Global Politics with Leo

Europe is arming up and in this episode, I break down what that really means. I dive into Croatia's revival of compulsory military service, the broader trend of militarisation sweeping across the continent, and whether history should make us worried or not. I also unpack a major new report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute on global weapons transfers, which reveals just how dramatically the flow of arms has shifted over the last five years.

Also: Spain's increasingly bold stance against both the US and Israel, Senegal's stricter anti-gay laws and what it signals about a wider shift across Africa. And how the war in Iran is quietly filling Russia's coffers.

Global Politics with Leo brings you the most important international stories, with clear explanations and evidence-based analysis — without the noise. You can email me at [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Trump says he’ll soon decide what to do about US weapons sales to Taiwan - and that decision matters far beyond the island itself.

In this episode, I break down the full story: how the Chinese Civil War created two rival governments, why the US recognised Beijing in the 1970s while continuing to support Taiwan unofficially, and what the “Six Assurances” mean today.

I explain why Taiwan is so important:

• Economically
• Geopolitically
• Reputationally

If during the Cold War the US prioritised Europe, today the strategic focus is the Indo-Pacific - and Taiwan is central to that shift.

Global Politics with Leo brings you the most important international stories, with clear explanations and evidence-based analysis — without the noise.

You can email me at [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marco Rubio used his speech at the Munich Security Conference to outline how the US sees global security under Donald Trump. His tone was softer than others in the administration - but the message was clear: Europe will need to take far more responsibility for its own defence.

Plus:

• Russia blocks WhatsApp and pushes a state-backed messaging app
• China removes tariffs on imports from 53 African countries
• Ireland rolls out a basic income for artists
• South Korea’s intelligence agency signals Kim Jong Un’s daughter may be his successor
• Puerto Rico passes a controversial fetal recognition law
• A new poll shows strong support for political change in Venezuela

Global Politics with Leo brings you the most important international stories, explained clearly and without the noise.

You can email me at [email protected]

You might know me from TikTok and Substack as Leo Explains or LeoExplains10.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Three major elections over the weekend - in Portugal, Thailand, and Japan. Japan’s result was the most consequential by far. We break down how Sanae Takaichi turned a fragile leadership position into a historic landslide, what her agenda looks like, and why her rise matters for Japan’s economy, China relations, and the US alliance.

We then look at Indonesia’s preparations to deploy up to 8,000 troops to Gaza as part of President Trump’s 20-point peace plan. What is the International Stabilisation Force meant to do, who’s willing to participate, and what happens if Hamas or Israel refuses to comply?

We also cover:

• Marco Rubio’s politically charged visit to Hungary and Slovakia ahead of Viktor Orbán’s toughest election in years
• A Reuters investigation revealing Ethiopia’s alleged role in the Sudan War & the UAE alleged role.
• Kenyan citizens being recruited to fight for Russia in Ukraine, and how African countries are being pulled into the war.

Global Politics with Leo brings you the most important international stories, with clear explanations and evidence-based analysis. New episodes break down geopolitics, conflicts, power struggles, global affairs and world news in a simple way without the noise.

You can email me at [email protected]

You might know me from my political education content on social media and Substack as Leo Explains or LeoExplains10.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A court in Nigeria has ordered the UK government to pay $572 million to the families of coal miners killed by colonial police during a strike in 1949. We break down what happened at the Enugu mines, how it links to Britain’s colonial rule, and why the ruling matters more than 75 years later.

Also:

• We also cover the World Economic Forum’s investigation into its CEO, Børge Brende, over past interactions with Jeffrey Epstein.
• Lebanon accuses Israel of spraying glyphosate over southern villages. We explain what’s known about the environmental risks and why claims about cancer are contested.
• The UN’s financial crisis, with warnings it could run out of money within months. Reuters reports the US accounts for 95% of unpaid regular budget dues - around $2.19bn.
• The US is preparing to fund MAGA-aligned think tanks in Europe.
• Saudi Arabia announces major new investments in Syria.

Global Politics with Leo brings you clear, evidence-based analysis of the international stories that actually matter — without the noise.

You can email me at [email protected]

You might know me from my work on social media and Substack as Leo Explains / LeoExplains10.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Topics in this episode:

(1) Spain is pushing a major package of new digital laws - and while the proposed ban on social media for children under 16 grabbed most of the headlines, it’s only a part of a much bigger shift. In this episode, I break down the four key proposals, why some of them matter far more than the ban itself, and why what happens in Spain is likely to shape digital policy in other countries.

I go through each proposal one by one, looking at the arguments from the Spanish government and supporters of these laws, as well as the main criticisms - including those from Telegram founder Pavel Durov. This isn’t about defending tech CEOs, but about understanding the trade-offs between regulation, free speech, platform power, and government control.

