So, open your Apple Podcasts app, search for “Cooler Zone Media” and subscribe today! http://apple.co/coolerzone Sources/Links: Palestine's Stolen Future Raz Segal on genocide - https://jewishcurrents.org/a-textbook-case-of-genocide Omer Bartov on genocide – https://www.democracynow.org/2024/12/30/omer_bartov_israel_gaza_genocide Amos Goldberg on genocide - https://thefirethesetimes.com/2025/05/25/intent-holocaust-studies-and-the-gaza-genocide-w-amos-goldberg/ Khaled Elgindy on Biden’s “bear hug” - https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/10/10/biden-israel-hamas-war-gaza-us-policy/ Bezalel Smotrich on population transfer - https://www.timesofisrael.com/smotrich-says-gaza-to-be-totally-destroyed-population-concentrated-in-small-area/ Nissim Vaturi on population transfer - https://www.timesofisrael.com/occupy-expel-settle-minister-mks-at-far-right-rally-call-to-empty-gaza-of-gazans/ Arab Peace Initiative - https://www.kas.de/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=a5dab26d-a2fe-dc66-8910-a13730828279&groupId=268421 Arab Center Washington – “The Biden Administration and the Middle East in 2023” - https://arabcenterdc.org/resource/the-biden-administration-and-the-middle-east-in-2023/ Mike Huckabee on Palestinians - https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/12/politics/mike-huckabee-palestinian-comments-trump-israel-ambassador Steve Witkoff making deals with Hamas - https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/hamas-says-witkoffs-gaza-ceasefire-proposal-must-lead-end-war-2025-05-31/ Adam Boehler “we are not an agent of Israel” - https://www.axios.com/2025/03/09/adam-boehler-hamas-israel-talks Philippe Lazzarini on Gaza Humanitarian Foundation - https://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/official-statements/unrwa-commissioner-general-gaza-aid-distribution-has-become-death-trap Doctors without Borders on Gaza Humanitarian Foundation - https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/siege-gaza-msf-denounces-new-aid-mechanism-proposed-us-and-israel Jake Woods, Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, resigns - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/26/gaza-humanitarian-foundation-aid-group-jake-wood-resigns Saudi Minister on Two-State Solution - https://www.mofa.gov.sa/en/ministry/news/Pages/His-Highness-the-Foreign-Minister-A-Two-State-Solution-is-the-Only-Path-to-Achieving-a-Just-and-Lasting-Peace-in-the-Regio.aspx France & Saudi sponsor peace conference - https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-855969 Qatari foreign minister on Saudi sponsored peace conference - https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20250613-qatar-france-fms-underscore-importance-of-upcoming-un-two-state-solution-conference-as-real-opportunity-for-peace/ The Oslo Accords and the Palestinian Authority background - https://www.palquest.org/en/highlight/31121/x-oslo-process-and-establishment-palestinian-authority Yitzhak Rabin’s final address to the Knesset - https://www.palquest.org/en/historictext/24965/yitzhaq-rabin%E2%80%99s-address-knesset-after-israeli-palestinian-agreement Mapping Palestinian Politics – European Council on Foreign Relations - https://ecfr.eu/special/mapping_palestinian_politics/plo/ “Abbas is America’s Man” - https://jewishcurrents.org/abbas-is-americas-man Tariq Dana – “Lost in Transition: The Palestinian National Movement After Oslo” - https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/from-the-river-to-the-sea-9781978752658/ Wendy Pearlman – “Violence, Nonviolence, and the Palestinian National Movement” - https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/violence-nonviolence-and-the-palestinian-national-movement/0F8D188C7D514D49F68D827066E0FABD BDS call - https://bdsmovement.net/pacbi/pacbi-call Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research – September 2023 poll - https://www.pcpsr.org/sites/default/files/Poll%2089%20English%20Full%20Text%20September%202023.pdf Interview with Ukrainian outlet “Commons” - https://commons.com.ua/en/intervyu-z-danoyu-el-kurd/ Protests against Hamas – July 2023 - https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2023/07/30/thousands-of-marchers-in-gaza-in-rare-public-display-of-discontent-with-hamas_6073136_4.html Protests against Hamas - https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/25/middleeast/anti-hamas-protests-gaza-intl-latam Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research – May 2025 poll - https://www.pcpsr.org/sites/default/files/Poll%2095%20press%20release%206May2025%20ENGLISH.pdf Changes in PLO structure and new Vice President role - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/may/08/palestinians-leader-mahmoud-abbas-president Polling on Hussein Al-Sheikh - https://pcpsr.org/sites/default/files/Poll%2092%20English%20full%20text%20July2024.pdf Palestinian National Conference - https://ncpalestine.org/ A Land for All - https://www.2s1h.org/en Israeli backed gangs in Gaza - https://zeteo.com/p/who-is-abu-shabab-meet-the-gaza-gangster The Genocide Budget (And How to Stop It) Trans Income Project: https://www.transincomeproject.org/donate https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/07/planned-parenthood-trump-lawsuit https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/one-big-beautiful-bill-medicaid-work-requirements-affordable-care-act-immigrants/#:~:text=The%20bill%20would%20require%20states%20that%20have,individual)%20and%20138%25%20of%20that%20amount%20($21%2C597).&text=The%20Senate%20bill%20would%20allow%20states%20to,who%20seek%20emergency%20room%20care%20for%20nonemergencies. https://www.chalkbeat.org/2025/05/16/school-choice-expansion-in-budget-bill-puts-federal-stamp-on-gop-priority/ https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/trumps-budget-bill-attack-public-schools-working-families-and-immigrants https://www.americanprogress.org/article/10-egregious-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-one-big-beautiful-bill-act/ https://time.com/7299514/bill-will-devastate-public-schools https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/the-senate-passed-a-federal-voucher-program-whats-in-it/2025/07 https://www.au.org/the-latest/articles/not-beautiful-trumps-budget-forces-a-national-voucher-plan-on-america/ https://www.npr.org/2025/05/23/nx-s1-5397175/trump-federal-voucher-private-school https://itep.org/trump-megabill-expensive-private-school-vouchers/ https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/careersandeducation/how-trump-s-big-spending-bill-will-overhaul-repayment-for-millions-of-student-loan-borrowers/ar-AA1HXbVa?cvid=7271B17CDE424D63B5C23D6A3D1E71B7&ocid=msnHomepage https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/trump-signs-big-tax-cut-spending-bill-law-july-fourth-ceremony-rcna216753 https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/07/05/trump-budget-bill-states-border-security/84463777007/ https://newrepublic.com/post/197412/donald-trump-big-beautiful-budget-bill-devastating-poll https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/allocating-cbos-estimates-of-federal-medicaid-spending-reductions-across-the-states-senate-reconciliation-bill/ https://www.kff.org/policy-watch/how-might-federal-medicaid-cuts-in-the-senate-passed-reconciliation-bill-affect-rural-areas/ https://www.cbpp.org/research/medicaid-and-chip/senate-reconciliation-amendment-would-cut-hundreds-of-billions-more-from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/whats-in-trump-big-beautiful-bill-senate-version/ https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/fact-sheet/house-reconciliation-bill-immigration-border-security/ https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/heres-whats-in-the-big-bill-that-just-passed-the-senate The Minnesota Assassination & Evangelical Terrorism 00155d0deff0 https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25976535-boelter-federal-affidavit/ https://web.archive.org/web/20250614161224/https://www.pguards.net/leadership-team https://youtu.be/Sh01z1t2l3w?si=vSme9mqCPmeDROqp https://www.startribune.com/timeline-how-an-early-morning-assault-against-minnesota-lawmakers-unfolded/601373039 https://www.startribune.com/melissa-hortman-shooting-vance-boelter-suspect/601373342 https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/vance-boelter-due-back-in-federal-court-thursday-afternoon/ https://www.wired.com/story/shooting-minnesota-melissa-hortman-vance-boelter/ https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/17/us/vance-boelter-minnesota-shooting-invs https://web.archive.org/web/20230723010430/https://www.redliongroupdrc.com/# Executive Disorder: White House Weekly #24 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I leader di Francia e Regno Unito hanno firmato un accordo che garantisce ai due paesi di poter coordinare i loro deterrenti nucleari, pur restando pienamente autonomi. Inoltre, Starmer e Macron, hanno concordato un progetto pilota, che permetterà di rimpatriare in Francia alcuni migranti che attraversano illegalmente il Canale della Manica. Ne parliamo con Arturo Varvelli, direttore della sede romana dell’European Council on Foreign Relations, e Tiziana Prezzo, corrispondente Sky TG24 da Londra, autrice del libro “Il regno fragile”, People.Nel frattempo, continuano gli attacchi dei coloni nei territori palestinesi. Ne parliamo con Roberto Bongiorni, inviato del Sole 24Ore in Israele.

