President Donald Trump has long flirted with dispatching federal forces to polling sites as part of a broader and oftentimes martial emphasis on election security. Now, with the 2026 midterms just months away and Democrats looking increasingly likely to make major (perhaps even chamber-flipping) gains in November, party figures are starting to take Trump’s threats seriously. As blue state attorneys general coordinate with one another and Senate Democrats convene high-level strategy sessions, is the party ready to face the White House’s increasingly brazen electoral saber-rattling?

‘War room’ preparations

In July, a “group of powerful” Democratic lawmakers “rehearsed for some of their darkest fears” about the midterm elections,” said MS NOW. Among those concerns: “disinformation triggering voter-roll purges,” soldiers “deployed to polling places” during open voting hours, and the “machinery of a free election seizing up in real time.” The session was “part of a broader effort” by the party to “prepare for anything ahead of November.”

Democrats are “ramping up” their efforts, said The New York Times. At a meeting in May attended by “staff members from the offices of every Democratic attorney general” and “about a dozen Democratic secretaries of state,” party officials “held tabletop exercises” to prepare for “hypothetical scenarios in the November midterm elections.”

The “sad reality” necessitating these “war rooms” is that the federal government, once a trusted election partner, is now “our biggest concern,” said Washington state Attorney General Nick Brown to the Times. It “doesn’t matter” what the White House “tries to throw at us,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) in a recent Senate speech. Planning sessions like these “ensure we’ll be ready to respond.” Democratic senators have also introduced legislation to “limit the potential for armed military personnel or federal law enforcement at election polling places,” said CBS News.

After Trump “declined to rule out” sending National Guard troops or DHS agents to polling sites on election day, a coalition of Democratic district attorneys calling itself the Project for the Fight Against Federal Overreach also warned the White House that “any federal agents sent to polling places within their jurisdictions will be prosecuted,” said Politico. But it’s “unclear” whether that would include “working with local law enforcement to block federal agents from visiting polling places,” and what, if any, “potential consequences would be for the election” should prosecutors find evidence of “mass voter intimidation” by federal agents.

‘Unprecedented’ electoral environment

Although attorneys general and secretaries of state often work closely together in a particular state, they “rarely work” with corresponding figures from another, said the Times. Given Trump’s threats, Democratic figures say “creating a national network of these two offices is necessary.”

The “most realistic threats” from the Trump administration “create confusion, trigger litigation, delay certification or further undermine public confidence," said Ari Mittleman, the executive director of the nonpartisan Keep Our Republic election group, to Newsweek. Though such officials remain “confident in the professionalism” of the local officials tasked with overseeing the electoral mechanics of the midterm race, the “current environment is unprecedented,” said the outlet. “The guardrails are real,” said Mittleman. But they “depend on courts acting promptly, officials following the law and political leaders refusing to promote” election lies.

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A good coffee table book can spark infinite conversations, and this is especially true when the focus is on travel. Guests connect over destinations they’ve visited or dream of seeing, sharing memories and tips, and the spectacular photography might also encourage them to pick up a camera and better document their future trips. Stack these books in your living room, and see how they inspire.

‘African Adventures: The Greatest Safari on Earth’ by Aline Coquelle

Let photographer Aline Coquelle show you Africa through her eyes. The book is split into four experiences: seeing Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, the Okavango Delta in Botswana, the Great Migration in Kenya and the silverback mountain gorillas in Rwanda.

“African Adventures” features “epic” wildlife photos of baby elephants learning to walk and protective lionesses with their cubs along with snaps of the “most beautiful” boutique lodges, said Condé Nast Traveler. Coquelle’s “stunning” photography also offers a “deeper exploration” of each area’s “talented contemporary artists, artisans and conservationists.” ($120, Assouline)

‘Destinations of a Lifetime: 225 of the World’s Most Amazing Places’ by National Geographic

“Destinations of a Lifetime” combines the breathtaking photography National Geographic is known for with helpful insider information on how to visit like a local and the histories of each spot. Chapters include “Sea and Shore,” “Mountain Majesty” and “Town & Country,” showcasing different locales and pulling together itineraries that allow you to see as many of these connected places as possible. If you’re stuck on the next country or city you want to visit, flip through “Destinations of a Lifetime,” pick any page and you’ll be booking a plane ticket in no time. ($21, Amazon)

‘Dream Trips of the World’ by Lonely Planet

This comprehensive guide explores 100 spectacular travel opportunities, including witnessing the Northern Lights in Norway, cruising down the Nile River and visiting Bhutan’s monasteries. Each trip featured is accompanied by a detailed itinerary on where to go and what to see, tips on places to eat and how to pack, beautiful photography, and comments from local residents and travel experts on ways to best approach the destination. ($45, Lonely Planet)

‘Gray Malin: Dogs’ by Gray Malin

Welcome to the whimsical world of fine-art photographer Gray Malin and his model pups. Malin took his canine muses on his travels, capturing the dogs as they relaxed poolside at the Beverly Hills Hotel, took a ski lift in Aspen and explored the streets of London. Use this as inspiration for places to go with your own pooch. ($50, Barnes & Noble)

‘Great Maps: The World’s Masterpieces Explored and Explained’ by Jerry Brotton

This collection of 64 highly detailed maps spanning “continents and centuries” is a “pleasure to peruse,” said Reader’s Digest. Historian Jerry Brotton digs deep, explaining why each map was created and who its audience was. The two-page spreads bring the illustrations to life, and anyone who enjoys “maps, data, visualization and history” will spend hours poring over the book. ($21, Amazon)

‘100 Hikes of a Lifetime U.S.A.: The Country’s Ultimate Scenic Trails’ by Stephanie Pearson

When choosing which quests to feature in her book, Stephanie Pearson selected some challenging ones that will test your mettle. She also included “incredible” opportunities that “aren’t necessarily long and difficult,” letting hikers of all abilities “see migrating birds, walk in the footsteps of ancient humans” or learn a “little-known slice of American history,” she told Outside. You’ll find extreme adventures, like the 6,800-mile American Discovery Trail from California to Delaware, alongside day hikes families can accomplish together. ($29, Amazon)

‘Slim Aarons: The Essential Collection’ by Slim Aarons and Shawn Waldron

After spending World War II as a U.S. Army photographer, Slim Aarons vowed to only take photos of “attractive people who were doing attractive things in attractive places.” He stayed true to his word, famously shooting the “playgrounds of Gstaad and Mallorca, Bali and Beverly Hills,” said Vanity Fair. “Slim Aarons: The Essential Collection” features hundreds of his renowned portraits of “socialites and literary lights, royals and moguls, ingenues and artists,” and his focus on “tiny design elements” give “each frame an extra layer of texture, color and nuance.” ($121, Amazon)

‘There and Back: Photographs from the Edge’ by Jimmy Chin

Mountaineer and “Free Solo” director Jimmy Chin doesn’t shy from extremes, and “There and Back” is filled with “jaw-dropping imagery” from his adventures around the globe, said Condé Nast Traveler. The “soaring formations” of the Ennedi Desert in Chad and “frozen expanses” of Antarctica’s Queen Maud Land are some of the “thrilling” natural wonders featured in the book, which is “sure to inspire” the “adventurer in your life.” ($21, Amazon)

‘Treasured Lands: A Photographic Odyssey Through America’s National Parks’ by QT Luong

Every U.S. National Park shines in “Treasured Lands.” More than 600 vivid images show off the beauty of each spot, from the tight Slot Canyons of Zion to the jagged Grand Teton peaks reflected in the Schwabacher Landing pond. Photographer QT Luong took the pictures during all four seasons and in all kinds of weather, and explains in captions how and when each stunning visual was captured. ($90, Amazon)

‘Walk With Me: New York’ by Susan Kaufman

Everyone knows what the Empire State Building and Brooklyn Bridge look like. In “Walk With Me: New York,” photographer Susan Kaufman captures a side of the city that postcards miss, turning her camera toward colorful stoops, charming park corners and quaint storefronts. It’s a fresh look at one of the world’s most photographed places. ($26, Amazon)

‘Cracker Barrel’s CEO ouster surprised Wall Street but not women’

Beth Kowitt at Bloomberg

Though it “seemed like” Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino “saved her job,” her recent firing “left some analysts scratching their heads,” says Beth Kowitt. But “boards are moving much faster to fire the big boss when things go bad,” and the “phenomenon is even more acute for female CEOs, who have always been under more intense scrutiny than their male counterparts.” Masino’s “tenure at Cracker Barrel is a textbook example of how we’ve ended up with these statistics.”

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‘The great tick explosion: A tiny threat tests America’s love of nature.’

Patti Waldmeir at the Financial Times

It’s “easy to see why ticks loom so large in the American imagination,” says Patti Waldmeir. Headlines “portray them as a frightening new public health threat: Unfamiliar ticks turning up in unexpected places, bringing exotic new illnesses such as red meat allergies, debilitating infections and even death.” But “much can be done to reduce risk: Stick to the center of the trail, tuck socks into long trousers, check behind knees, groin and scalp after outings, wear insect repellent and use permethrin-treated clothing.”

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‘Refugee Convention at 75: The world must keep the promise that saved me.’

Yusra Mardini at Al Jazeera

This year “marks the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, the international agreement created after one of history’s darkest chapters to ensure that people forced to flee persecution would never again be left without protection,” says Syrian ex-refugee Yusra Mardini. Too “often, however, refugees are discussed only as numbers, political problems or security challenges.” Rarely “are they recognized for who they are: people.” Every refugee “should have the opportunity to seek safety,” and “every refugee deserves dignity.”

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‘Yale loses the capitulation bowl’

Robert Kuttner at The American Prospect

Yale University’s president “got caught trying to make a deal with the Trump administration to change its admission procedures as a way to settle an administration investigation of Yale and the threat of sanctions,” says Robert Kuttner. But “instead of a deal, the secret negotiations have produced massive protests by faculty, students and alums.” Yale’s “efforts to give in to Trump blackmail are in striking contrast to the evolution of negotiations between the administration and Harvard.”

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While New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has backtracked on a pledge to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he enters the city, those in the Big Apple remain split on the idea. Some believe Netanyahu is a war criminal who should be subject to the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant if he visits the United Nations in Manhattan this September. Others think it is hypocritical to focus only on the Israeli leader.

‘Not welcome in New York City’

Mamdani originally said he was looking into whether officials in New York City could arrest Netanyahu. But while the Israeli prime minister is a “war criminal,” New York City police officers do “not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant,” Mamdani said in a video on X. “I want to be equally clear, Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City, nor is any other war criminal at large.” The federal government should “join the International Criminal Court and execute both this warrant as well as any warrant the International Criminal Court holds.”

These words could inspire New Yorkers to hold “larger demonstrations against Israeli officials and supporters during the U.N. General Assembly,” given that Netanyahu is “one of many foreign officials who have outstanding arrest warrants issued” by the ICC, Elizabeth Kim said at Gothamist. Talk of an arrest also “gave the issue prominence at a time when Mr. Netanyahu’s conduct of the war in Gaza has led two independent United Nations inquiries and humanitarian groups inside and outside of Israel to accuse him of perpetrating a genocide,” say Sally Goldenberg, Dana Rubinstein and Liam Stack at The New York Times.

Some Palestinian advocacy groups are still pushing for additional action to be taken against Netanyahu by New York City officials. Palestinians “welcomed Mr. Mamdani’s statement,” but “this has never been about one individual,” Nerdeen Kiswani, the co-founder of the pro-Palestinian group Within Our Lifetime, said to the Times. Mamdani also admitted he “sympathized with New Yorkers who were ‘disappointed’ to hear that Mr. Netanyahu would not be arrested,” said Goldenberg, Rubinstein and Stack.

‘A selective approach’

Some feel the idea of arresting Netanyahu is unwarranted. Going after the Israeli prime minister presents a “selective approach to ICC arrest warrants,” said Zvika Klein at The Jerusalem Post. The U.N. General Assembly always “hosts the largest annual gathering of accused war criminals on Earth” who “arrive on diplomatic passports, sweep past the barricades on First Avenue, address the world from the green marble rostrum and fly home.” When the U.S. “decides a foreign leader belongs in a courtroom, it has tools,” but New York City is “not among them.” International law “survives on the belief that it applies to everyone, or it protects no one.”

Others consider a Netanyahu arrest even more risky. Lawmakers may have “advised the mayor that attempting an arrest could have subjected him and his collaborators to criminal liability,” said Paul Mauro at The Wall Street Journal. The law “explicitly states that ‘abducting’ any person who is ‘a foreign official, an internationally protected person or an official guest’ is a federal offense.” So if officials “discussed the logistics of such an operation with the mayor and either he or they took any action directed at making it happen,” they “could all have faced federal charges.”

What happened

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has hemorrhaged more than $1.2 trillion in market capital since its record-setting IPO in June, as the market scrutinizes the viability of the company’s Starship rocket. The spacecraft, which SpaceX describes as a “fully reusable transportation system,” has been “marred by reliability concerns and repeated explosions,” The Washington Post said. Following another sharp drop in SpaceX shares Monday, CEO Musk’s net worth has fallen from an estimated mid-June peak of $1.45 trillion to below $700 billion.

Who said what

SpaceX conducted a “near-perfect” Starship flight test on Friday, MarketWatch said, but it “wasn’t enough to reverse the stock’s steady decline.” The downside of being publicly traded is that “everything will be evaluated and information transmitted through market prices,” Motley Fool senior investment analyst David Meier told the Post. Musk last week posted a tongue-in-cheek acknowledgement on X of his changing fortunes, calling himself a “(Former) Trillionaire.” Even with “just” $700 billion, he remains the wealthiest person in the world “several times over,” Intelligencer said.

What next?

Investors will be watching closely on August 4, when SpaceX releases its first earnings report since its IPO.

What happened

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will not return to Washington before lawmakers break for an August recess, his office said in a statement Monday, six weeks after he was hospitalized following a fall at his home.

McConnell, 84, will also miss Saturday’s Fancy Farm political picnic — a “must for politicians in Kentucky” that he has attended each year “for more than four decades,” said The New York Times.

Who said what

McConnell is “not yet medically cleared” to leave the rehab facility where he is undergoing a “strenuous course” of treatment, the office of the attending physician of Congress said in an accompanying statement. McConnell has missed dozens of Senate votes since his June 14 hospitalization. All public communication with the senator has been “via email in written statements, sent by his team,” with “no traces of him on audio or video,” said WLKY. Monday’s statement from his office was accompanied by a photo of him “smiling broadly and seated in a chair propped up by a pillow,” said the Times.

What next?

McConnell, who has faced a “series of health challenges in recent years,” said Politico, is due to retire when his current term concludes in January.

What happened

The Justice Department filed an emergency application Monday asking the Supreme Court to approve President Donald Trump’s executive order imposing new restrictions on voting by mail.

The request followed a ruling by a federal appeals court on Saturday that left in place a block on key parts of the March directive, which ordered federal agencies to create voter eligibility lists and restrict U.S. Postal Service delivery of ballots not tied to those lists. More than 20 Democratic attorneys general challenged Trump’s order as an unconstitutional move that could disenfranchise voters.

Who said what

In the emergency application, Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued that the lower court’s “indefensible” ruling prevents the federal government from “promoting election integrity in the upcoming federal elections in November.” The judges on the First U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said in Saturday’s 2-1 ruling that Trump’s order would “sow confusion” and “threaten disenfranchisement” for many.

Legal experts question Trump’s order because the “Constitution gives power over elections to states and Congress, not the president,” The Wall Street Journal said. And despite Trump’s claims to the contrary, “independent research has found no evidence of rampant fraud in mail ballots.” SCOTUS “has shown skepticism” of his attempts to restrict mail-in voting before, said The New York Times. Last month, the justices rejected an effort to bar states from counting mailed ballots that are postmarked by Election Day but arrive later.

What next?

The Democratic states that sued to block Trump’s executive order have until August 3 to respond to the government’s appeal. SCOTUS’s decision is “expected soon after,” the Journal said.

US Senator Lindsey Graham “relished his role as an informal envoy” between Donald Trump and foreign leaders, said The Economist. So it’s fitting that the Republican’s funeral today “will provide one final round of diplomacy”.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Benjamin Netanyahu will both attend the service for Graham, a “defence hawk” who “forcibly lobbied Washington” to back Ukraine against Russia, and Israel against Iran, said Reuters. Tonight, the Senate prepares to vote on a bipartisan package imposing sanctions on both countries that Graham “spent his final days trying to push across the line”.

Both leaders are also scheduled to meet the US president “with the goal of winning the ear of Donald Trump” at a time when US policy towards both wars is “in a state of flux”, said Robert Tait in The Guardian.

What did the commentators say?

Netanyahu will probably pressure Trump to further “escalate” the war in Iran, while Zelenksyy will “look to shore up American support” after the loss of Graham, “one of Ukraine’s staunchest backers”, said The Economist.

The two wars, taking place 1,550 miles apart, have “converged in recent days”, said Chris Hamill-Stewart on Al Jazeera. On Saturday, Ukraine attacked an Iranian tanker said to be carrying military technology and drones from Iran to Russia. Kyiv’s actions “will please” America, former US ambassador to Kazakhstan and Georgia, William Courtney, told the news site. But Zelenskyy is “unlikely to want to be too closely associated with the ‘unpopular’ US war on Iran”.

There are signs of “a dramatic change” in the US posture on Ukraine, said The Guardian’s Tait. Washington seems “more supportive” of Kyiv than at any other time in Trump’s second presidency. Last week, right-wing influencer Laura Loomer gave the latest “signal of a sea change” when she met Zelenskyy in Kyiv, before “recanting her previous support for Russia”. Trump and Zelenskyy’s “cordial” meeting at the Nato summit in Ankara was also “starkly” different to “last year’s bitter confrontation in the White House”.

