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Europod & Sphera • News

🎧 Europod & Sphera • News — Your daily and monthly podcasts on EuropeWelcome to Europod & Sphera • News, your essential source for understanding Europe today.From political shifts and EU policy updates to cultural trends and social challenges, our podcasts bring you closer to the stories that shape the European Union and the people behind it.Long Story Short – Your daily podcast for quick, insightful analysis of the events driving Europe’s future: from breaking news to key policy

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All Episodes

14:26

The Right To Decide - Episode 3: Follow the Money

Europod & Sphera • News ·

2025/10/25

Who’s funding the rollback of women’s rights in Europe?In the third episode of The Right to Decide, host Sophie in ’t Veld speaks with Lucia Yar, Member of the European Parliament from Slovakia, to uncover how money fuels the anti-gender movement. From religious donors and oligarchs to EU funds being redirected toward conservative networks, we reveal how a well-organised financial strategy is reshaping Europe’s political and cultural landscape.Sources:“The Next Wave: How Religious Extremism Is

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5:48

Energy poverty in Europe: Why millions can’t afford...

Europod & Sphera • News ·

2025/10/24

Winter is approaching, and while energy bills have fallen since the shock of 2022, when the EU moved to cut its dependence on Russian energy following the invasion of Ukraine, millions of Europeans are still struggling to keep their homes warm. The EU has now gone a step further, sanctioning Russian liquefied natural gas, and while Europe’s push for energy independence is essential, it hasn’t solved the problem for those who can’t afford to heat their homes.According to the European Commission Joint

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5:12

EU leaders greenlight new Russia sanctions and debate...

Europod & Sphera • News ·

2025/10/23

EU leaders gathered in Brussels today, Thursday, to discuss matters ranging from defence and housing to climate targets, but the agenda is clearly topped by Ukraine.Two big items stand out, the so-called “reparation loan” using frozen Russian assets, and the EU’s 19th sanctions package against Moscow, which was greenlit this morning.But can Europe turn political agreement into real financial support for Kyiv without crossing legal red lines?Join us on our journey through the events that shape the

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4:46

Brussels scales back deforestation law to ease...

Europod & Sphera • News ·

2025/10/22

The European Commission has changed course, again, on its landmark anti-deforestation law, known as the EUDR.After weeks of speculation about yet another delay, Brussels has now decided not to postpone the law for everyone. Instead, it’s introducing a series of exemptions and tweaks especially for small businesses and farmers. But what does this all mean in practice?Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.Production: By Europod, in co

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4:40

Friedrich Merz under fire over ‘dangerous’ migration...

Europod & Sphera • News ·

2025/10/21

Friedrich Merz, Germany’s chancellor, is facing strong criticism for what many describe as “dangerous rhetoric” on immigration.During a visit to the eastern state of Brandenburg, Merz said that Germany still had “a problem in the cityscape” and that his interior minister was working to enable and carry out large-scale deportations. Why have these remarks sparked such a strong reaction across Germany and what do they reveal about the country’s political mood on migration?Join us on our journey

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4:46

Frozen funds, frozen pipelines: EU leaders close to...

Europod & Sphera • News ·

2025/10/20

Today, EU energy ministers are meeting to decide the future of Russian fossil fuels in the bloc, after years of delays and exemptions. At the same time, leaders are debating how to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine’s defence, looking to reach a deal this week.But can Europe finally act decisively on both energy and financial support and what will it actually mean for the EU?Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.Production: By

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12:58

The Right to Decide - Episode 2: Women’s rights under...

Europod & Sphera • News ·

2025/10/18

Who is threatening women’s rightsand why?In the second episode ofThe Right to Decide,weuncover the forces driving the anti-gender movementwith ourhost Sophie in ’t Veldand our guestNeil Datta, Executive Director of the European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights. From fake hotlines that discourage abortion to crisis pregnancy centres spreading disinformation, we reveal how a well-organised network of religious and political actors is working to roll back decades of democratic

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4:58

Europe’s digital scam epidemic: How big tech profits...

Europod & Sphera • News ·

2025/10/17

Thousands of Europeans are losing their savings to fake investment ads on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. These scams use AI-generated deepfakes of politicians and celebrities, like Germany’s defence minister Boris Pistorius or Irish presidential candidate Heather Humphreys, to sell get-rich-quick schemes.All this information is coming to light after a months-long investigation by Investigate Europe, which uncovered how criminal networks are using AI, illegal call centres and social media ads to

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15:53

Crafts and hobbies bring Europeans back to themselves...

