Showing 1 - 10 of 93
Trump goes off-script, US gone rogue
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 27/03/2026
» It was not supposed to work like this. "America First" and "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) were supposed to be about an inward turn to repair, replenish and rebuild an externally overstretched and internally weakened country, weighed down by unnecessary global entanglements, unsustainable national debt, and unimpeded mass migration. It seemed for a time that the MAGA movement to prioritise America above and beyond the international system and its constituent parts had found its final prophet in President Donald J Trump. But now, somehow, President Trump has betrayed the movement that has carried him to office by waging a disastrous war on Iran in cooperation with Israel.
Impacts of Iran war on Southeast Asia
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 20/03/2026
» For the most part, Southeast Asia as a region has taken a neutral stance toward the joint attack between the United States and Israel against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Even the Philippines and Thailand, two formal US treaty allies, have distanced themselves, calling for restraint and de-escalation.
Strait attack unacceptable
Oped, Editorial, Published on 13/03/2026
» The adverse impact of the war between Iran, the United States and Israel has spilt over to other nations beyond the Middle East, as Tehran ramps up its attacks on cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Iran war is upending global energy markets
Oped, Carolyn Kissane, Published on 12/03/2026
» The war with Iran is widening faster than many expected. The Islamic Republic's retaliation against Arab Gulf states has extended beyond military targets to critical civilian infrastructure, including airports, water desalination plants, and energy facilities. Hezbollah has opened a second front from Lebanon. US President Donald Trump suggests that operations could last "four to five weeks", but with nearly 50 senior Iranian officials having been killed, it is unclear who might be positioned to negotiate an off-ramp.
Voters in Nepal demand change
Oped, Brabim Karki, Published on 11/03/2026
» A rapper turned politician, Balendra Shah, popularly known as Balen, looks set to become Nepal's next prime minister. Mr Shah's Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has secured a landslide victory in the country's general election -- the first since deadly Gen Z-led protests last year, marking a major shift away from traditional old guard parties.
The remarkable rise of Rukchanok ‘Ice’ Srinork
Oped, Sanitsuda Ekachai, Published on 06/02/2026
» No matter what happens on Sunday election, one fact is already sealed. Rukchanok “Ice” Srinork, a former lawmaker representing the People’s Party, is now the most popular politician in Thai history. The word “female” is almost redundant.
What would happen if Khamenei falls?
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 05/01/2026
» The demonstrations began again in Iran last week, only two years after the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement convulsed the country for months. However, the current protests are potentially much broader than that episode because they are driven by the collapse in Iran's currency, the rial (now 1,420,000 to the US dollar), and the explosive rise in the cost of living.
Syria's tragic saga a long way from being over
Oped, John J Metzler, Published on 12/12/2025
» Just one year ago Syria's brutal and seemingly eternal Assad family dictatorship was toppled.
India seeks strong growth as key tests loom
Oped, Anne O Krueger, Published on 02/12/2025
» In the aftermath of World War II, the end of colonial rule produced a wave of newly independent -- and mostly poor -- countries, which were labelled "developing economies".
Pedestrian peril
Oped, Postbag, Published on 10/11/2025
» Re: "Public Safety No 1", (Editorial, Oct 22).