RUSSIA - In principle, Trump would prefer to freeze the Ukraine conflict and gain the opportunity to restore some of the relationship with Moscow. Like several of his predecessors, Trump understands that America’s main foreign policy rival is China, not Russia. However, Trump is the first to have attempted to do something about this, to have tried to at least somewhat slow down China’s expansion, which until last year seemed unstoppable.

GERMANY - The Alternative for Germany (AfD), the country’s sole right-wing, anti-globalist party, has surged to a record 42% in the eastern state of Saxony, putting the party within striking distance of an outright majority and raising the real possibility it could soon govern alone if it gains just a few more percentage points. With analysts estimating that around 46% would be enough to secure a single-party government, the latest polling data suggests that threshold is now within reach. The development marks a potential political shift that could reshape Germany’s power structure. The numbers place the AfD far ahead of its nearest competitor. The establishment, globalist Christian Democratic Union (CDU), led nationally by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, trails at a mere 21%. The gap is striking. In practical terms, the AfD now commands roughly double the support of the CDU in Saxony. Taken together, the data points to a collapse of the political center. Voters appear increasingly unwilling to support established parties.

UK - Reform council leader Linden Kemkaran told the meeting the prayer "unites us in this country in a common identity, which is very important". "I see it as a pause to remember that we are all accountable for our words and deeds," she said. Reform councillor Christopher Hespe said: "It's about standards, it's about patriotism, it's about heritage and it's about our roots." But some opposition councillors spoke against the proposals. Green councillor Rob Yates described the changes as "a ridiculous farce" and said he was "not paid by taxpayers to sing songs and pray". "We are a multi-faith country and we certainly have been for all of my life," he told the meeting.

UK - Back in 2022 you only had to shell out £1 for the average box of six supermarket own brand free-range eggs. But today the same box costs £1.80, according to market researchers Assosia which compared average prices across Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Morrisons for the BBC. The price of eggs shot up after millions of hens were culled following the UK's worst outbreak of avian flu between 2021 and 2023. The sudden drop in the number of laying hens and the added energy cost of keeping birds indoors due to restrictions caused shortages. A big chunk of the cost of producing eggs comes from buying the grain the hens eat, heating their sheds and transporting the eggs.

USA - Over a billion people worldwide are now living with a mental disorder, double the number recorded in 1990. The rise has made mental disorders the leading cause of disability globally, more than heart disease and cancer. The rise is charted in a new study published in The Lancet, which notes that mental disorders disproportionately impact those aged 15-19 and women. “These rising trends may reflect both the lingering effects of pandemic-related stress and longer-term structural drivers such as poverty, insecurity, abuse, violence, and declining social connectedness,” said first author Dr Damian Santomauro. “Addressing this growing challenge will require sustained investment in mental health systems, expanded access to care, and coordinated global action to better support populations most at risk.” Recent increases have been driven by anxiety disorders and depression. Since 2019, the prevalence of major depressive disorder has risen by around 24% and anxiety disorders, 47%.

UK - Labour is toying with reversing Brexit, as it tears itself apart over Europe and Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership. The road to EU redemption, however, will be long, tortuous and humiliating if, when the dust settles, Labour decides to fight the next election on a “Rejoin” platform. For now, the Government insists it is sticking with its red lines of no return to freedom of movement, the single market or customs union as negotiations continue over closer ties to Brussels.

USA - The disorderly US withdrawal from NATO is denting defence and deterrence and creating a vacuum in command. Without an overall plan, credibly implemented, each country will concentrate on its own security, weakening collective defence and raising the risk of war. Since its founding, NATO has been both a funnel for American combat power into Europe and the fount of US military leadership here. NATO members do not follow their national priorities. They fit into the alliance’s defence planning, knowing that allies — fellow Europeans or the US — will fill the gaps. The “all for one, one for all” principle makes the NATO whole greater than the sum of its parts.

USA - It just keeps happening over and over again. False rumors about a peace deal between the United States and Iran start circulating, and a lot of people out there just keep falling for it. How many times is this going to play out? Look, the reality of the matter is that Iran is only going to make a deal if President Trump basically surrenders and gives the Iranians everything on their completely absurd wishlist. If that doesn’t happen, there simply isn’t going to be a deal. The fact that the Iranians intend to make the status quo in the Strait of Hormuz permanent is completely and utterly unacceptable to US officials. Those that keep expecting some sort of a “breakthrough” are going to be disappointed every single time. The Iranians have not moved from their core negotiating positions and they aren’t going to move. At this point, the Iranians are telling us that negotiations are in a “permanent deadlock” and that they have “no desire to even continue negotiations”…

USA - Two decades ago, Al Gore’s movie An Inconvenient Truth thrust climate change into the spotlight. With dramatic imagery and dire warnings, it transformed a niche concern into a front-page crisis, influencing rich country leaders and elite jet-setters, and inspiring a generation of activists. Twenty years affords distance to reflect not just on the film’s impact, but also its accuracy. The documentary’s core narrative was that climate change was driving worsening disasters, such as floods, droughts, storms and wildfires. Yet, over the past century, even as the global population quadrupled, deaths from these climate-related disasters have plummeted. In the 1920s, an average of nearly half a million people died annually from such events. Today, that number is under 10,000 – a decline of over 97 per cent. Richer, smarter societies have made us dramatically safer, proving adaptation and resilience work far better than alarmism suggests. Two decades on, An Inconvenient Truth reminds us that panic is a terrible policy adviser. Focusing on cost-effective solutions – innovation, adaptation, development – will save trillions and do much more to help both people and the climate.

ISRAEL - In a world searching for stability, it is dangerous to leave one of the world’s most critical trade routes in the hands of Egypt. The geopolitical reality of the Middle East is unstable, and Egypt is part of the problem. It is time to bring back the “Ben-Gurion Canal” project: a strategic shipping corridor connecting Eilat to the Mediterranean Sea near Ashkelon or Ashdod, creating a viable alternative to the Suez Canal. The “Ben-Gurion Canal” could transform Israel from a regional transit state into an international infrastructure powerhouse. Not merely a canal, but an entire economic corridor: new ports, logistics hubs, industrial zones, jobs, dramatic development of the Negev, and energy production along the route. The true value of this project lies not only in shipping tolls but in creating a new strategic engine of growth for Israel and for the global economy.