I've long been a fan of devolution (see below). But OMG the focus on Manchester winds me up. Not to mention the interminable shite about 'supporting the right football team' we'll be subjected to on the BBC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UrJIUxBQIM&t=2s

Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. Rutte's dilemma, and NATO's: How to manage an increasingly irascible Trump. our take. by Mara Hvistendahl and StevenErlanger www.nytimes.com/2026/06/23/w...

Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. I covered Brexit and wrote this lament afterward, which caused much noise in Britain. I stand by it today, as Britain cycles through another failed gov. www.nytimes.com/2017/11/04/s...

Who Is Andy Burnham, the Man Who Could Be Britain’s Next Prime Minister? excellent profile of the next great white hope. by Stephen Castle www.nytimes.com/2026/06/18/w...

Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. Does Iran really want a final deal? And does Trump even care? My take. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/18/w...

Iran and the U.S. Have an Understanding. Will It Lead to a Deal? Does Iran even want one? My take www.nytimes.com/2026/06/18/w...

They Blew Up the Nord Stream Pipeline. Some Call Them Heroes. excellent NYT review of Bojan Pancevski's deep dive, so to speak, in how Ukraine blew up Nordstream II www.nytimes.com/2026/06/15/b...

On the Nuclear Issue, Each Side Finds a Way to Claim Victory A lot left to be negotiated on the nuclear program over the next few months. Does the US have the patience? My take www.nytimes.com/2026/06/15/w...

Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free. Even with an initial deal, US and Israel face a hardline Iran that has survived the worst and is retaining its core interests. Regime change of the wrong kind. My take. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/13/w...

Edgar Morin, ‘Grandfather’ of French Intellectuals, Dies at 104 by Adam Nossiter www.nytimes.com/2026/05/30/w...

Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. By the excellent Declan Walsh www.nytimes.com/2026/05/30/w...

Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. Europe's level of anxiety just went up another notch. My take. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/30/w...

This is what Trump's done to the people's house: A third of it is rubble. Another third is a cage match. What a metaphor.

As Russia fails to gain ground in the war in Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin appears to be pursuing a wider conflict in Europe, increasingly targeting critical infrastructure and supply chains, one of Britain’s highest-ranking intelligence officials said.

Remembering Robbie on Memorial Day by Robert Reich open.substack.com/pub/robertre...

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.

Thousands are marching in Selma calling for a full restoration of the voting rights act.

Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/15/u...

www.ft.com/content/33ad... by Simon Kuper

Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. Infuriating, heartbreaking. by the great Dan Barry www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

China Increasingly Views Trump’s America as an Empire in Decline “The America that represented wealth, freedom and institutional confidence feels like it belonged to a different era,” Mr. Wang said. by Li Yuan www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/b...

Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. Russia's scorecard from the Iran war is not so bad. My take. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/w...

In a new bonus episode of “The Foreign Affairs Interview,” Nicholas Burns discusses the issues that will take center stage when Trump meets Xi—from trade and technology to Iran, Taiwan, and Ukraine. Listen here: https://fam.ag/42tL0QD

Abraham Foxman, Warrior Against Antisemitism, Dies at 86 RIP. an amazing life www.nytimes.com/2026/05/10/o...

Ukraine has absolutely not lost this war - as the recent back and forth on Moscow’s military parade showed. Doesn’t mean they are winning either, but we are in the fifth year of this war and Ukraine is holding, which is impressive. Me this morning on Radio Classique.

Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. The mood is itchy but the war continues. By Valerie Hopkins www.nytimes.com/2026/05/08/w...

Political courage and what it means

Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. by Claudia Major www.nytimes.com/2026/05/07/o...

La solución infalible que Trump busca para poner fin a la guerra de Irán tal vez no exista For those who prefer Spanish.... www.nytimes.com/es/2026/05/0...

Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. Trump looks for a silver bullet in Iran. There may not be one. My take. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/05/w...

Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. The war in the West Bank. important. by natan odenheimer and david halbfinger www.nytimes.com/2026/05/04/w...

Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. With US stuck in Iran, Ukraine is adrift. Europe has money but no strategy. Talks are dormant. The war goes on. My take. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/25/w...

Ruth Slenczynska, 101, Dies; Piano Prodigy Overcame Father’s Abuse fascinating obit by Margalit Fox. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/23/a...

💭 How did Hungary shape support for Ukraine? @stevenerlanger.bsky.social of @nytimes.com on Orbán’s role in European politics. 📺 Full conversation on YouTube

💥"Yesterday you could feel a huge relief among leaders. Because it was for the first time in years that there were no Russians in the room, if you know what I'm talking about. But..." And then Robert Fico walks in while Donald Tusk winks at the reporters. Pure perfection.

Paramount Throws Party for Trump as It Awaits Approval of Warner Bros. Deal AND at the US Institute of Peace, as was. You couldn't make it up, really. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/24/b...

Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. Opinion, sensible as usual, from Bill Burns. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/24/o...

You know, you don't HAVE to go.

Europe Mulls What Mutual Defense Looks Like Outside NATO And what in the real world is Article 42.7? Our take. by StevenErlanger and Jeanna Smialek www.nytimes.com/2026/04/24/w...

President Trump has invoked the White House ballroom on about a third of the days this year, according to a Post analysis of his public remarks and social media posts, a pace that rivals his mentions of some major policy priorities. https://wapo.st/3Quq5dp

‘We Cannot Lose Sight of Ukraine.’ Europeans Promise More Aid to Kyiv. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/15/w...

These Chimps Began the Bloodiest ‘War’ on Record. No One Knows Why. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/09/s...

Mutually Automated Destruction: The Escalating Global A.I. Arms Race www.nytimes.com/2026/04/12/t...

What to Know as Hungary Votes in Elections Watched by the World www.nytimes.com/2026/04/12/w...

A Cease-Fire for Now in Iran, but a Blow to American Credibility Critics wonder if this is America’s “Suez moment,” when a leading power signals the start of its international decline. @stevenerlanger.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2026/04/09/w...

Trump take American credibility. (Solid, unflinching work by @stevenerlanger.bsky.social.) www.nytimes.com/2026/04/09/w...

Gaza’s Rubble Is the Grave of Our Future www.nytimes.com/2026/04/10/o...