Europod & Sphera • News ·

2025/10/17

Across Europe, a quiet movement is taking shape. From knitting circles in Helsinki to pottery workshops in Brussels, people are rediscovering the simple, grounding act of making things by hand. What began for many as a way to fill the long days of lockdown has grown into something deeper, a form of self-care, a social bond, and even a small act of resistance against the relentless pace of modern life.In this episode of Europe Talks Back, we explore how creative practices such as ceramics, weaving

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5:09

‘Voluntary’ overtime: Inside Greece’s 13-hour workday

Europod & Sphera • News ·

2025/10/16

Greece’s parliament is voting today on a controversial labour reform proposed by the conservative government, allowing employees under “exceptional circumstances” to work up to 13 hours a day, for up to 37 days a year. The government insists the measure is voluntary and designed to help workers earn more without having to take on a second job.But why do workers need to take on a second job just to survive in the first place, and what does this new bill change for them?Join us on our journey through

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4:56

French PM freezes Macron’s pension law saving the...

Europod & Sphera • News ·

2025/10/15

On Tuesday, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced the suspension of Emmanuel Macron’s 2023 pension reform, which had raised the retirement age from 62 to 64. The reform, pushed through parliament without a vote, triggered months of nationwide protests and strikes, becoming one of the most divisive policies of Macron’s presidency.Now, two years after it was passed, its implementation will be paused until after the 2027 presidential election. But how is this suspension saving the

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4:38

Ministers discuss mutual deportations: could this be...

Europod & Sphera • News ·

2025/10/14

European interior ministers met in Luxembourg yesterday, with the meeting continuing today to discuss how to better manage migration, or at least how to convince voters that they’re doing so. At the centre of the talks is a proposal that would make deportation orders issued by one EU country automatically recognised by all others.But how would that actually work, and could it be the fix for the EU’s migration system?Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the

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5:10

Hostages freed ahead of peace summit in Egypt without...

Europod & Sphera • News ·

2025/10/13

After more than two years of war between Israel and Hamas, all remaining living hostages have been released, a ceasefire has taken hold, and world leaders are gathering in Egypt to talk peace, but only one side of the conflict will be there.So, what kind of peace can be built without Hamas at the table?Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram Hosted on

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13:26

The Right To Decide - Episode 1 - Abortion rights in...

Europod & Sphera • News ·

2025/10/11

What happens when the right to chooseover your own bodybecomes a political battlefield?Thefirst episode ofThe Right to Decideexplores the fight for abortion rightsin Europe. Ourhost Sophie in ’t Veld sits down with Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, Polish MEP and long-time women’s rights defender, to explore one of the most contested issues in Europe today. FromPoland’s near-total banon abortionto France’s constitutional protection, we uncover how control over reproduction has become a test for democracy

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4:55

EU politicians contaminated with PFAS, will Brussels...

Europod & Sphera • News ·

2025/10/10

Over the summer, a group of 24 European politicians, ministers, commissioners, senior officials, agreed to have their blood tested for toxic PFAS chemicals. The results that now came out showed that every single one of them tested positive.But will these results push Brussels to act or to water down its own rules again?Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.Follow us

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5:00

Israel and Hamas agree to the Gaza ceasefire plan....

Europod & Sphera • News ·

2025/10/09

After nearly two years of war in Gaza, Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a ceasefire deal, a development announced, rather dramatically, by US President Donald Trump on his Truth Social account.But after so many failed ceasefires, how much hope can people on the ground really have this time?Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram

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21:45

Cohesion in action: How EU funding transforms...

Europod & Sphera • News ·

2025/10/09

In this episode of Europe Talks Back, we take you on a journey through European cities to explore how the EU’s Cohesion Policy turns funding into tangible improvements for citizens. From Zagreb’s modernised heating networks to Poland’s energy-efficient schools and Portugal’s greener public transport, the episode reveals how European investments support sustainability, energy efficiency, and urban development.Featuring an in-depth conversation with Adrian Teban, mayor of Cugir, Romania, we discover

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5:21

Austria’s bid to free Russian assets tests EU unity...

Europod & Sphera • News ·

2025/10/08

EU ambassadors are once again meeting in Brussels this Wednesday trying to agree on a new round of sanctions against Russia. But this time Austria, besides Hungary and Slovakia, has thrown a spanner in the works.Vienna is pushing for what it calls a “derogation”, a kind of legal exception, that would allow frozen Russian assets to be released under certain conditions. But why does Austria want to unfreeze money linked to sanctioned Russian oligarchs and where does that leave the rest of the EU?Join

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5:28

Two years since October 7th: Fragile Gaza peace talks...

Europod & Sphera • News ·

2025/10/07

Today marks two years since Hamas carried out the deadliest terrorist attack in Israel’s history, when militants entered the Nova music festival, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Since then, many captives have been released in deals or ceasefires, but around 48 hostages remain in Gaza. Israel believes about 20 of them are still alive. Negotiations for their release, and for Trump’s Gaza peace plan, started on Monday and are continuing in a “positive” atmosphere aimed at

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5:17

French PM quits hours after unveiling cabinet,...

Europod & Sphera • News ·

2025/10/06

France’s Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, has resigned less than a month after being appointed and just 12 hours after presenting his new government. President Emmanuel Macron accepted the resignation this morning, with the Élysée Palace confirming the decision in a short statement. But what led to the resignation and what happens now?Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera

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