It’s not that simple

The alliance that has ensured peace throughout most of Europe is now at the centre of all attention. «We are in a very dangerous era. The next 25 years will probably be the most challenging NATO has ever had», argues Peter Apps, global affairs columnist for Reuters and author of the book «Deterring Armageddon: a biography of NATO». In this interview, the expert is convinced that a new world conflict will be triggered by the ambition of countries that want to extend their borders by force of arms. «I think the world is probably organised enough so that we don't have a third world war by mistake. If we do, it will be because one or more countries have made a really big gamble on attempting to do what Putin has done in Ukraine», he emphasises. With Europe grappling with the war on Ukrainian soil - and on the verge of affecting NATO member countries - the continent will have to rethink its defence investment. And with Donald Trump in the White House, Europeans will have to be more autonomous in their military decisions. The future of the relationship between the US and Europe is still unclear. The expert points out that, on the one hand, it is not certain that the Europeans «will do enough to keep the Trump government on their side, to ensure continued US support». On the other hand, it is not known how tolerant the next US president will be if Europe tries to go its own way. Highlighting the importance of NATO membership for Nordic countries and Turkey, Apps predicts that the current tense environment could persist for 15, 20, or even 30 years, ushering in a kind of new Cold War. Peter Apps does, however, leave us with a message of hope for the future: «we are clearly in an era of conflict, but common sense will prevail». More on the topic:Peter Apps official websiteX account (Twitter)Substack for Peter Apps newsletterTed X LondonInterview about NATO on Dan Snow's podcastInterview with Sábado magazineInterview on the History Hack podcast

Colin Bryar, former vice-president of Amazon and Jeff Bezos' right-hand man, shares the secrets that have transformed Amazon into the world's leading e-commerce company. In this interview, he discusses the philosophy of putting the customer at the centre of all decisions, the importance of analysing the right data to understand and respond to consumer needs, and the steps that led to the company's continuous innovation. From changes in packaging - prompted by direct customer feedback - to the emergence of Amazon Web Services, which created the cloud computing industry. In addition, he explores how customer prioritisation and the intelligent use of data have shaped the company's success in the digital marketplace. Bryar also explains how companies can apply these lessons to grow, innovate and solve real problems. In this episode of ‘It's not that simple’, discover the impact of digital transformation, the future of online commerce and the strategies that continue to position Amazon at the forefront of e-commerce and technology. More on the topic: Alcott Global interview Colin Bryar's LinkedIn Agile Education interview Q&A from the Think Like Amazon podcast Commonplace Expertise interview

It's the tightest race for the White House in 60 years. CNN data reporter Harry Enten believes that Pennsylvania will be the state most likely to decide the outcome of the November 5 elections, where Kamala Harris and Donald Trump face off. In this interview, Harry Enten goes through the details of the American elections, explaining how the country's electoral system works, which is very different from those in force in Europe. «In the United States, there are 50 state elections - as well as those in the District of Columbia - and the winner in each of these states gets the electoral college votes allocated to that state», he explains. «If Donald Trump wins Florida with 50% of the vote, against 49% for Kamala Harris, all the electoral college votes from that state would go to Trump», he explains. Analyzing the national polls, Enten points out that they don't serve to predict possible winners, but only to show how close an election can be. And this one, in particular, he describes as «crazy». This race for the White House is particularly tight: “when you look at the decisive states, in all of them, the candidates are separated by less than 3 percentage points”. And that's unprecedented since there have been reliable polls in the US. Between now and election day, the candidates will have to bet on strategies that will guarantee them the support of undecided voters, and the political scientist assures us that it is their positions on the country's economy, their rhetoric and the reinforcement of television ads that could make the difference for those who have not yet decided their vote. More on the topic: Episodes of CNN's «Margins of Error» podcast Harry Enten's official X account Interview with Mediaite's Press Club Articles on the «Five Thirty-Eight» website Profile and content on CNN's website «The Forecast Fest» podcast (2020)

How does food influence mental well-being? Nutritional psychiatrist and author of the bestseller «This Is Your Brain on Food» Uma Naidoo argues that food is not only crucial for a healthy body, but also essential for a healthy mind. And the Mediterranean diet, known for its physical health benefits, can also help combat mental disorders. According to Naidoo – who leads the first and only Nutritional and Metabolic Psychiatry Service in a US hospital – many diseases, such as diabetes or hypertension, are aggravated by a poor diet, and the same applies to mental health. She points out that «people don't associate food with mental and emotional well-being», but bad moods, lack of energy or anxiety can also sometimes be explained by «the level of sugar they eat». In this episode of «It's not that simple», the author explores how a healthy, nutrient-rich diet can significantly improve cognitive abilities. She highlights the intrinsic relationship between the brain and the gut, which share a common origin in embryonic cells, explaining how what we eat directly affects mental health. She also highlights how a high-sugar diet can feed harmful microbes in the gut, promoting inflammation processes that harm the body. Uma Naidoo stresses the importance of adopting a diet that avoids ultra-processed foods and includes a wide variety of vegetables, always adapted to each case and each reality. She also reminds us that a healthy diet is far from being synonymous with tastelessness. More on the topicHarvard Nutrition Expert: «These Foods FUEL Anxiety | Dr. Uma Naidoo x Rich Roll Podcast» «Ten Percent Happier» podcast interview Food And Mood» Imperfectly Perfect podcast interviewUma Naidoo's official website Uma Naidoo's instagram X's account