THE GUARDIAN: US president claims ‘framework’ of agreement in the works after ‘very productive’ meeting with Nato secretary general
Donald Trump has walked back his threat to impose sweeping US tariffs on eight European countries, claiming he had agreed “the framework of a future deal” on Greenland.
Four days after vowing to introduce steep import duties on a string of US allies over their support for Greenland’s continued status as an autonomous Danish territory, the president backed down.
The US will not hit Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland with tariffs of 10% from 1 February after all, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. Over the weekend, he had also threatened to lift the tariffs to 25% from 1 June.
The threat had prompted widespread apprehension; criticism from senior European politicians, who declared they “will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed”; and warnings from economists. » | Lauren Aratani in New York and Andrew Roth | Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Democracy is an illusion! It’s become a political system fostered by the élite, for the élite, in order to fool the people that they have a stake in the system. In actual fact, they have virtually none. The whole political system in the modern era, despite having noble beginnings, is now used to benefit the few at the expense of the many. – Mark Alexander, June 29, 2018
January 22, 2026
January 21, 2026
American Democracy on the Brink a Year after Trump’s Election, Experts Say
THE GUARDIAN: Scale and speed of president’s moves have stunned observers of authoritarian regimes – is the US in democratic peril?
Three hundred and sixty-five days after Donald Trump placed his hand on the Bible and completed an extraordinary return to power, many historians, scholars and experts say his presidency has pushed American democracy to the brink – or beyond it.
In the first year of Trump’s second term, the democratically elected US president has moved with startling speed to consolidate authority: dismantling federal agencies, purging the civil service, firing independent watchdogs, sidelining Congress, challenging judicial rulings, deploying federal force in blue cities, stifling dissent, persecuting political enemies, targeting immigrants, scapegoating marginalized groups, ordering the capture of a foreign leader, leveraging the presidency for profit, trampling academic freedom and escalating attacks on the news media.
The scale and velocity of what he has been able to accomplish in just a year have stunned even longtime observers of authoritarian regimes, pushing the debate among academics and Americans from whether the world’s oldest continuous democracy is backsliding to whether it can still faithfully claim that distinction.
“In 2025, the United States ceased to be a full democracy in the way that Canada, Germany or even Argentina are democracies,” Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, the prominent Harvard political scientists and authors of How Democracies Die, and the University of Toronto professor Lucan Way, wrote in Foreign Affairs last month. They argued that the US under Trump had “descended into competitive authoritarianism”, a system in which elections are held but the ruling party abuses power to stifle dissent and tilt the playing field in its favor. » | Lauren Gambino | Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Three hundred and sixty-five days after Donald Trump placed his hand on the Bible and completed an extraordinary return to power, many historians, scholars and experts say his presidency has pushed American democracy to the brink – or beyond it.
In the first year of Trump’s second term, the democratically elected US president has moved with startling speed to consolidate authority: dismantling federal agencies, purging the civil service, firing independent watchdogs, sidelining Congress, challenging judicial rulings, deploying federal force in blue cities, stifling dissent, persecuting political enemies, targeting immigrants, scapegoating marginalized groups, ordering the capture of a foreign leader, leveraging the presidency for profit, trampling academic freedom and escalating attacks on the news media.
The scale and velocity of what he has been able to accomplish in just a year have stunned even longtime observers of authoritarian regimes, pushing the debate among academics and Americans from whether the world’s oldest continuous democracy is backsliding to whether it can still faithfully claim that distinction.
“In 2025, the United States ceased to be a full democracy in the way that Canada, Germany or even Argentina are democracies,” Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, the prominent Harvard political scientists and authors of How Democracies Die, and the University of Toronto professor Lucan Way, wrote in Foreign Affairs last month. They argued that the US under Trump had “descended into competitive authoritarianism”, a system in which elections are held but the ruling party abuses power to stifle dissent and tilt the playing field in its favor. » | Lauren Gambino | Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Labels:
authoritarianism,
democracy,
Donald Trump,
USA
'The Rupture Has Already Taken Place': Will World Leaders Stand Up to Trump? | DW News
Labels:
Davos,
Donald Trump,
Greenland,
WEF
January 20, 2026
"Donald Trump zündet eine Bombe nach der anderen" - ntv-Wirtschaftstalk in Davos | ntv
Labels:
Davos,
Donald Trump
Canadian PM Mark Carney Special Address at Davos WEF 2026
Labels:
Davos,
Mark Carney
Full Remarks: Macron Rejects Trump’s Attempt to Pressure Greenland, Defends European Sovereignty
Jan 30, 2026 | French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a special address at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026, following bilateral meetings.
The speech addresses major economic and geopolitical priorities, France's G7 agenda, EU competitiveness, and responses to current transatlantic dynamics.
The speech addresses major economic and geopolitical priorities, France's G7 agenda, EU competitiveness, and responses to current transatlantic dynamics.
Labels:
Davos,
Emmanuel Macron
‘Greenland Is Non-negotiable’: EU Commission Chief Ursula Gives Direct Message to Trump from Davos
Labels:
Davos,
Ursula von der Leyen
Donald Trump Is Destroying the Global Economy. This Is How | Ann Pettifor Interview
Jan 18, 2026 | Ann Pettifor is an economist and author of The Global Casino: How Wall Street Gambles with People and the Planet.
Ann swung by to speak to Ava about the global financial system and how it has been rigged to only support the mega-rich, the powers at the heart of the system ensuring the it never alters to support those who need to be supported, and how the current US President is one of the greatest beneficiaries of the skewed system.
Ann swung by to speak to Ava about the global financial system and how it has been rigged to only support the mega-rich, the powers at the heart of the system ensuring the it never alters to support those who need to be supported, and how the current US President is one of the greatest beneficiaries of the skewed system.
Labels:
Donald Trump
In Davos, the Rich Talk about ‘Global Threats’. Here’s Why They’re Silent about the Biggest of Them All
THE GUARDIAN: Economic inequality is at the heart of all humanity’s major problems, but the wealthiest refuse to confront a system that benefits them
This week, hundreds of government leaders, heads of state, and business executives are gathering at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. They will be discussing solutions to the world’s biggest risks and problems.
But everything suggests that, once more, what will not be addressed at their meeting is the biggest threat to humanity and the planet: neoliberal capitalism.
All forms of capitalism are characterised by extensive private ownership of companies as well as the primacy of the profit motive. But the specific neoliberal form of capitalism that has risen to dominance from the late 1970s onwards has additional features: the privatisation of companies previously in public ownership; a shift in power from workers to capital owners; and reduced taxes on entrepreneurs and the richest.
The transition from mixed economies under social democracies to neoliberal capitalism has led to a notable increase of wealth concentration at the top, which is now eroding (and in some places even destroying) our democracies. The absence of a sustained discussion of neoliberal capitalism in elite circles is illogical, since it is the main cause of the other problems that will be discussed at Davos. » | Ingrid Robeyns | Monday, January 19, 2026
• Ingrid Robeyns is an economist and philosopher, and holds the chair in ethics of institutions at Utrecht University. Her most recent book is Limitarianism: The Case Against Extreme Wealth
This week, hundreds of government leaders, heads of state, and business executives are gathering at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. They will be discussing solutions to the world’s biggest risks and problems.
