Showing 1 - 10 of 136
Authoritarians' brave new cities
Oped, Published on 23/09/2025
» Few policy ideas are as radical -- or as misleadingly packaged -- as "freedom cities". Championed by Silicon Valley's techno-libertarian elite and recently embraced by right-wing politicians like Donald Trump, the idea is to create digitally powered, master-planned enclaves of deregulated innovation.
Indonesia and Nepal's 2025 wake-up call
Oped, Published on 12/09/2025
» Two nations with different characteristics -- Indonesia and Nepal -- experienced identical severe storms when 2025 arrived. The people of Jakarta took to the streets to express their discontent about elite advantages, economic difficulties and government secrecy. The Nepalese government issued a ban on 26 social media platforms, which triggered youth protests that evolved into violent civil unrest throughout Kathmandu.
Limits of Xi, Putin's 'no-limits' alliance
Oped, Published on 05/09/2025
» Much has changed since Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin last stood together atop Tiananmen Square in 2015. When they did so again this week, it was supposedly as equal partners. But, of course, the reality is far more complex.
Musk, Trump and Mao have a lot in common
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 11/07/2025
» The only place where some people still see Elon Musk as a political genius is China. "Brother Musk, you've got over a billion people on our side backing you," wrote a fan on Weibo, China's biggest social media site. "If Elon Musk were to found a political party," wrote another, "his tech-driven mindset could inject fresh energy into politics."
Southeast Asia facing hidden extremist threat
Oped, Published on 07/07/2025
» In May, Indonesia's counter-terrorism unit arrested an 18-year-old man in Gowa, South Sulawesi, on charges of spreading Islamic State (IS) propaganda and inciting bomb attacks on social media. Identified only as MAS, the suspect represents a deeply troubling development in Southeast Asia's struggle against terrorism: the rise of youth radicalisation driven entirely by online exposure.
Women build Myanmar's future
Oped, Published on 01/07/2025
» Amid Myanmar's unrelenting crisis, it is women who are quietly reshaping the nation's future. As the country reels from military violence, institutional collapse, and humanitarian catastrophe, women have stepped forward -- not just as survivors, but as leaders. Their courage is grounded in daily acts of resistance, care, and community-building that keep society intact.
US fiscal state is everyone's issue
Oped, Published on 28/05/2025
» As Donald Trump's "big, beautiful" tax bill heads to the US Senate, investors everywhere are growing increasingly uneasy. On May 16, the credit-rating agency Moody's downgraded US sovereign debt from its long-held triple-A status to Aa1 -- following similar decisions by Standard & Poor's (in 2011) and Fitch Ratings (2023). Given the sheer volume of US debt -- which now stands at $36 trillion, or 124% of GDP -- and rising interest costs, these institutions have concluded that US debt metrics are no longer in line with those of similarly rated sovereigns.
Laughable justice
Oped, Postbag, Published on 20/05/2025
» Re: "Justice must ditch the glitz", (Editorial, May 13).
Power politics
Oped, Editorial, Published on 14/05/2025
» A recent row that saw a policeman beaten for warning a politician not to take photos inside a polling booth confirms that local politics still wields significant influence over law enforcers.
Tariff trap
Oped, Postbag, Published on 08/04/2025
» Re: "Trump tariffs hammer global stocks, dollar and oil", (BP, April 4).