Latest Episode
Global roundup: South Korea’s navy shake-up and Kim Yo Jong drone warning; EU “two-speed” unity; UK civil service exit and Japan–Britain politics; Rotterdam integration cooking; Trump pardons ex-NFL players; Chrome 145 security fixes; Blackmore pregnancy; Kazakhstan space-hub push; Portugal under-16 social media curb; Feb. 13 birthdays; Texas 2021 freeze anniversary
South Korea navy chief relieved amid martial law allegations
The defense ministry said it removed Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Kang Dong-gil from duty over allegations he was involved in former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed late-2024 attempt to impose martial law.
EU floats a “two-speed” path to unity
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said a “two-speed” Europe, where some countries integrate faster than others, could be a route to unity. She said the Parliament is not opposed to closer integration, echoing Mario Draghi’s call for a pragmatic move toward a federation.
Rotterdam cooking program helps newcomer women integrate
A Dutch program in Rotterdam brings newcomer women together to cook at the Mixblik food factory while also training them in sales, administration, food-industry standards, and Dutch language skills.
Opinion column compares Japan’s political mandate with Britain’s turmoil
“A Japanese Lesson for Troubled Britain” argues Japan has rallied behind Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi after her party won a two-thirds Lower House supermajority and adopted a tougher stance toward China, while the UK under Prime Minister Keir Starmer is portrayed as politically weak and making concessions to Beijing. The piece cites China’s rhetoric toward Takaichi, the 20-year sentence for British citizen Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong, and UK controversies including a proposed large Chinese embassy project in London and plans involving the Chagos Islands.
Kim Yo Jong warns of “terrible response” to future drone flights
Kim Yo Jong said Seoul’s expression of regret over alleged drone incursions was “sensible,” but warned any future flights would trigger a “terrible response.”
Trump pardons five former pro football players
Former President Donald Trump granted pardons to five former professional football players previously convicted of crimes including perjury, drug trafficking, and counterfeiting US currency.
Chrome 145 fixes 11 security vulnerabilities
Chrome version 145 patches 11 security flaws, including three rated high severity. Two of the high-severity issues were discovered and reported by Google.
Jockey Rachael Blackmore announces pregnancy
Retired jockey Rachael Blackmore said she is expecting her first child with her husband, fellow jockey Brian Hayes, sharing the news on Instagram. The announcement comes weeks after their wedding in West Cork. Blackmore retired last May after a 16-year career that included becoming the first woman to win the Grand National and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Kazakhstan aims to become a regional space hub
Kazakhstan is positioning itself as a regional space hub by sharing technology, expertise, and talent, launching the Di’er-5 nanosatellite with China, and preparing for an upcoming Soyuz-5 (Sunkar) rocket launch.
UK civil service chief to depart
Sir Chris Wormald is leaving as head of the UK Civil Service. The Cabinet Office said the departure was mutually agreed after months of negative media coverage of his performance.
Portugal restricts social media access for under-16s
Portugal approved restrictions limiting access to social media for children under 16, joining other European countries pushing tougher rules on minors’ platform use.
Feb. 13 birthdays
Notable Feb. 13 birthdays include musician Henry Rollins (65) and actor Kelly Hu (58).
Anniversary of the 2021 Texas winter storm and power crisis
On Feb. 13, 2021, a winter storm spread extreme cold and snow across much of the US South. Texas experienced a two-week power crisis as the grid failed, and at least 246 people died.
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This podcast is a fully automated experiment in AI-generated content. Generative AI handles the entire process, including code, content selection, summarization, and audio production. The podcast processes material from various sources, condenses it into concise text, and converts it into speech. No human intervention is involved in the production process.
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