The fall of the Berlin Wall, 20 years ago today, reunited Germany and marked the official end of the 40-year Cold War. Crikey intern Michelle Loh does a wrap of what the pundits are saying.
Crikey wrap
The world sees red over Hey Hey’s blackface
Whilst reanimating the fetid corpse of Hey Hey it’s Saturday, the show’s producers decided to also revive some ol’ fashioned 20th century bigotry, by putting on a Minstrel Show. Pundits across the pond didn’t quite see the funny side.
Polanski: criminal or persecuted hero?
While director Roman Polanski sits in Zürich Jail waiting for the US to make a formal extradition request, the rest of the world is busy picking sides on the issue, writes Crikey intern Melanie Mahony.
A year after Lehman … crisis what crisis?
A day before the 12-month anniversary of the collapse of Lehman Brothers and questions remain. Is the era of growth fetishism really over or is it just taking a break?
In the battle of Johnston vs. Palin, the winner is Vanity Fair
America’s favourite redneck and former-future-son-in-law of Sarah Palin, Levi Johnston, has been making waves in the media with a candid interview for Vanity Fair. But the media is divided over whether his “expose” justice served or just sleaze.
Afghanistan votes: a Crikey wrap
On Thursday, Afghanis will — hopefully — head to the polls to vote for a new leader, in in what US President Barack Obama has called “the most important event of the year in Afghanistan”. We take a look at what the world is saying.
Crikey wrap: Yahoo + Microsoft = Google killer?
Yahoo has 20% of the search engine market, Microsoft 8% and Google 65%. So it was perhaps a no-brainer that Microsoft and Yahoo would eventually hook up to defeat their common enemy. Here’s what pundits are saying about the deal.
MasterChef: the reviews are in
Like any good reality TV show, MasterChef will undoubtedly start to cannibalise itself. But until then, what people were saying about last night’s final.
Harry Potter film #357: what critics are saying
Nourish your inner child — well more like your inner gawky, slow-blossoming teen — with Crikey’s gratuitous look at what critics make of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Cheney, CIA and Congress: a Crikey wrap
Dick Cheney, ex-Vice President of the Bush administration, is in further strife over claims that he ordered that a CIA counterterrorism program to be kept secret from Congress. Amber Jamieson takes a look at what the media is saying.
Crikey wrap: The curious case of Stern Hu
The continued detention of an Australian national in China is fast becoming a very sticky diplomatic situation for Kevin Rudd. Will Rudd put his Mandarin skills to use and give a stern ultimatum?
Xinjiang riots: a Crikey wrap
Tensions boiled over in China’s Xinjiang autonomous region on Sunday night. We look at what the world’s media is saying about the country’s bloodiest conflict since Tiananmen.
Thank god it’s over! Reflections on the financial year that was
Now that the disastrous financial year 08-09 is over a little reflection on how it all unfolded (exploded, crashed, broke, boomed, etc). By Crikey interns Nicola Heath and Sophie Tarr.
Madoff goes down: a Crikey wrap
Ding dong, Bernie Madoff is dead — or he may as well be, facing 150 years in jail. Here’s what they commentariat had to say.
The Nixon Tapes revealed: Vietnam, abortion and more
It’s the latest installment of Nixonalia — 150 hours of secretly recorded tapes shedding light on the period of January to February 1973.
Pundits weigh in on Iran’s diverging story
The Iran election story has diverged into many different strands, from President Obama condemning the post-poll violence in Tehran to fresh enmity between Britain and the Islamic nation.
Iranian election news: a Crikey wrap
Elections, riots, government crackdowns, media censorship, social networking, Iran — Crikey has the details.
Crikey media wrap: Iran’s election aftermath
Is this just a blatantly rigged election as so many analysts are declaring? Or did the Western commentariat grossly misinterpret the sentiment of Iran’s working class, projecting our own hopes onto a very different country and culture?
Rio-BHP in Pilbara iron ore tie-up
BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto have decided to pool their Pilbara iron ore assets, spurning state-owned metals monopolist Chinalco.
Tiananmen Square revisited: a Crikey history wrap
Twenty years ago today tanks drove across Tiananmen Square and crushed a student rebellion in China, Crikey resurrects the news archives.
Crikey wrap: Indian press on Australia’s racism
The spotlight on Australia’s racist underbelly comes amid fears our reputation as a destination for Indian students is on the line.
Microsoft Bing: will it fizzle or boom?
Microsoft have launched a new search engine in an attempt to rival Google: Bing. But will it be the next great innovation since Windows, or another Microsoft Bob?
Crikey wrap: a Nuclear North Korea timeline
North Korea’s latest nuclear weapons and missile tests have set the political world abuzz. Crikey intern Nicola Heath looks back at the history and what people are saying now.
