Podcasts, videos, books and tweets of the week 91

I’ve been playing Hearts of Iron IV this week.

In a war in the game, there’s usually a point where you or the enemy have lost even if you haven’t lost much territory and your territory isn’t invaded. You/enemy could actually be deep in hostile territory or succesfully defending borders. But your units are disorganised, stretched thin, you have no reserves, you’ve got exhausted units holding down stretches of front and you’ve run out manpower which means no reinforcements or replacement units. You’ve, or the enemy have got lots of small arms which you can’t use because you don’t have men. Your, or the enemy’s tank and artillery units are depleted of vehicles. Your population is exhausted by war.

The only thing that can help you now is an expeditionary force from your supposed friends.

Will they send it?

Phil will have a choo update this week.

I saw Furiosa today, recommended.

More apocalypse weaponry

Nobody’s laughing at him now

About the supermarket attack (use subtitles)

Ukraine on the ropes

Ukraine on the ropes

History of the Present (fortnight ending 25 May 2024 - Part 1) Ukraine can still punch back, but only with more support As I contemplate a forest of small Ukrainian flags on the Maidan in central Kyiv, placed the…

History of the Present

Major Andriy Pidlisnyi (see Part 2 of this bulletin, to follow), a battalion commander who’s been on active service since the first days of the full-scale war, tells me the mood among his troops is “not good”. And, he adds, “They think it’s time for others to go and fight.”

Antisemitism threatens Jews, occupation threatens Judaism.

Antisemitism threatens Jews, occupation threatens Judaism.

By James M. Dorsey I hope you enjoy today’s column and podcast. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber. Paid subscribers help me cover the cost of contributing fact-based analysis and understanding to a debate that has become increasingly polarised and weaponised. To become a paid subscriber, please click on the subscription button at

The Turbulent World with James M. Dorsey

Sunak doesn’t own an umbrella and has had enough

Is this why he called it now?

Rishi Sunak’s decision to call an election earlier than he had to, when his party is more than 20 points down in the polls (and on a downward trajectory) has left people baffled. There even breathless reports that some of the Conservative MPs are plotting to try to ‘uncall’ the election (I

Not all doom

Our book is still out

Phil has a new book coming out soon