Showing 1 - 9 of 9
Violence takes root in our words
News, Leonid Bershidsky, Published on 14/12/2015
» The Oxford Dictionaries' selection for the 2015 Word of the Year -- the "Face with Tears of Joy" emoji -- suggests that UK linguists live in a rather carefree world. In other countries, the selections were not as upbeat.
A 14th century warning for the 21st century
News, Published on 12/02/2024
» A history student told me recently that he loves researching the 20th century but can't see the point of the Middle Ages. I responded that it can be a big help to understanding our own times -- very troubled times -- to view them in the context even of the remote past.
Kardashian's Skims could be making a bad bet
News, Published on 31/10/2023
» Kim Kardashian was in the news again this week. Not for whomever she's dating or some controversial social media post. Instead, it was for her intimates and shapewear brand Skims, which launched a new men's line, which includes underwear, tees and socks. The obvious question posed to Kardashian has been: When are you coming out with a men's shapewear line? It's "forthcoming", but not a part of the inaugural line. Smart move, Keeks. Shapewear for men is set up to fail.
Riots' deja vu raises the stakes
News, Published on 04/07/2023
» A teenager killed by police in a Paris suburb. A wave of anger that morphs into widespread rioting and opportunistic looting. A tough law-and-order response followed by an appeal for unity and calm -- and a political call for action that fades over time.
Buying opportunities for the long term
Business, Published on 07/11/2020
» The SET Index will likely remain volatile in November, having slipped below 1,200 points in late October before recovering in recent days. Earnings reporting, which is set to end at mid-month, is expected to play a crucial role in determining market direction, apart from the ongoing pro-democracy protests.
Coup against Mugabe is really nothing to celebrate
News, Leonid Bershidsky, Published on 17/11/2017
» As leader of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe has survived longer than Stalin in the Soviet Union and Mao in China. If it's coming to an end -- which seems likely given his apparent inability to emerge from house arrest after the military took charge -- it's worth reflecting on the mistakes he made to end such a remarkable run.
Innovation no fix for urban transport ills
News, Leonid Bershidsky, Published on 03/07/2018
» Urban transportation is undergoing a revolution. Offerings such as Uber and Lyft, as well as car- and bike-sharing services are widely believed to reduce congestion and generally make urban dwellers more mobile; driverless cars are expected to provide further benefits. Yet the notion that these innovations always make things better is far from a given: The new services are a net good only if they complement traditional public transportation systems rather than compete with them.
'War of civilisations' rhetoric is outdated, dangerous
News, Published on 22/01/2015
» On Jan 7, the day jihadists attacked the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket in France, I was in a small village in Anatolia, Turkey. I had barely registered the horrifying news when a friend forwarded me a tweet from New York Times columnist Roger Cohen. "The entire free world," it read, "should respond, ruthlessly."
Police begin to clear booby traps
Published on 22/07/2012
» AURORA, Colorado : Law enforcement officials are starting the process of diffusing booby traps set up in his apartment by the Smirking Killer James Holmes, though it could take a few days to diffuse the massive network of tripwires and explosives he set up before leaving for the Aurora movie theatre.