This week's show features stories from NHK Japan, France 24, Radio Deutsche-Welle, and Radio Havana Cuba. http://youthspeaksout.net/swr250711.mp3 (29:00) From JAPAN- Taiwan has begun its longest ever live fire military drills and evacuation drills in major cities. Ukraine again increased its attacks on military sites deep into Russian territory. At a 2 day summit in Brazil, leaders of BRICS expressed concern about the tariff policies of Trump. Vietnam got a reduced tariff from Trump after allowing the development of his his golf course, purchasing Boeing jets, and increased imports of LNG. From FRANCE- A business report on the latest Trump tariffs especially a 50% levy on Brazil, which actually has a trade surplus with the US. Human caused climate change made Europe up to 4 degrees Celsius last week which researchers say resulted in an additional 2500 deaths from the heatwave. From GERMANY- Israeli PM Netanyahu is promoting his vision for Gaza which involves relocating all civilians out of the territory- this could be considered a crime against humanity and a war crime. The defense minister has proposed a so-called humanitarian city in Rafah, where all Gazans would be placed with no exit. Several experts discuss the prospects including Rene Wildangel, a former policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. From CUBA- In the UK belonging to or supporting a group called Palestine Action has become a terror crime, 29 citizens were arrested last weekend for holding signs supporting the group. The death toll of Palestinians waiting to get food from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has risen to 700. At the BRICS summit an alternative international payment system is moving forward. Available in 3 forms- (new) HIGHEST QUALITY (160kb)(33MB), broadcast quality (13MB), and quickdownload or streaming form (6MB) (28:59) Links at outfarpress.com/shortwave.shtml PODCAST!!!- https://feed.podbean.com/outFarpress/feed.xml (160kb Highest Quality) Website Page- < http://www.outfarpress.com/shortwave.shtml ¡FurthuR! Dan Roberts "The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn." -- Alvin Tofler Dan Roberts Shortwave Report- www.outfarpress.com YouthSpeaksOut!- www.youthspeaksout.net