But everything suggests that, once more, what will not be addressed at their meeting is the biggest threat to humanity and the planet: neoliberal capitalism.
All forms of capitalism are characterised by extensive private ownership of companies as well as the primacy of the profit motive. But the specific neoliberal form of capitalism that has risen to dominance from the late 1970s onwards has additional features: the privatisation of companies previously in public ownership; a shift in power from workers to capital owners; and reduced taxes on entrepreneurs and the richest.
The transition from mixed economies under social democracies to neoliberal capitalism has led to a notable increase of wealth concentration at the top, which is now eroding (and in some places even destroying) our democracies. The absence of a sustained discussion of neoliberal capitalism in elite circles is illogical, since it is the main cause of the other problems that will be discussed at Davos. » | Ingrid Robeyns | Monday, January 19, 2026
• Ingrid Robeyns is an economist and philosopher, and holds the chair in ethics of institutions at Utrecht University. Her most recent book is Limitarianism: The Case Against Extreme Wealth
Labels:
Davos,
economic inequality,
Neoliberalism
January 19, 2026
Grönland: Trump droht mit neuen Zöllen gegen europäische Staaten
Labels:
Donald Trump,
Europa,
Grönland
January 18, 2026
Donald Trump Is Using ‘Blackmail’ Tariffs as ‘Economic Coercion’ over Greenland | Edward Fisher
Jan 18, 2026 | “This really comes down to Trump’s desire to be seen in history as somebody who expanded the map of the United States.” Donald Trump is using tariffs as a form of economic coercion to pressure NATO allies over Greenland, but market backlash may ultimately limit how far the strategy can go, says former State Department and Treasury Department official Edward Fisher.
Labels:
Donald Trump,
Greenland,
tariffs
'Remove Tariffs, Other Barriers': Ursula Corners Trump Hours After US Slaps Tariffs on EU Nations
Labels:
Mercosur,
Paraguay,
Ursula von der Leyen
EU Trade Chief: EU-South America Trade Pact Will Help 'Offset' Impact of US Tariffs | DW News
Jan 18, 2026 | The EU's trade chief says the bloc's new deal with South America’s Mercosur states will help "offset the negative consequences from the increased tariffs imposed by the United States."
Maros Sefcovic spoke to DW in Paraguay after signing the EU’s biggest ever trade deal, which officials hailed as a geopolitical milestone. But the ceremony was overshadowed by threats from US President Donald Trump to slap new tariffs on several European countries opposing his push to acquire Greenland.
Sefcovic said EU leaders were consulting on a joint response. "First and foremost, we again stayed very, very, clear on our principles for us, territorial sovereignty, integrity and international law are absolutely key principles," Sefcovic said, warning fresh US tariffs could trigger a "very dangerous downward spiral."
Sefcovic told DW formally approving an EU-US trade deal struck last year will be "very complicated" after Trump's latest announcements.
Maros Sefcovic spoke to DW in Paraguay after signing the EU’s biggest ever trade deal, which officials hailed as a geopolitical milestone. But the ceremony was overshadowed by threats from US President Donald Trump to slap new tariffs on several European countries opposing his push to acquire Greenland.
Sefcovic said EU leaders were consulting on a joint response. "First and foremost, we again stayed very, very, clear on our principles for us, territorial sovereignty, integrity and international law are absolutely key principles," Sefcovic said, warning fresh US tariffs could trigger a "very dangerous downward spiral."
Sefcovic told DW formally approving an EU-US trade deal struck last year will be "very complicated" after Trump's latest announcements.
Labels:
European Union,
Mercosur,
Paraguay
Danes, Greenlanders Protest Trump Plan as EU Leaders Show Outrage over Tariff Threat | DW News
Jan 18, 2026 | US President Donald Trump has threatened to raise tariffs on eight European countries until they allow the US to BUY Greenland.
Trump posted on Truth Social that "starting on February 1st, all of the above-mentioned countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Finland), will be charged a 10% Tariff on any and all goods sent to the United States of America."
European leaders have warned against what they call a dangerous downward spiral if the levies are implemented, with the EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas replying in a post, "China and Russia must be having a field day. They are the ones who benefit from divisions among allies.
If Greenland’s security is at risk, we can address this inside NATO. Tariffs risk making Europe and the United States poorer and undermine our shared prosperity." Meanwhile, thousands of people took to the streets in the Greenlandic and Danish capitals on Saturday against Trump's bid to take over the island.
Trump posted on Truth Social that "starting on February 1st, all of the above-mentioned countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Finland), will be charged a 10% Tariff on any and all goods sent to the United States of America."
European leaders have warned against what they call a dangerous downward spiral if the levies are implemented, with the EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas replying in a post, "China and Russia must be having a field day. They are the ones who benefit from divisions among allies.
If Greenland’s security is at risk, we can address this inside NATO. Tariffs risk making Europe and the United States poorer and undermine our shared prosperity." Meanwhile, thousands of people took to the streets in the Greenlandic and Danish capitals on Saturday against Trump's bid to take over the island.
Labels:
Denmark,
Donald Trump,
European Union,
Greenland
January 17, 2026
«Il est impératif de prendre des mesures énergiques» : Donald Trump ouvre une crise transatlantique sur le Groenland
LE FIGARO : DÉCRYPTAGE - Le président américain impose des droits de douane aux Européens pour forcer le Danemark à lui céder le territoire.
Les visées de Trump sur le Groenland ont ouvert une crise dans les relations transatlantiques. Le président américain a répondu au refus du Danemark de lui céder son territoire arctique en annonçant samedi son intention de frapper de droits de douane ce pays et les alliés européens coupables de l’avoir soutenu. « La paix mondiale est en jeu ! », a écrit Trump. « La Chine et la Russie veulent le Groenland, et le Danemark ne peut rien y faire. Il dispose actuellement de deux traîneaux à chiens pour se protéger, dont un ajouté récemment. Seuls les États-Unis d’Amérique, sous la présidence de DONALD J. TRUMP, peuvent jouer dans cette partie, et avec beaucoup de succès ! Personne ne touchera à cette terre sacrée, d’autant plus que la sécurité nationale des États-Unis et du monde entier est en jeu ».
