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Saturday, November 12, 2022
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Saturday, November 12, 2022 | Latest Paper

Gwynne Dyer

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 10, 2022
It’s not clear that Chinese President Xi Jinping and his allies have taken on board the fact that the old ultra-high growth rate is never coming back, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photography by Aykut Unlupinar courtesy of G20 Turkey
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 10, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 10, 2022
It’s not clear that Chinese President Xi Jinping and his allies have taken on board the fact that the old ultra-high growth rate is never coming back, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photography by Aykut Unlupinar courtesy of G20 Turkey
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 7, 2022
On Nov. 4, Pope Francis condemned the 'childlike' approach of a 'few potentates' to bring war. It’s Francis’s job to say things like that, and he does it with sincerity and grace, even if he is wrong, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flicker/Catholic Church in England and Wales
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 7, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 7, 2022
On Nov. 4, Pope Francis condemned the 'childlike' approach of a 'few potentates' to bring war. It’s Francis’s job to say things like that, and he does it with sincerity and grace, even if he is wrong, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flicker/Catholic Church in England and Wales
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 3, 2022
All of COP27's hot air is less important than the single fact that Luiz Inácio ‘Lula’ da Silva narrowly won the Brazilian presidency last week, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flickr
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 3, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 3, 2022
All of COP27's hot air is less important than the single fact that Luiz Inácio ‘Lula’ da Silva narrowly won the Brazilian presidency last week, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flickr
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 2, 2022
After his initial enthusiasm died down, Elon Musk realized that buying Twitter was a mistake, for a $44-billion punt on an unprofitable social media platform is a risky move even for the world’s richest man, writes Gwynne Dyer. Daniel Oberhaus photograph courtesy of Flickr
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 2, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 2, 2022
After his initial enthusiasm died down, Elon Musk realized that buying Twitter was a mistake, for a $44-billion punt on an unprofitable social media platform is a risky move even for the world’s richest man, writes Gwynne Dyer. Daniel Oberhaus photograph courtesy of Flickr
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 26, 2022
All five of Israel's recent elections have really been about the same question: should Benjamin Netanyahu go to jail, or should he be prime minister? The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 26, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 26, 2022
All five of Israel's recent elections have really been about the same question: should Benjamin Netanyahu go to jail, or should he be prime minister? The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 24, 2022
Protesters gather in Melbourne, Australia, for a rally in solidarity with the Iranian protests, on Sept. 29. The most popular chant of the young men and women who are now going to the streets all over Iran is 'Women! Life! Freedom!' writes Gwynne Dyer. Flickr photograph by Matt Hrkac
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 24, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 24, 2022
Protesters gather in Melbourne, Australia, for a rally in solidarity with the Iranian protests, on Sept. 29. The most popular chant of the young men and women who are now going to the streets all over Iran is 'Women! Life! Freedom!' writes Gwynne Dyer. Flickr photograph by Matt Hrkac
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 19, 2022
The rebel province of Tigray, despite having only five million of Ethiopia’s 120 million people, has waged a three-year struggle against the federal prime minister, Abiy Ahmed. Tigray is going under, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flickr
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 19, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 19, 2022
The rebel province of Tigray, despite having only five million of Ethiopia’s 120 million people, has waged a three-year struggle against the federal prime minister, Abiy Ahmed. Tigray is going under, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flickr
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 17, 2022
The latest Tory prime minister, Liz Truss, is likely to be overthrown by her party’s own rebellious Members of Parliament by the end of this month, writes Gwynne Dyer. No. 10 Downing Street photograph courtesy of Simon Dawson
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 17, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 17, 2022
The latest Tory prime minister, Liz Truss, is likely to be overthrown by her party’s own rebellious Members of Parliament by the end of this month, writes Gwynne Dyer. No. 10 Downing Street photograph courtesy of Simon Dawson
