Thursday, 30 October 2025
The Guardian View on Argentina’s Election: One Step Closer to Becoming a Trumpian Client State
THE GUARDIAN — EDITORIAL: A $40bn rescue may have helped Javier Milei scrape through midterms, but it leaves Argentina’s democracy and economy more dependent than ever on Washington
Argentina’s rightwing president, Javier Milei, his party and its allies claimed victory this week in key congressional elections. But it was Donald Trump who emerged the biggest winner. A $40bn lifeline from the US president gave Mr Milei’s beleaguered government just enough credibility – and apparent firepower – to halt the Argentinian peso’s slide. Crucially, this helped to stabilise consumer prices in the final weeks of the campaign. The US rescue engendered a short-lived aura of competence that allowed Mr Milei to shift the blame for rising prices back to the opposition, despite his own role in accelerating inflation by devaluing the currency when he took office.
Mr Milei’s wasn’t a decisive triumph. His rightwing coalition got 40% of the midterms vote thanks largely to a low turnout and a fragmented opposition. His “chainsaw” programme of privatisation and public spending cuts has not been popular. Polls suggest that six in 10 voters disapprove. Unsurprising, perhaps: since Mr Milei took office in December 2023, Argentinians’ purchasing power has fallen sharply, real wages have declined and more than 200,000 jobs have been lost. » | Editorial | Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Argentina’s rightwing president, Javier Milei, his party and its allies claimed victory this week in key congressional elections. But it was Donald Trump who emerged the biggest winner. A $40bn lifeline from the US president gave Mr Milei’s beleaguered government just enough credibility – and apparent firepower – to halt the Argentinian peso’s slide. Crucially, this helped to stabilise consumer prices in the final weeks of the campaign. The US rescue engendered a short-lived aura of competence that allowed Mr Milei to shift the blame for rising prices back to the opposition, despite his own role in accelerating inflation by devaluing the currency when he took office.
Mr Milei’s wasn’t a decisive triumph. His rightwing coalition got 40% of the midterms vote thanks largely to a low turnout and a fragmented opposition. His “chainsaw” programme of privatisation and public spending cuts has not been popular. Polls suggest that six in 10 voters disapprove. Unsurprising, perhaps: since Mr Milei took office in December 2023, Argentinians’ purchasing power has fallen sharply, real wages have declined and more than 200,000 jobs have been lost. » | Editorial | Wednesday, October 29, 2025
What Life Is Really Like for North Korean Elite
Oct 27, 2025 | Behind Pyongyang’s spotless skyline lies a secret world of unimaginable privilege and silent terror. From million-dollar Mercedes convoys and $30,000 cognac to private zoos, smuggling networks, and fear-based loyalty — this is the untold story of North Korea’s élite.
Discover how the “Little Royals” live like kings while the rest of the nation survives on two bowls of rice a day. Explore a world built on contradictions — where luxury meets paranoia, and privilege depends on obedience.
Discover how the “Little Royals” live like kings while the rest of the nation survives on two bowls of rice a day. Explore a world built on contradictions — where luxury meets paranoia, and privilege depends on obedience.
Are We in a Golden Age of Sycophancy?
Nvidia Is Now Worth $5 Trillion as It Consolidates Power in A.I. Boom
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The A.I. chip maker has become a linchpin in the Trump administration’s trade negotiations in Asia.
As Jensen Huang, the chief executive of the chip making giant Nvidia, traveled to Asia to meet with President Trump on Wednesday, his company’s value topped $5 trillion. It was a show of wealth that would have been unthinkable a few years ago.
But that was before the ChatGPT chatbot ignited an artificial intelligence boom that is remaking the global economy. It was before other tech titans began spending hundreds of billions of dollars on construction projects on almost every continent. And it was before Nvidia’s computer chips, the most essential and expensive component in almost every A.I. scheme, became a linchpin of the Trump administration’s foreign policy.
Nvidia’s milestone, making it the first publicly traded company to top $5 trillion in market value, is indicative not only of the astonishing levels of wealth consolidating among a handful of Silicon Valley companies but also the strategic importance of this company, which added $1 trillion in market value in just the past four months.
Nvidia has become a driving force behind the U.S. economy. Spending on data centers, which are filled with the company’s chips, accounted for 92 percent of the country’s gross domestic product growth in the first half of the year, according to Jason Furman, a professor of economic policy at Harvard. Without it, the economy would have grown 0.1 percent. » | Tripp Mickle | Reporting from Washington | Wednesday, October 29, 2025
As Jensen Huang, the chief executive of the chip making giant Nvidia, traveled to Asia to meet with President Trump on Wednesday, his company’s value topped $5 trillion. It was a show of wealth that would have been unthinkable a few years ago.
But that was before the ChatGPT chatbot ignited an artificial intelligence boom that is remaking the global economy. It was before other tech titans began spending hundreds of billions of dollars on construction projects on almost every continent. And it was before Nvidia’s computer chips, the most essential and expensive component in almost every A.I. scheme, became a linchpin of the Trump administration’s foreign policy.
Nvidia’s milestone, making it the first publicly traded company to top $5 trillion in market value, is indicative not only of the astonishing levels of wealth consolidating among a handful of Silicon Valley companies but also the strategic importance of this company, which added $1 trillion in market value in just the past four months.
Nvidia has become a driving force behind the U.S. economy. Spending on data centers, which are filled with the company’s chips, accounted for 92 percent of the country’s gross domestic product growth in the first half of the year, according to Jason Furman, a professor of economic policy at Harvard. Without it, the economy would have grown 0.1 percent. » | Tripp Mickle | Reporting from Washington | Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Tuesday, 28 October 2025
Margaret Thatcher: Britain's Iron Lady
Jun 16, 2024 | In this intriguing documentary, we examine the life and career of Britain's first female Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. After 1990, Lady Thatcher (as she became known) remained a potent political figure and went on to contribute in many other ways.
In this program we present a portrait of an intensely controversial figure. Critics claim that her economic policies were divisive socially, that she was harsh or 'uncaring' in her politics and hostile to the institutions of the British welfare state. Defenders point to a transformation in Britain's economic performance over the course of the Thatcher Governments and those of her successors as Prime Minister.
In this program we present a portrait of an intensely controversial figure. Critics claim that her economic policies were divisive socially, that she was harsh or 'uncaring' in her politics and hostile to the institutions of the British welfare state. Defenders point to a transformation in Britain's economic performance over the course of the Thatcher Governments and those of her successors as Prime Minister.
Reformen mit der Kettensäge: Argentinier bestätigen libertäre Politik des Präsidenten Milei
Hunger Advocate Urges Congress to Visit a Food Bank: ‘These Are Human Beings
Please remind me: How much is the president spending on the ballroom? Wouldn’t money wasted on such vanity projects be better spent on giving the needy a better deal in life? How can the president sleep at night? — © Mark Alexander
Javier Milei Is No Libertarian. He Is Beholden to Argentina’s Oligarchs.
UNHERD: You have seen the spectacle. The wild sideburns, the rousing speeches, the roaring chainsaw, the heavy metal music dominating his mass rallies. Javier Milei, the self-styled shackle-breaking, anarcho-capitalist madman, marketed himself as a radical departure from everything that came before. He was going to blow up Argentina’s corrupt political casta, abolish its central bank, adopt the dollar and every kind of crypto coin out there as Argentina’s competing currencies. It was a gutsy bid to replace a century of Peronist and neoliberal failure with the libertarian’s dream: a pure, unadulterated, free market.
