Showing 1 - 10 of 85
New debate format
Oped, Postbag, Published on 23/01/2026
» Re: "Academics sound alarm ahead of poll", (BP, Jan 14). A one-on-one debate format between political parties would greatly help us decide who we want to solve basic structural problems in our economy, society and justice system -- and the media should play a key role in arranging such a debate and setting the theme.
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.
No special species
Oped, Postbag, Published on 29/11/2025
» Re: "Jakarta dog meat ban sparks debate", (World, Nov 27). Yes, if an animal is infected with rabies or any other disease, it is probably better not to eat its meat, however tasty, albeit recognising that the starving might reasonably have different priorities. This is true whether the animal is a dog, a cow, a cat, a pig, a chicken, or another of our animal relatives.
Why cattle matter in the Thai economy
Oped, Khanitha Pakinamhang, Published on 10/09/2025
» The milk in your morning coffee. The beef in your favourite menu. Both come from small Thai farms now struggling to survive.
Chronicling the crumbling of the House of Assad
Oped, Shlomo Ben-Ami, Published on 14/12/2024
» The swift collapse, after 54 years, of Syria's al-Assad dynasty has just transformed the Middle East's geopolitical landscape. The lightning offensive by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militia took all of Syria's neighbours -- and everyone else -- by surprise. The news that President Bashar al-Assad had fled to Russia confirms the one binding truth about wars: unintended consequences can extend far beyond the theatre of battle.
Fighting maternal mortality's toll
News, Anne-Marie Slaughter & Mary-Ann Etiebet, Published on 02/12/2024
» No mother should give her own life to give life to another. Unfortunately, preventing maternal mortality remains a persistent global challenge. The third United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) commits countries to reduce their maternal mortality rate to less than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030. At the current pace, the world is projected to fall far short of this target, resulting in more than one million additional, overwhelmingly preventable deaths.
Valuing Buddha?
Postbag, Published on 16/10/2024
» Re: "Temple, state forever tied at the hip", (Opinion, Oct 12).
Palestinians are pawns in a deadly game
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 31/07/2024
» The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip since last October's Hamas attacks on Israeli settlements will reach 40,000 people in the next week or so. (It's back up around 50-100 civilians dead per day.)
Just not feasible
Oped, Postbag, Published on 27/07/2024
» Re: "Chemical solution", (PostBag, July 25) and "Halting tilapia invasion 'a priority'", (BP, July 23).