Showing 1 - 10 of 58
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.
Three shocks that shook us in 2025
Oped, Yanis Varoufakis, Published on 24/12/2025
» This was the year that the remaining pillars of the late-20th-century order were shattered, exposing the hollow core of what passed for a global system. Three blows sufficed.
Jingoism goes too far
News, Published on 17/12/2025
» As the border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia drag into a second week, it has become increasingly clear that the fighting has spiralled far beyond any reasonable proportion.
Arab fraternity weakens and hegemons rule
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 01/11/2025
» 'This is the way the world ends, not with a bang but a whimper," wrote T S Eliot in 1925, probably responding to the profoundly unsatisfactory aftermath of World War I (although with a poet, you never really know). At any rate, it's happening again, this time in the Middle East.
Narcotic nightmare
Oped, Postbag, Published on 10/10/2025
» Re: "Drug policy fails", (PostBag, Oct 8) & "PM hails successful drug suppression campaign", (BP, Oct 4).
No more pardons
Postbag, Published on 04/10/2025
» Re: "Legal eagles voice worries over Thaksin's pardon bid", (BP, Oct 1).
Digitisation needed
Oped, Postbag, Published on 02/10/2025
» Re: "New DES minister urged to prioritise AI", (Business, Sept 23). My son, who completed a BBA, has just joined an MBA programme at a local university. For this, he had to cancel his existing visa from his college and apply for a fresh one through his new university. He reached the immigration office at 8am and was given token 78 for cancellation and 900 for issuance of a new visa. With each applicant's process taking about 10 minutes, he would easily be spending over 12 hours there. The officials work beyond 4.30pm and until 9pm to issue or reject every visa.
UN debate swerves, slides, but scores
Oped, John J Metzler, Published on 01/10/2025
» US President Donald Trump lambasted the United Nations on opening day for its failure to stop global crises in the midst of major regional wars, humanitarian disasters, looming security threats, never mind costly bureaucratic waste. But as the leader of the most prominent and founding UN member state, he then added that the world organisation isn't living up to its potential, and scathingly challenged, "What's the purpose of the United Nations?" The old rebuke, "You can do better!" Sometimes it works.
Act now as Suu Kyi is gravely ill
Oped, Alan Clements, Published on 10/09/2025
» Just days ago, Kim Aris, the youngest son of 80-year-old Aung San Suu Kyi, told The Independent that his mother -- Myanmar's imprisoned democracy leader and Nobel Peace Laureate -- is gravely ill with worsening heart disease.
Gaza: From genocide to real estate scheme
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 05/09/2025
» A motley band of greedy fantasists got together at the White House on Aug 27 and came up with a cunning plan to bring peace to the Middle East while lining their own pockets at the same time. It was "leaked" within days, as it was clearly meant to be, and since then the sound of outraged clucking has been loud in the land.