Losing in Ukraine, is Putin finally down to his nukes?

Just over three years ago, we assessed that it was no longer a question of whether Russia loses in Ukraine, but only when. At that time, Ukrainian deep-strike drones were just beginning…

Both sides signed the Iran deal, but neither could deliver

The 60-day negotiating window now beginning will test whether the gap between what was signed and what can be delivered can be bridged.

In 60 years of independence, Botswana has refuted the authoritarian development myth

The assumption that poor societies cannot afford the luxury of liberal institutions is both false and potentially fatal.

Why are we so obsessed with Taylor Swift’s wedding? | Dave Schilling

With marriage rates in decline, the appeal of a big wedding that we can live vicariously is stronger than ever Finally, after decades, I have something in common with Taylor…

Trump is bombing Iran again and blundering again. He has no grasp of his enemy

The president is behaving as if the battleground is the same, but it isn’t. Iran has leverage and knows it And so to war. Again. After a ceasefire and a…

Britain’s dysfunctional dynamic: the public wants change, but those in power always tell them it’s not possible | Andy Beckett

Whenever major reform is proposed the media, big business and Westminster quickly conclude it’s too expensive and disruptive. This doesn’t bode well for Andy Burnham In an old, often anxious…

Like most Britons, I am an elite all-you-can-eat buffet athlete – with an unbeatable approach | Emma Brockes

As the all-inclusive holiday is having a revival, I am reminded of honing my buffet skills at the Pizza Hut salad bar in the 1980s – an invaluable experience School’s…

Populism unites Le Pen and Farage. But she is a step closer to power

Marine Le Pen is a convicted criminal. But now she’s running for office and there is still no credible candidate to oppose her As the judge read out the verdict…

At last: Washington listened to Main Street's cosmetology and barber schools

The U.S. Department of Education has granted barbering, cosmetology and massage-therapy programs more time to comply with its new accountability rule, recognizing the skilled, tip-earning work of these professions and…

Congress must ignore fearmongering and pass the organized retail crime bill

The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act has passed the House and is now before the Senate, and is designed to provide coordination and support to state and local law enforcement…