Journalism makes blunders but still feeds democracy: an insider's view

Sep 20, 2020 06:12 am UTC| Insights & Views

Anton Harber, the veteran South African journalist, editor and journalism professor at the University of the Witwatersrand, has a new book out. So, For the Record: Behind the Headlines in an Era of State Capture is a deep...

Recycling isn't enough — the world's plastic pollution crisis is only getting worse

Sep 20, 2020 06:02 am UTC| Insights & Views

Plastic production and consumption has snowballed since large-scale production began in the 1950s. In 2020, an estimated 24 million to 34 million tonnes of plastic waste will enter the worlds lakes, rivers and oceans. That...

Global Geopolitics Series

Relax, losing access to China won't make us the 'poor white trash of Asia'

Sep 10, 2020 09:15 am UTC| Insights & Views Economy

In another round of the increasingly bitter exchanges between China and Australia, a columnist for Chinas Global Times, Yu Lei, suggested that a further decoupling from China will make former Singapore Prime Minister Lee...

Global Geopolitics Series

US-China decoupling and coronavirus: why 2020 upheaval won't kill globalisation

Sep 10, 2020 08:58 am UTC| Insights & Views

The sudden stop of the global economy in 2020 has brought to everyones attention the interconnectedness of supply chains across countries and continents. Add to this the mounting tensions between the US and China, with...

Cashless payment is booming, thanks to coronavirus. So is financial surveillance

Sep 10, 2020 08:53 am UTC| Insights & Views

A banknote has been sitting in my wallet for six months now. As time ticks on, it burns an ever greater hole in my pocket. At first I felt uneasy spending it, following COVID-19 warnings to pay more attention to hand...

Medical research is broken: here's how we can fix it

Sep 09, 2020 13:45 pm UTC| Insights & Views Health

Every year, around US$200 billion (150 billion) is spent globally on health research. Meanwhile, millions of people volunteer their time to be participants in health studies. Despite all the resources that go into creating...

Americans are renouncing U.S. citizenship in record numbers – but maybe not for the reasons you think

Sep 09, 2020 13:29 pm UTC| Insights & Views Life

Brett Goodin, Postdoctoral Fellow, New York University American citizenship is not as coveted as it once was. iStock / Getty Images Plus President Trump hosted a televised naturalization ceremony at the White...