The world continues to suffer the whims of Trump’s undeveloped psyche. At least Putin is rational.

Psychologists explain why the songs you loved between thirteen and eighteen feel more emotionally powerful at sixty than anything you've heard since — it's not nostalgia, it's how memory and identity ... The songs that shaped you at fifteen didn't just soundtrack your youth — they became permanent architecture in the brain you were building at the time, and no song heard after twenty-five can replicat...

Interesting piece - that’s why Johnny Tillotson’s ‘Poetry in Motion’ is so unforgettable…well, to me!
experteditor.com.au/blog/gb-a-ps...

The Palantir concerns and why you should care The US tech firm is increasingly hooked into NHS, defence and education in the UK

And while all eyes are on the Mandelson farrago here’s these dangerous folk at Palantir digging themselves into the foundations of the British state…via @zoegrunewald.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/theleadu...

Kudos to whoever came up with this!

It's been a tremendous season Geoff.

It is! And it was never articulated as a policy goal - just a case of policy drift with politicians not paying attention.

Funding your care: the forgotten means-test The sorry state of adult social care dominates today's edition. Also, the inward investment mission to the US, recognition for an unsung hero, and can we now have a grown-up discussion on Brexit?

Funding your own care? It’s a personal quagmire and a policy mess - my view in the always interesting Eyes & Ears Substack.
open.substack.com/pub/eyesande...

The insider trading suspicions looming over Trump's presidency The BBC has found a pattern of spikes in trades ahead of public announcements by the US president.

Trump’s family and friends doing well out of US death and destruction… www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

We almost did it…😟

Oh for God’s sake just make him go away!

This sounds crazy but…if results go our way today we could be in a Champions League spot! #SAFC

Morning! Do your best to stay sane today…

Mega-patriot and man of the people…

Trump announces reforms to accelerate access to psychedelic drug treatments President signed executive order directing FDA to expedite review of psychedelic drugs including ibogaine

Was he in the trial? www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

Entrepreneur and philanthropist Helen McArdle CBE dies aged 77 Helen McArdle founded care home and nursery businesses and donated millions to good causes in the region

Very sad - Helen was one of the good ones. RIP. www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-e...

Yesterday’s bombast. Today’s reality. Trump never learns does he?

EU officials arrive in Hungary for high-stakes talks with Magyar’s government Departing PM Viktor Orbán admits ‘political era has ended’ as EU says ‘clock is ticking’ to resolve important issues

Orban on why he was defeated: ‘I must take 100% of responsibility upon myself’. Quite the contrast to Trump denying the validity of the results… share.google/T0JFrXpy6Ee9...

Keir Starmer faces ‘judgment day’ as Mandelson vetting debacle grows As revelations mount and accusations fly, prime minister prepares for MPs’ anger and Olly Robbins’ testimony early next week

Procedural theatrics aside, surely Mandelson’s unsuitability for such a key position was visible from the moon? www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Jeremy Beecham: a personal memory Peter Morris gives his personal memories of Lord Jeremy Beecham, leader of Newcastle City Council from 1977 until 1994, who has died at the age of 81

Brilliant recollections of the life and times of the late Jeremy Beecham here by Peter Morris. Via @bylinetimes.bsky.social
northeastbylines.co.uk/news/politic...

Academy CEO pay rises again, but women miss out at the top Almost 100 academy trust bosses are paid eye-watering salaries of more than £200,000

Whatever problems face the country we can be sure that the pay of Academy CEOs will keep rising…
schoolsweek.co.uk/academy-boss...

More than half of Britons support rejoining EU 10 years on from Brexit vote Experts say Labour’s ‘halfway house’ approach risks losing support from progressives and ‘red wall’ voters

Fiddling around at the margins looks to be well out of step with the public mood… www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

‘I feel like I’m losing her’: the families torn apart by older relatives going far right It starts with a ‘back in my day’ nostalgic meme – then suddenly your elders are sharing AI-generated ‘boomerslop’ and repeating conspiracy theories …

It starts with ‘nostalgia porn’ - the generation that benefited most from a big state get seduced by populists demanding a small state … www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Thanks Shibs - I’d forgotten all about these.

So childish! Like a toddler whingeing about sharing a toy.

Foreign Office’s top civil servant Olly Robbins forced out over Mandelson vetting row Keir Starmer understood to have lost confidence in official over decision to override security vetting failure

WFA,cutting disability benefits, accepting freebies, Mandelson etc - so many of Labour’s problems are self-inflicted…Webb and Mason loving it on #r4today. What a mess!
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

The Mail asked its readers if we should rejoin the EU. They might be regretting it…

Hegseth says US is ‘locked and loaded’ to finish job of destroying Iran energy grid US defense secretary says Iran’s energy infrastructure is ‘not destroyed yet’ while also lambasting the media

Bloodthirsty idiot!! www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

Trump’s vengeful pettiness know no bounds does it?

Badenoch: Orbán’s defeat gives me hope for center right The Hungarian autocrat’s downfall shows right-wing populism won’t be “long-lasting,” Britain’s Conservative leader said in an interview with Axel Springer CEO Mathias …

Badenoch sees herself as ‘centre-right’? Tell that to Grieve, Gauke, Clarke, Heseltine et al… www.politico.eu/article/bade...

UK and EU finalise agreement to bring UK into Erasmus+ in 2027 Thousands across the UK set to benefit from re-opening of the historic Erasmus+ programme

Good news of course but unraveling the curse of Brexit is a snail-pace exercise www.gov.uk/government/n...