Directly elected parliament of the European Union
POPULARITY
Categories
Nobel laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk and Deputy Minister Alona Shkrum join Lisa Burke to discuss the Advocacy Coalition and the cost of silence for Europe My Guests: - Her Excellency Ambassador Barbara Karpetová, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg - Inna Yaramenko, the Representative of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, and Vice President at LUkraine - Oleksandra Matviichuk, Chairwoman of the Center for Civil Liberties, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022. - Alona Shkrum, First Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine. - Kristina Mikulova, Head of Regional Hub for Eastern Europe for the European Investment Bank In this powerful episode, the conversation shifts from the abstract concept of 'aid' to the urgent reality of strategic investment in European security. As Ukraine enters its fourth year of full-scale invasion, a new initiative has been developed by Ambassador Karpetová with the help of Inna Yaramenko. 'The Advocacy Coalition - Defending Our Future Now' has launched in Luxembourg to remind the continent that defending Ukraine is synonymous with defending the future of democracy itself. This year-long set of events will pass the baton between the founding embassies: Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, and the United Kingdom, to stand united in the conviction that defending Ukraine means defending Europe's future. Beyond Charity: A Strategic Investment Supporting Ukraine in 2026 is now viewed as a strategic investment in the infrastructure of European security. Alona Shkrum, Ukraine's First Deputy Minister for Reconstruction, explained that waiting for hostilities to cease before rebuilding is not an option. "If we do not reconstruct water, utilities, energy supply, schools, and hospitals, then people will leave," she noted, emphasising that keeping the economy functioning allows Ukraine to fund its own defence and protect the eastern borders of the European Union. The scale of destruction is staggering: the road damage alone is equivalent to the distance from Luxembourg to Iran, and the amount of housing destroyed, over 3 million units, exceeds the total housing stock of Denmark. Humanising the Numbers Whilst the statistics are overwhelming, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk focuses on "humanising the numbers". She shared the harrowing story of 10-year-old Ilya from Mariupol, whose mother died in his arms in a frozen apartment after they were caught in Russian shelling. Matviichuk also recounted the experience of Professor Irak Kyvslovski, a philosopher who spent 700 days in captivity and gave lectures on philosophy to rats in his solitary cell just to hear a human voice. "Dignity is action," Matviichuk told the audience, asserting that the "accountability gap" in international law must be closed by establishing a Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression. A Year of Intensive Advocacy The Advocacy Coalition, a partnership between LUkraine, the European Commission, and nine resident embassies in Luxembourg (but they're open for more partners), will host monthly events throughout 2026. These events will tackle critical themes such as countering disinformation, reconstruction, and the role of the Ukrainian diaspora. The first event will take place at the European Parliament in Luxembourg on March 23, featuring a keynote address by Matviichuk, focussing on the abducted children. Unity as the Strongest Weapon The message from my guests underlines that unity is the strongest weapon against authoritarianism. As Ambassador Barbara Karpetová noted, even a small nation like Luxembourg can provide "shared inspiration" by standing together, mirroring the visionary leadership of historical figures like Pierre Werner, former Prime Minister of Luxembourg, whose home she now resides in. The Power of Ordinary People Matviichuk emphasises that "ordinary people can do extraordinary things". Inna cites the 700 Luxembourgish families who offered to host refugees within just three days after the invasion began. Digital Engagement: The Coalition is launching an Advocacy Platform, a digital ecosystem featuring authentic testimonies from diplomats, volunteers, and citizens to humanise the impact of solidarity.
"A high-level Pfizer manager went on record and said: if they had to choose between lowering prices in the US or not launching in France — they would not launch in France."Christoffer Frendesen, EU correspondent for Dagens Pharma and former European Parliament policy advisor, raises serious concerns about a policy shock that many in Brussels are still reluctant to confront directly.Christoffer covers health, pharma, and life sciences policy from Brussels, with over five years of experience as a policy advisor to Danish MEPs inside the European Parliament. His close proximity to both legislative process and industry reaction gives him a well-informed perspective on the real-world consequences of US drug pricing reform on European markets.In this episode of the PharmaSource podcast, Christoffer explains why Trump's Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) executive order, signed in May 2025, is not just an American story, and why pharmaceutical executives, market access teams, and patient advocates across Europe need to be paying close attention right now.Read more.
It's EV News Briefly for Thursday 05 March 2026, everything you need to know in less than 5 minutes if you haven't got time for the full show.Patreon supporters fund this show, get the episodes ad free, as soon as they're ready and are part of the EV News Daily Community. You can be like them by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/EVNewsDailyMIDDLE EAST CONFLICT LIFTS UK FUEL AND ENERGY COSTSBrent crude surged past $84 per barrel and UK gas prices spiked to a three-year high of £1.44 per therm after Qatar halted LNG exports following Iran's threat to attack tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, with the RAC warning UK forecourt prices will feel the full impact within a week. Home EV charging costs are shielded for now by the energy price cap — fixed at 24.67p per kWh for electricity until end of June — but wholesale price rises could push the cap higher from July, making both home wallbox and public charging more expensive.EUROPEAN FLEETS COULD SAVE €246BN BY 2030A new EY and Eurelectric report finds that fully electrifying Europe's corporate fleets could deliver up to €246 billion in cumulative savings and cut one billion tonnes of CO2 by 2030. However, the authors warn that cheaper running costs alone will not drive mass uptake, calling for coordinated action from manufacturers, policymakers, grid operators and finance providers to tackle high upfront costs, uncertain residual values, and charging infrastructure delays.CUPRA BORN FACELIFT BRINGS SHARP NOSE, SMALL TWEAKSCupra has facelifted the Born with a "shark nose" front end, triangular matrix LED headlights, a continuous rear light strip, and new 235 mm tyres across all five wheel options, while the aerodynamically improved 79 kWh variants now claim around 600 km (373 miles) of WLTP range. A new entry "Born Plus" trim pairs a 58 kWh battery with a 140 kW motor — figures that match Ford's Capri LFP option and strongly suggest a switch to LFP cells from the updated MEB+ platform — though Cupra has not confirmed drivetrain details and appears to be saving that announcement for a related reveal, likely the VW ID.3 facelift later in 2026.FORD EV SALES SINK 71% AFTER LIGHTNING EXITFord's US EV sales collapsed 71% in February 2026 to just 2,122 units, the steepest monthly drop in its EV history, driven by the discontinuation of the F-150 Lightning and the expiry of the federal EV tax credit. Ford's Model e division lost $4.8 billion in 2025 and is forecast to lose another $4–5 billion in 2026, with profitability not expected until 2029; the company has already booked a $19.5 billion writedown and is pivoting to a new ~$30,000 midsize electric pickup it hopes will revive the business by 2027.LUCID PATCHES GRAVITY SOFTWARE AGAINLucid Motors has pushed software update 3.4.4 to the Gravity SUV, targeting AC charging improvements and Drive Assist availability, following a January update that resolved around 95% of earlier software issues — with the car averaging a new update every 24 days since launch. Lucid has closed its online configurator for both the Air and Gravity while it prepares its 2027 model year announcement, and Air owners face a $950 hardware upgrade bill to access the newer UX 3.0 platform already running in the Gravity, due to arrive by autumn 2026.MITSUBISHI READIES LEAF-BASED EV FOR CANADAMitsubishi is preparing its first all-new model since the Eclipse Cross for Canadian dealerships in 2026, built on Nissan's CMF-EV platform and LEAF architecture, with spy shots showing a heavily camouflaged prototype that shares the LEAF's roofline, proportions, and rear hatch panel. Both models will be built side by side at Nissan's Kaminokawa plant in Japan, and Mitsubishi may receive the smaller battery pack to undercut the LEAF on entry price — a strategy that would see Nissan supply the foundations while a cheaper sibling competes for the same buyers.ALPITRONIC UNVEILS HYC400 SERIES 2 CHARGERAlpitronic has launched the HYC400 Series 2, retaining the 400 kW maximum output of its predecessor while upgrading to a 22-inch touchscreen (up from 15.6 inches), second-generation silicon carbide power stacks, and a higher continuous output current of 600 A (up from 500 A). The unit maintains 97.5% charging efficiency but standby power consumption rises significantly from 43 W to under 100 W, and cable options narrow to a single 5-metre length; Alpitronic will sell both generations simultaneously to suit different site requirements.APTERA SHOWS FIRST VALIDATION-LINE VEHICLE PHOTOAptera Motors has published the first photo of a vehicle off its validation assembly line, marking a milestone for its three-wheeled, solar-assisted EV that claims 400 miles of range from a 44 kWh battery and up to 40 miles of daily solar charging, classified as a motorcycle to bypass certain safety regulations. The launch edition price has risen to $40,000 — a $9,300 increase from prior estimates — though a $28,000 model is planned for the future, and with nearly 50,000 pre-orders and a stated daily capacity of 80–100 vehicles, Aptera claims it could fulfil all orders within 500 days of full production, though the end-of-year delivery timeline remains uncertain.GEELY TARGETS DEFENDER WITH GALAXY BATTLESHIPGeely plans to launch the Galaxy Battleship in the UK in 2028, a blocky hybrid 4x4 aimed squarely at the Land Rover Defender and Toyota Land Cruiser, with a production design expected to stay 90–95% true to the Galaxy Cruiser concept shown at the 2025 Shanghai Motor Show. Built on the GEA Evo platform with steer- and brake-by-wire, it may use an AI-driven plug-in hybrid system with a stated output of around 858 bhp, and Geely is promising an interior that surpasses the Defender's for luxury — a bold claim for the Chinese brand's first foray into the 4x4 segment.EU UNVEILS LOCAL-CONTENT RULES FOR CLEAN TECHThe European Commission has unveiled the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), tying over €2 trillion in public procurement and subsidies to low-carbon and "Made-in-EU" conditions across sectors including EVs, steel, cement, and wind turbines, with the goal of raising manufacturing's share of EU economic output from 14% to 20% by 2035. China is excluded from the initial trusted-partner list — which includes the UK, Canada, and the US — and foreign investments above €100 million from countries controlling 40%+ of global production would face strict conditions including capped 49% foreign ownership and mandatory technology transfer; BMW and Mercedes oppose the Act over fears of higher costs, while Renault backs it and the text must still clear the European Parliament before becoming law.
