CONTENT:
The recent warnings from French politician Aurore Lalucq about potential US control over international payment systems, such as Visa and Mastercard, have brought Europe's vulnerability to the forefront. Lalucq's warning gained significant attention after she posted a video on social media last week, expressing her concerns about the implications of US President Donald Trump's threats against Europe.
The US, as the controller of these payment systems, could potentially cut off Europe from financial transactions, just as it did with Russia during the sanctions for its invasion of Ukraine. The ban left many Russians without access to funds and unable to buy goods, causing significant economic and societal disruptions.
Lalucq, who chairs the European parliament's economic and monetary affairs committee, is advocating for an "Airbus of European payments" to protect the EU from such threats. The idea is to create a European alternative to Visa and Mastercard, giving the EU more control over its financial transactions and ensuring its sovereignty in the face of potential US interference.
Meanwhile, in the US, an FBI supervisor attempting to investigate an ICE agent who fatally shot Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis on January 7 has resigned. Agent Tracee Mergen's decision to resign came before federal agents fatally shot another US citizen, Alex Pretti, in Minneapolis on January 24. Both Pretti and Good were 37-year-old US citizens.
Mergen's resignation follows her unsuccessful efforts to investigate the ICE agent involved in Good's shooting. The incident raised questions about the FBI's handling of the investigation and its relationship with ICE.
In the world of golf, Patrick Reed secured the Dubai Desert Classic title through a four-shot victory against David Puig. Reed's win in the LIV duel served as a reminder of his status as one of the finest golfers in the world. Puig, who finished in third place, was unable to secure the consolation of second place due to a slow finish and a strong one from Andy Sullivan.
The PGA Tour hierarchy and LIV's office bearers likely had mixed feelings about the news of Reed's victory, which brought attention to the ongoing rivalry between the two golfing organizations.
Sources:
The Guardian view on Europe’s payments problem: sovereignty starts at the till | Editorial (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jan/25/the-guardian-view-on-europes-payments-problem-sovereignty-starts-at-the-till)
FBI supervisor resigns after trying to investigate agent who shot Renee Good (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/25/fbi-tracee-mergen-resigns-ice-renee-good-investigation)
Patrick Reed wins LIV duel with David Puig to secure Dubai Desert Classic title (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jan/25/patrick-reed-david-puig-dubai-desert-classic-liv-pga-tour-golf)