Across the globe, the nationalist Right, from Elon Musk, Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump to Giorgia Meloni and Britain’s Daily Telegraph, lionised him. Niall Ferguson, the financial oligarchy’s court historian, declared a “man-made miracle” in the making. For a few brief months, as Argentina’s inflation rate plunged from its peaks, and even the poverty rates seemed to decrease, the chorus of fanboys grew deafening. Until everyone fell silent.
Today, the miracle has been exposed as a mirage. Argentina’s economy has nose-dived and its peso is in a death spiral, with a desperate $20-billion lifeline from the US and yet more rescue loans from the IMF keeping the Milei show on the road until the forthcoming mid-term elections. Closer inspection of the poverty reduction sub-miracle also reveals a mirage: the only reason the relative poverty index dropped was that median incomes had fallen faster than those at the bottom with the result that that fewer people now count as poor. The situation in Argentina is what you would call a meltdown — but is it really a surprise? » | Yanis Varoufakis | Thursday, October 16, 2025
Across the globe, the nationalist Right, from Elon Musk, Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump to Giorgia Meloni and Britain’s Daily Telegraph, lionised him. Niall Ferguson, the financial oligarchy’s court historian, declared a “man-made miracle” in the making. For a few brief months, as Argentina’s inflation rate plunged from its peaks, and even the poverty rates seemed to decrease, the chorus of fanboys grew deafening. Until everyone fell silent.
Today, the miracle has been exposed as a mirage. Argentina’s economy has nose-dived and its peso is in a death spiral, with a desperate $20-billion lifeline from the US and yet more rescue loans from the IMF keeping the Milei show on the road until the forthcoming mid-term elections. Closer inspection of the poverty reduction sub-miracle also reveals a mirage: the only reason the relative poverty index dropped was that median incomes had fallen faster than those at the bottom with the result that that fewer people now count as poor. The situation in Argentina is what you would call a meltdown — but is it really a surprise? » | Yanis Varoufakis | Thursday, October 16, 2025
Argentina's Milei Vows More Reforms after Election Triumph
Oct 27, 2025 | Argentina's President Javier Milei said his party's big victory in the nation's midterm elections marked a turning point and vowed to pursue reforms his government still considers necessary.
'Today we pass through a turning point,' Milei said after the results. Milei's party cruised to victory in midterm legislative elections as voters backed his free-market reforms and deep austerity measures, providing a mandate for him to push forward with his radical overhaul of the economy. The results will also likely be welcome news to US president Donald Trump, whose administration recently provided Argentina with a hefty financial bailout but had threatened to pull away if Milei did not do well.
Little good will come of this clown's reforms. They will enrich the superrich of Argentina and impoverish the masses. How Argentinians can vote for this madman is beyond my comprehension. — © Mark Alexander
'Today we pass through a turning point,' Milei said after the results. Milei's party cruised to victory in midterm legislative elections as voters backed his free-market reforms and deep austerity measures, providing a mandate for him to push forward with his radical overhaul of the economy. The results will also likely be welcome news to US president Donald Trump, whose administration recently provided Argentina with a hefty financial bailout but had threatened to pull away if Milei did not do well.
Little good will come of this clown's reforms. They will enrich the superrich of Argentina and impoverish the masses. How Argentinians can vote for this madman is beyond my comprehension. — © Mark Alexander
Monday, 27 October 2025
Milei’s Win in Argentina Had Trump’s Fingerprints All Over It. But Just How Long Will Their Friendship Last?
THE GUARDIAN — OPINION: The Argentine president’s libertarian experiment is in tatters, and his hold on power seems increasingly dependent on volatile US support
In 1946, Argentina was emerging from military rule, an empowered labour movement was reshaping politics and Col Juan Perón, a leftwing leader who had introduced a raft of popular workers’ rights decrees, was rising fast in the polls. The then US ambassador, Spruille Braden, had other ideas about who should win the national election that year, and he openly campaigned against Perón in Buenos Aires. Braden’s action stands out as one of the most brazen instances of US interference in Argentina’s politics. Until now.
The Argentine president, Javier Milei, who won a resounding midterm victory on Sunday, has received ample support from Donald Trump. Ahead of the congressional elections, Trump endorsed Milei and warned: “If he loses, we are not going to be generous with Argentina.” Washington extended a $20bn currency swap line to the government – money aimed at stabilising financial volatility that would have undermined Milei’s chances. The US treasury even intervened directly, buying more than a billion dollars of pesos to slow the currency’s freefall in recent weeks. » | Jordana Timerman | Monday, October 27, 2025
In 1946, Argentina was emerging from military rule, an empowered labour movement was reshaping politics and Col Juan Perón, a leftwing leader who had introduced a raft of popular workers’ rights decrees, was rising fast in the polls. The then US ambassador, Spruille Braden, had other ideas about who should win the national election that year, and he openly campaigned against Perón in Buenos Aires. Braden’s action stands out as one of the most brazen instances of US interference in Argentina’s politics. Until now.
The Argentine president, Javier Milei, who won a resounding midterm victory on Sunday, has received ample support from Donald Trump. Ahead of the congressional elections, Trump endorsed Milei and warned: “If he loses, we are not going to be generous with Argentina.” Washington extended a $20bn currency swap line to the government – money aimed at stabilising financial volatility that would have undermined Milei’s chances. The US treasury even intervened directly, buying more than a billion dollars of pesos to slow the currency’s freefall in recent weeks. » | Jordana Timerman | Monday, October 27, 2025
Milei’s Party Wins High-stakes Argentina Elections, Early Results Show
Oct 27, 2025 | The party of Argentinian President Javier Milei has won midterm elections clinching a crucial vote of confidence in his free-market reforms and deep austerity measures.
Early results show Milei's Libertarian Party secured more than 40 percent of votes.
Al Jazeera’s Teresa Bo reports from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Early results show Milei's Libertarian Party secured more than 40 percent of votes.
Al Jazeera’s Teresa Bo reports from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Sunday, 26 October 2025
Life in Lebanon as the Country Falls
Oct 23, 2025 | Lebanon, the former “Switzerland of the Middle East”, stands on the brink of becoming a failed state. Years of civil war, border conflicts and corrupt government has left the country bankrupt and spiralling into chaos. The Beirut port explosion reduced the capital to tatters and exposed the utter failure of sectarianism politics. Lebanon now finds itself more vulnerable than ever to foreign influence, once again a key stake for international powers playing out their broader ambitions across the Mideast. But in this deeply divided country, a young generation is ready to battle for reform.
At the supermarkets in Beirut, hyperinflation has led to the food changing price every day. Lilian, 24, hoped to become a diplomat but the economic crisis forced her to quit her studies. Now she is has joined the protest movement and pawns her clothes to buy food. The man most people blame for this desperate situation is Riad Salameh, head of the central bank for the past three decades and accused of embezzling close to a billion dollars. The IMF and World Bank has offered to bail out Lebanon if the central bank opens up its account books. Something that Salameh – with the support of the whole political class – absolutely refuses to do.