Mais envoyer des renforts au Groenland ne vaut que s’ils sont américains. Trump s’en est pris aux alliés de l’Otan qui ont déployé la semaine quelques détachements symboliques, les accusant de menacer la paix. « Pour couronner le tout », a écrit Trump, « le Danemark, la Norvège, la Suède, la France, l’Allemagne, le Royaume-Uni, les Pays-Bas et la Finlande se sont rendus au Groenland dans un but inconnu. Il s’agit d’une situation très dangereuse pour la sécurité et la survie de notre planète. Ces pays, qui se livrent à ce jeu très dangereux, ont pris un risque qui n’est ni tenable ni durable. Il est donc impératif, afin de protéger la paix et la sécurité mondiales, de prendre des mesures énergiques pour que cette situation potentiellement périlleuse prenne fin rapidement et sans équivoque». » | Par Adrien Jaulmes, correspondant à Washington | samedi 17 janvier 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Les visées de Trump sur le Groenland ont ouvert une crise dans les relations transatlantiques. Le président américain a répondu au refus du Danemark de lui céder son territoire arctique en annonçant samedi son intention de frapper de droits de douane ce pays et les alliés européens coupables de l’avoir soutenu. « La paix mondiale est en jeu ! », a écrit Trump. « La Chine et la Russie veulent le Groenland, et le Danemark ne peut rien y faire. Il dispose actuellement de deux traîneaux à chiens pour se protéger, dont un ajouté récemment. Seuls les États-Unis d’Amérique, sous la présidence de DONALD J. TRUMP, peuvent jouer dans cette partie, et avec beaucoup de succès ! Personne ne touchera à cette terre sacrée, d’autant plus que la sécurité nationale des États-Unis et du monde entier est en jeu ».
Mais envoyer des renforts au Groenland ne vaut que s’ils sont américains. Trump s’en est pris aux alliés de l’Otan qui ont déployé la semaine quelques détachements symboliques, les accusant de menacer la paix. « Pour couronner le tout », a écrit Trump, « le Danemark, la Norvège, la Suède, la France, l’Allemagne, le Royaume-Uni, les Pays-Bas et la Finlande se sont rendus au Groenland dans un but inconnu. Il s’agit d’une situation très dangereuse pour la sécurité et la survie de notre planète. Ces pays, qui se livrent à ce jeu très dangereux, ont pris un risque qui n’est ni tenable ni durable. Il est donc impératif, afin de protéger la paix et la sécurité mondiales, de prendre des mesures énergiques pour que cette situation potentiellement périlleuse prenne fin rapidement et sans équivoque». » | Par Adrien Jaulmes, correspondant à Washington | samedi 17 janvier 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Labels:
Donald Trump,
Groenland
Trump Announces 10 Percent Tariff on European Countries in Standoff Over Greenland
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The president escalated his drive to take charge of the Danish territory, targeting eight countries with tariffs.
President Trump announced in a social media post on Saturday morning his latest strategy to get control of Greenland: He is slapping new tariffs on a bloc of European nations until they come to the negotiating table to sell Greenland.
Greenland is a territory of Denmark, which will be hit with a 10 percent tariff on all goods sent to the United States beginning on Feb. 1, Mr. Trump wrote in a social media post. Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Britain, the Netherlands and Finland, fellow NATO members that have expressed solidarity with Denmark in its refusal to yield to Mr. Trump’s demands, will also be subject to the 10 percent tariff. If those nations do not relent, he added, the rate will increase to 25 percent on June 1, “until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.”
The threat comes as the Supreme Court weighs overturning the legal authority that the president would likely use to impose these tariffs. The court is set to rule in the coming weeks on Mr. Trump’s use of an emergency law, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which the president has used to threaten tariffs at a whim against numerous countries over the past year.
If the court rules against Mr. Trump, the president may not be able to impose tariffs like this. He would have to rely on other legal authorities that require him to carry out investigations, or meet other standards. » | Shawn McCreesh and Ana Swanson | Shawn McCreesh reported from Palm Beach, Fla., and Ana Swanson from Washington. | Saturday, January 17, 2026
There are tantrums and there are tantrums! Trump’s tantrums take the biscuit! A spoilt child will get his way, unless the parents are firm. And firmness is what is called for in European politicians at this time. This man MUST NOT be allowed to have his way, WHATEVER THE COST. Greenland MUST stay in Denmark’s possession. — © Mark Alexander
President Trump announced in a social media post on Saturday morning his latest strategy to get control of Greenland: He is slapping new tariffs on a bloc of European nations until they come to the negotiating table to sell Greenland.
Greenland is a territory of Denmark, which will be hit with a 10 percent tariff on all goods sent to the United States beginning on Feb. 1, Mr. Trump wrote in a social media post. Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Britain, the Netherlands and Finland, fellow NATO members that have expressed solidarity with Denmark in its refusal to yield to Mr. Trump’s demands, will also be subject to the 10 percent tariff. If those nations do not relent, he added, the rate will increase to 25 percent on June 1, “until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.”
The threat comes as the Supreme Court weighs overturning the legal authority that the president would likely use to impose these tariffs. The court is set to rule in the coming weeks on Mr. Trump’s use of an emergency law, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which the president has used to threaten tariffs at a whim against numerous countries over the past year.
If the court rules against Mr. Trump, the president may not be able to impose tariffs like this. He would have to rely on other legal authorities that require him to carry out investigations, or meet other standards. » | Shawn McCreesh and Ana Swanson | Shawn McCreesh reported from Palm Beach, Fla., and Ana Swanson from Washington. | Saturday, January 17, 2026
There are tantrums and there are tantrums! Trump’s tantrums take the biscuit! A spoilt child will get his way, unless the parents are firm. And firmness is what is called for in European politicians at this time. This man MUST NOT be allowed to have his way, WHATEVER THE COST. Greenland MUST stay in Denmark’s possession. — © Mark Alexander
Labels:
Donald Trump,
Greenland,
tariffs
Michael Lambert: Who Ruined Britain? - The 20 People I Hold Most Responsible
Jan 17, 2026 | Britain is in a terrible state — economically, politically, and socially. This did not happen by accident.
In this video, I list and comment on the 20 people (and groups) who I believe have been most responsible for Britain’s decline over the past decade.
These are my opinions, based on years of observing British politics, media, business and government — and I fully expect many viewers to disagree with parts of this list.
In this video, I list and comment on the 20 people (and groups) who I believe have been most responsible for Britain’s decline over the past decade.
These are my opinions, based on years of observing British politics, media, business and government — and I fully expect many viewers to disagree with parts of this list.
January 16, 2026
Groenland : Donald Trump menace de droits de douane les pays qui ne soutiennent pas son projet
LE FIGARO : Le président des États-Unis a redit son intention d’acquérir ce territoire de l’Arctique, malgré la fin de non-recevoir du Danemark
Donald Trump a menacé vendredi de droits de douane les pays qui ne soutiendraient pas son plan pour acquérir le Groenland, au moment où plusieurs pays européens ont annoncé y envoyer des militaires en soutien au Danemark. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | vendredi 16 janvier 2026
Donald Trump a menacé vendredi de droits de douane les pays qui ne soutiendraient pas son plan pour acquérir le Groenland, au moment où plusieurs pays européens ont annoncé y envoyer des militaires en soutien au Danemark. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | vendredi 16 janvier 2026
Labels:
Donald Trump,
Groenland
January 15, 2026
The Real Iran Is a Beautiful, Peace-loving, and Flourishing Iran
15 Jan 2026 | To all of our friends around the world.
Under the yoke of the Islamic Republic, Iran is identified in your minds with terrorism, extremism, and poverty. The real Iran is a different Iran. A beautiful, peace-loving, and flourishing Iran. It is the Iran that existed before the Islamic Republic, and it is the Iran that will rise again from its ashes the day the Islamic Republic falls.
