As the anniversary of the start of the Ukraine war approaches both sides burn through their resources at a rapid rate. The EU’s corruption crisis continues to deepen as more MEPs are named in the Qatargate scandal. Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is brought down after being damaged by the trans prisoners row. And in this week’s short thought, how to step back from the modern trend to attacking the opponent, not the argument.

A Chinese sky balloon is blown out of the sky along with recent hopes of easing tension between the two countries. Russia apparently begins to ramp up for a major offensive as President Zelensky visits the UK and Europe. Did we just get the real story about the exploding Nord Stream pipelines – or was it just a pipe dream? And, in this week’s short thought – the creative tension between change and stability we all have to navigate.

Corruption continues to be the focus as more are raided in Ukraine and the EU and the UK have problems of their own. The UK’s armed forces recruitment comes under scrutiny with allegations that competence is no longer a key criteria for air force pilots. The trans rapist prisoner row in Scotland has reached the point where Nicola Sturgeon’s political end seems to be in sight. And in this week’s short thought – we consider two articles that point to the ongoing demise of the mainstream media.

Ukraine is rocked by serious revelations of corruption as the West finally organises to send it tanks. The SNP’s gender recognition bill blows up in its face as it backs down on sending a rapist to a women’s prison. And Switzerland could soon be undertaking a highly symbolic referendum on net zero policies

Putin’s latest moves suggest he’s fighting a political war at home as much as a military one in Ukraine. China urges its people not to travel for the Chinese New Year as Covid starts to hit the rural areas hard. President Biden is deeply embarrassed by the discovery of top secret documents in his garage. And in this week’s short thought, why responding to crises is a healthy part of a normal system

Russia suffers a major blow on the battlefield the strategic implications of which highlight its biggest challenge. Republicans in the US celebrate their election gains by demonstrating an inability to agree on electing a House Speaker. Campaign group Extinction Rebellion gives up breaking the law but faces an upward struggle regardless, and in this week’s short thought, the power of taking responsibility – versus casting blame.

In this news round-up of the week for 30th December 2022, as Covid rages across China, some countries bring in restrictions on travellers blaming the fear of new variants. Russian oligarchs continue to die by sudden falling out of hotel windows syndrome. A controversial leading light of the manosphere Andrew Tate picks a fight with Greta Thunberg and ends up sad. And in this week’s short thought, one more thing about those new year resolutions.

Vladimir Putin makes a startling statement after Ukraine’s Zelensky makes an appearance in the US. Scottish lawmakers pass a controversial trans self-ID bill, creating a likely constitutional crisis with the UK government. The summit on biodiversity reaches a final agreement and needless to say not everybody’s happy. And in this week’s short thought, I reflect on how we should rediscover the value of old ceremonies.

The EU is rocked to its core by a massive corruption scandal that its enemies believe could become a rout of the bureaucrats. China is seeing its hospitals rapidly overwhelmed as the Covid takes off, but they’re not reporting how many are dying. And Vladimir Putin cancels all of his most important engagements fuelling speculation as to whether the end is in sight.

China cracks down on protests as Xi Jinping struggles to contain the failure of Zero Covid. Apple and Elon Musk spar over whether the tech giant is actively trying to bring Twitter down. The Dutch government tries a new tack to try to shut down food production in the name of the climate. And in this week’s short thought – a politician in the jungle reveals how far removed from reality you become if you let yourself be a hater.

The EU and the US have a huge falling out over Biden’s big subsidies for climate change action. China looks to be crossing the tipping point on its zero covid policy as cases surge upwards. Does the virtue signalling around the World Cup prove Vladimir Putin right about the West’s growing intolerance? And in this week’s short thought, why good quality thought benefits from the simple habit of being specific.

China dominates the world stage at the G20 summit and Western countries start dialling back their hostility to it. Ukraine’s power grid is seriously knocked out by Russian attack as the UN criticises it for human rights abuses. Donald Trump announces that he is candidate for President but his strategy is already a defensive one. And in this week’s short thought, I talk about why you should expect and welcome chaos.

The US mid-term elections deliver a surprising result that arguably makes US civil war just a bit less likely. Ukraine takes back control of Kherson city as senior figures in the US administration urge them to negotiate with Putin. Social media giants Twitter and Meta are in meltdown as the online landscape seems vulnerable to change. And in this week’s short thought, why the blame game at COP27 and everywhere else is so unproductive.

