Notebooks

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The logic behind Iran’s siege mentality

As the Islamic Republic faces the greatest threat in its 47-year history, a ‘rope-a-dope’ strategy may keep it alive.

Jack Dickens March 2, 2026

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Reading is a skill

Novels may refine judgement, but they cannot make us good.

Alastair Benn March 2, 2026

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The Islamic Republic in ruins

President Trump's strike on the Islamic Republic, Operation ‘Epic Fury’, seeks to remove the Iranian regime's monopoly of violence.

Ali Ansari March 1, 2026

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Ripples from Iran

The Israeli-American attack on Iran and the killing of its Supreme Leader may well bring the epoch of the rules-based order to an end.

Peter Caddick-Adams March 1, 2026

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A short strike in Iran’s long war

Will the actions of America and Israel enable Iranians to take back control?

Rob Johnson February 28, 2026

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The man who gave books away

J.L. Carr’s singular career as a teacher, publisher, and novelist was marked by eccentric ingenuity.

Nigel Andrew February 27, 2026

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Mexico after El Mencho

The death of the cartel leader marks a turning point for Mexico. Whether the country seizes this moment will shape its security for years to come.

Connor Pfeiffer February 25, 2026

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Bangladesh’s old new politics

The Monsoon Revolution in Bangladesh produced a landslide election victory in favour of fundamental reforms. Yet the country's new governing party has a past marked by military rul..

Arjuna Keshvani-Ham February 24, 2026

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Royals and the rule of law

From the Wars of the Roses to the Glorious Revolution, arrest, imprisonment, and even execution have been occupational hazards for royals.

Samuel Rubinstein February 24, 2026