Showing 291 - 300 of 339
Afghanistan: 17 years too late
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 31/01/2019
» 'The Taliban have committed, to our satisfaction, to do what is necessary that would prevent Afghanistan from ever becoming a platform for international terrorist groups or individuals," said Zalmay Khalilzad, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, on Tuesday. So why didn't the United States have this discussion with the Taliban 17 years ago, in October 2001?
Thanks, but no thanks
News, Editorial, Published on 28/01/2019
» It seemed like only hours after the official announcement of an election date that the three biggest foreign influencers were rushing in to announce how they intend to help. While each has a slightly different plan, Facebook, Google and Line management quickly lined up to get in on the Thai political action. The first reaction from the Election Commission was to welcome them to the fray. The EC should think again.
Long live the difference
Life, Tatat Bunnag, Published on 28/01/2019
» It's only a few weeks until the return of the Academy Awards (airing on the morning of Feb 25 in Thailand). And if you've been following entertainment news, and seen the list of this year's nominations, you might just have noticed that the 2019 Oscars is one of the most diverse yet.
News that is driving us all up the wall
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 20/01/2019
» Just as most Brits must be sick to death of ever hearing the word Brexit, across the Pond one suspects the majority of Americans have also had more than their fill of The Wall. You can't escape those dreaded words even here in Thailand. Switch on the satellite news and you will be bombarded by the two topics, analysed by every expert in the world, most of whom happen to have just written a book on the subject.
The year of the woeful world leaders
News, Leonid Bershidsky, Published on 28/12/2018
» The dictionaries have decided on their 2018 words of the year. Oxford picked "toxic". Merriam-Webster went for "justice". Collins chose "single-use". However, I'd zero in on "misgovernment". Surely, 2018 saw a number of countries misruled by the worst crop of world leaders in recent memory.
The driving force behind the modern Christian revival
News, John Lloyd, Published on 24/12/2018
» Christmas is invariably the time for a grouch that neither Christ nor mas(s) feature much in a festival meant to rededicate Christian believers to the worship of the son of God. Materialism, especially for children, swamps, on this view, any reflection on the meaning of a Christian -- or religious -- life.
The Kurds: Betrayed once more
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 23/12/2018
» The Kurds are like Kleenex. You use them, and then you throw them away.
Global turmoil and Thailand's political reset
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 21/12/2018
» As the world moves into 2019, there is a consensus that the roughly seven-decade-old rules-based liberal international order no longer works. Either it has to be fundamentally revamped to suit new realities and the international distribution of power and wealth, or it will be increasingly violated and marginalised. In a remarkable parallel, Thailand's hitherto political order that lasted about seven decades also requires adjustment and recalibration.
China is blowing an opportunity with Meng's arrest
News, Published on 21/12/2018
» China is blowing the geopolitical opportunity of a lifetime. There has probably never been a better moment to undo America's greatest strategic advantage by dividing the US from its global network of democratic allies, many of which are horrified by President Trump's rhetoric and policies and deeply worried about Washington's staying power. Yet, Beijing is doing its best to remind that democratic world that it has far more to fear from a hegemonic China than from an erratic America.
Social media the theatre of 'Information World War'
News, Published on 19/12/2018
» A year ago, in his annual New Year's resolution post, Mark Zuckerberg pledged to spend 2018 fixing Facebook by addressing foreign manipulation, election interference and other threats. He and other tech leaders should probably renew that vow for 2019, and 2020, and possibly every year after that.