America prepares itself for the mid-term elections as late polls suggest Republicans may soon control both houses, Brazil’s president Bolsonaro narrowly loses his election but does that actually mean the Amazon rainforest is safe? Rishi Sunak changes his mind about going to COP27 – we review the issues up for debate at the climate conference. And in this week’s short thought, how almost unnoticed we’re now at the point where you can be jailed for private speech.

US political support for Ukraine shows first signs of fracturing as Vladimir Putin predicts the most dangerous decade. The UK has a new prime minister in Rishi Sunak who promises a return to competence in government. And the global climate summit COP27 is looming, which means a rash of updates on how we’re not on target. And in this week’s short thought, I reflect on how far adrift from reality some American views on the UK have become.

Ukraine continues to make advances as the world is newly alarmed about potential nuclear war. The UK’s brand new government sees more consequences from its self-sabotage. And EU members push back against the bloc’s plans to reduce pesticides in the middle of a world food crisis.

Putin draws his red line and dares the West to cross it by formally annexing four regions of Ukraine. The UK Truss government’s mini-budget explodes in their faces and gives Labour real hope of regaining power. And controversial and Eurosceptic right winger Georgia Meloni wins Italy’s election, the latest populist wave that seems possibly to be sweeping Europe.

Russia announces a major mobilisation of its citizens while repeating its threats of nuclear war. The UK’s new government announces the unbanning of fracking and the most radical tax cutting day in fifty years. And in this week’s short though, we look at the latest tech giant, PayPal, to exercise unaccountable power against its customers apparently to the detriment of free speech.

Putin has a bad week in the war, and not a great time with China’s Xi Jinping who has ‘concerns’ about Ukraine. Sweden sees an election upheaval as concern about gun crime and immigration creates a populist backlash. And the second largest cryptocurrency ethereum slashes its massive energy use at a stroke, but will others follow? And in this week’s short thought, how our values are changing and we didn’t much notice.

Liz Truss is poised to become the next UK prime minister - I look at what she’s said so far she will actually do. A critic of Vladimir Putin mysteriously falls from a window and his history making predecessor, Mikhail Gorbachev, dies. A genuine climate catastrophe has a third of Pakistan under water and is likely to be followed by famine. And in this week’s short thought, I look at a small example of real elite technocratic thinking that we should be quick to push back against.

As energy prices across Europe are soaring, Russia is burning off its excess gas highlighting Putin’s high stakes gamble. UK prime minister candidate Rishi Sunak blows up the secrecy behind the UK’s covid lockdowns. China, the would-be great emerging superpower is assailed on all sides by problems of its own. And in this week’s short thought, I discuss the mindset change to best equip you to tackle these challenging times.

The UK government identifies causes for the surge in excess deaths which, for 2022, could be killing more people than covid, Liz Cheney loses her election, and Sam Harris goes viral in a bad way – all in the name of keeping Trump out of the white house, Russia begins to process of wiping out national cultural identity in the areas it occupies in Ukraine. And in this week’s short thought I reflect on the free speech questions hanging in the air after the attack on Salman Rushdie.

China responds with fury to the visit by US House speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan. The referendum in Kansas pushes back on banning abortion and changes the landscape for the midterm elections. Europe and elsewhere continue to see real consequences to continuing heatwaves and drought. And in this week’s short thought, I reflect on the phenomenon of audience capture and how it push creators down a slippery slope indeed.

A major climate change bill suddenly appears in the US when everyone was least expecting it. More signs of the health impact of lockdowns are emerging but people are instead focusing on monkeypox. The UK NHS shuts down the Tavistock gender clinic whose rush to prescribe puberty blockers was labelled a danger to children. And in this week’s short thought, is body positivity something to be embraced or roundly rejected?

Joe Biden nearly declares a climate emergency – would it be a move too far for America’s fragile situation? The final two candidates for UK prime minister are settled but whether they like net zero or not, their options are limited. The European Commission instructs EU members states to cut gas use, and most of them fight back. And in this week’s short thought, I talk about the value of admitting when you were wrong.