Category Archives: Politics

Analysis, Foreign Affairs, Magazines, Opinion, Politics, Reviews

THE WEEK MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 6, 2026

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THE WEEK MAGAZINE: The latest issue features ‘MASTERMIND’ – How Musk is using his power to sway wars and elections….

Musk: Does he have too much power?

Elon Musk is trying to “make himself more powerful than the government,” said Michael A. Cohen in MS.now. The SpaceX founder and world’s wealthiest man announced last week that he was behind the decision to temporarily throttle Ukraine’s access to a crucial battlefield technology, claiming Kyiv had violated the “terms of service” of his commercial Starlink satellite network by using it for offensive operations against Russia. Kyiv said that explanation didn’t make sense, because the slowdown hit Starlink’s Pentagon-controlled military equivalent Starshield, which Ukraine uses to guide attack drones and defensive drone interceptors. Most likely, Musk was “working in concert” with President Trump, trying to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky into accepting Russia’s terms for ending the war. Either way, it’s outrageous that Musk, “unelected and unaccountable,” should hold such sway over U.S. foreign policy—or domestic policy. The trillionaire has spent over $442 million helping Republicans in next week’s midterms. That’s more than any individual has ever spent on a congressional election cycle and “dwarfs” the $250 million he spent returning Trump to the White House in 2024. If Democrats can overcome Musk’s money and win at least the House next week, they need to find ways to stop this “menace” wielding “such influence in American elections and on American statecraft.”

In The Spotlight

Trumpland is already looking for midterm scapegoats

Some of the president’s closest allies are in the hot seat ahead of an expected electoral drubbing

After winning the streaming wars, has Netflix peaked?

Viewership has slowed, while YouTube attracts eyeballs

Is Viktor Orbán being primed for UN’s top job?

Hungary’s authoritarian former PM would be controversial choice as new secretary general

Culture, Magazines, Opinion, Politics, Reviews

THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE – NOV. 1, 2026

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THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE: The 11.1.26 Issue features Marcela Valdes on the actor Penélope Cruz; Francesca D’annunzio McKenzie Funk and Kirsten Luce on a small town in Texas and a local deputy who became the face of deportation; Sophie Haigney on dark nutrition; Lisa Lerer on OB-GYNs in Idaho; and more.

How Silicon Valley Stole the Future

A.I. will reshape our world. But does that mean the people who make the technology get to control our imagination, too? By Linda Kinstler

These days, the leading tech companies are not primarily fighting one another for market share or talent or computing power. The bigger battle is over who can claim to know the future.

In August, Meta’s chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, published a manifesto titled “The Future Is for Everyone,” in which he argued that artificial intelligence will bring about “an abundance of personal agency” and other riches — but only if Meta is in charge. “If our beliefs and principles lead,” he wrote of his company, “then the balance of power will favor individuals and a better future for everyone.” In September, Sam Altman of OpenAI told the United Nations Security Council that A.I. could lead to either a society in which “more people can participate in the future” or one in which humans have lost “control of the future.” And in his recent call for the voluntary slowdown of A.I. development, Dario Amodei of Anthropic claimed it was imperative to stave off the future we are headed toward, if only for an “extra year or two.”

Martin McDonagh Says Art Can Change the World. Just Not as Much as Murder

The writer-director Martin McDonagh has carved out a highly esteemed cinematic career as a chronicler of extreme, and often extremely bloody, behavior carried out on a relatively intimate scale. “The Banshees of Inisherin” (2022), to pick one of his films, was about two friends on a remote Irish island descending into a feud. “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” (2017), to pick another, looked at a mother’s attempt to get justice for her murdered daughter. That those movies, despite their dark setups, are often as vulgarly funny as they are emotionally affecting is evidence of McDonagh’s originality — and his skill too. (McDonagh was an enfant terrible of the British theatrical world before he turned to filmmaking.) The 56-year-old’s films have earned a cumulative 18 Academy Award nominations, and “Six Shooter” (2004) earned him an Oscar for best live-action short. By David Marchese

The Vibe Is Dissatisfaction. The Result Is Endless Political Deadlock.

