My Double Life as a KGB Agent
The story of Albrecht Dittrich, an East German chemist who spent years as a spy under the identity of Jack Barsky, a computer analyst working in Manhattan.
Dmitry Medvedev: the whipping boy for Russia’s discontented
A profile of Vladimir Putin’s political foil.
The George Soros philosophy – and its fatal flaw
This story profiles a long time bogeyman of the Trumpian right, the billionaire fund owner and philanthropist George Soros, and assesses the state of his vision for an open society.
Behemoth, bully, thief: how the English language is taking over the planet
Far from being under threat as is sometimes claimed, the English language’s global dominance appears to be stronger than ever. Not only is it on a user acquisition spree that would make any tech startup jealous, but it has also turned into a “net exporter” of words, infiltrating other languages with Anglicisms. This piece examines these and other ways in which it is asserting its position as the first “hypercentral” language.
How the Tory election machine fell apart
A piece that challenges the common adage that The Conservative Party is the most adept in the UK at electoral campaigning.
The Most Potent, Permanent and Elusive Figure in British Politics
A fascinating January 2016 profile of Jeremy Heywood, the man heading the UK civil service. He has been an instrumental part of government during the reign of the last three Prime Ministers, and reportedly has a seat at every table that matters.
The Big Gamble
Betting shops are ubiquitous on Britain’s high streets. They can be very dangerous places to work.
Queen of Cartels
The story of Sandra Ávila Beltrán, a woman who reached the upper echelons of the Mexican drug cartels.
The last Nazi hunters
A look at the work of Germany’s Central Office for the Investigation of National Socialist Crimes.
The Day We Discovered Our Parents Were Russian Spies
Donald Heathfield and Tracey Foley’s two sons believed their parents were affluent, highly educated Canadians, who happened to live and work in America. In fact, they were Russian spies who had been deep undercover for several decades.