If they have to bring in potted trees, bushes, and flowers for election campaign events in paved public squares time and again, their colorful "greening" promises might not be very credible after all.

Interesting that both Trump and Putin want Orban to win and will do anything to "help". www.politico.eu/article/oper...

NATO might be dead already, as it is based on trust, on the credible threat that all members stand up for each other when attacked. While Europe pays lip service to buy time, a new values based alliance will take shape - and the security relationship with the US could turn purely transactional.

If for whatever reason fossil fuel supply were to stop forever tomorrow humanity would'nt cease to exist but find a non-fossil workaround. Costly. Painful. A challenge of epic dimensions. But we would figure it out, because we'd have to. Sticking to fossil fuels and the pains attached is a choice.

Is The Hague still a thing? Anyone have their number?

Easter travel tip for all people less familiar with public transport. If everyone in the isle takes off their backpack/daypack/whatever pack, double as many people fit into the bus/tram/boat. Means less frustration for others who are left out otherwise. #beKind

It's the small fish big fish game. But if these British farmers wanted to join the club again, they could also benefit from this EU-Australia deal soon. We would all happily welcome GB back in, I guess, just at eye level this time, without the rebates and opt-outs they had before leaving.

Then, I guess, it is time for new categories other than "women" and "men" throughout all Olympic disciplines, to be inclusive and meet the realities of the 21st century. apnews.com/article/ioc-...

In an ideal world we wouldn't have to turn to podcasters, substackers and social media posters for information - where the burden is on each of us to decide how much we want to believe in their capability (willingness) of adhering to a journalistic process. But we don't live in an ideal world.

I do actually like how the Trump administration is making the case for everybody to focus on renewables and get them to work as the main source of energy. www.ft.com/content/6bf1...

So God wants us to fight against each other in this world of his creation? I thought we'd be done with religious wars, holy wars. The US seem to be in a phase Europe and the rest of the world have gone through centuries ago (with enormous suffering). www.nytimes.com/2026/03/20/u...

This is what “regime change” means for Trump. No freedom for the Venezuelan, no democratic vote, just leave the old dictatorial system in place with most of the same people.

Sounds like a power-drunk guy not thinking through political consequences. Easy to blow things up. And then? How will the rest of the world react, be submissive or enter a weapons race making the globe an even scarier place? Terrorist attacks? Stronger anti-US alliances of former allies? #Trumpism

Turns out alpha males are not the best as political leaders. Let them play with bricks and metal rods, give them a shovel or an excavator. Just don't vote them into office.

The same can be said for any other (European) brand refocusing on ICE cars. It's a dead end. Gift article www.nytimes.com/2026/03/03/b...

I am glad that gas and oil are such reliable sources of energy in Europe. Just imagine we had listened to the woke lunatics urging a shift to renewables decades ago. I'd bet, even this crisis will pass without a decisive decisions because gas and oil are billions over billions of profit for a few.

Trump says Ali Khamenei is dead and I think, well, maybe and maybe not. There was a time when I would have trusted a US president going public with such news.

The problem with acting like a weather vane is that one day the wind might turn against you, or against one of your friends. Or against Greenland. (The trumpish national security thing, you know.) What then? What then is your argument against unilaterally bombing other countries into submission?

I am glad we the EU were able to agree on this condemning statement. Important stuff. Great wording work.

Lots of hate in Malta (and elswhere) for big car infrastructure projects like flyovers - mostly from people owning one to multiple cars. And daily complaints about too much traffic and clogged roads. And more cars are added to the road literally every day. Cognitive dissonance at its finest. (1/2)

Had a long conversation today with a taxi driver from Pakistan who worked in Dubai before coming to Malta (as an entry point to Europe). He actually regretted coming; Europe was nothing like he imagined, and far inferior to living in the UAE in terms of government efficiency and (1/3)

In European Malta taxi drivers tell me that switching to EVs is nearly impossible because of the size of the country (try to find it on a map). In Vietnam, in 5-10 times bigger Hanoi and Saigon taxis are electric. Guess they didn't know it's impossible.

Brainwashing, 2026 edition. This paper shows how X's algorithmic feed shifts people's views rightwards. It's a sophisticated, highly effective form of reorientation. And it is utterly chilling. If you're still on that platform, unhook yourself now. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Whatever name they prefer to give it, fine, as long as we go all in with renewables in Europe and the rest of the world. I fear, though, toning down or dropping the climate narration will have negative side effects on other initiatives, e.g. avoiding plastics. Hard to see a security story there.

My three month time-out from us vs them hyper tensions is coming to an end, returning to the this/that rage world (migration, environment, politics). Why can't we live and laugh together, discuss, have different opinions together, while striving for the greater good together. We hate way too much.

Atrocities are rising worldwide. All governments can meet the threshold for an “atrocity” when widespread extrajudicial killings and other serious rights abuses occur. Spotting warning signs early and defining things clearly can help prevent violence from escalating. buff.ly/wxOno9l

I am glad to see how Brexit brought back long-sought sovereignty to the UK. Maneuvering is difficult enough for large blocks presently; as a small country you're basically a toy for large predators to play with. Mere hours ago the US seemed to have approved the Chagos deal. Now not. Tomorrow?