By contrast, Trump’s relationship with the Israeli prime minister has grown “visibly strained” since they last met in February, said Tal Shalev on CNN. “Close cooperation and effusive praise” at the start of the Iran war has “given way to Trump’s expletive-laden outbursts”. Trump has said he lashed out at Netanyahu, calling him “crazy”, for continuing to bombard Hezbollah in Lebanon and endangering peace talks with Iran. He has been “resistant” to this meeting, having “little interest in resuming a full fight” against Iran before the US midterms in November, according to one Israeli source.

What next?

Ukraine and the US are moving closer towards a deal on joint drone production, which “could help the US catch up with Ukraine in this crucial military technology”, said Al Jazeera. And Trump and Zelenskyy agreed this month to allow Ukraine to jointly produce Patriot air defence interceptors, “a crucial component for the country’s defence against Russian aerial attacks”.

For Netanyahu, there’s the sticking point of Lebanon: he told his security cabinet on Sunday that the Trump administration “wants to pull Israeli forces back from positions in Lebanon, as well as in Gaza and Syria”. But, as Israel has already refused to withdraw its forces completely before Hezbollah disarms, Netanyahu “intends to oppose the idea”, said CNN’s Shalev. The Israeli PM is under political pressure ahead of elections in October: in recent polls, “he falls far short of the majority he needs to secure another term”. He knows Trump’s support “could be critical”. The stakes “are as high as ever”.

If the “gossip in publishing circles” has any merit, novelist Rachel Cusk has turned her eye to Natalie Portman for her latest book, said Leaf Arbuthnot in The Telegraph. The actor isn’t named in “Life of M”. But the similarities between the character “M” and Portman are “so glaring they become hard to ignore” – and the portrayal is far from complimentary.

An unflattering portrait

“Life of M”, which is published next month, is about a film star who allows an unnamed writer to chronicle her life. There are “certainly points of correspondence” between Portman and M in the novel, said John Self in The Times. M “played a ballerina” in a movie and is a “model for a major brand”; Portman starred in “Black Swan” and her face is splashed across billboards as the long-time ambassador for Miss Dior.

Cusk’s character was also a child actor whose first film included sexual scenes that “originally included several scenes in which the child was shown wanting or inviting sexual interaction with the central male character”. Portman’s debut in “Leon” in 1994 saw her mother step in to insist scenes with her daughter and an older co-star were removed from the film.

Cusk has remained “tight-lipped” on the rumours. It’s “handy” to generate a buzz ahead of publication and the novelist has never been shy about putting “whoever she likes into her books”. Her divorce memoir “Aftermath” explored the breakdown of her marriage to her ex-husband in vivid detail, while her “bracingly honest” book about parenting, “A Life’s Work”, was widely criticised for her unflinching portrayal of motherhood. “It has reached the stage, in fact, where an effective modern curse might be ‘May you appear in a Rachel Cusk book’”.

Portman and Cusk both live in Paris, and move in similar circles. The actor is (or was) a fan of Cusk and even interviewed the writer, picking two of her novels to discuss in her Instagram book club. But “no one in her right mind who understood Rachel Cusk’s work would allow her to write about her”, said Valerie Stivers on UnHerd. Cusk excels at “reducing the human to the mathematical product of cold existential forces” – appearing in one of her books is “never going to be flattering”.

“As literary assassinations go, Cusk’s of M is sly and subtle, but it is lethal nonetheless,” said Arbuthnot in The Telegraph. Cusk stresses M is pretty, “humble” and “gracious”, but the “unsettling argument” she carefully builds is that “M is engaged in a constant effort to seem like a believable person”. What is “cruel” about the character is the “impregnable fort of isolation she believes the actress lives within”.

A ‘delicate balancing act’

Cusk is just the latest in a “long line of writers” to cause upset by basing their characters on real people, said Self in The Times. Philip Roth was a “master” at it, first casting a “thinly disguised avatar of his wife”, Claire Bloom, in his 1990 novel “Deception”, before he “twisted the knife”, with another caricature of Bloom, this time as a self-loathing antisemitic Jewish actor in “I Married a Communist”. And Nora Ephron famously wrote about her divorce from the journalist Carl Bernstein in her novel, “Heartburn”, which features a food writer who is seven months pregnant when she discovers her husband’s affair.

Non-writers assume we novelists insert real-life people into our books out of “spite”, said Amanda Craig in The i Paper, but a novel is “what it says on the tin – a work with made-up characters and situations”. My “long-ago ex-boyfriend”, the literary critic David Sexton, thought he had been “unflatteringly depicted” in my novel “A Vicious Circle” and “threatened to sue”. I might use a line of dialogue I’ve heard “uttered by a real-life person” but most writers I know “go through agonies” to make their characters who might “have their roots in reality as remote as possible from the original”.

Creating characters inspired by real people is a “delicate balancing act”, said Marshall Fine on BookTrib. Novelists run the risk of “being accused of writing a roman à clef, in which only the names have been changed to protect the guilty”. The “trick” is to find ways of using real people in creative ways to “inspire characters who are products of your imagination”.

While there is no legal requirement to seek permission from the real person who inspires a work of fiction, the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain advises that it is “good practice” to inform subjects of creative writing projects in advance, to get their “blessing” to reduce the risk of future legal action, and to remove any “identifying information”.

For now, Cusk hasn’t addressed the rumours about “Life of M”, and unless the actor speaks out to “correct the record, the truth will never be known – nor can it really matter”, said Stivers on UnHerd. “If the result of the two women’s friendship is a very strong Cusk book indeed, everyone should be happy – including, if her art-appreciation is real, Natalie Portman.”

We’ll be seeing huge numbers of colourful migrants in the UK this summer – in what is widely predicted to be the largest arrival of painted-lady butterflies for 17 years.

“We are in the midst of a miracle”, said wildlife writer Simon Barnes in The Observer. Last time there was a painted-lady spike, in 2019, they were seen in their hundreds of thousands. Clouds of the butterflies have already been spotted, as Butterfly Conservation’s annual Big Butterfly Count – the world’s largest citizen-science insect count – gets under way. Large numbers have been recorded along the east coast into northern England and, at Hickling national nature reserve, close to the Norfolk coast, 253 of them have been seen feeding on one patch of brambles.

What are painted ladies?

Formally known as Vanessa cardui, they are medium-sized orange butterflies with black markings and, on their forewing tips, white spots on a black background. Every year, in a spectacular long-distance migration, they fly from the desert fringes of North Africa, the Middle East and central Asia to mainland Europe and then Britain and Ireland. Then in September, they fly south again, completing a 9,000-mile round trip and one of the world’s longest insect journeys. “They can move from egg to adult in less than six weeks,” said Barnes in The Observer, so it might take “three or four” generations to reach the UK.

In an average year, the number of painted-lady arrivals in the UK hovers around 15,000, although, some years, hardly any reach our shores. But butterfly experts are confidently predicting such a surge in numbers this year that we’re in for “a once-in-a-decade ‘painted lady summer’”, said The Guardian.

Why are numbers spiking?

It’s down to a combination of “favourable early spring conditions in southern Europe”, the recent heatwaves and “benign southerly winds”, said The Guardian. Sightings have been increasing for several weeks but “there’s been a big recent immigration” in the past week, Dan Hoare of Butterfly Conservation told the paper. Painted ladies “grow extremely fast, feed easily and fly really well” and, after breeding particularly successfully during heatwaves in France and Spain, they have benefited from “favourable winds to get them across the Channel”.

The last time this happened, in 2019, more than 420,000 painted ladies were recorded in the UK. But that most recent summer spike pales in comparison to the record year of 2009, when more than two million painted ladies arrived in the UK over a two-day period in May. Over the course of that summer, there were a “barely credible” billion British painted ladies, said Barnes in The Observer.

What about wider butterfly numbers?

In marked contrast to the excitement about the “painted-lady summer”, butterfly numbers in the UK have long been decreasing, according to Butterfly Conservation. Sightings hit record lows in 2024, although there was “improvement” in 2025. Climate change, habitat loss, pollution and plant pesticides have contributed to a picture where more than three-quarters of butterfly species are in decline.

Warnings about the “fragility of nature in the 21st century” are the “naturalist’s lot”, said Barnes in The Observer. But the “awe and disbelief” that will no doubt greet this year’s painted-lady numbers are “symbols of hope”. The bumper success of that butterfly’s 9,000-mile intercontinental journey is a reminder that “if you give nature even the fragment of a chance, it’s always avidly seized”. If the “right decisions” are made, at local, national and international levels, British butterfly “recovery is still possible”.

“This place literally changed the world,” says guide Zach Ozburn as we tour Sun Studio, standing on the spot where Elvis Presley was discovered, where Johnny Cash recorded “I Walk the Line”, where B. B. King recorded “3 O’Clock Blues”, and where a collection of other globally influential artists made some of their earliest recordings in the 1950s (among them Ike Turner, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins). “Together, these artists transformed music – in less than 10 years.”

Elvis recorded his first hit single, “That’s All Right (Mama)”, here in 1954, Ozburn tells us. “It was so popular, notorious DJ Dewey Phillips played it on his radio station more than 10 times in one session,” he says. “Elvis was signed to a three-year contract, then sold to RCA Records for $35,000 (£26,000) 17 months later.”

Under the helm of record producer Sam Phillips, this now-legendary studio got itself a name as the “birthplace of rock ’n’ roll”, the first home of Elvis and a pioneer in blues, gospel, country music and beyond.

Today you can see the original microphone many of its artists recorded on, browse memorabilia from its 1950s heyday, and hear the tracks recorded in the building, and it’s genuinely fascinating. But it’s just one of the many sites I discovered during an eye-opening trip to Memphis, Tennessee, “home of the blues”, where history and heritage sit on literally every corner.

The Elvis effect

Elvis moved to Memphis with his family when he was 13, and traces of “the King” are still found across the city. On a visit to Graceland, I explore the mansion he lived in for 20 years after buying it in 1957. It houses a string of eclectic rooms – among them “the den”, decked out in a whimsical jungle theme, and a downstairs bar and lounge area where bright yellow and navy tones shimmer beneath a mirrored ceiling.

Elsewhere, elaborate chandeliers dangle above palatial furnishings, while an adjoining museum showcases many of Elvis’s once-worn costumes – from his renowned gold lamé jacket to the American eagle jumpsuit he wore at his Hawaii concert – alongside his suite of giant cars and motorbikes, not least the famous pink Cadillac.

Beyond Graceland, there are plenty more reminders of Elvis’ legacy. At the historic, diner-style Arcade Restaurant downtown, I tuck into stacked-high pancakes in the booth he reportedly used to sit at (“near the back, so he could come in the back entrance and escape if fans started to go wild,” in the words of my waitress).

On a music-themed circuit of the city with Backbeat Tours, I visit Overton Park Shell, the outdoor amphitheatre where the star had his first big public performance during a concert in 1954. (“His knees were shaking from nervousness and he thought the crowd was booing, when they were actually screaming”, our local musician-guide, Davy Ray Bennett, tells us, as he regales us with humorous tales.)

Later in the tour, we pass the home Elvis and his family lived in before he became famous – a small apartment in a modest block – and the high school Priscilla went to after moving here.

Beale Street blues

It was Beale Street, of course, that gave “the King” much of his inspiration. Running through the heart of downtown Memphis, this is where artists including Louis Armstrong, Muddy Waters and B. B. King performed in late-night bars during the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, developing the Memphis blues sound that was first pioneered here by musician W. C. Handy.

The street fell into disrepair and was largely abandoned in the late 1960s and 1970s, but it was revived in the 1980s; today, it’s the historic hub of the city and a major tourist hotspot, with neon-lit bars and blues clubs once again lining the strip, live bands playing in almost every venue from the afternoon through to the early hours.

Back in the day, Beale Street wasn’t just a spot for music, though; on a guided history tour of the city’s African American culture with local company A Tour of Possibilities (ATOP), I learn more about the street’s significance in the first half of the 20th century.

“This was known as the country’s main street for African Americans,” says our guide, Devon. “It was a pro-Black street during the era of segregation, where African Americans could enter through the front door, not the back door, with Black-owned shops, clubs, restaurants and businesses forming a vibrant hub.” It was also the home of Ida B. Wells’ anti-segregationist newspaper, Free Speech, housed in a church built for the community.

A complex history

But beyond the more positive stories, Beale Street has a complex history. I learn this is where sanitation workers marched on 28 March 1968, led by Martin Luther King Jr, in the fight for better wages and working conditions. When a group of participants began looting, violence erupted as police attacked with tear gas and shot and killed a 16 year-old amid hundreds of arrests.

King returned to Memphis six days later on 3 April to lead a second, non-violent march, delivering the famous “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech that was to be his last. The following day, he was shot from the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, where he was staying.

The National Civil Rights Museum now stands on the spot where King was assassinated, and traces the history of the civil rights movement – from slavery through to the civil war, abolition and the ensuing Jim Crow laws that enforced segregation in the Southern states.

Its displays provide in-depth context to the music and culture that developed in a cotton-rich city which was at the heart of the slave trade during the mid-1800s – when enslaved people were freely bought and sold on its streets, travelling along the Mississippi River – and it’s a moving, eye-opening portrayal of the country’s struggle for equality which is, in many ways, still ongoing.

But it’s also a reminder of the power of art and music in uniting. “Music kind of transcends everything,” said Ozburn on my tour of Sun Studio, and he wasn’t wrong. Memphis’ music scene broke down racial barriers at a time of extreme division in the wider American South, integrating Black and white artists and audiences in a way that many argue was epitomised by Elvis – who took Beale Street blues for his inspiration – and also by WDIA, the radio station started by white founders for an African American audience (and drawing a mix of both Black and white listeners).

The Stax story

Perhaps nowhere was this unification better showcased, though, than at Stax Records, the storied studio that empowered Black and white artists to write and record together during the 1960s and 1970s.

Established in 1957 by founders Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton in a predominately African American neighbourhood, unity and inclusion were the ethos here; house band Booker T. & the M. G.’s brought together black and white musicians, while songwriting duo Isaac Hayes and David Porter also bridged the racial divide, composing around 200 songs here together (among them Sam & Dave’s iconic “Soul Man”).

While Stax is no longer an active recording studio, it’s now the site of the Stax Museum of American Soul Music – an ode to the label’s history, complete with an exact replica of the original studio and control room where the likes of Otis Redding, Rufus Thomas, Wilson Pickett, Eddie Floyd and Carla Thomas all once recorded. (Redding recorded “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay” here just a few days before his sudden death in a plane crash.)

Wandering around, I have Ozburn’s words in my head about how Sun Studio “changed the world”, but it wasn’t only at Sun. Across the city, stars broke down barriers and left their mark. The struggles continued, but musicians found a parallel, underground world that didn’t differentiate, and they gained a global audience in the process.

To visit now is to walk in the footsteps of those who shaped the face of modern music and challenged the status quo on a grassroots level. This is a fascinating, many-layered city that definitely deserves your time, not only to trace the legends of the musical greats, but also to learn how their art intertwined with the battle for civil rights in a complex story that still resonates today.

Where to eat

Beyond the music and civil rights history, Memphis is home to a thriving culinary scene; here are some of our favourite dining spots if you’re heading to the city.

The city is world-renowned for its barbecue – specifically pork, slow-smoked over hickory wood and dry-rubbed with spices or doused in a tangy-sweet, tomato-based sauce. For a casual, unpretentious spot where you queue at the counter to order, head to Central BBQ downtown and try the acclaimed pulled pork sandwich, served with classic sides that range from BBQ beans to mac ’n’ cheese.

Once a 1950s salon where Priscilla Presley used to get her hair done, The Beauty Shop is well worth a visit – expect a quirky, modern-meets-retro vibe where the likes of sugar & spice duck with roasted black grapes, pork & pickled peach with mustard fennel dust, and honeynut pumpkin with salsa macha are served at booths set beneath old-school, Belvedere hooded hair dryers.

Memphis has a generous handful of fine-dining restaurants and among the stand-outs for me was Amelia Gene’s, where I tucked into asparagus panzanella with morel mushroom, a rich, buttery bucatini with salt & pepper sauce, and scallops with grits and bacon. Elsewhere, Michelin-recommended Felicia Suzanne’s was also a standout, offering a high-end twist on Southern classics (from short ribs to fried green tomatoes and shrimp and grits) and scarlet chairs and chequered floors for décor.

Where to stay

Set in the heart of downtown and a 10-minute walk from Beale Street, Arrive Memphis is a vibrant hub with an eclectic design – think exposed brick walls, jazzy black-and-white patterned bathrooms and chic light fixtures. There’s a bakery and bar in the lobby, while live music bar Earnestine & Hazel’s, the spot where Aretha Franklin, B. B. King, Tina Turner and Ray Charles all used to hang out, in classic Memphis style, is a two-minute walk away.

Laura French was a guest of memphistravel.com

From the moment you come through the gates of La Bastide, you know you’re in for a treat. Set in extensive gardens 10 miles south of St-Rémy-de-Provence, this striking old French country house is the location for one of Stirred Travels’ extraordinary culinary adventures – a fantastic luxury holiday where you can master the art of cooking simple, delicious French food with a renowned chef.

On arrival we were greeted with the warmest of welcomes with drinks and canapés – a chilled glass of champagne, homemade parmesan shortbread and tapenade crostini, an amuse-bouche of what was to come – on the charming terrace, under the shade of the huge, ancient plane trees.

