Can't help feeling the US is becoming a laboratory for the largest political, economic and social experiment in history. Not sure what would be the control group: maybe Denmark or Canada?

What a great story.

Excellent news.

New addition Journal article: Travels in the Missing Dimension: Official History and Secret Intelligence by Gill Bennett (published 03-07-2025) https://doi.org/10.1080/09592296.2025.2533022

Latest post returns to the battle for Pokrovsk in which both sides have invested heavily. The stakes are high - Russia needs to show something for this year’s constant and costly offensives. (£/free trial). samf.substack.com/p/one-last-p...

Since he says this bizarre stuff about Sharia law in this most public of forums, one can only assume that he actually believes it. But where does he get it from? Who feeds him this apocalyptic picture?

This is wonderful. All news bulletins should henceforth be carried in pidgin. We would be a calmer and happier nation.

Today we mark 80 years of the United Nations. For decades, the UN has been the world’s common ground — a pillar of peace, security, cooperation and multilateralism. The EU is proud to be one of its strongest supporters, working together for a fairer, safer, more united future.

Financial Times and Guardian reporting this accurately... www.ft.com/content/4e16...

If there is one thing that I feel increasingly grateful for every day, it is that we do not have a politically-appointed judiciary in the UK.

Vague promises made under pressure have a tendency to backfire. I wrote about Britain’s recognition of Palestine and an earlier parallel for @engelsbergideas.bsky.social

Hmm. One wonders what Mr Hegseth’s former employers at Fox News think about this.

And I forgot Black Books - another slightly weird but brilliant series, thanks to three superb leading characters.

It may, but there's a good answer. The US is also in trade talks with China. A similar response is available to President Trump's recent demand (in his search for reasons not to sanction Russia further) that the EU put "100% tariffs" on China. The US hasn't done so.

What is going on with local news on BBC iPlayer? In Cornwall last week we were getting the BBC Wales regional programme. Tonight in London we are getting Look North!

Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen: "We do not want either a conflict or a war with Russia. No one in Europe wants that. There is only one aggressive party, and that is Russia… If we do not dare to stand up for ourselves&do what needs to be done,we will simply be too easy a target at some point”

⚡️Russia operates 'potentially unprecedented system' holding Ukrainian children in 210 facilities, Yale researchers say. "The impact of the alleged crimes perpetuated by the Russian government is likely to leave generational scars," the report reads.

A sadly realistic assessment of Israel’s strategic predicament, and the dead-end of Netanyahu’s policy. The idea that Israel today could pursue economic ‘autarky’ is surely fantasy. Well worth a read. Agree failure to remove Hamas from Gaza would be the end of Netanyahu’s leadership. But … 1/2

Sounds like a great idea - but one trusts any future 'supercable' will be proof against Russian submersibles, or the anchors of mysterious Cook Islands-registered vessels.

Interesting piece, well worth a read. Nothing new under the sun. engelsbergideas.com/notebook/ame...

Smart. Looks like the Belgians waited until they had the strongest possible case, not just legally but also politically/diplomatically. Hard for even JD Vance to defend publishing "non-consensual intimate images" in the name of free speech.

Had there been space, I’d have added his final sentence: “This erosion of moderation is not limited to X.” Present company excepted (I hope).

Blunt words from a US academic expert on extremism: “…platforms like X [are] the primary organizing space for extremist groups worldwide. These groups now operate with impunity and, in the case of white supremacist networks, often benefit from algorithms that actively amplify their content.” 1/2

A little light reading to look forward to for the weekend.

Since there is no chance such an amendment would attract enough votes to pass (there must be more than 4 Republicans who would vote against it) this is entirely performative, as she surely knows. The worrying thing is that she presumably thinks it will be popular with her constituents in Georgia.

Looking at the reported tracks of the drones, this seems a reasonable assessment: looks as if Russia was trying to evade eastern-facing Ukrainian air defences around Lviv etc. So not an attack on Poland. But not accidental either - and a clear violation of Polish airspace.

Some very good commentary here. I was particularly struck by Georgina Wright’s point that France is losing influence in Europe because of its endless domestic turmoil. www.gmfus.org/news/frances...

Good piece of investigative reporting. Impressive detective work. www.bbc.com/news/article...

Quite a tribute to the international credibility of @bellingcat.com if Russia thinks it is worthwhile faking their reporting.

The War Department was abolished for a reason. Bringing it back won’t make America stronger, writes Dr Walter Ladwig in the latest RUSI Commentary.

Disease prevalence in US states before & after vaccine introduction 🧪 From Edward Tufte & graphics.wsj.com/infectious-d...

This is bizarre. The US government deports Latin American and Asian migrants to Uganda, South Sudan, eSwatini etc, but sends Russian political asylum seekers back *to Russia*? Anyone would think they were actively trying to boost the “Russia conspiracy”theories they are usually so keen to debunk.

This by John Raine is worth your time

... Says the world's leading expert in violating the interests of others.

Well - if this incident turns out to have a Russian connection, as so many do, PM Modi is conveniently placed to raise with Putin an attack on an important subsidiary of a major Indian company. www.bbc.com/news/article...

In response to news that Russian authorities have banned RUSI from operating in Russia, RUSI's Director-General, Rachel Ellehuus, has released a statement, which is available in full on our website.

Must be doing something right.

Engagement with the Taliban will likely come at the expense of those Afghans seeking protection from the Taliban regime.

Inexplicable. How does silencing America's voice around the world make America great? Once the audience is lost it will be hard to win back. The propagandists at RT and the Global Times must be breaking out the champagne. We need the BBC World Service more than ever.

Angry at insinuations that judges who granted or overturned Epping injunction were politically biased. I've known both Cons & Lab lawyers who've become judges. Whatever their previous politics they take seriously their judicial oath to do justice without fear or favour

Applies to a lot more than trade policy. Henry Kissinger’s first law of diplomacy: you are always forced to choose between unattractive alternatives. (Second law: you always have to do so on the basis of inadequate information).

Interesting historical context. Sadly realistic: I can see how it makes us all feel better to be ‘doing something’ but if recognition of a Palestinian state is to be more than performative there should be an answer to the question “Within what borders?” A question that never seems to get asked.

This is my flag.

Worth following this thread of the case against a crew of a ship that casually ripped up a load of communication cables in a manner not exactly unconducive to Russia's desire to generally fuck everything up

I'm not sure what is more extraordinary: the fact that the Cabinet members are seemingly happy to offer such obsequious flattery to the President, or the fact that he receives it (indeed, apparently expects it) with no visible embarrassment.

I wonder if this - threatening tariffs as coercive interference in trading partners’ domestic policies - might be the point at which a line is drawn and retaliation is triggered. If so, we might discover whether the TACO jibe is correct. (Incidentally, does the threat apply to China?)

I’m guessing the history syllabus mentions the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.

Noteworthy if correct. I wonder why. Surely we are all pulling in the same direction with a shared objective of a just, sustainable peace that assures Ukraine’s future security. Aren’t we?

If correct, it's rather extraordinary that after 3+ years of Ukraine fighting off an unprovoked invasion, it took a full-court press of European leaders to persuade the current US administration to accept principle number 1.

The usual very clear exposition from @ldfreedman.bsky.social The first three paragraphs really say it all.