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 12, 2022
Behind the bluster, most of the people who matter in Russia will be considering their options if Vladimir Putin loses power. The real focus of the crisis is moving to Moscow, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 12, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 12, 2022
Behind the bluster, most of the people who matter in Russia will be considering their options if Vladimir Putin loses power. The real focus of the crisis is moving to Moscow, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 6, 2022
Brazil's incumbent president Jair Bolsonaro was only five points behind his rival in the first round of the presidential election on Oct. 2. In Brazilian politics, the candidates in the lead often fall behind in the second round. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 6, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 6, 2022
Brazil's incumbent president Jair Bolsonaro was only five points behind his rival in the first round of the presidential election on Oct. 2. In Brazilian politics, the candidates in the lead often fall behind in the second round. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 3, 2022
What holds glaciers back is the friction between the ice and the bottom of the ocean. Warmer ocean currents are eating away at the base of the glaciers and effectively detaching them from the bottom, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 3, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 3, 2022
What holds glaciers back is the friction between the ice and the bottom of the ocean. Warmer ocean currents are eating away at the base of the glaciers and effectively detaching them from the bottom, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 28, 2022
The Queen’s death and funeral took up the first 12 days of Liz Truss’s tenure, so the new prime minister’s work of destruction could not get properly underway until late last week, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flickr
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 28, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 28, 2022
The Queen’s death and funeral took up the first 12 days of Liz Truss’s tenure, so the new prime minister’s work of destruction could not get properly underway until late last week, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flickr
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 26, 2022
The Russian generals might support one nuke, especially if President Vladimir Putin could persuade them that it was a reasonably safe diplomatic ploy aimed at forcing the Ukrainians or even NATO to the negotiating table, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 26, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 26, 2022
The Russian generals might support one nuke, especially if President Vladimir Putin could persuade them that it was a reasonably safe diplomatic ploy aimed at forcing the Ukrainians or even NATO to the negotiating table, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 22, 2022
Illustration of the DART spacecraft approaching the Dimorphos and Didymos asteroids. The biggest asteroid to hit the planet, Chicxulub on Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula 66 million years ago, was 10 kilometres in diameter. It caused the last great extinction: the world-wide firestorms and the five- or 10-year ‘asteroid winter’ that followed (due to the ash blocking out the sun) killed off all the non-avian dinosaurs and let the mammals take over, writes Gwynne Dyer. Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 22, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 22, 2022
Illustration of the DART spacecraft approaching the Dimorphos and Didymos asteroids. The biggest asteroid to hit the planet, Chicxulub on Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula 66 million years ago, was 10 kilometres in diameter. It caused the last great extinction: the world-wide firestorms and the five- or 10-year ‘asteroid winter’ that followed (due to the ash blocking out the sun) killed off all the non-avian dinosaurs and let the mammals take over, writes Gwynne Dyer. Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 21, 2022
Giorgia Meloni, the hard-right populist politician who is likely to win the Italian election, leads the Brothers of Italy, which has some 'nostalgic' neo-fascists in its ranks, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 21, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 21, 2022
Giorgia Meloni, the hard-right populist politician who is likely to win the Italian election, leads the Brothers of Italy, which has some 'nostalgic' neo-fascists in its ranks, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 19, 2022
'Civilization only began a few thousand years ago. If we do not destroy mankind, these few thousand years may be only a tiny fraction of the whole of civilized human history,' wrote Oxford University philosopher Derek Parfit.
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 19, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 19, 2022
'Civilization only began a few thousand years ago. If we do not destroy mankind, these few thousand years may be only a tiny fraction of the whole of civilized human history,' wrote Oxford University philosopher Derek Parfit.
