Back to Gideon RachmanTony Blair is working right up to the last minute. Some FT colleagues and I went to see him earlier this week, for top-secret discussions about the future of Europe. But just as interesting as the off-the-record stuff (I thought), was what Blair had to say about the Oscar-winning film, “The Queen” – which portrays Blair and the Queen, dealing with the aftermath of the death of Princess Diana.
“I haven’t seen it” he said firmly, “and the Queen hasn’t either” Perhaps you should arrange a joint showing?, I suggested. “How about next Wednesday?”, his press secretary chimed in. I thought Blair winced slightly at this. Next Wednesday is the day that he goes to Buckingham Palace to resign.
Meanwhile, in news of other world leaders: this week I came across somebody who had recently met Kim Jong Il, the dictator of North Korea. I asked whether Kim was obviously crazy. Apparently not – he is alert and a good conversationalist. My informant claimed to have met American officials who seemed madder.
But surely, I pressed, Kim is incredibly isolated and ill-informed about the world. Again, my informant disagreed: “He knows a lot. He spends all day glued to the internet.” An odd thought. Maybe he is, in fact, "Chen" who seems to post quite a lot of comments on my blog. If so, Mr Kim/Chen, may I appeal to you – in the interests of world peace – to give up your nuclear weapons? You know it makes sense.
This blog covers a variety of topics from US foreign policy to European politics and the Middle East - and whatever else happens to be in the news or catch my attention. I joined the FT as chief foreign affairs commentator in 2006, after a 15-year career at The Economist which included stints as a correspondent in Brussels, Bangkok and Washington. I write a weekly column on foreign affairs, which appears in the paper on Tuesdays. Occasionally my FT colleagues contribute posts to this blog.
Geoff Dyer is the FT's China bureau chief. He has been a correspondent in Shanghai and in Brazil and has also covered the pharmaceuticals and biotechnology industries from London.
Roula Khalaf is the FT's Middle East editor. She has worked for the FT since 1995, first as North Africa correspondent, then Middle East correspondent and most recently as Middle East editor. Before joining the FT, she was a staff writer for Forbes magazine in New York. 
James Blitz is the FT's defence and diplomatic editor. He has been the FT's political editor, based in London, and Rome bureau chief. James is a former Moscow bureau chief for the Sunday Times.
Alan Beattie is the FT's world trade editor. He has previously been economics leader writer and spent two years in Washington DC as chief US economics correspondent. Before joining the FT, Alan was an economist at the Bank of England. 
Victor Mallet is the FT's Madrid correspondent. He is a former Asia editor of the FT, and, in more than 20 years at the organisation, has also worked in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. In 1990 he escaped from Kuwait after being one of the few foreign correspondents there when Iraq invaded. 
Stefan Wagstyl is the FT's eastern Europe editor, co-ordinating coverage of the region. He has also been the FT's bureau chief in Tokyo and New Delhi.
