Dr Daniel Lacalle: Inflation Expectations Soar: Protect Your Wealth

Jan 15, 2025

Do Starmer and Reeves Have a ‘Big Idea’ to Save the Economy?

Amid turmoil in the bond market and a plummeting pound, Sir Keir Starmer has had to defend his chancellor Rachel Reeves while dealing with the resignation of the former anti-corruption minister Tulip Siddiq. So, can Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves turn it around?

The Prime Minister says it will take 10 years to solve some of the chronic issues facing the UK, but will he even get a second term with Labour's support sliding in the polls and Nigel Farage's Reform UK breathing down his neck?

In this episode of the Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by the Financial Times’ columnist Katie Martin, psephologist Luke Try and Channel 4 News' political editor Gary Gibbon.

Produced by Calum Fraser, Silvia Maresca and Ka Yee Mak.

"China Will Destroy the USA" – Yanis Varoufakis

Jan 14, 2025 | Yanis Varoufakis examines the escalating rivalry between China and the United States, predicting how China’s rapid economic and technological advancements could challenge, and potentially surpass, American global dominance. In this gripping analysis, Varoufakis explores China's strategic investments, its role as a manufacturing powerhouse, and its growing influence in international markets. He contrasts this with the U.S.’s struggles with economic inequality, political polarization, and reliance on outdated systems. Is America prepared for the rise of China, or is a seismic power shift inevitable? Discover what Varoufakis sees as the future of this high-stakes competition.

German Economy Shrinks for Second Year in a Row

THE GUARDIAN: First consecutive year of declining GDP since early 2000s highlights challenges facing next government

Germany’s economy has shrunk for a second consecutive year for the first time in more than two decades, highlighting the challenges the next government will face after snap elections in February.

As voters prepare to head to the polls amid heightened political uncertainty in Europe’s largest economy, official figures showed gross domestic product fell by 0.2% last year after dropping by 0.3% in 2023.

The figures represent only the second two-year contraction in the German economy since the 1950s, after it shrank in 2002 and 2003.

“The early 2000s were the last time Germany received the very flattering title of ‘sick man of Europe’. History doesn’t repeat but it rhymes,” said Carsten Brzeski, an analyst at the Dutch bank ING. » | Richard Partington, Economics correspondent | Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Argentina’s Economy in Crisis, Soup Kitchens Struggle after Government Spending Cuts

Sep 13, 2024 | Argentina's economic crisis has led to widespread poverty, affecting over half of the population. Soup kitchens, essential to many struggling families, are facing shortages after the government halted a food distribution program in December as part of a major cost cutting effort. President Javier Milei is being urged to reinstate the program to address the urgent needs of the country's most vulnerable citizens. The situation is deteriorating, with many families relying solely on soup kitchens for their meals. Inflation, high unemployment, and budget cuts continue to exacerbate the hardship.

Javier Milei is another unfeeling, cruel clown who wants to “fix” the economy even if half of the population of Argentina has to starve to death for him to achieve his desired results! The secret of running a successful economy is to get good economic results with the minimum of hardship and suffering.

I recently watched a documentary on Milei’s anarcho-capitalistic policies and what Argentinians thought of them. It was very clear to me that the people who thought his policies were good were all well-heeled individuals living in beautiful homes. When the government’s policies have minimal impact on your lifestyle, it is easy to be uncritical of them. But for those who are dependent on assistance, for those who are suffering shortages, it’s a different story.

I said from the very start that this experiment will end in tears. I still believe it will. I stand by my original assessment. – © Mark Alexander

‘Don’t Allow You to Go to the Bathroom’: Big Tech’s Call Center Workers in Greece On Strike

THE GUARDIAN: Workers at Teleperformance, customer support company for Apple, Google and Netflix, accuse it of union busting and surveillance

Call center workers for some of the world’s biggest tech companies including Apple, Google, Microsoft and Netflix are accusing their employer of retaliating against union organisers, constantly surveilling staff and even refusing bathroom breaks.

In the US or Europe, if you call for technical or customer support from a big tech company, you may be speaking with a worker at one of Teleperformance’s call centers in Greece.

Teleperformance, the largest call center operator in the world, employs about 12,000 workers in Greece, serving more than 140 markets around the world in 43 different languages and dialects. The company has seven multi-language hubs in Greece – in Athens, Chania, and Thessaloniki. » | Michael Sainato | Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Spain Plots 100pc Property Tax to Block Expats from Buying Homes

THE TELEGRAPH: Britons could be hit by exorbitant levy under new measures to fix the country’s housing crisis

British expats will be forced to pay 100pc tax on their holiday home in Spain under new measures to fix the country’s housing crisis.

Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, announced 12 reforms amid an ongoing row over the impact of foreigners on local house prices.

This includes the introduction of a tax for those from outside the European Union (EU) who do not currently live in Spain.

