Nothing just the Taliban burning piles of confiscated music instruments, sound systems, and board games. Year: 2024

As the Democratic National Convention gets underway, what are today’s Russian papers saying about Kamala Harris & Donald Trump? A popular tabloid quotes a far-right ideologue: “If Trump wins we will have a window of opportunity.” #ReadingRussia

Martin Samuel, ‘Times’: Chelsea is ‘the absolute embodiment of a venture-capital hedge-fund project, and about as warm-hearted and loveable too.’ Nadine Dorries, as culture secretary, appointed a US bank to advise on Chelsea’s ownership. Need I say more?

Today my newly married son Michael and his wife Georgia, on honeymoon, visited Commonwealth War Graves Kranji Memorial, Singapore, where his great grandfather Flight Lieutenant Arthur Darlow is commemorated. Arthur died thousands of miles from his family. His family lives on and we remember him.

Took me nine months, but I'm pretty pleased with this for a first draft.

Doing a couple of spot checks to see whether Yorkshire is still magnificent. Everything seems to be in order.

We saw it at the time. Thanks for showing it again, Ryan.

Chelsea deserves better.

This photo you're looking at on your phone was taken a few hours ago, from the surface of Mars.

Trump currently live from Howell, Michigan. Rambling, tired, dispirited, low energy drivel, no theme, no purpose, no point, no sign he has a clue how to reboot his campaign.

At this point in the BBC Proms season, it’s easy to forget how remarkable it is to have c.5,000 people packed into the Royal Albert Hall yet again to enjoy the very best classical music. Thank you, Ensemble Resonanz and Riccardo Minasi, for tonight’s Mozart fest.

21 August 1968 the Soviet tanks rolled into Prague and then Czechoslovakia to crush all attempts at reform in the Communist system. The invasion initiated a long process of repression and rolling back of all reform efforts.

Today should be a day of celebration for this remarkable woman, #DaphneCaruanaGalizia. She should be turning 60 & celebrating a milestone birthday with loved ones. Thinking today of her inspiring, brilliant family, & all striving to make #Malta a better place. #JusticeForDaphne

In 2019, in my final interview with Gorbachev, he recalled: “When I became General Secretary, in towns & villages there was one thing everyone said to me: ‘Just make sure there’s no war.’ 2019 feels such a long time ago. Camera Matthew Goddard Producer Liza

Times of Israel reports than Benjamin Netanyahu was warned by his own Defence Minister that he was putting hostage release efforts at risk this week - and went ahead and did it anyway.

London just now.

If China's claims on #Taiwan are about territorial integrity then it should also take back land from Russia signed over by the last Chinese dynasty in the 19th century, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said in an interview with Taiwanese media. yahoo.com/news/china-wan…

What on earth is this person on about?

Germany’s far-right AfD party hasn’t won power in Thuringia or Saxony, because the other parties, right & left, are combining to block it. But the AfD is more powerful now, and the conventional politicians will introduce tougher immigration policies to try and keep the AfD out.

I once travelled from London to Leeds by train with David Cameron when he was PM so I could interview him. He had two detectives and two officials with him, and the six of us took up eight reserved seats. ‘We find it’s better to keep under the radar,’ one of the detectives said.