The Shrewd Economist
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
May 03, 2026
Brexit Failed. Farage Did It. Now You're Voting FOR Him?
Labels:
Brexit,
local elections,
Nigel Farage,
Reform UK
She's Had It. And After This Episode, So Will You. | Jen Welch
May 2, 2026 | Jennifer Welch, host of the massively popular I've Had It podcast, joins Jim Acosta for an unfiltered breakdown of the week that broke everyone's brain — King Charles lecturing Congress about democracy while Trump called Putin, billionaires lining up to kiss the ring at a Fox News state dinner, and the Supreme Court quietly delivering wins for corporate America while everyone watches the chaos.
Plus: actor-turned-crypto fraud investigator Ben McKenzie, who testified before the U.S. Senate on the FTX collapse, weighs in on Trump's embrace of the very crypto industry he's been sounding the alarm on for years.
Plus: actor-turned-crypto fraud investigator Ben McKenzie, who testified before the U.S. Senate on the FTX collapse, weighs in on Trump's embrace of the very crypto industry he's been sounding the alarm on for years.
Labels:
Donald Trump
May 02, 2026
« Un jeu de poker menteur » : que cherche Donald Trump avec sa menace de taxe à 25% sur les voitures européennes ?
LE FIGARO : ENTRETIEN CROISÉ - Le président américain a menacé les voitures européennes importées aux États Unis de droits de douane de 25%, qui s’appliqueraient dès la semaine prochaine.
Antoine Bouët est économiste. Depuis le 1er octobre 2022, il est directeur du Centre d’études prospectives et d’informations internationales (CEPII) et est également professeur d’économie à l’université de Bordeaux. Olivier Dorgans est avocat associé au sein du cabinet Stephenson Harwood.
L’année 2025 a été marquée par la guerre commerciale opposant les États Unis au reste du monde. Après avoir menacé l’Europe de droits de douane record en avril, les accords de Turnberry – ainsi nommés en référence au golf écossais où Donald Trump a reçu les dirigeants européens – conclus en juillet 2025 devaient constituer un nouveau point d’équilibre commercial entre les deux blocs. Un équilibre fragile que Donald Trump vient de remettre en cause, en promettant de taxer à 25% (au lieu des 15% prévus) les voitures et camions européens importés aux États Unis. Et ce, dès la semaine prochaine. » | Par Enguerrand Armanet | samedi 2 mai 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Antoine Bouët est économiste. Depuis le 1er octobre 2022, il est directeur du Centre d’études prospectives et d’informations internationales (CEPII) et est également professeur d’économie à l’université de Bordeaux. Olivier Dorgans est avocat associé au sein du cabinet Stephenson Harwood.
L’année 2025 a été marquée par la guerre commerciale opposant les États Unis au reste du monde. Après avoir menacé l’Europe de droits de douane record en avril, les accords de Turnberry – ainsi nommés en référence au golf écossais où Donald Trump a reçu les dirigeants européens – conclus en juillet 2025 devaient constituer un nouveau point d’équilibre commercial entre les deux blocs. Un équilibre fragile que Donald Trump vient de remettre en cause, en promettant de taxer à 25% (au lieu des 15% prévus) les voitures et camions européens importés aux États Unis. Et ce, dès la semaine prochaine. » | Par Enguerrand Armanet | samedi 2 mai 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Why Milei’s Approval Ratings Are Tanking
Apr 29, 2026 | Compare news coverage. Spot media bias. Avoid algorithms.
Milei's popularity is coming under strain in Argentina as his economic recovery has stalled and corruption allegations have hurt his reputation. So in this video, we'll explore what's going wrong and whether he can pull his approval back from the brink.
Milei's popularity is coming under strain in Argentina as his economic recovery has stalled and corruption allegations have hurt his reputation. So in this video, we'll explore what's going wrong and whether he can pull his approval back from the brink.
Labels:
Argentina,
Javier Milei
John Major: "The First Role of Any Government… Is to Leave Something Better for the Next Generation”
Labels:
Sir John Major
Irans Währung Rial fällt auf historisches Tief
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Die iranische Landeswährung Rial ist auf einen Tiefstand gefallen. Die US-Seeblockade während der brüchigen Waffenruhe verschärft die wirtschaftliche Lage in dem Land.
