Showing 1 - 10 of 21
American hegemony is waning
News, Carla Norrlöf is Professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto., Published on 21/03/2026
» The messy crisis in the Strait of Hormuz has clarified how power works in the 21st century. It reminds us that the greatest long-term threat to the United States is not China's military buildup or Russian aggression, but the gradual fragmentation of the alliance system that has underwritten its global leadership since World War II.
Global travel erases places we love
News, Richard Florida and Carlo Ratti, Published on 17/03/2026
» Venice is drowning -- not just in rising waters but also in tourists. The city is charging a day-tripper fee and has banned large tour groups and loudspeakers in an effort to curb the crush. Barcelona residents march with squirt guns and "Tourists go home" signs to protest rising rents and crowds. Amsterdam is moving to cap and eventually ban ocean-going cruise ships to reduce pollution and visitor pressure.
Trump's deals are weakening the rule of law
News, Richard K Sherwin, Published on 09/08/2025
» European Union trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic described the recent US-EU trade agreement in unvarnished terms. Agreeing to a 15% tariff on most exports to the United States and promising to purchase $750 billion (24 trillion baht) worth of American energy over three years and to invest another $600 billion in the US (not including an unspecified amount in additional orders of US-made military hardware) was "clearly the best deal we could get."
Trump must learn from history's Arctic profiteers
Oped, Peter C. Mancall, Published on 18/04/2025
» The US president has not been subtle about his goals for the Arctic: "We'll go as far as we have to go" to acquire Greenland, he stated while sitting behind the Resolute desk in the Oval Office. The desk, made from the British Arctic exploring vessel called HMS Resolute, is itself a reminder of the northern voyages of empire builders -- the type of pursuit the president is after.
New IMF debt deal needs a rejig
Oped, C P Chandrasekhar & Martín Guzmán & Jayati Ghosh & Charles Abugre, Published on 03/10/2024
» Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sri Lanka's president, recently lost his re-election bid after voters overwhelmingly rejected the debt-restructuring deals he negotiated with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other creditors. Instead, Sri Lankans elected Anura Kumara Dissanayake, leader of the left-wing National People's Power (NPP) alliance and a vocal critic of IMF-imposed austerity measures, who has vowed to renegotiate the country's agreement with the fund.
Lower-income nations' jab lessons
Oped, Benjamin Schreiber, Richard Mihigo & Ann Lindstrand, Published on 24/01/2024
» There was a global sigh of relief when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared in May 2023 that Covid-19 was no longer a public-health emergency of international concern. But there is no room for complacency. The pandemic has represented an urgent warning about weak health systems and has served as an impetus to strengthen them ahead of a possible new variant or the emergence of a new pathogen.
Rethinking our cities' link to water
News, Richard Friend & Pakamas Thinphanga, Published on 21/12/2023
» Water holds special symbolic significance in Thai culture, from Loy Krathong to Songkran festivals. But as much as we respect the value of water, we must also recognise that failure to care for our water resources puts our lives and wellbeing at risk.
Tackling Thailand's water problems
Oped, Richard Friend & Pakamas Thinphanga, Published on 05/08/2023
» Thailand has experienced an unusually prolonged period of water crises over recent years. The dry seasons are becoming longer and drier, while the rainy seasons are shorter but with more intense rainfall. This oscillating pattern of droughts and floods has become harder to predict and is causing more serious impacts.
Journalism on trial in Guatemala
Oped, Christophe Deloire & Jose C Zamora, Published on 01/08/2023
» July 29 marks the first anniversary of the arrest of Guatemalan journalist José Rubén Zamora. As the founder and editor of the newspaper elPeriódico, Zamora spent decades uncovering political corruption before being arrested on fabricated money-laundering charges. In June, he was handed a six-year prison sentence, but the prosecution, insisting on a 40-year term, is expected to appeal. The harsher punishment, prosecutors say, would compensate those whose "name and reputation" have been tarnished by Zamora and his publication. Their real goal is to deter other journalists from following in Zamora's footsteps.
All talk, no dialogue on Asian security
Oped, Richard Maude, Published on 10/06/2023
» The International Institute for Strategic Studies' Shangri-La Dialogue has wrapped up its meeting in Singapore. The context for this year's summit was not propitious: Russia's bloody invasion of Ukraine grinds on, while Chinese President Xi Jinping continues his uncompromising approach to global affairs.