Category Archives: Opinion

THE GUARDIAN WEEKLY —- MAY 8, 2026 PREVIEW

THE GUARDIAN WEEKLY: The latest issue features ‘The Trump Whisperer’ – A king charming in America….

It’s fair to say that the Guardian Weekly does not cover many royal visits, but King Charles III’s US state visit was the most consequential of his reign so far. The king’s ostensible purpose was to celebrate America’s 250 years of independence but last week’s trip was freighted with other agendas, most important of which was to flatter his host, Donald Trump. Washington bureau chief David Smith’s cover story shows how “like a rapier wrapped in ermine, Charles managed to tame Trump while rebuking Trumpism”.
Both David and our veteran foreign affairs commentator Simon Tisdall unpick the skill with which Charles spoke truth to this capricious and egotistical president and gave both sides of the heavily divided Congress much to praise. It was a performance of high diplomacy at a time of huge tension in the transatlantic relationship and beyond.

But the charm didn’t wash in New York where, as Adam Gabbatt’s sketch shows, the shadow of Jeffrey Epstein and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Charles’s disgraced brother, lurked while the mayor, Zohran Mamdani, brought up the spectre of colonialism in the shape of the Koh-i-noor diamond, snatched under disputed circumstances.

Spotlight | A small town in Germany
Landstuhl, the heart of the largest American military community outside the US, considers its future after Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw 5,000 troops, reports Deborah Cole

Environment | A gift of wings
Patrick Barkham takes off for a flight of wonder with The Lost Words duo, who have reunited for a new book on endangered birds

Feature | A balm for tiger mother myths
Rebecca Liu explores why a certain image of the tiger mum – strict, cold and demanding – is ubiquitous in popular culture

Opinion | Antiracists need to stand up for us all
Another attack on the UK’s Jewish population demands a clear show of solidarity from those who march to protect minorities, argues Jonathan Freedland

Culture | Moose magic on the loose
How do cameras capture Sweden’s seasonal TV hit, the Great Moose Migration? Malcolm Jack travels to an uninhabited island in the Ångerman river to ask the show’s makers

PROSPECT MAGAZINE —— JUNE 2026 PREVIEW

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PROSPECT MAGAZINE: The latest issue features ‘Social Media in the Dock’ – Lawsuits and user bans threaten social media and internet free-speech protections. Ethan Zuckerman asks: do these platforms really harm young people? Plus, Isabel Hilton on the new star wars and Kate Clanchy on Kathleen Stock

The social network in the dock

It is far from proven that social media platforms cause teenagers harm Ethan Zuckerman

The EU’s sweet victory in Hungary

The pro-European forces of liberal democratic virtue not only won when Viktor Orbán was defeated, but smashed it Andrew Adonis

The Iran war has left the UK poorer than it hoped to be

Duncan Weldon

The depopulation bomb about to hit Britain

Tom Clark

The new race for space

Isabel Hilton

Here, at last, is Sylvia Plath

Jeremy Noel-Tod

Sheila Hancock: I thought I might faint in front of all the Dames

Sheila Hancock

Obituary: A brimful of Asha Bhosle

Ammar Kalia

THE NEW YORK TIMES – WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2026

White House Insists Iran War Is Over, Even While Missiles Fly

The White House is turning to rhetorical leaps as President Trump tries to put the biggest political crisis of his presidency behind him

Oil Prices Tumble After Trump Claims Progress in Talks

Oil prices fell sharply after President Trump announced there had been “great progress” toward a deal with Iran. The U.S. paused an operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

5 Trump-Backed Challengers Beat Incumbents Who Defied President in Indiana

President Trump sought revenge against legislators who wouldn’t approve redistricting. Only one of them prevailed, and one race is too close to call.

In Romania, Living With Weapons of War Spilling Into NATO Territory

Four years of battle in Ukraine is taking a toll on neighboring Romanians. Even if the war has not crossed the border, drones have done so.

