What happens when leaders disregard the truth? Putin and Trump are about to find out

Peter Pomerantsev The powerful were meant to be afraid of the truth. Journalists were meant to “hold truth to power”. Evidence was meant to destroy wrongdoers as sunlight does a vampire. Find the evidence, the logic went, and the powerful could be shamed and brought to justice. Historically, the powerful would try to censor and… Read More What happens when leaders disregard the truth? Putin and Trump are about to find out

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Thailand election 2023: opposition delivers crushing blow to military rule

The liberal Move Forward party and the Pheu Thai Party face a challenge to forming government with parliamentary rules favouring army-backed parties Thailand’s opposition parties secured by far the largest number of votes in national elections, trouncing parties allied with the military and setting the stage for a flurry of deal-making in a bid to… Read More Thailand election 2023: opposition delivers crushing blow to military rule

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UN recognition of Palestinian Nakba counters the myth that Israel was created on empty land

DINA MATAR When Palestinians commemorate the Nakba (the catastrophe) on May 15, they are not only remembering a violent historical event that took place 75 years ago which led to the uprooting of over 750,000 Palestinians from their homeland. Nor just the destruction of more than 400 villages and towns and the killing of thousands others. They… Read More UN recognition of Palestinian Nakba counters the myth that Israel was created on empty land

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Microbes discovered that can digest plastics at low temperatures

Helena Horton Microbes that can digest plastics at low temperatures have been discovered by scientists in the Alps and the Arctic, which could be a valuable tool in recycling. Many microorganisms that can do this have already been found, but they can usually only work at temperatures above 30C (86F). This means that using them… Read More Microbes discovered that can digest plastics at low temperatures

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The culture of mistrust is bleeding into our personal lives. No wonder there’s a sex recession

Van Badham The western drift away from seeking moral instruction from the church is understandable; the morality plays staged every day on Reddit’s infamous “Am I the Asshole?” threads are far more entertaining. A few weeks ago, a post went viral in which the author seeks a public verdict on the question “AITA for asking… Read More The culture of mistrust is bleeding into our personal lives. No wonder there’s a sex recession

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Napoleon’s words come back to haunt us as a prison barge for our times sails in

Tim Adams Prison ships have forever been associated with the worst excesses of English injustice. On the eve of Waterloo, Napoleon stiffened the resolve of his troops by demanding: “Soldiers, let those among you who have been prisoners of the English describe to you the hulks, and detail the most frightful miseries which they endured!”… Read More Napoleon’s words come back to haunt us as a prison barge for our times sails in

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BJP-bin Dakshin

Mukul Kesavan To watch an election show as an anti-majoritarian spectator in the time of Narendra Modi is a traumatic business for two reasons. One, you mostly lose and two, sometimes even the ones you win, you lose. There was a moment during the Karnataka results show when the Congress’s leads dropped to a bare… Read More BJP-bin Dakshin

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A moment’s silence, please, for the death of Mark Zuckerberg’s metaverse

John Naughton Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to remember the metaverse, which was quietly laid to rest a few weeks ago by its grieving adoptive parent, one Mark Zuckerberg. Those of you with long memories will remember how, in October 2021, Zuck (as he is known to his friends) excitedly announced the arrival of his… Read More A moment’s silence, please, for the death of Mark Zuckerberg’s metaverse

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Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu: Turkey’s opposition leader is leading in the polls

Turkey’s general election on Sunday, May 14 will see voters cast their ballots for 600 members of its parliament and the country’s powerful presidency. This election has become intensely competitive in a country which has undergone severe democratic erosion over the past decade, but may now be looking for change. Turkish president, and previously prime minister, Recep… Read More Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu: Turkey’s opposition leader is leading in the polls

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