Many trainers and athletes have long believed that lifting to failure is the best way to build muscle. But recent research has challenged that idea.

Over the years, our reporter has gathered useful, surprising kernels of advice from all sorts of people — including scientists, professors, nurses, astronauts and even Cher — about how to be happy. Here are the best takeaways about how to live a good, fulfilling life.

President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday said Ukraine will not adhere to a three-day cease-fire proposed by Russia, saying such a short truce would not help in negotiations for a lasting peace.

✍️Energy Security in the Baltics: Perceptions in the Midst of the Russia-Ukraine War Read the latest Research Report by @leonhartwell.bsky.social and Agne Rakstyte on perceptions on energy in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania amidst the Russia-Ukraine war. ⬇️Read Here www.lse.ac.uk/ideas/public...

“So long as the protests continue [in Serbia] and this momentum grows, the EU has a unique opportunity to repair its institutional legitimacy in the Balkans.” Alba Alizoti & @leonhartwell.bsky.social

How the EU Can Help Serbia’s Protesters | "As student-led protests continue to rock Serbia, President Aleksandar Vučić’s authoritarian grip is facing its most serious challenge yet." Alba Alizoti and @leonhartwell.bsky.social

✊ Student-led protests in Serbia are challenging Vučić’s grip on power. In our latest piece, Alba Alizoti and I argue it’s time for the EU to stand with them — and show it means what it says on democracy. 📖 Read here: cepa.org/article/how-... #Serbia #EU #Protests #Democracy @cepa.org

Together with Agnė Rakštytė, I explore how Baltic people perceive energy security amidst the Russia-Ukraine war. Key insights: strong support for renewables, but scepticism toward gov’t energy plans. 📝 Read more: www.lse.ac.uk/ideas/public... #EnergySecurity @lseideas.bsky.social @cepa.org

“Fact-checking is not about censorship – it’s about protecting the integrity of public discourse. Without it, propaganda and misinformation will thrive, science will suffer, and democracies will weaken.” @leonhartwell.bsky.social

My latest article: The far-right’s war on fact-checking in the U.S. has global consequences. As Silicon Valley retreats & AI fuels #disinformation, democracy—including in South Africa—is at risk. The fight for truth has never been more urgent. 🔗 Read here: www.citizen.co.za/news/opinion...

🎙️ I spoke with Radio Free Europe about the new EU envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue, Peter Sørensen, and the mediation process. 🔑 Mutual recognition must be the cornerstone of this dialogue. ‘Normalization’ is too vague—clear goals drive real progress. www.evropaelire.org/a/stagnimi-i...

"It was a deliberate signal to both domestic and international audiences that he was not taking orders from the United States,” @leonhartwell.bsky.social on Putin’s questions regarding the ceasefire.

“Putin has shown time and again that Russia does not truly want peace with Ukraine, and history is littered with broken promises toward that country.” @leonhartwell.bsky.social

“Putin has shown time and again that Russia does not truly want peace with Ukraine, and history is littered with broken promises toward that country.” @leonhartwell.bsky.social

#VOA interviewed me about Trump’s mediation efforts in the Russia-Ukraine war. This could be among the last articles published by VOA, as Trump issued an order to scale back the federally funded news org, labeling it "anti-Trump" and "radical." www.golosameriki.com/a/american-e... @cepa.org

Weekend read: On narratives and fairytales: #Serbia’s authoritarian leader’s playbook neweasterneurope.eu/2025/02/13/o... #Balkans #disinformation @neweasterneurope.eu @lseideas.bsky.social @cepa.org

“Putin has shown time and again that Russia does not truly want peace with Ukraine, and history is littered with broken promises toward that country." @leonhartwell.bsky.social

Happening today! Make sure to register and join the discussion.

#Ukraine is under immense pressure to appease the Trump administration—hence its acceptance of the ceasefire. But diplomacy is not The Apprentice —it is not a reality show where deals can be made on impulse and consequences are mere afterthoughts. cepa.org/article/ukra... @cepa.org

Trump’s team wields sticks against Ukraine, the victim, while offering carrots to #Russia, the aggressor. Meanwhile, a durable peace remains elusive. What happens next could reshape the war. Read more: www.newsweek.com/ukraine-russ... @newsweek.com @lseideas.bsky.social

✍️Between East and West: Navigating alliances in the Western Balkans | European Leadership Network Discover @leonhartwell.bsky.social's latest paper on the Western Balkans. ⬇️Read Here europeanleadershipnetwork.org/commentary/b...

