Orthodox Yes, Suckers No

Once upon a time, there were three major streams of Judaism – Orthodox, Reform and Conservative. In Israel there arose another stream – the...

We Miss You, Uri Avnery

Uri Avnery, the writer, Knesset member and peace activist, died a year ago, on August 20. What would he have said about the current situation,...

The ‘Jerusalem District’ Reality Show and Other ‘Illustrations’

About two weeks ago, Haaretz reporter Nir Hasson exposed the story of the police who planted a weapon in the home of Samer Sleiman in the East...

South Korean leader's Liberation Day speech offered hopeful vision

[INTERVIEW] Korea should join Japan to keep China at bay

By Hwang Jae-ho Narushige Michishita As a representative specialist in Japanese security and foreign policy as well as security issues on the...

India's bold move on Kashmir

By Dr. Nehginpao Kipgen and Ankit Malhotra India revoked the special status granted to the state of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the...

Indigenous Sexualities: Resisting Conquest and Translation

This is an excerpt from Sexuality and Translation in World Politics. Get your free copy here. Sexual diversity has historically been the norm, not...

Bring Back Rohan

The operation to arrest and deport foreign workers from the Philippines is continuing with determination, as if the targets were dangerous...

Thousands riot in Papua, parliament building torched

RIOTS broke out and a local parliament building was torched in Indonesia's restive Papua region on Monday, as thousands protested against the...

General accused of war crimes appointed Sri Lanka army chief

A general accused of war crimes was Monday appointed Sri Lanka army chief, prompting international criticism and warnings his selection undermined...

Dwindling hopes for North Korean denuclearisation

SINCE the days of ‘fire and fury’, the world has witnessed three meetings between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim...

Japan Inc must back independent boards as a check on hostile takeovers

Cardi B’s interview with Bernie Sanders is more real than anything you'll find in mainstream media

It’s easy to make fun of Cardi B interviewing Bernie Sanders at a nail salon in Detroit. On optics, it is somewhat entertaining — and at first...

Israel's Lousy Schools, Lousy Students, Lousy Workers

Anyone familiar with the Israeli scene cannot help but marvel at the technological innovation generated by such a small country -- self-driving...

Ignoring or Downplaying Price of West Bank Annexation Is Playing With Fire

In the 52 years that Israel has controlled the West Bank, it has significantly expanded its presence in the territory – from building critical...

The Real Obstacle to Climate Action

WASHINGTON, DC – Climate change is probably the biggest threat facing humanity today. According to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on...

What Russia Thinks About Multilateralism

MOSCOW – When Russians hear paeans to the “rules-based” order, their standard rejoinder is to ask who is actually writing the rules. In fact,...

In sleepy Mawlamyine, Myanmar youths can’t wait to leave as city becomes shadow of its former self

Mawlamyine (or Moulmein) in Myanmar is one of those Southeast Asian cities like Sandakan (Malaysia), Bacolod (Philippines) and Songkhla (Thailand)...

Two years on, has the world forgotten the Rohingya children?

Fatima is acutely aware of the importance of school. The 13-year-old fled Myanmar two years ago with nothing. She now lives in the world’s...

Untamed Israeli Soldier Tells Truth. His Commanders Rush to Deny It

An Israel Defense Forces soldier is caught telling the truth, and his commanders are already rushing to deny it. But long-term journalistic...

Kitchens remain the foundation on which family ties are built

In northern countries, the most indispensable kitchen item is the cooking stove, as it doubles as a heat source for the entire home. In southern...

Rugby World Cup a chance to foster diversity, boost exchanges

In just one month, the Rugby World Cup 2019 will kick off in Japan. The Rugby World Cup is the world’s third-largest international sports event...

Irresponsible financial sellers

Watchdog should clarify where responsibility for losses lies People who invested more than 800 billion won ($661 million) into a derivatives-linked...

Controversy over Cho Kuk

Parties should hold confirmation hearing quickly President Moon Jae-in's nominee for justice minister, Cho Kuk, is in the hot seat over fraud and...

Damming the Mekong basin to environmental hell

BANGKOK – Major dam construction projects have become a favorite pastime of some autocratic governments, with China leading the way. But, far...

Calls to depoliticise humanitarian aid threaten Palestinians’ political struggle

With the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) facing a financial deficit of $150 million, PLO Secretary General Saeb Erekat is...

Can Japan-South Korea relations be saved?

WASHINGTON – Japan-South Korea relations are spiraling out of control. The bilateral relationship between Tokyo and Seoul, which has undergone...

What if everyone’s wrong about China?

NEW YORK – Is the rest of the world getting China wrong yet again? Maybe the country is not doomed to live out unending top-down rule. What is...

Mail-order DNA tests can be fun, but they aren’t medical advice

NEW YORK – Dr. Theodora Ross, a cancer geneticist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, says that to Silicon Valley types, she...

Don’t let giant clams start World War III

NEW YORK – It sounds like a schlocky 1950s horror flick: a war across the Asia-Pacific triggered by a horde of giant clams. Unfortunately, this is...

Is Britain Becoming a Failed State?

LONDON – What is a failed state? Not so long ago, when I was Britain’s Overseas Development Minister, and later European Commissioner for...

Trump’s War on Evidence

WASHINGTON, DC – Decision-making based on evidence rather than superstition was a driving force behind the Industrial Revolution, and the...

The looming partition of Yemen

The success of Yemen's southern secessionists in taking over the city of Aden has opened a new chapter in the country's sordid history. It has...

All foes and no friends ― for now

By Choi Sung-jin In June last year, President Moon Jae-in received global attention by arranging an unprecedented summit between U.S. President...

US-China relations in 1980s

By Lee Seong-hyon Michael Pillsbury, a former Pentagon adviser, mentioned the substantial military and intelligence cooperation between the U.S....

Putin-Macron meeting heralds glorious summer after long winter of discontent

The “annexation” of Crimea, the shooting down of the Malaysian airliner, and the conflict in eastern Ukraine destroyed the partial...

Donald Trump's ice-cold Greenland calculus

In offering to buy Greenland, US President Donald Trump is trying once again to disrupt the postwar Western order. What he is mainly interested in...

Trump tries to win over New Hampshire voters ― by shamelessly lying to them

By Scott Martelle President Donald Trump took a break from summer vacation at his personal New Jersey sleepover camp to try to persuade people in...

The state of this! Twitter’s advertising ban is ideological & anti-democratic

Repeat after me (with robotic hand movements): “state-controlled news media entities bad; ‘state-subsidised’ ‘private’ news media entities...

Countries and colors

By Hu Young-sup A massive globe is standing on the grounds of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), drawing the attention of...

Britain and its Hidden War on its Minors

Whenever the name Great Britain is brought up, we start thinking about gloomy skies, Victorian Gothic mansions, perfectly dressed gentlemen and...

Roni’s Grandma

Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s grandmother is not the only one who made headlines in recent weeks (and also led to a wave of loving posts of “Sitti –...