As proposals for the future Horizon Europe are scrutinised by the European Parliament, we discuss likely changes to the seven-year funding programme and whether it can support a coalition of like-minded powers amidst the current geopolitical upheaval. The next version of Horizon Europe, due to launch in 2028, is likely to show much greater alignment with EU economic and defence priorities, backed by the budget almost doubling to €175bn a year. The initial proposal put forward by the European Commission opens Horizon up to dual purpose and defence focused research and places more weight on research designed to drive EU competitiveness in key industries such as green energy and digital technologies. This week Miranda Prynne is joined by THE features editor Paul Jump to discuss how the planned changes could affect European research and the impact on Horizon's flourishing global network of non-EU members such as the UK, Canada and Japan whose contributions currently make up around a third of Horizon's total budget. Listen to Paul's take on whether the new Horizon Europe will provide a platform for a stronger international network of like-minded middle powers, giving them more clout on the world stage, or if a closer focus on Europe's needs will create tensions with non-EU members.
“The wake-up call happened during COVID — we realized our dependency on basic medicines coming from outside Europe was dangerously high.”Elisabeth Stampa, CEO of Medichem and Vice President of Medicines for Europe, has been one of the pharmaceutical industry's most outspoken advocates for the Critical Medicines Act (CMA). With the European Parliament having just published its position and trilogue negotiations underway, she argues the window for meaningful reform is open — but not indefinitely.In the latest PharmaSource podcast episode, Elisabeth breaks down what the CMA is designed to achieve, where the friction points lie, and what success would actually look like for European patients and the generics and biosimilar industry by 2030.Read the article
Dr. Marco Ventura is Professor of Law and Religion and Religious Diplomacy at the University of Siena in Italy. Trained in bioethics and biolaw at the University of Strasbourg, he has advised the European Parliament, the OSCE, and various governments on the intersection of religion and rights. He directed the Center for Religious Studies at the Fondazione Bruno Kessler in Trento and chairs the G20 Interfaith Working Group on Religion, Innovation, and Technology and Infrastructures.Marco is the author of numerous books, including From Your Gods to Our Gods and Nelle mani di Dio, la super religione del mondo che verrà. Over the past decade, he has helped shape the emerging field exploring the encounter between religion and innovation.In this episode, we explore Marco's work on bioethics and technoscience, their influential position paper mapping out this emerging field of religion and innovation, and what innovation really means in a religious context.In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:1. The language of innovation2. How do religious communities decide what kind of change is desirable?3. Innovation, markets, and technology as rival meaning systems4. Resistance movements as responses to innovation5. Politicization and polarization in debates about markets and capitalismTo learn more about Marco's work, you can find him at: https://credo.unisi.it/about/secretariat-and-experts/person/marcoLinks Mentioned:Religion, Innovation, Position paper, FBK 2019 - https://isr.fbk.eu/en/about-us/position-paper/ Fondazione Bruno Kessler – https://www.fbk.eu/ G20 Interfaith Forum – https://www.g20interfaith.org/ Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) – https://www.osce.org/This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.Support the show
On this episode, the team go head-to-head once again in At The Bridge Pod Quiz III, the third instalment of chaos, confidence, and contested football knowledge.Bragging rights are firmly on the line as tensions rise and reputations are tested. Who actually knows their stuff… and who's been bluffing for three editions?The quiz features the return of fan-favourite rounds including Who Is That Former Blue?, the ever-competitive club-count bidding war, and the ridiculous-but-brilliant Is This a Former Watford Manager or Member of European Parliament? We also revisit Happy Hunting Grounds, and introduce the price-guessing pressure cooker: Transfer Fee – Price Is Right.Four categories. No lifelines. No excuses.The team also talk the latest from this week's news and as always also answer some listener questions.RUNNING ORDER:00:00 The Start & Shevva's Shoutouts9:53 News: John Terry & Record Losses27:10 At The Bridge Pod Quiz III1:12:20 Arsenal Preview1:16:20 Quaresma' QuestionsIf you have a question for the team then contact them on Twitter at @AtTheBridgePod(This episode was recorded on 26th February 2026)*** Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/b3arBztQjnThis episode is proudly supported by Head In The Game, a charity using football to support mental health and wellbeing. Check out their free programs at headinthegame.co.uk and follow them on social media to learn more._______________________________________________Get In Touch With Us:Twitter - twitter.com/AtTheBridgePodInstagram - Instagram.com/AtTheBridgePod#CFC #CHELSEA
How is the Iranian society coping with the crackdown on the protests? What is the current state of the regime and its prospects for the future? Who is Reza Pahlavi and what might be his role in the near future? And how do Iranians view the U.S. intervention in their affairs? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Touska Gholami Khaljiri, an Iranian women's and children's rights activist and researcher based in Łódź, Poland, whose work bridges gender justice and grassroots activism. In Iran, she collaborated with multiple non-governmental organizations, including serving as head of a legal team and workshop facilitator, delivering prevention programs on child sexual abuse. Since relocating to Poland, she has remained actively engaged in advocacy related to Iran, organizing demonstrations in Łódź during the “Women, Life, Freedom” movement and contributing to international awareness efforts. In 2023, she was selected by Wprost magazine to represent Iranian women in receiving the SheO Award in the category of “Fight for Equality and Women's Rights.” She is also involved in digital documentation initiatives, including contributing to the Iran Protests Timeline website, an ongoing bilingual (English–Polish) project providing a chronological record of Iran's 2026 uprising. Tune in for their talk! Find out more about the Iran Protests Timeline here: https://iranproteststimeline.com/ This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with the Movimento Liberal Social and the 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.
One of Compass' evergreen campaigns is that for proportional representation. Doing away with the archaic first-past-the-post voting system is something self-evident to the new politics we here at Compass are trying to build. Ensuring cross-party collaboration and the best of all progressive ideas will be key to a democratic system that works in the people's best interest going forward.But there's a darker side to FPTP too: how it contributes to inequality.This little-researched area of the ramifications of our voting system and the political-socioeconomic system it exacerbates is now being dragged to the front. Our new paper, ‘Lifting the Lid on Britain's Pressure-Cooker Politics', authored by Stuart Donald, shows just how stark the links between the two are.Joining our Deputy Director, Lena Swedlow, to talk about this are:Stuart Donald, author of ‘Lifting the Lid on Britain's Pressure-Cooker Politics' and ‘The Temper Trap‘. Stuart is a researcher and writer, committed to using data to prove that in today's world, the First Past the Post electoral system no longer works and is driving countries that use it to destruction. A native of Perth, Stuart now lives in Linlithgow and works in Edinburgh where he leads a research and data analytics team. Stuart is also a husband, a dad and a supporter of Aberdeen FC.Emma Harrison is Chief Executive of Make Votes Matter and leads the organisation with a key focus on driving forward better governance, higher levels of engagement with the public and persuading politicians to support the principle of fair votes for all. She was the founding Chief Executive of IMIX, a not-for-profit communications agency dedicated to transforming public attitudes on migration. Emma's passion for using strategic communications to drive social change has been a defining feature of her work. Throughout her career, Emma has been deeply committed to engaging the public and building movements for change. She has held senior leadership roles in a range of charities, spanning international development, the disability sector, and the consumer rights movement. Her expertise extends across multi-channel communications, policy development, and advocacy, which began with her formative experience working at the European Parliament. Outside of work Emma is an Arsenal season ticket holder, a mudlarker, wild swimmer and is owned by her two dogs.Support the showEnjoyed the podcast and want to be a live audience member at our next episode? Want to have the chance in raising questions to the panelist?Support our work and be a part of the Compass community. Become a member!You can find us on Twitter at @CompassOffice.
The BSW (formerly the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, now Alliance for Social Justice and Economic Reason), had early successes after its founding in 2024, winning seats in the European Parliament and …
It's Tuesday, February 24th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Kevin Swanson and Timothy Reed Early Rain Covenant Church Hit Again China Aid reports of more communist persecution of the Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, China. Pastor Wang Yi is entering his seventh year in prison -- of a nine-year sentence. But now, elder Li Yingqiang and his wife have been arrested for their commitment to Christ. His wife was released on bail, and encouraged friends on social media that “God's arrangements are always good.” Multiple churches in North America, and an organization in Australia, have designated the ninth of each month as a “Day of Fasting and Prayer for the Persecuted Church in China.” Mexican National Guardsmen killed the most wanted cartel leader in the country Mexico is in turmoil this week, after Mexican National Guardsmen killed the most wanted cartel leader in the country, Nemesio Cervantes, a criminal known as “El Mencho.” So far, 34 drug cartel members are dead. Sadly, another 25 federal troops were killed in the ongoing conflict. European immigration numbers down Immigration numbers have dropped sharply in Europe. Britain records only 200,000 immigrants in 2025, down from 900,000 in 2023. Eurostat's Migration and Asylum report indicates a 13% drop in asylum applicants to European Union countries in 2024. That's the first drop since 2020. And October 2025 numbers indicate a 28% drop compared with October 2024. European Parliament refused to affirm only women can get pregnant The Parliament of the European Union voted 340-141 to artificially redefine the definition of what a woman is. The Parliament also refused to affirm the biological fact “that only women can become pregnant.” German Parliament member Tomasz Froelich blasted the new guidance. He said, “This isn't about courtesy or pronouns. It's about law, language, and the destruction of biological clarity in public policy.” The new law opens the continent up to “the full recognition of trans women as women,” directly opposing God's created gender roles. In Matthew 19:4, Jesus asked, “Have you not read, that He which made them at the beginning made them male and female?” Reform UK lacked traction; Will Restore Britain thrive? As The Worldview reported on February 19th, Britain has a new populist political party called the Restore Britain party. The previous nationalist party, Reform UK, gained 14% of the vote in the 2024 election, but only holds eight seats which is a little over 1% of the seats in parliament. Back in 2002, the UK populist parties had only 2% of the national vote. More debt and more inflation for the U.S. In President Donald Trump's first year in office in his second term, the US Debt to Gross Domestic Product ratio spiked to 122%. That's the highest since Joe Biden's first year in office during the COVID spend-a-thon. Today's U.S. federal debt stands at $38.7 trillion — exactly double what it was 10 years ago during the first Trump term, and quadruple the size of the debt 18 years ago during the 2008 recession. Also in economic news, despite all the political noise and hand waving coming out of Washington, inflation is up in the U.S. The core Personal Consumption Expenditures inflation index is up to 3% — back up to where it was two years ago. The GDP inflator reached 3.7%, the worst it's been in three years. And yet, the average 30-year mortgage rate has dropped to 6%, That's the lowest it's been in two and a half years. Deuteronomy 15:6 ties in here. It says, “For the LORD your God will bless you just as He promised you; you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you.” Kansas legislature overturns veto on transgender Law KANSAS LEADER: “The motion prevails and the bill passes.” (Gavel comes down) And with that announcement, the Kansas Legislature, dominated by Republicans, voted to overturn Democratic Governor Laura Kelly's veto on a bill that banned men, including men pretending to be women, from entering women's spaces. The Kansas House voted 87-37 and the Kansas Senate voted 31-9 to overturn the veto. Republican Kansas State Senator Virgil Peck, Jr. spoke from the Senate floor. PECK: “I'm amazed that we're not hearing from more of those who are, if you will, feminists standing up for young ladies.” The bill allows for criminal charges to be brought against biological men who intrude on women's bathrooms and locker rooms, and holds to the birth gender or biological definition of male and female. 