The critic who shapes comedy careers at the Edinburgh Fringe
Steve Bennett has run Chortle alone for 25 years and his reviews can make or break a show at the world's largest arts festival.
Author
Michael Caron
Energy and trade correspondent, New Statesman Canada
Michael Caron writes on energy, trade and industry for New Statesman Canada, covering pipelines, resources, cross-border commerce and Canada’s place in global supply chains.
Areas of focus: Politics · Business & economy · Ideas · Culture · World affairs
Contact: editorial@newstatesman.ca · Contact page
Latest articles
Prairie producers filed more than 4,000 crop insurance claims in stormy July
Thousands of storm-related crop insurance claims were filed in July as harvest season approaches, according to the Canadian Hail Crop Association.
Country musician and producer Tommy Detamore dies at 70
The Texas-based pedal steel guitarist and studio founder worked with Ray Price and Jim Lauderdale over a career spanning five decades.
Kellogg to remove artificial dyes from its U.S. cereals by end of this year
The change comes a year ahead of schedule. Kellogg said last August that it would remove synthetic colouring from its cereals by the end of 2027.
British novelty candidates take on Nigel Farage in Clacton by-election
Count Binface and three Official Monster Raving Loony Party candidates are among 32 challengers facing the Reform UK leader in a contest the main parties have declined to contest.
Charred 14,000-year-old loaf in Jordan rewrites history of bread and civilisation
Archaeological find predates agriculture by millennia as cultural historians trace the bagel's journey from medieval Europe to modern London.
A British travelogue maps the towns that could decide the next election
Chris Moss's survey of bypassed Britain arrives just as Andy Burnham reaches Downing Street, offering a portrait of the communities both countries struggle to hear.
UK Green Party leader refuses to apologize for guillotine post as Labour surges under Burnham
Zack Polanski faces internal pressure after retweeting violent imagery targeting Nigel Farage while his party loses ground to the new prime minister.
Ceuta border crisis reveals Europe's strategic paralysis as Canada watches Arctic parallels
A coordinated Moroccan incursion into the Spanish enclave triggered panic in European capitals but little solidarity, raising questions about the continent's ability to respond to hybrid threats, including in the Arctic.
Iran, U.S. make opposing peace talk claims as cargo ships report strikes
A British maritime monitoring agency said a cargo ship reported being hit by a projectile overnight off the coast of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz.
British Labour returns to its roots under Burnham leadership
Prime Minister Andy Burnham's first cabinet appointments and policy signals mark a decisive shift toward traditional trade union politics and away from the New Labour era.
Kim Gordon releases new album Play Me and tours at 73
The Sonic Youth co-founder continues to challenge expectations with a record that targets tech billionaires and algorithmic culture while rejecting the mythology built around her.
How American conservatism lost its British romance and found a new protégé in Reform UK
The transatlantic right has flipped: where William F. Buckley once fetishized British Toryism, today's American movement exports populist tactics and dark money to Nigel Farage's insurgency.
Green Party mounts unprecedented campaign to challenge Labour hold on Manchester mayoralty
Geraldine Coggins leads the party's largest ever local election effort as Andy Burnham splits time between city hall and Westminster.
Tudor mania on display at Hampton Court as jets roar overhead
A jousting re-enactment at Henry VIII's palace reveals how modern Britain packages its most mythologised dynasty for family audiences.
U.S. and Iran renew strikes as conflict expands in Middle East
The United States and Iran exchanged fire across the Middle East on Wednesday, as officials in both nations called into question diplomatic efforts to stop the war.
Texas officer pulls driver from burning car during traffic stop
Dashcam footage shows Corporal Joshua Swisher breaking a window and dragging a man to safety seconds before flames engulfed the vehicle.
British Labour's surprise chancellor pick signals tighter Downing Street control
Andy Burnham's surprise choice of John Healey as chancellor signals a shift toward tighter Downing Street control over British economic policy.
Alberta grants rare Amber Alert exemption for missing Calgary boy as families push for system reform
The two-day delay in issuing an alert for 11-year-old Parker has reignited debate over rigid criteria that prevented an alert for another missing Alberta child last year.
Trump’s forced labour tariffs set to go into effect this week. What to know
Last month, the Trump administration proposed that tariffs of 10 per cent or more be imposed on products from dozens of major trading partners after a probe into forced labour.
British police charge 28-year-old man with murder of former politician Ann Widdecombe
Joshua Kerry faces murder and terrorism charges after the 78-year-old former MP was found dead in her rural Devon home.
Christopher Nolan's Odyssey brings Hollywood spectacle to Homer's epic
The director's new adaptation sparks casting debate while the original poem remains untouched.
UK heatwave exposes reliability gap in renewable electricity grid
Soaring summer temperatures revealed how dependent Britain remains on aging gas plants when wind drops and solar fades.
The Bank of Canada is quietly running out of room — and Carney knows it
Tiff Macklem has cut rates twice this year and signalled a third. But Ottawa's borrowing programme, a stubborn loonie, and a housing market that refuses to clear are leaving the central bank with very little ammunition for the recession nobody is yet calling.
What Canada Can Learn From Britain's Push to Reclaim Public Control of Essentials
A British framework for public ownership of energy, transport and housing offers a template for tackling Canada's own supply-side crises in housing, telecom and long-term care.