Conspicuously, there were no representatives from Russia in Yalta, but its shadow was felt.

ECONOMIST: A country caught precariously between east and west

The building, in the well-to-do area of Rathgar in south Dublin, is now an independent private old folks home and has no religious link, but it still casts a shadow over the lives of the 20 or so still alive who were born and spent their early years there.

BBC: Bethany survivors want justice after Magdalene apology

Shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander said as much last week but no-one seemed to notice.

BBC: Cameron facing EU budget dilemma

The irritations over Iran and Iraq are by no means the same but, in each, the French and Russians resent the shadow cast over their trade by American domestic politics.

ECONOMIST: Saddam defies the UN, again

Britain has no intention of doing this, but the euro-zoners will surely insist that the pound shadow the euro in some way.

ECONOMIST: The single currency

But shadow universities minister Gareth Thomas denounced the White Paper as "a desperate drive to cut fees, no matter what the effect on quality".

BBC: Higher education shake-up statement