Far-right politicians like Trump and Bolsonaro have exploited frustration-fanned anger, tribalism COMMENT | KAUSHIK BASU | Jair Bolsonaro, the president-elect of Brazil, is a far-right, gun-loving, media-baiting hyper-nationalist. The fact that he would be right at home among many of today’s global leaders – including the leaders of some of the …
Read More »COMMENT: Two tasks for today’s abolitionists
Trafficking humans and their organs, and forced labour and prostitution, are crimes against humanity COMMENT | MARCELO SANCHEZ SORONDO | The scourge of human trafficking is an issue that leaders of all faiths must take very seriously. One of the first things that Pope Francis did when he was elected in …
Read More »COMMENT: Don’t quit Facebook
But don’t trust it either because it has technical know how to give you more control but has chosen not to COMMENT | DENISE ANTHONY & LUKE STARK | Is it time to give up on social media? Many people are thinking about that in the wake of revelations regarding Cambridge …
Read More »COMMENT: Is there anyone to blame in the Mowzey Radio case?
Kampala, Uganda | COMMENT | John Ssewava | Social media is awash with remarks of all kinds, the usual after the death of a Ugandan star at home or abroad. Many seem to be blaming alleged negligence at Case Hospital for the demise of Ugandan musician Moses Ssekibogo aka Mowzey Radio, …
Read More »COMMENT: Inequality in the 21st century
INEQUALITY: Unless it is confronted, social cohesion and democracy itself will come under growing threat COMMENT | Kaushik Basu | At the end of a low and dishonest year, reminiscent of the “low, dishonest decade” about which W.H. Auden wrote in his poem “September 1, 1939,” the world’s “clever hopes” are …
Read More »COMMENT: Evidence-based policy mistakes
It is important to recognise that data alone are not enough, common sense matters COMMENT | KAUSHIK BASU | After years of stressing the importance of evidence-based policymaking, economists have clearly had some influence on politicians. What economists now need to do is to impress upon those same politicians that citing …
Read More »COMMENT: The abnormality of oil
Why inflation and monetary-policy adjustments by central banks might not impact its price COMMENT | JIM O’NEIL | Writing about oil prices is always risky. In a January 2015, I suggested that oil prices would not continue to fall, and even predicted that they would “finish the year higher than they …
Read More »COMMENT: Parenting challenges
COMMENT | By Amos Wekesa | Recently out of curiosity, my son asks me why I fly economy class when I travel with him, his brother and sister. I realized that children need a lot more explanation about why we do certain things. I tell my son, I make sure I don’t …
Read More »COMMENT: Risk to the global economy
Why changes in broadly shared economic assumptions are potentially riskier than more dramatic events COMMENT | CHRISTOPHER SMART | One of the great mysteries of today’s global markets is their irrepressible enthusiasm, even as the world around them appears on the verge of chaos or collapse. And yet, investors may be …
Read More »COMMENT: Understanding the doctors’ strike
How it reveals impact of the state undermining workers’ organisations and unions COMMENT | MORRIS KOMAKECH | Ugandan doctors opted to strike over poor remunerations, which they say compromise their work ethic. The doctors’ plight is understandable. Doctors in public facilities earn, on average, about US$300 per month. This level of …
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