Trump state visit: behind talk of harmony there are notes of discord

By Jason Ralph, Professor of International Relations, University of Leeds

An unusual feature of Donald Trump’s second state visit to the UK was the spectacle of the Royal Marines, the Coldstream Guards and the Royal Air Force “beating retreat” as the president and King Charles looked on.

This is a traditional military ceremony that started in the 17th century and marked the closing of camp gates and the lowering of flags. It is, by all accounts, the kind of British “soft power” that excites the president and consolidates “the special relationship” between allies.

Read complete article

~	A ceremonial sword and ‘beating the retreat’: decoding the rituals of Donald Trump’s state visit

~	Kate Sheppard’s kitchen: an old recipe sheds new light on the feminist pioneer’s life

~	1 in 3 Australians in their late 60s are still working, new HILDA survey shows

~	Australians are losing more of their income to tax than in decades, new report shows

~	Australians are in more pain – and our new data shows it’s not just due to ageing

~	Friday essay: I loved being a ‘90s rock journalist, but sometimes it was a boys’ club nightmare

~	Who gets to do science? A demand for English is hurting marginalised researchers

~	Instant ramen: a short history of a long noodle

~	UN presses ahead with mission for a better world despite global headwinds

~	Imagine a world without genocide