Proposals from the Spanish government suggest this levy could be as high as 100pc of the value of the home, much higher than current rates. Real estate purchases in Spain are currently subject to 10pc tax on newly-built homes and 6pc on old properties. » | Madeleine Ross, Money Reporter. James Badcock in Madrid | Monday, January 13, 2025

Gosh! This must be another one of those Brexit benefits that that numbskull Farage spoke about! – © Mark Alexander

Trump's Victory Is an 'Existential Wake-up Call' for Europe: Ex-EU Commissioner Moscovici

The Gap between the Super-rich rich & the Rest of Us Is Now HUGE: This Is Why You Should Care

Jan 11, 2025 | The gap between rich and poor is huge - and growing. In fact, since 2010, the top 1% have multiplied their wealth by 41 TIMES more than everyone else. That's a moral problem, an economic problem, and a political problem. But why should you care? In this first video from my new book, I explain why this matters to all of us.

Click here for details on Liam Byrne’s book.

Is Trump Right about the Canadian Border? | About That

Dec 5, 2024 | U.S. president-elect Donald Trump and his incoming border czar claim their country's northern border with Canada is a threat to national security. Andrew Chang breaks down the basis of the claims about drugs and illegal migrants streaming into the country from Canada, and to what extent they're true.

Is Trump Right about the US 'Subsidizing' Canada? | About That

Jan 10, 2025 | Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed the United States is 'subsidizing' Canada 'to the tune of $100B.' Where does that number come from? And is Canada really getting a free ride from the U.S.? Andrew Chang dives into the math, the money and the politics of the Canada-U.S. trade relationship to uncover how much — if any — of what Trump says is actually true.

Trump, US Decline, and Global Chaos - Robert D Kaplan Interview | US Politics | The New Statesman

Jan 8, 2025 | Under Trump, US power will diminish - that's a disaster for the whole world, says Robert D Kaplan.

In this interview, renowned geopolitical analyst Robert D Kaplan argues that American power has been in decline for years, and this will likely get worse under Trump.

"This time around Trump is more experienced, he's more vindictive," Kaplan says.

He explores what this means for geopolitics, in particular in relation to other "great powers" China and Russia.

Kaplan also explains his view that "a world where all the great powers are declining... will lead not to a fairer world, a better world, but to more chaos"

Robert D Kaplan is the author most recently of Waste Land: A World in Permanent Crisis, which will be published in January. He holds the Robert Strausz-Hupé Chair in Geopolitics at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. He spoke to the New Statesman's Kate Lamble for the New Statesman podcast.

Elon Musk and AfD's Alice Weidel Talk on X | DW Analysis

Jan 9, 2025 | We begin with the politics of billionaire Elon Musk, and why that may or may not matter to voters here in Germany. Next month voters will go to the polls here. Early elections because the current left of center government collapsed. Polls show the conservatives and the far-right AfD party leading.

Enter Elon Musk. He has been very vocal on his platform X in his support for the AfD, saying it is the only party that can save Germany. He has also called for the current chancellor Olaf Scholz to resign. And tonight he held a one on one conversation on X with the AfD's chancellor candidate Alice Weidel. At one point there were 211 thousand people listening in. This is part of what they heard.

Germany Election: AfD Candidate Alice Weidel on Election, EU, Trump, Energy

Dec 19, 2024 | Alice Weidel, the candidate from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), sits down for an interview with Bloomberg's Oliver Crook in Berlin during which she discusses her key priorities should she become the next Chancellor. Weidel also talks about the European Union, Germany's energy situation, and her "huge hopes" for US President-elect Donald Trump's second term.

How You Can Stop Fascism When Voting Isn't Enough

Jan 8, 2025 | Donald Trump and the GOP are days away from unleashing fascism but there is good news. Democracy is self-correcting... but "The bad news is the means of self-correction are typically war, famine, or revolution,” Thom

One of the greatest problems is that our politicians since Thatcher and the ‘Old Gipper’ have been too scared to tax these bastards. These people should never have been allowed to amass this enormous wealth at the expense of the rest of us. All meaningful sacrifices in paying taxation are made by the lower and middle classes. These billionaires either pay no tax at all or they pay so little that they cannot feel it. Ordinary people feel it alright! Our politicians need to grow a pair! There are too many weak politicians bereft of gonads! – © Mark Alexander

BlackRock: The Conspiracies You Don’t Know

Sep 19, 2024 | BlackRock and other asset managers are profiting off of every aspect of your life. It's not a conspiracy — it's an open restructuring of society. …

Professor Steve Keen: "Elon Musk Is Wrong Again" Top Economist Warns the US

Premiered Jan 5, 2025

Wolff Responds: "What Trump Delivers: A Deeply Uncertain New Year" | Dated January 1, 2025

Jan 1, 2025 | Today's Wolff Responds, Professor Wolff gives his thoughts on the New Year and incoming Trump Administration