By Pardis Mahdavi, Arizona State University | – As the days grow longer and the flowers start to bloom, my 7-year-old gets excited and exclaims, “Nowruz is coming.” Nowruz – or “new day” in English – is the Iranian new year. Celebrated at the exact moment of the spring equinox, this is a secular festival […]
Ukraine: why China is not yet bailing out Russia
By Aglaya Snetkov, UCL and Marc Lanteigne University of Tromsø | – As Russia’s war in Ukraine continues, China’s role has been thrown into sharp relief. Prior to the war, some commentators suggested that China would openly side with Russia or seek to act as a mediator – so far Beijing appears to have resisted […]
Could Australian Green Steel help Save the World from the Climate Emergency?
By John Pye, Australian National University; Alireza Rahbari, Australian National University; Emma Aisbett, Australian National University; Frank Jotzo, Australian National University; and Zsuzsanna Csereklyei, RMIT University | – Australia is the world’s number one exporter of both iron ore and metallurgical coal, the key ingredients of traditional steel making. Together, these materials make up a […]
Kyiv has faced adversity before – and a stronger Ukrainian identity grew in response
By Matthew Pauly, Michigan State University | – This is not the first time residents of Kyiv have fought to defend the city from an encroaching, larger army. On Jan. 30, 1918, a force made up primarily of military cadets and hastily armed students took up positions at Kruty, a railway stop northeast of Kyiv, […]
Putin is Thumbing his Nose at International Law – Betting that the Age of Impunity will Continue
By Shelley Inglis, University of Dayton | – Images of pregnant women fleeing a bombed maternity ward in Mariupol, Ukraine, raised again the question of how far the Russian military will be willing to go to conquer the country – and whether war crimes are being committed. In just over two weeks of the invasion, […]
Putin’s brazen manipulation of language is a perfect example of Orwellian doublespeak
By Mark Satta, Wayne State University | – If you’ve been paying attention to how Russian President Vladimir Putin talks about the war in Ukraine, you may have noticed a pattern. Putin often uses words to mean exactly the opposite of what they normally do. He labels acts of war “peacekeeping duties.” He claims to […]
This isn’t the First Oil Price Shock, but it is the Most Complex in Modern History
By Scott L. Montgomery, University of Washington | – The world is in the grip of an oil price shock. In just a few months, prices have risen from US$65 a barrel to over $130, causing fuel costs to surge, inflationary pressure to rise and consumer tempers to flare. Even before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, […]
Humanitarian corridors could help civilians safely leave Ukraine – but Russia has a history of not respecting these pathways
By Kirsten Gelsdorf and Jacob Kurtzer | – As Russia continues to target houses, apartment buildings, hospitals and civilians in Ukraine, there are mounting calls from international aid groups to safely evacuate and protect Ukrainians caught in the war. Simultaneously, rising numbers of people still in Ukraine are in desperate need of food, medical supplies, […]
Why Apple, Disney, IKEA and hundreds of other Western companies are abandoning Russia with barely a shrug
By Douglas Schuler and Laura Marie Edinger-Schons | – Many companies in the U.S. and elsewhere have been quick to sever ties to Russia – going well beyond applying the sanctions ordered by their governments. IKEA, Nike and H&M are temporarily closing their Russian stores. Disney, Sony and Warner Bros. paused the release of new […]
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