☰
HomeLiving Beyond BordersGZERO WorldSignalIn 60 SecondsPuppet RegimeGZERO World PodcastContact UsAbout UsCareersPrivacy PolicyTerms

April 04, 2019
GZERO Staff

What We're Watching

Mueller Report Machinations – The House Judiciary Committee voted Wednesday to authorize a subpoena to force Attorney General William Barr to deliver Special Counsel Robert Mueller's "full and unredacted" report. If Barr refuses, the ensuing legal battle could drag on for years, but the political impact will be immediate as Democrats accuse Republicans of a coverup and Republicans accuse Democrats of playing politics with the law. Raising the stakes, The New York Times and the Washington Postreported Wednesday that anonymous members of Mueller's team claim the report's findings are more critical of President Trump than Barr has indicated. A warning shot from Team Mueller that Barr better be more forthcoming?

Pirates of the Caribbean – A surge in the number of pirate attacks in the 10-mile stretch of water between Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago suggests Venezuela's economic crisis has allowed criminal gangs to expand operations offshore, in particular to control drug trafficking into the Caribbean Sea. In some cases, scarcity in Venezuela has pushed criminal gangs to carry out maritime robberies of Trinidadian fishermen.

What We're Listening To

An incredibly lewd song that explains why Brazil's congress shut down yesterday during a debate on pension reform.

What We're Ignoring

Sisi Soaps – The government of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is reportedly extending its dominance of national media into production of the country's extremely popular TV soap operas, and a production company linked to the military is taking charge of some of the most popular shows. Makers of these shows have reportedly been informed that they must, for example, always portray the army and police in a positive light, cast the banned Muslim Brotherhood as odious and dangerous, and encourage children to obey their elders. Sounds like really exciting TV.

Health Warnings from Donald Trump – The president of the United States warned this week that the noise produced by wind turbines causes cancer. Your Friday author concludes from this that if Don Quixote had simply worn earplugs, he might well be alive today.

More from GZERO Media

What Russia and Iran have lost in Syria

A satellite image shows a Russian, Gorshkov-class frigate offshore in Tartus, Syria December 10, 2024.
Maxar Technologies/Handout via REUTERS

The fall of the Assad regime erases a decades-long ally of both Moscow and Tehran -- but one of those two countries has lost way more than the other.

South Korean prosecutors weigh arresting president, police retreat after standoff

A protester wears a South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol mask while holding a representation of prison bars, during a rally calling for the impeachment of the South Korean President, who declared martial law, which was reversed hours later, in front of the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, December 11, 2024.
REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

The lead prosecutor in South Korea’s criminal investigation into last week’s brief declaration of martial law said Wednesday he would arrest President Yoon Suk Yeol if warranted.

Pro-EU Romanians form a unity coalition ahead of election rerun

Romanian independent far-right presidential candidate Calin Georgescu gives a statement outside his voting station after the annulation of the presidential elections, in Mogosoaia, Romania, on Dec. 8, 2024.

REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki

Romanians are still absorbing the shock of a first-round election result that saw a previously unknown ultranationalist, pro-Russian candidate finish in first place in the race for president and a collection of new parties with pro-Russian platforms capture about one-third of the vote.

Viewpoint: Germany seeks new political leadership to address economic crisis

Following the end of the "traffic light" coalition, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz has submitted a request to the president of the Bundestag for a vote of confidence in the Bundestag.

Michael Kappeler/dpa via Reuters Connect

Faced with a political impasse preventing action on acute economic and geopolitical challenges, the German parliament will hold a vote of confidence in Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government on Dec. 16. We asked Eurasia Group expert Jan Techau to explain what set off this chain of events and where it is likely to lead ahead of February's snap elections.

Can Syria rebuild to welcome returning refugees?

- YouTube

youtu.be

With all of the millions of Syrian refugees that you find in Europe, what's got to be the consequences for them of the fall of the Assad regime? What's the nature of the big agreement that is now being concluded with the European Union and the Mercosur countries of South America? Carl Bildt, former prime minister of Sweden and co-chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations, shares his perspective on European politics from San Francisco, United States.

Live on Jan. 6: the Top Risks of 2025

What will be the #1 concern for the year ahead? Join us January 6 at 12 pm ET for a livestream with Ian Bremmer and global experts to discuss the Top Risks of 2025 report from Eurasia Group. The much-anticipated annual forecast of the biggest geopolitical risks to watch in 2025 will be released that morning. Evan Solomon, GZERO Media's publisher, will moderate the conversation with Ian Bremmer and Cliff Kupchan of Eurasia Group, along with special guests.
Watch live at https://www.gzeromedia.com/toprisks

About UsCareers PressContact Us Privacy PolicyTerms of Use
© 2020 GZERO Media. All Rights Reserved | A Eurasia Group media company.