![]() Why are Kyiv’s allies wavering?When Russia first invaded Ukraine, the rest of the world was quick to speak out in opposition to the aggression. Nearly 600 days later, while most countries continue to support Ukraine in principle, in practice, conflict fatigue is setting in. No one questions Ukraine’s right to sovereignty over its lands but the cost of defending them is becoming a problem. And while aid packages continue to be signed off, they are green-lit with less enthusiasm than before. Meanwhile, impatience among Ukraine’s immediate neighbours has flared into a dispute about grain exports. Why is the alliance behind Volodymyr Zelensky starting to fray and can anything be done to bring it back together? Stefan Wolff and Tetyana Malyarenko assess the fallout from several difficult meetings between world leaders, some of whom are looking for a recognisable end point to the war. Patience is also fraying with world leaders over their lack of action on the climate crisis. A group of young people from Portugal have become so frustrated that they are suing 33 governments — including the EU’s member states — in a case currently being heard at the European Court of Human Rights. Their argument is that a failure to implement measures to prevent irreversible climate change is a violation of their rights. If the group wins, the countries could be in line for massive fines. Smaller scale action is afoot in Venice, where the “fraying” phase of patience is by now a distant memory. Residents, entirely fed up with the 20 million tourists who clatter about their cobbled streets each year, have decided to start charging an entrance fee to the city. The toll will apply to people coming into Venice for the day – the so-called day-trippers who have a huge impact but spend very little money. This tourism expert is sceptical that the move will have any effect but concedes the experiment will be interesting to watch – and that a city crumbling under the weight of unwanted footfall has got to try something. It is, by now, established fact that diverse boards make for better businesses. Having a breadth of experiences and identities at the highest level leads to strong decision-making and foresight. Yet the available data suggests that queer representation is startlingly absent from corporate boardrooms. Anyone who thought industry was committed to supporting the LGBTQ+ community will be surprised by the reality presented in this article. Warm, freshly-baked bread, recently mown grass – some smells have a magical ability to transport you somewhere else. This is because a whiff that is associated with a strong memory from our past takes a very special path through our brain, becoming an emotional experience as well as a sensorial one. The connection is so potent that scientists are experimenting with exposing memory-impaired patients to certain smells with the goal of reminding them of what they may have forgotten.
- Laura Hood, Senior Politics Editor, Assistant Editor, The Conversation UK Ukraine war: mixed signals among Kyiv's allies hint at growing conflict fatigueAs the war nears 600 days, there are signs that support for Ukraine could be beginning to waver in some parts. Was this email
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