118,000 applications submitted for tax-funded school vouchers Texas parents have submitted 118,000 applications since Texas Freedom Education Accounts opened up on February 4th. The Houston public school district is looking at closing down 12 of its schools for the next school year, reports The Chronicle. The Texas Homeschool Coalition estimates there are 500,000 homeschooled students in the state. Add to that 422,000 children enrolled in Texas charter schools, and another 279,000 children enrolled in Texas private schools. That adds up to 1,200,000 Texas students not attending public school, representing 21% of school-aged children in Texas. Study reveals cancer linked to COVID-19 shot A new scientific study has linked the rise in certain types of cancer to the mRNA COVID-19 shots. The study, published by Oncotarget, marks the spike in cancers, including highly aggressive cancers, in correspondence with certain lipid nanoparticles that were in the COVID vaccines. The study evidenced that the modRNA in the COVID shot, along with the lipid nanoparticles, could “affect various tissues and organs, including the bone marrow and other blood-forming organs.” The study also found a link between rising mortalities worldwide and the rollout of the COVID shot. In one Italian province, for example, “vaccination was associated with a 23% increased risk of cancer hospitalization after receiving one or more doses.” U.S. Men's Hockey team wins gold in overtime And finally … (Audio of Olympic theme song) Norway has captured the highest number of gold medals in the 2026 Winter Olympics this year — taking home 18 medals (so far). The United States comes in second with 12 golds. That's a record for America — this time including a top medal for the Men's and Women's Hockey competition. The U.S. Men's Hockey Team won the gold medal for the first time in 46 years in a 2-1 overtime win on the final golden goal knocked in by Jack Hughes, who played center. Listen. ANNOUNCER: “Jack Hughes wins it. The golden goal for the United States. For the first time since the 1980 Miracle, the United States takes the gold.” Jack will be remembered for having taken a high stick and losing multiple teeth before scoring the winning goal. Close And that's The Worldview on this Tuesday, February 24th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ. Extra print stories Elderly farmer refuses to sell farm to data company 86-year-old farmer Mervin Raudabaugh refused to sell his Pennsylvania farm to data company developers, even though his farm was valued at over $15 million. Raudabaugh has lived in Silver Springs Township in Cumberland County and been a farmer for more than 60 years. He exclaimed, “I was not interested in destroying my farms. That was the bottom line. It really wasn't so much the economic end of it. I just didn't want to see these two farms destroyed.” Raudabaugh instead sold his property for a much lower price to the Silver Springs Township's Land Preservation Program, which protects farmland, woodland, and wetlands. He explained, “I love this land. It's been my life. And I realized… if it wasn't built on or dug up, another set of families could live here—and that's what I wanted to do. And I got it done.” Micah 4:4 promises, “But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.” 10 major British cities have Muslim mayors 46 million Muslims now live in Europe, as migrants from third world countries continue overwhelming the European system. Muslims are taking over political offices in European nations, including in the United Kingdom, where 10 major cities now have Muslim mayors. The massive influx in illegal immigration to Europe, while condemned and hated by its people, is being celebrated by its leaders. Newsmax reports, “They've chosen to stand with radical Muslims over their own people. It's because of all of these reasons these countries are falling apart and failing as the attack on Western civilization continues.” Muslim infiltration has also reached the United States, evidenced by Muslim influence in states like Texas and Minnesota. Chase Bank admits to debanking Trump JPMorgan Bank has admitted to freezing President Donald Trump's bank account following the January 6, 2021 protests. Trump had sued the bank for $5 billion in damages. The admission came after JPMorgan initially dodged the question of whether it debanked the President, and is yet another confirmation that conservatives were in fact targeted and persecuted under the Biden administration. CNBC reported, “This is not the first lawsuit Trump has filed against a big bank, alleging that he was debanked. The Trump Organization sued credit card giant Capital One in March 2025 for similar reasons and allegations.” However, some have pointed out that the Trump administration is working towards digital currencies, which run a large risk of being controlled.
Against a backdrop of violent anti-semitic and anti-indigenous attacks and the relaxation of police restraints in response to them, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras organizers are faced with twin controversies: the withdrawal of the Jewish group Dayenu from the event and demands for the expulsion of the New South Wales Police contingent. Veteran activist Ken Davis explains the situation (Barry McKay reports). New Yorkers defy the Trump administration and replace the rainbow flag the government “disappeared” from the Stonewall National Monument (Paul DeRienzo of WBAI reports). A Black History Month Rainbow Rewind honors Langston Hughes (produced by Sheri Lunn and Brian DeShazor). And in NewWrap: the European Parliament approves a resolution specifically calling for “the full recognition of trans women as women,” HIV-positive enlistees are once again banned from serving in the U.S. military, intersex children are now protected from undergoing unnecessary medical procedures without their informed consent in the Australian state of Victoria, Kansans can now sue if they're upset after sharing a bathroom with a trans person, U.S. Olympic women's ice hockey team captain Hilary Knight leads her team to gold and plans to lead speed skater Brittany Bowe to the altar, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Nico Raquel and Ret (produced by Brian DeShazor). All this on the February 23, 2026 edition of This Way Out! Join our family of listener-donors today at thiswayout.org/donate/.
Dr. Marco Ventura is Professor of Law and Religion and Religious Diplomacy at the University of Siena in Italy. Trained in bioethics and biolaw at the University of Strasbourg, he has advised the European Parliament, the OSCE, and various governments on the intersection of religion and rights. He directed the Center for Religious Studies at the Fondazione Bruno Kessler in Trento and chairs the G20 Interfaith Working Group on Religion, Innovation, and Technology and Infrastructures.Marco is the author of numerous books, including From Your Gods to Our Gods and Nelle mani di Dio, la super religione del mondo che verrà. Over the past decade, he has helped shape the emerging field exploring the encounter between religion and innovation.In this episode, we explore Marco's work on bioethics and technoscience, their influential position paper mapping out this emerging field of religion and innovation, and what innovation really means in a religious context.In this first part of our conversation, we discuss:The balance between tradition and contemporary artThe story of St. Francis and “repair my church” as a metaphor for renewalCatholic Church's response to reproductive technologiesWhy “innovation” was chosen instead of simply “technology.”Distinction between technological innovation and social innovationTwo categories of innovationWhy religious actors want a voice in innovation-driven global agendasThe use of innovation in a religious contextTo learn more about Marco's work, you can find him at: https://credo.unisi.it/about/secretariat-and-experts/person/marcoLinks Mentioned:Religion, Innovation, Position paper, FBK 2019 - https://isr.fbk.eu/en/about-us/position-paper/ Fondazione Bruno Kessler – https://www.fbk.eu/ G20 Interfaith Forum – https://www.g20interfaith.org/ Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) – https://www.osce.org/This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.Support the show
Today (24th February) marks the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine — a war that began in 2014 with the seizure of Crimea and has since become one of the defining geopolitical conflicts of our time. Over the weekend, Ukraine again faced waves of drone and missile attacks, while European foreign ministers meeting in Brussels struggled to agree a new sanctions package. US-brokered talks in Geneva have stalled, and questions remain about what happens next. Meanwhile, Cabinet Ministers are convening, ahead of a special meeting of European leaders to mark four years since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Taoiseach Michael Martin is expected to commit to advancing Ukraine's EU membership, when Ireland holds the EU Presidency later this year. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will address the world later on today, via video link with the European Parliament. To discuss the global political picture and the local impact here in Clare, Alan was joined by Professor Donnacha Ó Beachain of Dublin City University, a native of Newmarket-on-Fergus and expert in post-Soviet politics, and Mariya Nikishanova, originally from Irpin in Ukraine and living in Ennis for more than a decade. Image © Mathias Reding from Pexels via Canva
The European Parliament has decided to postpone a vote on the European Union's trade deal with the US after Donald Trump imposed a new temporary import duty of 15% on imports from all countries. To discuss further Anton spoke to Thomas Byrne, Fianna Fáil TD for Meath East and Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The European Parliament has decided to postpone a vote on the European Union's trade deal with the US after Donald Trump imposed a new temporary import duty of 15% on imports from all countries. To discuss further Anton spoke to Thomas Byrne, Fianna Fáil TD for Meath East and Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Today's top stories, with context, in just 15 minutes.On today's podcast:1) A powerful winter storm has isolated New York City and hobbled transport networks, threatening to be among its worst on record, with 41 million people across the US East Coast facing blizzard conditions. The storm shut down the vast majority of flights out of the region’s largest airports on Monday, including in the New York area and in Boston. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared a state of emergency and closed streets, highways and bridges to most traffic after 9 p.m. Sunday until noon Monday. Major snowfall of as much as 30 inches is expected across the East Coast in some areas, with the heaviest set through Sunday night and into Monday morning, the National Weather Service said, making travel impossible.2) Senior US officials said President Trump’s tariff defeat at the Supreme Court won’t unravel deals negotiated with US partners as they sought to defend the administration’s assertive trade policies. Those deals — which the administration made with partners including China, the European Union, Japan and South Korea — remain in place, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Sunday on CBS’s Face the Nation. He sought to separate those arrangements from the planned 15% global tariff Trump announced Saturday. Friction over the renewed uncertainty spilled out Sunday as the European Parliament’s trade chief said he’ll propose freezing the EU’s ratification of a trade deal with the US until the Trump administration clarifies its policy. In New Delhi, officials cited similar reasons for India postponing talks in the US this week on finalizing an interim trade deal. The US Supreme Court ruling that struck down Trump’s use of emergency authority to wield tariffs preceded his planned trip next month to China. Greer suggested that alternative US trade tools, including those involving investigations of other countries’ trade practices, would give the US leverage.3) The US and Iran are set to resume talks Thursday in Geneva, according to Omani mediators. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he expects to meet US special envoy Steve Witkoff for the talks and reiterated that Iran won’t be pressured by a US military buildup in the region. Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said on X that the US-Iran negotiations “are now set for Geneva this Thursday, with a positive push to go the extra mile towards finalizing the deal.” After talks last week, a US official said Iran was expected to return with proposals in two weeks to bridge remaining gaps. The US has orchestrated a massive military buildup in the Middle East including two aircraft carriers as President Trump presses Tehran for a new nuclear deal. Trump said on Friday he’s considering limited strikes on Iran, risking another destabilizing conflict.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
APAC stocks were mixed amid trade uncertainty as the region digested the latest tariff developments after the US Supreme Court ruled against IEEPA tariffs on Friday, prompting President Trump to impose a global 10% flat-rate tariff, which he later raised to 15% over the weekend.US officials said that tariff deal partners should honour their agreements, while USTR Greer said he sought to separate the tariff agreements from the 15% global tariff that US President Trump announced.European Parliament's trade chief is to propose freezing the ratification of the EU's trade agreement with the US until they receive details from the Trump administration regarding its trade policy.Goldman Sachs analysts indicate that most Asian economies will experience slightly lower US tariffs after the Supreme Court ruling on IEEPA tariffs, with China expected to see the largest decline.US President Trump reportedly considers a targeted strike on Iran, followed by a larger attack and is open to deposing the Supreme Leader by force if Iran is stubborn, according to the NYT.Looking ahead, highlights include German Ifo (Feb), Chicago Fed National Activity Index (Dec/Jan). Speakers include BoE's Taylor & Fed's Waller. Supply from the EU, Earnings from Hims & Hers.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk
Early moves on Monday indicated investors were beginning to price in a higher risk premium for US assets. Hours after the Supreme Court struck down his sweeping reciprocal tariffs on Friday, President Donald Trump imposed a new 10% global levy and vowed to use other powers to maintain his signature tariff policies. On Saturday, he said he will raise that new tariff to 15%, stoking fresh economic turbulence. For more on what this means for the markets, we speak to Carol Schleif, Chief Market Strategist at BMO Private Wealth. Plus - Senior US officials said President Donald Trump's tariff defeat at the Supreme Court won't unravel deals negotiated with US partners. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said those deals remain in place and the administration will stand by them, expecting partners to do the same. The European Parliament's trade chief plans to propose freezing the EU's ratification of a trade deal with the US until the Trump administration clarifies its policy. So what does that mean for China? We hear from Sean Stein, President at the US-China Business Council. He spoke to Bloomberg's Shery Ahn and Avril Hong on the Asia Trade. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Parce que… c'est l'épisode 0x712! Shameless plug 25 et 26 février 2026 - SéQCure 2026 31 mars au 2 avril 2026 - Forum INCYBER - Europe 2026 14 au 17 avril 2026 - Botconf 2026 28 et 29 avril 2026 - Cybereco Cyberconférence 2026 9 au 17 mai 2026 - NorthSec 2026 3 au 5 juin 2026 - SSTIC 2026 19 septembre 2026 - Bsides Montréal 1 au 3 décembre 2026 - Forum INCYBER - Canada 2026 Notes IA Sécurité et le code Kevin Beaumont: “Today in InfoSec Job Security …” - Cyberplace AI Found Twelve New Vulnerabilities in OpenSSL Anthropic rolls out embedded security scanning for Claude Cyber Stocks Slide As Anthropic Unveils ‘Claude Code Security' Plagiat chez Microsoft Microsoft deletes blog telling users to train AI on pirated Harry Potter books Microsoft Uses Plagiarized AI Slop Flowchart To Explain How Git Works The Promptware Kill Chain Why ‘secure-by-design' systems are non-negotiable in the AI era Side-Channel Attacks Against LLMs Gentoo dumps GitHub over Copilot nagware European Parliament bars lawmakers from AI tools AI chatbots to face strict online safety rules in UK LLM-generated passwords ‘fundamentally weak,' experts say PromptSpy ushers in the era of Android threats using GenAI Claude just gave me access to another user's legal documents OpenClaw Security Fears Lead Meta, Other AI Firms To Restrict Its Use Was an Amazon Service Taken Down By Its AI Coding Bot? Kevin Beaumont: “Microsoft need a better way of…” - Cyberplace OpenAI Employees Raised Alarms About Canada Shooting Suspect Months Ago The Internet Is Becoming a Dark Forest — And AI Is the Hunter Souveraineté ou tout ce que je peux faire sur mon terrain India's New Social Media Rules: Remove Unlawful Content in Three Hours, Detect Illegal AI Content Automatically UK to require tech firms to remove nonconsensual intimate images within 48 hours or face fines Greece throws support behind social media bans for kids Kevin Beaumont: “Ireland's data protection watc…” - Cyberplace Spain orders NordVPN, ProtonVPN to block LaLiga piracy sites Poland bans Chinese-made cars from entering military sites Texas sues TP-Link over Chinese hacking risks, user deception Microsoft throws spox under the bus in ICC email flap Digital sovereignty must define itself before it can succeed “Made in EU” - it was harder than I thought. Privacy ou tout ce qui devrait rester à la maison Underground Facial Recognition Tool Unmasks Camgirls Leaked Email Suggests Ring Plans to Expand ‘Search Party' Surveillance Beyond Dogs Mysk
Your morning briefing. All the news you need to start your dayOn today's podcast: (1) Senior US officials said President Donald Trump’s tariff defeat at the Supreme Court won’t unravel deals negotiated with US partners as they sought to defend the administration’s assertive trade policies. (2) The European Parliament’s trade chief will propose freezing the ratification process of the European Union’s trade deal with the US until they’ve received details from President Donald Trump’s administration on its trade policy.(3) After boasting for months about its preferential trade deal with US President Donald Trump, the UK is at risk of becoming the biggest loser in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down his global tariffs.(4) Oil fell as investors weighed the odds of a nuclear deal between the US and Iran, with more negotiations on the issue expected later this week as American forces mass in the Middle East.(5) Hungary plans to block every European Union decision concerning Ukraine, including a new sanctions package against Russia and key loans, until oil starts flowing again through the Druzhba pipeline in western Ukraine.(6) Berlin dentists entrusted €2.2 billion ($2.6 billion) in retirement savings to a group of colleagues with more experience filling cavities than managing money. Now half of it is gone.Podcast Conversation: The New Economics of Going Out Have Transformed ClubbingSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Editors Jimmy Lovaas and Ahmed Namatalla discuss the threat of U.S. strikes in Iran, plus more on U.S. Supreme Court opinions, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting Israel, an International Criminal Court hearing against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, and the European Parliament voting on a trade pact with the U.S.Subscribe to the show: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many more. These stories and others are also available in our free weekly Forecast newsletter.This episode includes work from Factal editors Ahmed Namatalla, Alex Moore, Jess Fino and Michael Archer. Produced and edited by Jimmy Lovaas. Music courtesy of Andrew Gospe. Have feedback, suggestions, or events we've missed? Drop us a note: hello@factal.comWhat's Factal? Created by the founders of Breaking News, Factal alerts companies to global incidents that pose an immediate risk to their people or business operations. We provide trusted verification, precise incident mapping and a collaboration platform for corporate security, travel safety and emergency management teams. If you're a company interested in a trial, please email sales@factal.com. To learn more, visit Factal.com, browse the Factal blog or email us at hello@factal.com.Read the full episode description and transcript on Factal's blog.Copyright © 2026 Factal. All rights reserved.
ISGAP Founder Dr. Charles Asher Small addresses the EU's European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium to discuss the topic of "Antisemitism and the Demonization of Israel on European Campuses."
Recorded 29th January 2026. Trinity College Dublin marks the 250th anniversary of the establishment of Modern Languages, a historic initiative that led to the creation of some of the oldest continuous Chairs of Modern Languages in the world. This special event, hosted at the Trinity Long Room Hub and organised by the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies, officially launches a year-long programme of commemorative events celebrating the rich legacy and ongoing vitality of Modern Languages at Trinity. The evening featured an address by Minister Thomas Byrne T.D, Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, followed by an address from Pat Cox, President of the Jean Monnet Foundation and former President of the European Parliament. Also speaking at the event was the Provost Linda Doyle, Mary Cosgrove, incumbent 1776 Professor of German and Professor Michael Cronin, Chair of French 1776 at Trinity's School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies. Learn more at www.tcd.ie/trinitylongroomhub
In this episode, Hannah and Julia speak with the founders of Our Rule of Law (ORoL) Foundation about democracy, what it means to be the youngest voice t in the room and how youth can make a real impact. We had a pleasure to welcome Anna, Elene and Zuzanna, co-founders of ORoL Foundation, an organisation aiming to mobilise youth towards developing Pan-European policy solutions addressing the rule of law and democracy crisis. Our Rule of Law was founded in 2021, when Anna, Elene and Zuzanna were students at the University of Groningen. Inspired by a lecture on the rule of law crisis in Poland, they decided to continue the discussion with their Professor John Morijn and soon after, Our Rule of Law was born. Today, the organisation is a registered NGO in the Netherlands, bringing together young people who are dedicated to foster and understand the foundations of democracy. Since 2021, Our Rule of Law mobilized youth in various projects, such as the Vote4OurRuleofLaw (Vote4ORoL) Fellowship, designed to encourage young Europeans to engage more actively in the elections to the European Parliament .In September 2025, the organisation published ‘Our Democracy Report' written by Young Democracy Rapportours. The report is a joint effort of over 60 young researchers from 16 Member States, including Austria, as well as Ukraine. Listen to this episode to learn what it's like to build a student-led organisation and how youth can really make an impact in European policy-making. We also discuss the findings of the ‘Our Democracy Report' and Anna, Elene and Zuzanna share their stories and tips. We hope this episode can be both educational and inspiring! Learn more about Our Rule of Law here: https://www.ourruleoflaw.eu/ Read ‘Our Democracy Report' here: https://www.ourruleoflaw.eu/our-democracy-report-publicationFollow Our Rule of Law on Social Media!Linkedin: https://linktr.ee/ourruleoflaw Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ourruleoflaw/
It's been almost four years since Russia's brutal full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. Now, Ukrainian negotiators are headed to Geneva to meet with Russia and the United States for the next round of talks, hoping to hammer out a ceasefire agreement. In Munich, Christiane sat down with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, alongside NATO's Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, and US Republican Senator Roger Wicker. Also on today's show: Jesús Armas, Freed Venezuelan opposition activist; Margaret Hany, Professor of Neurobiology, Columbia University Medical Center Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Slovakia Today, English Language Current Affairs Programme from Slovak Radio
What does it really mean to shape European policy? From 5–8 February 2026, students in Košice experienced it firsthand. Model European Union brought together 60 high school students from across Slovakia for an immersive, English-language simulation of EU decision-making. Stepping into the roles of Members of the European Parliament, EU Commissioners, and national representatives, they debated pressing topics such as the EU–Mercosur trade agreement and the Green Claims Directive tackling greenwashing. Organised by BETA Slovakia in cooperation with FUTURUM Bilingual High School, and supported by the European Parliament Liaison Office in Slovakia, the event blended dynamic debate with real-world insight. We spoke with participating students, as well as Veronica Anna Lacová, President of BETA Slovakia, and Ján Haraslín, Community Manager at the EP Liaison Office in Bratislava. The programme was further enriched by the opening address of the Vice Mayor of Košice and by discussions with MEPs Katarína Roth Neveďalová and Michal Wiezik, who engaged directly with students about the work of the European Parliament and the importance of youth participation in European democracy.