So let me be clear about how a free Iran will act toward its neighbors and the world, after the fall of this regime. In security and foreign policy, Iran’s nuclear military program will end. Support for terrorist groups will cease immediately. A free Iran will work with regional and global partners to confront terrorism, organized crime, drug trafficking, and extremist Islamism. Iran will act as a friend and a stabilizing force in the region. And it will be a responsible partner in global security.
In diplomacy, relations with the United States will be normalized and our friendship with America and her people will be restored. The State of Israel will be recognized immediately. We will pursue the expansion of the Abraham Accords into the Cyrus accords bringing together a free Iran, Israel, and the Arab world. A new chapter will begin, grounded in mutual recognition, sovereignty, and national interest.
In energy, Iran holds some of the largest oil and gas reserves in the world. A free Iran will become a reliable energy supplier to the free world. Policy-making will be transparent. Iran’s actions will be responsible. Prices will be predictable. In transparency and governance, Iran will adopt and enforce international standards. Money laundering will be confronted. Organized corruption will be dismantled. Public institutions will answer to the people. In the economy, Iran is one of the world’s last great untapped markets. Our population is educated, modern, with a diaspora that connects it to the four corners of the world. A democratic Iran will open its economy to trade, investment, and innovation. And Iran will seek to invest in the world. Opportunity will replace isolation.
This is not an abstract vision. It is a practical one. Grounded in national interest, stability, and cooperation. To achieve this, now is the time to stand with the Iranian people.
The fall of the Islamic Republic and the establishment of a secular, democratic government in Iran will not only restore dignity to my people, it will benefit the region and the world. A free Iran will be a force for peace. For prosperity. And for partnership.
Under the yoke of the Islamic Republic, Iran is identified in your minds with terrorism, extremism, and poverty. The real Iran is a different Iran. A beautiful, peace-loving, and flourishing Iran. It is the Iran that existed before the Islamic Republic, and it is the Iran that will rise again from its ashes the day the Islamic Republic falls.
So let me be clear about how a free Iran will act toward its neighbors and the world, after the fall of this regime. In security and foreign policy, Iran’s nuclear military program will end. Support for terrorist groups will cease immediately. A free Iran will work with regional and global partners to confront terrorism, organized crime, drug trafficking, and extremist Islamism. Iran will act as a friend and a stabilizing force in the region. And it will be a responsible partner in global security.
In diplomacy, relations with the United States will be normalized and our friendship with America and her people will be restored. The State of Israel will be recognized immediately. We will pursue the expansion of the Abraham Accords into the Cyrus accords bringing together a free Iran, Israel, and the Arab world. A new chapter will begin, grounded in mutual recognition, sovereignty, and national interest.
In energy, Iran holds some of the largest oil and gas reserves in the world. A free Iran will become a reliable energy supplier to the free world. Policy-making will be transparent. Iran’s actions will be responsible. Prices will be predictable. In transparency and governance, Iran will adopt and enforce international standards. Money laundering will be confronted. Organized corruption will be dismantled. Public institutions will answer to the people. In the economy, Iran is one of the world’s last great untapped markets. Our population is educated, modern, with a diaspora that connects it to the four corners of the world. A democratic Iran will open its economy to trade, investment, and innovation. And Iran will seek to invest in the world. Opportunity will replace isolation.
This is not an abstract vision. It is a practical one. Grounded in national interest, stability, and cooperation. To achieve this, now is the time to stand with the Iranian people.
The fall of the Islamic Republic and the establishment of a secular, democratic government in Iran will not only restore dignity to my people, it will benefit the region and the world. A free Iran will be a force for peace. For prosperity. And for partnership.
Labels:
Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi,
Iran
Canada and Denmark's Shocking Greenland Deal Leaves US Reeling
Donald Trump’s Trump Greenland Threats have detonated a diplomatic crisis inside NATO—and Canada just drew a bright red line in Paris. In this video, we break down how Trump Greenland Threats to take Greenland “by force” triggered a unified European response, pushed Denmark to warn NATO itself could collapse, and prompted Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney to publicly side with Denmark—then back it up with a concrete move: a Canadian consulate in Nuuk, Greenland.
You’ll hear why Carney’s language mattered, how NATO allies coordinated their message that Greenland’s future belongs to Greenlanders and Denmark alone, and why this moment could reshape Arctic security cooperation for years. We also explain the strategic stakes—from Pituffik (Thule) Space Force Base to Arctic shipping lanes and critical minerals—and why Trump Greenland Threats may be doing Russia and China a massive favor.
If you care about NATO, Arctic geopolitics, and how presidential rhetoric can fracture alliances, this is the story you can’t ignore.
Trump should be sectioned. FT! FA! — © Mark Alexander
You’ll hear why Carney’s language mattered, how NATO allies coordinated their message that Greenland’s future belongs to Greenlanders and Denmark alone, and why this moment could reshape Arctic security cooperation for years. We also explain the strategic stakes—from Pituffik (Thule) Space Force Base to Arctic shipping lanes and critical minerals—and why Trump Greenland Threats may be doing Russia and China a massive favor.
If you care about NATO, Arctic geopolitics, and how presidential rhetoric can fracture alliances, this is the story you can’t ignore.
Trump should be sectioned. FT! FA! — © Mark Alexander
Labels:
America,
Canada,
Denmark,
Greenland,
Mark Carney
USA gegen Dänemark: Marschiert Trump jetzt in Grönland ein? | Weltspiegel
15 Jan 2026 | Grönland – die größte Insel der Welt- weit abgelegen und dennoch im Mittelpunkt der Weltpolitik. US-Präsident Donald Trump sorgte für weltweites Aufsehen mit dem Vorschlag, Grönland zu kaufen – und schloss sogar einen militärischen Einsatz nicht aus. Dänemark und die grönländische Regierung wehren sich vehement gegen den US-Plan: „Grönland steht nicht zum Verkauf!“, betont die dänische Ministerpräsidentin Mette Frederiksen. Warum geraten die Arktis und vor allem Grönland zwischen die Fronten von USA, Russland und China?
US-Präsident Trump will sich strategisch wertvolle Rohstoffe und Seewege zu sichern. Grönlands strategische Lage zwischen den USA und Russland macht die Insel zu einem begehrten Militärareal, auf dem alte Verträge den Amerikanern erlauben, Stützpunkte wie die Pituffik Space Base zu betreiben. Gleichzeitig arbeiten Dänemark und Grönland daran, ihre Verteidigungskapazitäten auszubauen und kontrollieren zunehmend die Küstenregionen.
