Pope Leo
— Cardinal Robert Prevost becomes Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff, inheriting Pope Francis’ groundwork for change through synodality while facing pressure to modernise without fracturing Catholic unity.
Analysis
Our analyses thoroughly examine current events and complex issues, providing nuanced insights into politics, health, economics, and social trends. Supported by evidence-based perspectives from experts, these articles go beyond the headlines to explore underlying causes and impacts, fostering informed discussions on the forces shaping our world.
UK Politics
— Reform has stunned Labour with a six-vote by-election win in Runcorn and Helsby, breaking historic norms and fuelling speculation Nigel Farage could become Britain’s next prime minister.
Far-Right
— 80 years after Mauthausen’s liberation, Spanish antifascists and American soldiers remain united by a stark warning: the horrors of fascism are not history but a resurging threat to democracy today.
US-Ukraine Minerals Deal
— The US-Ukraine postwar deal promises investment and profit-sharing on mineral wealth, but shaky reserves, no security guarantees and Trump’s unpredictability cloud its real impact on peace or defence.
2025 Local Elections
— Reform UK contests nearly every seat in Thursday’s English local elections — a major test of its claim to be Labour’s main opposition. Winning will demand more than Farage’s slogans.
Trump 2.0
— Donald Trump’s erratic tariffs and broken commitments have shattered global trust in the US — undermining economic confidence, soft power and dollar dominance, while handing China a golden soft power opportunity.
UK Politics
— A recent MRP poll hints at a shock Reform UK surge, but weakening class ties and modelling flaws mean predictions are shaky — voters now prioritise potholes over politics.
Pope Francis
— Following Pope Francis’ death, 138 cardinals from over 90 nations will gather in the Sistine Chapel for a historic, secretive conclave to elect the most globally representative pope ever.
British Steel
— British Steel’s Scunthorpe blast furnaces face closure — a supply chain crisis, geopolitical tensions and ageing infrastructure threaten the UK’s last virgin steel-making capability and future self-sufficiency.
US Politics
— Donald Trump’s trade war rattled markets and voter confidence — bond sell-offs and rising prices dent approval ratings, especially among independents, risking Republican losses in 2026 midterms as Democrats gain favour.
EU-Turkey Relationship
— The EU’s silence on Turkey’s authoritarian shift — marked by opposition leader İmamoğlu’s arrest and President Erdoğan’s grip — risks eroding democratic credibility, emboldening autocracy and sacrificing long-term stability for short-term security.
Disability Benefits
— UK plans to tighten Personal Independence Payment rules could leave 1.2 million disabled people up to £6,300 worse off annually — deepening poverty and worsening health while failing to boost employment.
Trump's Tariffs
— A historic US Treasury sell-off spooked investors, triggered by Donald Trump’s surprise tariff plans. Soaring yields and inflation fears forced a 90-day tariff pause — exposing fragile fiscal confidence and mounting debt woes.
Trump's Tariffs
— Trump’s tariffs revive a nostalgic fixation on manufacturing, but they ignore automation, service-sector precarity and global economic shifts. Economists warn: protectionism won’t bring back America’s industrial golden age.
French Politics
— Marine Le Pen has been found guilty of EU fund embezzlement — banned from office, derailing her 2027 presidential bid. Her fall sparks far-right turmoil, but opens chance to refocus France on democracy and reform.
US Politics
— Elon Musk’s vision echoes 1930s technocracy—an expert-led, tech-optimised society replacing politicians with engineers, slashing bureaucracy, and managing resources through data, automation, and scientific efficiency.