Yet economic collapse isn’t the only cause of the country’s woes. In southern Lebanon, safety risks along the border with Israel are a main source of instability. This is a stronghold for Hezbollah, which operates as a state within a state, providing for every aspect of daily life in exchange for absolute loyalty. Further north, the Bekaa valley is the other Hezbollah stronghold. But it is also home to one of Lebanon’s most serious problems the Syrian refugee crisis. The mass arrival of 1.5 million Syrian refugees has further destabilised a nation long distrustful of Syria. Everything is done to hide the Syrian problem. Large international NGO are prevented from working here and the refugees themselves, like 12-year-old Abdelfateh, are forced to slave long hours to survive.
No population census has been held for decades in Lebanon to avoid threatening the fragile balance of sectarian powers. But the sunnis are convinced they form the largest section of the population.They feel oppressed and increasingly look towards Saudi Arabia or Turkey’s Muslim brotherhood for help. But despite everything, people like Lilian are determined to confront these endemic problems. “My destiny is to stay here and engage in political action…. The proverb “Lebanese love life” is very true, we love life despite everything!”
This documentary was produced by Kaliste Productions and directed by Alfred de Montesquiou. It was first released in 2021.
At the supermarkets in Beirut, hyperinflation has led to the food changing price every day. Lilian, 24, hoped to become a diplomat but the economic crisis forced her to quit her studies. Now she is has joined the protest movement and pawns her clothes to buy food. The man most people blame for this desperate situation is Riad Salameh, head of the central bank for the past three decades and accused of embezzling close to a billion dollars. The IMF and World Bank has offered to bail out Lebanon if the central bank opens up its account books. Something that Salameh – with the support of the whole political class – absolutely refuses to do.
Yet economic collapse isn’t the only cause of the country’s woes. In southern Lebanon, safety risks along the border with Israel are a main source of instability. This is a stronghold for Hezbollah, which operates as a state within a state, providing for every aspect of daily life in exchange for absolute loyalty. Further north, the Bekaa valley is the other Hezbollah stronghold. But it is also home to one of Lebanon’s most serious problems the Syrian refugee crisis. The mass arrival of 1.5 million Syrian refugees has further destabilised a nation long distrustful of Syria. Everything is done to hide the Syrian problem. Large international NGO are prevented from working here and the refugees themselves, like 12-year-old Abdelfateh, are forced to slave long hours to survive.
No population census has been held for decades in Lebanon to avoid threatening the fragile balance of sectarian powers. But the sunnis are convinced they form the largest section of the population.They feel oppressed and increasingly look towards Saudi Arabia or Turkey’s Muslim brotherhood for help. But despite everything, people like Lilian are determined to confront these endemic problems. “My destiny is to stay here and engage in political action…. The proverb “Lebanese love life” is very true, we love life despite everything!”
This documentary was produced by Kaliste Productions and directed by Alfred de Montesquiou. It was first released in 2021.
Ben Norton: The Shocking Truth about America’s Plans for Venezuela
Why Trump's $20 Billion Bailout of Argentina Might Not Be Enough to Rescue Milei | DW News
Crise de 1929 : l’effondrement de Wall Street et le début d'un monde en crise - Documentaire - RP
Saturday, 25 October 2025
Trump Raises Tariffs on Canada by 10% in Retaliation for Anti-tariff TV Ad
THE GUARDIAN: Move is response to ad sponsored by Ontario that referenced Ronald Reagan’s support for free trade
Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he will raise US tariffs on Canada by 10% in retaliation for an anti-tariff advertisement sponsored by the Ontario government, which has further strained one of the world’s largest trade partnerships.
The statement, posted on Trump’s Truth Social account, came after several days of public disputes over the ad, which referenced Ronald Reagan’s support for free trade and provoked the US president’s anger.
“Because of their serious misrepresentation of the facts, and hostile act, I am increasing the Tariff on Canada by 10% over and above what they are paying now,” Trump said Saturday on social media. » | Marina Dunbar | Saturday, October 25, 2025
Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he will raise US tariffs on Canada by 10% in retaliation for an anti-tariff advertisement sponsored by the Ontario government, which has further strained one of the world’s largest trade partnerships.
The statement, posted on Trump’s Truth Social account, came after several days of public disputes over the ad, which referenced Ronald Reagan’s support for free trade and provoked the US president’s anger.
“Because of their serious misrepresentation of the facts, and hostile act, I am increasing the Tariff on Canada by 10% over and above what they are paying now,” Trump said Saturday on social media. » | Marina Dunbar | Saturday, October 25, 2025
Why Support for Argentina's Milei Is Waning | DW News
Argentinians have placed their trust in a madman! Unfortunately, Javier Milei has virually zero chance of fixing Argentina's economic woes. Fixing Argentina's economy requires a leader with a level head and sound, sensible, and fair economic policies. Milei's radical, anarcho-capitalistic policies are neither sound nor sensible nor fair! — © Mark Alexander
Friday, 24 October 2025
Trump Says He’s Cutting Off Trade Negotiations With Canada
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The president said he was motivated by an ad, paid for by the province of Ontario, that featured Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs in a 1987 radio address.
President Trump said late Thursday that he was terminating negotiations with Canada over the high tariffs that he imposed on its steel, auto parts and other major exports, adding new uncertainty to the relationship with America’s second-biggest trading partner.
On Truth Social, the president said he was ending all trade negotiations with Canada because of a video ad, paid for by the province of Ontario, that featured former President Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about tariffs.
“TARIFFS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY, AND ECONOMY, OF THE U.S.A.,” Mr. Trump wrote. “Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED.”
Mr. Trump claimed that the ad was fake and said that it had been placed “to interfere with the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court,” which is currently considering a legal challenge to many of Mr. Trump’s tariffs. » | Ana Swanson and Matina Stevis-Gridneff | Reporting from Washington and Toronto | Thursday, October 23, 2025
Generally speaking, tariffs are passé. They are the economic tool of old-fashioned thinkers and of people who do not understand economics. They are not an economic tool useful in generating or furthering prosperity. Further, having a tantrum is not going to make Trump’s tariffs bring about prosperity, neither for Americans nor for the rest of the world. — © Mark Alexander
President Trump said late Thursday that he was terminating negotiations with Canada over the high tariffs that he imposed on its steel, auto parts and other major exports, adding new uncertainty to the relationship with America’s second-biggest trading partner.
On Truth Social, the president said he was ending all trade negotiations with Canada because of a video ad, paid for by the province of Ontario, that featured former President Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about tariffs.
“TARIFFS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY, AND ECONOMY, OF THE U.S.A.,” Mr. Trump wrote. “Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED.”
Mr. Trump claimed that the ad was fake and said that it had been placed “to interfere with the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court,” which is currently considering a legal challenge to many of Mr. Trump’s tariffs. » | Ana Swanson and Matina Stevis-Gridneff | Reporting from Washington and Toronto | Thursday, October 23, 2025
Generally speaking, tariffs are passé. They are the economic tool of old-fashioned thinkers and of people who do not understand economics. They are not an economic tool useful in generating or furthering prosperity. Further, having a tantrum is not going to make Trump’s tariffs bring about prosperity, neither for Americans nor for the rest of the world. — © Mark Alexander
Wednesday, 22 October 2025
European Central Banker Lagarde Argues "We're Yet to Feel the Pain" on Trump's Tariffs
Oct 19, 2025 | European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde predicted on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that more of the costs of President Trump's tariffs could be passed on from businesses to consumers. And she weighed in on the increasingly tense U.S.-China trade talks.
