The Observer view on Peter Mandelson's U-turn on Donald Trump: it's easy to mock, but that's diplomacy | Observer editorialChanging one's mind is seen as maturation in personal circumstances, but in politics, it can signal weakness or embarrassment.
In Slovakia, a frenzy of cultural repression is underway, as we turn back to Soviet timesFico's return marks Slovakia's troubling shift towards authoritarianism, mirroring Russia's historical descent under Stalin.