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April 04, 2019
GZERO Staff

What We're Watching

Mueller Report Machinations – The House Judiciary Committee voted Wednesday to authorize a subpoena to force Attorney General William Barr to deliver Special Counsel Robert Mueller's "full and unredacted" report. If Barr refuses, the ensuing legal battle could drag on for years, but the political impact will be immediate as Democrats accuse Republicans of a coverup and Republicans accuse Democrats of playing politics with the law. Raising the stakes, The New York Times and the Washington Postreported Wednesday that anonymous members of Mueller's team claim the report's findings are more critical of President Trump than Barr has indicated. A warning shot from Team Mueller that Barr better be more forthcoming?

Pirates of the Caribbean – A surge in the number of pirate attacks in the 10-mile stretch of water between Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago suggests Venezuela's economic crisis has allowed criminal gangs to expand operations offshore, in particular to control drug trafficking into the Caribbean Sea. In some cases, scarcity in Venezuela has pushed criminal gangs to carry out maritime robberies of Trinidadian fishermen.

What We're Listening To

An incredibly lewd song that explains why Brazil's congress shut down yesterday during a debate on pension reform.

What We're Ignoring

Sisi Soaps – The government of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is reportedly extending its dominance of national media into production of the country's extremely popular TV soap operas, and a production company linked to the military is taking charge of some of the most popular shows. Makers of these shows have reportedly been informed that they must, for example, always portray the army and police in a positive light, cast the banned Muslim Brotherhood as odious and dangerous, and encourage children to obey their elders. Sounds like really exciting TV.

Health Warnings from Donald Trump – The president of the United States warned this week that the noise produced by wind turbines causes cancer. Your Friday author concludes from this that if Don Quixote had simply worn earplugs, he might well be alive today.

More from GZERO Media

Hard Numbers: France’s Bardella would win an election today, Trump’s support among Latinos falls, Fox hunts for a seat in the Bahamas, and Hitler returns

Marine Le Pen, French member of parliament and parliamentary leader of the far-right National Rally (Rassemblement National - RN) party and Jordan Bardella, president of the French far-right National Rally (Rassemblement National - RN) party and member of the European Parliament, gesture during an RN political rally in Bordeaux, France, September 14, 2025.
Marine Le Pen, French member of parliament and parliamentary leader of the far-right National Rally (Rassemblement National - RN) party and Jordan Bardella, president of the French far-right National Rally (Rassemblement National - RN) party and member of the European Parliament, gesture during an RN political rally in Bordeaux, France, September 14, 2025.
REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

Pakistan slides deeper into autocracy

Army Chief Asim Munir holds a microphone during his visit at the Tilla Field Firing Ranges (TFFR) to witness the Exercise Hammer Strike, a high-intensity field training exercise conducted by the Pakistan Army's Mangla Strike Corps, in Mangla, Pakistan, on May 1, 2025.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR)/Handout via REUTERS

Field Marshal Asim Munir, the country’s de facto leader, consolidated his power after the National Assembly rammed through a controversial constitutional amendment this month that grants him lifelong immunity from any legal prosecution.

Tools and Weapons – In Conversation with Ed Policy

Microsoft

In this episode of Tools and Weapons, Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith sits down with Ed Policy, President and CEO of the Green Bay Packers, to discuss how purpose-driven leadership and innovation are shaping the future of one of the world’s most iconic sports franchises. Ed shares how technology and community-focused initiatives, from Titletown Tech to health and safety innovations on the field, are transforming not just the game of football, but the economy and culture of Green Bay itself. He explains how combining strategic vision with investment in local startups is keeping talent in the Midwest and creating opportunities that extend far beyond Lambeau Field.

Subscribe and find new episodes monthly, wherever you listen to podcasts.

Hard Numbers: Israel assassinates Hezbollah commander, DOGE gets DOGE’d, Ethiopian volcano erupts, Not much to show for COP30

People walk past a damaged building during the funeral of Hezbollah's top military official, Haytham Ali Tabtabai, and of other people who were killed by an Israeli airstrike on Sunday, despite a U.S.-brokered truce a year ago, in Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon November 24, 2025.
REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

The Israeli military assassinated a senior Hezbollah commander in an airstrike on the Lebanese capital of Beirut on Sunday. The attack killed at least five people overall.

What We’re Watching: Russia-Ukraine peace deal, Rough weekend for Brazil, Mass school abductions in Nigeria

Servicemen of the 148th Separate Artillery Zhytomyr Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine fire a Caesar self-propelled howitzer towards Russian troops at a position on the front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near the frontline town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region, Ukraine November 23, 2025.
REUTERS/Anatolii Stepanov

After facing backlash that the US’s first 28-point peace deal was too friendly towards Russia, American and Ukrainian negotiators drafted a new 19-point plan on Monday.

Japan-China spat over Taiwan escalates

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (R) answers a question from Katsuya Okada of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan during a House of Representatives Budget Committee session in Tokyo on Nov. 7, 2025. At the time, Takaichi said a military attack on Taiwan could present a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan.
Kyodo via Reuters Connect

Tensions between Tokyo and Beijing hit a boiling point last Friday after Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested that her country would defend Taiwan if China attacked the island. Tensions have grown since.

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