We were introduced to our fellow guests, who had come from far and wide – Australia, Hong Kong, Ireland and Britain – a fascinating and eclectic mix of people, all with a shared passion for food; and of course the charismatic chef, Neil Borthwick, of The French House in Soho, who would be sharing his extensive knowledge with us during the week.

To whet our appetites, we were given a bound recipe book of the dishes we would be helping to prepare, plus the itinerary for the week, which struck the perfect balance between hands-on cooking and restorative down time, interspersed with interesting trips to local markets and the best restaurants and artisan producers in the area.

The location

With thick stone walls which keep it cool, the house has 11 en-suite rooms, all air-conditioned, and original stone staircases and fireplaces. There are numerous places to sit and read a book, or compare tasting notes with fellow Stirred travellers.

Outside, you can relax on a sun lounger by the pool, borrow a hat from a basket under the pergola next to it and take a stroll around the lovely gardens, or have a glass of wine in the dappled shade of the wide terrace, which is bordered by a flowerbed filled with spectacular hydrangeas with flowerheads the size of bowling balls.

Patrick Obert, who co-founded Stirred Travel in 2016, seeks out extraordinary European locations for the company’s unique culinary escapes, matching acclaimed chefs with exceptional regional food, in a relaxed house-party atmosphere. Between 12 and 16 weeks a year are hosted in luxury properties in Italy, France, Spain and Portugal, with a selection of notable chefs including Spanish chef and restaurateur José Pizarro, Jeremy Lee from Quo Vadis and Jake Simpson, former head chef of Bocca di Lupo.

The cooking

Our fabulous chef Neil, who is married to the Michelin-starred celebrity chef Angela Hartnett of Murano, was a brilliant teacher, ably assisted by fellow chef Carolyn, creating delicious French food using simple ingredients, cooked well. Despite being a protégé of Gordon Ramsay, Neil is patient, calm and relaxed, and was happy to let us crack on with his recipes, each guest tackling a different part of the menu for one of the following meals, with a little gentle, positive guidance along the way.

There is no pressure; guests can do as much or as little as they want, but Neil’s passion for food is infectious, as is his respect for the ingredients. Time flew by as we chopped and stirred, listening to entertaining anecdotes of his life in busy kitchens with an array of different chefs. Every dish has a history, where he learnt to cook it, the mistakes he made along the way, which all adds to the flavour.

There is a real sense of achievement as you sit down to lunch at the long table outside the kitchen after a morning cooking, and tuck into the most wonderful baked sea bass en papillote with artichoke barigoule, a traditional Provençal recipe cooked in stock, followed by a light but chewy pavlova, which we all had a hand in preparing.

Following a relaxed afternoon by the pool and a siesta, we were invited to sit at the long bar in the open kitchen in the evening and watch, or help, Neil make dinner, a drink in hand courtesy of charming Finn, who looked after all the guests so well. He told us that a fabulous wine we enjoyed with dinner one night was made by a former fireman who learnt viticulture by watching videos on YouTube.

Every meal was delicious, without exception, and despite wolfing down everything from an incredible lobster salad or rabbit with mustard sauce to steak tartare on crostini (which I was dubious about but actually thoroughly enjoyed), thanks to some clever alchemy from Neil, you never felt uncomfortably full.

Like the holiday, the menu was perfectly balanced, with so many wonderful vegetables, beautifully cooked to bring out their full flavour; I discovered that traditional French food needn’t be rich and heavy, it can be clean and light, too.

We also learnt how to make bread, pissaladière – a fabulous caramelised onion tart – chicken liver parfait and gazpacho. Puddings were a real highlight: we made choux pastry for Paris-Brest, brioche, savarin soaked in cassis, and lemon tart. I can’t wait to recreate all the dishes at home for family and friends.

Out and about

It’s not all about the cooking though. The itinerary is carefully planned with excursions to villages such as Eygalières and Ménerbes, local artisan producers and the best eateries, including the famous Le Bistrot du Paradou.

We also went to the bustling market in the pretty town of St-Rémy, which sold an array of goodies from linen clothes and block-printed tablecloths, olive-wood bowls and lavender to fantastic fruit and vegetables, truffles, jewellery and pottery. There was enough time to peruse the vibrant stalls, have a coffee and watch the world go by, before visiting a local goat farm, where we met the cheeky livestock, learned about the family-run business and sampled amazing fresh goat’s cheese.

En route to a lovely lunch at the popular Edú restaurant in St-Rémy, our knowledgeable local guide told us about the legend of the mistral in Provence – the strong winds that follow the rain and are key to agricultural productivity as they prevent mould forming on crops. The mistral is reflected in everything from the landscape (with cypress trees planted as windbreaks) to the architecture (the houses face south with no windows on the wind-facing north side) – and even the art, as depicted in Van Gogh’s swirling clouds and wind-bent trees in works such as “Starry Night”.

The verdict

Several of the guests were solo travellers, and many were return customers. I can see why. Stirred Travel has perfected the recipe for culinary holidays: a decent dollop of cooking, a sprinkling of relaxation, a handful of conviviality, a slice of luxury and a spoonful of charm. Whether you’re a serious foodie, or just keen to brush up on your cooking skills in a relaxed and spoiling environment, with great, like-minded company, Stirred Travel’s culinary breaks will leave you hungry for more.

Xandie Nutting was a guest of Stirred Travel; stirredtravel.com

Bluffton, S.C.

This 2021 lodge-style home near the coast in the Lowcountry has a studio accessory dwelling unit (ADU) above a carriage-house garage with a covered front porch, wood floors, a full bath, and a galley kitchen.

The three-bedroom main home has marsh views, a double-height living room with reclaimed beams and a loft, and a kitchen with dolomite counters. A screened porch and balconies overlook the leafy property. $4,125,000. Amanda Cutrer, Palmetto Bluff Real Estate Company, (843) 874-3558.

Gladwyne, Pa.

Built in 1920, the Normandy-style Wooded Hill estate, on almost 7 acres in a Philadelphia suburb, has a refreshed contemporary two-bedroom guesthouse with a floor-to-ceiling art-piece fireplace, a sunroom, and a wall of windows.

The eight-bedroom central home has seven fireplaces, formal dining and living rooms, a billiards room, and a lower level with a theater and gym. The lot includes a pool, a golf green, formal gardens, and stone paths. $7,495,000. Lavinia Smerconish, Compass, (610) 547-6637.

Santa Monica, Calif.

In the Ocean Park neighborhood, this 1911 expanded and updated one-story Craftsman shares a lot with a 2004 one-bedroom modern guesthouse with polished concrete floors, a second-level deck, and oversize windows.

The two-bedroom main home has coffered ceilings, roofline windows, stained glass, and glass doors that open to a fenced courtyard with a mature sycamore and an orange tree. The Santa Monica Pier is about a 10-minute drive. $3,350,000. Mike Deasy and Sara Clephane, Compass, (310) 275-8880.

West Coxsackie, N.Y.

Haas Hill, a more than 148- acre estate in the Hudson Valley, includes a renovated twostory cottage circa 1950 with a full bath and kitchenette, plus a cabin set up as a kids’ bunkhouse. The main Englishcountry-style home has three bedrooms, a kitchen with a new AGA stove, heated terra-cotta floors, and a built-in banquette.

The wooded property features a pool, barn, and wildflower garden. $2,450,000. Raj Kumar, Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty, (201) 689-0533.

Woodbury, Ga.

The Cove, a 136-plus-acre property along the Pine Mountain Escarpment and Flint River about 45 miles from Columbus, has a main lodge and three furnished guest buildings, including the one seen here, with vaulted wood ceilings and a bay window reading nook.

The main three-bedroom has an open plan with a stone fireplace and water-facing deck. Also on the grounds are five ponds, waterfalls, a pool and spa, a tennis court, a dock, and a boathouse. $4,400,000. Jon Kohler, Jon Kohler & Associates, (850) 508-2999.

Thornton, Colo.

About 20 minutes north of Denver, this 1955 ranch home has a chalet studio ADU with a bed nook, a pass-through galley kitchen, laundry, and a deck.

Across a fenced, xeriscaped courtyard with fountains is the two-bedroom main home, which has an open living area and a kitchen with a granite peninsula and sliders to the back. A pool, community center, and park are walking distance. $515,000. Kim Davis, LIV Sotheby’s International Realty, (303) 882-0888.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul understands what her constituents want, said Sara Pequeño in USA Today. The Democrat recently imposed a one-year moratorium on the construction of large AI data centers, giving state regulators breathing space to write new rules intended to limit the effect these “gigantic eyesores” have on power grids, water supplies, and local communities. It’s the “right move—and a politically savvy one.” While many lawmakers support data center projects, claiming they’ll “bring jobs and economic activity to their municipalities,” voters aren’t buying it. They know these buildings are noisy, generate a lot of air pollution, use up tons of water, and are causing electricity bills to skyrocket. More Democrats should follow Hochul’s example, said Tressie McMillan Cottom in The New York Times. In our “virulently partisan” era, “rage against data centers” is one of the only issues that unites ordinary voters on the Left and the Right. At the grassroots level, the opposition includes eco activists, soccer moms, farmers, and hardcore MAGA types. If Democrats can harness this energy and “anti-establishment sentiment,” they could create “a political movement that wins elections.”

This resistance is about more than just NIMBYism, said The Economist. A Pew survey from April found that “Americans who have merely heard of data centers are just as opposed to them as those who live within 5 miles of one.” It’s because of the fears of what data centers represent: the growth of artificial intelligence that could “doom humanity by hoovering up all its resources and paving Earth with servers.” Tech leaders are partly to blame for this mess, because they’ve spent years warning that their AI tools will “throw most people out of work” or be used to inflict “mass harm.” Now that the infrastructure needed to achieve their AI revolution “is arriving on people’s doorsteps,” who can blame Americans for wanting to slow the progress?

But this is “blocking development that would benefit” their communities, said The Wall Street Journal in an editorial. New York’s green mandates and resistance to building new generation plants have reduced the state’s electricity supply and caused prices to rise—not AI data centers. Hochul also leaves out the fact that “data centers can also deliver a property tax windfall” along with thousands of jobs. AI is set to be “fracking all over again,” said the New York Post. New York banned the energy-extraction practice “on the basis of bogus environmental concerns,” and as a result the state lost out on “tens of thousands of jobs and literally trillions in wealth” that went next door to Pennsylvania. Now, billions of dollars in investment are going to AI-friendly Pennsylvania, all because “New York is banning progress.”

While Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) may be at the center of numerous controversies, one of the most recent has gone international: The agency has agreed to a five-year contract with Canadian tech conglomerate Thomson Reuters to obtain information on alleged “voter fraud” and “immigration fraud.” Many are wary of the two parties working together.

‘Screening and vetting of individuals’

While Thomson Reuters is best known for its eponymous news agency Reuters, its data broker division has deals with several U.S. government organizations. The latest ICE contract, valued at $25 million per year, directs Thomson Reuters to assist with the “screening and vetting of individuals and entities for immigration, criminal and national security risks,” according to the contract document in the Federal Register. Thomson Reuters will also assist with identifying “violations of U.S. immigration and customs laws.”

The contract means ICE will now have access to the company’s “databases of personal data — which includes peoples’ names, addresses, Social Security numbers, ethnicity, social media posts and geolocation information,” said 404 Media. By signing the document, Thomson Reuters will be “able to let ICE continuously monitor millions of people and entities of interest.” Other data sources that feed into Thomson Reuters’ program include “credit header data, which is the personal information someone provides to a financial institution to open a credit card, like their address.”

The document also says ICE has a large need to identify “unaccompanied minors,” which will help “support the presidential mandate of the identification of voter fraud, immigration fraud and national security.” But the contract “does not explain why ICE would need to identify unaccompanied minors, which is typically the remit of the Department of Health and Human Services” or how the data “would be used to combat voter fraud or immigration fraud,” said Wired.

‘My blood ran cold’

There has been significant opposition to Thomson Reuters’ partnering with ICE, including in Canada where the company is based. At least one politician, Canadian New Democratic Party Leader Avi Lewis, has urged Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to block the deal. “My blood ran cold when I read about this development,” Lewis said to The Guardian. “Complicity between Canadian corporations and ICE should absolutely be illegal.”

ICE has been working with Thomson Reuters since at least 2015. But the new contract is the first to state that the “software will be used to support the Trump administration’s objectives of addressing supposed ‘voter fraud,’” said The Guardian. The company itself has denied any wrongdoing; recent media reporting “reflects misunderstandings about how our products are governed and safeguarded,” Thomson Reuters said in a statement. Its products are “provided under strict contractual terms, subject to applicable law and governed by strong safeguards.”

It seems some within the company do not agree with this assessment. Prior to the contract being signed, 200 Thomson Reuters employees wrote a letter asking the company not to renew its agreement with ICE. “We have experienced our neighbors, friends and family members undergoing arrests and detention, intimidation and harassment, and public violence,” said the letter obtained by The New York Times. “We question if our investigative products and services are being used in accordance with our mission and values, as well as in accordance with the law and our nation’s constitution.”

Politics is the art of human beings solving problems without killing each other. Sometimes those efforts fail, never more memorably than in these classic political thrillers. They run the gamut from true storytelling about presidential corruption and the rescue of American diplomats in Iran to entirely fictional yet still believable stories about predatory drug companies and communist surveillance operations.

‘Foreign Correspondent’ (1940)

Hotshot New York Globe crime reporter John Jones (Joel McCrea) is dispatched by his editor, Mr. Powers (Harry Davenport), to Europe on the precipice of WWII to figure out what is about to envelop the continent in director Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller. There Jones discovers an espionage ring bent on selling out the U.K. and the Netherlands to their adversaries.

While the movie functions superbly as a “bold call to action to stop the looming threat of Nazism in Europe,” it also “boasts some of Hitchcock’s most memorable sequences and technical tricks, making for one set piece after another of formal virtuosity” despite the era’s technical limitations, said Brian Eggert at Deep Focus Review. (HBO Max)

‘The Conversation’ (1974)

Arriving the same year that a wiretapping scandal brought down the administration of President Richard Nixon, director Francis Ford Coppola’s quietly devastating thriller follows Harry N. Caul (Gene Hackman), a surveillance wizard hired to record a conversation between Ann (Cindy Williams) and Mark (Frederic Forrest) at the behest of the shadowy Director (Robert Duvall). Harry’s growing suspicion that the young couple is in danger fuels a twisty narrative that keeps both him and the audience guessing and appraising their relationship with technology. A film that is more than just a “product of its Watergate-era anxieties,” Coppola’s haunting masterpiece is a “chillingly prescient and masterfully crafted character study with themes that echo louder than ever in our hyper-surveilled world,” said Andy Punter at InSession Film. (Prime Video)

‘All the President’s Men’ (1976)

While it may seem quaint by today’s standards, the Watergate scandal consumed American politics for more than a year, ended Richard Nixon’s presidency and permanently decreased the public’s level of trust in the government. Director Alan J. Pakula’s film recreates the sleuthing of Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) that blew the conspiracy wide open.

“All the President’s Men” mesmerizes by faithfully depicting the banal proceduralism of good journalism. A film that “intentionally underplays the enormity of the central conspiracy and eludes any histrionic moralizing,” this “subversive detective story” brilliantly “rejects mythologizing the pivotal history behind it,” said Wes Greene at Slant Magazine. (Prime Video)

‘The Official Story’ (1985)

Alicia (Norma Aleandro) and Roberto (Héctor Alterio) are middle-class Argentines with connections in government and business and an adopted daughter, Gaby (Analia Castro), that they adore. But Alicia soon begins to suspect that her daughter is one of the children grotesquely stolen from the desaparecidos, dissidents disappeared by the country’s authoritarian junta, and that her husband might be in on the repugnant scheme.

Director Luis Puenzo has made a “must-see film that, in light of the real events, paints a haunting picture of the cruelty humans inflict on one another” and also delicately “honors the memory of those affected by the tragedy that unfolded in Argentina,” said Matthew Jones at Philosophy in Film. (Tubi)

‘The Constant Gardener’ (2005)

“The Constant Gardener” is the first great paranoid thriller of the 21st century. When his wife, Tessa (Rachel Weisz), dies mysteriously, British diplomat Justin Quayle (Ralph Fiennes) gradually discovers layers about who she really was, first suspecting her of being unfaithful and then unraveling a conspiracy to test a new drug on unwitting African patients. Helmed by the great Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles (“City of God”), it is a “brainy thriller” whose “visuals create an overwhelming sense of the world gone mad, the world falling down around the hero just as he's beginning to understand the way it works,” said Tim Brayton at Alternate Ending. (Prime Video)

‘The Lives of Others’ (2006)

At once both chilling and moving, director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck has created what may stand as the most enduring indictment of the 20th century authoritarian surveillance state. Set in East Germany near the end of its communist regime, it is about Stasi officer Gerd Wiesler (Ulrich Muhe), who begins surveilling a prominent playwright, Georg Dreyman (Sebastian Koch), and his mistress, Christa-Maria Sieland (Martina Gedeck).

The monastic Wiesler eventually comes to believe Dreyman is harmless and in the process doubts the very foundations of autocracy itself. A film that is “alert to the Kafkaesque absurdity of everyday life” in communist regimes, it “has a maturity and breadth of vision rarely found in a debut feature,” said Geoffrey Macnam at Sight and Sound. (Prime Video)

‘Argo’ (2012)

Ben Affleck directs and stars in this zippy thriller about the clandestine efforts to exfiltrate six American diplomats who managed to escape before they became hostages at the U.S. embassy during the Iranian Revolution. Affleck stars as CIA officer Tony Mendez, who concocts a creative cover story about how the diplomats are in Iran working on a Canadian science-fiction film. Affleck “displays a fearlessness when it comes to mixing genre” in this “part-comic, part-thriller narrative” whose mostly-but-not-entirely-true twists and turns “ensure your nails are down to the quick by the end credits,” said Amber Wilkinson at Eye for Film. (Prime Video)

‘Manuscripts Don’t Burn’ (2013)

Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof’s haunting “Manuscripts Don’t Burn” had to be smuggled into the Cannes Film Festival to protect its cast and crew, who remain anonymous to this day. It follows two government assassins, Khosrow and Morteza, who are tasked with tracking down, torturing and killing a group of dissidents suspected of distributing a manuscript.

That document pertains to what became known in Iran as the “Chain Murders,” a series of assassinations of intellectuals and dissidents in the 1990s. A “harrowing masterpiece,” it is an “unflinching look at creative oppression” that stands as an “entirely singular film experience,” said Joshua Brunsting at CriterionCast. (Prime Video)

‘Official Secrets’ (2019)

The combination of arrogance and doctored intelligence that led the United States and its allies into the 2003 Iraq War is almost made for Hollywood. In “Official Secrets,” real-life British intelligence officer Katharine Gun (Keira Knightley) uncovers evidence of a joint British-American conspiracy to spy on and then pressure diplomats from countries on the U.N. Security Council to secure their votes for a resolution authorizing the war.

Martin Bright (Matt Smith) and Peter Beaumont (Matthew Goode) are journalists at The Observer who wrestle with the implications of publishing the story. The film turns a “historical footnote with potent resonance” into a “compelling tale of injustice on an individual and global level,” said Peter Travers at Rolling Stone. (Netflix)

As Social Security is on track to be depleted by 2032, the White House is seeking alternatives for aging Americans, and President Donald Trump seems enamored with one particular country: Australia. Trump is reportedly looking to Australia’s retirement system as a substitute. While some economists feel this could be an easy solution, others say it is not so simple.

What did the commentators say?

Australia’s retirement system has “three main pieces: a compulsory employer-funded retirement account, a public means-tested Age Pension, and voluntary private saving, including housing,” said Forbes. The part Trump seems to be honing in on is the first piece, called superannuation. The process works by requiring employers to contribute at least 12% of an employee’s earnings into an investment account similar to a 401(k).

In other words, Australia “does not merely tell workers to save. It makes retirement saving part of the employment system,” said Forbes. Under Australian law, an employee’s retirement account “stays open even when switching jobs, their balance remains invested, and the new employer can continue contributing to the same account” without having to cash out, said Newsweek. The superannuation plan differs significantly from the U.S., where there is no requirement for employers to “offer or contribute to any retirement plan.”

Trump has previously supported a change to this type of model if Social Security benefits run dry. “We’re going to be doing also something we’re working on later on, and it’ll be also, I think, very popular, and I guess the best definition is they have a plan in Australia, which people really like,” the president said during an Oval Office event launching his Trump Accounts for children. “We’re going to be talking about that with Congress and see if we can implement it.” Australia’s “system is on pace to be the world’s second-largest retirement plan within the next decade,” while the United States is “facing its own retirement crisis,” said Bloomberg.

It is “easy to see the political appeal of a model that mandates high contributions, expands coverage even to part-time workers, and shifts the responsibility for funding and managing the plans into the private sector, said Bloomberg. Whether the idea would actually work in the U.S. has experts divided. Since the money for the savings would still be taken out of employee earnings, it “would hurt low-income workers, who might need all of their paycheck to cover the expenses of daily life,” Romina Boccia, the director of budget and entitlement policy at the Cato Institute, told USA Today.

What next?

While Trump has gotten behind Australia’s superannuation system, there isn’t a significant plan in place. As Trump’s handling of the economy gets low marks among voters, some economists say copying Australia would be a good idea. “If you were inventing a retirement system from scratch today, you would almost certainly do something like the Australian retirement system,” Andrew Biggs, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, told USA Today.

But the U.S. could still be a ways away from such a system. While “access to tax-favored retirement plans is widening as more states introduce ‘automated savings’ programs,” that is still a “far cry from requiring workers to save for retirement, as Australia mandates,” said USA Today.

Wally Funk — 1939-2026

Wally Funk waited over 60 years for a few fleeting moments of weightlessness. An accomplished pilot, she longed to go to space from the moment in 1960 when she heard of a private program that put female pilots through the same astronaut fitness tests that the men were taking. At 22, Funk was the youngest of the Mercury 13, the group of women who passed the grueling physical challenges, and she was one of just two to go through two more phases of testing, including spending over 10 hours in an isolation tank. NASA didn’t sanction the program, though, and it barred women from astronaut training. Funk wouldn’t reach space for another six decades. In 2021, at age 82, she joined Amazon founder Jeff Bezos on his rocket company Blue Origin’s first crewed flight. At the time, she was the oldest person to reach space; Funk remains the oldest woman to do it. The spacecraft took her up over 60 miles to the edge of space in a flight that lasted just 10 minutes. Back on land, she spread her arms and said, “I want to go again, fast!”

Mary Wallace Funk grew up in New Mexico with parents who encouraged her daring exploits. At 5, she leaped from her barn’s roof in a cape and crashed into a haystack. “Her fascination with flying was undiminished,” said The New York Times, and while attending Oklahoma State she earned licenses to fly planes, gliders, and seaplanes. At age 20, she became the first female flight instructor at a military base—commercial airlines wouldn’t hire her, using the pretext that their facilities lacked a women’s bathroom—and later became the first female safety inspector for the U.S. government, investigating some 450 crashes. Yet “hanging over these accomplishments was her unfulfilled dream of becoming an astronaut,” said The Guardian. She applied four times, but by the time Sally Ride flew on the space shuttle in 1983, Funk was 44 and considered too old.

Still, she continued astronaut training on her own, alongside her pilot career, “undergoing centrifuge tests, entering a high-altitude chamber, and visiting a Russian training site to experience zero-gravity conditions,” said The Washington Post. She ultimately logged 19,000 hours flying, taught over 3,000 pilots, and took part in numerous flying competitions. “They said, ‘Wally, you’re a girl, you can’t do that!’” she recalled. “I said, ‘Guess what: Doesn’t matter what you are, you can still do it if you want to do it.’”

The Odyssey

Directed by Christopher Nolan
★★★★

“Modern mainstream films don’t come more daring, mammoth, and accomplished than Christopher Nolan’s latest,” said Nick Schager in the Daily Beast. But for all the IMAX-size spectacle the director has packed into his hit adaptation of Homer’s 3,000-year-old adventure tale, what makes the movie special is that “Nolan cares deeply about his story’s human element, and there’s rarely a moment when the former overshadows the latter.” A grave Matt Damon plays Odysseus, a military hero who endures a 10-year journey home after the Trojan War, though it’s Anne Hathaway who “proves the film’s emotional core,” playing Penelope, Odysseus’ faithful, agonized wife. “Many of Nolan’s set pieces are marvelous,” said Kyle Smith in The Wall Street Journal. Odysseus and his dwindling crew battle giants, match wits with a Cyclops, and are transformed into pigs by Circe, embodied, in the film’s “most beguiling performance,” by Samantha Morton. But while The Odyssey is certainly “among the year’s best pictures,” I can’t call it one of Nolan’s best. The characters are “not as sharply drawn” as those in his Batman films, the emotions aren’t as deep as in Interstellar, and his current blockbuster isn’t “as propulsively exciting or as suspenseful as Oppenheimer.” Still, Nolan’s passion for movies is evident “in every frame,” said Manohla Dargis in The New York Times. “Even when his characters don’t stir you, his filmmaking does,” and he’s “in his cinematic wheelhouse” as he slips fluidly between the story’s multiple time frames. To me, “His Odyssey is a classic in every sense, a transporting affirmation of the art and a work of pure cinema.”

Her Private Hell

Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
★★

“Sex, violence, neon, and leather: Nicolas Winding Refn is back,” said Brian Tallerico in RogerEbert.com. Unfortunately, the first film in a decade from the once acclaimed director of Drive “feels like someone trying to rekindle a fire that went out years ago.” Dropping co-stars Sophie Thatcher (Yellowjackets) and Charles Melton (Riverdale) into a bold-colored dystopia, Refn again tries to find filmic beauty in both sex and violence. “And sometimes he does,” reminding you why he has a devoted fan base. More often, Her Private Hell is merely “an echo of something better.” This “disaster” of a film doesn’t even have a story, said Owen Gleiberman in Variety. Thatcher’s Elle is trying to reconnect with her disreputable father while battling an evil stepmother and trying to avoid a brutal serial killer. Throw in Melton as a soldier trying to find his missing daughter, and the “pretentious” results play like a cross between “David Lynch at his most bafflingly obscure” and “the world’s most avant-garde perfume commercial.” Her Private Hell is “very much not for everyone,” said Chase Hutchinson in The Wrap. Instead, it’s “primarily a series of visceral, vibrant, and increasingly violent visions that you have to let wash over you.” And it helps to be a Refn devotee. “For those who’ve appreciated the way the filmmaker has increasingly stripped away plot to get right to making the equivalent of nightmarish neon paintings, it’s really something special.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth “wants a manly military,” said Tom Bartlett in The Atlantic, even if it requires artificial enhancement. In his latest “tougher than thou” social media video, Hegseth recently announced that every service member over 30 will undergo annual mandatory testosterone checks; anyone deemed deficient will be given the option to receive hormone replacement therapy. Testosterone shots, he assured service members, are about “restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities.” But universal testosterone screening “is not considered standard practice,” especially for men under 50, and it appears even more pointless for the military’s 230,000-plus female service members, who will also be tested. Further, there’s no evidence testosterone injections — a favorite of the online “manosphere” —will keep troops “on the leading edge of lethality,” as Hegseth claims. It’s just more macho posturing.

As a urologist, I have been seeing a lot of patient interest in testosterone testing, said Jamin Brahmbhatt in CNN.com. The curiosity is valid: Low testosterone can be a warning sign of a deeper issue, such as obesity, heavy drinking, lack of sleep, or high levels of stress. But how and when to intervene “is the harder question.” Testosterone levels “fluctuate constantly,” with a wide “normal” range, and only those who are “truly low and symptomatic” are prescribed testosterone replacement therapy, which can modestly improve energy, strength, and physical function. But artificial testosterone shuts down the body’s own production and can result in infertility, blood clots, high blood pressure, and, “over time, shrinking testicles.” Hegseth’s “cringeworthy” obsession with manhood is not about science, said Amanda Marcotte in Salon. It’s about the “deep well of insecurity” found in so many MAGA men—and their fear of femininity. Hegseth’s insistence that soldiers need high-T “sends an unmistakable message: that women are categorically unable to serve as ‘warfighters.’” Given how disastrously the Iran war is going, maybe it’s also compensation for “his own impotence in the job.”

When I heard about Hegseth’s testosterone mandate, said Fred Kaplan in Slate, “I thought it was an internet joke.” Does the Pentagon chief even know how wars are fought today? Drone operators, AI experts, missile and aircraft operators, and battlefield intelligence coordinators require brainpower, not an “ability to drop and give Hegseth 100 push-ups.” Hegseth’s prioritization of tough-guy posturing over what the military actually needs is absurd and, “in some ways, dangerous.”

“I can’t imagine a world without books,” said Nicole Russell in USA Today. But most Americans already “live in that world.” That’s the “devastating” takeaway from a viral new story in The Atlantic, which details why “the age of reading is over.” It notes that the number of Americans who read for pleasure has dropped more than 40% over 20 years — the decline cuts across age groups, gender, and education levels — and that fewer than half of adults read a single book a year. Reading progress for elementary students has stalled and only about a third of high school seniors are “proficient” at analyzing complex fictional themes. We can blame smartphones, social media, and short-form videos, all of which deliver “perpetual hits of dopamine” at the expense of the deeper analysis and comprehension gained by reading. It’s no wonder President Trump was re-elected, said Marsha Lederman in The Globe and Mail (Canada). When the electorate relies on TikTok for knowledge, “you get today’s dumbed-down, polarized world on fire.”

Reading is not “going extinct,” said David Wallace-Wells in The New York Times. Yes, fewer Americans are reading for pleasure, but those who do are reading more. Book sales are near-record highs; there are now 70% more independent bookstores than in 2020; and the amount of time that young Americans spend reading has actually crept up from 8.4 minutes a day in 2003 to 11.7 minutes in 2022. And let’s not pretend there was ever a golden age of reading, said Joel J. Miller in his Substack newsletter. In the supposedly idyllic pre-smartphone age, the best sellers were often genre junk and millions of Americans “read nothing, read little, read badly, or read mainly to kill time.” Worrying about the future is “easy to do when you romanticize the past.”

My worry is we’re not alarmed enough, said Rod Dreher in his Substack newsletter. Hitler came to power in a highly literate Germany, but the Nazis took advantage of movies and radio to push simple messages with immediate emotional impact. We know how that ended, and in our postliterate age, a future dictator would “have an incomparably easier time of it.” Don’t believe me? Consider “the college students who are being memed into hating Jews” by social media. And things will only get worse as more people use AI to digest, analyze, and make judgments on everything from study papers to legal documents and news reports. By giving up on the hard work of reading, Americans “are training themselves not to think, but to obey.”

How many sailors are in the Gulf?

About 6,000 seafarers are stuck onboard several hundred tankers and cargo ships, many of which have been stranded in the Gulf since the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran erupted in late February. “It’s as if we are trapped in a pond,” Shafiqul Islam, captain of a ship carrying some 37,000 tons of fertilizer bound for South Africa, told the BBC last month. “There’s only one way out.” That’s via the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas—as well as shipments of crucial commodities including fertilizer, aluminum, and helium—once flowed from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Iraq, and Iran to global markets. Before the war, more than 100 ships a day transited the strait, which is 21 miles wide at its tightest point. After hostilities began, Iran declared the waterway closed and launched missiles and drones at vessels trying to sail through, grinding traffic to a halt. At one point, up to 20,000 mariners and 2,000 ships were stuck in the Gulf, with only a few vessels squeezing through the strait each day.

How were they able to get out?

India, China, Pakistan, and other countries negotiated with Tehran for safe passage for their flagged vessels, and some tanker operators paid Iran up to $2 million for transit rights for individual ships. The logjam in the Gulf eased in June after Washington and Tehran struck a preliminary peace deal, after which about 30 ships a day were able to move through the strait. But that number dropped back to single digits earlier this month after the war restarted. For the sailors stuck in this war zone—many of whom hail from the Philippines, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Ukraine—the fear of death or injury is a constant. “Everyone is just exhausted,” said captain Hassan Khan, “both physically and mentally.” While standing on ships often loaded with highly explosive substances, the crews have watched missiles and drones streak overhead, and more than a dozen mariners have been killed in Iranian and U.S. strikes. Raman Kapoor, a tanker captain who had 10 days left on his tour when war erupted, watched helplessly in March as a nearby tanker exploded in flames after being hit by an unmanned craft. One crew member died. “Everyone was so scared,” Kapoor said. “We are just seafarers. We are not trained for any war.”

What are days like onboard?

Long, monotonous, and hot. While the crews work to ensure their ships remain seaworthy, and movies and ping-pong serve as distractions, staving off boredom and depression is a struggle. “We do our best to keep [up] morale,” Abhijit Chopra, the captain of a tanker that’s been stuck for more than 120 days, told Bloomberg. “But there is definitely a sense of strain and uncertainty.” To entertain themselves and add some diversity to onboard meals, some crews are catching and cooking fish; they report that dried ribbonfish is surprisingly delicious. Calls home are a boon, but infrequent, because satellite phone time is limited and expensive. To protect sailors’ mental health, captains encourage crews to do everything together and to never leave anyone alone—even when they dine or relax. Sailors report that access to knives and other sharp objects is more tightly controlled than normal, to prevent people from harming themselves or others. Meanwhile, food, water, and medicine on many vessels is running low.

Is anything being done about that?

Boats from nearby ports are delivering supplies, but prices keep going up. One Korean sailor told the BBC that it feels like suppliers “are trying to take advantage of the situation to make excessive profits.” The engineer of one ship said the cost of 180 tons of water has spiked in recent months from about $2,000 to $11,000. Price gouging isn’t the only way people are taking advantage of the stranded vessels. Scammers claiming to belong to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard have also tricked shipping firms into sending hefty payments to their cryptocurrency wallets in exchange for safe passage.

Have there been any evacuation attempts?

A short-lived one. While a ceasefire was in effect in late June, the U.N.’s International Maritime Organization began ushering ships through the strait’s southern and northern corridors—avoiding the central lanes where Iran had laid mines. Some 130 ships and 3,000 sailors made it out, but the U.S.-backed initiative was scrapped within days after Iran attacked a tanker that was not taking part in the evacuation off Oman’s coast. Some sailors have taken matters into their own hands. Stuck at an Iranian port, Santosh Kumar borrowed nearly $7,000 to pay an agent to drive him to neighboring Armenia, where he boarded a flight to Dubai and then on to his native India. “My family just wanted me home alive,” he said. But such escapes have become increasingly difficult: Some Gulf Arab states have restricted short-term shore passes for sailors over security concerns. Many merchant sailors are now wondering if the profession has become too dangerous, because the Iran war is only the latest crisis to ensnare the shipping industry.

What were the other crises?