"Face the Nation" is America's premier Sunday morning public affairs program. The broadcast is one of the longest-running news programs in the history of television, having debuted Nov. 7, 1954, on CBS. Every Sunday, "Face the Nation" moderator and CBS News senior foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan welcomes leaders, newsmakers, and experts to a lively round table discussion of current events and the latest news.
"Face the Nation" is America's premier Sunday morning public affairs program. The broadcast is one of the longest-running news programs in the history of television, having debuted Nov. 7, 1954, on CBS. Every Sunday, "Face the Nation" moderator and CBS News senior foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan welcomes leaders, newsmakers, and experts to a lively round table discussion of current events and the latest news.
Tuesday, 21 October 2025
Andrew Ross Sorkin Explains the 1929 Financial Crash and Lessons for Today | Amanpour & Company
Sunday, 19 October 2025
Putin Envoy Suggests Elon Musk Could Build a Russia-Alaska Tunnel
Oct 19, 2025 | “It’s his job to dangle really tantalising business proposals in front of Trump.”
A Putin envoy proposed involving Elon Musk’s Boring Company in a far-fetched plan for a Russia-Alaska tunnel: a play for postwar US business, says former Moscow Times journalist Charles Hecker.
A Putin envoy proposed involving Elon Musk’s Boring Company in a far-fetched plan for a Russia-Alaska tunnel: a play for postwar US business, says former Moscow Times journalist Charles Hecker.
Saturday, 18 October 2025
100 Years of Margaret Thatcher | UK Politics | The New Statesman
Here in Wales, when I was in school, we weren't given skimmed milk; each child was given a third of a pint of whole milk. Skimmed milk wasn't much of a thing when I was in school. Further, the milk wasn't usually warm, either. Unless, perhaps,, in summer, of course. I think Charles Moore must have ‘misremembered’ this!
I’m sure that for parents today who struggle to be able to afford to nourish their children, free milk in school would go a long way to help them. Milk for growing children helps develop strong bones and teeth. And please remind me: How much did ‘Thatcher the Milk Snatcher ‘ save for the Treasury with thus mean-minded decision? Governments waste so much money in other ways that it is hard to see how much she gained from this. She certainly lost popularity through this measure. — © Mark Alexander
Thursday, 16 October 2025
Why Is Trump Bailing Out Argentina's President Milei While Firing Thousands of Workers in US?
Democracy Now! can be supported here.
Thom Hartmann: The US Recession Has Begun
Why Trump’s $20B Argentina Bailout May Be Doomed to Fail | WSJ
Wednesday, 15 October 2025
German Retirees Who Continue Working Set to Earn €2,000 a Month Tax-free
THE GUARDIAN: Active pension scheme expected to start in January is part of chancellor’s ‘autumn of reforms’ to tackle economic stagnation
Germans who continue in the labour market beyond retirement age will be able to earn up to €2,000 (£1,750) a month tax-free on top of their pension under a scheme aimed at boosting economic growth and labour force participation rates.
The “Aktivrente”, or active pension scheme, due to come into force in January, was promised on the campaign trail by the chancellor, Friedrich Merz, before he came into office five months ago.
The government, a coalition of Merz’s conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) and junior partners the Social Democrats (SPD), hopes the plan will incentivise post-retirement working.
A draft law is expected to be approved by the cabinet on Wednesday – after Merz won over his Social Democrat sceptics earlier this month – then debated in the Bundestag. » | Kate Connolly in Berlin | Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Germans who continue in the labour market beyond retirement age will be able to earn up to €2,000 (£1,750) a month tax-free on top of their pension under a scheme aimed at boosting economic growth and labour force participation rates.
The “Aktivrente”, or active pension scheme, due to come into force in January, was promised on the campaign trail by the chancellor, Friedrich Merz, before he came into office five months ago.
The government, a coalition of Merz’s conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) and junior partners the Social Democrats (SPD), hopes the plan will incentivise post-retirement working.
A draft law is expected to be approved by the cabinet on Wednesday – after Merz won over his Social Democrat sceptics earlier this month – then debated in the Bundestag. » | Kate Connolly in Berlin | Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Was Life Better 50 Years Ago? | Sen. Bernie Sanders
Oct 15, 2025 | Despite huge advancements in technology & worker productivity since the 1970s, wages for American workers have remained stagnant and almost all new wealth has gone to the people on top.
Will it be any different with AI and robotics? I don’t think so. Maybe even worse.
Will it be any different with AI and robotics? I don’t think so. Maybe even worse.
Tuesday, 14 October 2025
Andrew Ross Sorkin: So Many Parallels between 1929 and Now That I Worry About
Sunday, 12 October 2025
Milei's Shock Therapy for Argentina: Economic Miracle or Mirage? • FRANCE 24 English
How Switzerland Helped Finance Hitler’s War – Historical Documentary
Why Argentina’s Economic Crisis is Still Getting Worse
Lebanon: A People in Crisis (Re-upload) | ARTE.tv Documentary
Oct 6, 2025 | Undermined by the corruption of its leaders, the country is going through one of the worst economic crises in its history. Since the collapse of the banking system, Lebanese people have seen their living standards plunge.
The local currency has lost up to 90% of its value, and inflation is soaring. There are also shortages of fuel, electricity, and medicines. Some citizens even say Lebanon is on the brink of becoming a failed state.
Lebanon: A People in Crisis (Re-upload) | ARTE.tv Documentary
Available until 30/09/2028
The local currency has lost up to 90% of its value, and inflation is soaring. There are also shortages of fuel, electricity, and medicines. Some citizens even say Lebanon is on the brink of becoming a failed state.
Lebanon: A People in Crisis (Re-upload) | ARTE.tv Documentary
Available until 30/09/2028
Friday, 10 October 2025
British Steel 'Will Never Be the Same' after EU Imposes 50% Tariffs | UK Steel Director General
Oct 7, 2025 | "We are certainly talking about thousands of jobs in the steel industry."
The EU proposing to hit the UK with 50 per cent tariffs on steel means "the UK government needs to act very, very quickly", says director general of UK Steel, Gareth Stace.
Brexit: The gift that keeps on giving! — © Mark Alexander
The EU proposing to hit the UK with 50 per cent tariffs on steel means "the UK government needs to act very, very quickly", says director general of UK Steel, Gareth Stace.
Brexit: The gift that keeps on giving! — © Mark Alexander
'Flying Blind.' Shutdown-induced Economic Data Blackout Leaves U.S. Investors in the Dark
Roosevelts "NEW DEAL": Aktionismus oder Erfolgsstrategie? | Geschehen, neu gesehen | Doku HD | ARTE
Oct 8, 2025 | Der "New Deal" ging als Konjunkturpaket in die Geschichte ein, das die USA aus der Großen Depression herausführte. Die Regierung versprach Unterstützungsprogramme, Arbeitsbeschaffungsmaßnahmen und neue Rechte für Benachteiligte. Der Erfolg der Maßnahmen ist jedoch umstritten, da sie nur durch Zugeständnisse an die rassistischen Südstaaten zustande kamen.
Die Weltwirtschaftskrise von 1929 erschütterte auch die USA in einem bis dahin nicht gekannten Ausmaß. Vier Jahre später schlug der neue Präsident Franklin D. Roosevelt dem darniederliegenden Land eine Reihe von Reformmaßnahmen vor, den "New Deal": Die USA setzten fortan auf Konjunkturpolitik, die Regierung investierte in Großprojekte, staatliche Programme wurden ins Leben gerufen und Gesetze zur Stärkung der Gewerkschaften verabschiedet.
