Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Georgia’s capital has become one of the most interesting places on Earth. Much of Russia’s cultural and intellectual elite artists, writers, journalists, actors, directors, philosophers and professors has poured in.
Enter a cafe, and you inevitably hear Russian and recognize someone you know. Cozy, picturesque Tbilisi is small, with everything in easy sight. There are countless Ukrainian national flags with slogans expressing support for the country, and there are messages scrawled on the fences and walls of houses: “Fuck Putin,” “Fuck Russia” or “Russian warship, go fuck yourself.”
That last epithet the response
New Delhi feels like it is on fire. The heat comes off the road in blistering waves, and the water that flows from the cold tap is too hot to touch. Daytime temperatures have hit 44°C and often do not fall below 30°C at night. A giant landfill on the outskirts of the capital spontaneously combusted a week ago, and the 17-story high dump that contains millions of tonnes of garbage continues to smolder, worsening the city’s already dangerously polluted air.
Daily power outages driven by a surge in demand for electricity have resulted in blackouts as long as eight hours
Easter is this week, with its usual egg-hunting and chocolate-bunny traditions in the US, but also with some bitter new realities.
A fresh outbreak of avian flu in the US has wiped out tens of millions of hens in the past few weeks, causing a shortfall in the eggs typically sold for dying and decorating and reminding us once again about the vulnerability of our food supply.
And while there is no shortage of chocolate confections on store shelves, consumers will be paying more, and these higher prices are a harbinger of growing environmental and social burdens imperiling the industry.
Let us
US President Joe Biden has been reluctantly drawn into closer ties with Saudi Arabia’s king-in-waiting, forced by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to rethink a standoffish approach as the US struggles to curb soaring oil prices.
The problem is Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman is not ready to play along.
The softening US attitude, described by a dozen people familiar with the debate, follows months of efforts by some senior administration officials in Washington to convince a wary president that ignoring the de facto Saudi Arabian leader was hampering US foreign policy goals. The need to isolate Moscow gave new impetus