THE EUROPEAN REVIEW OF BOOKS (May 1, 2025): The latest issue features …Around the world in strawberry red. Schengen’s pseudo-borderless « Europe ». A day in Minsk & an eternity at the border. A trip through Syria’s now-uninhabited terror apparatus (archivists needed). Cocoa farmers in Côte d’Ivoire, agricultural-novelists in Switzerland & France, tree-huggers in The Hague…
Our first piece from Issue Eight, out from behind the paywall! « It’s best to go into Schengen’s history unshocked by contradiction. by George Blaustein
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER MAGAZINE (May 1, 2025): The latest issue features the pintxos bars of San Sebastián to exploring the artists’ studios of Barcelona, the June issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK) invites you to discover mainland Spain’s most breathtaking cities through the eyes of locals.
Kenya: In the southern safari regions, humans and wildlife have a fragile coexistence Faroe Islands: In search of shapeshifters and sea trolls in this elemental archipelago in the Atlantic Biarritz: On France’s Basque coast, this nostalgic town is revered by surfers and gourmands alike Croatia:Hop from beach clubs to medieval monasteries with these island itineraries Cartagena: Local designers and bartenders are giving this Colombian city a shake-up Trentino: Mediterranean and Northern European cultures collide in this mountainous Italian province Chengdu:In Sichuan’s provincial capital, teahouses are attracting a new generation of travellers Prague: The Czech capital’s hotel scene is a feast for design aficionados
Plus, our pick of this month’s most exciting travel news; celebrating 200 years of Berlin’s Museum Island; a look at the flavours of Burgundy; exploring Galloway, Scotland, on two wheels; an architectural tour of Casablanca; the best summer music festivals; a dose of Victorian whimsy on the Isle of Wight; independent bookshops worth travelling for; and essential kit for festivalgoers.
World Liberty Financial has eviscerated the boundary between private enterprise and government policy in ways without precedent in modern American history.
Visitors to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the anniversary of the fall of Saigon said they still felt sadness and fury. And some, at last, had a sense of closure.
The Trump administration did not immediately provide details about the agreement, and it was not clear what it meant for the future of U.S. military support for Ukraine.
Gates Foundation Is Rattled by Trump’s Threat to Its Mission
As the Trump administration dismantles foreign aid, Bill Gates, whose philanthropy is devoted to global health, is trying to talk to anyone with the president’s ear.
The North America edition showcases Mark Carney, the prime minister of Canada, who achieved a remarkable victory in Monday’s federal election. As our reporter in Ottawa Leyland Cecco explains, Carney reversed a huge Liberal party poll deficit after voters backed him over his conservative opponent, Pierre Poilievre, to stand up to the threats of Donald Trump. Can the dour but tough former central banker succeed in fending off the aggressive advances of his US counterpart?
The big story | Kharkiv suffers in the shadow of a peace deal While US-led negotiations threaten to carve up Ukraine, deadly Russian attacks continue amid deep cynicism about the process. Luke Harding reports from a city under siege
Science | Why f ish farms on the moon aren’t such a wild idea The Lunar Hatch project is studying whether aquaculture might be able to provide a source of protein for astronauts on space missions. Kim Willsher paid them a visit
Feature | The dirtiest race in Olympic history How did the 2012 Olympics women’s 1500m get its reputation? Athletes cheated out of medals talk to Esther Addley about what happened – and how the results unravelled
Opinion | Will Pope Francis’s compassionate legacy endure? Some, especially within the US, see the forthcoming conclave as an opportunity to establish a more conservative leader, says Guardian associate editor Julian Coman
Culture | The genius of Barrie Kosky and his Wagner phantasmagoria He put Carmen in a gorilla suit and had Das Rheingold’s Erda represented by a naked elderly woman. What are the the opera director’s plans for his edge-of-the-seat Die Walküre? Fiona Maddocks finds out
President Trump has wielded the presidency as an instrument of blunt power, ignoring the howls of outrage from Democrats and daring largely docile Republicans to challenge the limits of his authority.
The election was dominated by Mr. Trump and his relentless focus on Canada. Pierre Poilievre, the opposition leader, lost the seat he had held for 20 years.
A Russian Missile Blew Apart These Kyiv Apartments, and a Decades-Old Community
“It feels like I lost my whole extended family,” one survivor said.
Justices Appear Skeptical of School District in Student Disability Rights Case
The case is being watched closely by disability rights groups, which warned that arguments by a school district could threaten broader protections for disabled people.
The seeds of a renaissance for the British country house were sown in the mid 20th century, argues John Martin Robinson
Bringing ‘beauty’ back
Lord Deben assesses his 1997 ‘Gummer’s Law’, conceived to aid the creation of new houses
Radbourne Hall
John Goodall hails the revival of the 1740s Derbyshire house
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A question of technique
Mary Miers meets the experts keeping country houses and their collections in working order
Chillingham Castle
The Northumberland landmark lives on, discovers John Goodall
1975 and now
What a difference 50 years make
Asleep no more
Tiffany Daneff celebrates the designers bringing our leading country gardens back to life
Knowsley Hall
John Goodall finds the Lancashire home restored to its former glory
And now for something different
Diversification has revived the fortunes of many an estate in the past 50 years, reveals Kate Green
What’s on at the big house
This year’s country-house events
Stowe
John Goodall charts the survival of this Buckinghamshire gem
Ready for anything
Arabella Youens examines how owners are equipping their houses to thrive for the next 100 years
Wimborne St Giles
John Goodall lauds this award-winning restoration in Dorset
You saw it here first
It’s not all about the gardens — John Hoyland profiles some of the plants that made their name at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
In cloud cuckoo land
The evocative, echoing cuckoo’s call reverberating across the meadows heralds the arrival of spring for John Lewis-Stempel
Today’s pollen account
Hayfever sufferers may not agree, but Ian Morton argues that pollen’s contribution to life on earth is not to be sneezed at
A rainbow of ribbons
The maypole has been the source of merriment and mayhem for centuries, as Deborah Nicholls-Lee reveals
Stuart Procter’s favourite painting
The Beaumont Mayfair hotel CEO chooses an intriguing work with an air of mystery
The legacy
Amie Elizabeth White reveals how Constance Spry revolutionised flower-arranging a century ago
Interiors
Digital printing and panoramic wallpapers offer endless possibilities, learns Arabella Youens
Foraging
Poetry inspires John Wright, as he seeks out the saccharine, aniseed smack of sweet cicely
Arts & antiques
Carla Passino is captivated by the calming 19th-century landscapes of Utagawa Hiroshige, an artist who continues to inspire today
Hundreds of lawyers and other staff members are fleeing the arm of the agency that defends constitutional rights, which appointees intend to reshape to enact President Trump’s agenda.
The Trump administration has given more time to “new media” and outlets that are more supportive of the president’s policies.
Amid Uncertainty About U.S. Support, Ukraine Pins Its Hopes on Innovation
Ukraine has adapted strategies and weapons during its fight against Russia. It is now banking on expanding the use of domestically produced drones, even though American arms remain crucial.
One Key to a Successful Campaign for Pope? Act Like You’re Not Campaigning.
Crucial meetings will be held this week in which contenders begin jockeying in earnest for the job of leading the Roman Catholic Church.
Boomers Daily 