Und wie reagieren die Menschen vor Ort, deren Zukunft auf dem Spiel steht? In Nuuk, der grönländischen Hauptstadt, spürt man die Anspannung. Die grönländische Bevölkerung reagiert mit Protesten und Misstrauen auf Trumps Behgehren und die drohende Einflussnahme. Viele Menschen fürchten um ihr normales Leben und ihre Selbstbestimmung. Noch erhält Grönland jährlich hunderte Millionen Euro von Dänemark und strebt einen verantwortungsvollen Weg zur Unabhängigkeit an – eine Zukunft, die sich viele nicht durch äußere Mächte bestimmen lassen wollen.
US-Präsident Trump will sich strategisch wertvolle Rohstoffe und Seewege zu sichern. Grönlands strategische Lage zwischen den USA und Russland macht die Insel zu einem begehrten Militärareal, auf dem alte Verträge den Amerikanern erlauben, Stützpunkte wie die Pituffik Space Base zu betreiben. Gleichzeitig arbeiten Dänemark und Grönland daran, ihre Verteidigungskapazitäten auszubauen und kontrollieren zunehmend die Küstenregionen.
Und wie reagieren die Menschen vor Ort, deren Zukunft auf dem Spiel steht? In Nuuk, der grönländischen Hauptstadt, spürt man die Anspannung. Die grönländische Bevölkerung reagiert mit Protesten und Misstrauen auf Trumps Behgehren und die drohende Einflussnahme. Viele Menschen fürchten um ihr normales Leben und ihre Selbstbestimmung. Noch erhält Grönland jährlich hunderte Millionen Euro von Dänemark und strebt einen verantwortungsvollen Weg zur Unabhängigkeit an – eine Zukunft, die sich viele nicht durch äußere Mächte bestimmen lassen wollen.
Labels:
Donald Trump,
Grönland
Seizing Greenland Risks ‘Monumental’ Fallout, Ex-Iceland President Warns
Labels:
Greenland
January 13, 2026
Global Central Banks Offer ‘Full Solidarity’ to US Fed’s Powell amid Trump Threats
THE GUARDIAN: Nine governors including Bank of England’s Andrew Bailey and ECB’s Christine Lagarde say independence is critical
Global central banks have issued an extraordinary joint statement offering “full solidarity” to the US Federal Reserve chair, Jerome Powell, in the face of the latest threat to his independence from Donald Trump’s White House.
“The independence of central banks is a cornerstone of price, financial and economic stability in the interest of the citizens that we serve. It is therefore critical to preserve that independence, with full respect for the rule of law and democratic accountability,” the statement said.
It was signed by nine central bank governors including the Bank of England governor, Andrew Bailey, and the chair of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde. It was coordinated by the Basel-based Bank for International Settlements, which added its chair and general manager to the signatories.
Other signatories to the unprecedented statement include the central bank governors of Australia, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Brazil, South Korea and Canada. More names are expected to be added later on Tuesday.
They pay testament to Powell’s “integrity” and “unwavering commitment to the public interest”, calling him a “respected colleague who is held in the highest regard by all who have worked with him”. » | Heather Stewart, Economics editor | Tuesday, January 13, 2026
Global central banks have issued an extraordinary joint statement offering “full solidarity” to the US Federal Reserve chair, Jerome Powell, in the face of the latest threat to his independence from Donald Trump’s White House.
“The independence of central banks is a cornerstone of price, financial and economic stability in the interest of the citizens that we serve. It is therefore critical to preserve that independence, with full respect for the rule of law and democratic accountability,” the statement said.
It was signed by nine central bank governors including the Bank of England governor, Andrew Bailey, and the chair of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde. It was coordinated by the Basel-based Bank for International Settlements, which added its chair and general manager to the signatories.
Other signatories to the unprecedented statement include the central bank governors of Australia, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Brazil, South Korea and Canada. More names are expected to be added later on Tuesday.
They pay testament to Powell’s “integrity” and “unwavering commitment to the public interest”, calling him a “respected colleague who is held in the highest regard by all who have worked with him”. » | Heather Stewart, Economics editor | Tuesday, January 13, 2026
Labels:
Federal Reserve
Charles Moore - Margaret Thatcher: A Free Market Legacy | Full Length
Labels:
free markets,
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher: Peace & the EU
23 Apr 2024 | The European Community, now called the European Union, was started for one reason alone: to create lasting peace and security between its members following the most devastating war the world had ever known.
Don’t take my [Jon Danzig’s] word for it. This is what UK Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, said to the European Parliament on 9 December 198:
Don’t take my [Jon Danzig’s] word for it. This is what UK Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, said to the European Parliament on 9 December 198:
“70 years ago Europe had just experienced, on the battlefields of Verdun and the Somme, the bloodiest fighting, the most tragic waste of a generation, that the world has ever known. “The Second World War was to bring further heartbreak and destruction. “Our Community was conceived and constructed to ensure that this experience would never be repeated, to bring about a lasting peace within Western Europe, to replace antagonism with friendship and cooperation, to deepen and broaden Europe’s democratic tradition.” Mrs Thatcher added: “And let us never forget that the aftermath of war produced two great ideas which have shaped our destiny ever since. “One was the NATO Alliance, the other the European Community.”Throughout her premiership, and previously as an MP, and then leader of the Opposition, Mrs Thatcher was a strong supporter of the European Community project. In particular, she helped to design and promote the EU’s crown jewel: its Single Market, which has transformed and enriched the continent of Europe. …
What's behind Germany's Strategic Pivot toward the Global South? | DW News
January 12, 2026
Jared Yates Sexton on a Post-neoliberal Vision for America, When the Scourge of Trumpism Is Over
ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.
It cracks me up when I hear pundits and politicians alike repeat the mantra that America is the richest country in the world. Don’t these people know that America is on its ARSE? America’s NATIONAL DEBT is approximately $38.4 TRILLION. So, how can it possibly be the “richest country in the world”? The country, like most of its citizens, is living on TICK, on CREDIT that other countries like China kindly offer the PROFLIGATE Americans TO BAIL THEM OUT. The notion that America is the richest country in the world is, quite frankly, A LOAD OF BOLLOCKS. — © Mark Alexander
Labels:
Donald Trump,
neo-liberalism,
Trump regime,
Trumpism
Federal Prosecutors Open Investigation Into Fed Chair Powell
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The investigation, which is said to center on renovations of the Federal Reserve’s headquarters in Washington, signals an escalation in the long-running clash between President Trump and the chair.
The U.S. attorney’s office in the District of Columbia has opened a criminal investigation into Jerome H. Powell, the Federal Reserve chair, over the central bank’s renovation of its Washington headquarters and whether Mr. Powell lied to Congress about the scope of the project, according to officials briefed on the situation.
The inquiry, which includes an analysis of Mr. Powell’s public statements and an examination of spending records, was approved in November by Jeanine Pirro, a longtime ally of President Trump who was appointed to run the office last year, the officials said.
The investigation escalates Mr. Trump’s long-running feud with Mr. Powell, whom the president has continually attacked for resisting his demands to slash interest rates significantly. The president has threatened to fire the Fed chair — even though he nominated Mr. Powell for the position in 2017 — and raised the prospect of a lawsuit against him related to the $2.5 billion renovation, citing “incompetence.”