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 14, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin's offensive was stumbling to a halt on all fronts, but by then Moscow controlled about 20 per cent of Ukraine’s territory. Moreover, Russia controlled almost all of Ukraine’s coast, leaving it only Odesa and a few satellite ports in the far west. Image courtesy of Donkey Hotey
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 14, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 14, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin's offensive was stumbling to a halt on all fronts, but by then Moscow controlled about 20 per cent of Ukraine’s territory. Moreover, Russia controlled almost all of Ukraine’s coast, leaving it only Odesa and a few satellite ports in the far west. Image courtesy of Donkey Hotey
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 8, 2022
Former U.S. president Donald Trump is not your traditional whistle-blower, driven by high motives and a need to speak truth to power. He’s more of a pack-rat, whose motives for stealing government documents may be obscure even to himself, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of the White House/Flickr
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 8, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 8, 2022
Former U.S. president Donald Trump is not your traditional whistle-blower, driven by high motives and a need to speak truth to power. He’s more of a pack-rat, whose motives for stealing government documents may be obscure even to himself, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of the White House/Flickr
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 5, 2022
Mikhail Gorbachev, who died on Aug. 30, was hated by most older Russians because the Soviet Union, the country they were born into, broke apart on his watch. His current successor, Vladimir Putin, pictured, is now waging a war to put it back together writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 5, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 5, 2022
Mikhail Gorbachev, who died on Aug. 30, was hated by most older Russians because the Soviet Union, the country they were born into, broke apart on his watch. His current successor, Vladimir Putin, pictured, is now waging a war to put it back together writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 1, 2022
Boris Johnson has scarcely bothered to turn up for work since he was forced to resign three months ago and had to stay on as a caretaker prime minister, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/Simon Dawson/No. 10 Downing Street
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 1, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 1, 2022
Boris Johnson has scarcely bothered to turn up for work since he was forced to resign three months ago and had to stay on as a caretaker prime minister, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/Simon Dawson/No. 10 Downing Street
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 29, 2022
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced that the country’s combat aircraft have been upgraded by the Russians to carry nuclear weapons, writes Gwynne Dyer. Wikimedia Commons photograph by Serge Serebro
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 29, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 29, 2022
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced that the country’s combat aircraft have been upgraded by the Russians to carry nuclear weapons, writes Gwynne Dyer. Wikimedia Commons photograph by Serge Serebro
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 25, 2022
An estimated 5,000 people protested in Ottawa on Sept. 27, 2019, calling for more aggressive measures to mitigate climate change. The UN estimates that 1.5 billion people may be forced to move in the next 30 years due to climate change, writes Gwynne Dyer. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 25, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 25, 2022
An estimated 5,000 people protested in Ottawa on Sept. 27, 2019, calling for more aggressive measures to mitigate climate change. The UN estimates that 1.5 billion people may be forced to move in the next 30 years due to climate change, writes Gwynne Dyer. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 24, 2022
Darya Dugina, who was killed on Aug. 20 by a car bomb, was the daughter of father Alexander Dugin—sometimes called 'Putin’s Brain' by the foreign media because of his alleged influence on the Russian president. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 24, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 24, 2022
Darya Dugina, who was killed on Aug. 20 by a car bomb, was the daughter of father Alexander Dugin—sometimes called 'Putin’s Brain' by the foreign media because of his alleged influence on the Russian president. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 18, 2022
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, pictured in 2015, recently promised to turn India into a developed country within the next 25 years. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 18, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 18, 2022
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, pictured in 2015, recently promised to turn India into a developed country within the next 25 years. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 15, 2022
The NATO Enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group conducts an exercise in the Camp Ādaži training area in Latvia as part of Operation Reassurance, on Sept. 1, 2019. Taking responsibility for these strikes deep in Russian-controlled territory is not in Ukraine’s interest, so it’s happy for Russia to take the blame, writes Gwynne Dyer. DND photograph by Corporal Djalma Vuong-De Ramos
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 15, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 15, 2022
The NATO Enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group conducts an exercise in the Camp Ādaži training area in Latvia as part of Operation Reassurance, on Sept. 1, 2019. Taking responsibility for these strikes deep in Russian-controlled territory is not in Ukraine’s interest, so it’s happy for Russia to take the blame, writes Gwynne Dyer. DND photograph by Corporal Djalma Vuong-De Ramos
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 4, 2022
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's brief visit to Taiwan this week caused great anger in Beijing, but the Chinese Communist regime was not her main target, writes Gwynne Dyer. Flickr photograph by Gage Skidmore
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 4, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 4, 2022
