World Commentary
Tuesday 3rd October 2017
Don’t blame Dr Seuss for racism
A row over a gift of books from Melania Trump shows just how joyless some teachers have become.
Monday 2nd October 2017
Dare to tell the truth about SOE
The real value of the fabled wartime sabotage operation has been obscured by fantasists and falsehoods.
Secession an attack on democracy
A referendum on secession cannot legally proceed without crippling the constitutional order of Spain.
Saturday 30th September 2017
Social media ripe for exploiting
A growing body of evidence suggests the Kremlin used social media to sow civil discord in the US.
Poll may be start of Merkel’s end
Factions in the Chancellor’s party are already putting out feelers for possible replacements.
Friday 29th September 2017
NFL protests: where to now?
NFL team owners and officials will have to decide whether to continue indulging player behaviour on company time.
Thursday 28th September 2017
Reform France, Europe may follow
French leader Emmanuel Macron believes he can succeed where others have failed in delivering a better Europe.
Compromise won’t come easy
Angela Merkel will once again lead Germany, but her new government will be considerably weaker.
Wednesday 27th September 2017
Abe’s play in high-stakes game
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is taking a calculated risk by calling a snap election.
London’s Uberstatement for freedom
Even aggrieved fans of cheap taxis should acknowledge disruptive corporations have to bow to the rule of law.
Tuesday 26th September 2017
Society enters new dark age
Censorious students and online witch-hunts have joined religious dogma in challenging liberties won over centuries.
Sidelined far-right leader walks out
The rise of far-right politics in Germany follows an EU political trend that spells disaster for major parties.
Monday 25th September 2017
The politicisation of everything
Everybody loses when sports stars want to be politicians and use their fame to lecture others.
Kurdish warlords’ new target
Kurdish and Arab forces, celebrating the rout of Islamic State, may soon turn their arms on each other.
Asian dismay over ‘hot heads’
Asians, unused to such levels of open acrimony, are shocked by the insults flowing between the US and North Korea.
Saturday 23rd September 2017
Catalans face independence call
The Catalan government plans to hold a ‘binding’ referendum on independence on October 1.
Corbyn UK’s most likely next PM
Labour is on track to rule Britain. The question is, who rules the Labour Party?
Thursday 21st September 2017
China’s politics is a boys’ club
China, a country that promotes equality between the sexes, is a men-only bastion at the very top,
Wednesday 20th September 2017
Europe’s tiller confronts perils
Beyond Angela Merkel’s re-election, she faces the rise of populism, economic hurdles and Europe’s high expectations.
Tuesday 19th September 2017
What does North Korea want?
The answer will determine whether it’s even possible to push Kim Jong-un off the nuclear path at this point.
MORE STORIES
Healthscope’s positive prognosis
John DurieHealthscope chief Gordon Ballantyne seems intent on concentrating on business fundamentals.
The good, the bad and the cheap
James KirbyBlind faith in the mantra that low fees are good and high fees are bad just doesn’t stand up to close scrutiny.
Straw that broke Toyota’s back
Philip KingIt’s a story from the annals of most carmakers, but not Toyota. Toyota doesn’t close factories, Toyota keeps going.
Vocus takes second-best option
John DurieThe market liked Vaughan Bowen’s ascent to the Vocus chair but telco guru Bob Mansfield was clearly the preferred option.
CBA’s top tier springs a leak
Stephen BartholomeuszThe looming exit of several senior CBA executives could destabilise the bank and should worry the board and its regulator.
Falling prices, rising stress
Robert GottliebsenThe bank lending squeeze is set to get tighter, threatening a more serious fall in home prices.
Ignore bitcoin at your peril
RICHARD GLUYASIMF chief Christine Lagarde’s qualified endorsement of bitcoin should put sceptics of digital currencies on notice.
Tackling white collar crime
Jacqueline WoottonDeferred prosecutions agreements are hailed in the US in the fight against foreign bribery and white collar crime.
Test on who owns card customers
John DurieMyer is mulling legal action against Latitude for allegedly using the retailer’s data base to lift its credit cards.
Banks to bare their human face
RICHARD GLUYASThe banks are considering launching an ad campaign to try and present the sector in a more “personal” light.