Jack Horgan-Jones and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· This week saw the European Parliament approve a € 90 billion package to support Ukraine in its defensive war against Russia. The loan was approved by a comfortable majority, but among those who voted against it were Sinn Féin's two MEPs, Lynn Boylan and Kathleen Funchion. The decision to oppose the measure put them in the company of the likes of Germany's Alternative für Deutschland, Hungary's Fidesz and France's Rassemblement National.· The Government has made a U-turn on the regulation of short-term lets here. After consultation with the tourism industry, Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke decided to change the previous plan to restrict such lets in towns with populations of more than 10,000 to populations of at least 20,000, this move would effectively lift the threat of regulation from potentially thousands of Airbnbs across rural towns here.· The mood was buoyant at the Social Democrat national conference in Cork with the afterglow of Catherine Connolly's presidential election win in evidence, along with polls showing the party has begun to put daylight between itself and the Greens and Labour, who occupy the same political space. Are they about to spearhead a united left movement ahead of the next general election?· Plus, sport and politics collide ahead of the Republic of Ireland's Nations League fixtures against Israel in the autumn. There have been calls for a boycott, but the FAI confirmed on Thursday that the matches would go ahead as planned. 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.
In this episode of Digging In, we're talking about the ongoing negotions between the United States and European Union. These nations are negotiating "The Cooperation Agreement on Reciprocal, Fair and Balanced Trade" to stabilize their $1.5 trillion economic relationship and reduce the long-standing U.S. agricultural trade deficit. This agreement is critical for U.S. agricultural interests, as it aims to boost demand for products like meat, soybeans, and corn while opening the EU market to $750 billion in American energy exports by 2028. Although political disputes over Greenland recently stalled progress and led the European Parliament to pause considerations, recent diplomatic resolutions have sparked hope that the ratification process will soon resume. For more information, read our recent post here.
It's the season 4 finale and we're celebrating at 150 bpm, when Vitaly Friedman joins us to talk about his lifelong journey through techno music. It all began in Belarus when, as a child, he discovered The Prodigy on cassette, continuing into his teens, that were spent obsessively exploring every possible musical avenue. Vitaly explains his preference for minimal, melodic, and "honest" techno over mainstream EDM, emphasizing his deep appreciation for the craft, passion, and commitment artists put into their work. He discusses how music serves different functions in his life, whether providing flow and calmness while working, or creating vivid, cinematic experiences at live concerts, and reveals his practice of continuously discovering new artists to avoid getting stuck.Guest BioVitaly Friedman (he/him) loves beautiful content and does not give up easily. Born in Minsk, Belarus, he studied computer science and mathematics in Germany. While writing algebra proofs and preparing for software engineering at nights in the kitchen, at the same time he discovered passion for typography, interface design and writing. After working as a freelance designer and developer for 6 years, he co-founded Smashing Magazine back in 2006, a leading online magazine for designers and developers. His curiosity drove him from interface design to front-end to performance optimization to accessibility and back to user experience over all the years. Vitaly is the author, co-author and editor of Smashing Books (https://www.smashingmagazine.com/books), and a curator of Smashing Conferences (https://www.smashingconf.com). He is the UX lead with the European Parliament and Smashing Magazine and front-end/UX consultant in Europe and abroad, working with large and small companies and organizations like Haufe-Lexware, Axel-Springer and others. He also runs Measure UX (https://measure-ux.com) and Smart Interface Design Patterns (https://smart-interface-design-patterns.com), friendly video courses on UX and design patterns, along with a live UX training for passionate UX and product designers. LinksVitaly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vitalyfriedmanAmelie Lens at EXIT 2021: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80jdSJxZUAEAmelie Lens — Live In the tunnel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1-Xc7EfT44Worakls: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXJawwVI03EPaul Kalkbrenner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YPbpWeIx2QExtrawelt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryc3YudCYXUProdigy — Out of Space: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4eav7dFvc8CreditsCover design by Raquel Breternitz.
The Mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, described the situation in his city
Sinn Féin's two MEPs have voted against a €90 billion European Union loan to Ukraine when the before the European Parliament today. The party has said it supports the provision of humanitarian aid but says the proposed loan is ‘primarily for military expenditure'. Joining Shean to discuss was Regina Doherty, Irish Fine Gael MEP and Micheal Mc Namara, Independent MEP for Ireland South
None of Your Goddamn BusinessJohn Morgan Salomon said something during our conversation that I haven't stopped thinking about. We were discussing encryption, privacy laws, the usual terrain — and he cut through all of it with five words: "It's none of your goddamn business."Not elegant. Not diplomatic. But exactly right.John has spent 30 years in information security. He's Swiss, lives in Spain, advises governments and startups, and uses his real name on social media despite spending his career thinking about privacy. When someone like that tells you he's worried, you should probably pay attention.The immediate concern is something called "Chat Control" — a proposed EU law that would mandate access to encrypted communications on your phone. It's failed twice. It's now in its third iteration. The Danish Information Commissioner is pushing it. Germany and Poland are resisting. The European Parliament is next.The justification is familiar: child abuse materials, terrorism, drug trafficking. These are the straw man arguments that appear every time someone wants to break encryption. And John walked me through the pattern: tragedy strikes, laws pass in the emotional fervor, and those laws never go away. The Patriot Act. RIPA in the UK. The Clipper Chip the FBI tried to push in the 1990s. Same playbook, different decade.Here's the rhetorical trap: "Do you support terrorism? Do you support child abuse?" There's only one acceptable answer. And once you give it, you've already conceded the frame. You're now arguing about implementation rather than principle.But the principle matters. John calls it the panopticon — the Victorian-era prison design where all cells face inward toward a central guard tower. No walls. Total visibility. The transparent citizen. If you can see what everyone is doing, you can spot evil early. That's the theory.The reality is different. Once you build the infrastructure to monitor everyone, the question becomes: who decides what "evil" looks like? Child pornographers, sure. Terrorists, obviously. But what about LGBTQ individuals in countries where their existence is criminalized? John told me about visiting Chile in 2006, where his gay neighbor could only hold his partner's hand inside a hidden bar. That was a democracy. It was also a place where being yourself was punishable by prison.The targets expand. They always do. Catholics in 1960s America. Migrants today. Anyone who thinks differently from whoever holds power at any given moment. These laws don't just catch criminals — they set precedents. And precedents outlive the people who set them.John made another point that landed hard: the privacy we've already lost probably isn't coming back. Supermarket loyalty cards. Surveillance cameras. Social media profiles. Cookie consent dialogs we click through without reading. That version of privacy is dead. But there's another kind — the kind that prevents all that ambient data from being weaponized against you as an individual. The kind that stops your encrypted messages from becoming evidence of thought crimes. That privacy still exists. For now.Technology won't save us. John was clear about that. Neither will it destroy us. Technology is just an element in a much larger equation that includes human nature, greed, apathy, and the willingness of citizens to actually engage. He sent emails to 40 Spanish members of European Parliament about Chat Control. One responded.That's the real problem. Not the law. Not the technology. The apathy.Republic comes from "res publica" — the thing of the people. Benjamin Franklin supposedly said it best: "A republic, if you can keep it." Keeping it requires attention. Requires understanding what's at stake. Requires saying, when necessary: this is none of your goddamn business.Stay curious. Stay Human. Subscribe to the podcast. And if you have thoughts, drop them in the comments — I actually read them.Marco CiappelliSubscribe to the Redefining Society and Technology podcast. Stay curious. Stay human.> https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7079849705156870144/Marco Ciappelli: https://www.marcociappelli.com/John Salomon Experienced, international information security leader. vCISO, board & startup advisor, strategist.https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnsalomon/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
In Poland in 2024, 99% of abortions took place outside hospitals, outside the legal framework. Polish women find alternatives to the near-total ban on abortion, but sometimes in ways that are either dangerous or very costly. That is why the European Parliament is asking for an European mechanism to allow every single woman in the EU to have access to safe and free abortion. This episode unpacks this proposal to see if it can come to light.Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger Picture The American people are growing their wealth again. Trump admin are reversing everything the [CB] has done. Trump is 5 steps ahead of the [CB]/[DS] players, he is allowing the younger generation to start at an early age building their wealth. The Federal Reserve Note is weakening, we are in the process of taking back economic control. The [DS]/D’s are now trapped, they thought they would stall and get the people on their side, but it is backfiring. Ilhan Omar money laundering system is being exposed, did she stage an event to distract? The D’s are now saying the quiet part out loud. Illegals, antifa and criminals will be creating chaos during the midterms. Trump and team have begun the process of exposing the election fraud in 2020, the FBI raided the GA elections. It’s about to fall apart for the D’s. Economy (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); https://twitter.com/profstonge/status/2016488930518921261?s=20 (VIDEO) Trump Announces John Deere is Building $70 MILLION Factory in North Carolina – “This is Going to be the Only Excavator Entirely Made in the United States of America” President Trump announced on Tuesday that agriculture and construction machinery manufacturer John Deere is building a $70 million factory in North Carolina, moving its construction of excavators from Japan to the United States. John Deere is also building a distribution center in Hebron, Indiana, according to a press release from the company. “In keeping with our strong tradition of building America, we are excited to announce plans to open two new U.S.-based facilities: a state-of-the-art distribution center near Hebron, Indiana, and a cutting-edge excavator factory in Kernersville, North Carolina, both set to open in the next year,” the company said. Each project is expected to employ 150 Americans. Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2016546217237369225?s=20 Bank of America to match $1,000 government deposits for Trump accounts The 100% match is available to all eligible Bank of America employees in the United States Bank of America announced Wednesday that it will be contributing funds to the proposed “Trump accounts” for eligible employees. The bank said it will match the government's $1,000 contribution to the newly established accounts for children born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028 for all 165,000 U.S. employees. Additionally, the bank will enable its employees with children under age 18 to make pretax contributions to Trump accounts through payroll deductions. According to the Treasury Department's Office of Tax Analysis, a fully funded Trump account could be worth as much as $1.9 million by age 28, with lower-end returns approaching $600,000 over the same period. Treasury estimates the savings account would rise to between $3,000 and $13,800 over 18 years without contributions beyond the federal government's initial $1,000 deposit. Source: foxnews.com https://twitter.com/SteaknShake/status/2016521248088477733?s=20 https://twitter.com/GordonGekko/status/2016457976761266259?s=20 TRILLION debt inflated away China/EU competitive advantage destroyed Strong dollar = America buys cheap foreign goods Weak dollar = World buys American goods Trump isn’t losing. He’s winning a game you aren’t even aware is being played. https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/2016368889588810171?s=20 https://twitter.com/NewsTreason/status/2016437444669772102?s=20 https://twitter.com/TheGreatLander/status/2016596027751715064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2016596027751715064%7Ctwgr%5E39d637d875750db480861c1ca4ea03cd3df6bd53%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fwardclark%2F2026%2F01%2F28%2Ffed-holds-rates-steady-in-january-2026-key-decision-details-n2198607 https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2016287802632106145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2016287802632106145%7Ctwgr%5E2ab81191000b8625268417e79ce0ffc79deee62c%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fturnto10.com%2Fnews%2Fnation-world%2Ftrump-promises-rate-cuts-with-new-fed-chair-pick-as-powell-defends-cautious-approach-federal-reserve-chair-jerome-powell-interest-economy-job-market-mortgages-borrowing-costs President Donald Trump, as the sitting president in January 2026, can nominate a successor to Jerome Powell as Chair of the Federal Reserve in advance of the term’s expiration. However, the actual replacement can only occur once Powell’s current term as Chair ends on May 15, 2026. Political/Rights Geopolitical Spain's Socialist Government Moves to Legalize Up to 500,000 Illegal Migrants in Sweeping Decree Spain's entrenched leftist political class is once again moving to normalize illegality, this time through an extraordinary mass regularization that could grant legal status to more than 500,000 illegal immigrants. The deal, announced Monday by far-left Podemos and the Socialist government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, represents one of the most sweeping amnesties in modern Spanish history, La Gaceta reports. According to party sources and reports from Cadena SER, the measure will be approved by royal decree at Tuesday's Council of Ministers. It bypasses ordinary parliamentary scrutiny and fast-tracks a policy that will undoubtedly have catastrophic, long-term demographic, economic, and security consequences. Under the plan, illegal immigrants who can demonstrate as little as five months of residence in Spain will be eligible for legal status. The regularization applies regardless of how they entered the country or whether they previously violated immigration or labor laws. The cutoff date for eligibility is December 31, 2025, meaning anyone already residing illegally in Spain before that date may qualify. Government estimates suggest more than half a million people could benefit, making this not an isolated humanitarian measure but a structural transformation of Spain's migration policy. Source: thegatewaypundit.com President of European Parliament Bans EU Nations from Purchasing Russian Gas Without Paying Commission to Third Party the European Union is now banning the EU countries from purchasing discounted Russian oil and gas directly. Instead, the EU will force their assembly to purchase Russian oil and gas from India at a premium. The EU is still buying Russian oil and gas; however, paying more, they believe, will work out better for them in the long-term. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola made the announcement via X: [SOURCE] The actual target of this oil and gas ban is the nation of Hungary, who as a landlocked nation is dependent on the gas from Russia. The EU ban expressly hurts the position of Hungary because Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has refused to kneel to the dictates of Brussels. Prime Minister Orban has vowed to sue the European Parliament over the ban. The lawsuit will likely be supported by other EU countries who understand the stupidity of paying India for what amounts to a brokerage fee to deliver the same oil and gas. Source: theconservativetreehouse.com https://twitter.com/SnowflakeSlayr1/status/2016495583419130320?s=20 https://twitter.com/HansMahncke/status/2016259110048829789?s=20 mentioned. Even more striking, the United States is constantly accused of insufficient zeal for Ukraine, yet it is the only country actually willing to confront China and India over their support for Russia. The whole thing is completely insane. https://twitter.com/Rob_Roos/status/2016423309622059098?s=20 short-sighted leaders this continent has ever seen. https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2016345497787892018?s=20 supplies drying up, and Mexico’s support now under threat. https://twitter.com/GuntherEagleman/status/2016563107397591404?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2016563107397591404%7Ctwgr%5Efb0a706a2ffe3303cdd5433ec1a2ccc7032b01f9%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fnick-arama%2F2026%2F01%2F28%2Frubio-lights-dems-up-during-hearing-on-venezuela-protester-also-goes-down-to-a-brutal-defeat-n2198605 Rubio pointed out how the Helms-Burton Act has codified that we’re trying to promote a different form of government in Cuba. That’s the purpose of the boycott we’ve had for decades. So Rubio can’t commit to not doing what we’ve been doing for years, and that’s required by the Act. Then there was this truly funny moment when a protester stood up with a sign and didn’t even last fifteen seconds. Committee Chair Jim Risch (ID) delivered a great response. You can see Rubio grinning. War/Peace Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didn't, and there was “Operation Midnight Hammer,” a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse! Don't make that happen again. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP Ali Khamenei out as Supreme Leader? Medical/False Flags [DS] Agenda https://twitter.com/RickyLaFleurRX7/status/2016218369507152259?s=20 https://twitter.com/BuckSexton/status/2016379291060052426?s=20 https://twitter.com/julie_kelly2/status/2016616967067537667?s=20 https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/2016369871483781293?s=20 Who Attacked Ilhan Omar? What We Know So Far We reported Tuesday evening about the bizarre attack on the far-left Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-5) in Minneapolis. As RedState's Susie Moore wrote, Omar was “speaking at a town hall event there when a man approached her and appeared to spray an unknown substance at her while pointing and yelling at her.” The man was quickly taken down by what appeared to be a security guard, and an apparently unharmed Omar initially moved toward the assailant and yelled angrily at him. https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/2016375584331354404?s=20 Kazmierczak, a 55-year-old Minneapolis resident, was arrested on January 27, 2026, for third-degree assault after spraying Omar with an unknown substance (reported to smell like vinegar) during a town hall event she hosted in Minneapolis. He shouted demands for her to resign, claiming she was “tearing Minnesota apart,” amid tensions over federal immigration enforcement in the area. . Public records indicate Kazmierczak has been unemployed since at least 2017 (when he was receiving disability payments), has filed for bankruptcy, and has a history of two DUI convictions but no prior violent crimes. He has been married and divorced twice, but there are no verified links between his ex-wives and Omar. Some social media speculation has suggested connections—such as claims that he worked for Omar’s husband’s business partners or that an ex-wife supported Omar—but these appear unsubstantiated, with no supporting evidence in news reports or public records. Source: redstate.com https://twitter.com/mymomcare/status/2016495436018733441?s=20 President Trump Weighs In With a Highly Provocative Take Regarding the Spray Attack on Ilhan Omar Shortly following the attack, Trump was asked by ABC's Rachel Scott regarding whether he had seen the video. https://twitter.com/rachelvscott/status/2016365247817257360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2016365247817257360%7Ctwgr%5E18f7c1027a366f0d59a4aaa3f423ebe67276fc1e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2026%2F01%2Fpresident-trump-weighs-highly-provocative-take-regarding-spray%2F Source: thegatewaypundit.com How do we know it was staged 1. sprayed unknown liquid, keyword unknown 2. was it poison, was it a virus, etc. 3. why wasn’t everyone evacuated or contained in this location 4. why wasn’t poison control called, no hazmat suit people coming 5. why did she decided to continue with the townhall if she doesn’t know what the liquid was, she doesn’t want to be checked out. Forensic investigators determined the substance was apple cider vinegar https://twitter.com/WallStreetApes/status/2016410811024216116?s=20 https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2016482991220851124?s=20 Soros-backed Philadelphia DA vows to ‘hunt’ down ICE agents: ‘We will find you’ https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/2016501035414466807?s=20 President Trump's Plan https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/2016585424840339831?s=20 https://twitter.com/MayorFrey/status/2016241048209518736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2016299403230036327%7Ctwgr%5Ee97929c3cc41b95d49cf21728478f8315dc83629%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fx22report.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost.php%3Fpost%3D28444action%3Dedit They were stalling/lying. Surrender is not a feasible option for them. Their only hope is chaos. https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2016269118693847148?s=20 the Dems just made it worse on themselves. Now they have to deal with Homan, and the more the Dems resist, the closer they get to Trump sending active duty military who are on standby. Trump would later go on to say that he is not retreating, he says it's “the opposite”. The show goes on. https://twitter.com/drawandstrike/status/2016288343789539487?s=20 you don’t see is that we have hundreds of accountants and from all of the different people. We have hundreds of accountants going over everything that’s happening.” “And we’re finding fraud on top of fraud on top of fraud. And I think that they don’t want that to happen. You’re talking about $19 billion. Probably that’s a minimal number.” “If they think it’s $19 billion, triple it or quadruple it. And if we catch a lot of this fraud, and I felt it for a long time, but now we know what’s happening.” “And the answer is, yeah, there will be accountability!” https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/2016378613042446355?s=20 2416 Q !!mG7VJxZNCI No.405 Nov 4 2018 17:33:58 (EST) [PANIC IN DC] If you witness members of ANTIFA or any other people or organizations stationed at ‘key’ voter locations making threats or attempting to use scare tactics [voter intimidation] please contact local authorities immediately and report the incident(s). Internal comms suggest preparations are being made and organized to conduct a 29+ location push [battleground locations]. See Something Say Something Uniformed and Non-Uniformed personnel will be stationed across the country in an effort to safeguard the public. If you witness anything out of the ordinary with regards to staff, officials, machinery & equipment failures and/or malfunctions, unusual ‘grouping’ [buses dropping off people w/ guide and/or instructor], voter prevention [blocking], or other suspicious activity please contact local authorities immediately and report the incident(s). See Something Say Something [take a picture and/or video only when safe to do so] Q https://twitter.com/mrddmia/status/2016501286292865280?s=20 Virginia Judge SHUTS DOWN Democrats' Power-Grab Redistricting Scheme — Rules Map CANNOT Go to Referendum Until After 2027 Election In a stunning victory for election integrity and a humiliating defeat for the Virginia Democrat establishment, a circuit court judge has officially deadlocked the Left's desperate attempt to rig the state's congressional maps. On Tuesday, Tazewell County Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. issued a blistering ruling that effectively dismantles the Democrats' partisan redistricting scheme, declaring their process unconstitutional and blocking any referendum on the matter until after the 2027 House of Delegates election. Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2016273639398588734?s=20 https://twitter.com/MacFarlaneNews/status/2016569917668053396?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2016569917668053396%7Ctwgr%5Eb5cf3202d5098a19625a7ace645f34ff34541c9d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2026%2F01%2Ffbi-is-executing-search-warrant-fulton-county-reportedly%2F https://twitter.com/realLizUSA/status/2016526106950517128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2016526106950517128%7Ctwgr%5E40a229b9865812f6b3f2a7723f6eb6ffe7ce3e40%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2026%2F01%2Ffbi-is-executing-search-warrant-fulton-county-reportedly%2F They knew it, and they covered it up. https://twitter.com/Scavino47/status/2016341798730313735?s=20 https://twitter.com/RealAbs1776/status/2016363642090815500?s=20 (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");
EP 276. In this week's update:Ireland has enacted sweeping new lawful interception powers, granting law enforcement expanded access to encrypted communications and raising fresh concerns among privacy advocates and tech companies.TikTok's latest U.S. privacy policy update expands location tracking, AI interaction logging, and cross-platform ad targeting, marking a significant escalation in data collection under its new American ownership structure.The newly released OWASP Top 10 (2025 edition) highlights the most critical web application security risks, providing developers and organizations with an updated roadmap to prioritize defenses against evolving threats.Security researchers have uncovered a critical bypass in NPM's post-Shai-Hulud supply-chain protections, allowing malicious code execution via Git dependencies in multiple JavaScript package managers.As Artemis II approaches, NASA defends the Orion spacecraft's unchanged heat shield design despite persistent cracking concerns from its uncrewed predecessor, while some former engineers warn the risk remains unacceptably high.Anthropic has significantly revised Claude's governing “constitution,” shifting from strict rules to high-level ethical principles while explicitly addressing the hypothetical possibility of AI consciousness and moral status.The European Parliament has adopted a strongly worded resolution urging the EU to reduce strategic dependence on American tech giants through aggressive investment in sovereign cloud, AI, and open digital infrastructure.This one's a good'n. Let's get to it!Find the full transcript here.