Die US-Seeblockade setzt die iranische Wirtschaft weiter unter Druck. Die iranische Währung Rial ist nach Angaben der Wechselkurs-Webseiten Bonbast und AlanChand auf einen historischen Tiefstand gegenüber dem US-Dollar gefallen. Auf dem Schwarzmarkt würden derzeit rund 1,8 Millionen Rial für einen Dollar gehandelt, berichteten die beiden Portale, die als Referenz für inoffizielle Kurse gelten.
Bei Kriegsbeginn vor zwei Monaten lag der Kurs noch bei etwa 1,7 Millionen Rial je Dollar, wie die Nachrichtenagentur AFP meldete. » | Sophie Barkey | Mittwoch, 29. April 2026
Die US-Seeblockade setzt die iranische Wirtschaft weiter unter Druck. Die iranische Währung Rial ist nach Angaben der Wechselkurs-Webseiten Bonbast und AlanChand auf einen historischen Tiefstand gegenüber dem US-Dollar gefallen. Auf dem Schwarzmarkt würden derzeit rund 1,8 Millionen Rial für einen Dollar gehandelt, berichteten die beiden Portale, die als Referenz für inoffizielle Kurse gelten.
Bei Kriegsbeginn vor zwei Monaten lag der Kurs noch bei etwa 1,7 Millionen Rial je Dollar, wie die Nachrichtenagentur AFP meldete. » | Sophie Barkey | Mittwoch, 29. April 2026
May 01, 2026
Trump Tears Up EU Tariff Deal and Raises Some Import Duties
THE GUARDIAN: US president says tariff on cars and lorries will rise to 25% and accuses European Union of non-compliance
Donald Trump has said he is tearing up part of the tariff deal he struck with EU leaders at his golf course in Scotland last summer, criticising Brussels for taking so long to ratify the deal.
Blindsiding Brussels late on May Day bank holiday on Friday, he announced that he would be increasing tariffs on cars and lorries imported into the US from the EU from 15% to 25% from next week.
Vehicles made in the US by EU companies would be exempt from the increase, he wrote on Truth Social.
“I am pleased to announce that, based on the fact the European Union is not complying with our full agreed to Trade Deal, next week I will be increasing Tariffs charged to the European Union for Cars and Trucks coming into the United States,” Trump said. » | Lisa O’Carroll | Senior correspondent | Friday, May 1, 2026
This poor man should be put out of his misery and locked up! I strongly suggest he be sectioned! 😊 — © Mark Alexander
Donald Trump has said he is tearing up part of the tariff deal he struck with EU leaders at his golf course in Scotland last summer, criticising Brussels for taking so long to ratify the deal.
Blindsiding Brussels late on May Day bank holiday on Friday, he announced that he would be increasing tariffs on cars and lorries imported into the US from the EU from 15% to 25% from next week.
Vehicles made in the US by EU companies would be exempt from the increase, he wrote on Truth Social.
“I am pleased to announce that, based on the fact the European Union is not complying with our full agreed to Trade Deal, next week I will be increasing Tariffs charged to the European Union for Cars and Trucks coming into the United States,” Trump said. » | Lisa O’Carroll | Senior correspondent | Friday, May 1, 2026
This poor man should be put out of his misery and locked up! I strongly suggest he be sectioned! 😊 — © Mark Alexander
Labels:
Donald Trump,
European Union,
tariffs
What the End of Saudi Arabia’s Big-Spending Era Means for the Kingdom and Beyond
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The kingdom is pulling back from a costly and high-profile golf venture amid mounting financial concerns, raising questions about its plans.
Saudi Arabia embarked on a nation-changing project over the past decade under a young prince in a rush to reimagine his kingdom. The kingdom announced ambitious ventures in sports, entertainment and other areas — all in a bid to diversify its economy from its heavy reliance on oil exports and to remake its image from a conservative, insular nation to a dynamic country playing on the world stage.
But in recent years, the global ambitions of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have clashed with financial reality, as the state faces mounting expenses and lower oil revenue, exacerbated by the continuing war in the Middle East. Several major projects have recently been scaled back, mothballed or scrapped.