Mr. Trump told The New York Times in an interview last week that he had decided on who he wants to replace Mr. Powell as Fed chair. He is expected to soon announce his decision. Kevin A. Hassett, Mr. Trump’s top economic adviser, is a front-runner for the top job. While Mr. Powell’s term as chair ends in May, his term as a governor runs through January 2028. Mr. Powell has not disclosed whether he plans to stay on at the central bank beyond this year.
Mr. Powell, in a rare video message released by the Fed, acknowledged on Sunday that the Justice Department had served the central bank with grand jury subpoenas days earlier. He described the investigation as “unprecedented” and questioned the motivation for the move, even as he affirmed that he carried out his duties as chair “without political fear or favor.” » | Glenn Thrush and Colby Smith | Sunday, January 11, 2026
The U.S. attorney’s office in the District of Columbia has opened a criminal investigation into Jerome H. Powell, the Federal Reserve chair, over the central bank’s renovation of its Washington headquarters and whether Mr. Powell lied to Congress about the scope of the project, according to officials briefed on the situation.
The inquiry, which includes an analysis of Mr. Powell’s public statements and an examination of spending records, was approved in November by Jeanine Pirro, a longtime ally of President Trump who was appointed to run the office last year, the officials said.
The investigation escalates Mr. Trump’s long-running feud with Mr. Powell, whom the president has continually attacked for resisting his demands to slash interest rates significantly. The president has threatened to fire the Fed chair — even though he nominated Mr. Powell for the position in 2017 — and raised the prospect of a lawsuit against him related to the $2.5 billion renovation, citing “incompetence.”
Mr. Trump told The New York Times in an interview last week that he had decided on who he wants to replace Mr. Powell as Fed chair. He is expected to soon announce his decision. Kevin A. Hassett, Mr. Trump’s top economic adviser, is a front-runner for the top job. While Mr. Powell’s term as chair ends in May, his term as a governor runs through January 2028. Mr. Powell has not disclosed whether he plans to stay on at the central bank beyond this year.
Mr. Powell, in a rare video message released by the Fed, acknowledged on Sunday that the Justice Department had served the central bank with grand jury subpoenas days earlier. He described the investigation as “unprecedented” and questioned the motivation for the move, even as he affirmed that he carried out his duties as chair “without political fear or favor.” » | Glenn Thrush and Colby Smith | Sunday, January 11, 2026
January 11, 2026
Latin America Reacts to Trump’s Interventionism
Labels:
Donald Trump,
Latin America
January 10, 2026
Trump Administration Suspends $129m in Benefit Payments to Minnesota
THE GUARDIAN: USDA notified state’s governor of decision, citing inquiries into alleged fraud by local non-profits and businesses
The Trump administration announced it is suspending $129m in federal benefit payments to Minnesota amid allegations of widespread fraud in the state.
The secretary of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Brooke Rollins, shared a letter on Friday on social media that was addressed to Minnesota’s governor, Tim Walz, and the mayor of Minneapolis, Jacob Frey, notifying them of the administration’s decision and citing investigations into alleged fraud conducted by local non-profits and businesses.
“Despite a staggering, wide-reaching fraud scandal, your administrations refuse to provide basic information or take common sense measures to stop fraud. The Trump administration refuses to allow such fraud to continue,” Rollins wrote. » | Sara Braun | Saturday, January 10, 2026
The Trump administration announced it is suspending $129m in federal benefit payments to Minnesota amid allegations of widespread fraud in the state.
The secretary of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Brooke Rollins, shared a letter on Friday on social media that was addressed to Minnesota’s governor, Tim Walz, and the mayor of Minneapolis, Jacob Frey, notifying them of the administration’s decision and citing investigations into alleged fraud conducted by local non-profits and businesses.
“Despite a staggering, wide-reaching fraud scandal, your administrations refuse to provide basic information or take common sense measures to stop fraud. The Trump administration refuses to allow such fraud to continue,” Rollins wrote. » | Sara Braun | Saturday, January 10, 2026
Labels:
Minnesota,
Trump administration
‘History Will Tell’: As US Pressure Grows, Cuba Edges Closer to Collapse amid Mass Exodus
THE GUARDIAN: Disillusioned with the revolution after 68 years of US sanctions and a shattered economy, one in four Cubans have left in four years. Can the regime, and country, survive the engulfing ‘polycrisis’?
Hatri Echazabal Orta lives in Madrid, Spain. Maykel Fernández is in Charlotte, in the US, while Cristian Cuadra remains in Havana, Cuba – for now. All Cubans, all raised on revolutionary ideals and educated in good state-run schools, they have become disillusioned with the cherished national narrative that Cuba is a country of revolution and resistance. Facing a lack of political openness and poor economic prospects, each of them made the same decision: to leave.
They are not alone. After 68 years of partial sanctions and nearly 64 years of total economic embargo by the US, independent demographic studies suggest that Cuba is going through the world’s fastest population decline and is probably already below 8 million – a 25% drop in just four years, suggesting its population has shrunk by an average of about 820,000 people a year.
There are a number of root causes for this exodus, but most experts agree that the blockade, decades of economic crisis, crumbling public services, political repression and widespread disillusionment with the revolution have merged to become a “polycrisis”.
The unrest further undermines Cuba at a time when the Trump administration is stepping up its offensive across Latin America, heavily reinforcing US military deployment in the Caribbean, raiding Caracas to capture the Venezuelan president, and stepping up threats against the governments of Panama, Colombia and Cuba. » | Andrei Netto in Havana | Photographs by Natalya Favre | Saturday, January 10, 2026
Hatri Echazabal Orta lives in Madrid, Spain. Maykel Fernández is in Charlotte, in the US, while Cristian Cuadra remains in Havana, Cuba – for now. All Cubans, all raised on revolutionary ideals and educated in good state-run schools, they have become disillusioned with the cherished national narrative that Cuba is a country of revolution and resistance. Facing a lack of political openness and poor economic prospects, each of them made the same decision: to leave.
They are not alone. After 68 years of partial sanctions and nearly 64 years of total economic embargo by the US, independent demographic studies suggest that Cuba is going through the world’s fastest population decline and is probably already below 8 million – a 25% drop in just four years, suggesting its population has shrunk by an average of about 820,000 people a year.
There are a number of root causes for this exodus, but most experts agree that the blockade, decades of economic crisis, crumbling public services, political repression and widespread disillusionment with the revolution have merged to become a “polycrisis”.
The unrest further undermines Cuba at a time when the Trump administration is stepping up its offensive across Latin America, heavily reinforcing US military deployment in the Caribbean, raiding Caracas to capture the Venezuelan president, and stepping up threats against the governments of Panama, Colombia and Cuba. » | Andrei Netto in Havana | Photographs by Natalya Favre | Saturday, January 10, 2026
Labels:
Cuba
January 07, 2026
Boycott All American Products!
