“Lukashenko: the dictator in the dock”, the Independent splashed this Wednesday, a front page on the regime of Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus. Is new Indy owner, former KGB agent Alexander Lebedev, settling a few scores, or pursuing a private agenda? Plus other media news of the day.
March, 2011
Vale to the dean of the Washington press corps
A Pulitzer prize winning political columnist for the Washington Post died yesterday. David Broder was one of the most respected US political journalists in the US, winning his Pulitzer for his reporting on Nixon’s Watergate scandal.
My Cup Of Tea: Hey Cate, you wouldn’t know a cultural heart if you planned it yourself
Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton are out of touch, argues Ben Eltham. From their state-sponsored ivory tower they can’t see where Sydney’s real cultural beats are played.
Lomborg’s false dichotomy: a carbon price would pay for research
Environmental writer Bjørn Lomborg gave a thought-provoking talk at Sydney’s Lowy Institute this week. Lomborg is articulate and persuasive and has an international reputation. Unfortunately he is, once again, dangerously wrong, writes Josh Dowse.
Hold that iThingy! Passenger Wi-Fi does affect jets
Tests that have shown new cabin Wi-Fi or wireless broadband products for airlines including V Australia have suspended installations because of adverse impacts on cockpit displays during tests for electro-magnetic interference, reports Ben Sandilands.
Jetstar hissy fit reveals two tier pay scale for new pilots
Jetstar has revealed plans to put new pilots onto a two tier pay scheme by transferring graduates from its sham New Zealand cadet scheme onto an Australian ‘modern award’, reports Ben Sandilands.
theatre reviews Rendition Of The Soul: torture takes to the stage
A new performance work from Karen Martin probes the murkiest corners of the human psyche and the most repugnant regions of contemporary political debate. Grace Jennings-Endquist was moved by the beauty and brutality.
Recovering from disasters: one GP’s journey
In the aftermath of the terrible disasters that have struck our region this summer, what can we learn from the recovery of those affected by previous traumas? Dr Lachlan Fraser, a Victorian GP affected by the Black Saturday bushfires, tells his story.
Seven issue a statement on Warburton
Will Seven be able to prevent James Warburton from working for Ten until October 2012? Some very well paid lawyers will be discussing that very scenario right now, reports Dan Barrett.
How Angry Birds became a flying success
Angry Birds: it’s one of the most popular iPhone apps of all time — and one of the best time wasters around. Wired examines how Finnish developers Rovio set out to create the perfect smart phone game, and made themselves millions in the process.
Morning Market Report: Markets down, European debt crisis back in focus
The Dow Jones closed down 1 overnight, while the Nasdaq closed down 0.5% on ongoing weakness in the semiconductor sector and a weak outlook from Texas Instruments.
Election #8 for Hanson, and she’s actually in with a shot
Whatever her reason, Pauline Hanson seems determined to try to win herself a seat — and this time she’s in with a serious chance.
Just Chew it: click go the marketers in online assault
With nearly 1.4 million kids under the age of 12 online it’s no wonder Australia’s biggest food brands use the net to spread their message. And they’re really good at it.
Aussie banks ignore the basics
NAB CEO, Cameron Clyne, is in somewhat of a tough spot. On one hand, he is charged with increasing the bank’s profits, inevitably by lending more money. However, to lend more money, banks need to have money to lend — and money is getting more expensive.
Inconvenient labour data for the deregulationistas
February unemployment data shows more solid growth in the economy, and the forecast rise in industrial disputes hasn’t materialised.
Cadets grounded as Qantas strategy questioned by Senate
The Qantas strategy to shift jobs and tax obligations offshore through Jetstar to Singapore and New Zealand are in disarray after the low-cost subsidiary was forced to ground cadet pilots.
Letter from...: Letter from… the DMZ
For South Koreans, a visit to the DMZ is a visit to a near-mythical place, where relatives may still live out their lives unknown. For tourists like me, it’s a chance to see the last front line between 20th century ideologies, seemingly frozen in time and space, the last physical barrier between capitalism and communism, writes freelance writer Doug Hendrie.
VMIA staff fear ‘whitewash’ on bullying probe
Rank and file staff at troubled insurer the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority hold grave fears that an investigation into bullying and harassment at the organisation will be little more than a whitewash.
Aluminium smelting: the best bang for your fossil-fuel subsidy buck
The aluminium smelting industry is demanding massive compensation under a carbon price - but already benefits from hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidies a year.
The long view: electricity consumers choose cheaper over green
Creating “certainty” is not the urgent issue for industry many believe. They might not realise it, but the urgency to create certainty rests with consumers, writes Ben Freund, CEO GoSwitch.com.au.
Australia or Austria? The WikiLeaks mix-up
Crikey can reveal that the inability of US soldiers to differentiate between Austria and Australia helped trigger a major investigation by Australian authorities and potentially endangered Australian troops in Afghanistan. Luke Miller explains.
Academy of Science: how do we expect climate to evolve in the future?
Continued “business as usual” reliance on fossil fuels is expected to lead to a doubling of pre-industrial CO2 levels by about 2050, and possibly a tripling by about 2100, explains the Academy of Science.
Rundle: Irish eyes smile on the Left, but coalition is uneasy
The Irish elections were a triumph for the Left, with Labour nearly doubling its vote and Sinn Fein tripling theirs. But will the Fine Gael-Labour government be the wreck of the latter party?