From France to Brazil, voters are railing against the status quo, even as the politics of disenchantment make lasting change nearly impossible. By David Wallace-Wells

She Was Racked With Anxiety and Crushed by Insomnia. Finally She Understood Why.

The woman’s symptoms were common, but the cause was not. By Lisa Sanders, M.D.

News, Newspapers, Opinion, Politics

THE NEW YORK TIMES – SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2026

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Iran Braces for More War, No Matter the Outcome of U.S. and Israeli Elections

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is jockeying to stay in power and President Trump is in a midterm fight, yet Iran does not expect a major shift in policy.

High Inflation Haunts Trump and Republicans on Eve of Election

A backlash over high prices helped Republicans capture a majority in 2024. Now, it may be the source of the party’s own undoing.

In Dueling Health Messages, Democrats Focus on Cost and Republicans on Fraud

After concentrating on the high price of gas and groceries, Democrats are using health costs to make their case about an “affordability crisis.”

Trump’s ‘Smart Wall’ of A.I. Cameras Is Watching the Border, and More Than a Million People

The administration is planning a massive expansion of the surveillance program. Here’s how much it can see.

Binance’s $6.3 Billion Hack Is Just the Start of a Risky New Era

The largest cyber heist in history came as attackers increasingly use artificial intelligence and other advanced techniques to steal crypto and quickly launder the funds.

Magazines, Opinion, Politics, Reviews

WASHINGTON EXAMINER MAGAZINE – NOV. 4, 2026

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WASHINGTON EXAMINER MAGAZINE: The latest issue features ‘IF ONLY’ – What Burke, Paine, and Mason can teach conservatives about debate

What Burke, Paine, and Mason can teach conservatives about debate

​Americans have always argued over politics — the founders argued plenty — but something feels different now. By Jason Thompson

An inconclusive outcome to Israel’s first election since the Oct. 7 invasion

By Michael M. Rosen

Obama is ‘tired of being divided’: Pot, meet kettle

No phrase illustrates the irony of former President Barack Obama’s latest political pitch better than “right message, wrong… By Peter Cordi

It’s a brave new working world with Gen Z leading the charge

“The old straightforward dream of going to college and joining the middle class is going away,”… By Nick Thomas

News, Newspapers, Opinion, Politics

THE NEW YORK TIMES – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2026

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High Inflation Haunts Trump and Republicans on Eve of Election

A backlash over high prices helped Republicans capture a majority in 2024. Now, it may be the source of the party’s own undoing.

U.S. Oil Industry Earned Over $130 Billion in Profit During Iran War

With No Clear Winner, How Could Israel Get a Prime Minister?

Deadlock is possible, as neither the bloc of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor his main challenger have won a majority. But there are still paths to a new government.

Israel’s Election Is Unlikely to Change Its Policies and Global Isolation

The leading contenders, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot, aren’t substantially different in their approach to Israel’s security or in their opposition to a Palestinian state.

An Arab Town in Israel Celebrates the Election but Wonders What Will Change

Gains for Arab-led parties have electrified Taibe, in central Israel, even as voters elsewhere in Israel say they have no place in any future government.

Binance Suspends Withdrawals After Hackers Steal $6.3 Billion

The largest cryptocurrency exchange said it was compromised in what could be the biggest crypto heist ever. One research lab attributed the theft to North Korea.

Game About a North Korean Attack Is Slammed for Footage of a Real Tragedy

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 uses actual visuals from a Halloween crowd crush in South Korea, in which over 150 people died in a narrow alleyway.