AFH: Season 1, Episode 8Featuring Chelsea Leyland (instagram.com/chelsealeyland)Al sits down with Chelsea Leyland. Chelsea is the co-founder of Looni, a company dedicated to hormonal health and wellness. Her journey has taken her across the globe, speaking about her personal experience with epilepsy and medical cannabis and her commitment to patient access. She has spoken at institutions such as the European Parliament and Cambridge University. More recently Chelsea has spoken openly about navigating endometriosis, pregnancy losses and reproductive health. Previously, she spent over 10 years DJing and curating music for fashion and art clients, including Chanel, Fendi, the Guggenheim Museum, the MoMA as well as opening for Duran Duran and Diplo. Chelsea's super passionate about building community. And with the power of vulnerability and community being central to her ethos, Chelsea started numerous advocacy groups, facilitating personal support for individuals going through challenging experiences with epilepsy, endometriosis, and fertility struggles, in a true combination of her passions.Guest Info:Instagram Chelsea LeylandInstagram My LooniFollow Me:Instagram: @afinehuman Shop Dame: dame.com This podcast was produced by aurielle sayeh, filmed by @thetellychannel, and powered by @dameproducts.
X: @RogerHelmerMEP @ileaderssummit @americasrt1776 @NatashaSrdoc @JoelAnandUSA @supertalk @JTitMVirginia Join America's Roundtable radio co-hosts Natasha Srdoc and Joel Anand Samy with Roger Helmer, former Member of the European Parliament representing the United Kingdom and business leader who served in Asia and Europe. Topics include President Donald Trump's speech in Davos, America's economic growth for 2026 in light of key reforms implemented, Europe's challenges as stated by Germany's Chancellor Merz, issues impacting Britain, the future of Greenland, and US national security. The conversation will also focus on Nigel Farage's leadership at the helm of the United Kingdom's Reform Party and how that may impact Britain's reform agenda. Speaker Johnson's speech to the U.K. Parliament to be remembered as a historic moment, as the first American Speaker of the House of Representatives adressed the U.K. Parliament. The China threat and Iran's brutal oppression of its own citizens and especially the youth yearning for freedom will be brought under the spotlight as more than 5,000 protestors have been killed and over 20,000 imprisoned. Mr. Helmer has published two books on European issues, "Straight Talking on Europe" in 2000, and "A Declaration of Independence" in 2002. He also served as Chairman of The Freedom Association in the United Kingdom. He was a supporter of the Better Off Out campaign - the Brexit Movement, that called for the UK to leave the European Union. Roger Helmer is a founding leadership member of the Jerusalem Leaders Summit in Israel. americasrt.com https://ileaderssummit.org/ | https://jerusalemleaderssummit.com/ America's Roundtable on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/americas-roundtable/id1518878472 X: @RogerHelmerMEP @ileaderssummit @americasrt1776 @NatashaSrdoc @JoelAnandUSA @supertalk @JTitMVirginia America's Roundtable is co-hosted by Natasha Srdoc and Joel Anand Samy, co-founders of International Leaders Summit and the Jerusalem Leaders Summit. America's Roundtable radio program focuses on America's economy, healthcare reform, rule of law, security and trade, and its strategic partnership with rule of law nations around the world. The radio program features high-ranking US administration officials, cabinet members, members of Congress, state government officials, distinguished diplomats, business and media leaders and influential thinkers from around the world. Tune into America's Roundtable Radio program from Washington, DC via live streaming on Saturday mornings via 68 radio stations at 7:30 A.M. (ET) on Lanser Broadcasting Corporation covering the Michigan and the Midwest market, and at 7:30 A.M. (CT) on SuperTalk Mississippi — SuperTalk.FM reaching listeners in every county within the State of Mississippi, and neighboring states in the South including Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee. Tune into WTON in Central Virginia on Sunday mornings at 9:30 A.M. (ET). Listen to America's Roundtable on digital platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, Google and other key online platforms. Listen live, Saturdays at 7:30 A.M. (CT) on SuperTalk | https://www.supertalk.fm
The effects of volatile international markets are currently being felt in the bank accounts of UK dairy farmers. Milk prices paid by processors started tumbling in the autumn and there've been further drops this month. Dairy Analyst Chris Walkland discusses the impact of President Trump's trade policy on milk production in the US, which has coincided with a boom in UK and European milk output...leading to a bust. We also consider whether further US trade tariffs as leverage over Greenland could further destabilise dairy trade.We meet a Welsh farmer adding Sunflowers to the cattle feed crops grown on his farm, to cut his feed bill in volatile times. The European Parliament has voted to refer a deal with the South American trade bloc Mercosur to the European Court of Justice, in a move which could see a two year delay in the agreement coming into operation, or even derail it altogether. The European Commission signed the deal with Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay on Saturday. But yesterday MEPs decided its legality needs to be tested. If a water company pollutes rivers or releases sewage illegally, it can be taken to court and fined. The government has just announced that it's reinvesting £29 million pounds from these fines into more than 100 projects to improve 450km of rivers, restore 650 acres of natural habitats and plant 100,000 new trees. The money collected from precious water company fines between April 2022 and 23 was put into a Water Restoration Fund and it's already being spent on local projects. We visit one, on the River Witham in Lincolnshire.Presenter: Caz Graham Producer: Sarah Swadling
All eyes have been on President Trump's address at the World Economic Forum. Michael Zezas, our Deputy Global Head of Research, and Ariana Salvatore, our Head of Public Policy Research, talk about potential implications for policy and the U.S. outlook.Read more insights from Morgan Stanley.----- Transcript -----Michael Zezas: Welcome to Thoughts on the Market. I'm Michael Zezas, Deputy Global Head of Research for Morgan Stanley. Ariana Salvatore: And I'm Ariana Salvatore, Head of Public Policy Research. Michael Zezas: Today we're discussing our takeaways from President Trump's speech in Davos and what we think it means for investors. It's Wednesday, January 21st at 1pm in New York. Michael Zezas: So, Ariana, over the last couple of weeks, there's been a lot of news about policy proposals coming out of the U.S. and from President Trump around affordability, as well as some geopolitical events around the U.S. relationship with Europe. And investors really started looking towards President Trump's speech at Davos, which he gave earlier today, as a potential vehicle to learn more about what these things would actually mean and what it might mean for the economic outlook and markets. Ariana Salvatore: Yeah, that's right. I think specifically investors were looking for the President to focus on affordability proposals pertaining to housing and some commentary around Greenland. Remember last weekend, President Trump proposed a 10 percent tariff on some EU countries related to this topic specifically. So obviously that did feature in his speech. What did we learn and what do you think are the most important things for markets to know? Michael Zezas: So, maybe the most important headline we got was President Trump appearing to take off the table the use of force when it comes to an attempt to acquire Greenland. And that would seem to, therefore, take off the table the idea of a broader rupture in the U.S.-EU relationship. Both the security relationship vis-a-vis NATO, as well as the economic relationship which could have been ruptured with higher tariffs on both sides, anti coercion measures around trade, and that would be of obvious economic importance. Europe is obviously a major importer of U.S. goods. Not as big as Canada or Mexico, but still pretty significant. So, anything that would've created higher barriers between the two would've had meaningful economic consequences for the U.S. outlook. Ariana Salvatore: Yeah, that's right. And we've been saying that the bilateral trade framework agreement between the U.S. and the EU is actually pretty tenuous in nature, right? So, this doesn't yet have formal backing from the European Parliament. They, in fact, delayed a vote on this exact deal, kind of on the back of these Greenland headlines. So how are we thinking about, you know, what's been priced into markets and maybe what this could mean for something like the dollar going forward? Michael Zezas: Yeah, so it's important to point out that we're not out of the woods yet in terms of potential trade escalation on both sides around the Greenland issue. However, it seems like that bigger tail problem of a decoupling might have gone away. And so, what you saw in markets so far today was that some of the actions over the past, kind of, 24-48 hours with equity market weakness. You know, the S&P was down about 2 percent yesterday. The dollar was weaker. It seemed like more term premium was being baked into the U.S. Treasury market. A lot of that appears to be unwinding today. Said more simply, the idea of a kind of riskier investment environment for the U.S. is getting priced out. At least today, it's getting priced out. And it all makes sense when you think about if there was less of a relationship between the U.S. and Europe, there would be less demand for U.S. dollar holdings overseas. And that's the type of thing that should manifest in a weaker dollar and higher term premia, steeper yield curves for U.S. Treasuries. Ariana Salvatore: Yeah, and that dovetails really nicely with the work that we just put out with the FX team, kind of highlighting some of the policy factors as push factors for countries to move away from the dollar. We think that's happening marginally. We think it's not really a risk in the immediate term, but some of these policy drivers can actually create dollar weakness over the medium to longer term. Michael Zezas: Of course, to the extent that we get news that this is a head fake and that tensions are re-escalating, you'd expect some of those trades to start pushing markets back in the other direction again. Now, President Trump also talked quite a bit about domestic policy, largely about affordability, and some of the policy proposals he's put forward over the last couple of weeks. Was there any new details that you heard that you think are meaningful for investors? Ariana Salvatore: So, the short version is nothing really new, and the reality is that a lot of housing policy in particular is actually out of the hands of the executive. And even if you do see congressional action here, it's likely to be marginal. A lot of housing policy is done at the state level, and even bipartisan efforts to address both the demand and the supply sides of the equation have faced some resistance in Congress. That doesn't mean they can't reemerge. But we would need to see a very large decline in the mortgage rate to get noticeable effects on economic indicators like GDP, inflation and employment. And in terms of what this means for the housing outlook, the programs talked about so far should push sales marginally higher but have little impact on our expectations for our home prices. Now it's important to note that the president didn't spend that much time of the speech talking about housing affordability proposals, as was telegraphed ahead of time. And since that, the head of the NEC Kevin Hassett has said they plan to announce more details on housing in the coming days. Michael Zezas: Got it. So, on the two pieces here that investors have really focused on, which are capping institutional ownership of single-family homes and potentially capping interest rates on credit cards, it sounded like the president talked about he would go to Congress for authorization on those things.Is that right? And if so, how plausible is it that Congress could actually deliver those authorities? Ariana Salvatore: So, here's where I think it's really critical to understand the role that Congress has to play in all of these policy initiatives. So, there are not only political constraints, but there are also procedural ones. If we were to see Republicans kind of push for this 10 percent cap, for example, that likely would have to go through the reconciliation process. And that process, as we know, comes with a number of limitations because something like a 10 