World
Putin’s totalitarian turn
Putin, of course, can never be wrong. Hence the desperate struggle, familiar to other personalised authoritarianisms, to find suitable scapegoats,…
What Russians are really being told about war in Ukraine
‘They are lying to you here,’ declared the placard held aloft by the journalist who stormed the set of one of…
Could China get sucked into war in Ukraine?
If war in Ukraine is to end any time soon, the relationship between Moscow and Beijing will prove crucial. A…
How the Foreign Office secured Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s release
There was a rare display of unity in the Commons chamber this afternoon when Liz Truss gave a statement on…
Is Boris a Russian agent?
Is Boris a Russian agent? That bizarre question occupied most of PMQs where Dominic Raab deputised for the PM while…
Did the realists underestimate Putin?
Liberal internationalists, neoconservatives and NeverTrumpers are having the time of their lives these days, ridiculing anyone on the political right…
Russia had nothing to do with Brexit
In light of Russia’s abhorrent invasion of Ukraine, certain corners of the internet have become obsessed – yet again – with Russia’s supposed…
Zelensky basks in the world’s spotlight
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is flying high. The contrast between Zelensky, who virtually addressed Congress this morning, and Russian president…
Let Daniil Medvedev think what he wants about Putin
So now you have to undergo a political purity test to play at Wimbledon? Judging from the pressure being put…
Don’t bash private schools for educating oligarch kids
Bashing fee-paying schools is a popular sport – and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is as good an excuse as any…
Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s release will be a big relief for Boris Johnson
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been released from custody in Iran, according to Iranian government officials. Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the 43-year-old British-Iranian woman, was…
The West has to bite its lip for Saudi oil
It would be ridiculous to claim that Boris Johnson’s visit to Saudi Arabia is not morally problematic. He is going…
Why hasn’t Russia been able to stop Ukraine’s drone attacks?
Among the many weapons being used by the Ukrainian military to inflict losses on the Russian invasion forces, several have…
Ukrainians fear Chechen fighters. Russian soldiers hate them
Residents fleeing the Kiev suburb of Bucha reported Chechens machine-gunning cars, even those with the word ‘children’written in their windscreens.…
Enough with the 1970s comparisons
The media are abuzz these days about a purported “return to the 1970s.” Generally speaking, such chatter is not intended…
When the establishment cries treason
Last week, former Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard released a video calling for a ceasefire in areas around American-funded biolabs in…
Why do Russian tennis stars need to condemn Putin?
Nigel Huddleston is Under-Secretary of State for Sport, Tourism, Heritage and Civil Society, hardly the biggest job in government. Yet…
David Frost’s solution to cool UK-EU relations
Since David Frost quit the government in December over its political direction, he has not said that much about the…
Is China’s zero Covid game up?
Omicron has broken through China’s Covid wall. On Tuesday, the country saw a record-high of more than 5,000 cases, the…
Will Nicola Sturgeon’s mask restrictions have any effect?
As England axes the last of its Covid regulations, Nicola Sturgeon is extending Scotland’s – saying that mask wearing in…
Will Westminster ever fix the Northern Ireland protocol?
Last night’s spat between the Foreign Office and the Treasury was hardly reassuring for Unionists. If you missed it, a…
China’s zero Covid strategy is a threat to the global economy
Aside from deterring a few tourists, and people filming fantasy epics, closing down New Zealand during the Covid pandemic didn’t…
Is Putin nuts?
As Russian forces level Ukrainian cities with artillery, missiles and airstrikes, there’s a concerted effort to get inside the mind…
Turkish drones are transforming the war in Ukraine
Istanbul, Turkey A cheer rings out in a secret command centre. On the screen, another Russian missile launcher has vanished…
Can Britain afford to spend more on defence?
With rumours swirling that the Ministry of Defence will see its budget boosted in next week’s spring statement it’s hard…