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's brief visit to Taiwan this week caused great anger in Beijing, but the Chinese Communist regime was not her main target, writes Gwynne Dyer. Flickr photograph by Gage Skidmore
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 3, 2022
We are far off course for curing our problems, as James Lovelock (pictured in 2002) well knew, but he has given us the vital context of a self-regulating Gaian system. Without that, we wouldn’t even know where to start trying to mend the damage we have done, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 3, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 3, 2022
We are far off course for curing our problems, as James Lovelock (pictured in 2002) well knew, but he has given us the vital context of a self-regulating Gaian system. Without that, we wouldn’t even know where to start trying to mend the damage we have done, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 28, 2022
Last July, Tunisia’s usurper president, Kais Saied, dismissed the prime minister, suspended parliament, and began ruling by decree. This week, he emerged victorious in a constitutional referendum that makes all these changes permanent, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 28, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 28, 2022
Last July, Tunisia’s usurper president, Kais Saied, dismissed the prime minister, suspended parliament, and began ruling by decree. This week, he emerged victorious in a constitutional referendum that makes all these changes permanent, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 25, 2022
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is manipulating the system in a well-meant attempt to persuade the world to build better systems for containing dangerous emergent diseases in general, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 25, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 25, 2022
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is manipulating the system in a well-meant attempt to persuade the world to build better systems for containing dangerous emergent diseases in general, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 21, 2022
Normally, Ukraine’s Black Sea ports export five to six million tonnes of grain per month, but most are now under Russian occupation and the biggest, Odesa, has been blockaded by the Russian navy for five months, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/dmytrok
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 21, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 21, 2022
Normally, Ukraine’s Black Sea ports export five to six million tonnes of grain per month, but most are now under Russian occupation and the biggest, Odesa, has been blockaded by the Russian navy for five months, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/dmytrok
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 13, 2022
Rishi Sunak, left, Kemi Badenoch, Nadhim Zahawi, and Suella Braverman represent four of the eight candidates vying to replace disgraced British prime minister Boris Johnson as leader of the Conservative Party—and therefore the new prime minister, writes Gwynne Dyer. Chris McAndrew photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 13, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 13, 2022
Rishi Sunak, left, Kemi Badenoch, Nadhim Zahawi, and Suella Braverman represent four of the eight candidates vying to replace disgraced British prime minister Boris Johnson as leader of the Conservative Party—and therefore the new prime minister, writes Gwynne Dyer. Chris McAndrew photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 11, 2022
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, left, former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, and their brother Basil. After 20 years with the Rajapaksa brothers in power most of the time, Sri Lanka today is bankrupt, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 11, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 11, 2022
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, left, former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, and their brother Basil. After 20 years with the Rajapaksa brothers in power most of the time, Sri Lanka today is bankrupt, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 4, 2022
Russia President Vladimir Putin's much-hyped hypersonic missiles are irrelevant anyway, since ‘hypersonic’ missiles are only useful if a country has good anti-missile defences, writes Gwynne Dyer. Image courtesy of Flickr/DonkeyHotey
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 4, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 4, 2022
Russia President Vladimir Putin's much-hyped hypersonic missiles are irrelevant anyway, since ‘hypersonic’ missiles are only useful if a country has good anti-missile defences, writes Gwynne Dyer. Image courtesy of Flickr/DonkeyHotey
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 30, 2022
The only way Finland and Sweden can get protection from Russian President Vladimir Putin's nuclear blackmail is to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which has three members with nuclear weapons of their own. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 30, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 30, 2022
The only way Finland and Sweden can get protection from Russian President Vladimir Putin's nuclear blackmail is to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which has three members with nuclear weapons of their own. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 22, 2022
The eight-party coalition had one unifying principle: to stop ‘Bibi’ (Benjamin Netanyahu, prime minister for most of the past 25 years) from coming back to power yet again. It could only work by concentrating on social issues (where there was some agreement) while preserving the status quo on ‘security,' settler violence and Palestinian rights, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 22, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 22, 2022
The eight-party coalition had one unifying principle: to stop ‘Bibi’ (Benjamin Netanyahu, prime minister for most of the past 25 years) from coming back to power yet again. It could only work by concentrating on social issues (where there was some agreement) while preserving the status quo on ‘security,' settler violence and Palestinian rights, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 20, 2022
Cyril Ramaphosa is one of the richest men in South Africa and is now under attack from all sides, getting tarred with the same corruption brush as predecessor Jacob Zuma, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flicker/Government of South Africa
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 20, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 20, 2022