The general assumption is that the redactions in the Epstein files would protect the wealthy and powerful. With this administration I wouldn't rule out that the redactions are actually used for extortion, like for donations or favors or both. Hope someone is digging in that direction, too.

Moving on from the flawed nation-state concept and working hard on developing a just new system of global governance would be challenging but a grand cultural evolution of humankind. Unfortunately, we seem to have lost all imagination for togetherness and are stuck in a selfish us vs them narrative.

Spreading this because we aren't supposed to see it due to (alleged) CBS cowardice. And because it's Colbert. Also, Talarico says some things that should be common sense but aren't anymore. Still too churchy religious for my taste, though. Refreshingly eloquent, nonetheless youtu.be/oiTJ7Pz_59A?...

Layered cities are much more efficient, and fun. As we wish to become ever more humans on this planet, we will have to figure out how to accommodate more people without expanding our footprint, growing higher and denser, not wider. Without cars we might even squeeze in a lot more green spaces, too.

Waiting 25 minutes for an espresso, and counting. What is wrong with these super deliberate specialty coffee baristas? #goItalian

The US can strongarm its former partners for just so long, until new opportunities emerge, be it this one and/or others. Vile threats, while scary at the beginning, lose their power over time. An alternative to the US-led world is arising before our eyes. And it's not necessarily China's world.

When Marco Rubio called out the inability of the United Nations of preventing and solving conflicts - which I partially agree with - he forgot to add that the US among other major powers is the main reason the UN is failing in this regard. A strengthened UN could be effective if we wanted it to be.

I wonder what the black magic of Chinese automakers is, other than producing highly competitive cheap electric cars, strongly supported by a government that is all in on climate friendly EV's for both the local market and for export. I have really no clue what could possibly give them an edge.

Bangkok might be the most interesting city to dive into. Layers over layers over layers, tangible and intangible. Unfortunately, it has no layer for vegetarians/vegans. My best advice to find amazing vegan food in Bangkok: head to Vietnam. But don't forget the return ticket, because...it's Bangkok.

I don't have a diplomat's trained ear but unfortunately, I did not hear a conciliatory tone in Rubio's speech at all. The message seems to be: abandon your foolish liberal ideas and unequivocally subscribe to US ethno-nationalist power politics. Better get in line as friends (unspoken: or else).

Doesn't speak for all of us, regret, bipartisan alliance against. So many words. But the fact is, nobody is effectively stopping this administration from swinging the wrecking ball. That's the failure. System failure. That's why we cannot trust the US anymore. It's not just Trump.

What I enjoy most when staying abroad even for just a few weeks: all we think to know is useless. Norms, behaviors, habits, modes of transport, fashion and coolness factor, communication style, concepts, all have to be learned and negotiated from scratch. An opportunity to reinvent oneself (a bit).

It's a breakup on steroids. Friends yes, maybe even with benefits sometimes. But (subservient) partners for life we are no more. Long term, I do see Europe having a lot more to gain from this - with a big IF.

The insanity would worry me less if all other major economic actors would introduce strict requirements of environmentally safe production for all imported goods. The US would have no choice but to comply, or face economic isolation. It's our decision to let them get away with it or not. Better not.

Syria, Iran - So much condemnation work today in Brussels.

I am sure this will change the course of history. Performative politics.

Brave call. Northern countries of the EU are less keen on burden sharing with the South when it comes to migration. Stop the cacophony of us vs them; put all the grievances on the table for once, and find solutions. The EU should be more than the lowest common denominator of individual interests.

I would be genuinely interested whether a majority of people in the US knows how bad the damage is that Trump has inflicted on the US in international relations. Are they aware that the world cannot forget this time, that there is no way back to the status before, probably ever? Do they still hope?

Stunning - and eye opening - is less the fact of a president going rogue but the ongoing lack of pushback within the system. The silence, the spineless cozying up of the ones who would have the power to stop the insanity. That's where the trust of former allies finally went down the drain.

On the liberal side of the political spectrum people are falling out of grace, stepping down over revelations in the Epstein files. On the conservative we-have-to-defend-our-christian-values side meanwhile, pedophilia or being well connected with pedophiles is worn as a badge of honor, it seems.

I am traveling parts of SE Asia at the moment and with my very own eyes I can see that time is up for fossil fuel cars. Good luck Stellantis selling the new line-up outside the US. Going backwards won't win any prizes. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/b...

Had two street side Pad Thai with bugs today in Bangkok. That's a lot of accidental insects for a vegetarian. Looks like I have to change my food choices.

Until next holiday they themselves fall victim to stronger border controls. And why stop at the country level? I would suggest that all villages and cities are given more control over who enters their land. Let's have lots of more borders and more control on a super granular level. Gonna be fun.