Britain is home to an increasingly dysfunctional housing market. The risk is that a chancellor trying to lay the foundations for a 2015 election victory will struggle to find the balance between the short…
For the future of Crimea: pro-Russia supporters rally.
EPA/Artur Shvarts
We believe that preserving law and order in today’s complex and turbulent world is one of the few ways to keep international relations from sliding into chaos. The law is still the law, and we must follow…
Unemployment in the euro area finally seems to be showing signs of a timid recovery, according to the winter forecasts from the EU, but that doesn’t mean that we can rest on our laurels. A bumpy ride lies…
A tense evening in Donetsk. Around 1,000 pro-Russian supporters gathered in front of the building which houses both the regional state administration and the regional council late on Wednesday afternoon…
Since the 1970s, economic orthodoxy has suggested that inequality might be the price worth paying for economic growth. Following a new report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the evidence is…
A protester plays the piano atop a burned-out bus in Kiev.
Ввласенко
When in Kiev recently I asked many Ukrainians how they thought the raging political and now violent conflict would end. All said they had no idea, but one of them said he had eight scenarios, which included…
A potential government investigation into British Gas has offered up the chance to restructure the market in a way that has not happened since the industry was privatised, and could skew the market to…
Lessons to learn for housing policy.
Chris Carlson/AP
The US has wasted its “sub-prime” mortgage crisis. The story of how and why this has happened is of interest not only for its own sake, but for the broader themes it reveals. I am a theoretically trained…
This could be the riskiest move of Ed Miliband’s career. After months of posturing about the changes in the relationship between the Labour Party and the unions, Miliband has clearly set out his plans…
The death of Pete Seeger marks the end of an astonishing career. His music, political activism and teaching gave him an extraordinary influence that shows no sign of abating. Although the American folk…
Jean-Marie Charon, École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS)
The French press pack has entered uncharted territory. With President Francois Hollande caught in the glare of the paparazzi’s camera flashes leaving the house of the actress Julie Gayet, Closer magazine…
UKIP if you want. Farage is not kipping.
AP Photo/Virginia Mayo
The election to the EU Parliament in May looks likely to be nothing short of a car-crash for Britain’s main political parties. The most recent poll by YouGov suggests UKIP is well-placed to poll in second…
Support among the British public for a sharp reduction in immigration has risen by close to 10% over the past two years to reach an all-time high, according to the latest results from a long-running survey…
Can President Museveni be persuaded to veto the bill?
UK department of International Development
The passing of the anti-homosexuality bill (AHB) has been dubbed a surprise Christmas present to Uganda’s large and powerful Pentecostal-charismatic community, but last week’s law banning homosexuality…
Looking the other way: India’s LGBT community campaigned for privacy.
sound_of_sight
Prompting international outrage, the Supreme Court of India has overturned a “reading-down” of the notorious Section 377 of the India Penal Code. This, in effect, reinstated a law that is widely understood…
If you follow the debate on “population ageing” you could be forgiven for thinking that it is a bad thing; growing numbers of older people mean greying societies, struggling to maintain pensions, welfare…
Surly: Zuma’s presidency has been marked by scandal and mismanagement.
WEF
South Africa is mourning the death of Nelson Mandela, a founding father like no other. His legacy includes a still-lauded constitution, four peaceful, free and fair democratic elections (five if 2014 follows…
If successful, electronic voting poses a serious threat to the great British queue.
Ruth W
The UK may be taking its first, tentative steps towards introducing online voting with the establishment of a Commission on Digital Democracy. As so many of our routine tasks are going digital, the shift…
Mandela’s long walk to freedom - his release from prison in 1990.
Greg English/AP
How do you say goodbye to a global icon? The answer must be: with dignity and by being true to the values that he fought for. By these standards, we all have done Nelson Mandela a disservice. The international…
Modern diplomacy requires a more delicate touch.
Haydn West/PA Archive/Press Association Images
A report from the British Academy has warned that a lack of foreign language skills could undermine the UK’s future security and capacity for global influence. The report warns of an apathy towards language…