Sweeping the strait: the companies gearing up to clear the Gulf of mines - www.ft.com/content/1a71... via @FT

Mr. & Mrs. Andrews in 1750, with their dog & especially with their estate. But oddly not finished! What was supposed to go in that reserved area in Frances Andrews' lap? By Thomas Gainsborough, born OTD 1727.

For every little girl who ever played dress-up: Elizabeth Anne Haverfield, 1780s, by Thomas Gainsborough. Today is his day.

Quantum computing: A tech race Europe could win? Alice&Bob etc www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

America's chief Middle East negotiator - Jared Kushner - is almost completely dependent on Middle East government investment in his chief business. It's probably the biggest conflict of interest in American diplomatic history and we should be talking about this way more.

Ship seized near UAE coast headed for Iranian waters, UK maritime agency says

Zineb Sedira review: A chic ode to revolutionary cinema, brainy boozers – and exceptional berets

⚖️ Luc Besson accusé de viol: le parquet général requiert une réouverture des investigations concernant les accusations de viol par l'actrice Sand Van Roy, l'une des affaires emblématiques de #MeToo qui s'était close par un non-lieu.

US power transformer buyers scramble for imports, factory slots reut.rs/4eHeamQ

Finland’s Stubb tells Europe to ‘calm down’ over US troop pullback

Edith Eva Eger, Psychologist Who Barely Survived Auschwitz, Dies at 98 www.nytimes.com/2026/05/08/b...

Frans Vekemans, trying to look tough & manly which is not so easy when you are still in long skirts! Painted in 1625 by Cornelis de Vos, whose day is today.

Historic market concentration - what risks? www.ft.com/content/7599... via @FT “What looks like broad market resilience is, to a large extent, a small group of megacap tech and AI stocks pulling the index higher” said Valérie Noël, head of trading at Syz Bank.

Quantum computing moves closer to drug discovery with enzyme study - giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... via @FT

New investigation: A shadowy Libyan businessman is active in virtually every layer of eastern Libya’s economy, all while being protected by the Haftar family. Our investigation reveals Ahmed Gadalla as the Haftar family’s most versatile financial operator. Learn more: thesentry.org/reports/east...

My co-worker when the guy I'm complaining about is stood behind me.

Ukraine's Zelenskyy rebukes Israel for buying grain 'stolen' by Russia

Great news: in England it is #NationalTeaDay Meaning it's time for Pieter van Roestraten, a Dutch painter working in England. And, by a wonderful coincidence, he was born on this day in 1630.

The Fallen by Louise Brangan review – an enraging account of Ireland’s Magdalene laundries

Les faits sont têtus. Quand la vérité de la violence des colons dérange, Israel recourt à la vieille méthode : shoot the messenger. Avec en prime un amalgame scandaleux entre critique d'Israël et antisémitisme.

Fed will need to explain why current inflation jump differs from 2022 surge reut.rs/3Qd456H

2/2 The eyes. Looking right at you.

Side-eying her eyes: Saint Lucy, painted by Francesco del Cossa of Ferrara. Today is his day.

Temptation of Saint Anthony w/ self-portrait as giant hell-mouth spewing demons. Plus an artist in his brain (of course!). By Joos van Craesbeeck, whose day is today.

3/3 Some excellent demons having fun w/ Saint Anthony’s pig.

Netanyahu-ism has achieved nothing for Israelis – and come at a monstrously high price | Jonathan Freedland

Russian investigative journalist is placed in pre-trial detention reut.rs/4t79HOD

This admonition in Ha'aretz is true, and it applies with even more force to the United States. www.haaretz.com/opinion/2026...

Fascinating stuff. India. Vultures near extinction. Health. 500,000 Indians died between 2000 and 2005 alone because of the loss of vultures’ scavenging services. How do you replace 40 million dead vultures? www.economist.com/1843/2026/04...

Retired US General Mark Hertling confirms military commanders are actively preparing to defy Donald Trump. “They are bound by the Constitution to disobey unlawful orders to bomb Iranian civilians.” 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏😎

Retired 4-Star Navy Admiral and former Navy SEAL William McRaven on Donald Trump: "Through your actions, you have embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation."

US payments group with $20bn market value aims to boost UK truck electrification - www.ft.com/content/58d6... via @FT

Marina Scholtz kicked off the week by speaking to Orlando Reade who has managed to squeeze a comprehensive book on Milton and his readers (Jordan Peterson surprisingly included) into a neat two hundred and twelve pages long. You can read the interview here: thelondonmagazine.org/interview-or...

Spectacled Caiman and a False Coral Snake by artist-naturalist Maria Sibylla Merian, born on this day in 1647.

"Hungary is a textbook example of how unconstrained power—the goal of populists everywhere—is a recipe for plunder; but also of how such plunder ultimately repels voters." Lessons for the world from tiny Hungary www.economist.com/leaders/2026...

Recapture of Bahia: Spanish/Portuguese forces overcome the Dutch in Brazil, 1625. Here, aftermath of siege, plus people rejoicing to see a portrait of Philip IV. Of course. Painted by Juan Bautista Maino.

Very corporeal angels indeed! Suggestive rendition of spheric and palpable mamal clouds!! Wondering if this was commissioned for a church or the private salon of a hot cardinal. 🔥

Advantage China: This week's Economist contains a trenchant series of interviews with diplomats, foreign relations scholars and national security experts who have formed a remarkably consistent view. Iran as a grave American strategic error which has benefitted Russia and China—especially the latter

RUBIO: “Imagine if Iran spent billions on its people instead of weapons... They’d have a much different country.”🤔😕 Unreal. @marcorubio Do you even hear yourselves? Your shameless hypocrisy is killing us

2/2 The Duke of Wellington, looking v. fine if a bit startled in his portrait by Francisco de Goya, 1813.

Truth rescued by time, as witnessed by history. We can still hope. Painted 1814 by Francisco Goya, whose birthday was today.

Francisco de Goya: Self-portrait being treated by Dr. Arrieto, 1820. Just in case he didn’t survive (but he did!). Today has been his day.

George Orwell's musings on authoritarianism and state manipulation are juxtaposed against flashing cards, film clips and historical footage from the past 100 years Raoul Peck's extraordinary new doc is in cinemas tonight: dmovies.org/2025/05/18/o...

Looking right at you from 1536: scholar Guillaume Budé, painted by Jean Clouet, whose day is today.

Author, patron, & princess: Marguerite de Navarre, sister of Francis I, in 1527. She's got a parrot too! Painted by Jean Clouet, whose day is today.

Houses form a dense pattern yet this back street in some city fails to feel lively. Because it's by Jacob Vrel, painter of stillness. Today has been his day.