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Opinions
Supreme Court to decide whether Trump is immune from federal prosecution
The Supreme Court is hearing arguments this week with profound legal and political consequences: whether former President Donald Trump is immune from prosecution in a federal case charging him with plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 election. In addition to establishing a potentially historic ruling about the scope… Read
The Dutch are aiming to quarantine populism. Should the rest of the world follow suit?
In November 2023, Geert Wilders’ stridently anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim party swept the Dutch elections in what the media called a political earthquake. The magnitude of his win came as a shock to the centre and left parties in the Dutch legislature. They jointly decided that “Europe’s most dangerous man” should never become prime minister. The… Read
Big money flows to U.S. charities fueling vaccine misinformation
An anti-vaccine group founded by U.S. presidential contender Robert F Kennedy Jr raised millions of dollars during the coronavirus pandemic, tax records show, boosting its coffers as it ramped up what experts call dangerous health misinformation. Children's Health Defense (CHD), repeatedly called out for promoting vaccine falsehoods, collected about $46… Read
The hidden risk of letting AI decide – losing the skills to choose for ourselves
As artificial intelligence creeps further into people’s daily lives, so do worries about it. At the most alarmist are concerns about AI going rogue and terminating its human masters. But behind the calls for a pause on the development of AI is a suite of more tangible social ills. Among… Read
Japan’s demographic dialogue: A conversation on population
Japan is well-known for being a mostly homogenous nation. However, it’s aging population necessitates change. So far, the measures taken to address the issue haven’t worked well. Regardless, relying on immigration seems unavoidable despite the difficulties implementing this will bring. Perhaps a re-examination of the country’s foreign resident demographics can… Read
In a future with more ‘mind reading,’ thanks to neurotech, we may need to rethink freedom of thought
Socrates, the ancient Greek philosopher, never wrote things down. He warned that writing undermines memory – that it is nothing but a reminder of some previous thought. Compared to people who discuss and debate, readers “will be hearers of many things and will have learned nothing; they will appear to… Read
Iran upends decades of shadow warfare in direct attack on Israel as tensions mount at home
Iran's direct attack on Israel over the weekend upended decades of its shadowy warfare by proxy, something Tehran has used to manage international repercussions for its actions. But with both economic and political tensions at home boiling, the country's Shiite theocracy chose a new path as changes loom for the… Read
4 burning questions for 2024 Nippon Professional Baseball season
Spring is upon us, and more importantly than blooming flowers or warm sunshine, that means the 2024 Nippon Professional Baseball season is underway. The defending champion Hanshin Tigers are looking to repeat, and the Orix Buffaloes are chasing “dynasty” status. But beyond the top-flight teams, here are four burning questions… Read
Xi clearly determined to revamp his nation and make China great again
Coining the right slogan can pay mighty dividends in any political system. Ex-President Donald Trump swears by his MAGA message and China's supremo Xi Jinping loves his "China Dream." Of course, Xi isn't ever likely to wear a red baseball hat emblazoned with his rejuvenation message. Yet he has made it his… Read
The OJ Simpson saga was a unique American moment. 3 decades on, we're still wondering what it means
A dog’s plaintive wail. A courtroom couplet-turned-cultural catchphrase about gloves. A judge and attorneys who became media darlings and villains. A slightly bewildered houseguest elevated, briefly, into a slightly bewildered celebrity. Troubling questions about race that echo still. The beginning of the Kardashian dynasty. An epic slow-motion highway chase. And,… Read
