Even more than in his first term, President Trump has mounted a fundamental challenge to the norms and expectations of what a president can and should do.
The handover of four female Israeli soldiers by Hamas on Saturday came as Israel released 200 prisoners. But a dispute arose over the hostage release timetable.
The once-fringe writer has long argued for an American monarchy. His ideas have found an audience in the incoming administration and Silicon Valley. By David Marchese
MONOCLE RADIO (January 25, 2025): Emma Nelson and Stephen Dalziel explore the week’s top global stories and cultural highlights. Plus: WEF insights from Hub Culture’s Stan Stalnaker and the latest from Georgina Godwin in Kolkata.
The rebranding of a former White House digital office into the new Department of Government Efficiency signals its potential limits, budget experts said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom faces what may be his greatest political test and leadership challenge. He planned to greet President Trump upon his arrival in Southern California on Friday.
Israel Appears Poised to Keep Its Troops in Lebanon Beyond Deadline
Israel and Hezbollah agreed to withdraw from southern Lebanon, but Israel says that Hezbollah hasn’t upheld its promise and that the Lebanese Army isn’t ready to fill the void.
MONOCLE RADIO (January 24, 2025):As Russia responds to Donald Trump’s sanctions, Charles Hecker joins Andrew Mueller to discuss how weak Vladimir Putin’s economy really is. Plus: more highlights from Davos, Paris Fashion Week Men’s, Oscar nominations and a very educational week for ‘What We Learned’.
REASON MAGAZINE (January 23, 2025): The latest issue features ‘You Can’t Evict Polly’ – How the Fair Housing Act enabled the rise of emotional support parrots, frogs and emus….
An exhibition of Franz Kafka’s postcards, letters, and manuscript pages rekindles our sense of him as a writer deeply connected to his own time and place.
Franz Kafka – an exhibition at the Bodleian Library, Oxford, May 30–October 27, 2024, and the Morgan Library and Museum, New York City, November 22, 2024–April 13, 2025
Bernardo Arévalo’s inauguration last year as president of Guatemala symbolized the revival of democracy in a notoriously corrupt country. A concerted effort by obstructionist elites now threatens to oust him on specious grounds—and bring repression back.
Bruce Ragsdale’s Washington at the Plow examines the connections between the first president’s commitment to agricultural innovation and his evolving attitudes toward his enslaved laborers at Mount Vernon.
Washington at the Plow: The Founding Farmer and the Question of Slavery by Bruce A. Ragsdale
He returned much as he had departed (not that he ever really did), beneath a pall of controversy. In a Capitol ceremony drenched with quasi-religious fervour, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th US president, simultaneously pledging a new golden age for America and a radical shake-up of the global order.
Amid a barrage of unnerving executive orders that will surely set the tone for a new era of disruption and division, David Smith was in Washington DC to witness a dark moment for many, while diplomatic editor Patrick Wintour lays out the fears of a world hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.
From the Middle East came a moment of hope. Bethan McKernan’s dispatch on the first day of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire encapsulates the emotion and relief felt by millions. But will it lead to lasting peace? Don’t celebrate too soon, warns Peter Beaumont.
Spotlight | Has South Korea witnessed its own January 6 moment? Protesters who stormed a Seoul court at the weekend may not have worn animal skins, but the similarities are striking, explain Raphael Rashid and Justin McCurry
Environment | Why did LA’s wildfires explode out of control? A combustible combination of factors laid the groundwork for disaster. Will LA learn the lessons from the fires as it moves forward? Gabrielle Canon and Lois Beckett report
Feature | Can the British Museum survive its omni-crisis? Beset by colonial controversy, difficult finances and the discovery of a thief on the inside, Britain’s No 1 museum is in deep trouble. Can it restore its reputation? Charlotte Higgins investigates
Opinion | Trump and Musk have launched a new class war Across the world, societies are reverting to oligarchies. How to resist? Fight for democracy with all we’ve got, argues George Monbiot
Culture | An inside job: the return of Severance Who is in charge? What are they working on? And why is there livestock in the office? Hannah J Davies meets the cast and creator of Apple’s deliciously weird workplace drama
News, Views and Reviews For The Intellectually Curious
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