Politics

Pat Rabbitte: Varadkar will be playing against the wind in the second half

A government that fails to shelter its people or keep the lights on will not be insulated when the Fine Gael leader replaces Micheál Martin as taoiseach in December

It must have suited Leo Varadkar quite well to go second as taoiseach, and let Micheál Martin deal with the brunt of the pandemic. Picture: Julien Behal

All week, the news from Ukraine has been of Russian troops being forced to retreat from territories captured earlier in the invasion. The good news has stimulated optimism in the media and among some experts in the west. Could this be a turning point in the war, or perhaps a basis for a ceasefire and negotiations?

The recent welcome successes of Ukrainian soldiers are a tremendous boost to the national morale. Western governments are more ...