Der "New Deal" stieß zunächst auf breite Zustimmung. Als erfahrener Politiker wusste Roosevelt, wie er eine direkte Beziehung zur Bevölkerung aufbauen konnte. Den Kern seiner Kommunikationsstrategie bildeten die „Kamingespräche". 1936 wurde er mit einem Rekordergebnis wiedergewählt. Der „New Deal“ blieb jedoch in vielen Punkten umstritten. So erklärte der Supreme Court einige Maßnahmen für verfassungswidrig. Roosevelt und seine Anhänger führten einen erbitterten Kampf, um der US-Bundesregierung bei der wirtschaftlichen und sozialen Verwaltung des Landes mehr Einfluss zu verschaffen. Der "New Deal" basierte dabei auf einem prekären politischen Bündnis. Obwohl die Demokratische Partei die Mehrheit im Kongress hatte, engagierten sich ihre Abgeordneten unterschiedlich stark für das Programm. Um es parlamentarisch durchzubringen, mussten die New Dealer einflussreiche, rassistische Politiker aus den Südstaaten überzeugen, die die Diskriminierung und Segregation der Sklaverei aufrechterhalten wollten. Roosevelt ließ sich darauf ein. Der afroamerikanische Teil der Bevölkerung, also rund zehn Prozent, blieben vom "New Deal" im Ergebnis größtenteils ausgeschlossen.
Dokumentation von (F 2025, 52 Min)
Video verfügbar bis zum 10/11/2025
Die Weltwirtschaftskrise von 1929 erschütterte auch die USA in einem bis dahin nicht gekannten Ausmaß. Vier Jahre später schlug der neue Präsident Franklin D. Roosevelt dem darniederliegenden Land eine Reihe von Reformmaßnahmen vor, den "New Deal": Die USA setzten fortan auf Konjunkturpolitik, die Regierung investierte in Großprojekte, staatliche Programme wurden ins Leben gerufen und Gesetze zur Stärkung der Gewerkschaften verabschiedet.
Der "New Deal" stieß zunächst auf breite Zustimmung. Als erfahrener Politiker wusste Roosevelt, wie er eine direkte Beziehung zur Bevölkerung aufbauen konnte. Den Kern seiner Kommunikationsstrategie bildeten die „Kamingespräche". 1936 wurde er mit einem Rekordergebnis wiedergewählt. Der „New Deal“ blieb jedoch in vielen Punkten umstritten. So erklärte der Supreme Court einige Maßnahmen für verfassungswidrig. Roosevelt und seine Anhänger führten einen erbitterten Kampf, um der US-Bundesregierung bei der wirtschaftlichen und sozialen Verwaltung des Landes mehr Einfluss zu verschaffen. Der "New Deal" basierte dabei auf einem prekären politischen Bündnis. Obwohl die Demokratische Partei die Mehrheit im Kongress hatte, engagierten sich ihre Abgeordneten unterschiedlich stark für das Programm. Um es parlamentarisch durchzubringen, mussten die New Dealer einflussreiche, rassistische Politiker aus den Südstaaten überzeugen, die die Diskriminierung und Segregation der Sklaverei aufrechterhalten wollten. Roosevelt ließ sich darauf ein. Der afroamerikanische Teil der Bevölkerung, also rund zehn Prozent, blieben vom "New Deal" im Ergebnis größtenteils ausgeschlossen.
Dokumentation von (F 2025, 52 Min)
Video verfügbar bis zum 10/11/2025
Thursday, 9 October 2025
L'ancien premier ministre britannique Rishi Sunak recruté par Microsoft et la startup Anthropic
LE FIGARO : Plus jeune premier ministre britannique depuis 200 ans, le premier chef de gouvernement britannique d’origine indienne avait quitté la tête du parti conservateur l’an passé après le revers de sa formation aux législatives.
L'ex-premier ministre conservateur britannique Rishi Sunak, qui a quitté le pouvoir en juillet 2024, va conseiller le géant de la tech Microsoft et la start-up d'intelligence artificielle (IA) Anthropic, selon un document publié par l'instance chargée de contrôler les risques de conflits d'intérêts des élus. Sa mission auprès de Microsoft va consister à «fournir des perspectives stratégiques de haut niveau sur les tendances macroéconomiques et géopolitiques et leurs interactions avec les technologies et la société», indique l'Acoba (Advisory Committee on Business Appointments), dans son avis publié jeudi. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | jeudi 9 octobre 2025
L'ex-
Wednesday, 8 October 2025
Bank of England Warns of Growing Risk that AI Bubble Could Burst
THE GUARDIAN: Possibility of ‘sharp market correction has increased’, says Bank’s financial policy committee
The Bank of England has warned there is a growing risk of a “sudden correction” in global markets as it raised concerns about soaring valuations of leading AI tech companies.
Policymakers said there were also threats of a “sharp repricing of US dollar assets” if the Federal Reserve lost credibility in the eyes of global investors. It comes as Donald Trump’s continues to attack the US central bank and threaten its independence.
Continued hype and optimism about the potential for AI technology has led to a rise in valuations in recent months, with companies such as OpenAI now worth $500bn (£372bn), compared with $157bn last October. Another firm, Anthropic, has almost trebled its valuation, going from $60bn in March to $170bn last month.
However, the Bank of England’s financial policy committee (FPC) warned on Wednesday: “The risk of a sharp market correction has increased. » | Kalyeena Makortoff | Banking correspondent | Wednesday, October 8, 2025
The Bank of England has warned there is a growing risk of a “sudden correction” in global markets as it raised concerns about soaring valuations of leading AI tech companies.
Policymakers said there were also threats of a “sharp repricing of US dollar assets” if the Federal Reserve lost credibility in the eyes of global investors. It comes as Donald Trump’s continues to attack the US central bank and threaten its independence.
Continued hype and optimism about the potential for AI technology has led to a rise in valuations in recent months, with companies such as OpenAI now worth $500bn (£372bn), compared with $157bn last October. Another firm, Anthropic, has almost trebled its valuation, going from $60bn in March to $170bn last month.
However, the Bank of England’s financial policy committee (FPC) warned on Wednesday: “The risk of a sharp market correction has increased. » | Kalyeena Makortoff | Banking correspondent | Wednesday, October 8, 2025
IMF Chief Warns ‘Uncertainty Is the New Normal’ in Global Economy
THE GUARDIAN: Kristalina Georgieva outlines mounting risks to economic stability before fund’s annual meetings next week
The head of the International Monetary Fund has issued a stark warning about the mounting risks facing the global economy, saying: “Buckle up: uncertainty is the new normal.”
As finance ministers and central bankers prepare to meet in Washington for the IMF’s annual meetings next week, its managing director, Kristalina Georgieva said the world economy had shown surprising resilience in the face of Donald Trump’s trade war.
The US is now expected to avoid recession, despite the imposition of historic tariffs on many of its trading partners, and the global economy is forecast to slow “only slightly this year and next”, she said.
But Georgieva pointed to growing signs of strain, including the record gold price – which topped $4,000 an ounce on Wednesday, signalling anxiety among investors – and exceptionally high valuations for US stocks. » | Heather Stewart | Wednesday, October 8, 2025
The head of the International Monetary Fund has issued a stark warning about the mounting risks facing the global economy, saying: “Buckle up: uncertainty is the new normal.”
