Showing 1 - 10 of 25
Henry Kissinger brought Germany redemption
News, Andreas Kluth, Published on 01/12/2023
» His timbre was just one reason I always looked forward to hearing Henry Kissinger, who died yesterday after living a full century, expound on international relations. It was gravelly and deep, and grew only more so over the years. But it wasn't just the voice. It was his unique accent, eccentric to some but strangely familiar to me.
Propaganda shows national derangements
News, Slavoj Žižek, Published on 11/09/2023
» Whenever a country's social contract unravels, conditions become ripe for rumours and absurdities to circulate. Even when these are outrageous and obviously nonsensical, they can give expression to a people's deepest fears and prejudices.
Free vs hate speech as world changes
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 28/12/2022
» While the Asia-Pacific region is home to a wealth of constructive traditions and practices, it is also confronted with the conundrum of how to protect freedom of expression at the same time as tackling hate speech which is rampant today. A morass of laws of a prohibitive and inhibitive kind are emerging, entrenching censorship and self-censorship, especially in the face of more authoritarian trends, rather than a broader range of actions to respect a diversity of opinions and to counter incitement to hatred.
Honour models for democracy
News, Editorial, Published on 18/12/2022
» Since the 1998 ouster of the dictator Suharto -- who ruled Indonesia with an iron fist for over three decades -- the world's fourth most populous nation has undergone a series of rapid changes. Once dependent on foreign aid to exercise its basic functions, Indonesia has firmly established itself as a major economic player in the Asia-Pacific region, with the distinction of being the only Southeast Asian economy to be included in the Group of 20.
Rights under threat from emerging tech
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 16/11/2022
» A key challenge facing human rights globally today is the advent of emerging technologies that mutate rapidly and potentially beyond human control. The UN Human Rights Council in Geneva has thus singled out for special study during the next couple of years four areas of concern: autonomous weaponry, neurotechnology, cyberbullying, and green technology (inevitably linked with climate change). What are the prospects for enjoying the fruits of such technologies and pre-empting their negative implications?
3 steps forward, but 2.5 back for populism
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 10/10/2022
» The reports about Luiz Inácio 'Lula' da Silva's impending comeback as Brazilian president verged on the ecstatic in the week before the vote on Oct 2. He was after all, fourteen points ahead of his populist rival, incumbent president Jair Bolsonaro, in the last opinion poll before the vote.
'Transition leave' sought for transgender employees
News, Poramet Tangsathaporn, Published on 17/05/2022
» The government is being urged to endorse 10 days' leave for transgender reassignment surgery after leading delivery platform, Foodpanda, recently implemented the policy.
Taliban 2.0: Regional, global impacts
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 24/08/2021
» The Taliban's victory is still fresh but unintended consequences that can impact the regional and global strategic environment are not difficult to discern. The first two weeks of its rule have already evoked vivid and unpleasant memories of past practices that brought outside powers to this rugged mountainous corner of the world. The future of this nation will remain unsettled for a long time to come. The first indicator has been the Afghan people themselves, who have showed their bravery during their 101th independence day last week by opposing the use of the Taliban's flag.
75 years of India’s Independence
News, Published on 14/08/2021
» India marks its 75th Independence Day on 15 August 2021. Global celebrations for the anniversary were formally launched on 12 March 2021 with 75 weeks of festivities called ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’.
Kingdom asked to help out Myanmar
News, Poramet Tangsathaporn, Published on 03/08/2021
» Thailand is being urged to take a leading role in helping to ease the spread of Covid-19 along the Myanmar border.