Cyril Ramaphosa is one of the richest men in South Africa and is now under attack from all sides, getting tarred with the same corruption brush as predecessor Jacob Zuma, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flicker/Government of South Africa
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 13, 2022
Going into the first round of the presidential election last month, candidate Gustavo Petro, pictured, was well ahead of the establishment candidate, Federico Gutierrez—but the runner-up was actually Rodolfo Hernández, whose social media skills make him a real threat to Petro, writes Gwynne Dyer. Juan Manuel Herrera/Organization of American States photograph courtesy of Flickr
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 13, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 13, 2022
Going into the first round of the presidential election last month, candidate Gustavo Petro, pictured, was well ahead of the establishment candidate, Federico Gutierrez—but the runner-up was actually Rodolfo Hernández, whose social media skills make him a real threat to Petro, writes Gwynne Dyer. Juan Manuel Herrera/Organization of American States photograph courtesy of Flickr
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 8, 2022
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, pictured Sept. 9, 2020. The words that members of the British public used to describe Johnson in the aftermath of last weekend’s failed attempt by parliamentary members of his own Conservative Party to remove him from office had a weirdly antique ring. Nobody in England really talks like that any more, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flickr
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 8, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 8, 2022
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, pictured Sept. 9, 2020. The words that members of the British public used to describe Johnson in the aftermath of last weekend’s failed attempt by parliamentary members of his own Conservative Party to remove him from office had a weirdly antique ring. Nobody in England really talks like that any more, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flickr
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 6, 2022
Nupur Sharma, pictured left, apologized for her remarks about the Prophet Muhammad after she was suspended from the BJP. The BJP’s Delhi media chief Naveen K. Jindal, who tweeted support for Sharma, has been expelled outright. Is the BJP turning over a new leaf? Not at all. It is frantically back-pedalling to assuage the anger of the oil-rich Muslim countries of the Gulf, which provide most of India’s oil and employ millions of its workers. The BJP’s war on Islam is for domestic purposes only, writes Gwynne Dyer. Image courtesy of YouTube
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 6, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 6, 2022
Nupur Sharma, pictured left, apologized for her remarks about the Prophet Muhammad after she was suspended from the BJP. The BJP’s Delhi media chief Naveen K. Jindal, who tweeted support for Sharma, has been expelled outright. Is the BJP turning over a new leaf? Not at all. It is frantically back-pedalling to assuage the anger of the oil-rich Muslim countries of the Gulf, which provide most of India’s oil and employ millions of its workers. The BJP’s war on Islam is for domestic purposes only, writes Gwynne Dyer. Image courtesy of YouTube
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 25, 2022
When asked on May 23 if the U.S. would be 'willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if it comes to that?' U.S. President Joe Biden said yes, replying 'that’s a commitment we made. The idea that (Taiwan) could be taken by force, just taken by force, is not ... it would dislocate the entire region and be another action similar to what happened in Ukraine.' Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 25, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 25, 2022
When asked on May 23 if the U.S. would be 'willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if it comes to that?' U.S. President Joe Biden said yes, replying 'that’s a commitment we made. The idea that (Taiwan) could be taken by force, just taken by force, is not ... it would dislocate the entire region and be another action similar to what happened in Ukraine.' Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 18, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured March 10, 2022. Russia is not a fascist state, just a kleptocracy where the thieves and the thugs have taken power, but Putin’s personal behaviour does begin to resemble Hitler in his bunker in the final days, and Hitler too was very ill. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 18, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 18, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured March 10, 2022. Russia is not a fascist state, just a kleptocracy where the thieves and the thugs have taken power, but Putin’s personal behaviour does begin to resemble Hitler in his bunker in the final days, and Hitler too was very ill. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 16, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured Feb. 7, 2022, in the Kremlin in Moscow. The Swedish and Finnish response to his invasion of Ukraine would have surprised Putin. He would see no connection between his invasion of Ukraine, a former Russian imperial possession that needed to be whipped back into line, and two independent countries that have not been in Russia’s sphere of influence for more than a century, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 16, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 16, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured Feb. 7, 2022, in the Kremlin in Moscow. The Swedish and Finnish response to his invasion of Ukraine would have surprised Putin. He would see no connection between his invasion of Ukraine, a former Russian imperial possession that needed to be whipped back into line, and two independent countries that have not been in Russia’s sphere of influence for more than a century, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 11, 2022
'Bongbong' Marcos, pictured in June 2014, won the presidential election in the Philippines by a landslide despite having virtually no accomplishments other than being an entitled son of a former president, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 11, 2022
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 11, 2022
'Bongbong' Marcos, pictured in June 2014, won the presidential election in the Philippines by a landslide despite having virtually no accomplishments other than being an entitled son of a former president, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons