We’ll have the latest as Biden and European allies gather in Brussels for a high-stakes Nato summit. Plus, Estonia calls for Nato to build up a permanent force in Eastern Europe, a flick through today’s papers, and Monocle’s Balkans correspondent, Guy De Launey, boards the Belgrade-Budapest railway.
Front Page View: The New York Times – March 24
Cover Preview: Science Magazine – March 25, 2022
Cover Previews: Nature Magazine – March 24, 2022
Volume 603 Issue 7902, 24 March 2022
Star dater’s guide to the Galaxy
The cover image shows a view of the Milky Way captured at Nambung National Park in Western Australia. To understand how the Galaxy formed requires precision age dating of the stars that it contains. In this week’s issue, Maosheng Xiang and Hans-Walter Rix of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany, present an analysis of the birth dates for nearly 250,000 stars in their subgiant evolutionary phase, when they can serve as precise stellar clocks. The researchers found that the individual ages of the stars ranged from about 1.5 billion to more than 13 billion years old. Tripling the age-dating precision for such a large stellar sample allowed the researchers to infer the sequence of events that initiated our Galaxy’s formation. Using this information, Xiang and Rix were able to determine that the oldest part of our Galaxy’s disk had already begun to form about 13 billion years ago, just 800 million years after the Big Bang, and that the formation of the inner Galactic halo was completed some 2 billion years later.
Covers: The New Criterion Magazine – April 2022
Island Views: The ‘Lemur Gangs’ Of Madagascar
National Geographic: Top 10 Exploration Moments
When it comes to exploration, nothing is off limits for these inquisitive individuals. Join National Geographic as we discover gothic architecture in Portugal, fly above lost cities in Spain and witness Egypt’s most perfect pyramids, on a breathtaking journey you’ll never forget. From exploring Norway’s most scenic car journey in Europe From Above to uncovering Giza’s most iconic monuments in Lost Treasures of Egypt, there’s always another exciting destination for you to explore.
Extreme Sports: ‘Skydive Skiing’ In La Clusaz, France
In his new Sky Skiing video, Soul Flyer Fred Fugen once again pushes the limits of what’s possible by mixing freefall tricks and speedriding on the slopes of La Clusaz, France.
Aerial Views: Kuwait City – Capital Of Kuwait (4K)
Kuwait City is the capital of the gulf nation of Kuwait. At its heart sits the Grand Mosque, known for its vast interior and chandeliered dome. On the waterfront, the late-19th-century Seif Palace features a neo-Arabic watchtower and manicured gardens. Nearby, the Kuwait National Museum explores history and features science shows at its planetarium. Souk Al-Mubarakiya is a vast food and handicraft market.
Food & Drink: Where To Eat In The Cotswolds

The Potting Shed, Crudwell
The Potting Shed lies in a north Wiltshire village rather than the Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire territories of the Cotswolds, but it’s most definitely worth driving south for. The focus is all things seasonal and local, and the menu changes monthly to reflect this, as well as the produce from the two-acre garden.
The Sunday roasts are some of the best in the area but it’s also worth trying the main menu – highlights might include a black pudding scotch egg with mustard mayonnaise, a fluffy smoked mackerel pate with sourdough toast or the crispiest beer battered fish and chips. Keep an eye on the specials board for the fish of the day too. The charming Rectory hotel (where you’ll find The Potting Shed’s sister restaurant) is just down the road and is worth spending a night or two, so might as well make a long weekend out of it.
The Lamb Inn, Shipton-Under-Wychwood
With the success of The Bell Inn comes this new pub-with-rooms from the same owners. And it might just be one of the biggest Cotswolds openings of 2021, with bedrooms that are as smart as the menu. Peter Creed and Tom Noest are known for working their magic on derelict country inns that are in desperate need of a facelift. Here they’ve redone the space with a proper standing bar, mismatched picture frames and a large garden out back. The menu is similar to its big sister (devilled kidneys on toast, juicy burgers) but this time with a French twist – escargots and crispy frogs’ legs, bavette-steak tartare with game chips, confit duck frites with zingy aioli. Oh, and a must-order tarte tatin for pudding.
