Is Delcy Rodríguez about to become Latin America's newest puppet? My thoughts in comments below.

Could this be the year the Trump tide turns? My thoughts in comments below.

A 2026 treat in store: announcing the forthcoming publication of my new book. Link in comments below.

He lied and lied and lied. No one can believe a word he said. My reaction to Trump's address to the nation in comments below.

A brave piece by a brave Israeli peace activist and negotiator. gershonbaskin.substack.com/p/is-it-alwa...

Watered down a bit by the lawyers -but felt it had to be said. www.newstatesman.com

Good grief! A peerage for Simon Heffer? He’ll look utterly splendid in ermine.

It's time to recognise reality: the US and Europe are on different sides of the Great Divide. More in comments below.

Remember: this is one of the eight (or is it nine?) wars that Trump says he has ended. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c4...

How I learned to speak cricket -- with a little bit of help from AI. Link in comments below.

Ooh look, a special offer! It's in the comments below.

What's gone wrong? And why? The always wise Michael Goldfarb and I have been looking for some answers. You might enjoy listening in. soundcloud.com/michael-gold...

The morning after: was it a Bodge-it Budget? My thoughts in comments below.

This is not true. He had not ‘just entered his teens’. He was racially abusing kids right through to the end of his school years - aged 18.

Today’s Gaza update: The Israeli military conducted a wave of strikes in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, killing at least 20 people and wounding others, according to Gaza’s health ministry, as Israel and Hamas accused each other of violating an ongoing cease-fire. (New York Times)

Five men are facing a war crimes trial, charged with the deliberate starvation of Palestinian civilians. And no, it's nothing to do with Gaza. slate.com/news-and-pol...

This is well worth your time, by @ivorgaber.bsky.social Labour's Seven Deadly Sins open.substack.com/pub/ivorgabe...

You'll find my (angry) thoughts on the Shabana Mahmood immigration proposals in the comments below.

A long hard winter ahead: my thoughts on what's in store for Starmer. Link in comments below.

According to Kemi Badenoch, the BBC's journalists 'need to be put under control immediately.' Could someone please explain to her the meaning of the words 'freedom of the press'?

More from me on the BBC crisis. www.youtube.com/watch?v=G02F...

The perfect reply to POTUS, assuming that the Arkell v Pressdram formula is not an option.

Good stuff, trenchantly expressed, from ex-Beeb boss Roger Mosey. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Devastating editorial (unsigned) on The Observer website. Note: The Observer's editor-in-chief is James Harding, who just happens to be a former head of BBC News and a former editor of The Times. In other words, he knows whereof he speaks. observer.co.uk/opinion-and-...

A moment of extreme danger for the BBC. My thoughts in comments below.

BBC director general Tim Davie and CEO of News Deborah Turness resign following criticism that a BBC Panorama documentary misled viewers by editing a speech by US President Donald Trump. - BBC

Can’t help wondering what all the people who’ve been so upset by the spread of so-called ‘cancel culture’ feel about the extreme cancelling of the Andrew formerly known as Prince.

'If this were a Shakespeare play instead of the Netflix drama series which surely is already being hastily written, Andrew would have been either banished or beheaded.' More of my thoughts in the comments below.

this is as robust a defence as Rachel Reeves could hope for, lettings agent has coughed up that it’s their mistake www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/202...

If you're losing sleep over Trump's remarks about restarting nuclear weapons tests, this piece by the always wise Fred Kaplan might help explain what's going on. slate.com/news-and-pol...

Maybe Netanyahu hopes that as Trump is glad-handing his way through Asia, he won’t notice. www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...

Some post-Caerphilly thoughts, by way of Dr Dolittle. Link in comments below.

Today's Gaza update: 'Gaza’s health ministry said in its latest update that the bodies of 57 people were brought to hospitals across the territory in the last 24 hours. It said 158 people had been injured.' (Guardian)

Today’s Gaza update: ‘Gaza’s civil defence agency and hospitals said a series of Israeli airstrikes across the territory killed at least 45 people on Sunday, updating an earlier toll of 33, according to AFP.’ (Guardian)

Today's Gaza update: 'The Hamas-run civil defence says 11 people were killed, all from the same family, after the bus they were in was hit by an Israeli tank shell in northern Gaza. It was the deadliest single incident involving Israeli soldiers since the start of the ceasefire eight days ago. (BBC)

Not sure what to think about Trump and the Gaza deal? Maybe the philosophers can help. See comments below.

The Gaza deal: why now? And what next? My thoughts in the comments below.

Latest Daily on Monocle Radio, first broadcast yesterday but ageing well. @alexvont.bsky.social and @robinlustig.bsky.social on two years since October 7th and other matters, plus Lieutenant General Sir Barney White-Spunner on his fine new book "Nations In Arms". monocle.com/radio/shows/...

SOME PERSONAL NEWS: I've signed a book deal. Can't say more just yet, but watch this space. Publication date May/June next year.

Mon dieu ! Liz Truss has been out-Trussed! www.bbc.com/news/article...

Today's Gaza update: 'The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says that 66 people have been killed by Israeli military operations in the past 24 hours, bringing the total since the war began to 67,074.' (BBC)

Truly awful.

My first thoughts after the Manchester synagogue attack. See comments below.

Everyone should read this.

Trump's latest Gaza peace plan? Why I'm not impressed, in the comments below.

Good to hear Starmer taking the fight to Farage. The man whose heroes are Putin and Trump? The man who brought us Brexit? And who thought Liz Truss's economic policies were brilliant? So yes, Starmer could have gone much further. But a good start.

Very sad news. Ming Campbell was one of the very few politicians whom I genuinely admired and liked. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Today’s Gaza update: ‘Israel intensified its assault on Gaza City on Monday, with reports of 37 Palestinians killed across the territory, including 30 in Gaza City.’ (Guardian)

Today's Gaza update: 'The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry said 71 people were killed and 304 injured in Israeli attacks in the past 24 hours.' (BBC)