On Thursday the country’s $1 trillion sovereign wealth fund announced the latest casualty: a multibillion-dollar effort that had, when it started just four years ago, threatened to upend global golf and become a key symbol of Saudi Arabia’s determination to be a major player in sports.
When launching in 2022, the upstart competition, LIV Golf, tore apart the sport’s traditional structures by luring some of the games biggest names with the biggest checks in the sport’s history. It also pulled in — and remunerated — figures like President Trump and led to costly legal battles and congressional hearings.
Now, just four years later, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund had said it will cease funding the competition at the end of the year, raising questions about Saudi plans in sports and beyond. In the fund’s most recent announcement about its strategy for the next five years, its main focus was domestic investment. Big-time sports was notably omitted from its list of priorities. » | Tariq Panja | Tariq Panja has covered Saudi Arabia’s efforts to disrupt sports since it began spending heavily for its global ambitions. | Friday, May 1, 2026
Saudi Arabia embarked on a nation-changing project over the past decade under a young prince in a rush to reimagine his kingdom. The kingdom announced ambitious ventures in sports, entertainment and other areas — all in a bid to diversify its economy from its heavy reliance on oil exports and to remake its image from a conservative, insular nation to a dynamic country playing on the world stage.
But in recent years, the global ambitions of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have clashed with financial reality, as the state faces mounting expenses and lower oil revenue, exacerbated by the continuing war in the Middle East. Several major projects have recently been scaled back, mothballed or scrapped.
On Thursday the country’s $1 trillion sovereign wealth fund announced the latest casualty: a multibillion-dollar effort that had, when it started just four years ago, threatened to upend global golf and become a key symbol of Saudi Arabia’s determination to be a major player in sports.
When launching in 2022, the upstart competition, LIV Golf, tore apart the sport’s traditional structures by luring some of the games biggest names with the biggest checks in the sport’s history. It also pulled in — and remunerated — figures like President Trump and led to costly legal battles and congressional hearings.
Now, just four years later, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund had said it will cease funding the competition at the end of the year, raising questions about Saudi plans in sports and beyond. In the fund’s most recent announcement about its strategy for the next five years, its main focus was domestic investment. Big-time sports was notably omitted from its list of priorities. » | Tariq Panja | Tariq Panja has covered Saudi Arabia’s efforts to disrupt sports since it began spending heavily for its global ambitions. | Friday, May 1, 2026
Labels:
Saudi Arabia
Will the Iran War Cause a Global Depression? (w/ Prof. Richard Wolff) | The Chris Hedges Report
Labels:
Dr Richard Wolff,
Iran War,
world economy
Why Countries Are Stocking Up on Gold
THE NEW YORK TIMES: As risk has escalated, central banks have bought more gold to stash in reserve. A widening Middle East war could add to the urgency.
Screenshot taken from this NYT article. | Gold bars stored at the Bank of England. | Bank of England | Credits: Unavailable
Central banks around the world have bulked up their reserves of gold, a safe but cumbersome investment that has been revived in popularity by intensifying geopolitical tensions and concerns over inflation.
This year, the price of gold exceeded $5,000 per troy ounce for the first time in history. One major reason prices have soared — doubling in a year and a half — is the demand from emerging economies: The central banks of Poland, Turkey, India and China have been some of the biggest buyers of gold in the past several years.
The shock to the global financial system from the war in the Middle East has underlined again how some central banks turn to gold during times of stress.
Central banks have continued to add to their holdings of gold since the conflict began in late February, including those in China, Poland, the Czech Republic and Uzbekistan, according to data from the World Gold Council. In March, China’s central bank bought more gold than it had in more than a year. Guatemala also bought gold in March, for the first time in about six months, the council said. » | Eshe Nelson | Eshe Nelson, who reported from London, has written about central banks and financial markets for more than a decade. | Friday, May 1, 2026
Where in the World Is All That Gold Stored?: As central banks buy more gold, where to put all that heavy metal is an increasingly important question. Reserves must be secure and ready to trade in a crisis. »
Central banks around the world have bulked up their reserves of gold, a safe but cumbersome investment that has been revived in popularity by intensifying geopolitical tensions and concerns over inflation.
This year, the price of gold exceeded $5,000 per troy ounce for the first time in history. One major reason prices have soared — doubling in a year and a half — is the demand from emerging economies: The central banks of Poland, Turkey, India and China have been some of the biggest buyers of gold in the past several years.
The shock to the global financial system from the war in the Middle East has underlined again how some central banks turn to gold during times of stress.
Central banks have continued to add to their holdings of gold since the conflict began in late February, including those in China, Poland, the Czech Republic and Uzbekistan, according to data from the World Gold Council. In March, China’s central bank bought more gold than it had in more than a year. Guatemala also bought gold in March, for the first time in about six months, the council said. » | Eshe Nelson | Eshe Nelson, who reported from London, has written about central banks and financial markets for more than a decade. | Friday, May 1, 2026
Where in the World Is All That Gold Stored?: As central banks buy more gold, where to put all that heavy metal is an increasingly important question. Reserves must be secure and ready to trade in a crisis. »
Labels:
gold reserves
April 30, 2026
Trump Tells Merz to ‘Fix His Broken Country’ in New Attack on German Chancellor
THE GUARDIAN: US president’s latest outburst comes a day after he suggested a ‘possible reduction’ in US troops in Germany
Donald Trump has again lashed out at Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, saying he should focus on “fixing his broken country” and trying to end the Russia-Ukraine war – and spend less time “interfering” in Iran.
“The Chancellor of Germany should spend more time on ending the war with Russia/Ukraine (Where he has been totally ineffective!),” Trump wrote in a social media post.
Merz should instead focus on “fixing his broken Country,” he wrote, “especially Immigration and Energy, and less time on interfering with those that are getting rid of the Iran Nuclear threat, thereby making the World, including Germany, a safer place!”
Trump’s latest outburst came a day after he suggested the US military presence in Germany was being reviewed, with a “possible reduction” of troops under consideration. » | Kate Connolly in Berlin and Jakub Krupa | Thursday, April 30, 2026
Donald Trump has again lashed out at Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, saying he should focus on “fixing his broken country” and trying to end the Russia-Ukraine war – and spend less time “interfering” in Iran.
“The Chancellor of Germany should spend more time on ending the war with Russia/Ukraine (Where he has been totally ineffective!),” Trump wrote in a social media post.
Merz should instead focus on “fixing his broken Country,” he wrote, “especially Immigration and Energy, and less time on interfering with those that are getting rid of the Iran Nuclear threat, thereby making the World, including Germany, a safer place!”
Trump’s latest outburst came a day after he suggested the US military presence in Germany was being reviewed, with a “possible reduction” of troops under consideration. » | Kate Connolly in Berlin and Jakub Krupa | Thursday, April 30, 2026
Labels:
Donald Trump,
Friedrich Merz,
Germany
Margaret Thatcher: The Iron Lady
Margaret Thatcher: The Iron Lady - From her humble beginnings as a grocer's daughter, Margaret Thatcher fought her way through the sexist prejudices of the 1970s to become the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1979.
Margaret Thatcher: The Iron Lady (2012)
Director: Alan Byron
Stars: Tony Benn, Gyles Brandreth, Michael Brunson
Genre: Documentary, Biography, History
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
Release Date: August 24, 2012 (United States)
Margaret Thatcher: The Iron Lady (2012)
Director: Alan Byron
Stars: Tony Benn, Gyles Brandreth, Michael Brunson
Genre: Documentary, Biography, History
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
Release Date: August 24, 2012 (United States)
Labels:
documentary,
Margaret Thatcher
Rising Costs Forcing 3m UK Households to Skip Meals, Which? Report Finds
THE GUARDIAN: Consumer insight tracker shows 85% are worried about food prices and a majority think the economy will deteriorate
Three million UK households are being forced to skip meals as consumers resort to drastic measures to deal with rising costs, according to a Which? report published on Thursday.
The conflict in the Middle East and subsequent surge in oil and raw material prices has led to businesses preparing to raise prices, putting more pressure on household finances and hitting consumer confidence.
The Which? consumer insight tracker for the month to 10 April shows a fall in consumer confidence to -62. This is the lowest level since the peak of the cost of living crisis in 2022 and down from -56 the previous month.
Most adults – 71% – believe the UK economy will deteriorate in the next 12 months, with only 9% predicting it will get better. And 85% are now worried about food prices, up from 83% in February.
