Opinions
Why are Olympics so good at making us root for sports and athletes we tune out most of the time?
Every four years, millions of Americans join billions of their fellow humans across the globe to celebrate the astonishing athletic feats at the Summer Olympics. Warm-weather sports such as swimming and track that usually don’t capture much attention in U.S. media suddenly vault to the forefront. National teams compete in… Read
Japan’s looming imperial crisis – why it’s time to open the succession to female heirs
Japan’s Emperor Naruhito has finally admitted that the future of the Chrysanthemum Throne is in peril. Speaking on the eve of his state visit to the UK in mid-June, Naruhito noted that the number of male heirs in the imperial family was shrinking and they were ageing. Female members of the… Read
Hong Kong commercial law hub allure damaged by foreign judges row, lawyers say
The resignations of two British judges from China-ruled Hong Kong's highest court not only raise concerns about the rule of law, some lawyers and experts say, but will further undermine confidence in the city's broader commercial legal sector. Hong Kong's legal industry, which has long helped define the territory as… Read
UK’s new PM has chance to reset ties with White House – but a range of thorny issues and U.S. election make it tricky
The new British prime minister, Keir Starmer, this week faces his first test on the global stage. Having presided over a landslide victory for his party on July 4, Starmer will head to Washington, D.C., for a crucial NATO summit starting Tuesday. Days later he will host over 50 European leaders for… Read
Labour win brings few hopes or fears to London's financial district
Labour's landslide election win shows few signs of unsettling London's financial heartland after the party's lengthy pro-business overtures, though many in finance remain wary they could be targeted to prop up Britain's stretched public finances further down the line. Under leader Keir Starmer, the Labour Party has assiduously courted the… Read
As France votes, Europe holds its breath
When President Emmanuel Macron shocked France last month by calling a snap election, he was gambling with the future of Europe as well as his own country. While much depends on the second round of voting on Sunday, it already seems clear that Macron's role as a driver of European… Read
Supreme Court opinion conferring broad immunity could embolden Trump as he seeks to return to power
In her dissent from a Supreme Court opinion that afforded former President Donald Trump broad immunity, Justice Sonia Sotomayor pondered the potential doomsday consequences: A president could pocket a bribe for a pardon, stage a military coup to retain power, order the killing of a rival by the Navy's SEAL… Read
Journalism’s trust problem is about money, not politics
Journalism faces a credibility crisis. Only 32% of Americans report having “a great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in news reporting – a historical low. Journalists generally assume that their lack of credibility is a result of what people believe to be reporters’ and editors’ political bias. So they… Read
Populism can degrade democracy − here’s what causes it and how it can be weakened
There’s a widespread view that populism is on the rise, from the United States and Turkey to India and Hungary. What is fueling this movement? Populism is a political ideology that positions “the people” as a morally just, good group in society, in contrast with other people who are elitist… Read
Despite improved WHO regulations, the world remains ill-prepared for the next pandemic
The international community’s recent failure to conclude a global pandemic agreement leaves large gaps in our capacity to deal with the next major infectious disease emergency. The risk of another pandemic like COVID – the worst in a century – is increasing. The World Health Organization (WHO) took an important step by adopting useful… Read
