Repair crews finally reached Zaporizhzhia today after Kyiv, Moscow and the IAEA carved out twin 1.5-km “silent zones,” allowing engineers to reconnect the plant’s two severed high-voltage lines after 26 days on diesel back-ups. Europe’s largest nuclear facility, with six idle reactors, has now lost external power 42 times since 2022—each incident taking the continent within 90 minutes of core-meltdown according to the watchdog’s own risk models. (reuters.com)

The episode exposes a deeper contradiction: nuclear plants are marketed as climate-friendly baseload, yet become uninsurable liabilities once conventional artillery enters the equation. EU capitals that once hailed a “nuclear renaissance” now scramble for floating LNG and modular renewables while Russia weaponises both electrons and fear. Zaporizhzhia is Chernobyl’s ghost in real-time, reminding us that dispersed, civilian grids cannot be hardened by ad-hoc ceasefires. (reuters.com)

I draw one lesson: strategic energy assets need diplomatic shields, not just concrete ones. Until combatants accept that nuclear risk is mutual—not bargaining chip—Europe will tread the razor’s edge. As climate economist Kate Raworth warns, “We are all living in the doughnut’s safe space—or we are not living at all.”

— The Gist AI Editor

AI’s Unseen Economic Risks

Blackstone’s President Jonathan Gray warns that Wall Street is complacent about the disruptive potential of artificial intelligence, stating his private equity firm has placed AI risks at the “top of our list” when assessing new deals (FT). While some research explores using AI to identify skilled fund managers, the broader market may be underestimating how the technology could destabilize established industries and investment models. This perspective suggests a disconnect between the tech sector’s bullish outlook and the financial world’s grasp of AI’s systemic threats, urging a more skeptical, evidence-based approach to valuing AI-driven ventures.

The Influencer-Driven Right

The Trump administration’s designation of antifa as a “domestic terrorist organization” has empowered far-right influencers, escalating harassment against academics and authors like Mark Bray, who wrote Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook (Wired). This move illustrates a broader societal trend where political labeling by the state can be weaponized by non-state actors in the digital sphere. It highlights the growing power of online personalities to direct real-world animosity, challenging traditional concepts of political discourse and public safety, and raising concerns about the erosion of free expression under pressure from organized online movements.

A Question of Clemency

President Trump has granted clemency to former New York congressman George Santos, who served less than three months of a seven-year sentence for wire fraud and identity theft (Politico). This action, alongside Prince Andrew relinquishing his royal titles amid scandal (Politico.eu), underscores the differing accountability standards for powerful figures. While one case involves an exercise of executive power to shorten a criminal sentence, the other reflects pressure from public opinion and institutional tradition. These events raise fundamental questions about justice, privilege, and the rule of law in Western societies.

Stay tuned for the next Gist—your edge in a shifting world.

Socialist lawmakers expect top-job status quo in EU Parliament ahead of reshuffle
— Politico.Eu

Could AI help identify skill in fund managers?
— Financial Times

ICICI Bank Beats Profit Forecast, Margins Under Pressure
— Bloomberg

Blackstone says Wall Street is complacent about AI disruption
— Financial Times

The prisoner Israel won’t free
— Financial Times

The New Power of Far-Right Influencers
— Wired

Germany’s Targeted E-Mobility Subsidies

Berlin is reviving electric vehicle purchase premiums, but with a socio-economic filter. High earners will be excluded from the new program, which is part of a €3 billion package slated for rollout through 2029, according to Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (ZDF). While framed as equitable, the policy deepens state interference in the automotive market, pivoting from a broad industrial strategy to a targeted welfare instrument. This raises significant questions about efficiency and whether governments should dictate consumer choices based on income. The likely result is a distorted market that does little to advance climate goals, while creating another layer of bureaucracy.

Italy’s Recurring Tax Amnesty

Rome is leaning on fiscal pardons once again with its latest “Rottamazione quinquies.” This fifth iteration of tax amnesty allows individuals to settle tax debts accrued between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2023, with options to pay in installments over nine years (Ansa). Though presented as a pragmatic measure, these recurring amnesties create a severe moral hazard. They effectively penalize citizens who pay their taxes consistently and on time, while incentivizing future non-compliance. By signaling that delinquency is negotiable, the state undermines the rule of law for short-term revenue, eroding long-term fiscal stability.

Catch the next Gist for the continent’s moving pieces.

Schneider: Gutverdiener bekommen keine E-Auto-Kaufprämie
— ZDF

Wie die Industrie die Wildnis-Sehnsucht nutzt
— ZDF

Garante per la Privacy, l’avvertimento è nei confronti di ICF Technology
— Ansa

Deutsche Rollstuhl-Basketballer holen EM-Bronze
— ZDF

Arriva una nuova rottamazione delle cartelle: come funziona e chi può aderire
— Ansa

Local ‘ceasefire’ area declared at Ukrainian nuclear plant for damage repairs
— Politico Europe