Europod & Sphera • News

In the third episode of A Grain of Power, the team of reporters behind this documentary travels from Odessa, in Ukraine, towards Istanbul, in Turkey, passing through Constanza, in Romania. The trip sheds light on the impact of the war on Ukraine on the transport infrastructure of grain from Europe to the global South. 

Through 6 episodes, A Grain of Power is a documentary podcast that takes you on a journey from the heart o...

Habemus Papam! After just two days of deliberations, the Cardinals have chosen their 267th Pontiff: Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo the Fourteenth, the first American Pope in history. Seen as a centrist, Leo inherits a global congregation at a time of deep division and growing calls for reform.

But, where does Pope Leo stand on key issues shaping our society today, from LGBTQ+ inclusion and women’s roles in Church leadership, t...

Today’s headline in all caps A “MAJOR TRADE DEAL” is on the horizon, or so says Donald Trump, who posted on social media that he’ll be announcing one at 10 AM sharp, 4pm for us,  from the Oval Office. The deal will be with “A BIG, AND HIGHLY RESPECTED, COUNTRY.” So, which country is getting the Trump treatment this time? And what is this deal actually about?

Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European ...

The 76th papal conclave is officially underway, and this one is already being called the most unpredictable in modern Church history. 133 cardinals from across the world have entered the Sistine Chapel, under Michelangelo’s famous Last Judgment and they’re now sequestered from the outside world to elect the next pope.

This is the largest conclave ever. And like every time since 1276, the voting will continue until one cardinal recei...

Germany has entered unfamiliar territory. For the first time in the history of the Federal Republic, a designated chancellor has failed to get elected in the first round of parliamentary voting. So, what happens now that Merz failed to secure a majority?

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:

• ...

This Monday, Israeli ministers agreed to ramp up their military campaign in Gaza as if they had ever slowed down. Now their new plan is to capture more territory, of whatever is left, draft tens of thousands of reservists of their military and continue striking what they call “militant infrastructure”. All this while Donald Trump is getting ready to visit the region. But will this visit shape the future of the war in Gaza? 

The second episode of A Grain of Power brings you to Ukraine. More specifically, we get to know the story of farmers in the Southwestern region of Mykolaiv, where families have suffered the destruction of their fields of wheat through bombs and mines. We also discuss the history of the weaponisation of grain through the voice of historian and professor Steven Kaplan.

Through 6 episodes, A Grain of Power is a documentary podcast ...

In this episode of Long Story Short, we turn our attention to Romania, where Sunday’s presidential election could redefine the country’s role in Europe and shift the balance of power in the region. With a far-right frontrunner promising to cut off military aid to Ukraine and challenge Romania’s pro-Western trajectory, the stakes are high, not just for Romanians, but for the entire European project. We unpack who’s running, what’s a...

This week, the EU’s top court delivered a landmark ruling: Malta’s golden passport programme, which allowed wealthy foreigners to acquire Maltese, and therefore EU, citizenship in exchange for a cash investment, has been found illegal.

According to the Court of Justice of the European Union, the scheme amounted to “the commercialisation of EU citizenship.” has violated the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU. But what happens no...

Abortion remains illegal in Malta and highly restricted in Poland, despite ongoing pressure from European institutions to uphold reproductive rights. In this episode of Europe Talks Back, we examine the historical and current influence of religious institutions on abortion policy across Europe, and the political forces maintaining these restrictions. 

We are joined by Neil Datta, Executive Director and founder of the European P...

Today, our Long Story Short podcast is taking you outside of Europe, to the Mediterranean, to Tunisia. This may not be a strictly European story, but what happens in our neighborhood can have major implications for us too. Especially considering that just last year, Tunisia signed a 255-million-euro deal with the European Union to tackle irregular migration.

The birthplace of the Arab Spring, is once again caught in a judicial f...

Over the weekend, world leaders gathered in Rome to attend Pope Francis’ funeral, an event that quickly became a hotspot for high-stakes diplomacy. At the heart of these diplomatic moves was the very first face-to-face meeting of Donald Trump and Voldomyr Zelenskyy since February’s highly tense Oval Office encounter.

In what way did this meeting shape the future of the war in Ukraine, and what should we be keeping an eye on this...

The first episode of A Grain of Power starts in Trevignano, near Rome, Italy. It starts with the story of Culetti, a small modern bakery led by Mirko Magnano, who discusses the philosophy behind the business. More than 2000 kilometres away, Zainab describes the visceral relationship between Egyptian people and bread, as well as the challenges the local population encounters to access this essential good. How and why are the stories...

The European Union is currently investigating whether Hungary’s new plan to use facial recognition at LGBTQ+ Pride events on June 28th is even legal. 

But what does Hungary’s surveillance move reveal about the strength of the EU’s AI Act? And will the European Commission take action this time around?

Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.

Production: By Europod, in ...

US president Donald Trump, took to social media, again, to blame Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for blocking a peace deal with Russia. Only Russia has been launching a massive missile attack on Kiev since last night with Ukrainians looking for shelter anywhere underground. But is there a peace deal on the horizon and what does lifting sanctions on Russia mean for Europe and the US?

Join us on our journey through the eve...

In the last episode of Sea of Rage, we travel back to Barbate and investigate what happened on the night of the 9th of February 2024, when two local police officers were killed by narco-gangs. We also meet Spanish prosecutors and researchers, trying to understand what the future might hold for Barbate.

Sea of Rage is a reportage podcast dealing with the borderless narco-trafficking business as seen from the perspective of or...

In this episode, we continue our reporting from the area of Gioia Tauro. We meet journalist Michele Albanese who lives under police protection these days. And discover the reach and connections of the Italian Ndrangheta mafia across Europe. From the reporting the differences and red threads connecting Barbate and Gioia Tauro become manifest.

Sea of Rage is a reportage podcast dealing with the borderless narco-trafficking busines...

In this episode, we travel to the Italian coast and port-town of Gioia Tauro, in the Southern region of Calabria. We discover the history of the construction of the port of Gioia Tauro and the role of the Italian mafia, Ndrangheta, in the narco-trafficking of cocaine into Europe. 

Sea of Rage is a reportage podcast dealing with the borderless narco-trafficking business as seen from the perspective of ordinary people who liv...

After visiting the neighbourhood of El Pinar and the port of Barbate, in this episode we try to understand deeper reasons for why this south-western Spanish port town struggles in changing its status of entry door for hashish into Europe. We discuss the impact of geography, education and, eventually, local politics on Barbate. 

Sea of Rage is a reportage podcast dealing with the borderless narco-trafficking business as seen...