Monthly Archives: March 2016

A Strange New World – Myanmar awakes to new order: a parliament with a freely elected majority Feb 6th 2016 Economist It felt like the first day of school. On February 1st freshly sworn-in legislators belonging to the National League … Continue reading →

Greed and politics are destroying some of Asia’s most valuable coral reefs Feb 13th 2016 Economist Thegiant clams that lurk in the coral reefs of the South China Sea can live for more than a century and grow more than … Continue reading →

Rejuvenating reefs – Though pollution and overuse are damaging corals, their biodiversity offers hope for their future Feb 13th 2016 Economist THE waters off the Hawaiian island of Oahu are visited each winter by migrating marine mammals such as humpback … Continue reading →

The veil in west Africa – Why more countries are outlawing the full-face veil Feb 13th 2016 Economist LAST June, a few months after Chadian forces had crossed into Nigeria to fight the Islamist insurgents of Boko Haram, two suicide-bombers … Continue reading →

Anchors away – Criticism of government is being airbrushed out of news shows Feb 20th 2016 Economist For a decade, millions of Japanese have tuned in to watch Ichiro Furutachi, the salty presenter of a popular evening news show, TV … Continue reading →

An Arab agenda – Critics say the prime minister is undermining democracy Feb 27th 2016 Economist On February 23rd, a committee of Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, began debating a new law which will allow it to suspend its own members … Continue reading →

Keeping it in the family – Marriage between close relatives is much too common Feb 27th 2016 Economist MAHA SAAD ZAKI, a professor of clinical genetics, ushers Ahmed, Fatima and their family into her room at Egypt’s National Research Centre. … Continue reading →

The Asia-Pacific region is at peace—but it is buying a lot of weapons Feb 27th 2016 Economist Though parts of Asia are racked by long-running insurgencies, terrorist groups, banditry or low-level civil wars, it is striking that the continent has … Continue reading →

Same old, same old – A young country is saddled with politicians fighting old battles Feb 27th 2016 Economist Two recent college graduates now working for the Cambodia branch of an NGO, the Asia Foundation, spend their free time in … Continue reading →

Backward ho! – Higher castes demanding lower status make a mockery of positive discrimination Feb 27th 2016 Economist A City under siege can resist many things, but not thirst. On February 22nd both the national government and that of Haryana, … Continue reading →