Václav Havel

Czech statesman, playwright, and former dissident, the last president of Czechoslovakia and the first president of the Czech Republic (1936–2011)

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May 26
British Historian Timothy Garton Ash Wins 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Social Sciences
The British historian, journalist and essayist Timothy Garton Ash has been awarded the 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Social Sciences for his chronicling of Europe's democratic struggles and his defense of liberal values.

Today’s Brief

Kyiv, Hormuz and 90% certainty

Trump strains alliances as Russia batters Ukraine and El Niño warnings jolt governments

The last half-day brought a familiar mix of hard power and hard weather. Russia fired one of its largest barrages at Ukraine, the Gulf truce frayed again, and the UN warned that a strong El Niño may soon add heat, floods and drought to already stretched governments.

In the spotlight

World · Updated 5h ago

Important

China and the West — decoupling

The EU's formal adoption of outbound investment screening and China's explicit expansion of its counter-sanctions to target compliance with such rules create a binding legal conflict for firms, moving from policy debate to operational crisis.