Deadly Russian Strikes Rip Into Ukrainian Cities

THE NEW YORK TIMES – TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2026

Trump Promised Transparency in Venezuela, but Oil Secrets Linger

U.S. and Venezuelan officials have promised a new era of accountability after Nicolás Maduro’s downfall. But Venezuela’s oil industry remains a black hole.

Hegseth Calls U.S. Military Effort in Strait of Hormuz Defensive and Temporary

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said U.S. naval efforts to escort ships through the strait were a defensive effort, after an Iranian official warned of escalation.

What to Know About the Growing Saudi Arabia-U.A.E. Rift

Trump Tries to Downplay Economic Effects of the War

Secret Recordings, Hidden Shares and a Family Rift at South Korea’s LG

An inheritance dispute over the former chairman’s estate has prompted a criminal complaint over how the family behind the conglomerate divides its assets.

THE NEW YORKER MAGAZINE – MAY 11 & 18, 2026 PREVIEW

The cover of the May 11  18 2026 issue of The New Yorker on which a worldweary George Washington slouches at a party...

THE NEW YORKER MAGAZINE: The latest issue cover features ‘Barry Blitt’s “Red, White, and Kinda Blue” – America’s birthday party.

Two Hundred and Fifty Years of Complicated Commemorations

Donald Trump’s aversion to admitting fault suggests that we will not likely see events that grapple with the nuanced nature of the nation’s history this July 4th. By Jelani Cobb

Was the Declaration of Independence Better Before the Edits?

Amid contention, criticism, and compromise, a divided nation had to present a unified front. It came at a cost. By Jill Lepore

Barack Obama Considers His Role in the Age of Trump

The former President remains one of the most popular politicians in the country. What are his obligations to it?

THE NEW YORK TIMES – MONDAY, MAY 4, 2026

Tehran Threatens Ships Over Trump Plan to Break Its Blockade

President Trump said the U.S. would help stranded ships leave the Strait of Hormuz. Iran threatened to attack vessels traveling through the waterway without its permission.

Oil Jumps as Iran Resists Trump’s Offer to Help Ships Through Strait of Hormuz

China Seeks an Advantage With Both Trump and Iran as War Evolves

With President Trump’s visit to Beijing looming, China is pushing Iran to negotiate even as its companies export material that could be used by Iran’s military.

The U.S. Army’s ‘Big Experiment’ in the Arctic Cold

How would soldiers from places like Florida, Texas and Georgia fight and persevere in temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees?

With World Distracted by War, Extremist Settlers Intensify Attacks in West Bank

Israel has failed to arrest a wave of violence against Palestinians, prompting military officials to urge the government to intervene.

THE NEW YORK TIMES – SUNDAY, MAY 3, 2026

Trump Faces the Complicated Reality of a Costly, Unpopular War in Iran

President Trump’s predictions of a relatively short-term conflict with minimal economic consequences appear to be crumbling.

What to Know About the Mideast Standoff

Behind Voting Rights Case, a Clash Over the Reality of Racism

The Supreme Court ruling said there must be proof that a racial group was “intentionally” disadvantaged. The dissent called it “well-nigh impossible.”

Indiana Republicans Defied Trump. Will Voters Punish Them for It?

The election on Tuesday will test the influence of President Trump, who endorsed challengers to state senators who scuttled his push to redraw political maps.

The U.S. Set Off a Corruption Scandal That Is Gripping Mexico

The U.S. indictment of a Mexican governor has spotlighted cartel corruption, strained cross-border relations and handed President Claudia Sheinbaum a thorny choice.

THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE- MAY 3, 2026

In this issue, the 30 greatest living American songwriters including: Nile Rodgers, Lucinda Williams, Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, Paul Simon, Taylor Swift and more.

THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE: The latest issue features ‘The 30 Greatest Living American Songwriters‘…

The 30 Greatest Living American Songwriters

More than 250 music insiders and six New York Times critics weighed in on who defines the new American songbook. Here are the artists they chose.

Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff and the Profitable Business of Peace

The Trump administration is turning diplomacy into an asset to be leveraged. By Linda Kinstler

What Does Tucker Carlson Really Believe? I Went to Maine to Find Out.

The conservative media commentator split with the administration over the war in Iran. Will the breakup last?By Lulu Garcia-NavarroMay 2, 2026

The Right Successfully Coins a Lot of Insults. The Left Has ‘Chud.’

Sometimes it’s just a put-down. Sometimes it’s darkly ideological. That’s true of a lot of slang these days. By Nitsuh Abebe

THE NEW YORK TIMES – SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2026

Trump’s Push for Electoral Retribution Heads to the Ballot Box

President Trump’s push to punish political enemies in his party will play a starring role in a series of Republican primaries in which he’s backed challengers.

These G.O.P. Women Want Congress Members to Pay a Price for Abuse. Will It Work?

Three representatives who had a hand in forcing the resignations of lawmakers accused of sexual misconduct said they were out to name and shame more offenders.

U.S. to Withdraw 5,000 Troops From Germany, Pentagon Says

Officials announced the decision after President Trump expressed annoyance with the German chancellor’s remarks about the war in Iran.

Spirit Airlines, a Pioneer of Low-Fare Flights, Shuts Down

Spirit once upended the industry by offering very low fares but, after years of struggle, was in its second bankruptcy in two years.

Maduro Is Gone. Venezuela’s Many Problems Are Not.

U.S. officials say they will “unleash prosperity” by commandeering the oil industry. Many people in Caracas say it will take far more than that.

LITERARY REVIEW MAGAZINE – MAY 2026 PREVIEW

LITERARY REVIEW : The latest issue features Ritchie Robertson on Weimar * Charles Darwent on Louise Bourgeois * John Guy on the Tudors * Kirsten Tambling on dogs in art * Piers Brendon on Churchill and the crown * Saul David on AI warfare * Simon Nixon on private equity predators * Nigel Andrew on outsider animals * Zoe Guttenplan on Beatrice Warde * Maren Meinhardt on women and music * Lucy Lethbridge on swimming * Diane Purkiss on being published * Anthony Pagden on the West * Michael Reid on Lula * Anthony Teasdale on Tory leaders * Anna Reid on Vera Gedroits * Wendy Holden on Elizabeth II * Harriet Rix on trees * Emma Smith on Shakespeare’s identity * Jane Yager on Herta Müller * Sheena Joughin on Siri Hustvedt *  Adam Kucharski on evidence * Keith Miller on Douglas Stuart * Natalie Perman on Jem Calder *  and much, much more…

Weimar Germany: Death of a Democracy By Victor Sebestyen

Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe By Katja Hoyer

The small town of Weimar is overladen with historical associations. Goethe spent more than fifty years there as an employee and friend of Duke (later Grand Duke) Karl August. After the last grand duke abdicated in November 1918, the National Assembly met in Weimar to draw up a new republican constitution for Germany. Other symbolically charged venues considered were Nuremberg (home of Dürer) and Bayreuth (because of Wagner), but it was Weimar that gave its name to the period of German history from … 


Knife-Woman: The Life of Louise Bourgeois By Marie-Laure Bernadac (Translated from French by Lauren Elkin)

Having been named for her father, Louis, a mere dealer in antique tapestries, seemed insufficiently romantic to Louise Bourgeois, who was born on Christmas Day in 1911. She preferred the idea that her namesake was Louise Michel, ‘the red virgin of Montmartre’, an anarchist heroine of the Paris Commune. It wasn’t true, of course, but … 

This Little World: A New History of Tudor and Stuart England By Nandini Das

A phrase like ‘fortress England’ seems to echo down the centuries, and turns up again in This Little World, Nandini Das’s new study of identity and belonging, cross-border migration, assimilation and estrangement in the period between 1500 and the restoration of Charles II. Das seeks to unmask the period’s most fundamental assumptions about English … read more