Finance, Magazines, Opinion, Politics, Reviews

THE ECONOMIST MAGAZINE OCTOBER 31, 2026

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THE ECONOMIST MAGAZINE: The latest issue features ‘The Americans changing politics for the better’…

The Americans changing politics for the better

Hispanics and Asians have become their country’s most dynamic swing voters

Andy Burnham’s government talks of change, then does nothing

Britain’s unimpressive budget reveals a lack of ambition

Israel’s Jewish and Arab opposition parties should work together

If they want to dislodge Binyamin Netanyahu from office, they need to act fast

What to make of 25 years of Narendra Modi

He is learning that even rapid economic growth won’t placate voters if it fails to produce jobs

Markets are dismayed by Lula’s surprise win—and for good reason

The pressure is on Brazil’s re-elected president to avoid an economic slump

Let China copy American AI

Distillation annoys Anthropic and OpenAI. That is not reason enough to ban it

Culture, Environment, Journalism, Magazines, Politics, Reviews

NEW INTERNATIONALIST MAGAZINE – NOV/DEC 2026

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NEW INTERNATIONALIST MAGAZINE: The November-December 2026 issue features ‘Who Wins in Sudan’s War?’….

Who wins in Sudan’s War?

With Sudan still in the midst of conflict and the largest humanitarian and displacement crisis in the world, this magazine shows the complexity of the crisis and the political dynamics behind the headlines. In collaboration with independent Sudanese media platform Ayin Network, the Big Story explores the impact of the war on civilians, from the interruption of education to how displacement is changing the face of the country. We hear from revolutionaries turned fighters, and activists in exile who can’t escape the war, even outside Sudan’s borders. How does the revolutionary dream continue and what does it mean for the goal of civilian rule?

Also in this edition, a report from Syria on attacks against the Alawite minority, a long read exploring how Palestine became a focus of international anti-colonial solidarity, and is the AI apocalypse really on its way?

TAKE BACK THE LAND

The land beneath our feet is what sustains us – from it we can produce food, construct shelter and build livelihoods. But, it’s also a cultural marker and a source of identity. Its control has been a long-favoured tool of colonizers, wealth hoarders and polluters, while its fiercest protectors – often Indigenous peoples – are criminalized, violated and dispossessed. This edition hears from struggles to take back the land in Brazil, Bangladesh, Kenya and North America. We also launch our new series ‘Decolonize how?’ which will explore what people are doing to dismantle the impacts – and current realities – of British-linked colonialism.

News, Newspapers, Opinion, Politics

THE NEW YORK TIMES – THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2026

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With No Clear Winner, How Could Israel Get a Prime Minister?

Deadlock is possible, as neither the bloc of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor his main challenger appear likely to win a majority. But there are still paths to a new government.

How Netanyahu Used Fear, Again, to Win More Votes Than Anyone Else

The Israeli prime minister outperformed both expectations and his rivals by playing on Jewish voters’ fears of Arab political power and potential security threats.

In Marseille, Macron Confronts a Potent Mix of France’s Problems

France’s second city, five years into a presidential development plan, is grappling with the social strains that have fueled protests across the country.

A Monkey King and a Maiden Fell in Love. For China’s Regulator, It Crossed a Line.

Mash-up videos of beloved characters from Chinese classics — some made with A.I. — have caught the attention of the authorities.

Nvidia Chief Is Seen as Target of Chinese Spy Plot

A Chinese businesswoman who had a close relationship with Jensen Huang was found to be passing intelligence to Beijing. President Trump was briefed and took no action.

Alaska Governor Orders Criminal Investigation Into Peltola Campaign

The move followed a Times report about the role Mary Peltola’s Senate campaign played in recruiting candidates to draw votes from the Republican incumbent.

5 min read

Culture, Magazines, Opinion, Politics, Reviews

THE GUARDIAN WEEKLY – OCTOBER 30, 2026

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THE GUARDIAN WEEKLY: The latest issue features ‘KEEP LEFT’ – How Lula won a historic fourth term; Serbia celebrates defeat of Vučić; Competitive yoga – A stretch too far?

How many grinning faces, jubilant crowds and celebrating politicians can you fit into a single issue of the Guardian Weekly? That’s not a question that often troubles us, but the spectacular triumph of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, winning a historic second-round vote after losing the first to rightwing opponent Flávio Bolsonaro, and the victory of the student-led campaign against autocrat Aleksandar Vučić in Serbia gave me a happy problem to solve this week. In an era when the right seems to be riding high in the world, popular pushbacks against strongmen politicians is something to celebrate.

