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Katy Lee

@katyinparis.bsky.social
624 followers 217 following 113 posts

Journalist in Paris. Co-host of The Europeans, an award-winning podcast about Europe europeanspod.bsky.social

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Katy Lee @katyinparis.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
I have a piece in The Guardian today that is part Brexit commentary, part dating column. Based on my many conversations with Europeans who feel… kind of fine?… about the UK. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
Britain is still stuck on its ex – but after 10 long, lonely years, does the EU feel the same way? | Katy Lee
As a podcast host, I speak daily to people on both sides of the breakup. A decade after the referendum, it’s clear who’s moved on, says Paris-based podcaster Katy Lee
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The Europeans @europeanspod.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
🚨 NEW EPISODE 🚨 This week, we're breaking our old rule. For years, we avoided ‘the B-word’. But 10 years on, it’s time to talk. Why didn't we want to discuss Brexit? Have we made our peace with it? What’s the damage? And could it ever be reversed? www.europeanspodcast.com/all-episodes...
europeanspodcast.com
Ten years on, can we talk about 'the B word'? — The Europeans
Long-time listeners will know that in the early days of The Europeans, we had a semi-official ban on talking&n...
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Katy Lee @katyinparis.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
So many Europeans are quick to express horror at the misdeeds of ICE, but know curiously little about our own border controls and and asylum policies. This is vital reading
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Dominic Kraemer @dominicinamsterdam.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
I don't think there are many podcasts out there with such a fabulously odd mix of topics: This week its the Armenian election, Dua Lipa's wedding, maddening quirks of the English language and Denmark's mullet championship. @europeanspod.bsky.social www.europeanspodcast.com/all-episodes...
europeanspodcast.com
Every @#$%ing quirk of the English language — The Europeans
After a triggering event we’re calling Legislativegate, producer Wojciech has a bone to pick with the English langu...
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The Europeans @europeanspod.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
GOT THOUGHTS ABOUT BREXIT? WE WANT YOUR VOICE MEMOS! We're making a special podcast next week looking back at the Brexit referendum, 10 years on. We'd love to hear about your personal experience, or your thoughts on what's changed. Please send a voice memo to hello@europeanspodcast.com!
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David Benedict @eggsbened.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
There are days when I miss being an editor. I loved writing headlines. Whoever did this, I hope they took the rest of the day off.
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Emma Pearson @emmapearson.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
See, this is why you need a union . . . "At the French state rail operator SNCF the workers struck a deal that said they would work an extra one minute and 52 seconds every other day of the year and in exchange they would get Pentecost Monday off."
thelocal.fr
Pentecost: The French public holiday when many work for free
Pentecost is a public holiday in France, but not everyone gets the day off. Instead some people will be given the attractive option of working as usual but without being paid.
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The Europeans @europeanspod.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
NEW EPISODE This week saw one of the biggest Ukrainian drone attacks on the Moscow region since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began. Meanwhile, Russia's economic troubles are mounting. How are Russians experiencing this? We talked to people with family there. www.europeanspodcast.com/all-episodes...
europeanspodcast.com
What is life really like for Russians right now? — The Europeans
The predictions began soon after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine: the collapse of the Russian economy was imminent. Four years later, it still hasn’t happened. And yet, the cracks are appearin...
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The Europeans @europeanspod.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
🚨 NEW EPISODE 🚨 This week, @arnoldvanbruggen.bsky.social, one half of @theeuropeans.bsky.social, joins us to discuss spending a decade documenting Europe’s changes and their latest chapter on migrant workers in southern Spain’s "plastic sea" of greenhouses. www.europeanspodcast.com/all-episodes...
europeanspodcast.com
Venice has a Russia and Israel problem — The Europeans
‘Art and politics can totally be separated!’ said no one ever – apart from the organisers of the Venice Biennale, a.k.a. the Olympics of the art world. This week we’re diving into the fallout from the...
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The Europeans @europeanspod.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Donald Pols, the long-time director of @milieudefensie.bsky.social - one of the Netherlands’ most prominent environmental organizations - announced he is leaving to join Tata Steel, NL's largest single emitter of CO₂. There are a lot of baffled environmentalists here today. nos.nl/artikel/2613...
nos.nl
Directeur Milieudefensie stapt over naar Tata Steel, actiegroep 'zeer teleurgesteld'
Milieudefensie per direct afscheid genomen van Donald Pols, die het gezicht van de actiegroep was.
