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Seems like running rings around successive US presidents has become Netanyahu's favourite pastime.

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Signed this and shared it here and elsewhere ...

I just signed #econsky #Fed

Max Corden's birthday is next week. I remember meeting him at my very first World Bank ABCDE meeting 30 years ago, almost to the week. He was already a household name, but he was modest and unassuming. He and Peter Neary had by then published one of the most consequential papers in trade theory.

"Forecasting, especially for the future, is extremely difficult." - Or words to that effect, by the late Prof. Ken Boulding.

Statement from the largest economics association about the BLS firing As context: AEA approximately never makes such public statements This is a big deal

Spent several hours today listening to the collective wisdom of Martijn Burger, Andrew Clarke, Talita Greyling, Daniel Shek, and Stephanie Rossouw at the final roundtable discussion at ISQOLS 2025/Luxembourg. Thanks again to @isqols.bsky.social for organising this week's unparalleled conversations.

France is to recognise Palestine as a state, Macron has announced. The decision will be formalised at the UN General Assembly in September. “There is no alternative”.

Listened to one of the sharpest minds on the swirling geopolitical chaos facing us all today. Prof. Jeff Sachs spoke, via video-link, at @isqols.bsky.social's 30-year anniversary meetings in Luxembourg this afternoon. Refreshing as always, & critical but always constructive is Prof. Sach's hallmark.

Not a moment too soon.

"We Britons know the way to foreign leaders’ hearts. Just try to persuade Manu not to look too closely to the sides. On the left, a painting of Nelson’s death at Trafalgar. To the right, a large daub of Wellington and Prussian field marshal Blücher meeting before the Battle of Waterloo. Awkward."

Even closer ties between Iran and the KSA could be a win-win for the region as a whole as it ought to encourage Israel to limit its ambitions based on her aggressive foreign policy, dressed up as self defence, vis-à-vis its neighbours.

Brilliant.

Unprovoked my small Westie was attacked in a local park yesterday by a larger and out of control fearsome dog. It did occur to me once her and I got to the safety of home that had I been walking a Rottweiler instead, the vicious attack would not have taken place. Could this be Iran's thinking too?

When the world does not add up, at least we have Perfect Number Day: June 28th is considered "Perfect Number Day" because it features the first two perfect numbers, 6 and 28, in the date format (6/28). A perfect number is a positive integer that equals the sum of ...

Grossi's claims may be correct but given his team have not had access since the end of the conflict, they remain highly irresponsible as he has no conclusive proof. It was his loose language in his agency's 22 page report that offered Israel the excuse to launch its attacks on June 13.

Who said nuance was dead?

"But when Donald said Israel and Iran didn’t know what the fuck they were doing, he came out smelling of roses. Praised for his authenticity. Applauded for saying what the rest of the world is thinking. The Donald can do no wrong. He looks relaxed. God stand up for narcissists." - John Crace

Does this imply that, after all, there is honour amongst thieves?

Negotiation under duress is not negotiation, how can this simple point not be understood?

Brilliant interview of Lior Sternfeld by Orly Noy @ www.972mag.com

"Some men are born failures. Some achieve failure. Some have failure thrust upon them." From the brilliant John Crace.

On such matters, I guess a coin toss is as good a decision tool as you can expect from POTUS.

"This was not inevitable. This is a war Israel chose. It could have been prevented. Diplomatic talks were ongoing when the bombers took off for Iran."

Trump does not intend to sign joint G7 statement on Iran.

Mohamed El Baradei responding on 'X' to the German Foreign Office on 13 June after Israel struck Iranian nuclear facilities: Did anyone tell you Sir that “targeted strikes against nuclear facilities” are prohibited under article 56 of the additional protocol to the Geneva Conventions to which 1/2

It could not get more bizarre than this. #pentagonpizzatheory

Does Iran have a right to defend itself? Don't need dynamic differential calculus to answer this question.

Apparently, Iran has been in the final stages of making a nuclear bomb since 1984.

@supertanskiiii.bsky.social is not exaggerating. If you have 12 minutes, invest it here.

Seeing BBC News pluck up the courage on its reporting of Gaza is a thing of beauty.

This has to be good news.

I've been away over the past couple of weeks or so and enjoying some much needed digital isolation. So, I missed much of this story. But I can't tell you how pleased I am to see Nicusor Dan at the helm in Romania. Somewhst balances out the news of the presidential elections in Poland.

@martinsandbu.ft.com has got it right again in this measured piece. "Europe’s patience with Benjamin Netanyahu’s war in Gaza and Israeli settlers’ aggression in the occupied West Bank may finally be running out." .../

Starmer is right to take on Reform. However, the run up to the next election is likely to have strong parallels with the run up to the Brexit vote. Expert opinion being outrun by populist charlatans whose messaging will borrow heavily from 'project fear' type repackaging.

If it looks, if it feels and if it smells like a #genocide then it surely is a genocide.

Will there be any serious condemnation from the US, the EU, and its member states?

The Com team at Arsenal put out a message saying ST renewal would be from May 25th. Finally, it opened at 3 pm today. As far as I can tell, a correction to the original message was never sent out. Hope the club is more on the ball when it comes to their transfer targets this coming window.

The IFS is not known for exaggerated claims. We've been warned.

Depraved.

In answer to the substantive point (productivity of meetings), I recall a line manager claiming that for meetings to be productive they had to last no longer than 90 minutes (regular length of a football match). No room for any extra time or a penalty shootout.

UK must impose sanctions on Israel to meet legal obligations, say more than 800 lawyers www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...

How can this not be in contravention of the Foreign Corruption Prevention Act (FCPA)?

Breaking news: The move follows weeks of pressure on Harvard and other elite institutions in the US, including cuts by the Trump administration to billions of dollars of federal funding. www.ft.com/content/300e...