From the heartwarming story of a baby monkey in Japan to a "Doomsday Report" that sent the Dow into a freefall, Nina and Maithreyi break down the most "bonkers" week in news. We’re discussing IKEA’s accidental influencer, the fall of a Mexican kingpin, and the awkward stage presence of AI’s biggest "man-babies."

In this episode, we dive into:

The IKEA Influencer: How Punch, the baby macaque at Ichikawa City Zoo, turned a DJUNGELSKOG plush orangutan into a global sell-out.

The Milano Cortina Controversy: Why the US Men’s Hockey team is facing backlash for their reaction to Donald Trump’s comments on the gold-winning women’s team.

The Fall of El Mencho: The military-led elimination of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes and why the CJNG cartel has retaliated with 250+ blockades across 22 Mexican states.

The Tariff Yo-Yo: Trump’s immediate 10% tariff pivot after the Supreme Court’s crackdown on his trade authority.

The Global Intelligence Crisis: How a viral report from Citrini Research caused an 822-point Dow drop and sparked fears of an AI bubble.

Awkward at the Summit: Why Sam Altman (OpenAI) and Dario Amodei (Anthropic) refused to hold hands at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi.

"Borrowed" Innovation: The controversy surrounding Galgotias University and a "homemade" robot dog that was actually a Unitree Go2 from China.

Royal Duty or Disgrace?: The viral arrest photo of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Prince William’s candid admission at the BAFTAs.

The Sanity Break is your weekly reality check on the stories that actually matter (and the ones that are just plain weird).

Follow us on:

• YouTube: @TheSanityBreak
• Instagram: @TheSanityBreakPodcast

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

Is the U.S. "consciously uncoupling" from Europe? In this episode of The Sanity Break, Maithreyi Seetharaman and Nina Levchuk dive into the highs, lows, and hilarious memes of the Munich Security Conference.

From the White House redefining "situationships" with Greenland to the rise of right-wing "cool" women in Japan and Italy, we peel back the layers of global geopolitics. We also discuss why IBM is ditching its AI rollout to hire more Gen Zers, the innovation coming out of Ukraine’s tech scene, and a "Hot or Not" segment featuring everything from brain-boosting caffeine to the mysterious poison that allegedly killed Alexei Navalny.

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

Is everything in 2026 politicized? From the Super Bowl halftime show to AI advertisements, the "troll wars" are officially in full swing.

In today’s episode, we break down the massive viewership gap between the official Super Bowl (135M+) and the Turning Point alternative show. Why did a Spanish-language performance trigger such a backlash, and how did the Obamas deliver the most elegant clapback of the year? Plus, we talked about the Epstein Files fallout: how the victims are being forgotten even as Europe’s leaders get called out and governments are left reeling.

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

​​Welcome to Sanity Break! Did you doom‑scroll, watch a get‑ready‑with‑me video, and almost buy a random jumper before you found this? Same. 🥂✨

This week, we go from heartbreak to chaos. We honour Catherine O’Hara’s genius (Yes, she played the iconic Moira Rose)! Then we dive into the 2026 Grammys, Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, and the K-pop Demon Hunter phenomenon. 🏆

Then… things get wild. Nicki Minaj meets Donald Trump, gold cards, nails and all. From Melania to Prince Andrew and Brazilian outrage over a dog’s death, we explore how power and privilege warp the world in shocking ways.

And just when you think it can’t get stranger: AI agents now have their own social media platform, Moltbook, roasting humanity in ways that are hilarious, terrifying, and utterly addictive. 🤖🔥

Pop culture, politics, tech and AI collide in one unforgettable ride. Tune in.

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

Stop. Did you just doom-scroll, watch a get-ready-with-me video, almost buy a jumper you don’t need, and pour wine like it’s a survival skill? Same. 🥂✨   

Welcome to Sanity Break, the weekly geopolitics, tech, and culture podcast for anyone trying to make sense of 2026’s chaos. Hosted by tech evangelist and investor Nina with journalist & media founder Maithreyi, we break down the hottest trending topics with a little wit, dollops of sarcasm, and plenty of insight. This is the group-chat you actually want to be in.   In this episode, we unpack the biggest headlines, internet sensations, and WTF moments of early 2026: 

🔹 Donald Trump, Greenland & Global Power Plays – What’s up with Trump’s Arctic obsession and those mysterious AI penguin memes? 

🔹 Venezuela’s Political Remix – How crisis turned Maduro’s gray Nike tech fleece into the fashion item to buy, even as Delcy Rodriguez says she was given 15 minutes to live.

🔹 Davos Drama – Macron’s aviator sunglasses give “main character energy” vs. Board (Bored?) of Peace. 

🔹 EU Inc. & Social Media – Can Europe build a scalable social media platform? Can it give it a better name? 

🔹 Hot or Not Tech – DeepSeek AI, humanoid robots, nuclear plant-level Big Tech moves.  

Whether you’re here to laugh, learn, or simply get PTSD from global headlines – hit play, subscribe, and let’s take back some sanity, together.

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