As finance ministers and central bankers prepare to meet in Washington for the IMF’s annual meetings next week, its managing director, Kristalina Georgieva said the world economy had shown surprising resilience in the face of Donald Trump’s trade war.
The US is now expected to avoid recession, despite the imposition of historic tariffs on many of its trading partners, and the global economy is forecast to slow “only slightly this year and next”, she said.
But Georgieva pointed to growing signs of strain, including the record gold price – which topped $4,000 an ounce on Wednesday, signalling anxiety among investors – and exceptionally high valuations for US stocks. » | Heather Stewart | Wednesday, October 8, 2025
AI Could Wipe Out the Working Class | Sen. Bernie Sanders
Oct 8, 2025 | The artificial intelligence and robotics being developed by multi-billionaires will allow corporate America to wipe out tens of millions of decent-paying jobs, cut labor costs and boost profits.
What happens to working class people who can’t find jobs because they don’t exist?
What happens to working class people who can’t find jobs because they don’t exist?
Renewables Overtake Coal: Global Power Shift Leaves Trump Behind.
ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.
With a fossil at the helm, America’s future is bleak. — © Mark Alexander
Tuesday, 7 October 2025
Gold Prices Scale Record Highs as Investors Seek Safe Haven
THE GUARDIAN: US government shutdown and uncertainty about the economy has caused a surge in value of precious metal
Gold futures prices topped $4,000 per ounce for the first time on Tuesday as investors continue to seek safe havens for their money, with the US government essentially shut down and widespread uncertainty around the economy.
As of 9.10am ET, gold futures traded at $4,003 in New York. The going price for New York spot gold rose to $3,960.60 per troy ounce – the standard for measuring precious metals.
Sales of gold can rise sharply when anxious investors seek secure investments amid times of turbulence or uncertainty. » | Guardian staff and agencies | Tuesday, October 7, 2025
Gold futures prices topped $4,000 per ounce for the first time on Tuesday as investors continue to seek safe havens for their money, with the US government essentially shut down and widespread uncertainty around the economy.
As of 9.10am ET, gold futures traded at $4,003 in New York. The going price for New York spot gold rose to $3,960.60 per troy ounce – the standard for measuring precious metals.
Sales of gold can rise sharply when anxious investors seek secure investments amid times of turbulence or uncertainty. » | Guardian staff and agencies | Tuesday, October 7, 2025
Farage, Trump, Musk: Your Boy Javier Milei Just Took One Hell of a Beating. Why So Quiet?
THE GUARDIAN: The wild politics and chainsaw made Argentina’s president an economic hero for the right. And now, with his nation’s finances in chaos: silence
So you really want to know how Prime Minister Farage would pan out? Well, speculate no longer. An excellent test case is unfolding right now, in a country that just so happens to be run by one of Nigel’s heroes. Javier Milei is “amazing”, said the CEO of the private company he calls Reform. “Cutting and slashing … doing all the things he’s done … that’s leadership.”
You may know some of this story, about how a political outsider took power in Argentina. You’ve seen photos of El Loco, the self-styled madman, in a black leather jacket, with sideburns like hedges and wielding a giant red chainsaw – all the better to slash the public sector with.
Taking over Latin America’s second-largest country made Milei the poster boy of the international hard right. Elon Musk: “I love Javier Milei.” Kemi Badenoch: “Javier Milei is the template.” Donald Trump: “My favourite president.” In office, he was lionised by Wall Street and the international commentariat. Milei’s economy was declared by no lesser sage than Niall Ferguson as a “man-made miracle”.
Yet over the past few weeks, Argentina has gone into freefall. Investors have yanked billions out of the country, and the peso has dropped like a stone. A few days ago Trump was forced to pledge $20bn (£15bn) to prop up his friend, in addition to a rescue loan from the IMF. Later this month, Milei faces midterm elections that will serve as a referendum on his presidency and the results are expected to be bad. “We are seeing in real time how a government can melt in front of our eyes,” Alejandro Bercovich, a leading Argentine TV and radio journalist told me this week. “I never thought they would collapse this quickly.” » | Aditya Chakrabortty | Thursday, October 2, 2025
My regular visitors will surely remember that I stated loud and clear from day one that Javier Milei’s stupid experiment with anarcho-capitalism would fail. And my words are coming true very quickly.
You cannot run an economy as you run a business. The skills needed to run a business are totally different from the skills needed to run an economy. Intelligent, well-educated leaders and politicians should know this, but clearly many of them do not.
There is a simple reason why a businessman’s skills and a politician’s skills are very different, and it is simple to understand: the goal for a successful businessman is always profit; the goal of a good political leader should always be a successful economy run for the benefit of ALL the nation’s citizens. A nation’s leader is not doing his job properly if some of the citizens are living in the lap of luxury whilst others are going to bed at night hungry. When that happens, the leader has FAILED, regardless of how well the nation’s economy is doing on the international stage.
We need look no further than America for a lesson in how NOT to run an economy! Trump is trying to run the US using the business skills he boasts of possessing. And we can all see the mess that he has created. He has failed. And in Argentina, Javier Milei will also fail, I’m sorry to say. If I am not greatly mistaken, Milei’s reckless experiment in anarcho-capitalism will end in pain, misery, and tears for the masses. — © Mark Alexander
So you really want to know how Prime Minister Farage would pan out? Well, speculate no longer. An excellent test case is unfolding right now, in a country that just so happens to be run by one of Nigel’s heroes. Javier Milei is “amazing”, said the CEO of the private company he calls Reform. “Cutting and slashing … doing all the things he’s done … that’s leadership.”
You may know some of this story, about how a political outsider took power in Argentina. You’ve seen photos of El Loco, the self-styled madman, in a black leather jacket, with sideburns like hedges and wielding a giant red chainsaw – all the better to slash the public sector with.
Taking over Latin America’s second-largest country made Milei the poster boy of the international hard right. Elon Musk: “I love Javier Milei.” Kemi Badenoch: “Javier Milei is the template.” Donald Trump: “My favourite president.” In office, he was lionised by Wall Street and the international commentariat. Milei’s economy was declared by no lesser sage than Niall Ferguson as a “man-made miracle”.
Yet over the past few weeks, Argentina has gone into freefall. Investors have yanked billions out of the country, and the peso has dropped like a stone. A few days ago Trump was forced to pledge $20bn (£15bn) to prop up his friend, in addition to a rescue loan from the IMF. Later this month, Milei faces midterm elections that will serve as a referendum on his presidency and the results are expected to be bad. “We are seeing in real time how a government can melt in front of our eyes,” Alejandro Bercovich, a leading Argentine TV and radio journalist told me this week. “I never thought they would collapse this quickly.” » | Aditya Chakrabortty | Thursday, October 2, 2025
My regular visitors will surely remember that I stated loud and clear from day one that Javier Milei’s stupid experiment with anarcho-capitalism would fail. And my words are coming true very quickly.
You cannot run an economy as you run a business. The skills needed to run a business are totally different from the skills needed to run an economy. Intelligent, well-educated leaders and politicians should know this, but clearly many of them do not.
