Showing 1 - 10 of 33
When Labubu dolls transform into a protest symbol
Oped, Jackie Mansky, Published on 17/09/2025
» I was surprised to see Labubus, the mega-popular toy monsters with Puck-like grins, staring at me in the crowd at anti-ICE demonstrations in Los Angeles in June.
The bombers that look like giant bats
Roger Crutchley, Published on 29/06/2025
» Anyone who has observed those B-2 Stealth bombers used by the US in Iran last week will be aware of the unique futuristic design that some say makes them resemble giant bats. Opinion is divided on whether these planes are an inspired example of beautiful modern engineering and technology or just plain ugly. They certainly look a bit sinister, but then so do most planes designed for dropping bombs.
Thai police officer becomes the bee's knees
Roger Crutchley, Published on 20/04/2025
» The feel-good story this week involves a most unlikely hero, a Thai policeman. It is not often that the local gendarmerie are the subject of uplifting news, but that was the case in the Northeastern province of Nakhon Phanom when an alert policeman rescued a woman from a swarm of attacking bees.
How social media shapes our political memory
Oped, Chelsea Butkowski, Published on 19/04/2025
» With Donald Trump's return to the White House, I've been reminded of a viral social media moment from just before his first rise to power in 2016. After waiting in line to vote that year, nearly 12,000 people joined a second queue, at a cemetery in upstate New York, to visit the grave of famed women's suffragist Susan B Anthony and place their "I Voted" stickers on her headstone.
Forget American exceptionalism, it's a tri polar world
News, Jay Pelosky, Published on 11/01/2025
» In 2024, the watchword in financial markets was "American exceptionalism", as the US economy and markets left the rest of the world in the dust. But as the calendar turns, it may now be time to remove these geographic blinders to consider the larger regional competition likely to reshape the global economy in the coming years. We may be in the midst of a long-term global growth cycle driven by intensifying competition in the critical areas of artificial intelligence, green technology, and security between the world's three dominant regions: the Americas, Asia and Europe. (It's what I refer to as the Tri Polar World.)
Maybe it's time to look on the bright side
Roger Crutchley, Published on 05/01/2025
» It is that time of the year when columnists are expected to make a few pertinent predictions concerning what could be in store for the next 12 months. However, things are so unpredictable at the moment that even Nostradamus would struggle to come up with a half-decent forecast. We are also entering the Year of the Snake which is not particularly comforting.
Frigates beat subs
Oped, Postbag, Published on 04/01/2025
» Re: "Sub deal 'complete in six months'", (BP, Dec 31, 2024) and "China agrees to supply ship instead of sub to navy", (BP, March 28, 2024).
A magical weekend at Yasgur's Farm
Roger Crutchley, Published on 18/08/2024
» Every year there are anniversaries marking significant events from the past and they always serve as uncomfortable reminders that I am getting a bit old. A classic example is this weekend with the 55th anniversary of the Woodstock Festival. Now that's scary. Surely it couldn't have been that long ago?
Better jobs for youths
Oped, Postbag, Published on 20/01/2024
» Re: "Strategy to achieve tourism targets revealed", (Business, Jan 18).
Soft power charms, with a Thai ripple
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 04/12/2023
» The term "soft power" has seeped into international relations and it is now a catchphrase with its own global momentum. Yet it should be recalled that in the 1980s, it was used to describe the nature of a weaker state confronted by the "hard power" embodied by a stronger state.