Today we try to figure out why Donald Trump wants to start a fight with Europe over Greenland, to what extent his Justice Department is going after the right and wrong targets in Minnesota, whether some Supreme Court judges will soon be stepping down, and what went on when protesters in New York canceled a show by a Jewish comedian. Give a listen.
President Trump’s insistence that the U.S. acquire Greenland could become a major international crisis.
He's now threatened tariffs on eight NATO allies who have expressed their opposition to the idea, and that is shaking up the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this week.
And more tariffs would increase costs for American businesses at a time when American voters are talking about affordability at home.
Willem Marx reports from Davos, and NPR’s Scott Horsley and Mara Liasson recap the economic and political fallout.
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This episode was produced by Marc Rivers and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane and Hannah Gluvna. It was edited by Kelsey Snell, Rafael Nam, Nick Spicer and Patrick Jarenwattananon. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.
In the so-called world of strategic alliances, things often are not what they seem to be. It is that way with the Islamic State or ISIS, which supposedly is a deadly enemy of Israel. However, Israel has a symbiotic relationship with Jihadist groups that we cannot ignore.
Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week:
How far away is Greenland from the United States? We check a number From Our Own Correspondent.
Does converting our entire energy system to be carbon neutral come with a £7.6 trillion price tag?
Is the inevitable rise of house prices in the UK not so inevitable after all?
Can the great mathematicians of history answer the question of the hour: how to play The Traitors?
If you’ve seen a number in the news you want the team on More or Less to have a look at, email moreorless@bbc.co.uk
Contributors:
Jay Foreman, one half of YouTube duo the Map Men
Mike Thompson, chief economist of the National Energy System Operator
David Turver, author of The Cost of Net Zero, a report from the Institute of Economic Affairs
Neal Hudson, housing market analyst and founder housing research website BuiltPlace
Dr Kat Phillips, mathematician and Innovation research associate at the University of Warwick, Traitors aficionado
Credits:
Presenter: Tim Harford
Reporter: Tom Colls
Producers: Nathan Gower and Lizzy McNeill
Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown
Sound mix: James Beard
Editor: Richard Vadon
President Donald Trump is dead set on acquiring Greenland, and while national security is the stated reason, the country’s untapped mineral wealth could offer another explanation.
Today on the show: is Greenland really an untapped land of riches? We talk to one Australian geologist who discovered the great costs and potential rewards of extracting these minerals himself.
President Donald Trump is dead set on acquiring Greenland, and while national security is the stated reason, the country’s untapped mineral wealth could offer another explanation.
Today on the show: is Greenland really an untapped land of riches? We talk to one Australian geologist who discovered the great costs and potential rewards of extracting these minerals himself.
The cascade of frenetic actions on the part of the Trump administration over the past week—even as Trump seemed to blink on acting when it came to Iran—is unnerving. Is there good news? Can someone cheer us up? And what about the Harris campaign going full-on dual-loyalty accuser in interviewing Josh Shapiro? Meanwhile, a recommendation for a remarkable novel called Foster Dade Explores the Cosmos, by Nash Jenkins. Give a listen.
Although some scholars have labeled the early Ming Dynasty as a proto-liberal state, they are mistaken. The Ming governance at that time was weak, not limited by law and ideology.
Trump tells the Norwegian Prime Minister that he no longer feels an "obligation" to peace because he didn't receive the Nobel Prize and announces that he's imposing tariffs on a series of NATO allies until "a deal is reached for the complete and total purchase of Greenland." Jon, Lovett, and Tommy discuss these latest developments and Trump's billion-dollar entry fee for the Board of Peace. Then, they cover the latest from ICE's occupation of Minneapolis, including the Justice Department's investigations into Mayor Jacob Fry and Governor Tim Walz, and break down some positive polling about the Democrats chances in the 2026 midterm elections. Then, Tommy talks to Jason Zengerle about his new book, published by Crooked Media Reads, that explores the rise of Tucker Carlson — "Hated by All the Right People."
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In early January, President Donald Trump signed an executive order threatening bans on defense contractors paying dividends or buying their stock back.
Today on the show, we learn about the Trump Administration’s frustrations with the weapons supply chain, find out what a defense industry investor makes of the move, and ask whether this reflects the state tightening its grip on the industry that arms the U.S. military.