There is a simple reason why a businessman’s skills and a politician’s skills are very different, and it is simple to understand: the goal for a successful businessman is always profit; the goal of a good political leader should always be a successful economy run for the benefit of ALL the nation’s citizens. A nation’s leader is not doing his job properly if some of the citizens are living in the lap of luxury whilst others are going to bed at night hungry. When that happens, the leader has FAILED, regardless of how well the nation’s economy is doing on the international stage.
We need look no further than America for a lesson in how NOT to run an economy! Trump is trying to run the US using the business skills he boasts of possessing. And we can all see the mess that he has created. He has failed. And in Argentina, Javier Milei will also fail, I’m sorry to say. If I am not greatly mistaken, Milei’s reckless experiment in anarcho-capitalism will end in pain, misery, and tears for the masses. — © Mark Alexander
Monday, 6 October 2025
La Bourse de Tokyo s'envole avec la perspective de Takaichi au poste de Première ministre
LE FIGARO : Sanae Takaichi, une nationaliste radicale de 64 ans, a été élue samedi à la tête du Parti Libéral-Démocrate (PLD), la formation conservatrice au pouvoir, et devrait prochainement devenir cheffe du gouvernement.
La Bourse de Tokyo s'envole de 4% lundi, tandis que le yen trébuche, après l'élection comme cheffe du parti au pouvoir au Japon - et donc probable Première ministre - de Sanae Takaichi, défenseure d'un fort soutien à l'économie et d'une politique budgétaire expansionniste. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | lundi 6 octobre 2025
La Bourse de Tokyo s'envole de 4% lundi, tandis que le yen trébuche, après l'élection comme cheffe du parti au pouvoir au Japon - et donc probable Première ministre - de Sanae Takaichi, défenseure d'un fort soutien à l'économie et d'une politique budgétaire expansionniste. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | lundi 6 octobre 2025
Sunday, 5 October 2025
1917: How the Russian Revolution Led to Soviet Repression
Sep 28, 2025 | In February 1917, workers and women marched for bread, peace, and equality. By October, the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, had seized power — claiming to represent the people, but lacking broad support.
With fear of the Tsar’s return and clever propaganda, Lenin and his followers consolidated control. The dream of democracy was crushed almost overnight. What followed was a century of authoritarian rule, the rise of the Soviet Union, and a global Cold War.
Featuring insights from historian Sarah Badcock (University of Nottingham), journalist Ricardo Marquina, and DW historian Jaime González Arguedas, this report uncovers the real story behind 1917. Was it a revolution for the people — or a takeover in disguise?
SCRIPT
Laura Iglesias San Martín
Jaime González Arguedas
HOST
David Levitz
EDITING
Juan Álvarez Pérez
With fear of the Tsar’s return and clever propaganda, Lenin and his followers consolidated control. The dream of democracy was crushed almost overnight. What followed was a century of authoritarian rule, the rise of the Soviet Union, and a global Cold War.
Featuring insights from historian Sarah Badcock (University of Nottingham), journalist Ricardo Marquina, and DW historian Jaime González Arguedas, this report uncovers the real story behind 1917. Was it a revolution for the people — or a takeover in disguise?
SCRIPT
Laura Iglesias San Martín
Jaime González Arguedas
HOST
David Levitz
EDITING
Juan Álvarez Pérez
Thursday, 2 October 2025
48-Stunden-Woche? Merz’ Plan geht an Deutschlands wahren Problemen vorbei
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Friedrich Merz will die 48-Stunden-Woche. Aber nicht die Beschäftigten bremsen Deutschland – sondern fehlende Produktivität und falsche Politik. Ein Kommentar.
Polemik gegen das Bürgergeld, Lästereien über „faule“ Deutsche und Kritik am überteuerten Sozialstaat. In den letzten Wochen hat sich die neue Bundesregierung beim Thema Arbeit in der Bevölkerung nicht gerade mit Ruhm bekleckert. Und nun kommt der nächste kontroverse Vorschlag. Friedrich Merz (CDU) will die 48-Stunden-Woche einführen und den Acht-Stunden-Tag beerdigen.
Beschäftigte sollen künftig bis zu 13 Stunden am Stück arbeiten dürfen – begründet mit dem Versprechen größerer Flexibilität. In Wahrheit steht dahinter dieselbe Logik, die Merz schon bei seinen Tiraden über die angeblich „faulen“ Deutschen bemühte: Wir müssen einfach länger arbeiten, dann kommt der Wohlstand zurück. Doch diese Logik ist nicht nur falsch, sie blendet auch die eigentlichen Probleme des Landes aus. » | Flynn Jacobs | Dienstag, 2. Oktober 2025
Diese Idee scheint mir sehr unklug zu sein! Wer in seinen wilden Träumen hätte geglaubt, daß die Deutschen faul wären, daß die Deutschen nicht lang genug arbeiteten? Sicherlich arbeiten die Deutschen schon jetzt lang genug! Die Wurzel Deutschlands wirtschaftliche Probleme müssen sicherlich anderswo liegen. Was will Friederich Merz eigentlich? Arbeiter bis zum Tode verarbeiten lassen und die Superreichen ihres luxuriösen Lebens weiter genießen können? So scheint es mir wirklich. Meines Erachtens scheint mir die Idee Futter für die AfD zu sein. – © Mark Alexander
Polemik gegen das Bürgergeld, Lästereien über „faule“ Deutsche und Kritik am überteuerten Sozialstaat. In den letzten Wochen hat sich die neue Bundesregierung beim Thema Arbeit in der Bevölkerung nicht gerade mit Ruhm bekleckert. Und nun kommt der nächste kontroverse Vorschlag. Friedrich Merz (CDU) will die 48-Stunden-Woche einführen und den Acht-Stunden-Tag beerdigen.
Beschäftigte sollen künftig bis zu 13 Stunden am Stück arbeiten dürfen – begründet mit dem Versprechen größerer Flexibilität. In Wahrheit steht dahinter dieselbe Logik, die Merz schon bei seinen Tiraden über die angeblich „faulen“ Deutschen bemühte: Wir müssen einfach länger arbeiten, dann kommt der Wohlstand zurück. Doch diese Logik ist nicht nur falsch, sie blendet auch die eigentlichen Probleme des Landes aus. » | Flynn Jacobs | Dienstag, 2. Oktober 2025
Diese Idee scheint mir sehr unklug zu sein! Wer in seinen wilden Träumen hätte geglaubt, daß die Deutschen faul wären, daß die Deutschen nicht lang genug arbeiteten? Sicherlich arbeiten die Deutschen schon jetzt lang genug! Die Wurzel Deutschlands wirtschaftliche Probleme müssen sicherlich anderswo liegen. Was will Friederich Merz eigentlich? Arbeiter bis zum Tode verarbeiten lassen und die Superreichen ihres luxuriösen Lebens weiter genießen können? So scheint es mir wirklich. Meines Erachtens scheint mir die Idee Futter für die AfD zu sein. – © Mark Alexander
Wednesday, 1 October 2025
The Guardian View on Trump’s Argentina Bailout: It’s a Political Play, Not an Economic Plan
THE GUARDIAN — EDITORIAL: Washington’s $20bn lifeline for rightwing populist Javier Milei isn’t about stability or sovereignty, it’s about winning an election
Last month, the US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, vowed to do “whatever it takes” to support Argentina’s rightwing president, Javier Milei, a key ally of Donald Trump. Markets aren’t convinced. On Tuesday, the peso plunged by more than 6% before a central bank intervention clawed back losses. Argentine stocks abroad fell 7%, and the risk premium on its debt rose to 12.3 percentage points – far beyond sustainable borrowing levels. The rout continued on Wednesday.