MARK ALEXANDER: Donald Trump and his cronies think that they can ride rough shod over the rest of the world. Trample others into submission. They think that all that they are able to survey belongs to them! It does not. Simply put, these shysters are thieves. They must not be allowed to get away with this. Trump is no better than Putin.
Because our European leaders are weak—and I include my own country’s leaders in this negative assessment—we cannot hope to be able to stop the US militarily if Trump decides to invade Greenland. But what Europe can do is boycott American goods and services. Europe has mighty purchasing power. It has in excess of 440m consumers Europe-wide, and that excludes UK consumers. America needs the European market, and it needs European consumers to buy their goods and services.
Because of Trump’s increasing and unceasing threats to take over Greenland, I propose that in the name of solidarity with Greenlanders and Danes that we boycott all American goods and services wherever and whenever possible. And avoid all trips and vacations in and to the United States. We can all do this regardless of where we live or come from. Trump needs to be taught a lesson.
Donald Trump and his band of bullying crooks mustn’t be allowed to get away with this thievery. Let us bring the American economy to its knees. And if we cannot, at least let us try. Greenland’s future depends on it. Don’t forget! If Trump succeeds with Greenland, which country will be next?
© Mark Alexander
All Rights Reserved
Because our European leaders are weak—and I include my own country’s leaders in this negative assessment—we cannot hope to be able to stop the US militarily if Trump decides to invade Greenland. But what Europe can do is boycott American goods and services. Europe has mighty purchasing power. It has in excess of 440m consumers Europe-wide, and that excludes UK consumers. America needs the European market, and it needs European consumers to buy their goods and services.
Because of Trump’s increasing and unceasing threats to take over Greenland, I propose that in the name of solidarity with Greenlanders and Danes that we boycott all American goods and services wherever and whenever possible. And avoid all trips and vacations in and to the United States. We can all do this regardless of where we live or come from. Trump needs to be taught a lesson.
Donald Trump and his band of bullying crooks mustn’t be allowed to get away with this thievery. Let us bring the American economy to its knees. And if we cannot, at least let us try. Greenland’s future depends on it. Don’t forget! If Trump succeeds with Greenland, which country will be next?
© Mark Alexander
All Rights Reserved
Labels:
Denmark,
Donald Trump,
Greenland,
Mark Alexander
Stephen Miller Offers a Strongman’s View of the World
THE NEW YORK TIMES: President Trump’s trusted adviser is casting his hard-right gaze abroad, saying the world must be governed by “force.”
Stephen Miller has spent the bulk of his White House career furthering hard-right domestic policies that have resulted in mass deportations, family separations and the testing of the constitutional tenets that grant American citizenship.
Now, Mr. Miller, President Trump’s 40-year-old deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser, is casting his hard-right gaze further abroad: toward Venezuela and the Danish territory of Greenland, specifically.
Mr. Miller is doing so, the president’s advisers say, in service of advancing Mr. Trump’s foreign policy ambitions, which so far resemble imperialistic designs to exploit less powerful, resource-rich countries and territories the world over and use those resources for America’s gain. According to Mr. Miller, using brute force is not only on the table but also the Trump administration’s preferred way to conduct itself on the world stage.
“We live in a world in which you can talk all you want about international niceties and everything else, but we live in a world, in the real world, Jake, that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power,” Mr. Miller told Jake Tapper of CNN on Monday, during a combative appearance in which he was pressed on Mr. Trump’s long-held desire to control Greenland.
“These are the iron laws of the world since the beginning of time,” he said.
This aggressive posture toward Greenland — and in turn, the rest of the world — is a perfect encapsulation of the raw power that Mr. Trump wants to project, even against Denmark, the NATO ally that controls Greenland. The moment also illustrates how people like Mr. Miller have ascended to the inner circle of a leader who has no interest in having his impulses checked, and how they exert their influence once they arrive there.
The moment also shows just how differently Mr. Trump has operated in his second term from how he did in his first. » | Katie Rogers | Katie Rogers is a White House correspondent who has covered both Trump administrations. She reported from Washington. | Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Stephen Miller has spent the bulk of his White House career furthering hard-right domestic policies that have resulted in mass deportations, family separations and the testing of the constitutional tenets that grant American citizenship.
Now, Mr. Miller, President Trump’s 40-year-old deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser, is casting his hard-right gaze further abroad: toward Venezuela and the Danish territory of Greenland, specifically.
Mr. Miller is doing so, the president’s advisers say, in service of advancing Mr. Trump’s foreign policy ambitions, which so far resemble imperialistic designs to exploit less powerful, resource-rich countries and territories the world over and use those resources for America’s gain. According to Mr. Miller, using brute force is not only on the table but also the Trump administration’s preferred way to conduct itself on the world stage.
“We live in a world in which you can talk all you want about international niceties and everything else, but we live in a world, in the real world, Jake, that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power,” Mr. Miller told Jake Tapper of CNN on Monday, during a combative appearance in which he was pressed on Mr. Trump’s long-held desire to control Greenland.
“These are the iron laws of the world since the beginning of time,” he said.
This aggressive posture toward Greenland — and in turn, the rest of the world — is a perfect encapsulation of the raw power that Mr. Trump wants to project, even against Denmark, the NATO ally that controls Greenland. The moment also illustrates how people like Mr. Miller have ascended to the inner circle of a leader who has no interest in having his impulses checked, and how they exert their influence once they arrive there.
The moment also shows just how differently Mr. Trump has operated in his second term from how he did in his first. » | Katie Rogers | Katie Rogers is a White House correspondent who has covered both Trump administrations. She reported from Washington. | Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Labels:
Greenland,
Stephen Miller,
USA
January 05, 2026
Dimon’s $770 Million Windfall Shows How Banking Is Great Again
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The Trump administration is lifting regulations, and deal making is heating up. For Jamie Dimon, being JPMorgan Chase’s chief executive was more lucrative in 2025 than ever.
For nearly 15 years, Jamie Dimon, the bank chieftain, has carried around what might as well be a talisman when he sees regulators, elected officials and journalists.
At just the right time in meetings, he breaks out a single-page printout that he calls a “spaghetti chart.” On it, Mr. Dimon’s underlings have crammed, in tiny type, a comically complicated flowchart meant to represent the various laws and regulations to which his company, JPMorgan Chase, is subject.
The theatrics have finally worked.
The Trump administration is not just taking apart regulations but attacking whole regulatory agencies that date back to the 2008-9 financial crisis and were meant to keep banks from giving in to their worst impulses. Regulators have also made it easier for banks to peddle in risky assets again, like cryptocurrency, and President Trump paused enforcement of foreign anti-bribery rules.
The deregulatory bonanza alone makes it the best time in a generation to be a banker.
But there’s more! Falling interest rates and a permissive set of antitrust overseers are helping reverse a lull in the lucrative business of arranging mergers and acquisitions, as the $100 billion bidding war between Netflix and Paramount for Warner Bros. Discovery shows. Once imperiled real estate loans look steadier, thanks to the rebound of in-office work. Stocks are near record levels, the bond market had its best year since 2020, and gold and silver have soared — all of which feeds the trading businesses that keep Wall Street’s profit machine humming. » | Rob Copeland | Rob Copeland covers Wall Street and banks. | Monday, January 5, 2026
For nearly 15 years, Jamie Dimon, the bank chieftain, has carried around what might as well be a talisman when he sees regulators, elected officials and journalists.