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Katy Lee @katyinparis.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
Kids in the UK are drawing moustaches on their faces to bypass age verification, and... it works? www.cnet.com/tech/service...
cnet.com
Mustache Mischief: Kids Bypass UK's Digital Age Barriers
Kids used to draw on their faces for fun. Now, they're doing it to play Roblox.
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Prof. Ian Walker @ianwalker.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
I can't believe that, almost a year later, the Shrek gravestone still hasn't sold
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Jonn Elledge @jonnelledge.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
I cannot overstate how completely insane this story is
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Christy Quirk @cequirk.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
A great example of what French say they like to eat versus what they actually eat and also, racism when it comes to cheap meat.
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Katy Lee @katyinparis.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
Trump's adventures in the Middle East have now made safe sex more expensive, happy Monday everyone
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Katy Lee @katyinparis.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
French people love junk food. We all know this by now. So why is a specific chain of takeaway rotisserie chicken igniting so much rage among politicians? A tasty mystery in this week's newsletter: millefeuilleparis.substack.com/p/chicken-wa...
millefeuilleparis.substack.com
Chicken wars
What, exactly, is politicians’ beef with Master Poulet?
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Ruth Michaelson @ruthmichaelson.com · 23/04/2026
Relieved to see that Ahmed Shihab-Eldin has been acquitted in Kuwait– he should never have been detained in the first place.
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The Europeans @europeanspod.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
This week in our newsletter: the disturbing revelations from @investigate-europe.eu that Big Tech has successfully lobbied to stop citizens from knowing the environmental impact of Europe’s data centres. open.substack.com/pub/european...
open.substack.com
Enough of the hope-y, change-y stuff
It’s time to get angry about US tech.
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Ulrike Franke @rikefranke.eu · 23/04/2026
“Since the start of 2025, the defense ministry approved some 40 new robots; by the end of last year, some 15,000 were supplied to the army, Fedirko said. In November, 67 units were using them; by March that had jumped to 167.” www.politico.eu/article/insi...
politico.eu
Inside Ukraine’s robot war revolution
A Ukrainian commander tells POLITICO how robotic systems are transforming the battlefield, in a development with the potential to reshape how wars are fought.
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Katy Lee @katyinparis.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
This week on my newsletter: why has France become the global capital of crypto-related kidnappings? There’s been an average of one every 2.5 days in France this year. Absolutely wild open.substack.com/pub/millefeu...
open.substack.com
No one wants to be the world capital of crypto-kidnappings
This story involves a rogue tax official, bien sûr.
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Katy Lee @katyinparis.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
I am so nerdily excited about this
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The Europeans @europeanspod.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
This week in our newsletter: three Hungarian bangers, in celebration of Viktor Orbán's defeat europeanspodcast.substack.com/p/three-anth...
europeanspodcast.substack.com
Three anthems to change the system
Add these to your queue.
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Katy Lee @katyinparis.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
Even better than this typically diverse offering from The Europeans: you get to hear @ninaism.bsky.social’s dulcet tones this week instead of mine. And she has an alarmingly good time with @dominicinamsterdam.bsky.social. I think my job is under threat
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Katy Lee @katyinparis.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
I swear no other podcast has this much fun talking about the workings of European democracy
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Henry Mance @henrymance.ft.com · 31/03/2026
Hilarious how for years serious people have said that you can't rely on renewables because they are prone to disruptions in supply www.ft.com/content/19f1...
ft.com
UK to receive last tanker of jet fuel from Middle East this week
Industry warnings of disruption contrast with government calls for calm
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Katy Lee @katyinparis.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
This week in my newsletter: PSG opens a café. A post about the two PSGs: the local team, whose stars have included boys from the banlieues like Kylian Mbappé; and the soulless global brand, fuelled by Qatari petrodollars millefeuilleparis.substack.com/p/psg-sells-...
millefeuilleparis.substack.com
PSG sells matcha lattes now
How to market a global football brand, the Paris way.