Trump su Putin: “Sta dicendo un sacco di stronzate sull’Ucraina”. Di questo e del tema caldo dei dazi parliamo insieme a Marco Valsania, corrispondente de Il Sole 24 Ore da New York.Il ministro Piantedosi e il commissario Ue Brunner espulsi dalla Libia al loro arrivo a Bengasi. Capiamo il perché insieme ad Arturo Varvelli, Direttore della Sede di Roma dell’European Council on Foreign Relations.Inchiesta sul carcere di Prato: stupri e torture fra detenuti. Sentiamo Nadia Tarantino, giornalista di Notiziediprato.it.

U.S. senators end their debate on President Trump's budget bill, with a vote on the package due later today. Meanwhile, European Council President Antonio Costa tells CNBC the U.S. defence spending dispute is resolved, with Europe boosting arms purchases under the new NATO deal. Canada scraps its digital services tax targeting U.S. big tech just days after President Trump calls off trade talks.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

** NATO members agree to raise defence spending to 5 percent of GDP... ** Ukrainian President Zelenskyy addresses European Council, demands Russia face justice... And in tennis, ** Australia's young shooting star, Maya Joint, has defeated British star Emma Raducanu. News from today's live program (1-2pm). - ***オランダのハーグで開催されていた、NATO首脳会議で、 加盟国は国防費の割合を国内総生産の5％に引き上げることを合意しました。 *** ウクライナのゼレンスキー大統領は、ロシアのリーダーに対し、 ウクライナ侵攻に関して、法の裁きをうけることを求めています。 *** テニスでは、オーストラリアの若きスター、マヤ・ジョイントが、 イギリスのスター、エマ・ラドゥカヌを破り、 キャリアの新たな一歩をふみだしました。 2025年6月26日放送。

