Philippa Kaur

In Myanmar, life has frozen. You do not move forward there; you remain suspended — between gunfire and hunger, between promises and graves. This paralysis has a name: civil war, sustained by the absence of democracy and the endurance of fear. Across Myanmar’s hills and plains, life is now measured by absence. Since the 2021… Continue reading Reconciliation in a Broken State — Myanmar’s Civil War and the Illusion of Elections
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Every year, as December unfurls its lights and garlands down the streets, our subconscious first goes to the warmth of Christmas. Still, December 25 carries another resonance, more subtle, but just as powerful — it is the date on which English comic actor Charlie Chaplin died in 1977, at his Manoir de Ban in Corsier-sur-Vevey,… Continue reading Charlie Chaplin and the Christmas Legacy of Laughter and Exile
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Fair Observer’s Video Producer Rohan Khattar Singh speaks with Daniel Sullivan, Director for Africa, Asia, and the Middle East at Refugees International, about Myanmar’s planned December 28 election and why only a handful of observers believe it represents a return to civilian rule. Since the 2021 military coup, the country has remained locked in conflict,… Continue reading FO° Talks: Is Myanmar’s Junta Using Elections to Consolidate Power?
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Most readers will not take seriously my proclaimed identity as the Devil’s Advocate. They correctly understand that I may be using it quite simply as a literary ruse. In my columns, I leave clues to establish that identity as nothing more than a prolonged metaphor. We all use the term devil’s advocate as a metaphor,… Continue reading Are Most European Leaders Deepfakes?
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When Afghanistan collapsed into Taliban rule in August 2021, many of its neighbors quietly told themselves the fallout could be managed. Borders could be tightened. Risks could be pushed outward. Engagement could be kept transactional — just enough to protect narrow interests, not enough to carry responsibility. Four years later, that comfort story has worn… Continue reading A Regional Compact for Afghanistan: Why Neighbors Must Act Together to Secure Stability
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Much ink has been spilled over the seemingly imminent invasion of Venezuela by the United States. Tensions have escalated to the point where it seems nothing may prevent this war. That hasn’t kept the Venezuelan dictator from trying. President Nicolás Maduro has already offered Venezuela’s natural resources, invited US President Donald Trump to peace talks… Continue reading Could Maduro Playing to Trump’s Ego Avoid War?
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Any story about resistance within the military must begin by recognizing that it’s not an easy thing to do. Apparently, that’s true even for a much-decorated retired Navy commander, former astronaut and sitting United States senator. I’m talking about Arizona Senator Mark Kelly. He was one of six Democratic legislators, all military veterans or former… Continue reading Who’s Responsible When a Military Order Is Illegal? (Don’t Ask Donald Trump!)
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When governments start telling children they cannot have an Instagram account, we are watching more than a domestic policy experiment — we are witnessing the geopolitics of childhood. In Canberra, lawmakers have leapt where others have cautiously tiptoed. Australia’s Online Safety Amendment requires major platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, X and others to take reasonable… Continue reading The Geopolitics of Childhood: How Indonesia Can Shape the Global Internet
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