In this news round-up of the week for Friday, November 21st, 2025, we examine the text of Trump's Ukraine surrender plan and the attempt to force Ukraine to sign it, with the threat of letting Putin win the war if it doesn't. We also look at Japan's new Prime Minister facing a massive confrontation with China over Taiwan, and the UK's detailed COVID-19 inquiry report.

It's just been revealed that Putin's Russia has been working in secret with the Trump administration to agree what is described as a 28-point plan, based on the Gaza peace plan. One thing is clear - if such a plan is taking shape, it is doing so very much according to Putin's desires which, by definition, means an extremely rough deal for Ukraine. It seems that President Trump retains the belief that first led him to imagine he could end the Ukraine war 'very quickly' - that if he can agree a deal with Vladimir Putin, he will then be able to force it onto an unwilling Ukraine. Is that the basis of this new plan? Let's discuss.

With one abrupt and astonishing U-turn, President Trump has removed all doubt that he's prematurely entering the lame duck phase of his presidency. Faced with a massive revolt by Republican lawmakers to vote for the Epstein files to be released, he used the masterful arts of a confused toddler in seeking to persuade them that, contrary to everything said and done so far, he really wants them to vote YES to release the files. It's a breathtaking collapse, and the end of the period when he can push his party to do whatever he wants. An absolutely pivotal moment. Let's discuss.

Lots of questions for this video to celebrate my long-delayed YouTube silver button! Lots on the United States and democracy, what the Trump administration end game is, whether the US will be able to recover its democracy after Trump's term is over and more. Also, what did Putin hope to get out of threatening to give Venezuela weapons to use against the US? And then a few questions about me. Let's dive straight in.

In this news round-up of the week for Friday November 14th 2025 - An announcement by Trump's War Secretary Pete Hegseth seems to signal a completely new focus for how America uses its military power in the future, and it's not great news for Latin America. Trump is mired once again in the Epstein files - but what is at the heart of the weird contradiction we're seeing play out before our eyes? And the BBC respectfully tells Trump it will contest his desire to sue it for a billion dollars, even though he seems to think this would be a public duty.

Boycotts rarely work, and even the ones that do, rarely stick. But Canadians are making themselves the exception. Ten months in, they are still avoiding travelling to the US in significant numbers. They are still shunning American brands in the stores in significant numbers. And while they're doing that, they're looking with new eyes to many of the potential other partners - including Trump's biggest geopolitical rival, China. Let's discuss.

The UK's Prime Minister Keir Starmer has gone to great lengths to stay on the right side of President Trump since he was re-elected. All the usual flattery, plus an unprecedented second state visit, with all the pomp and pageantry. But it was always obvious that sooner or later, Donald Trump would cross a line too far, and push the 'special relationship' into crisis. We learned this week that the first fissure has appeared, thanks to America's blatantly illegal attacks on boats in the waters near to Venezuela - not to mention it's possibly attacking the country now its aircraft carrier has arrived in the area. This has prompted the UK to take the first step to distance itself from its ally - is it the beginning of the end? Let's discuss.

On one level, the BBC made some pretty evident mistakes on impartiality - and most damagingly on a documentary on Trump, the echoes of which quickly reverberated across the Atlantic. And as a result, Tim Davie, the Director General had to resign. But there's a lot more to the story than that - and the truth is that the institution has been under attack for the last few years as political polarisation has made its mission increasingly impossible. Let's discuss.

President Trump just unleashed a barrage on social media where he railed against the Supreme Court, against anyone and everyone who is against tariffs - and then he, apparently by-the-by, said that everyone would be getting a $2000 payment. It's not the first time such things have been suggested as a result of the income from tariffs - but it was a very specific promise at this very specific moment. And what it shows is that Trump is beginning to panic that the Supreme Court is going to rule against him, and he is shaken that the recent elections showed the American public irritated he is putting up prices when they can't afford to make ends meet. So is this a real promise? And what's the strategy behind it? Let's discuss.

In this news round-up of the week, Russia considers giving Maduro its latest hypersonic missiles to use to defend himself against Trump's America, even as China is protesting about his threats to its strategic partner Nigeria. The administration has begun a charm offensive to persuade its supposed allies that it really CAN be trusted when it comes to intelligence sharing. And Elon Musk is granted a theoretical $1 trillion payday - the big 'if' attached to it doesn't cancel the enormity of what that figure for one person really represents. Also, I answer a viewer comment and announce a Q&A. Add your questions below.