At today's NATO summit, President Trump devoted a great deal of his press conference to the US's strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. After a back and forth over a leaked Pentagon report suggesting the strikes only set back Iran's nuclear program by months, Trump said it was preliminary and "inconclusive." Then he got another report by Israel's Atomic Energy Commission, saying the US attack on Fordow "destroyed the site's critical infrastructure." Iran itself also said the facilities were badly damaged. David Petraeus served as the Commander of Centcom and Director of the CIA and joins Christiane to discuss this all.  Also on today's show: former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt, now Co-Chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations; former CDC epidemiologist Dr. Fiona Havers, who quit after actions by RFK Jr.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On Friday, June 13th, just days before the sixth scheduled round of US–Iran talks over the country's nuclear energy program, Israel carried out a series of punishing airstrikes in many different parts of Iran. The bombings were unprecedented in targeting Iran's nuclear energy infrastructure, and have since expanded to target Iranian state television, the energy industry, and high-rise apartment buildings. Israel's bombing campaign has so far killed over 240 people, and has scuttled US–Iran nuclear diplomacy—at least for now. In response, Iran has launched drones and missiles at Israel, killing over 20 Israelis. Now, the escalating conflict, which has prompted thousands of Iranians to flee their homes and brought Israelis into bomb shelters, threatens to grow even deadlier as news outlets report that the Trump administration is weighing a US strike on Iran.In this episode of On the Nose, senior reporter Alex Kane assesses Israel's war with Daniel Levy, president of the US/Middle East Project, and Ellie Geranmayeh, the Deputy Director for the European Council on Foreign Relation's Middle East and North Africa program. They discuss the Trump administration's position on the conflict, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war goals, and where the region might be heading in the wake of this bombing campaign.Articles Mentioned and Further Reading“Israel Built Its Case for War With Iran on New Intelligence. The U.S. Didn't Buy It,” Alexander Ward, Lara Seligman, and Dustin Volz, The Wall Street Journal“How Trump Shifted on Iran Under Pressure From Israel,” Jonathan Swan, Maggie Haberman, Mark Mazzetti, and Ronen Bergman, The New York Times“America First or Israel First? Will Trump Join Netanyahu's War on Iran?” Daniel Levy, Zeteo“Europe must act now to prevent a major war between Israel and Iran,” Ellie Geranmayeh, European Council on Foreign Relations“Unpacking the Rift Between Trump and Netanyahu,” Alex Kane, Jewish Currents“

During a speech to the Spanish parliament earlier this year, the country's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez claimed there's one thing that would guarantee lasting peace in Europe.His idea is the creation of a new army drawn from the 27 countries whose governments already work together as members of the European Union.The concept isn't a new one - and NATO already exists, the military alliance which includes EU member states and other European countries.But talk of a new military force is reappearing as the continent becomes more vulnerable to threats. Its ally the US is increasingly unreliable and unpredictable too.Other European leaders are also backing the ideaThis week we're asking - “Are we closer to a European army?”Contributors:Dick Zandee, Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Security and Defence Programme at the Clingendael InstituteDr Ulrike Franke, Senior Policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign RelationsOana Lungescu, Distinguished fellow with the Royal United Services Institute and former NATO spokespersonProf. Dr. Sven Biscop, Director of the Europe in the World Programme at Egmont.Presenter: Charmaine CozierProducer: Daniel RosneyResearcher: Maeve SchafferEditor: Tara McDermottTechnical Producer: Toby JamesProduction Coordinator - Tammy Snow(Image Credit: FREDERICK FLORIN/AFP via Getty Images)

In unusual public statement last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted “activating” Palestinian militias in Gaza. Acting on the advice of security officials, he said, it was a way to weaken Hamas and protect Israeli soldiers. The admission came after Israeli media reported that Mr Netanyahu had authorised the arming of a militia, known as the Abu Shabab Popular Forces, in the southern Gaza Strip. The group is named after its leader, Yasser Abu Shabab. Now, Hamas has a new rival amid its battle with Israel. Hamas fighters have retaliated at the gang and claimed to have killed dozens from its small-but-growing ranks. It is believed that there are only 300 men serving Abu Shabab but sources told The National they are armed with assault rifles and are equipped with walkie-talkies and night-vision goggles. Among them are men with criminal records and links to ISIS. In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher speaks to experts about the origins of Abu Shabab, why the group is surfacing now and how Israel is backing it. She is joined by Muhammad Shehada, a visiting fellow with the European Council on Foreign Relation's Mena programme, and Michael Milshtein, head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at the Moshe Dayan Centre for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel Aviv University. Editor's Note: We want to hear from you! Help us improve our podcasts by taking our 2-minute listener survey. Click here.