"If Zelenskyy makes a deal under current conditions and where he gives away all these territories to Russia, he will not be able to go back to Ukraine and sell this deal because the Ukrainian public will be against it." @leonhartwell.bsky.social

Honored to join the Geostrata panel, Can Peace Prevail: #Ukraine’s Roadmap for Peace? I argued that while an agreement is theoretically possible, no mediator can currently broker a deal that will lead to sustainable peace. Watch: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xokd... @lseideas.bsky.social @cepa.org

I had the privilege of joining a panel at the University of Johannesburg, co-organized with the Embassy of Lithuania, to discuss how false narratives & digital manipulation undermine democracy & security. 🎥 Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyHS... @lseideas.bsky.social @lithuaniamfa.bsky.social

The late Christopher Coker: If we don’t defeat Putin now, we’re going to have to defeat him on another occasion when we’re going to be less united and when we won’t have Ukraine doing most of the fighting and doing it very effectively europeanleadershipnetwork.org/commentary/u... @theeln.bsky.social

“In Vučić’s playbook, the truth is malleable, and reality is something to be authored and performed. To understand his strategy, one must first turn to the tools of fiction—characters, plots, and, above all, the power of a compelling story.” @leonhartwell.bsky.social

A recent survey conducted by the International Republican Institute highlighted the fragmented nature of public opinion on allies and adversaries across the Western Balkans. ELN Visiting Fellow @leonhartwell.bsky.social notes that while some states... europeanleadershipnetwork.org/commentary/b...

Here is my take on the situation in #Montenegro in the latest issue of @neweasterneurope.eu: neweasterneurope.eu/2024/11/21/m... #Balkans #Serbia #EU @cepa.bsky.social @lseideas.bsky.social

On narratives and fairytales: #Serbia’s authoritarian leader’s playbook neweasterneurope.eu/2025/02/13/o... @neweasterneurope.eu @lseideas.bsky.social

Despite official EU aspirations throughout the Western #Balkans, public opinion across the region remains deeply fragmented. europeanleadershipnetwork.org/commentary/b... @theeln.bsky.social

Increasingly authoritarian political environments in the #Balkans threaten the effectiveness of security sector oversight institutions, as these mechanisms risk being undermined and becoming politicized. See full report: europeanleadershipnetwork.org/report/stren... @cepa.org @lseideas.bsky.social

In On Narratives and Fairytales: #Serbia’s Authoritarian Leader’s Playbook, I break down how Vučić crafts his reality using media control, historical grievances, and a playbook of deception. neweasterneurope.eu/2025/02/13/o... @neweasterneurope.eu @lseideas.bsky.social

📰 Weekend Read: On Narratives and Fairytales: Serbia’s Authoritarian Leader’s Playbook neweasterneurope.eu/2025/02/13/o... #Serbia #NoviSad #disinformation @neweasterneurope.eu @lseideas.bsky.social @cepa.org @theeln.bsky.social

Increasingly authoritarian political environments in the #Balkans threaten the effectiveness of security sector oversight institutions, as these mechanisms risk being undermined and becoming politicized. See full report: europeanleadershipnetwork.org/report/stren... @cepa.org @lseideas.bsky.social

Protests in Belgrade brought around 100,000 people in the street last night. More than on 5th October when Milošević was overthrown. It might become a critical turning point for the regime's control. n1info.rs/vesti/protes...

“As several Western Balkans states teeter on the edge of autocracy, their democratic institutions face a perilous slide, threatening the very legal frameworks meant to uphold the rule of law.” Leon Hartwell

Russia and China at Odds Over Black Sea Ambitions | "The “no limits” Russia—China partnership is under strain in the Black Sea, where the Kremlin’s status as an economic supplicant means its interests risk being compromised." Nino Lezhava & Leon Hartwell

📢Disinformation and Misinformation as a Threat to Democracy and Security | University of Johannesburg Moderated by Dr. Anslem Adunimay, Leon Hartwell joined Karen Allen and Prof. Admire Mare, to delve into the complexities of #disinformation and its impact on #democracy & #security.

📢Security Cooperation in the Western Balkans: Working Together in Times of Global Uncertainties Dr. Leon Hartwell (Ideas Sr. Associate) moderated the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC)’s panel at the 9th Annual Regional Security Coordination Conference in the Western #Balkans.

Serbian Propaganda Factories Boost Support for Moscow | "As Serbian media outlets stoke support for Russia across the Balkans, the West must challenge Belgrade’s disinformation." Leon Hartwell

💡"Does EU Climate Policy need Evolution or Revolution? What Should We Change in the European Green Deal?" A dynamic panel at the Energy Security in Central and Eastern Europe 2024 conference in Warsaw, Poland, moderated by Leon Hartwell (IDEAS Sr. Associate). #Climate #EU #energy #security

Here is my take on the situation in #Montenegro in the latest issue of @neweasterneurope.eu: neweasterneurope.eu/2024/11/21/m... #Balkans #Serbia #EU @cepa.bsky.social @lseideas.bsky.social