whoa -- this is new. Trump has a significant rash-like injury on his neck today in addition to his disfigured hand (Saul Loeb/Getty)

What happens when the global hyperpower falls into the hands of Colonel Kurtz; asking for a friend

Anyone who truly wants to understand self-driving cars, this is a must-watch. Everything in this is spot-on.

oh great

You couldn’t make this up. And if you did, everyone would say it’s too much.

The security implications of this - if true - are terrifying... A Telegraph hack has Trump's personal phone number - and Trump personally answers it when he calls? Really?

After mentioning four dead US servicemen Trump starts talking about his ballroom. In a competitive field, this may be one of the most offensive things he has ever done.

unfortunately for the Gulf Arabs, they didn't understand that Trump is, in a strange metaphysical sense, "incorruptible" because he will pocket your bribe and then fuck you over

Donald Trump's theory of regime change is underpants gnomes logic 1) Kidnap/kill current leaders, blow stuff up 2) ? 3) Profit! (literally, because Trump and his allies seek personal gain from all of this)

Keir Starmer on Iran: “The use of British bases is limited to the agreed defensive purposes. “We are not joining the US and Israeli offensive strikes.”

"Indeed, the hit to US stocks is on a par with the damage inflicted by a blog post published a week ago outlining the potential impacts on the labour market from AI. Crucially, none of it is enough to force a rethink in the White House."

Not a proper market shock (yet), not enough for a TACO, on a par with the AI freakout last week. Team Trump could easily see this as a green light. to the extent people *are* nervous, it's notable Treasuries are a bit shaky my thing: as.ft.com/r/dd6edefc-6...

Raytheon Executive: I know you’re skeptical about buying American again. But hear me out. The MIM-104 Patriot is the only surface to air missile system with a proven track record of success against the US Air Force. Danish Defense Minister: Continue.

There we go, France will increase its nuclear arsenal, intensify nuclear weapons cooperation with the UK, develop share frameworks with Germany and other EU partners.

So predating on your traditional allies by threatening to invade their territory and topple their democratic governments hasn't worked to your advantage? 🤔

"Oh, things will be so much better when the railways are nationalised and are there to serve the public and not corporate greed!"

Lots of worrisome signals about what next, but the idea that the U.S. can just destabilize Iran and then wash its hands and walk away unscathed is particularly so.

New in PN: The irrational strongman we’ve been warned about is here "The fantasy monster that president after president has conjured up is real, and he is squatting orangely over his phone in the bathroom at Mar-A-Lago."

I spent 6 years of my life writing a PhD about UK policy in Persian Gulf in the 1960s, including the role of the Anglo-American alliance. Key to the Persian Gulf policy of both countries: AVOID a power vacuum under any circumstances &keep Iran&Saudi Arabia from attacking the smaller Gulf States.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - US military says Kuwait 'mistakenly shot down' 3 American F-15E Strike Eagles aircraft during combat. @apnews.com

Tesla is a $1.5 trillion stock promotion scheme that can't even be bothered to pretend anymore

Also, don't take an AI bot's recommendation for which mushrooms are safe to eat. Or any e-book or any paper book published after 2024.

If you thought nationalisation would make everything warm and cuddly, think again. Yes, keeping your money under all circumstances helps prevent fraudulent refund claims. But at the cost of honest passengers being caught out and losing all their money. Maybe just drive next time?

DON'T BUY TRAIN TICKETS IN ADVANCE! On 1 April, the government is quietly changing the rules. Off-Peak & Anytime tickets become non-refundable after 23:59 the day BEFORE you travel. If you wake up & find your event cancelled, NO REFUNDS, even on £100+ tickets. www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/far...

One suspects the "It's different, and actually good, when you do it to a very very bad guy" rationale may have ramifications that are not going to be universally enjoyable

The NYT style guide

From yesterday's Observer.

One of the biggest issues from this Iran attack comes from the decision to decapitate the leadership of a country. The tacit understanding not to target leaders means the world has largely avoided tit-for-tat state sponsored assassinations of our leaders. Now, running for office carries higher risk

I have never seen a politician more directly copy this speech in my life

Last night a Waymo vehicle froze on an Austin street after a mass shooting, delaying emergency response. Note to regulators: Crashing is only one of the ways AVs can harm people.

WELL WELL WELL NOT SO EASY TO FIND A PLAN TO TERMINATE A CONFLICT THAT DOESN’T SUCK SHIT HUH?

Strike: when we bomb someone Attack: when someone else bombs us

Dan Simmons, author of Hyperion and The Terror, dies aged 77

The preferred solution of the UK Home Office is for affected people to wear noise cancelling headphones to block out the noise of explosions.

Boy, does this make me think of Justice Jackson’s Youngstown concurrence, in which he warns of the danger of a president unilaterally initiating a war, and then using that war as a bootstrap to claim extraordinary powers at home.

Starmer's ability to find the exact sweetspot which pisses off everyone is extraordinary. He's a savant.

Reuters/Ipsos Poll

Treasury plans depend on net migration being much higher than current policy will deliver or current Home Secretary willing to accept. Something will have to give. Will Labour deliver tax rises and spending cuts just before an election to keep net imm close to zero? Or let imm rise to avert this?

So lazy. Last time they went to the effort of faking a WMD dossier.

Sen. Graham: “Our goal is to make sure Iran cannot become again the largest state sponsor of terrorism.” Welker: “Does the president have a plan to guarantee that happens?” Sen. Graham: “No, it’s not his job…You know the saying ‘you break it you own it?’ I don’t buy that one bit.”

The Habsburgs were known for dynastic intermarriage in order to expand their dominions (Tu Felix Austria, Nube), a practice that not only led to the IR precept that “Jaw-Jaw is Better than War-War,” but also brought about the world’s first Drool-Based International Order.

If Americans discovered how good the average British grocery store is versus what they get, they'd riot, I swear.

OFFS. When Iran tried to interefere in 2020, researchers caught them and called them out. Then the Benz-Weiss-Taibbi-Musk-Jordan-Trump axis labeled those researchers "censors" ... and set about defunding them and dismantling their organizations.

Reading up on the English Civil Wars to prepare for a reading project on the American Revolution. Sadly, 1630s England is devoid of relevance to any of our contemporary concerns!

Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled viruses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the bacteria, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!

I can never recommend ignoring the news but maybe read this first as.ft.com/r/d2b6ae74-d...

Today marks the first day of meteorological spring 🌷 March has arrived, and with it comes longer, lighter days. Over the next few weeks most of us will enjoy around two extra hours of daylight ☀️

As everyone points out in the replies and in the QTs, this is a lot harder that you would expect when first hearing the prompt question

Keir Starmer is going to end up with his trademark u-turn here – where it becomes obvious to those paying attention it was entirely forced by backbenchers. So he gets no credit for the u-turn by people who wanted it, and attacked for dropping the policy by others.

THIS IS EXCITING NEWS! You can now pre-order a SIGNED copy of "Up. A scientist's guide to the magic above us" by the amazing @drlucyrogers.com Lucy Rogers. Lucy shows us the wonder in looking up & discovering a whole world in action overhead. Order HERE! www.biggreenbookshop.com/signed-copie...