To manage rising costs, families are compromising on their shopping and eating habits, with 43% buying cheaper products, 37% purchasing more supermarket-branded budget items and 31% buying extra items when on sale.
On top of that, one in 10 UK households are now skipping meals and one in seven are going without some foods. » | Claudia Efemeni | Thursday, April 30, 2026
Three million UK households are being forced to skip meals as consumers resort to drastic measures to deal with rising costs, according to a Which? report published on Thursday.
The conflict in the Middle East and subsequent surge in oil and raw material prices has led to businesses preparing to raise prices, putting more pressure on household finances and hitting consumer confidence.
The Which? consumer insight tracker for the month to 10 April shows a fall in consumer confidence to -62. This is the lowest level since the peak of the cost of living crisis in 2022 and down from -56 the previous month.
Most adults – 71% – believe the UK economy will deteriorate in the next 12 months, with only 9% predicting it will get better. And 85% are now worried about food prices, up from 83% in February.
To manage rising costs, families are compromising on their shopping and eating habits, with 43% buying cheaper products, 37% purchasing more supermarket-branded budget items and 31% buying extra items when on sale.
On top of that, one in 10 UK households are now skipping meals and one in seven are going without some foods. » | Claudia Efemeni | Thursday, April 30, 2026
Labels:
cost of living,
UK
April 29, 2026
Venezuela Without Maduro | ARTE.tv Documentary
Apr 28, 2026 | Three months after Nicolás Maduro's kidnapping by US special forces, Venezuelan civil society is reawakening and challenging the regime openly. Demonstrators are criticising the government and demanding the release of political prisoners, and oil industry trade unions want to see change.
Venezuela Without Maduro | ARTE.tv Documentary Available until: 24/03/2029
Venezuela Without Maduro | ARTE.tv Documentary Available until: 24/03/2029
Labels:
ARTE.tv documentary,
Venezuela
London: The Money-laundering Capital of the World
Labels:
London,
money laundering
La guerre au Moyen-Orient risque de jeter plus de 30 millions de personnes dans la pauvreté
LE FIGARO : Le conflit va tout particulièrement affecter « l’Afrique subsaharienne et certains pays en Asie », ou encore «les petites îles en développement». Les populations vont souffrir des « coûts d’énergie, du manque d’engrais, ce qui va avoir un impact énorme dans les mois à venir ».
Le conflit en Iran, en provoquant une flambée des prix de l'énergie, menace de jeter plus de 30 millions de personnes dans la pauvreté à travers le monde, a souligné mercredi 29 avril l'administrateur du Programme des Nations unies pour le développement (PNUD), Alexander De Croo.
« Nous avons fait une étude après six semaines de guerre et notre estimation était que, même si la guerre s'arrêtait à ce moment-là, une population de 32 millions sera poussée dans la précarité dans 160 pays », a-t-il fait valoir en marge du G7 développement à Paris. « C'est le développement en marche arrière », a-t-il déploré. « Cela prend des décennies pour construire des sociétés stables, pour développer une économie locale, ça prend une guerre de quelques semaines pour détruire ça ». » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mercredi 29 avril 2026
Le conflit en Iran, en provoquant une flambée des prix de l'énergie, menace de jeter plus de 30 millions de personnes dans la pauvreté à travers le monde, a souligné mercredi 29 avril l'administrateur du Programme des Nations unies pour le développement (PNUD), Alexander De Croo.
« Nous avons fait une étude après six semaines de guerre et notre estimation était que, même si la guerre s'arrêtait à ce moment-là, une population de 32 millions sera poussée dans la précarité dans 160 pays », a-t-il fait valoir en marge du G7 développement à Paris. « C'est le développement en marche arrière », a-t-il déploré. « Cela prend des décennies pour construire des sociétés stables, pour développer une économie locale, ça prend une guerre de quelques semaines pour détruire ça ». » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mercredi 29 avril 2026
Labels:
guerre en Iran,
Moyen-Orient,
pauvreté
Steve Rosenberg: Stalin Rehabilitated, NATO 'Fragmented': What Today's Russian Papers Are Saying.
Labels:
Russia,
what the papers say
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