Ukraine’s Western allies seem to be sticking to a strategy of giving the country just enough weapons to defend itself, but not enough to win.
Month: December 2023
Updated Dec. 31 2023 at 12:00 p.m. After a referendum held in March 1991, the creation of the post of president of Russia was created. Boris Yeltsin was elected Russia’s first president in an election of that kind. On this day in 1999, he resigned and was succeeded by Vladimir Putin. Why did Boris Yeltsin […]
Also: How China fell in love with Syria’s first lady…
Wars, terrorist attacks, natural disasters, famines … The news gives us every right to despair – but as the author puts it: “Anyone can be cynical, the challenge is to be an optimist.”
Updated Dec. 30 2023 at 12:00 p.m. The portrait of Winston Churchill was taken in 1941 by Armenian-Canadian photographer Yousuf Karsh in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, as he was set to address the Canadian members of Parliament following action taken in World War II. Why is the Roaring Lion such an iconic photograph? The portrait shows […]
The violence and anger depicted in films, such as RRR, Pushpa, Kabir Singh, or Animal, prompt contemplation on the underlying reasons for the increasing appeal of such violently toxic masculine representations in Indian cinema.
Are the Israelis perpetrating a genocide in Gaza? The answer is tied up in the definition and legal significance of the word itself, which is still not settled.
The French-American writer recalls a trip last Christmas to her father’s native Louisiana, and an invitation for some firing-range fun in the backyard.
Updated Dec. 29 2023 at 12:00 p.m. Caused by Nazi bombing raids which set off a series of fires, the Second Great Fire threatened to destroy London. It was ultimately contained, symbolized by the saving of the famed St. Paul’s Cathedral. How did the Second Great Fire of London start? On the evening of December […]
New Year’s Eve can be challenging for her patients, but our Naples-based psychiatrist puts a sunny spin on end-of-year wishes.
In the short term, a fall in consumption of material objects would be an economic and social catastrophe. In the long term, it is necessary.
This wasn’t supposed to be about politics or identity or anti-Semitism, about war or peace. It’s a story about a name. What’s in a name? Nothing at all, says Mr. Shakespeare. Or maybe all of the above when the name is Israely and the year was 2023.
Updated Dec. 28 2023 at 12:00 p.m. After serving in World War II as a Korean-contingent major in the Soviet Army, Kim Il-Sung became the first premier of the newly formed Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Years later, he would become the nation’s supreme ruler. How did Kim Il-Sung become the first president of North […]
Sooner or later, Hamas’ reign in Gaza will come to an end. What will happen then? An Israeli occupation? The handover of power to local stakeholders? There are clear parallels with Germany’s situation after World War II.
Categories
Burnout, Lies And Capitalism
The writer hits a professional wall the year after the birth of her second child. It’s a reminder of the limits of our modern uber competitive economy.
Updated Dec. 27 2023 at 12:00 p.m. Benazir Bhutto, twice Prime Minister of Pakistan, and then leader of the opposition Pakistan People’s Party, had been campaigning ahead of elections scheduled for January 2008 when she was shot, in a suicide terrorist attack. When Was Benazir Bhutto killed? After eight years in exile in Dubai and […]
An operation gone awry pushed him deep into enemy territory. His wife prepared for his funeral. Then, he came back.
Palestinians believe that Barghouti is capable of uniting the Palestinians and achieving reconciliation between the Fatah and Hamas movements. He may be the only figure who is able to lead negotiations and achieve peace, but Israel will not release him because it doesn’t really want either
On learning that being French may make me genetically predisposed to grumpiness — and on coming to terms with my addiction to GIFs.
Updated Dec. 26 2023 at 12:00 p.m. In 2004, a 9.1 earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra in Indonesia, triggering a tsunami and series of tidal waves that became one of worst natural disasters in recorded history. What triggered the Indian Ocean tsunami? The initial earthquake is among the strongest ever recorded, estimated to […]
It’s an opportunity to recreate an otherwise bypass cultural moment. But there are limitations in combining live music and a pre-recorded voice: You can’t respond to the temperament of the audience. You can’t speed it up when required
From the Mufti of Ukraine to the Facebook aunts and uncles of Brazil to Chinese influencers in Africa… and more!
The list of notable deaths in 2023 includes Henry Kissinger and Silvio Berlusconi, who many believe had already overstayed their public welcome before our writer was even born.
As a measure to limit immigration, the British government announced that the minimum income required to bring a foreign spouse into the country on a family visa will rise sharply.
The black-and-white view of the world which separates people into loyalists and traitors is incompatible with the compromises and moderation that make a liberal democracy tick, and which make society free and livable.
Daraj looks at the long-term deadly effects of Israeli munitions which will threaten Gaza for years after the current war ends.
Manufacturers of toys are now finally working to reduce the environmental impact of their products, using more eco-friendly materials and promoting recycling and repairs. But are parents ready to buy second-hand toys or pay more for an eco-designed product? And do kids actually care?
Fishermen bemoan dwindling catches as contamination by industrial waste and other pollutants raises concerns about the safety of food and drinking water.
Daughter of conservative Korean immigrants to Argentina, portrait of rising star in Latin America’s electronic music club scene.
From mortal mistakes to brutal punishments, Russian soldiers in Ukraine face daily horrors, not from the enemy but from their fellow officers. One Russian soldier who voluntarily signed up for the army tells his story and the psychological toll the war has had on him.
In two very different ways, the failure of the United Nations to inhibit aggressive nations is a sign of only more trouble ahead.
The first obstacle to ending gender-based violence is naming it. But too many obstacles remain which keep women suffering in dangerous relationships. Spanish publication Ethic looks at the state of affairs around gender-based violence in the country.
Updated Dec. 23 2023 at 12:00 p.m. On this day in 1979, the Soviet Union intervened in support of the Afghan communist government in its conflict with anti-communist Muslim guerrillas during the Afghan War, after Afghanistan’s centrist government was overthrown by left-wing military officers led by Nur Mohammad Taraki. Why did the Soviets invade Afghanistan? […]
Updated Dec. 25 2023 at 12:00 p.m. Serving since 2015, Justin Trudeau is the 23rd and current prime minister of Canada. His father was serving in the same job when he was born on Christmas day. How did Justin Trudeau get into politics? He is the eldest son of Pierre Trudeau, Canada’s previous prime minister, […]
Updated Dec. 22, 2023 at 11:45 a.m. In 1895, Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen took the first X-ray ever. What was the first X-ray taken of? Röntgen’s experiments revealed that this new type of ray was capable of passing through most substances, including the soft tissues of the body, but left bones and metals visible. How did […]
December 25 – December 31, 2023
The Made in Tunisia clothes industry for the European market consumes large amounts of water and pollutes Tunisia’s coastline. In Ksibet El Mediouni, the population is paying the price of the environmental cost of fast fashion.
A patient tells our Naples-based psychiatrist about his questionable plans for Christmas dinner.
Iran’s plans to boost security and intelligence collaborations with Russia are fueling fears among Iranians that Russia will soon act as power broker, decision-maker and secret policeman inside their country.
Within 15 minutes, the life of Youssef al-Bazm turned upside down. The Palestinian father had considered himself the luckiest person in the world because of his small family. But everything changed on Dec. 1. His story is just one of thousands of parents looking for their lost kids.