The kingdom and the machine
The weekend despatch: Saudi Arabia’s bid to spring the accused OpenAI eavesdropper—at any price. Foreign powers and the secrets of the AI race. + What’s a lawyer doing in the DJ booth at Berlin’s Berghain?
Eyes only
- The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation says an engineer hid a recorder in the conference room where his bosses meet government officials—and now his own government wants to pay whatever it takes to get him out of jail. Why?
In the air
- What’s happening on the streets of Paris, Milan, and Tirana? Standpoints from Plamen Monowski, Michele Serra, and Noah Smith.
From the files
- Is Iran behind the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia? Alex Vatanka on why the Islamic Republic’s allies don’t always do as they’re told.
Features
- Why does American politics seem to have gotten so nasty? Teresa M. Bejan on the difference between good and bad civility in a democracy.
Books
- Why is invading another country such a hard thing to prosecute? Lawrence Douglas, The Criminal State: War, Atrocity, and the Dream of International Justice.
Music
- What’s a lawyer doing in the DJ booth at Berlin’s Berghain?
- & New tracks from Norman Nodge, Josh Johnson, The Nightclubs, Rustie, & Orbital.
+ Weather report
- Two forecasts agree on where India’s next cyclone lands—but not on what happens when it gets there …