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The Europeans @europeanspod.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
This week in our newsletter: a European journalistic juggernaut felled by ChatGPT, Czechia's massive pro-democracy protests, and every NATO country saying no to Trump europeanspodcast.substack.com/p/gwbw-gets-...
europeanspodcast.substack.com
GWBW gets down to business!
Be cool, everyone.
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The Europeans @europeanspod.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
This isn't the first time @szabolcspanyi.bsky.social has been targeted by the government. Listen to this episode from 2022 in which we speak to him about the discovery that his phone had been hacked using Pegasus software. www.europeanspodcast.com/all-episodes...
europeanspodcast.com
Hacked by Hungary — The Europeans
What does it feel like to know that your government has been able to access every single message on your phone? Last year, the Hungarian investigative journalist Szabolcs Panyi found out that he'd bee...
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Emma Pearson @emmapearson.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
This is pretty much as good as it gets for French PM Sébastien Lecornu
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The Europeans @europeanspod.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
Hungary’s crackdown on press freedom escalates: @szabolcspanyi.bsky.social, one of Hungary's most prominent investigative journos and a former guest of ours, faces criminal espionage charges - a blatant attack by Orbán’s government. We stand in full solidarity with Panyi. ipi.media/hungary-ipi-...
ipi.media
Hungary: IPI condemns criminal charges filed against journalist Szabolcs Panyi
The IPI global network today strongly condemns the Hungarian government's filing of criminal espionage charges against prominent journalist Szabolcs Panyi, as an alarming escalation of pressure on ind...
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The Europeans @europeanspod.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
NEW EPISODE Europe’s been buzzing with elections lately - but this week, we’re focusing on arguably the most monumental election of 2026: On April 12th, Hungarians could choose to end Orbán’s 16-year reign. Is Europe’s most illiberal leader on his way out? www.europeanspodcast.com/all-episodes...
europeanspodcast.com
The end of Orbán? — The Europeans
It has been 16 years since Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party assumed power in Hungary – and it might have begun to feel like things could never change. But with a parliamentary election just around the corn...
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Katy Lee @katyinparis.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
Sure, he cycled to his victory speech on a hire bike, but who is the new mayor of Paris really? A quick sketch in the form of three interesting things to know about Emmanuel Grégoire millefeuilleparis.substack.com/p/three-thin...
millefeuilleparis.substack.com
Three things to know about the new mayor of Paris
Bienvenue, Emmanuel Grégoire.
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Emma Pearson @emmapearson.bsky.social · 22/03/2026
Here's new Paris mayor Emmanuel Grégoire expertly combining cycling with giving a press conference, while on his way to his victory party. He remained on-brand by taking the Metro home
youtu.be
"On est très heureux": Emmanuel Grégoire rejoint la mairie de Paris à vélo
YouTube video by BFMTV
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Leroy @leroylynch.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
Background article from January: The Paris electoral system, explained (the Mayor is not a directly elected position) millefeuilleparis.substack.com/p/the-paris-... by @katyinparis.bsky.social also see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Pa...
millefeuilleparis.substack.com
The Paris electoral system, explained
I’ve given up predicting who’s going to be this city’s next mayor.
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Katy Lee @katyinparis.bsky.social · 22/03/2026
Exit polls are indicating a resounding win for Emmanuel Grégoire, a Socialist representing the united left, as mayor of Paris. This is still a progressive city
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Katy Lee @katyinparis.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
This week on my newsletter, I wrote about how rightwinger Rachida Dati could very easily be elected mayor of Paris on Sunday, despite this city’s progressive leanings. Surprise surprise — a divided left means it might slip from the Socialist frontrunner’s hands open.substack.com/pub/millefeu...
open.substack.com
What the first round of voting says about Parisians
This city leans progressive, but our next mayor could very easily be a rightwinger.
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Marie Le Conte @youngvulgarian.marieleconte.com · 19/03/2026
wrote a jolly column on this French charity getting people to pick the fresh produce usually left to rot in private gardens as the owners are often elderly or overwhelmed, then hand it all over to foodbanks so everyone has access to fresh fruit and veg: www.thenewworld.co.uk/marie-le-con...
