Showing 1 - 10 of 26
It's getting too hot to vote in India
News, David Fickling, Published on 24/04/2024
» How do you run a democracy when the mercury rises above 40 degrees Celsius? That's the problem faced by voters in India. A swath of the country's east is sweltering under a heatwave. The city centre of Kolkata has emptied out, schools have cancelled classes, and one TV presenter collapsed on air with heat stroke.
Disney's 'Shogun' has a lot to teach the West
News, Published on 28/02/2024
» One of the most famous tales ever set in Japan is back. Walt Disney Co is spending millions on a glossy new adaptation of the James Clavell saga Shogun, the story of the Englishman who arrives in 1600s Japan and goes on to become a samurai.
Chokepoints could cripple trade
News, Published on 16/01/2024
» When traffic through the Suez Canal ground to a halt in 2021, the extraordinary cost and disruptions to global commerce seemed overwhelming. But 8,000 kilometres from the canals of Suez and Panama lie even more important shipping lanes, chokepoints that could cripple global trade should any disaster befall them.
Google trial's secrecy seen as dangerous
Oped, Published on 08/12/2023
» The largest antitrust trial of the modern internet era, which wrapped up last month, has pitted the world's most popular search engine, Google, against the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). The case hearkens back to the DOJ's landmark lawsuit against Microsoft in the 1990s but with a critical difference: most of it was held behind closed doors. This unprecedented secrecy meant that only journalists and observers who were physically in the courtroom had access -- albeit limited -- to the proceedings.
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.
The presidential poll isn't perfect. Vote anyway
News, Published on 31/08/2023
» Predictability is the name of the game in Singapore's elections. The ruling People's Action Party (PAP) and its candidates always win handsomely. And while their margin of success is the envy of political parties and politicians the world over, for the PAP every single point counts. It is a sign of just how satisfied Singapore's 3.5 million or so citizens are with the ruling party. And a signal of whether longevity and legitimacy amount to the same thing.
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.
Big problems at fairy-tale castle
Life, Published on 19/06/2023
» Walt Disney released its newest Pixar animated film last week, but the heartwarming tale of fire and water falling in love is expected to deliver disappointing returns for the company that produced megahits like Finding Nemo and The Incredibles.
How tyrants use tech to spy on us all
News, Published on 08/02/2023
» Parmy Olson: You're the co-authors of a new book, Pegasus: How a Spy In Your Pocket Threatens the End of Privacy, Dignity, and Democracy, which tells the story of Pegasus, a powerful spyware developed by the Israeli cybersecurity firm NSO Group. In recent years, a range of governments around the world purchased this technology, allowing them to gain remote-control access to people's mobile phones without their knowledge. In 2020, a secret source leaked a list to your team of investigative journalists in Paris that contained 50,000 phone numbers that NSO Group's clients wanted to spy on. Among the names on the list were French president Emmanuel Macron, the Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi and a raft of journalists, including your own colleagues.
Not ready for dystopia
Oped, Postbag, Published on 14/01/2023
» Re: "Five automation predictions for 2023" (Business, Jan 11) and "Five tech predictions for 2023 and beyond" (Business, Jan 10).