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The wages of Putin’s war
Calling the Russia-Ukraine war ‘existential' may rally the public to think harder about a more dangerous world.
Sergey Radchenko
October 11, 2024
Notebooks
Notebooks are snapshots from our writers, reflecting on current affairs and underappreciated aspects of culture and history.
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The deep historical roots of Russia’s militarisation of the Arctic
Even as it wages war in Ukraine, Russia expands its arsenal in the Northern Fleet, and deploys nuclear submarines, radar stations, airfields, and missile facilities. It prepares fo..
Paul Josephson
October 9, 2024
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The life and deaths of Joseph Conrad
A century on from Conrad’s death, his stories – the character-driven yarns set on high seas, the politically-charged dramas – still have the power to captivate, thrill, illuminate ..
Malcolm Forbes
October 7, 2024
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Tehran’s endgame
A year on from 7 October and Iran is displacing Palestine as the focus of regional war. The regime in Tehran may set the conditions for its own endgame.
John Raine
October 7, 2024
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Iran misfires, again
Iran's missile strikes against Israel on 1 October compound a recent history of strategic missteps motivated by deep insecurity.
Ali Ansari
October 4, 2024
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Puccini’s battle of darkness and light
An exceptional artist is able to handle contrasts of light and shade and few did this better than Giacomo Puccini, a composer who took delight in the artistry of combining shades.
Alexandra Wilson
October 4, 2024
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Kate Bush, English lionheart
Kate Bush’s music, with its haunting mysticism and eccentric charm, offers an unexpected gateway to English identity and culture.
Muriel Zagha
October 2, 2024
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Censorship in the cradle of democracy
Ancient Athens, celebrated as the birthplace of democracy and intellectual freedom, grappled with the paradoxical urge to censor ideas in an early example of the tension between fr..
Armand D'Angour
September 30, 2024
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The UN has failed Lebanon
The UN's ineffective peacekeeping force in Lebanon has unwittingly shielded Hizbollah's massive military buildup over nearly two decades, setting the stage for a potentially catast..
Charlie Laderman
September 30, 2024