At just the right time in meetings, he breaks out a single-page printout that he calls a “spaghetti chart.” On it, Mr. Dimon’s underlings have crammed, in tiny type, a comically complicated flowchart meant to represent the various laws and regulations to which his company, JPMorgan Chase, is subject.
The theatrics have finally worked.
The Trump administration is not just taking apart regulations but attacking whole regulatory agencies that date back to the 2008-9 financial crisis and were meant to keep banks from giving in to their worst impulses. Regulators have also made it easier for banks to peddle in risky assets again, like cryptocurrency, and President Trump paused enforcement of foreign anti-bribery rules.
The deregulatory bonanza alone makes it the best time in a generation to be a banker.
But there’s more! Falling interest rates and a permissive set of antitrust overseers are helping reverse a lull in the lucrative business of arranging mergers and acquisitions, as the $100 billion bidding war between Netflix and Paramount for Warner Bros. Discovery shows. Once imperiled real estate loans look steadier, thanks to the rebound of in-office work. Stocks are near record levels, the bond market had its best year since 2020, and gold and silver have soared — all of which feeds the trading businesses that keep Wall Street’s profit machine humming. » | Rob Copeland | Rob Copeland covers Wall Street and banks. | Monday, January 5, 2026
Labels:
deregulation,
Jamie Dimon,
US banking
January 02, 2026
How Are Marlboro Cigarettes Made in a Factory? Produced Planet
Labels:
Marlboro
FTSE 100 Breaks 10,000 Mark for First Time, Capping Stellar Year for UK Market
THE GUARDIAN: Blue-chip share index, created in 1984, has risen by more than 20% over past 12 months
The UK’s blue-chip share index has broken through the 10,000-point level for the first time, as global shares are lifted by a late “Santa rally”.
The FTSE 100 jumped on Friday morning to a high of 10,046, a new peak for the index, before easing slightly back.
The milestone marks a stellar 12 months for the “Footsie”, which rose by 21.5% over the course of 2025. » | Graeme Wearden | Friday, January 2, 2026
The UK’s blue-chip share index has broken through the 10,000-point level for the first time, as global shares are lifted by a late “Santa rally”.
The FTSE 100 jumped on Friday morning to a high of 10,046, a new peak for the index, before easing slightly back.
The milestone marks a stellar 12 months for the “Footsie”, which rose by 21.5% over the course of 2025. » | Graeme Wearden | Friday, January 2, 2026
Labels:
FTSE
January 01, 2026
Saudi Arabia, between Repression and Transformation | DW Documentary
Jan 1, 2026 | Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS, is the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia. For almost a decade, he has been radically transforming the country — at a breathtaking pace. Where is the modernizer and despot steering the kingdom?
Saudi Arabia is the world's leading exporter of crude oil. But Crown Prince MBS wants to prepare the country for the post-oil era. Two-thirds of the country's population is under 30 years old, and the crown prince is taking radical measures to turn the previously strictly conservative society on its head.
The documentary shows how contradictory Mohammed bin Salman's ambitions for his "Vision 2030" are, as it takes a look behind the scenes of the transformation.
On the one hand, there is the "Neom" project, which aims to create a futuristic new megacity in the desert. Tourism is to be expanded, major music and sporting events are to be brought to the country, and an extravagant lifestyle is being promoted.
At the same time, an authoritarian style of government continues to prevail, dissidents are sometimes brutally suppressed, and women's rights are still not fully granted - even if the influence of the ultra-conservative religious leaders of Wahhabism is no longer as strong as it once was.
Saudi Arabia is the world's leading exporter of crude oil. But Crown Prince MBS wants to prepare the country for the post-oil era. Two-thirds of the country's population is under 30 years old, and the crown prince is taking radical measures to turn the previously strictly conservative society on its head.
The documentary shows how contradictory Mohammed bin Salman's ambitions for his "Vision 2030" are, as it takes a look behind the scenes of the transformation.
On the one hand, there is the "Neom" project, which aims to create a futuristic new megacity in the desert. Tourism is to be expanded, major music and sporting events are to be brought to the country, and an extravagant lifestyle is being promoted.
At the same time, an authoritarian style of government continues to prevail, dissidents are sometimes brutally suppressed, and women's rights are still not fully granted - even if the influence of the ultra-conservative religious leaders of Wahhabism is no longer as strong as it once was.
Australian Beef Industry ‘Extremely Disappointed’ after China Hits Imports with 55% Tariff
THE GUARDIAN: Levy on beef exceeding quotas to begin immediately as Beijing seeks to protect domestic industry
Australian beef producers said they were “extremely disappointed” after China announced a 55% tariff on imports that exceed quota levels in a move to protect a domestic cattle industry slowly emerging from oversupply.
China’s commerce ministry said on Wednesday the total import quota for 2026 for Australia and other countries such as Brazil and the US covered under its new “safeguard measures” is 2.7m metric tons, roughly in line with the record 2.87m tons it imported overall in 2024.
The new annual quota levels are set below import levels for the first 11 months of 2025 for Australia as well as its top supplier, Brazil.
“The increase in the amount of imported beef has seriously damaged China’s domestic industry,” the ministry said in announcing the measure after an investigation launched last December.
The measure takes effect on 1 January for three years, with the total quota increasing annually. » | Martin Farrer and Dan Jervis-Bardy | Thursday, January 1, 2026
Australian beef producers said they were “extremely disappointed” after China announced a 55% tariff on imports that exceed quota levels in a move to protect a domestic cattle industry slowly emerging from oversupply.
China’s commerce ministry said on Wednesday the total import quota for 2026 for Australia and other countries such as Brazil and the US covered under its new “safeguard measures” is 2.7m metric tons, roughly in line with the record 2.87m tons it imported overall in 2024.
The new annual quota levels are set below import levels for the first 11 months of 2025 for Australia as well as its top supplier, Brazil.
“The increase in the amount of imported beef has seriously damaged China’s domestic industry,” the ministry said in announcing the measure after an investigation launched last December.
The measure takes effect on 1 January for three years, with the total quota increasing annually. » | Martin Farrer and Dan Jervis-Bardy | Thursday, January 1, 2026
Labels:
agriculture,
Australia,
China,
tariffs
Jahreswechsel mit neuer Währung
Labels:
Bulgarien
Sen. Bernie Sanders' AI Warning
Bernie Sanders is the man who should be president, not Trump. If Bernie Sanders were president, we would see a very different, fairer America. There wouldn’t be tax cuts for the superrich, and there would be universal healthcare, free at the point of delivery. Bernie Sanders would bring the USA into the civilised free world. — © Mark Alexander
Labels:
AI,
Bernie Sanders
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)