Mariners were stranded at sea during the pandemic, and drone attacks on vessels in the Black Sea have become routine since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Iran’s Houthi allies in Yemen—who attacked more than 100 vessels during the HamasIsrael war—this week declared an embargo of Saudi Arabian shipping in the Red Sea, putting more commercial vessels in the line of fire. Merchant sailors seem increasingly wary of going to sea: Companies have struggled to secure replacement crews to relieve sailors in the Gulf whose contracts have expired, despite offering monthly salaries of up to $30,000. The war, said IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, has shown that “people take seafarers for granted, they don’t value them.”

If there’s anything Donald Trump enjoys more than “relitigating the 2020 election,” said Peter Baker in The New York Times, it’s “finding ways to cast doubt on the 2026 election.” The president did both this month, giving a primetime address to the nation in which he called the U.S. electoral system “so broken and vulnerable that no one can possibly defend it.” Debuting a new conspiracy theory of how his 2020 loss was “rigged,” Trump accused China of having “bought, stolen, or hacked” millions of voter registration files in the run-up to that election. As for the validity of this November’s midterms—a likely “drubbing” for Republicans—Trump offered a grab bag of predicates for disputing the results, including the claim that at least 278,000 noncitizens are registered to vote in federal elections. In a curious move, said The Wall Street Journal in an editorial, the White House released a trove of intelligence documents that actually undermine Trump’s claims. The reports showed that the data China acquired was publicly available, and that Beijing largely stayed on the sidelines in 2020. As for the foreigners registered to vote, that claim relies on a dataset that’s plagued with errors. So why give this speech at all? It’s too late to enact Trump’s SAVE America Act package of voting restrictions in time for the midterms, and his supporters may now be wondering whether they should bother going to the polls in November, if our elections are as “catastrophically” broken as Trump claims.

In fairness, said Tom Nichols in The Atlantic, Trump’s documents do prove that one hostile foreign power “engaged in operations against” the 2020 election. That nation is Russia, which the declassified reports state used a “range of measures” to boost Trump’s chances in 2020, from spreading rumors about Joe Biden’s supposed “criminal activity” in Ukraine to flooding social media with Trump-loving bots. Of course, our Putin-fan president didn’t mention the Russian autocrat in his speech. But he did emulate him, said Nick Catoggio in The Dispatch, issuing “fascist threats” to revoke the broadcast licenses of “fake news” networks ABC and NBC for the crime of declining to carry his lie-filled speech live.

We know why Trump gave this speech, said Brian Tyler Cohen in The Bulwark. In February, The Washington Post reported that Trump allies had drafted a 17-page executive order that would let him use the “pretext” of foreign interference to declare a “national emergency.” Trump could then dispatch troops or ICE agents to polling places, and even seize voting machines. If Democrats rush to block the order in court, Trump could point to his recent speech—its “nonsensical” content notwithstanding—as proof that he was warning of foreign meddling as far back as July.

Trump’s attempted theft of the midterms is already underway, said Zolan Kanno-Youngs in The New York Times, and he’s using “the full arsenal of the federal government.” Led by “election deniers and loyalists,” the FBI and CIA are hunting for pretexts to discredit state election officials, while Justice Department lawyers craft legal arguments to prosecute them. Even the Postal Service is floating a Trump-approved plan to roll back mail-in voting. These are perilous times, said David A. Graham in The Atlantic, but “a close election is easier to steal than a decisive one.” Trump’s speech removed any doubt that he intends to sow “chaos” in November. Instead of discouraging Americans, that should inspire us to turn out in overwhelming numbers, and vote like our democracy depends on it.

What happened

Lawmakers in Washington recently demanded that the Trump administration outline its strategy in Iran, as a war that President Trump had vowed would end quickly approached its sixth month and spread further beyond the Persian Gulf. In the first U.S. casualties since March, three American soldiers were killed in a missile attack on a military base in Jordan earlier this month. The next day, a fourth soldier died in Iraq during the controlled detonation of a downed Iranian drone, bringing total U.S. deaths to 18. In response, the U.S. intensified its assault on Iran, hitting bridges and rail lines as well as missile and drone launch sites and air defense facilities. Iran stepped up its attacks on U.S. regional allies, striking a water desalination plant in Kuwait and a U.S. air base and an Amazon data center in Bahrain; the Revolutionary Guard also fired on a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, forcing the crew to evacuate. President Trump vowed the U.S. would “destroy one bridge or power plant” each time Iran targets a ship in the waterway, through which 20% of the world’s oil once flowed.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was pressed on U.S. strategy during a contentious appearance before the Senate appropriations committee. Hegseth, who put the war’s current price tag at $37.5 billion, urged Congress to approve $67 billion in emergency defense funding and warned that the Pentagon would face “critical shortfalls” without the money. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said Democrats would not bankroll “this war and whatever other misadventures Trump wants to get us into”; Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) called for “hard answers” about plans to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Hegseth insisted the U.S. had the upper hand, but Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) said Hegseth and the administration had “failed” U.S. troops, adding, “You don’t have a long-term plan to actually win this war.

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia vowed to block Saudi Arabian ships from exiting the Red Sea and deployed drones and missiles near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, leading energy analysts to warn that oil prices— which spiked $20 this month to $95 a barrel—could go even higher. Attempts by mediators to secure a 10-day ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz made no apparent progress. Until Iran is “ready to meet in a meaningful way,” said Trump, “we have no interest."

What the columnists said

The Iran war “has entered a bleak new phase,” said Megan Messerly and Alex Gangitano in Politico. Trump allies fear the president is running out of ways to extricate America from an unpopular conflict ahead of the midterms. With average gas prices hitting $4 a gallon for the first time since June, Republicans say the war could sink them “in an election that is expected to hinge on costof-living issues.” Even among Trump’s MAGA base, 37% said in a new Politico poll that the U.S. should hold course in Iran only if it doesn’t raise costs.

Trump’s war will only “get harder and harder to defend,” said Zeeshan Aleem in MS.now. Nearly 100 troops have been injured over the past few weeks as Iran ramped up attacks on U.S. bases, and the war’s “human toll is likely to increase.” The Pentagon has been slow to release information on casualties, likely because it knows “the war will become even more widely despised as more people die.” The public will swallow casualties in a campaign they support, but won’t tolerate troops dying “for no obvious reason at all.”

Iran, it turns out, “may be stronger than we thought,” said Joshua Keating in Vox. Contrary to previous assurances by the Trump administration, Iran retains “significant missile and drone capabilities,” with 70% of its prewar missile stockpile intact, according to a recent intelligence report. Meanwhile, there are “growing questions about whether U.S. air defense capabilities are depleting.”

A Houthi blockade of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait could widen the war and “further disrupt global oil supplies and international trade,” said Fatma Khaled and Ahmed Al-Haj in The Associated Press. Sitting at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, the strait serves as a conduit for about 12% of global trade and has become even more vital for Saudi oil exports following the shuttering of the Strait of Hormuz. The Houthis say they’ll stop only ships connected to Saudi Arabia, but even the threat of attack could drive up insurance premiums and deter other ships from using the route.

The conflict now “stands on a knife’s edge,” said Erika Solomon in The New York Times. We’re at a critical moment where both sides must find a way to dial back the hostilities or “risk provoking a war that cascades beyond what they may be able to contain.” With Iran’s economy in tatters and Trump under mounting domestic pressure, “the costs of accelerating the conflict are high for both sides.” But the same factors that make escalation dangerous are “pushing them to riskier attacks,” as they seek to gain leverage.

“Trump has only terrible choices,” said Brynn Tannehill in The Atlantic. With hard-line leaders and “a captive population” accustomed to “economic pain,” Iran is unlikely to bend. Facing that reality, Trump can “stay the course,” with scant odds of success. He can declare victory and walk away. He can ratchet up the pain by targeting civilian infrastructure, which would draw Iranian retaliation against Arab states and make the U.S. a pariah. Or he can launch a ground invasion, and pay a steep price in blood. It boils down to “an unpalatable choice between accepting Iranian hegemony over the strait—or initiating cycles of escalation that cannot end well.”

When summer is sweltering, there is nothing more luxurious than a swimming pool in your own backyard. But is it actually a smart investment?

Installing a swimming pool is certainly not cheap nor is it a quick and easy project. Once it’s there, it’s hard to undo, and you will need to commit to the necessary maintenance and upkeep costs. On the flip side, how nice would it be to splash around with your kids on any given day or swim laps each morning? Couldn’t it even attract potential buyers if you decide to sell someday? Here are the pros and cons to evaluate before making the splash.

How much does a swimming pool cost overall?

The cost of a pool varies hugely depending on the type you install. “On average, expect to pay $2,146 to install an above-ground pool and $49,638 for an in-ground pool,” said Citizens Bank.

Even if you feel fine about that number, keep in mind that the costs do not stop there. You will also have to cover the expense of maintaining the pool and the higher electric bills that pool pumps, filters and heaters can generate. You will most likely also deal with a higher home insurance bill for the added coverage. And if anything goes wrong, you will need to pay for that as well. For instance, a “tear in a swimming pool’s lining is a common issue encountered by pool owners,” and “repairing it can cost anywhere between $1,000 and $6,000 depending on how big the tear is,” said Kiplinger, based on data from HomeServe, a home repair administrator.

Can a swimming pool increase your home’s value?

It depends. A major influence is your home’s location and the climate there. “In some markets, especially those with warm climates, in-ground pools may add more value to the property than in colder climates where a pool would get only a few months use each year,” said Zillow.

The popularity of pools in your neighborhood also has a bearing. “If you live in a neighborhood where many of your neighbors have swimming pools, your investment is probably solid,” and “in those circumstances, not having a pool might decrease your home’s marketability,” said HGTV.

A lot comes down to your specific pool and its condition and features, too. “Older pools, especially those requiring significant repairs or updates, can drag down the overall value of the property,” said Zillow. By contrast, “homes with saltwater pools sell for 1.5% more than comparable homes without one — and they sell two days faster.”

What else should you consider to decide if a pool is worth it?

Before getting a pool, it is absolutely worth running the numbers, both to assess the total overall cost and to determine how much of your investment you may get back in resale. But money is not the only factor to ponder.

Particularly if you have young kids, pool safety is a major consideration. You will want to include at least a locked fence around the pool. This can add to the cost of the project, not to mention the stress of ownership.

It is also important to weigh your options for paying for the pool and the benefits or disadvantages of each of them. If you have significant equity in your home, you may be able to get a lower interest rate on a home equity loan or home equity line of credit (HELOC). A personal loan or credit card can also be an option, though you should be aware of the added cost of interest on those.

‘The drug policy debate’s common ground: better treatment and recovery’

Jim Crotty at The Hill

Few “public policy debates are as polarized as drug policy, which is often framed around two competing visions — prohibition and decriminalization,” says Jim Crotty. Both are “passionate about their positions, and both make valid arguments,” but they “frequently overlook the same prerequisite for success: a system capable of meeting the country’s growing demand for addiction treatment and recovery services.” The U.S. “must help promote careers in treatment and recovery through more competitive pay, streamlined education and licensing pathways.”

Read more

‘AI can fuel biological weapons. We must harness its power for defense.’

Annie Jacobsen at The Guardian

AI can “help bad actors generate recipes for biological weapons” but also “track disease outbreaks and deliver critical public health information to millions of people,” says Annie Jacobsen. The “question is not whether AI can do catastrophic harm in the realm of biological sciences — it most certainly can — but whether public health officials can figure out how to deploy AI as a defensive tool faster than malicious actors deploy it as an offensive one.”

Read more

‘Joint European response to wildfires is essential’

Le Monde editorial board

The “flames currently devastating much of Western Europe are the latest, and dramatic, manifestation of climate change driven by human activity,” says the Le Monde editorial board. Beyond France and Spain, fires are “raging across Germany, Italy, Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands,” and the “map clearly shows that any response must be coordinated at the European level.” The “increasing frequency of extreme weather events has forced both rapid adaptation and a global rethinking of how to respond.”

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‘We need more therapists. They need more power.’

Isabel M. Perera at USA Today

Americans “need therapy now more than ever before,” but if “you’ve tried to find a therapist recently, you know it’s tough,” says Isabel M. Perera. The “people we rely on to help us cope with life’s hardest moments are themselves unsupported.” Weak “union representation makes it difficult for them to negotiate fair pay” and “advocate for better working conditions.” From “rehab centers to school counselors, the entire mental health ecosystem suffers from underinvestment and fragmentation.”

Read more

What happened

Ongoing massive wildfires in southwestern France and central Spain have forced nearly 400,000 people to evacuate. The French blazes have scorched an “area four times the size of Paris,” The Associated Press said, and are spreading toward the wine region city of Bordeaux. Near Madrid, the “biggest wildfire in Spain’s recent history” has burned around 200 square miles of countryside, Reuters said. Firefighters are racing to contain the fires as another European heatwave looms.

Who said what

“We don’t know how the blaze will spread, the fire front is constantly shifting,” a spokesperson for the National Firefighters Federation of France told Agence France-Presse. “It’s a David-versus-Goliath scenario.” The fires have caused “incalculable” damage to Spain’s cultural heritage, the country’s King Felipe VI told reporters. Western Europe is experiencing an “extreme summer” of intense heatwaves and dry weather, “setting the stage” for wildfire conditions, The New York Times said.

What next?

Temperatures are forecasted to again “reach abnormally hot levels” across the Spain and France fire zones this week, CNN said. “Difficult hours lie ahead,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez told reporters ahead of a crisis meeting with his Cabinet on Monday.

What happened

German police on Sunday shot and killed a man suspected of carrying out a deadly attack at Berlin’s Pride celebrations less than 24 hours earlier. Officers opened fire after Abdul Ballout, a 21-year-old German citizen of Lebanese heritage, charged at them with a “stabbing weapon” after being tracked to a community garden in the city’s Spandau district, authorities said in a translated X post.

A van allegedly driven by Ballout rammed into a crowd in Berlin’s Tiergarten park on Saturday as partygoers celebrated Christopher Street Day, the city’s oldest Pride event. Authorities said the suspect then attacked bystanders with a machete. One woman was killed and 29 people were injured, with three in critical condition.

Who said what

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told reporters that “everything we see here points to us dealing with an Islamic terror attack.” Hundreds of mourners gathered at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate on Sunday to “grieve the victims of the attack and express the anger and shock over what is seen as an attack on the LBGTQ+ community,” Deutsche Welle said. It “was an attack on all of us,” one speaker said. “But we will not let it defeat us.”

What next?

German authorities will review security arrangements for major public events — including upcoming Pride celebrations — amid concerns about possible copycat attacks.

What happened

The United States has “pressed pause” on airstrikes against Iran after President Donald Trump’s advisers told him their military was “running out of targets” and “expressed worries” about dwindling munitions, Reuters reported Sunday. Sources also told Axios that Adm. Brad Cooper, the top U.S. military commander in the Middle East, and other advisers “recommended stopping the bombing campaign” because it had “reached the limit of its effectiveness.” There have been no U.S. strikes in the region since last week, and Iran has halted its retaliatory attacks. The Strait of Hormuz remains closed.

Who said what

The president is giving “some space” for diplomatic talks to take place while still keeping “all options on the table,” U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz told NBC’s “Meet the Press.” The U.S. has “far more munitions than anyone in the world,” Trump insisted in a statement to The Wall Street Journal.

Recent polling shows the MAGA base is “losing patience” with the conflict, Politico said. Trump seems “trapped” by a “war he cannot find his way out of,” said The New York Times. “There is more skepticism than optimism” that the pause in fighting will continue, a senior Iranian source told Reuters.

What next?

Oil prices tumbled Monday morning as the pause held, but “analysts cautioned against pricing in further falls,” the Financial Times said. Fed officials will meet this week to discuss a possible interest rate hike as prices remain high.

“Overlooked and underfunded” adult social care has become “the Cinderella service of our wider welfare system”, said Labour List. Now Andy Burnham, whose father has Alzheimer’s and lives in a care home, has told the BBC that he will put “whatever political capital I have” into fixing it.

He is not the first prime minister to vow to tackle the issue. But “successive governments have come undone when faced with the tricky reality” of adequately funding state support to help older people live safely and independently, said The Times.

What did the commentators say?

There have been 22 botched attempts to the reform the English adult social care system in the past 30 years. And those successive failures carry “a heavy political cost”, said Chris Smyth in the Financial Times: long-term underfunding has made pay and conditions in the sector so unattractive to British workers that “visa rules were loosened after Brexit” and care workers arriving from abroad became “the single biggest reason why net immigration to the UK rose to all-time high”.

Now, as Britain’s “demographic centre of gravity” tilts towards retirement, social care is reaching its “most painful financial pinch point” yet, said The Telegraph's editorial board. In 50 years, more than 25% of the population could be over the age of 65, according to the Office for National Statistics. The “best solution” for funding social care on that scale would be an “insurance-based system, where Britons would be encouraged to pay into a fund that would cover their own care in old age, should they need it”.

But Burnham has said social care should be delivered “on an NHS basis”. This implies “a public service free at the point of delivery and funded by some form of taxation”, said The Guardian’s editorial board. When Burnham was health secretary in 2010, he proposed a “national care service” to be funded by a deferred levy on dead people’s estates. Other options could include “a new form of social insurance” or “a combination of private and state payments”.

A more “ambitious” solution would be take responsibility for funding social care away from local councils, whose “revenues don’t map neatly on to local care needs”, and simultaneously reform council tax as a central tax that better reflects current property values and generates revenue for a national social care service, said Ben Zaranko in The Observer. That would “create losers, be complicated and take time but the course of true radical social care reform never did run smooth”.

What next?

Burnham is scheduled to deliver a speech on adult social care on Wednesday. In it, he will “stop short of unveiling” any concrete plans, said the BBC, instead announcing that he is speeding up Louise Casey’s independent review of possible solutions for the system.

Yet “the veteran Whitehall troubleshooter on whom Burnham is relying to come up with answers” has already warned there is no quick fix, said the FT’s Smyth. Earlier this month, she said “we cannot keep pretending that a few tweaks will fix adult social care, or attempt major reform without the public’s backing”.

“No remnants of Nazi influence remain” at Salzburger Vorstadt 15, the building in the Austrian town of Braunau where Adolf Hitler was born in 1889, said The New York Times. The former guesthouse has now been remodelled into a police station, in an estimated £15 million renovation that concludes a “years-long effort” to prevent the site from becoming “an attraction for Nazi sympathisers”.

‘Neutralise’ history

The Austrian government acquired Salzburger Vorstadt 15 from its previous private ownership in 2016. It then remained empty while a commission decided the future of the building, forcing the town to decide whether to “confront or erase this past”, said Katja Hoyer in The Telegraph.

Ultimately, it decided it wanted to “neutralise” history by choosing a new purpose for the building to ensure it would “neither be demolished nor become a memorial”.

As a police station, the building will be seen as a place of “democracy, the rule of law, security, freedom and human dignity”, said Gerhard Karner, the Austrian interior minister. “Our police is the opposite of the darkest times of our history,” he said at the opening ceremony. However, he added, “memory will not disappear”.

While there will be no information plaque at the site, a memorial stone remains at the front of the building. The stone, taken from Austria’s largest Nazi concentration camp at Mauthausen, bears the inscription: “For peace, freedom and democracy. Never again fascism. The millions of dead remind us.”

‘Concerns on several levels’

Over the years, Braunau residents have become “fed up” with “extremists and drunken revellers” who “posed for pictures” outside the building with the “straight-armed Hitler salute” or laid “roses and wreaths” to mark the dictator’s birthday, said The Guardian.

But choosing what to do with the site was no easy task. Turning it into a museum of Nazi atrocities could “continue to draw right-wing extremists” but demolishing the building would “obfuscate an important chapter of local history”.

It was felt that a police station would “discourage Hitler admirers” from visiting the site, commission member Oliver Rathkolb told Deutsche Welle.

However, in a 2023 poll only 6% of respondents were in support of the police station idea, possibly due to concerns over the role of the Gestapo secret police as “one of the regime’s principal instruments of terror”. Salzburger Vorstadt 15 should have become “a place dedicated to peace, freedom, democracy and tolerance”, said local resident Eveline Doll. Turning it into a police station “raises concerns on several levels”.

But Florian Kotanko, chair of the Contemporary History Society of Braunau, rejected such comparisons. “We live in a democratic state governed by the rule of law” and, so long as officers are “held accountable”, there is “no reason for fundamental distrust of the police”, he said.

US dominance of the AI landscape is receding with the release of Kimi K3, the newest model developed by a Chinese start-up called Moonshot AI.

Kimi K3 is as “powerful as the most advanced AI systems” from the US, such as OpenAI and Anthropic, while being “cheaper to run”, said The Telegraph. It is available for people to freely download and is an “open-weight model”. This allows developers to download it, modify it and run it on their own servers for free, “positioning it for easier adoption and a wider market globally”, said CNN.

How good is K3?

K3 was “beating” Anthropic’s Opus 4.8 model and OpenAI’s 5.5 in most coding and “general AI agent benchmarks”, according to results released by Beijing-based start-up Moonshot. This was while costing “about a third of Anthropic’s Opus 4.8”, said the Financial Times. But K3 was “falling short” of Anthropic’s Fable model.

Unlike the “closed” and “proprietary” American systems, K3’s “open nature” allows global users to “modify the system for advanced reasoning and complex software development”, said the BBC. It will be the world’s first open source model in the “three-trillion-parameter class”. A parameter refers to “learned values within a machine learning model that determine how it maps input data into outputs”, said IBM.

The release of K3 had an “immediate” market reaction, said The New York Times. The Nasdaq dropped around 1%, with investors selling shares in US companies like Intel and Nvidia, who make computer chips to power AI.

How have Anthropic and OpenAI reacted?

Anthropic and OpenAI have accused Chinese companies of “improperly harvesting data” from their systems to “accelerate” their own competing models’ development. However, after years of “operating under export controls” and “tight computing constraints”, China’s advances “cannot be explained by distillation alone”. There is “real innovation going on”, said Graham Webster, a Stanford University professor.

The “steady stream” of Chinese open-source AI models, including K3, that “rivals” the performance of “costly systems from Silicon Valley” have become the “preferred choice” for developers, said the NYT. President Trump has “repeatedly framed maintaining America’s “lead” in the “defining technological race of our time” as a “strategic imperative for preserving the country’s economic and national security”. These technological developments have “underscored the geopolitical stakes of the US-China contest for leadership”.

What does this mean for US dominance in AI?

Xi Jinping released a statement saying AI development should not be a “solo performance by a single country” but instead a “symphony of international cooperation”. He said China was “ready to work with all parties to seize the opportunities of AI development”.

US AI leaders and policy makers had taken “comfort” from “estimates that China remained six to 12 months behind”, even with Chinese open-weight models “gaining momentum”, said Axios. However, the release of Kimi K3 suggests that “cushion may have collapsed far faster than expected”. With the “entire game changed”, this could “trigger some code red for some”, said AI analyst Kim Isenberg.

American labs are “hardly out of ammunition” with OpenAI and Anthropic “racing ahead” to build newer systems like GPT-6 and Claude Opus 5. But even if the US “pulls ahead” again, China has shown it can “close the gap quickly”.

A super-Earth 48 light-years away, approximately 1.7 times the diameter and 5.6 times the mass of our planet, may be capable of sustaining life. The exoplanet, LHS 1140 b, was leaking helium, which could be indicative of the presence of an atmosphere, a necessary factor for life to flourish.

A whole new world

LHS 1140 b likely has an “upper atmosphere dominated by helium and depleted in hydrogen, with other volatile species trapped at lower altitudes,” said a study published in the journal Science. The exoplanet was discovered in 2017 and was found to share many qualities with Earth. Though its temperatures are colder than our planet’s, it “orbits a red dwarf star within the star’s habitable zone,” which is the sweet spot “where temperatures and environmental conditions are within the range that could support liquid water on the planet’s surface,” said a news release about the study. This is the “first time anyone has found an atmosphere on a rocky planet in the habitable zone of another star,” Collin Cherubim, the lead author of the study, said in the release.

The researchers were able to identify the exoplanet’s atmosphere using a technique that is “typically reserved for observing giant planets” and using it “for a rocky planet, which nobody has done before,” Cherubim said to Space.com (a sister site of The Week). With the Warm Infrared Echelle (WINERED) Spectrograph on the Magellan Observatory in Chile, they were “able to see LHS 1140 b and another planet both transit, or pass in front of, their star in the same night,” where they could “identify the signatures of molecules in the atmospheres of these planets as they passed,” said Space.com. One planet “yielded no results,” but LHS 1140 b “showed a direct, undeniable helium signature.”

Helium is a “very light gas that easily escapes gravity,” so it “could serve as a readily detectable marker of a complex atmosphere underneath,” said Time. A potential atmosphere is a significant find as small red dwarf planets are the “most common type of star, and hence our best chance for studying nearby rocky exoplanets in their habitable zone,” said The Guardian. Red dwarfs aren’t as bright as our sun, so their planetary habitable zone tends to be in the range of solar flares, which often strip “away the atmospheres from the planets they host, leaving rocky planets with thin atmospheres or airless.”

Endless diamond sky

While the findings are promising, “at this point, we have absolutely no evidence for life on the planet,” Cherubim said to The New York Times. “But we think all of the really important, essential ingredients are there.” The question remains whether LHS 1140 b is “bare rock with no atmosphere that sometimes burps up some gas that then immediately escapes” or if there is a “steady-state atmosphere there that will leak out stuff like the Earth does from time to time,” Jason Dittmann, an assistant professor of astronomy at the University of Florida and the one who first found the planet, said to The Independent.

An atmosphere helps a planet hold water, regulate climate and protect from space radiation. To determine whether the helium leak is from an atmosphere, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope will be used to “look for water, and if there’s water in the atmosphere, then it’s probably a stable atmosphere that will persist,” said Dittman to The Independent. Even if this exoplanet is not the next Earth, “if one potentially organic world is out there, countless others could be too,” said Time. The existence of potentially viable planets “dramatically” boosts the odds of alien life.

South Korea has some wondrous ancient sites, and none are more important than those around Gyeongju, says Oliver Berry in National Geographic Traveller. Set among forested hills a couple of hours by high-speed train from Seoul, this historic town is a lovely place to wander, with its leafy avenues and traditional hanok houses and gardens.

But the height of its glory came more than 1,000 years ago: from 57BC until AD935 it was the capital of the kingdom of Silla, and for some time, one of the largest cities on Earth. The “most obvious legacy” of that time are the royal tombs “dotted around” the town – more than 100 mounds like giant “molehills”. Several of these have yielded extraordinary treasures, many of which are on display at the town’s dazzling National Museum.

Alongside Baekje and Goguryeo, Silla was one of three kingdoms that ruled the Korean peninsula together for hundreds of years, until the late 7th century when, with the help of Tang Chinese forces, it defeated the others. Many of Gyeongju’s treasures date from before that victory – including the 11,000 items found in the Cheonmachong (or “heavenly horse”) tomb, believed to have been created in the 5th or 6th century.

Today, visitors can enter the mound itself, where golden crowns, jewelled caps, suits of armour and gilt-bronze sandals sit under spotlights in the “inky” darkness. The most famous item is a birch-bark saddle emblazoned with a prancing horse – the design from which the tomb takes its modern name.

Several other sites around town also have roots in the Silla period, including the Woljeonggyo Bridge, a recent reconstruction of a structure built in AD760. Flanked by “ornate” gatehouses, and spanning 60m, it is the country’s largest wooden bridge. Grander still is Bulguksa Temple, set on the slopes of Mount Tohan, nine miles from Gyeongju. Although restored and altered many times over the years, the temple retains various treasures from the 8th and 9th centuries, including stone pagodas, and gilt-bronze statues of the seated Buddha.

A shrinking pool of ultra-wealthy donors increasingly bankroll Britain’s political parties. Should we be worried?

Why is this issue in the news?

The short answer is because of Reform UK. In December 2025 the Electoral Commission, the statutory body that regulates elections and political finance, reported that Reform had received £9 million from the Thai-based crypto investor Christopher Harborne – the largest donation to a political party ever made by a living person in the UK. (Harborne also gave £5 million, said to be a personal gift, to Nigel Farage in 2024.)

The latest figures show that just under £25 million was donated to UK political parties in the first quarter of 2026: £9.9 million to Reform, £6 million to the Conservatives, £4 million to Labour and £3 million to the Lib Dems. Of the money given to Reform, £7 million of it came from Harborne and one other donor, Ben Delo, the Hong Kong-based founder of a crypto exchange. This is, increasingly, a theme of all political funding. In 2015, donations of £1 million or more from individuals and companies accounted for 1% of all private political donations. By 2024, such high-value donations made up fully 35% of the total.

Why is this happening?

Voluntary donations fuel party politics in the UK. State funding is limited to relatively small amounts given to opposition parties. Parties need money to pay their staff, conduct research, advertise and fight elections. The steady decline of membership – the Tories had around three million members in the 1950s, and now have around 130,000 – has seen fees replaced by donations.

Big donations are not limited to Reform: members of the Sainsbury family have given tens of millions to the Conservatives and Labour, including a £10 million bequest to the Tories in 2022, the largest donation in UK history. Yet the past decade has seen the rise of a new generation of mega-donors, less well known, often residing abroad. At the same time, overall spending has grown, aided by the Tories’ controversial decision to raise the electoral spending cap by 80% in 2023. The total spent by all parties at the 2001 election was £27 million; at the 2024 election, it was nearly £69 million.

What does the law say about political spending?

For election campaigns, spending limits are set for each national party (calculated at £54,010 per constituency contested) and for each local candidate (from £11,390). There is, however, no general limit on political donations. Since 2000, donations over £11,180 (previously £7,500) must be reported to the Electoral Commission. However, loopholes abound. For instance, Frank Hester and his company The Phoenix Partnership donated £15 million to the Conservatives before the 2024 election (63% of the party’s campaign spending) but broke it up into smaller amounts to avoid scrutiny.

Donors have to be “permissible”, meaning they’re an individual who is on the electoral register (this includes overseas voters), or a UK-registered company, union or other body. Those who are not UK voters can get round the ban by giving money via UK subsidiaries, or by using so-called unincorporated associations.

Why is this a matter for concern?

Money affects electoral outcomes. Arguably, Reform could not have established itself as a major party without generous funding for it and its predecessor, the Brexit Party. And by and large, parties do not get something for nothing. Political scientists often divide donors into three (overlapping) groups: “ideologues”, motivated by a cause; “investors”, who give money to those they think will represent their interests; and “intimates”, who enjoy the access it gives to lawmakers and the associated prestige. The dangers of this are well-rehearsed. But as donations grow more narrow and concentrated among the super-rich, the fear is that parties are ever-more vulnerable to donor pressure. It is no coincidence, critics say, that two-thirds of Reform’s money comes from crypto businessmen, and that the party is calling for a regulatory “Big Bang 2” to turn the UK into a “crypto hub”.

But the problem spreads wider than that. Transparency International UK has assessed that £42 million given to political parties since 2001 came from donors either alleged, or proven, to be involved in fraud, corruption or money-laundering.

Is there an alternative to the current system?

Many nations cap not what parties can spend but what donors can give. Australia has a $50,000 annual donation cap; Canada limits individuals to around $1,750 per year; France caps them at $7,500. In each case, however, the state makes up the shortfall – per voter, France spends over ten times as much as the UK on political parties – and in Britain such state funding is unpopular; most taxpayers reject the principle that they should fund parties they disagree with.

At the other end of the spectrum from France is the US, where the Supreme Court has scrapped all donation and spending limits on freedom of speech grounds. The cost of US elections, and the influence of the very rich, has since rocketed.

Are there any plans to limit donations?

Labour’s 2024 manifesto promised to “protect democracy by strengthening the rules around donations”. Philip Rycroft’s independent review into foreign financial interference recommended, among other things, an annual £100,000 cap on political donations from British voters living abroad; a suspension of crypto donations; and tighter “Know Your Donor” checks. In March, these were added as amendments to the Representation of the People Bill, which was due to come to the Commons for its third reading last week.

The bill’s progress was abruptly delayed, because of backbench amendments aimed at capping domestic political donations. The Labour MP Stella Creasy proposed a universal annual cap of £100,000 on individual donations. (This would have stripped Reform of around 85% of its funding.) Both Reform and trade unions – whose block donations to Labour could have been affected – objected. The delay will allow Andy Burnham’s government to reshape the legislation.

Since the US and Israel first attacked Iran on 28 February, President Trump “has claimed more than 30 times that Operation Epic Fury has been successful, is over, or almost is”, said Robin Wright in The New Yorker. None of these predictions have been borne out; “some have bordered on delusional”.

Tehran on the attack

The latest ceasefire, agreed in June, has “functionally collapsed”. In the past fortnight, the US has launched nightly air strikes, renewed the blockade of Iranian ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz, and reimposed sanctions. Iran has attacked US and other targets in Jordan, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman. Three US service personnel were killed last week by a strike on an airbase in Jordan; nearly 100 more have been injured in the latest attacks.

Trump has tried three strategies so far: regime change, a longer campaign of relentless bombardment, and diplomacy. None have worked. In Washington, “there is a growing sense of despair” about the direction of the war.

Iran’s leaders feared that the Memorandum of Understanding agreed in June was just a temporary retreat, said Vali Nasr in the FT – to relieve pressure on the world economy and allow US forces to rearm. There was, in fact, “plenty of evidence to support their suspicions”. More US military assets began to arrive in the area, and the deal’s provisions – on coordinating the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz with Iran, on the need for a ceasefire in Lebanon – were ignored. Tehran’s aim now, in going on the attack, is to show that the US cannot dictate events, and that Iran can withstand whatever military and economic pain is inflicted on it.

Deep trouble

Some strategists think the new US plan could work, said Mark Urban in The Sunday Times. Its forces are battering Iran’s coast – military installations, bridges, airports, port facilities – to neutralise the Iranian military’s hold on the strait. At the same time, choking off oil exports will plunge the country into deep economic crisis – albeit in months, not weeks.

In the meantime, the collateral damage to the region is escalating, said Ahmed Al Omran in the FT. Kuwait, which is bearing the brunt of Iran’s current attacks, has endured 1,400 missile and drone strikes. Its airport and its oil infrastructure have been attacked, along with the energy grid and the desalination plants that supply 90% of Kuwait’s water. Oil exports have dropped to 20% of pre-war levels.

The US is in deep trouble, and there’s no easy way out, said Will Walldorf in Foreign Policy – short of accepting Iran’s authority over the Strait of Hormuz and its right to enrich uranium. “But that’s the unfortunate consequence of losing a war that should never have [been] started in the first place.”

Superstar is a word that is overused these days, said Oliver Holt in the Daily Mail; but if ever a man was worthy of it, it was Kevin Keegan. Back in the 1970s, the footballer – who died this week aged 75 – was a “riot of colour” in a grey world; and for a few years, said The Times, England’s hopes of becoming a great footballing nation again seemed to rest entirely on his “poodle perm”.

As England captain, his success in elevating the team above mediocrity was only fleeting, but his impact crossed cultural boundaries. Not only was he charismatic and open-hearted, he was one of the first players to fully market his brand, deploying “his ready smile and dimpled chin with charm and professionalism”. He was ubiquitous on cereal boxes; he was a face of Brut on TV, splashing it “all over”; he even released a handful of singles.

Fighting spirit

Keegan wasn’t the first “celebrity footballer”, said Jim White in The Daily Telegraph: George Best had been that a decade earlier. But “King Kev” or “Special K”, as he was known, was not like Best. A clean-cut family man, he had neither Best’s destructive streak nor his natural brilliance. Having grown up “football-mad” in South Yorkshire, the son of a miner, Keegan had trained tirelessly to become a great, and disprove the selectors who’d told him that, with his slight and small frame (he was five foot seven), he’d do better as a jockey.

His energy, tenacity and fighting spirit, which won him the nickname “Mighty Mouse” – and led him into a notorious on-pitch brawl in 1974 – became evident to the wider public in 1976, on the multi-sport TV show “Superstars”. In the cycle event, Keegan fell off his bike and landed very painfully. He was bloodied and bruised, yet he insisted on taking part in the re-run, which he then won. The public adored him for it.

King Kev

On the pitch, he had first achieved stardom at Liverpool in the early 1970s, said The Guardian. He moved to Hamburg in 1977 – where he twice won the Ballon d’Or – and ended his playing career at Newcastle, from 1982, where he achieved the status of a demigod by helping to return the Magpies to the First Division. When he retired – flying off the pitch in a helicopter after a testimonial – fans wept.

Eight years later, he was back as manager. The club was facing relegation to the third tier; under his helm, it was promoted and became one of the most thrilling in the Premier League. And though his final stint at Newcastle was less successful, the fans still loved him. In January, after he revealed that he had terminal cancer, they unfurled a huge banner at St James’ Park reading: “Long Live King Kev – The Messiah”.

If you are saving for retirement with a 401(k) plan, there is a good chance you enjoy matching contributions from your employer. Those using an IRA do not have that same opportunity, however, as the retirement saving option is opened independently outside of an employer. The Saver’s Match, set to roll out in 2027, will finally give some IRA owners (and workplace savers) a chance to claim a matching contribution.

Created under the Secure 2.0 Act of 22, the Saver’s Match program will “provide income-eligible retirement savers with a matching annual contribution worth up to $1,000 for single tax filers and $2,000 for joint filers,” said CNBC. The Treasury Department will deposit these contributions directly into retirement accounts.

What is the IRA Saver’s Match?

In short, the Saver’s Match is a “government-funded contribution to an eligible retirement account,” said U.S. News & World Report. Under the program, the Treasury Department will direct deposit matching contributions into the retirement accounts of eligible account owners.

These contributions will be “equal to 50% of retirement contributions up to $2,000, for a maximum yearly match of $1,000,” said CNBC. Eligibility for matching contributions, and the amount of the contributions, is income-dependent.

Who is eligible for the Saver’s Match?

“Eligibility for the Saver’s Match is based on income: single filers with a modified adjusted gross income of $20,500 or less in 2027 (or $41,000 for joint filers) are eligible to receive a 50% match on up to $2,000 of their contributions,” said Investopedia. As income increases, the amount of matches goes down, phasing out for single filers earning between $20,500 and $35,500 ($41,000 to $71,000 for those filing jointly).

Another asterisk in eligibility is that it also matters what type of IRA you have. “Although contributions to an IRA may qualify workers for the match, any money the worker is entitled to can only go into a traditional IRA — not a Roth IRA,” said CNBC. Effectively, this “means that workers who save via a Roth” would “need a traditional account to receive the match.”

Those with workplace retirement plans, such as 401(k) plans, are also eligible for the Saver’s Match if they meet income thresholds.

How does the Saver’s Match compare to the Saver’s Credit?

The Saver’s Match is replacing the Saver’s Credit, which is a nonrefundable tax credit designed to encourage low- and middle-income savers to contribute to a retirement plan. A tax credit is designed to directly reduce the amount of taxes you owe.

The problem with the credit, however, is that it was something “low-income savers largely couldn’t use since they owe little or no taxes,” said Investopedia. With the Saver’s Match, it is not necessary to pay taxes to get the matching contribution. All you have to do is meet eligibility requirements and contribute to your retirement account.

After their terms end, most U.S. presidents try to make their remaining time count. They often do so by building a presidential library and museum, as every commander-in-chief of the 20th and 21st centuries has done. Many of them also write an autobiography or presidential memoir, as former President Joe Biden is currently doing. But many ex-presidents have also undertaken more unusual tasks after leaving the White House.

Barack Obama

While former President Barack Obama’s presidential center recently opened in Chicago, the 44th president has been keeping busy in a variety of other ways. Most notable is Higher Ground, the production company he launched with Netflix in 2018 alongside his wife, Michelle Obama. The company began with film and television projects and has since branched out into documentaries and podcasts.

In April 2026, it was announced that Higher Ground would “transition to becoming independent when its current first-look deal with Netflix is up,” said Deadline, though the company will be “continuing to collaborate with the global streamer on existing projects.” The independence has allowed Higher Ground to work with other studios, including partnering with HBO on Larry David’s “seven-part sketch comedy series that’s an irreverent look at American history,” said NPR. The show features a cameo from the former president.

George W. Bush

After his presidency, George W. Bush mostly shunned the limelight, instead retiring to his ranch in Texas. But he took up several hobbies since leaving office, most notably painting. Bush’s artworks are “both more and less interesting than they initially seem,” said Artforum, and often feature world leaders he met during his time as president, including Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Beyond his brushstrokes, Bush is also an avid mountain biker and uses this to give back. He has “hosted a charity ride for veterans for years,” said Bike magazine, and in 2021 even released a short documentary about the ride. “Any day you ride with the vets is a good day,” Bush says in the video. Several veterans “who found community and healing in the sport of mountain biking were interviewed in the documentary,” said Bike.

Bill Clinton

It was Bill Clinton’s wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who had the more prestigious career after leaving 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. But the former president hasn’t kept to himself entirely these last 26 years — Clinton has remained largely active in global affairs. In 2009, he “arrived in North Korea” on a secret trip to “try to win the freedom of two American journalists,” said NPR. North Korean leader Kim Jong Il pardoned the journalists after his visit.

That same year, Clinton was also appointed as the United Nations’ special envoy for Haiti, thereby “building on the former United States president’s extensive engagement with the Caribbean nation,” said the U.N. Clinton’s work on the island helped “support the efforts of the Haitian authorities to jumpstart sustainable social and economic development.” He remains closely tied to Haitian affairs.

Jimmy Carter

When former President Jimmy Carter died at age 100 in 2024, many said it was his post-presidency for which he’d be most remembered. While Carter’s time in the White House was largely seen as unsuccessful, upon leaving Washington he “intended, without returning to public office, to continue to work toward the promotion of peace, progress, and human rights throughout the world,” said the American Historical Association (AHA).

Carter used his four decades after his presidency to “promote peace in the Middle East, to address international security and arms control, and to close the gap between what we know how to do in healthcare and what is actually achieved,” said the AHA, largely through the creation of the Carter Center. He also waged a “war against ‘neglected’ diseases — diseases in far-off lands that most Americans will never suffer from and may not have even heard of,” said NPR. These efforts helped lead to the near-eradication of the parasitic Guinea worm disease.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

When Dwight D. Eisenhower’s time in office came to an end, the former World War II general went back to the military — sort of. Eisenhower “reactivated his commission as a five-star general in the United States Army.” Aside from George Washington, Eisenhower is the “only United States president with military service to reenter the Armed Forces after leaving the office of president,” said the Eisenhower Library.

But Eisenhower’s reactivation was largely in name only, as he soon retired to a small farm near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. On this farm, Eisenhower and his wife “raised Angus cattle, painted” and “traveled both for pleasure and to revisit the sites of past triumphs, as when they went to Normandy to film a documentary for the twentieth anniversary of D-Day,” said the University of Virginia’s Miller Center. Before his death, Eisenhower also “consulted frequently with President Lyndon B. Johnson after LBJ committed combat troops to Vietnam.”

Calvin Coolidge

Calvin Coolidge’s presidency has largely been forgotten in the 21st century, but he did take up a unique job after leaving the White House, becoming a journalist. Through the McClure Newspaper Syndicate, Coolidge “wrote a syndicated newspaper column between June 30, 1930, and June 29, 1931,” called “Calvin Coolidge Says,” marking a “rare example of a former president weighing in on current events after leaving the White House,” said the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation.

Coolidge also served a variety of other roles post-presidency. These included the “president of the American Antiquarian Society,” as well as a “directorship on the board of the New York Life Insurance Company” and “chairmanship of the National Transportation Committee, formed by a group of banks, insurance companies and other organizations interested in railway securities,” said The New York Times.

William Howard Taft

William Howard Taft didn’t stay out of government long after his presidency ended in 1913; eight years later, the former president was appointed chief justice of the United States Supreme Court. He remains the only person to have held both roles. The Supreme Court marked a leap back into public life for Taft, who first “became a professor of constitutional law” at Yale University after leaving the White House, said Encyclopedia Britannica.

As chief justice, Taft’s most “most important contribution to constitutional law was his opinion in Myers vs. United States,” a 1926 ruling “upholding the authority of the president to remove federal officials,” said Encyclopedia Britannica. And despite having served as president, Taft considered the judicial branch a higher calling. “To Taft,” said the White House Historical Association, the Supreme Court appointment was his “greatest honor; he wrote: ‘I don’t remember that I ever was president.’”

‘Why the world still can’t agree about alcohol’

Tim Brinkhof at Time

De-normalizing “alcohol consumption seems like a logical next step after cracking down on smoking,” says Tim Brinkhof. But as “societies everywhere ramp up efforts to discourage drinking, a bigger, more difficult question arises. Are the increasingly thorough measures we take to protect our health worth what we give up?” This “dilemma is arguably more apparent with alcohol than with tobacco.” Alcohol is “used to honor, celebrate and connect,” and “these traditions are worth considering and preserving.”

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‘Smoky skies? Throw shade at the fossil fuel industry.’

Breena Holland at The Philadelphia Inquirer

The recent “air quality is brought to you by the fossil fuel industry,” says Breena Holland. To “quibble about how much of the Canadian fires are due to human-caused climate change as opposed to poor forest management or normal climatic changes is to not see the fire for the trees.” The “fossil fuel industry has created human-made climate change, and it has won the war against it.” Rather than “prioritize planet over profit, it chose to ‘manufacture uncertainty.’”

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‘Shooting by GEO Group employee adds to argument for congressional oversight’

Ja’han Jones at MS NOW

It’s “past time to place private prison firm GEO Group under a microscope,” says Ja’han Jones. The company “added to a growing list of controversies on Wednesday when one of its employees was charged with assault for allegedly shooting a woman in the foot while she was protesting.” The “relationship between the administration and for-profit prison firms, especially GEO Group, already warranted congressional scrutiny,” and the “shooting of a demonstrator by a GEO Group employee proves this scrutiny is urgently needed.”

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‘What will you regret? Studying sabbaticals taught me a hard truth.’

DJ DiDonna at The Washington Post

People who take sabbaticals “universally describe their time off in superlatives: as a peak life experience on par in importance with the birth of a child,” says DJ DiDonna. Given the “extended nature of their time off — a proper sabbatical is ideally between three and nine months — there’s ample time to check items off a bucket list.” But the “most transformative sabbaticals included periods of work-like experimentation during which people try out different ways to live their lives.”

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When President Donald Trump announced he was gifted a new luxury Boeing 747-8 from Qatar to use as an interim Air Force One, many national security analysts were worried about risks potentially inherent to the plane. Now that Trump has started using the vehicle, it seems some of those concerns have been borne out, with even Trump himself insinuating that the plane may have security lapses.

What makes Trump’s new plane different?

The plane was designed to be used only during Trump’s presidency. It is built on the body of a Boeing jumbo jet, but there are some significant differences from prior Air Force Ones. The biggest change is that it appears to almost uniquely suit Trump’s taste, complete with a new color scheme after the plane was “repainted in dark navy blue, deep red and gold,” said CBS News.

In keeping with Trump’s affinity for gold and luxury, the plane’s interior features “cognac leather seats” with lie-flat capabilities alongside tray tables made of “mahogany with silver trim,” CNN reported. To communicate with the outside world, the plane serves as an “airborne command post equipped with a new communications system that enables resilient, secure connectivity to respond to global events without disruption,” said L3 Harris Technologies, the contractor used by the U.S. Air Force to upgrade the plane.

What are the security issues?

For all the talk of the gilded plane, there is no shortage of worries about how secure it is. The new model “lacks the same defensive countermeasures that were security features of the old model, including its advanced antimissile capabilities,” sources told The New York Times. At least two Air Force officials were “surprised to see Trump fly on the new jet overseas, where there are greater security risks.”

The plane was gifted by Qatar, a nation that Trump “used to accuse of supporting terrorism,” said MS NOW. But since receiving the jet, the White House has “cozied up to Qatar to a remarkable degree, even unilaterally extending a NATO-like security guarantee to the nation.” That has not changed the fact that the plane “may ​not be as ⁠secure as the baby blue Air Force One that preceded it,” said Reuters.

The White House originally shot back at these insinuations, sending subpoenas to the reporters at The New York Times who wrote about the plane; these were later withdrawn. Trump has since “acknowledged that the Boeing jet given to him by Qatar cannot match the defensive armor of a true presidential aircraft,” said The Guardian, telling reporters he will go back to using the original plane while the new one is “grounded and ‘maxed out’ with the protections it was never built with.” Republicans in Congress have blocked efforts to halt further work on the vehicle.

During a recent overseas trip to Turkey, Trump initially flew aboard the plane but “switched to an older, more heavily defended aircraft for the return leg amid rising tensions with Iran, reportedly on the advice of the Secret Service,” said The Guardian. Despite the security concerns, as well as ethics controversies over accepting the $400 million jet, it is “perfectly safe for the president’s travels but will receive additional upgrades and enhancements in the fall, which will take approximately one month to complete,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

What happened

The US-Saudi nuclear cooperation agreement signed this week was thrown into uncertainty on Thursday after President Donald Trump said the deal would depend on Saudi Arabia establishing diplomatic ties with Israel. In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that the agreement allowing Riyadh to pursue civilian nuclear power using U.S. technology was “totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords,” the initiative that normalized relations between Israel and several Arab states during his first term. The condition was not specified when the deal was announced.

Who said what

Trump’s White House “had faced down considerable political opposition to push forward with the Saudi deal,” said The Washington Post. By highlighting caveats to the agreement, Trump is “responding to two of the bigger criticisms: that it could open the door to nuclear enrichment and that Washington gave up leverage to push a peace deal with Israel,” said Axios.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the new condition as a “historic leap for peace.” Saudi officials have previously resisted linking nuclear cooperation to recognition of Israel.

What next?

“It is unclear,” said CNN, what “impact Trump’s social media missive will have on the signed agreement,” which is expected to be submitted to Congress for review.

What happened

Vance Boelter, the man who assassinated former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman (D) and her husband at their home last summer, was sentenced on Thursday to two life terms plus 40 years in prison. Boelter, 59, who also shot and critically injured state Sen. John A. Hoffman (D) and his wife, pleaded guilty last month to federal charges “so federal prosecutors would not seek the death penalty,” said The Associated Press.

Who said what

Boelter’s attacks “raised nationwide alarm” about “rising political violence,” said The Washington Post. His is the “longest sentence I have imposed,” said Judge John Tunheim, but “I do believe it is deserved.”

“No sentence can do justice for the horrific and unconscionable acts this monster perpetrated,” members of the Hoffman family said in a statement to The Minnesota Star Tribune. We must “start leading with kindness in grace in our public dialogue.”

What next?

With his federal case over, Boelter “will soon face accountability in a Hennepin County courtroom” on state charges, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement. Boelter is scheduled to appear in court on August 3.

What happened

Undeterred by Supreme Court rulings rejecting his tariff regime, President Donald Trump on Thursday launched a new workaround to continue taxing foreign imports. Under the new scheme, which replaces an expiring near-blanket 10% duty, the United States will introduce new tariffs of 12.5% on goods from trading partners, including China and Japan, that have allegedly failed to impose or enforce bans on goods produced with forced labor. Those deemed to have taken steps against forced labor, such as the United Kingdom and the European Union, qualify for a lower 10% rate. Goods from the 60 affected trading partners make up 99.4% of U.S. imports.

Who said what

“The real message here that everyone needs to take away is the president is going to always use the tools at his disposal to achieve his trade policy objectives,” a White House official told CNN. But “Trump’s new tariffs are angering voters,” said Politico. This latest move will only serve to “aggravate Americans who were already blaming the tariffs for stubborn inflation ahead of a midterm election dominated by economic issues.”

Trump has also “once again inspired anger and confusion in U.S. allies and trading partners,” said The Guardian. Many officials argued that the “rationale was hard to swallow.”

What next?

The tariffs are expected to face fresh legal challenges and risk in-kind retaliation. “Everything is on the table,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said after meeting with his provincial and territorial counterparts on Thursday to discuss a response.

Built to celebrate Škoda’s 130th birthday, the Fabia 130 is a sporty hatchback – a souped-up version of the top-tier Monte Carlo trim, and the fastest Fabia yet. With a top speed of 141mph, it does 0-62mph in 7.4secs; and bhp is up from 148 to 175 thanks to a beefy 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, paired with the seven-speed automatic gearbox. Tweaks have been made to the suspension, throttle control, traction and steering, said The Telegraph.

