Thank you !

Worried about the demise of reading? Come to France, where we’re up to our eyes in print | Alexander Hurst From hefty literary magazines to thriving book sales, the French publishing industry refuses to let printed matter die, says Paris-based writer Alexander Hurst

“Beyond France, where it never fully surrendered, I think we’re going to be surprised at how quickly the printed word will come raging back.”

Heartening piece by @iamhurst.bsky.social in @theguardian.com today; h/t @lecrimedia.bsky.social & @revue21.fr.

Not just to boycott but to organize an alternative World Cup and invite everyone else but the US to participate

It might sound silly, but I mean it: The easiest and most potent way for Europe to hurt Trump this year is to once again use its cultural soft power and to threaten a boycott of the World Cup. It would become a completely meaningless event and would hurt him where he is most vulnerable - his vanity.

Absolutely

Thanks for the shout out !

Europe must now tell Trump that enough is enough – and cut all ties with the US | Alexander Hurst How do you retain a space of democracy in a world that is reverting to violent conquest? By building a protective moat of federalism around it, says Paris-based Guardian writer Alexander Hurst

While you're at it, why not read @iamhurst.bsky.social in yesterday's @theguardian.com, too!

I get it, Brexit was a big mistake. But there’s a difference here because the US is imposing the rupture - clinging in spit of that is an act of self harm (dual US/FR here so won’t see you on the streets unless it’s Paris streets I’m afraid!)

Turns out it was written by an American who is simply quite lucid about what has happened in the Us, and where things are headed

Europe must now tell Trump that enough is enough – and cut all ties with the US | Alexander Hurst How do you retain a space of democracy in a world that is reverting to violent conquest? By building a protective moat of federalism around it, says Paris-based Guardian writer Alexander Hurst

Will Europe finally choose between Europe and the US? The only thing that can protect us is federalism and a rupture — a real one — with Trump. With the side bonus that just maybe, it will rally Europeans against the far right and shock Americans into action

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Hey @longreads.com, can I flag you on this narrative longform I did about French Guiana at the intersection of ecological collapse, climate change, European space autonomy, and the French Foreign Legion?

Rockets, gold and the Foreign Legion: can Europe defend its frontier in the Amazon? | Alexander Hurst It borders Brazil, but French Guiana is now a remote outpost of the EU. It is home to Europe’s only spaceport, some of the most biodiverse forest on the planet and a military mission that is testing t...

I love the chance to write long things about places that we should be talking more about. A lot of work went into to this — 7 weeks in Guyane, 2 dozen interviews (many thanks to everyone who gave me their time!), and a month and a half spent drafting and editing

www.theguardian.com/world/ng-int...

@esa.int @cnes.fr @wwf.eu the parc amazonien and so many others

Rockets, gold and the Foreign Legion: can Europe defend its frontier in the Amazon? | Alexander Hurst It borders Brazil, but French Guiana is now a remote outpost of the EU. It is home to Europe’s only spaceport, some of the most biodiverse forest on the planet and a military mission that is testing t...

I love the chance to write long things about places that we should be talking more about. A lot of work went into to this — 7 weeks in Guyane, 2 dozen interviews (many thanks to everyone who gave me their time!), and a month and a half spent drafting and editing

www.theguardian.com/world/ng-int...

European leaders, however, would be wise not to wait. While the White House and the Kremlin are preparing their summit, Europe can calmly set the terms of the debate, outlining what a sustainable peace does and doesn’t look like. And they can prepare a worse-case response.

/8

The brexiteers were delusional not for going for an emotional hook. That was deeply effective. They were delusional because of the simple mismatch between their dreams and the UK’s logistical capacity to be ‘big’

There’s no equivalent pro-EU delusion because there’s no equivalent mismatch

The UK’s constraints were in capacity, not willingness to act. Harnessing emotion fueled its willingness to act, but couldn’t change the lack of underlying capacity

For the EU, the constraint is not capacity — it’s big. The constraint is political willingness. Harnessing emotion can change that.

Genuinely confused at how so many people (not Margaret!) read this as an EU bashing column, or ‘hard Brexit’ equivalent, when it’s the opposite

Brexit was delusional bc it involved a small power attempting to act like a big one; the EU is actually. Large power but acts like a small one. 1/

Thank you!

I grew up on American food. Trust me, it’s the last thing Europe needs | Alexander Hurst The EU is under pressure to strike a trade deal with Trump, but an influx of mass-produced, low-quality food must be off the table, says Guardian Europe columnist Alexander Hurst

“It’s not just me. There is an entire internet subgenre of content extolling the virtues of French butter, or involving Americans who come to France and realise that this is what peaches, or strawberries, really taste like,” writes @iamhurst.bsky.social.
Touché.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The big lesson for Europe? Trump backed down under pressure | Alexander Hurst The EU neither ‘kissed ass’ nor unleashed its most powerful trade weapon. Now it must provide the world with an alternative to US chaos

Perfect time to repost me from last month on why the EU should learn the right lesson (enfin, putain 🙄) and stand up for itself for once

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has courage. Pope Francis had it too. Why are there so many cowards? | Alexander Hurst Political cowardice, corruption and greed have eroded our social fabric. Powerful people who do what is right are in short supply, says Guardian Europe columnist Alexander Hurst

Let’s demand more courage and leadership from those who… lead

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

"Electricity supply from new wind, solar and nuclear capacity was enough to cut coal-power output even as demand surged, whereas previous falls were due to weak growth."

'How come I can’t breathe?': Musk's data company draws a backlash in Memphis The company’s turbines — enough to power 280,000 homes — run without emission controls in an area that leads Tennessee in asthma hospitalizations.

Poisoning the air of a Black community for a fucking chatbot.

Can’t wait to see how Netflix, Max, Peacock, Apple TV, Disney, Prime react to being hit with a response tariff on their streaming subscriptions (the revenues from which should be earmarked for European public broadcasters) and same for Fox, Warner, Disney, Paramount, Universal (to fund local film)

I don't understand how the Times can never determine whether Trump is lying but can say with certainty when he is joking.

this would be so funny if this guy wasn’t president

I love stumbling onto the original influence for an artists sound

Like - with alll due respect to LP - I thought their voice was quite unique, and then I listened to Pavlov’s Dog from the 70s…

This is the message. You may like Pritzker, you may not, but whomever the new leaders of a reformed democratic party are, they will carry this message. This is the way to win. My two cents.