Section: The Conversation (USA)
America can’t be first without Europe
On March 25, European Union leaders celebrate the 60th anniversary of their founding treaty, a central pillar of the structure set up in the aftermath of World War II to solidify peace, prosperity and partnership in Europe. Over the last 60 years, the EU (and its predecessors) has served as an essential U.S. partner, for example by enhancing...
Russia, an alleged coup and Montenegro’s bid for NATO membership
Testifying before a congressional committee, FBI Director James Comey has confirmed that his agency is investigating links between the Donald Trump campaign and Russia. While this investigation continues, Americans should be reminded of the signs of Russian interference in democratic processes outside the U.S. – specifically, in the Balkans....
Kazakhstan’s government is using social media to tame rebellion
Until the mid-2000s, one would rarely associated the word “high-tech” with the country of Kazakhstan. Internet penetration hovered at 3% in 2005, and Kazakh authorities generally neglected the internet and social media. Liberalisation of the media market in the early 2000s changed that. Usage of new media increased the number of internet...
Can social media, loud and inclusive, fix world politics?
_The Conversation Global’s new series, Politics in the Age of Social Media, examines how governments around the world rely on digital tools to exercise power. Privacy is no longer a social norm, said Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in 2010, as social media took a leap to bring more private information into the public domain. But what does...
Russian interventions in other people’s elections: A brief history
Demonstrators against Russian military actions in Ukraine rally in New York, March 2, 2014. AP Photo/John MinchilloIn the last nine years, Russia has invaded its neighbor Georgia, annexed the Ukrainian province of Crimea, supported rebels in Eastern Ukraine and interfered in the U.S. presidential election. The U.S. and the European Union have...
Phishing scams are becoming ever more sophisticated – and firms are struggling to keep up
Companies are bombarded with phishing scams every day. In a recent survey of more than 500 cyber security professionals across the world, 76% reported that their organisation fell victim to a phishing attack in 2016. These scams take the form of emails that try to persuade staff to download malicious attachments, click on dodgy links, or provide...
Famines in the 21st century? It’s not for lack of food
Sorting bags of food dropped by air from a World Food Programme plane in Padeah, South Sudan, March 1, 2017. AP Photo/Sam MednickFamine killed nearly 75 million people in the 20th century, but had virtually disappeared in recent decades. Now, suddenly, it is back. In late February a famine was declared in South Sudan, and warnings of famine have...
Why women make the best stock traders
Female traders are better at buying cheap and selling high. U.S. Embassy Kyiv Ukraine/Flickr, CC BY-NDFemale traders can be far more selective, as they spend more time evaluating before making a trade and have a calmer approach in financial storms. Previous research shows women trade less than men, but does not reveal why. Our analysis shows this...
Fake news – a user’s guide
A protest against Donald Trump in Stockholm, Sweden. Reuters/TT News AgencyWith Zelig-like serendipity I was in Stockholm when #lastnightinsweden went viral. While echoing the melancholic majesty of a classic ABBA song title, the hashtag #lastnightinsweden actually referred to yet another Donald Trump dump of alleged “fake news” on an...
Turnbull rounds on Pauline Hanson
Malcolm Turnbull has slammed Pauline Hanson’s views on vaccination after the One Nation leader accused the government of “blackmailing” parents with its no-jab-no-pay policy. He also rejected Hanson’s admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, which came with her questioning Putin’s culpability over the downing of Flight...