According to Autocar, the 130 is a “warm hatch”, not “hot enough” to earn Škoda’s sporty vRS badge – but some proper hardware engineering has gone into it. It’s “satisfying to drive quickly”: an entertaining but comfortable ride. The chassis is “nicely judged”, the 18-inch alloy wheels have good grip, but the steering lacks feel, and it’s a shame there’s no option for a manual gearbox.

Inside the Fabia 130 it’s like going back to the mid-2010s – which is great for usability, with lots of physical buttons, knobs and dials, but “old and a bit dull” to look at, said Car Magazine. All in all, the 130 is a pleasantly “warmed-over version of this middle-aged small car”. It’ll cost you around £30,000, and for that you could get a faster Mini Cooper S; but the Fabia offers better value: it’s a superior ride and is a more practical all-rounder.

Iranian strikes on CIA facilities have led US intelligence officials to believe that unprecedented intelligence cooperation is taking place between Russia and Tehran, with China cooperating closely with Moscow too.

The US is investigating how Iran was able to accurately target covert CIA facilities in Saudi Arabia and other allied countries in March. Reuters cited former CIA officials who said that relatively few countries possess both the intelligence capabilities and strategic motivation to provide Tehran with such highly sensitive data.

If confirmed, “the successful targeting of covert CIA facilities would represent one of the most significant intelligence security breaches affecting US overseas operations in recent decades”, said Military Watch Magazine.

What did the commentators say?

It appears likely that Iran had help from Russia as the attacks “were far more advanced than what they’ve done before”, Nicole Grajewski, from the Center for International Research at Sciences Po university in Paris, told Al Jazeera. Russia “has also allegedly helped Tehran improve the accuracy” of its attack drones by supplying a Russian-designed anti-jamming navigation system, said Al Jazeera.

A secret document seen by The Economist and estimated by the newspaper to have been from the first six weeks of the war showed Russia also offered to provide Iran with “unjammable drones and training on how to use them against American troops in the Gulf”. Christo Grozev, an expert on Russia’s intelligence services, said the proposal was consistent with other evidence that Russia is looking for ways of increasing support for Iran.

For Russia, the benefits of a continued conflict in the Middle East are obvious. More countries are looking to buy Russian oil while the Strait of Hormuz continues to be unstable, said RadioFreeEurope. The Philippines, for example, “has sought to increase Russian crude access and expanded discussions over long-term energy cooperation”. Where Moscow could benefit economically, “China may see diplomatic gains amid the same situation”.

Moscow and Beijing “have coordinated closely throughout the crisis”, said Jasim Al-Azzawi on Middle East Monitor, jointly convening UN sessions and “declining to abandon Tehran diplomatically even as they withheld direct military support”. There is “a seductive myth that China and Iran are allies bound by blood and ideology, that Beijing would ride to Tehran’s rescue the way Nato would for a member under Article 5”. But “nothing could be further from the truth. What binds Beijing and Tehran is colder, more durable, and in some ways more dangerous than sentiment: mutual utility.”

The Iran war has been good for Beijing because it has “accelerated three of China’s long-held goals: a Middle East less dependent on America, a world more dependent on critical Chinese technology and a reputation for Beijing as a serious and steady world power”, said Fareed Zakaria in The Washington Post. Accordingly, China “provides technological and military support to Iran”, said Nadia Helmy on Modern Diplomacy. Chinese companies are “supplying vital components and technologies used in Iran’s missile and defence programmes, making Tehran a regional power that is difficult to deter without significant cost”.

What next?

The US is “surging forces, medics and weaponry to the Middle East to give President Trump more muscular military options as he considers expanding the conflict”, said The Wall Street Journal.

But any escalation will be complicated by the continued support of China and Russia for Iran and the changing of the geopolitical pecking order that this war is beginning to cause. “The Iran conflict has shown that governments increasingly judge the major powers by whether they can help manage energy costs, shipping risk and inflation,” Ilango Karuppannan, a veteran Malaysian diplomat, told RadioFreeEurope.

“This creates a risk for Washington. The US may remain militarily important while becoming less economically relevant.”

A financial trick that uses credit card debt to make money has returned because of relatively high savings rates.

Financial conditions are now in a “sweet spot” for the strategy known as stoozing, said The Telegraph.

A “successful stoozer”, said MoneySuperMarket, effectively turns credit card debt into a short-term interest-free loan while keeping their actual money in a high-paying savings account.

The difference between the savings interest and any credit card fees is your profit. But while the concept is “relatively simple”, successful stoozing “requires careful organisation and financial discipline”.

What is stoozing?

Stoozing is a way of “manipulating 0% spending credit cards to make money”, said MoneySavingExpert.

The method means you can “maximise interest earnings”, said The Independent, by spending on a 0% interest credit card “while diverting your actual cash into high-yield savings accounts”.

How stoozing works

Stoozing involves taking out a long-term 0% spending credit card and using it for your normal daily spending, while any unspent money from your bank account – such as your wages – goes into a top savings account to earn interest.

You need to make sure you pay off the credit card bill each month. When the 0% deal is about to end, you will need to either “pay off the balance using the money from the savings account or transfer it to a new credit card with a 0% balance transfer”, said Go.Compare. Meanwhile, any interest you earn on the money in the savings account ends up as profit.

Pros and cons of stoozing

The method can be “lucrative”, said MoneySavingExpert, but it will not work if you are “not very financially organised, unsure of how it works, have a poor credit history, don’t have financial self-discipline, or have other credit card, overdraft or loan debt”.

It is a “relatively low-effort” way to earn some extra money and maximise savings interest, said Moneyfacts.

But there are risks. You could be hit with interest charges if you don’t clear the debt, said CompareTheMarket, “undoing all the good work of having your money in a savings account”.

Taking out too much debt can also have a “negative impact” on your credit score, said Money to theMasses, which may make it harder to borrow money for a “legitimate reason” such as if you need a mortgage.

Plus, you may regret “locking away your savings” if you suddenly need the money sooner than expected, as there may be penalties for early withdrawals.

Is stoozing worth it?

Stoozing “only really works”, said uSwitch, when “savings interest rates are high”.

The method can be “worth the hassle”, said Go.Compare, if you have “strong credit” as well as “discipline for timely repayments”. Stoozers also need to be able to invest borrowed funds “profitably”. It is risky if you will struggle to pay the credit card bill or “the returns are too small for the effort involved”.

There are alternatives to stoozing, such as reward or cashback cards that pay “a percentage of your money back or build points to redeem in shops”.

Find out how closely you’ve been paying attention to the latest news and other global events by putting your knowledge to the test with our Quiz of The Week.

“And why do you think you are sick?”

I knew why I was sick. I was sick because I had a cold. And I had a cold because I have a toddler. And toddlers are, as far as I can tell, living, breathing vectors of disease.

But when I gave that answer to Dr Melanie Gatt, pithily I might add, on my first proper morning at Mayrlife, she looked at me with the patient expression, ironically, of someone explaining something to a toddler.

Because at Mayrlife, it turns out there is much more to every sickness. Here, in a pristine clinic on the banks of an even more pristine glacial Austrian lake, illness is not simply bad luck that happens to you. It is a signal. And almost every signal, according to the Mayr method on which the whole place is built, traces back in some way to the gut.

It is fair to say that when I arrived at Mayrlife, and having read some of the reviews, I was a tad sceptical and a bit more than a tad apprehensive. No alcohol I could just about do, but no caffeine? And no sugar? Well that sounded like no fun at all. I was fully braced for days of being upsold pseudoscience by people in white linen. But I left, to my considerable and ongoing surprise, a convert. Not to a diet, but to an entire way of thinking about what it takes to live a good, healthy life.

Why stay here?

Mayrlife is tucked away on the banks of Lake Altaussee, a glacial jewel hidden in the mountains of the Salzkammergut, roughly two hours from Salzburg. Austria is not a country that does things by halves and if you come to Mayrlife solely for the views, you will not be disappointed. Throughout my stay I felt connected with nature in a way that is a lot harder to achieve in a city in the UK. In fact the spa town has a history of salt mining that stretches back centuries and some of Mayrlife’s treatments involve that very salt.

The medical methodology underpinning everything here was developed by Dr Franz Xaver Mayr, a 19th-century Austrian physician who became convinced that the health of the digestive system was the key to overall wellbeing. In essence, it was Mayr’s view that an unhappy or inflamed gut undermines the immune system and that a great many of the ailments we treat as separate misfortunes, such as my cold, are in fact the same story told in different symptoms. This was the crux of Dr Gatt’s question and it is the philosophical backbone of what is now called Modern Mayr Medicine. It is a fundamentally holistic way of treating ailments through a personalised nutritional plan and medical treatments.

If that sounds like a lot of hard work for a holiday, CEO Dr Dieter Resch and his medical team deliver the whole experience with the elegance and class of a five-star hotel as well as the rigour and scientific knowledge of a private health clinic. It was clear from my very first day at Mayrlife that these were not people gesturing vaguely at science. They were doing the actual thing.

Mayrlife has 64 rooms, ranging from comfortable doubles to suites, penthouses and even private residences. The park residences are Mayrlife’s most generous offering. Containing a loft-style living area with kitchen, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a sweeping balcony with lake views, they also come with a private spa replete with steam bath and sauna.

While those are for the rich and famous (of which Mayrlife counts many as clientele, discreetly of course) even the rooms for us mere mortals are perfectly appointed. Every room in the building has a view of either the lake, the Dachstein Glacier or the village below. The interiors are warm and soft, while the beds are undoubtedly the most comfortable I’ve ever slept in. In fact, much of the experience of being in the room is very similar to that of a high-end hotel. Just with more materials offering you ultrasounds and IVs. And, of course, no chocolates on the pillow.

Eating and drinking

Food at Mayrlife is both a form of therapy and a learning exercise. The kitchen uses regional and organic ingredients to produce menus built around the principles of gut regeneration. They are also calibrated precisely to each individual’s diagnostics. Those initial assessments with Dr Gatt, tested through a muscle-response exercise, what your body is and is not tolerating when it comes to a number of food groups. That test, along with blood analysis, forms the foundation for a custom nutrition plan that evolves throughout the stay.

It is worth saying the meals you get at Mayrlife are not like the meals you’ve had at a hotel. They are broth heavy, smaller in volume than a typical hotel dinner and guests are encouraged to chew at least 40 times before they swallow. All of the meals I had at Mayrlife were delicious, but more importantly they felt nourishing. If the treatment at Mayrlife is holistic, that shines through in the food. The plate is put together as a whole, with no one aspect a star, rather the ingredients sing in unison. That is not to say I wasn’t dreaming of chocolate Hobnobs by day three. But they make it a lot easier to follow the plan by making the meals themselves so delicious.

Somewhere around day three I was handed a single sheet of paper headed “10 Ingredients for Your Well-Being”. It is a mantra for eating and one that on the face of it I knew but I very rarely did.

For example, begin the day with warm water and herbal tea rather than coffee. Eat raw food only before four in the afternoon, because raw vegetables in the evening sit and ferment in the gut rather than doing anyone any good. Try to leave four or five hours between meals so the digestive system can finish what the sheet euphemistically called its “clean-up”, like “a kitchen after cooking”. Use cold-pressed oils and keep them in the fridge. Everyone should have a good breakfast, a hearty lunch and a light dinner. Chew properly. Taste things. In fact, the most radical instruction on the entire page was to pay attention to what you were eating while you were eating it. That means no phones in the dining room and no chatting too. They place a real emphasis on mindful eating.

None of this is revolutionary, and that is precisely the point. What Mayrlife does is take a set of principles you already basically know to be true and remove every obstacle to actually following them. This means that after a few days the new rhythm stops feeling like a regime and starts feeling like the obvious way to do things. By the end of the week, I could see the error of my ways. Not only did I sleep better than I had done since my toddler was born, but the idea of stuffing myself full with pasta and then immediately going to sleep no longer appealed. It was fundamentally a change of mindset.

What distinguishes Mayrlife from the more spartan end of the detox resort market is the cooking school. Guests don’t just eat differently for a week, they can learn how to replicate it. The class uses everyday kitchen equipment and demonstrations showing how to put the dishes together, equipping guests for when they return home. The genius of it is in that implication. This is not a week you survive and then leave behind, but a way of doing things for the rest of your life.

Things to do

A typical Mayrlife day arrives, printed and personalised in your room. The diagnostics that underpin all of this, be it the blood analysis, tolerance testing, a 3D body scan, the myodiagnostic, are of a level usually associated with elite sport or at least very specialist private medicine. But it was Dr Gatt’s calm, evidence-led way of explaining the results that made me excited to see and feel their effects. The list of treatments Mayrlife offer feels limitless and they can range from psychotherapies to IVs to ultrasounds. What Willy Wonka was to chocolate factories, Mayrlife is to medical treatments.

My treatments ranged from the restorative to the genuinely bracing. Cryotherapy takes place in a chamber at minus 110C. This is a temperature the body treats as a full-blown emergency and responds to accordingly, accelerating recovery and dampening inflammation. The IHHT hypoxytraining alternates the oxygen you breathe to mimic high altitude and stimulate the body’s cellular machinery. Water plasma therapy and water shiatsu take place in a highly concentrated saltwater pool. There is a Swiss stone pine sauna, multiple infrared cabins, and a beauty concept developed alongside Dr Barbara Sturm, the skincare physician whose anti-inflammatory approach has acquired something of a cult following among skincare aficionados. The idea, consistent with everything else at Mayrlife, is to work from the inside out.

It is hard to say exactly what benefit each treatment brought me, given I had never had very many of them before. But I certainly felt rejuvenated and restored after the treatments and my fitness watch notified me of an improvement in my recovery times after exercise and my sleep scores. Data begets data but it’s hard to argue with the numbers.

For those who wish to venture out of the resort, the surrounding landscape is spectacular. There are guided hikes and mountain bike tours as well as tennis and a nine-hole golf course in the immediate vicinity. The lake itself is perfect for a dip – although I was warned off that because of my cold – and it is hard not to lose yourself in the magnificence of your surroundings, even if it’s just for a little walk to start your day.

The verdict

It is hard to compare the experience in Mayrlife. The comparison to make is less with other hotels than with places where you can get private diagnostic medicine and a week of serious clinical intervention. It is worth noting as well that the support does not stop when your stay does: Mayrlife’s medical team continues to guide you once you are home. In fact the number of repeat visitors is testament to the fact that their programme works for a large number of guests.

It is far more than a wellbeing reset, and far more than just a beautiful setting. The benefit of being shown that every choice you make when it comes to food and your gut can make a massive difference. And that there are better choices available.

So why was I sick? Well I still blame my toddler. But I am still following some of the Mayr method at home. I’m practising mindful eating and taking the supplements I was prescribed. But more than the effect on my day to day has been an effect on the way I view eating and the choices I make about what I put in my gut. Did I wolf down the free chocolate Hobnobs on the flight home? Yes. But as Frank Sinatra would have said if he’d been to Altaussee, I did it (the) Mayr way.

Mayrlife Medical Health Resort, Altaussee, Austria. Programmes from €2,990 (7 nights, all treatments and food included). Rooms from €460/night. mayrlife.com

Ana Mendieta “made art from blood, feathers, flowers and sand and in such fresh ways, you’d think these primeval substances were new inventions”, said Jonathan Jones in The Guardian.

“She literally played with fire, drawing a human figure with gunpowder on the ground or on the trunk of a tree, then setting it alight”; the resulting scorched shadows bring to mind the victims of a nuclear bomb or the dead of Pompeii.

Mendieta was born in Cuba in 1948, and when the revolution came, she was sent to the US, where she always felt like an outsider. “Home, for her, was the past”, and she made it her mission to “excavate the very origins of art and mythology”.

Mendieta worked in many disciplines: painting, film, photography, performance, sculpture. She used “organic matter”: a human silhouette made of flowers; a hand imprint in a muddy wasteland; a fertility goddess figure carved in limestone. Her art is “irresistible”, and creates “a personal mythology … as weirdly coherent as William Blake’s”.

If she had lived, Mendieta would have been “at the forefront of the art of this century”. But in 1985, aged only 36, she died – falling from the balcony of her 34th-floor apartment in New York, in suspicious circumstances. The artist Carl Andre, her husband, was tried for murder, and acquitted.

The show is packed with “raw, timely works”, said Chloë Ashby in The Independent. They “compel us to pay attention to the natural world”. Scattered throughout are pieces from her Silueta Series, begun in 1973. Many of these are photographs, documenting the artist’s practice of stamping human silhouettes into mud and observing as “weeds and brambles” or other growths rendered them invisible.

Elsewhere, a famous video sees the artist next to a stream, “pouring a pail of cow’s blood over her body”. Blood spilling from her limbs, she lies down in “a mass of soft white chicken feathers”. When she stands, she is “a woman transformed, part-human, part-bird, bizarrely and brilliantly engaged with nature”.

Many of Mendieta’s concerns – “feminism, environmentalism, anti-colonialism” – resonate today, said Alastair Sooke in The Telegraph. Yet this is not a show about “identity politics”. It is, rather, “filled with a rich visual poetry” that is “both forceful and fragile”.

One photograph from the Silueta Series, for instance, sees a human outline half buried on a hillside, “arms clamped by its sides in the manner of an Egyptian mummy”. Another sees Mendieta herself deep in a rocky cavity, as if consumed by the wildflowers sprouting around her.

The exhibition doesn’t make a martyr of her: Andre is barely mentioned, and this is for the best. Staged with “flair” and “sensitivity”, it crackles with “a sense of pagan magic” – and it’s by far the best show Tate Modern has mounted this summer.

Tate Modern, London SE1. Until 17 January