(2) I also cover a new Amnesty International report on North Korea based on interviews with people who escaped the country.

(3) Finally, I look at the Trump administration’s $200 million humanitarian pledge to Sudan, why that number needs context, and what it tells us about the sharp reduction in US humanitarian aid overall.

Global Politics with Leo brings you the most important international news stories, with clear explanations and evidence-based analysis. Short, focused episodes covering geopolitics, conflicts, power struggles, and global affairs - without the noise.

You can email me at [email protected]

You might know me from my educational content on social media and Substack as Leo Explains / LeoExplains10.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The United States and India have agreed on a new trade deal. I break down how Donald Trump is using tariffs as geopolitical leverage, why India has reportedly agreed to stop buying Russian oil, and what this could mean for Russia’s economy and the war in Ukraine.

We also look at:

• Costa Rica’s new right-wing president, Laura Fernández.
• A US–Iran military incident in the Arabian Sea
• Russia rebuilding military infrastructure near Finland
• Eenewed missile attacks on Ukraine’s energy system
• Investigations into Elon Musk’s companies in the UK and France
• A major new WHO study showing that up to four in ten cancer cases worldwide could be prevented.

Global Politics with Leo brings you the most important international news stories, with clear explanations and evidence-based analysis. New episodes focus on geopolitics, conflicts, power shifts, and global affairs - without the noise.

You can email me at [email protected].

You might know me from my educational content on social media and Substack as Leo Explains or LeoExplains10.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The United States is quietly expanding its influence in Venezuela, with CNN reporting that the CIA is moving to establish a permanent American presence inside the country.

Also:

• Sweden plans to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 13 for the most serious crimes, as criminal networks increasingly recruit minors.
• France is set to ban public officials from using U.S. videoconferencing platforms.
• More than 200 people have been killed in a coltan mine collapse in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, in territory controlled by the Rwanda-backed M23 militia.
• In Cuba, oil supplies are running critically low after Mexico cancelled shipments under U.S. pressure, raising fears of a humanitarian crisis.
• A Wall Street Journal investigation reveals a $500 million investment by a UAE royal into a Trump-linked crypto business shortly before inauguration, followed months later by U.S. approval of advanced AI chip exports to the UAE.
• Switzerland, meanwhile, plans to raise sales taxes to fund higher defence spending, signalling a shift even among traditionally neutral states.

Global Politics with Leo brings you the international stories that matter, with clear explanations and evidence-based context. New episodes cover geopolitics, power struggles, and global affairs - without the noise.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The European Union and India have agreed one of the most significant trade deals in modern history, removing or reducing tariffs on the vast majority of goods traded between them. Together, the EU and India account for around a quarter of global GDP and a combined population of about two billion people. The agreement gives European companies preferential access to India’s fast-growing consumer market and opens the EU’s high-income market to Indian exporters - a major shift in global trade at a time of rising US tariffs and increasing unpredictability in American trade policy.

Also in this episode: Israel prepares to open talks with the Trump administration on a new 10-year security agreement as it looks to reduce its dependence on US military aid. Reports suggest Washington may link security guarantees for Ukraine to a peace deal involving the Donbas region, a territory central to Vladimir Putin’s war narrative — as Ukraine faces a severe winter energy crisis. And Spain’s economy shows unexpected strength, with unemployment at an 18-year low, driven by labour market reforms and a sharply more open approach to immigration, including plans to legalise hundreds of thousands of undocumented workers.

Global Politics with Leo brings you the most important international news stories with clear explanations and evidence-based analysis. Episodes break down geopolitics, conflicts, power struggles and global affairs — without the noise.

You can email me at [email protected]

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You might know me from my educational content on social media and Substack as Leo Explains / LeoExplains10.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After the removal of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, the Trump administration is now turning its attention to Cuba, exploring whether regime insiders could be persuaded to cut a deal and push the Communist government out. U.S. officials believe Havana is more vulnerable than it has been in decades, especially after losing access to cheap Venezuelan oil.

Also: we look at the reports suggesting Iran’s protest death toll could be far higher than previously reported, the US decision to cut funding to foreign organisations working on abortion, diversity, or transgender issues, South Korea’s move to enact what it calls the world’s first fully comprehensive AI laws, Germany’s arrest of a suspected Hamas member, the U.S. hosting the first-ever Western Hemisphere Chiefs of Defense Conference, Venezuela receiving its first payments from U.S.-controlled oil sales, and China’s falling birth rate.

Global Politics with Leo brings you international news stories, with clear explanations and evidence-based analysis. Listen for concise but in-depth breakdowns of geopolitics and global affairs - without the noise.

You can email me at [email protected]

You might know me from my educational content on social media and Substack as Leo Explains or LeoExplains10.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.