percent cap wouldn't have much of an impact on the federal budget in terms of revenues or outlays. We think it's most likely not going to be permissible under that framework. So, understanding that the first filter here is Congress, and the second filter is these procedural limitations that exist in and of themselves is really important context for understanding the president's proposals on housing.Michael Zezas: So, is it fair to say the starting point is that we think Congress is unlikely to act on these things? And what would you have to see that might make you think differently? Ariana Salvatore: I think where we're looking for signals from Republican leadership in Congress – because as of right now, it's been our thinking that a second reconciliation bill ahead of the midterm elections is not feasible. It's too difficult politically, it takes a lot of time, but if you see enough of a push from the president, we do think that can start to become feasible. Again, we have to keep in mind these procedural limitations and where the rest of the party falls on these issues. But I think they're possible if the administration pushes hard enough for them.Michael Zezas: Got it. So, even though we don't think it's likely, we obviously want to prepare in case that happens. When it comes to housing, it seems like our team has said institutional ownership of single-family housing is quite low, 1 percent or less. And so, restrictions there wouldn't necessarily change the game on home prices. What about the 10 percent cap on credit card interests? What are the broader ramifications that our colleagues see? Ariana Salvatore: Yeah, so I'd say generally speaking, when it comes to consumer credit affordability policies, our strategists think that these could actually translate to a benefit for consumer ABS performance because they tend to be a tailwind for a consumer that's struggled with rising delinquencies and defaults post-COVID, right? However, there are some specific proposals like this cap on credit cards, and that's likely going to have a negative consequence because it's going to limit credit access for consumers, especially for those carrying a balance. So, probably a little bit counterintuitive to the overall affordability agenda that the administration's trying to go for. Michael Zezas: So, lots of interesting stuff coming out of the speech. Lots of things we have to track over the next few weeks and months. It certainly doesn't seem like it's going to be a boring year two of the Trump term for investors. Ariana Salvatore: Certainly not, and not for us either. Michael Zezas: Well, Ariana, thanks for finding the time to talk. Ariana Salvatore: Great speaking with you, Mike. Michael Zezas: And as a reminder, if you enjoy Thoughts on the Market, please take a moment to rate and review us wherever you listen. And share Thoughts on the Market with a friend or colleague today.
Barry Andrews, Fianna Fáil MEP, discusses the implications of Wednesday's European Parliament vote in favour of asking the European Court of Justice to determine whether the Mercosur trade deal is compatible with the bloc's policy.
US President Donald Trump tells world leaders in Davos, every NATO ally has an obligation to defend its territory, and Greenland is sitting in a strategic location, undefended. European Parliament suspends work on the E-U's trade deal with the United States in protest of Trump's threats to Greenland and allies. Cuban Canadians ask what's next for their homeland, after Trump promises to block all money and oil that was coming from Venezuela. Trump's Board of Peace: Sweden says it's out. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he's in. One person killed in Barcelona-area train crash, the second deadly train crash in Spain this week. Tetsuya Yamagame sentenced to life in prison for killing former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022. Lisa Banfield, spouse of Canada's worst mass shooter, details years of domestic abuse in new memoir.
European countries harden their response to President Trump's repeated threats to take over Greenland. We hear from a Swedish Member of the European Parliament pressing for the EU to take the strongest possible action against potential US tariffs.Also in the programme: the head of the United Nations talks to the BBC about what he sees as a new world order, with the US putting itself above the law. and there are no obvious explanations for what caused a horrific high-speed train crash in the south of Spain.(Photo: The European Central Bank (ECB) building is seen in the background as a cargo ship is docked in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 19 January 2026. Credit: Ronald Wittek/Shutterstock)
After 25 years of negotiations, the European Union has signed the Mercosur trade deal. Farmers across Europe have been out on the streets protesting against it and farming unions in the UK warn that it could threaten the future of family farms. The free trade deal between the EU and Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay gives European businesses access to a market of more than 250 million people and is seen as a way of offsetting business lost because of US tariffs. However it will also open the door to tariff-free imports of food, particularly beef, which European farmers argue is not produced to the same standards. The deal was not approved by all EU countries, France and Ireland were among those voting against, and it will have to be ratified by the European Parliament. All week we're focusing on what farm animals are eating this winter, from grains to soy and silage: it is a mixture of forage, things grown on the farm like hay or silage; and feed that's bought in from the UK or abroad. A combination of geopolitical events, a challenging UK harvest, and an exceptionally dry summer in some areas has put pressure on the supplies of feed. The Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) says the UK needs a national protein strategy to safeguard feed security because that impacts food securityPresenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney
On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Katya Pavlevych, founder of the organization Forget Us Not, a civil society coalition advocating for the return of Ukraine's abducted children, and an advisor on children' s issues at Razom for Ukraine; and Andreas Umland, an analyst at the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs and an Associate Professor of Political Science at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. Andreas also is the author of the 2024 report "Russia's Forcible Transfers of Unaccompanied Ukrainian Children: Responses from Ukraine, the EU and Beyond" and has testified in the European Parliament on the issue.
Mercosur is a bad deal.The European Commission has backed a free trade agreement with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. The European Parliament is set to decide on the future of the Mercosur Agreement. It has taken twenty-five years to get to this point. The European Commission has decided to support this proposition and the smart money says the Parliament will follow suit. But perhaps not. It's not over until it's over. There will be a legal challenge to the deal, including Sinn Féin's MEPs, and a vote in the European Parliament. Sinn Féin is also bringing forward a Dáil motion calling on the government to support the legal action and mandating all MEPs to vote against the deal. Nollaig na mBanSome of the traditions that surround Christmas and the New Year celebrations have changed over recent years. For example, when I was growing up Christmas decorations didn't start appearing in homes until a fortnight or so before the 25th December. Now, Halloween is barely over before Christmas decorations start appearing. Previously also, the tree, crib, and the rest all stayed in place until 6 January – the Feast of the Epiphany, the date on which it is said that the three wise men visited the baby Jesus in Bethlehem. This year decorations were mostly down from the start of the new year. And already Easter eggs are in the shops. However, one celebration that has taken on a new lease of life is Nollaig na mBan - Women's Christmas. It is celebrated on 6 January. It used to be confined to rural areas but that is changing. Nollaig na mBan is the day when the role of women, who generally did all the work for Christmas, was celebrated. It was the day when women get together with other women and enjoy a brief few hours of celebration on their own. Progress on Casement ParkLast week the draft budget for the Executive, announced by Finance Minister John O'Dowd, included an allocation of an additional £40 million toward the rebuilding of the new Casement Stadium.Sadly, despite the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and its principles of equality and parity of esteem, the decades since then have produced many examples of political unionism continuing to resist investment and funding allocation for nationalist areas. Casement Park is a case in point.Last week's announcement is a positive and welcome development.Irish Unity Must be Priority for EU PresidencyOn 1st July the Irish government will assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. This will be its eighth time holding this key administrative and political role within the EU and the first time since Brexit. The agenda for this Presidency is enormous and will affect all of our lives. It will include new legislation as well as significant negotiations around all of the major national and international issues affecting the world at this time – the Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip, the war in Ukraine, Venezuela, threatened US Foreign Policy adventures toward Greenland, Cuba, Colombia, Nigeria and Iran, famine in Africa, climate change and migration.An Taoiseach Micheál Martin has defined the state's Presidency of the EU as “a Presidency defined by action.”All sounds impressive. But so far no one in the Irish government has said anything about using this unique opportunity to raise the issue of Irish Unity. Thus far, Micheál Martin's approach to Irish Unity can best be described as “a leadership defined by inaction.”
Fianna Fail MEP Barry Andrews on his appointment as the European Parliament 'rapporteur' for EU-Greenland relations.
On her highly successful Czech podcast, Canaries in the Net, Alex co-hosts on topics surrounding digital propaganda and toxic algorithms. She combines her experience as a communication advisor to the chairman of the legislation committee in the European Parliament with the latest information on how digital space is becoming increasingly targeted. As one of the earliest to speak out about how digital information was being used to sway politics before 2016, she described herself as “one of those canaries in the coal mines”, giving an early warning of impending danger. She described the feeling of being overwhelmed by the information campaigns that we now understand create a technique of “flooding the zone” to destabilize. “At that time, we didn't understand where it came from. It just came from everywhere, from social media, from news, newly built podcasts, and our news outlets.” “The entire information space became unbelievably toxic,” she said of the time. She now understands that Russia was conducting a highly organized campaign to learn to destabilize systems of democracy. When her husband was offered a job in Vancouver, British Columbia, she decided to take the opportunity to relocate. I agreed with Alex about the KGB methodology of demoralization and raising anxiety, fear, distrust, and disgust, particularly against experts in science and democratic institutions. I described the technique she was referencing as their attempts to see what sticks, amplify, and overload methods, a technique used against the U.S., as well as other NATO countries. It is an intentional polarization that allows us to start seeing the enemy in our neighbors, friends, and family. Alex Alvarová wrote a 2021 fiction book Feeding The Demons: The Conquerors of America. The book was inspired by her research on Steve Bannon and his role in the 2016 election. The outcome is a political thriller that depicts America, Russia, organized crime, and how big data might have been used to influence significant elections. Alex also wrote the 2017 nonfiction work The Industry of Lies, an analysis of how Russia used the 2013 presidential election in the Czech Republic as a trial run to perfect its hybrid-warfare aggression for altering the outcome of the 2016 U.S. Presidential election. She now teaches others how to recognize propaganda, increase data literacy, and defensive techniques against online attacks. Her new project, Radio Free America Prague, which she founded in collaboration with American writer and producer Natalie Kocab, launches in January. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices