On 28 February 2026 the United States began a large military campaign against Iran. President Trump eventually offered four objectives. Destroy Iran’s missile capabilities . Eliminate its navy. Prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon . Cut off funding to its proxies . The list sounded decisive. It was not matched by the outcome. The strikes lasted about two weeks. The United States spent an estimated ten billion dollars on munitions and operations. American service members were killed. Hundreds of Iranian civilians died. Oil markets collapsed. The Strait of Hormuz , which carries one fifth of global oil, was effectively closed. Regional allies were hit by retaliation. The cost was immediate. The purpose was not. There was no evidence of an imminent threat to the United States. This was a war chosen in comfort and justified in hindsight. On 22 March Trump announced a five day pause. He spoke of productive conversations with Iran. Tehran denied any direct talks. The pause was present...

  Since Donald Trump’s rise to political prominence, questions about his mental stability have been at the centre of public and professional debate. His unpredictable behaviour, impulsive decision-making, and confrontational leadership style have raised concerns among mental health professionals, political analysts, and even some former allies. While his supporters view his approach as a necessary disruption of the political establishment, critics argue that his behaviour reflects deeper psychological and cognitive issues. So, is Donald Trump unstable? Psychological Perspectives on Trump’s Mental State From a clinical standpoint, some mental health professionals have suggested that Trump exhibits signs of psychological instability. In 2017, a group of 27 psychiatrists and psychologists contributed to The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump, a book in which they warned that Trump’s behavior posed a “clear and present danger” to the nation. The authors described traits such as narcissis...

  Nigel Farage, the charismatic and polarising figurehead of Brexit and former leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP), then Brexit Party and now Reform, has long been a lightning rod for controversy. Known for his populist rhetoric and anti-establishment persona, Farage has been accused of spreading lies, misrepresentations, and misinformation throughout his political career. Yet, despite the repeated debunking of his claims, he has managed to evade significant accountability. How does he do it? And why does his influence persist?     The Lies and Misrepresentations   Farage’s political career is littered with claims that have been fact-checked and found wanting. Here are some of the most notable examples:   During the Brexit campaign, Farage championed the now-infamous claim that the UK sends £350 million a week to the EU, money that could instead be spent on the National Health Service (NHS). This figure was widely debunked for ignoring the UK’s ...

Across continents and centuries, one depressing magic trick keeps performing itself. Whenever people in power ( or those trying to get into power) feel even the slightest tremor under their feet, they reflexively point to the left and go, “Start with them, they’re always a safe warmup act.” The scenery changes, the costumes change, but the instinct stays as reliable as a fire alarm with a dying battery. As historian Timothy Snyder observes in On Tyranny , “The symbol of the twentieth century is the circle of people who agree to perform a lie. The symbol of the twenty-first century is the circle of people who agree to disregard the victim.” He may as well have added a footnote saying “and watch who gets cast as the victim first.” It is almost always the left. History does not even bother to hide it. In the United States, the Palmer Raids of 1919–1920 saw thousands of anarchists and immigrant communists rounded up and deported. Historian Adam Hochschild notes this set the tone, showi...