Mr Bessent admitted the aid was meant to prop up Mr Milei after his La Libertad Avanza (Freedom Advances) party lost decisively in a key election last month. But no terms have been confirmed. With US Republicans angry over Mr Milei’s tax breaks for soy farmers that undercut US producers, markets are asking the obvious: is the Bessent bazooka real, or just for show? It’s obviously a bad look for Mr Trump when the US government is shut down over health funding while $20bn is pledged to prop up a foreign ally. “America first” wasn’t meant to mean furloughed workers and stalled medical trials at home while cash flows abroad. » | Editorial | Wednesday, October 1, 2025
Last month, the US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, vowed to do “whatever it takes” to support Argentina’s rightwing president, Javier Milei, a key ally of Donald Trump. Markets aren’t convinced. On Tuesday, the peso plunged by more than 6% before a central bank intervention clawed back losses. Argentine stocks abroad fell 7%, and the risk premium on its debt rose to 12.3 percentage points – far beyond sustainable borrowing levels. The rout continued on Wednesday.
Mr Bessent admitted the aid was meant to prop up Mr Milei after his La Libertad Avanza (Freedom Advances) party lost decisively in a key election last month. But no terms have been confirmed. With US Republicans angry over Mr Milei’s tax breaks for soy farmers that undercut US producers, markets are asking the obvious: is the Bessent bazooka real, or just for show? It’s obviously a bad look for Mr Trump when the US government is shut down over health funding while $20bn is pledged to prop up a foreign ally. “America first” wasn’t meant to mean furloughed workers and stalled medical trials at home while cash flows abroad. » | Editorial | Wednesday, October 1, 2025
Die Türkei in der Lebensmittelkrise | ARTE Re: Reupload
Sep 11, 2025 | Eine Währungskrise mit gewaltiger Inflation treibt seit Monaten die Preise in der Türkei in die Höhe. So hat sich der Preis von Brot im letzten Jahr verdoppelt. Nicht nur Arme, auch Mittelstandsfamilien geraten zunehmend in Not.
Die Istanbulerin Çiçek Yiğit macht im Moment vor allem eines – Schulden. Die dreifache Mutter und ihr Mann gehören zur Istanbuler Mittelschicht. Früher lebten sie gut mit dem Verkauf von Damenbekleidung. Doch mit der Inflation sind die Verkäufe eingebrochen. Ohne Einnahmen werden für die Familie selbst Miete und das tägliche Brot zu teuer. Sie sind auf staatlich subventioniertes Brot Halk Ekmek angewiesen, übersetzt: Volksbrot. Sie sind nicht die Einzigen: Die Schlangen vor den Verkaufsständen werden immer länger.
Eigentlich produziert die Türkei 20 Mio. Tonnen Weizen jährlich selbst. Doch der Ertrag nimmt seit Jahren ab. Im Hinterland der Schwarzmeerküste baut Landwirt Sadik Turan Weizen an. Obwohl der so heiß begehrt ist, sind seine Aussichten dieses Jahr düster. Weil sich der Preis für Dünger vervierfacht hat, konnte Turan in den letzten Monaten kaum düngen. Zudem explodiert der Diesel-Preis und eine Dürre im letzten Jahr hat viele Bauern in den Ruin getrieben. Nun hofft Turan auf Regen, staatliche Hilfen und ordentliche Preise an der Weizenbörse.
Hinzu kommt die Lage aufgrund des Kriegs in der Ukraine – einem der größten Weizenexporteure der Welt. Das bekommt Özgen Nama von Halk Ekmek, der der Partei CHP angehört zu spüren: Er muss schon jetzt Mehl-Nachschub für den Winter organisieren. Er will die Brotmarke zum sozialen Vorzeigeprojekt der türkischen Opposition machen. Bald will er eine neue Halk-Ekmek-Fabrik in Betrieb nehmen – die größte der Türkei. Zur Eröffnung erwartet er die Führung der türkischen Opposition – die Brotversorgung in der Türkei ist politisch hochbrisant geworden.
(Die Texte datieren von 2022, dem Produktionsjahr des Programms.)
Reportage (D 2022, 32 Min)
Video verfügbar bis zum 30/11/2025
Die Istanbulerin Çiçek Yiğit macht im Moment vor allem eines – Schulden. Die dreifache Mutter und ihr Mann gehören zur Istanbuler Mittelschicht. Früher lebten sie gut mit dem Verkauf von Damenbekleidung. Doch mit der Inflation sind die Verkäufe eingebrochen. Ohne Einnahmen werden für die Familie selbst Miete und das tägliche Brot zu teuer. Sie sind auf staatlich subventioniertes Brot Halk Ekmek angewiesen, übersetzt: Volksbrot. Sie sind nicht die Einzigen: Die Schlangen vor den Verkaufsständen werden immer länger.
Eigentlich produziert die Türkei 20 Mio. Tonnen Weizen jährlich selbst. Doch der Ertrag nimmt seit Jahren ab. Im Hinterland der Schwarzmeerküste baut Landwirt Sadik Turan Weizen an. Obwohl der so heiß begehrt ist, sind seine Aussichten dieses Jahr düster. Weil sich der Preis für Dünger vervierfacht hat, konnte Turan in den letzten Monaten kaum düngen. Zudem explodiert der Diesel-Preis und eine Dürre im letzten Jahr hat viele Bauern in den Ruin getrieben. Nun hofft Turan auf Regen, staatliche Hilfen und ordentliche Preise an der Weizenbörse.
Hinzu kommt die Lage aufgrund des Kriegs in der Ukraine – einem der größten Weizenexporteure der Welt. Das bekommt Özgen Nama von Halk Ekmek, der der Partei CHP angehört zu spüren: Er muss schon jetzt Mehl-Nachschub für den Winter organisieren. Er will die Brotmarke zum sozialen Vorzeigeprojekt der türkischen Opposition machen. Bald will er eine neue Halk-Ekmek-Fabrik in Betrieb nehmen – die größte der Türkei. Zur Eröffnung erwartet er die Führung der türkischen Opposition – die Brotversorgung in der Türkei ist politisch hochbrisant geworden.
(Die Texte datieren von 2022, dem Produktionsjahr des Programms.)
Reportage (D 2022, 32 Min)
Video verfügbar bis zum 30/11/2025
Baroness Mone-linked Company Ordered to Repay UK Government £122m over PPE Contract | BBC News
Oct 1, 2025 | A company linked to peer Baroness Mone and her husband Doug Barrowman has been ordered to pay £122m ($164m) in damages after a judge ruled it breached a UK government contract for the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the Covid pandemic.
The Department of Health and Social Care sued PPE Medpro over claims the medical gowns it supplied did not comply with relevant healthcare standards.
The High Court ruled Medpro failed to prove whether or not its surgical gowns, which were to be used by NHS workers, had undergone a validated sterilisation process.
In response to the ruling, Baroness Mone said it was "shocking but all too predictable".
The Department of Health and Social Care sued PPE Medpro over claims the medical gowns it supplied did not comply with relevant healthcare standards.
The High Court ruled Medpro failed to prove whether or not its surgical gowns, which were to be used by NHS workers, had undergone a validated sterilisation process.
In response to the ruling, Baroness Mone said it was "shocking but all too predictable".
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