Good morning,
Well, if there's one thing we didn't predict in our huge preview of stories set to dominate the EU agenda in 2026, it's the United States violently abducting the head of state of a sovereign nation. And the EU's lacklustre response to it. Maybe we could have predicted that last bit.
In any case, not exactly an omen for a calm and peaceful year ahead.
As a publisher, one might think I rejoice about 'interesting' times like these. More news, more readers, more revenue.
The opposite is true; interesting times tend to obscure more than they reveal.
Good journalism (for me) thrives not on running after the latest thing, but on sustained attention.
Asking ‘why’ more often than comfortable. Not copying the press release, transcribing the statement or quoting someone from both sides, but asking oneself ‘do I really understand what happened?’ until you can explain it plainly to anyone.
Too much news erodes attention – and shields those in power from accountability through distraction.
More news does not necessarily serve understanding, democracy or even being informed. Often it does the opposite. Thus, the real task for us as news media is not to add to the flow, but to slow it — to insist on the few questions that matter.
Going back to the preview put together by our team of committed journalists, we think that these will be the stories to follow.
And of course, enough other unexpected things will happen over the next 365 days. Our task will be to make sure we respect your attention by focusing on the ones that matter most.
– Alejandro Tauber, publisher
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