The Comment Channel
Leading article: Mr Blair must use the next three months to make up for lost time
Britain's presidency of the European Union today passes its half-way point - and precisely what has it achieved so far? Not, we regret to report, a great deal. Some of this reflects forces and circumstances beyond the Government's control. It is not really the fault of Whitehall, for instance, that many government officials, our own included, are not at their desks for a large portion of July and August. Or that the London bombings made national security the priority. Nor is it the Prime Minister's fault that Chancellor Schröder decided to call an early German election, or that this election turned out as it did. There is also to be a change of government in Poland.
Leading article: Caught in the act
Very interesting, this news that a gorilla has been caught on camera plumbing the depth of a river with a stick, particularly as it appears to confirm an old theory about animal behaviour, which, until now at least, people have laughed at. It is based on our sometimes inspiring, often irritating but always overwhelming tendency towards overconfidence in our abilities and importance, matched with an irredeemable condescension towards the achievements of "lesser" species.
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Guy Keleny: Errors & Omissions
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Rupert Cornwell: Events in Washington prove once again that after 10 years in power, your time is up
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Jemima Lewis: The slow march of women into politics
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Matthew Norman: So who said satire was dead?
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The Third Leader: Jewel in our crown
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The Third Leader: Let martyrs get on with it