More than three years since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, warfare has been transformed by drones.  Reports have stated that 70 percent of combat casualties in the war in Ukraine are now caused by drones, while the British security think tank RUSI calculates drones account for 60 to 70 percent of damaged and destroyed Russian systems. Ukraine, forced to innovate to hold off Russian forces, claims to be capable of making 4 million drones this year, Russia says it made 1.4 million in 2024 – using them, along with Iranian made systems, on the battlefield and in near constant attacks on Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure.  To discuss the ethics, capabilities and impact of drones on the way humans fight, Gavin Esler is joined by Dr Ulrike Franke, senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. • This episode of This Is Not A Drill is supported by Incogni, the service that keeps your private information safe, protects you from identity theft and keeps your data from being sold. There's a special offer for This Is Not A Drill listeners – go to https://incogni.com/notadrill to get an exclusive 60% off your annual plan. • Support us on Patreon to keep This Is Not A Drill producing thought-provoking podcasts like this. Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Original theme music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com. Executive Producer Martin Bojtos. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. This Is Not A Drill is a Podmasters production. www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Right-wing historian Karol Nawrocki has narrowly won Poland's presidential election, in what is a blow to the governing centrist coalition.Mr Nawrocki - who is backed by the main opposition Law and Justice party - will wield a powerful veto over policy - so what does it mean for the pro-EU government led by former European Council president Donald Tusk?Also in the programme: What exactly caused the "mass casualty" event at an aid station in Gaza?; and positive news on colon cancer recovery, as research shows survival rates are boosted by a third - just by regular exercise.(Photo shows Polish presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki reacts to the results of the second round of the presidential election, in Warsaw, Poland, June 1, 2025. Credit: Aleksandra Szmigiel/Reuters

Read Alex's article here: https://www.compactmag.com/.../the-techno-populist.../   For more than a decade, we have been told that insurgent populists are challenging a complacent post-political technocratic establishment. Combatants on both sides testify to this polarization. Poland's Donald Tusk, former President of the European Council and the country's current prime minister, stated back in 2017 that “we must challenge the populists”—and he did so, defeating the right-wing Law and Justice Party in 2023. French President Emmanuel Macron warned last year that “populists” risk undermining the European bloc from within. On the other side, Britain's Nigel Farage declared the same year that “nation-state democracy” was “making a comeback against the globalists.” More recently, Italy's Giorgia Meloni railed against “the global leftist liberal network” created in the 1990s by Tony Blair and Bill Clinton.   Check out our new bi-weekly series, "The Crisis Papers" here: https://www.patreon.com/bitterlakepresents/shop   Thank you guys again for taking the time to check this out. We appreciate each and everyone of you. If you have the means, and you feel so inclined, BECOME A PATRON! We're creating patron only programing, you'll get bonus content from many of the episodes, and you get MERCH!   Become a patron now https://www.patreon.com/join/BitterLakePresents?   Please also like, subscribe, and follow us on these platforms as well, (specially YouTube!)   THANKS Y'ALL   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG9WtLyoP9QU8sxuIfxk3eg Twitter: @TIRShowOakland Instagram: @thisisrevolutionoakland   Read Jason Myles in Sublation Magazine https://www.sublationmag.com/writers/jason-myles   Read Jason Myles in Damage Magazine https://damagemag.com/2023/11/07/the-man-who-sold-the-world/   Read Jason in Unaligned Here: https://substack.com/home/post/p-161586946...

Tommy and Ben discuss the fallout from Trump's national security team accidentally sending top secret war plans to a journalist, Turkey's backsliding democracy as a result of Erdoğan arresting his top political opponent, and Bibi Netanyahu's continuing efforts to remove internal critics while Israel gears up for potential annexation of Gaza. They also discuss a violent settler attack on the Oscar winning co-director of No Other Land, Russia's maximalist terms for the new maritime ceasefire with Ukraine, the conflicts in Sudan and Congo, and the Trump administration's latest immigration moves, including revoking temporary protected status for over 500,000 people. Then, Tommy is joined by Jeremy Shapiro, Research Director at the European Council of Foreign Relations, for a tour of Europe, including Turkey's political unrest, Romania's fraught election, and the latest with Hungarian strongman Viktor Orbán.