Showing 1 - 10 of 69
Nato 1.0 is dead. Long live Nato 2.0
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 17/02/2026
» Every year about this time, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato), the world's most powerful alliance for the past 77 years, holds a conference in Munich to examine its state of health.
Long live the Dalai Lama, but who is next?
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 08/07/2025
» The whole business of succession would be a lot simpler if the Dalai Lama could just regenerate, like Doctor Who -- a long-running British science fiction series. When the time comes for The Doctor to stop looking like David Tennant and start looking like Matt Smith, there's flame coming out of his head and gushing out of his sleeves, and then he explodes. When the smoke clears, there's the new Doctor.
Myanmar's 'my way' vs Asean norms
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 08/07/2025
» It appeared to be a done deal. During their summit on May 26, Asean leaders agreed to admit Timor-Leste as the 11th member of the regional bloc. Since then, Nay Pyi Taw has raised an unexpected objection, with the junta issuing an official statement that could potentially embarrass Asean and its current chair, Malaysia.
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.
Cell death a wake-up call
Oped, Editorial, Published on 11/03/2025
» The recent death of Pol Col Thitisan "Joe Ferrari" Utthanapon, who was serving a life sentence at Klongprem Central Prison in Bangkok, casts more doubt over the integrity of the country's corrections system.
East Asia braces for Trump's second term
Oped, Takatoshi Ito, Published on 08/02/2025
» The first two weeks of US President Donald Trump's second term were marked by a flurry of directives and executive orders.
Beyond the world's favourite hippo
Oped, Curtis S Chin & Jose B Collazo, Published on 02/01/2025
» The news from Asia at year-end 2024 that dominated headlines here in the United States included the tragic crash landing of Jeju Air flight 2216 flying from Thailand. As hundreds of millions took to roads and to the air for the holidays, the news seemed especially close to home, even thousands of miles away.
South Korea's charter needs fixing
News, Yoon Young-kwan, Published on 30/12/2024
» The events that have unfolded in South Korea this month, beginning with President Yoon Suk-yeol's short-lived declaration of martial law on Dec 3, have underscored both the remarkable resilience and underlying fragility of the country's democracy. The system survived this time, but no democracy is safe if it constantly faces severe stress tests.
The high cost of Yoon's martial law
Oped, Takatoshi Ito, Published on 20/12/2024
» When South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol abruptly declared martial law late on Dec 3, claiming that it was necessary to enable him to eliminate "anti-state" forces, street protests erupted almost immediately.
Inside rightist YouTube world embraced by Yoon
News, Ju-min Park and Tom Bateman, Published on 17/12/2024
» When South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol cited claims of election hacking and "anti-state" pro-North Korean sympathisers as justification for imposing a short-lived martial law, right-wing YouTuber Ko Sung-kook had heard it before.