Showing 71 - 80 of 148
Iran: Yet another nuclear bungle?
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 17/02/2021
» The self-esteem of two-year-olds and nation states is too fragile for them to admit they were wrong, which makes it hard for them to move on from blunders. That's why the toys don't get picked up and the broken treaties don't get fixed, and why there may be a tantrum (in the case of two-year-olds) or a nuclear war (in the case of the United States and Iran).
Playing football won't turn boys into manly men
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 12/02/2021
» It seemed innocent enough at the start: just a surge in the number of boys coming to school with notes from doctors saying they were excused from playing contact sports. But pretty soon high schools all over China were having trouble finding enough willing young men to make up a football team.
Putsch against Suu Kyi reflects military's insecurities
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 05/02/2021
» China's Xinhua news agency tactfully described the Burmese army's seizure of power on Monday as a "cabinet reshuffle". This suggests a possible new approach for Donald Trump's legal team as he faces a second impeachment trial, but it won't work, for two reasons. One, Mr Trump's coup attempt failed. Two, people got killed.
Major powers' defence budgets are indefensible
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 04/01/2021
» The recent war between Armenia and Azerbaijan made sense, in an old-fashioned way. The dispute was about territory -- borders that were drawn almost a century ago by a Russian dictator, Joseph Stalin -- and Azerbaijan had lost the last war and a lot of land.
HK and China: One country, one system
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 18/11/2020
» One Hong Kong lawmaker, Claudia Mo, said it was "the death-knell of Hong Kong's democracy fight". But she was part of it: one of the 15 remaining pro-democracy members of the Legislative Council (Legco) who resigned last Thursday in protest at the expulsion of four other democratically elected members of the pseudo-parliament.
China, climate and the blame game
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 24/09/2020
» China took a major stride forward on climate on Tuesday. President Xi Jinping, addressing the annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, for the first time committed China to a hard target for future greenhouse gas emissions.
Be suspicious of miracle vaccines
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 14/09/2020
» Nine of the world's biggest pharmaceutical companies have just promised not to apply for regulatory approval for any new Covid-19 vaccine before it has gone through all three phases of clinical study. Why would they do such a thing?
Forced schooling of Mongolians driven by fear
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 05/09/2020
» 'Residential schools" were a common feature of European settler societies (except New Zealand) until quite late in the 20th century, and their purpose was not just to educate but to "deracinate" their aboriginal pupils: to cut them off from their roots. The Chinese government would reject the analogy with its last breath, but it is now doing the same thing.
Belarus: Non-violence wins again?
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 21/08/2020
» On Monday Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko went to the Minsk Tractor Works, the country's biggest factory with almost 15,000 workers, and did his tough-guy act: "Until you kill me, there will be no other election." The horny-handed sons of toil simply replied by chanting "Ukhodi!" -- Get Out!
Will Trump pull 'October surprise'?
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 07/08/2020
» An "October surprise" in the United States is now almost inevitable, because that will be Donald Trump's last chance to get re-elected legitimately. He might try to cling to office even if he loses the vote, but it would be a lot easier and neater if he actually won a majority in the Electoral College on Nov 3.