For our Brazil cover story, Tom Phillips and Tiago Rogero report on the reaction to Lula’s victory and how he pulled eventual success from the jaws of what, until the first results came on Sunday evening, seemed a probable defeat. As government health minister Alexandre Padilha said that evening: “It’s a massive victory – not just for Brazil. It’s also an important signal to the rest of Latin America and to the world.” But, as commentator Jordana Timerman cautions, Brazil has been an exception in Latin America in successfully resisting Donald Trump’s attempt to achieve hegemony over the region.

Spotlight | ‘Pure arrogance’
Google has been in the dock in Finland over the illegal felling of hectares of woodland for its datacentres, reports Miranda Bryant

Science | Out of the blue
Why are more planes encountering invisible air turbulence, what can they do about it and what effect will more frequent incidents have on travellers, asks Patrick Keneally

Feature | Bent out of shape?
Competitive yoga may sound like anathema to some devotees of the ancient practice but, as Anita Chaudhuri discovers, there is a movement among some yogis to make it an Olympic sport

Opinion | Lame duck presidents can be dangerous beasts
If Democratic midterm gains hamper Donald Trump at home, we should be very worried about what he might do abroad when foreign policy is his last bastion of power, says Steve Bloomfield

Culture | Stay faithful
As the second series of Celebrity Traitors draws to its conclusion, Michael Hogan meets the people who made it the world’s biggest TV show and finds out why Claudia Winkleman never wants to leave the castle

Foreign Affairs, Magazines, Opinion, Politics, Reviews

THE NEW STATESMAN MAGAZINE – OCT. 30, 2026

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Bin the Budget

THE NEW STATESMAN: The latest issue features Tom McTague defending the magazine’s radical spirit, arguing that every publication needs a driving project. Emily Lawford examines the modern Conservative party, noting that true believers remain undeterred by recent electoral failures. Nicholas Harris uses Cornish nationalism as a mirror for broader British politics, while Andrew Marr warns Labour against falling for opposition election strategies. Internationally, JS Rafaeli critiques the Israeli state following an arrest in the West Bank. Finally, the collection includes a public letters feature emphasizing legal equality.

Bin the Budget – Every magazine needs a project

In defence of the New Statesman’s capital-R Radical spirit

Last week’s open letter in support of Sally Rooney, calling for the Terrorism Act to be amended to protect free expression, generated an extraordinary response. Not all of it has been positive, of course. While many readers wrote in to endorse the letter, others argued – reasonably and often forcefully – that it was Rooney who was to blame for the situation, not the government. She has chosen, of her own volition, to self-censor by going out of her way to breach a law that, irrespective of its merits, should be followed because it is the result of a democratic process. One reader, Peter O’Halloran, from Cavan, Ireland, was among many who got in touch to make this point: “While taking a moral stance is, of course, to be admired, surely the law is the law?”

Abolish the Budget

It is an inherently dishonest way to run a country By Will Dunn

In recent decades, a sinister new force has assumed power in Westminster. They can appear in any political party. They are formidable at converting politicians to their cause. They’re not the Blob, or the Deep State, or the Lizard People. They’re worse. They are the Budgetarians, and no matter which party is in power, they are running the country.

The government must resist Gogglebox politics

Don’t try to read the mind of the British Everyman By Anoosh Chakelian

Every few weeks, I am surveyed for my opinions – not as a journalist, but as a human – by a polling firm. Five years ago, our household was chosen by whatever magical selection process these companies concoct to be part of a polling panel, answering questions about everything from pension literacy to the state of our neighbourhood to how we feel on an emotional scale about heat pumps.

I sometimes wonder how to answer. Should I tick “yes” that I’ve heard of political buzz terms such as “levelling up” or “net zero”? Would someone of my demographic have come across them if it hadn’t been for having a job like mine? And am I being misleading about my media habits if I tick that I read every newspaper, multiple times a month, even if it’s only for work?