Opinion

Everybody loves the Olympic Games. Except when you’re the host nation in the middle of a pandemic. Unfortunately for Japan’s government, it’s not really up to them to decide whether the Games of the 32nd Olympiad get cancelled. While Tokyo could theoretically pull the plug right now — two months from the rescheduled start date — the city is contractually ...

Ocean conservation was once a goal for Democrats and Republicans alike. In Congress, they collaborated to ensure that US fisheries would be sustainably managed, to protect imperiled marine creatures by banning the use of driftnets and shark finning, and to set aside large areas of the ocean for special protection. While he was president, George HW Bush designated six National ...

The double standards defense is the Kremlin’s go-to device whenever it’s accused of wrongdoing: “You Westerners have no moral right to point fingers because you do it too.” It’s telling that Russia has unfolded the double standards umbrella over Belarussian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, who on May 23 scrambled a fighter jet to land a Ryanair Holdings Plc plane in Minsk ...

All across the US, people are hugging, talking in each other’s faces, going to the office, attending indoor sports events and not wearing masks in the Walmart. Yet the Sars-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19 continues its retreat, with confirmed cases down by more than 50% over the past month. Most of the credit for this wonderful turn of events has ...

As Bitcoin attempts its latest price rebound after a 40% slump in three days, its long-term potential as an investable asset is becoming linked inextricably to its cost for the rest of society. This is increasing the pressure on policy makers to do more. The US Federal Reserve’s Lael Brainard nodded to this, when she warned that a proliferation of ...

By intercepting an airliner traveling between two European capitals in order to arrest a critic of his regime, Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko has violated international law and committed an act of aggression against his neighbours. Initial statements from Western leaders have been forceful but insufficient. The EU should take swift action in response — and make clear to Lukashenko’s patron, ...

A t the highest level, it looks as if the Federal Reserve hasn’t done much of anything for several months. Interest rates remained pinned near zero. Officials insist that any moves higher in inflation are transitory. Asset purchases continue unabated. However, a significant shift appears to be brewing beneath the surface at the central bank that could drastically reshape a ...

Britain’s guidance on where Brits can go on holiday is about as clear as a pair of sunglasses smudged with sunscreen. This is creating headaches for everyone: people trying to plan vacations; countries like Spain and Greece that depend on summer tourists; and travel companies such as EasyJet Plc, Ryanair Holdings Plc and TUI Plc. Johan Lundgren, chief executive officer ...

Cars are about to get a lot more expensive. Manufacturers and drivers should brace themselves. The price of everything that goes into a vehicle is going up. Raw materials — from the steel used for bodies, gear parts and frames to the plastic that winds up in bumpers and doors trims — account for a big portion of manufacturing costs. ...

With the volatility of cryptocurrencies likely to persist — Bitcoin alone traded in a $30,000-to-$44,000 range last week — more people are wondering whether this will spell trouble for other financial assets such as stocks and bonds. The answer to this “crypto contagion” question, if considered narrowly, is no. It gets more complicated, however, in the broader market context, particularly ...