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Emma Pearson @emmapearson.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
It's easy to forget when things happen slowly, but Paris really has seen an astonishing change in the last decade
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Katy Lee @katyinparis.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
Today in random Parisian property lust: would you like to buy a 40m2 house (house!) in Montmartre for €600k The answer for me is yes, kind of, or at least I would like someone to buy it for me, merci beaucoup www.bellesdemeures.com/annonces/ven...
A tiny house measuring 40 square metres on the corner of a street in Montmartre, Paris
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The Europeans @europeanspod.bsky.social · 01/03/2026
This video is gold. The Norwegian Consumer Council is hitting back against the crappy tech that is making things increasingly shitty. vimeo.com/1168468796
vimeo.com
The Enshittificator
Digital products and services keep getting worse. In the new report Breaking Free: Pathways to a fair technological future, the Norwegian Consumer Council has delved…
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Katy Lee @katyinparis.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
We love to see it! Sithamparappillai Jegatheepan, a Sri Lankan baker who arrived in France in 2003, has just won best baguette in Paris. He wins €4,000 and a year-long contract baking for Macron www.leparisien.fr/paris-75/la-...
leparisien.fr
« La boulangerie, je n’y avais jamais pensé » : venu du Sri Lanka, Sithamparappillai fabrique la meilleure baguette de Paris
Sithamparappillai Jegatheepan, le boulanger du Fournil Didot (XIVe), est le vainqueur du concours 2026 de la meilleure baguette tradition de
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Megan Clement @meganclement.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Survivors of Mohamed Al Fayed's abuse are fighting to have their cases recognised as trafficking similar to the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein. Requests to the Met have gone unheeded so they are pinning their hopes on a French investigation. My piece for The Observer: observer.co.uk/news/interna...
observer.co.uk
‘It’s as if the women were cattle’: Fayed survivors look ...
Victims of a sex trafficking network said to rival that of Jeffrey Epstein tell The Observer why Ritz Paris and Fayed organisations beyond Harrods must now be scrutinised, and why they are pinning the...
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The Europeans @europeanspod.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
🚄✈️Why is it still so hard to choose train over plane? On long-distance routes, choosing the train can feel borderline heroic. It’s often more expensive, takes longer, and you often miss connections. We asked @jon@gruene.social what needs to change to make rail the obvious choice. THREAD:
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Katy Lee @katyinparis.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
It started with an article that described women as a net deficit to the economy. Emma has spent years researching how the entire way we think about economics is geared against women. I loved talking to her about the arguments she makes in her book, 'Deficit':
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Katy Lee @katyinparis.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
This week, I have written about the massive punch-up at a nougat stand at the Salon de l'agriculture. If you've ever wanted to see a fight involving a nougat knife, watch the video. millefeuilleparis.substack.com/p/come-for-t...
millefeuilleparis.substack.com
Come for the nougat fights, if not the cows
Even in a boring year, the Salon de l’agriculture is anything but boring.
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Katy Lee @katyinparis.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
Oh noooooon
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Daniel Lawler @daniellawler.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
Consumers are obsessed with food miles because it is easy to understand - why are my bananas from so far away? But moving fruit in bulk on ships is far from the biggest cost involved. It can also be more environmentally friendly than organic food grown nearby www.worksinprogress.news/p/notes-on-p...
worksinprogress.news
An environmentalist gets lunch
Why being an effective environmentalist can often feel like being a bad one
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Katy Lee @katyinparis.bsky.social · 21/02/2026
Utterly floored by every interview of Gisèle Pelicot’s, and her ability to speak about the terrible things that happened to her with such eloquence. And what a much-needed right it is in the world that she has been able to find love again. ‘Hope is allowed’ www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
theguardian.com
Gisèle Pelicot on rape, courage and her ex-husband: ‘He was loved by everyone. That’s what is so terrifying’
The case against her former husband shocked the world, while her response inspired awe. As she publishes a memoir, she discusses chemical submission, the abuse hidden within her apparently perfect mar...
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Katy Lee @katyinparis.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
It’s got cannabis policy! It’s got vintage ski video recommendations! It’s unfailingly a good read, and I can say this because I’m not responsible for writing it:
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Katy Lee @katyinparis.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
Important listening this week.
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