opinion

The political season begins in Westminster with renewed energy in parliament and the usual back-to-school analogies, but does real politics still happen there? In terms of policy and lawmaking within globally recognized institutions, the SW1 postcode remains the focal point. Yet the machinery of government feels sluggish. The UK stands

How are people in the UK adjusting to being compared to an isolated authoritarian regime? How does it feel to see the country ranked among the most oppressive nations in the world? That is the implication of a recent front-page claim suggesting Britain has taken a troubling turn. At first

France’s Financial Dilemma: High Spending but Persistent Grievances As someone opposed to austerity, France presents a puzzle. Despite its national debt at 114% of GDP and a budget deficit of 5.8% of GDP, claims that the government has pursued extreme free-market policies are unfounded. On a broad scale,

The lengthy summer break has come to an end. Parliament resumed this week, if not with a surge of renewed energy, then at least with the sense that the government has returned to address what had become a growing gap in leadership. While officials took time to recover over the

Day by day, the death toll rises, the war crimes mount, and the outrage grows. Last Wednesday, the pope demanded that Israel halt what he called the "collective punishment" of Gaza’s population. A day later, António Guterres, the United Nations secretary general, warned that “the levels of

A friend recently shared two major achievements: his first book had been published, and he had been granted tenure at his university. Yet, he confessed, he felt miserable. How could he celebrate his success while so much suffering unfolded elsewhere? This is a question many are asking. At this moment,