Current affairs.

Strange world.

Stay tuned …

& Join 100,000+ readers keeping up to date with us on what’s happening in democratic life, the economy, technology, & culture.

Notes

Jul. 15, 2025 |

‘7 Ways to Love.’ Saint Etienne is building up to the release of their “final” album, International, due on September

...

Jul. 14, 2025 |

Warning signs. Even after Western countries cut off nearly all trade with Russia—and hit it with unprecedented sanctions—Moscow

...

Jul. 14, 2025 |

Breaking bad. Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok descended into anti-Semitic rhetoric this week after xAI released an updated version

...
| Sir Paul Collier & Gustav Jönsson

‘Deplorable’

Around the world, some cities and regions are getting wealthier; others are increasingly left behind. Why? Sir Paul Collier on hyper-centralization and the economic origins of the populist blame game.
12 minute read
| SGNL

Now isn’t now

Why do ceasefire negotiations in Gaza keep getting deadlocked? How did a predictable weather event result in such devastating loss of life in Texas? & How did a “truth-seeking” chatbot become a platform for Nazi rhetoric? New music from Sonita Alizadeh. &c. … The member’s despatch, Week XXVIII.
25 minute read
| Philippe Aghion & Gustav Jönsson

Going west

Why are so many companies moving to America from Europe? Philippe Aghion on the Continent’s failure to build a competitive innovation ecosystem.
9 minute read
| SGNL

The course of human events

What good is U.S. diplomacy with Russia? Can democracy live with huge laws passed by just a few votes? & Is it finally dead in Hong Kong? … + The weird end of the U.S.-China trade war. Why Americans are losing interest in news. Music from Michael Gordon. &c. … The member’s despatch, Week XXVII.
20 minute read
| Allison Braden & Liana Fix

Alternative history

What does Germany’s new military expansion mean for Europe? Liana Fix on Berlin’s mission to build the Continent’s most powerful army.
9 minute read
| Gustav Jönsson & Tena Prelec

Continental

How has Europe become the destination for so much dirty money—and what are European states doing about it? Tena Prelec on why it is so hard to root out grand corruption.
11 minute read
| SGNL

War and peace

Why didn’t China or Russia help Iran? What on Earth is “the West”? New music from Four Tet, Mary Halvorson, & Amon Tobin. + What’s a pandeiro? &c. … The member’s despatch, Week XXVI.
16 minute read
Your link has expired
Success. Please check your email for magic link to sign in.
0 Results for your search

May we suggest a tag?

Democracy Economy War Diplomacy Technology Culture Health Autocracy Despatch Media Migration Science Law Crime Letters

May we suggest an author?

Michael Bluhm Brendan Hasenstab Gustav Jönsson Graham Vyse SGNL Phoebe Maltz Bovy John Jamesen Gould Eve Valentine Allison Braden Anatol Lieven Matthias Matthijs Chris Miller Steven A. Cook Victor Shih Marc Weitzmann