Showing 1 - 10 of 23
When societies rise, fall, and face catastrophe
News, Antara Haldar, Published on 11/10/2025
» When the United Nations emerged from the rubble of two world wars 80 years ago, it represented humanity's most ambitious attempt ever to turn catastrophe into cooperation. But while the scarred world of 1945 had hope following the Allied victory, that optimism has since curdled. The UN today is underfunded, risk-averse, and paralysed.
A gift and a prayer
Postbag, Published on 26/04/2025
» Re: "Huge crowds expected as Pope Francis lies in state", (World, April 25).
CDU won the German polls, but can it rule?
Oped, John J. Metzler, Published on 26/02/2025
» Another major country has flipped politically to the conservative column. After three years of a drifting centre-left coalition government, voters elected a conservative (small c) Christian Democratic Union CDU government in Germany's parliamentary elections. Yet what was expected to be a massive win for the likely new Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, became a bit disappointing when his party gained 28.5% of the vote.
The lonely songbird in a gilded cage
Roger Crutchley, Published on 09/02/2025
» A few words on singer/actress Marianne Faithfull who died last week at the age of 78. I have followed her career with some interest because she lived in my home town of Reading in the early 1960s, attending St Joseph's Convent school.
Candidates vying to lead economy out of crisis
News, Anusha Ondaatjie, Published on 21/09/2024
» Sri Lanka's upcoming presidential election has become a referendum on a US$3 billion (99.1 billion baht) International Monetary Fund loan programme that has helped to pull the island nation out of its worst economic crisis since independence. The contest pits the incumbent president, who negotiated the bailout, against the country's main opposition leader -- both members of the Sri Lankan political elite -- and a Marxist politician waging a populist campaign. The three have put contrasting views before voters over how to steer the South Asian nation past the crisis.
Beatniks, beards, duffel coats and music
Roger Crutchley, Published on 11/08/2024
» There seems to be daily protests going on around the world including England. It is uncomfortable witnessing in my home country scenes of bricks being lobbed through windows, doors kicked in, businesses boarded up and terrified shopkeepers pulling down the shutters. Thankfully, things appear to have temporarily calmed down and hopefully it will stay that way.
Would you trust your marbles with these people?
News, Matthew Brooker, Published on 09/09/2023
» One of the great attractions of living in London is its world-class museums, which offer generally free access to immense quantities of cultural relics from across the globe. Those arriving in the British capital might want to visit sooner rather than later. Before too long, some of those collections might start to shrink.
How Putin's war ended dream of another Russia
Oped, Anastasia Edel, Published on 25/02/2023
» It has now been a year since Russia, my birthplace, invaded Ukraine. For 365 days, we have been waking up to news of Russian missile strikes, bombings, murders, torture and rape. It has been 365 days of shame and confusion, of wanting to turn away but needing to know what is happening, of watching Russians become "ruscists", "Orks" or "putinoids". For 365 days, the designation "Russian-American", previously straightforward, has felt like a contradiction in terms.
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).
Van death tragedy
Oped, Postbag, Published on 03/09/2022
» Re: "Kin of dead student puzzled by cuts, bruises", (BP, Sept 2).