Hollywood films represent more than half, and sometimes more than two-thirds of total box-office receipts in major markets. Films that succeed in the US market also tend to succeed in foreign markets. This suggests that a convergence of popular taste may be coming about, though in many countries...
A New James Bond Movie: Die Another Day starring Pierce Brosnan
From the early years of the twentieth century, right down to the present, the United States has been the world's major commercial producer of motion pictures. According to the US...
In foreign policy initiatives, China’s leaders promote an idyllic version of the Silk Road network of land and maritime routes stretching from Europe to Asia’s eastern coast, linking diverse cultures in trade. The goal is to link China’s historic and modern roles in promoting peace and prosperity...
NEW YORK: The romantic concept of a historic Silk Road by which camel caravans wend among the mountains and deserts of Central Asia is back in the news. So is talk on reestablishing the maritime networks by which the Chinese Admiral Zheng He...
Values are a uniting force around the globe, slowly replacing an era of industry and economics, and soft power is more enticing than hard power for a global audience. National leaders may try to set new conditions for universal standards of justice, known as the moral high ground, but they can...
Many voices, one world: California Governor Jerry Brown meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in solidarity for the Paris agreement on climate change, and disparate voices in Britain oppose Brexit
SINGAPORE: The world is moving into the era of...
Communities may be rushing toward new technologies, particularly 5G networks, without considering health consequences. The 5G networks, unlike previous technologies, rely on high-frequency radio waves emitted from small cells in close proximity. Regulators rely on standards more than two decades...
Reliance on soft power requires measured patience. Nations want their own way, and the world has seen a marked resurgence in use of hard power, suggests Alistair Burnett, editor of BBC's The World Tonight. The United States intervenes in Iraq and Syria; Russia has annexed Crimea and encourages...
Mixing soft with hard power: China promotes pop star Jia Ruhan (top); a coastguard vessel uses a water cannon to stop Vietnamese vessels from interfering with Chinese drilling
LONDON: This year has seen marked resurgence in the use of hard power by...
Smartphones and social media by their very nature are like slot machines, enticing users to check for updates and news, explains Tristan Harris for Spiegel Online, describing intermittent variable rewards and need for social approval. The technology, like magicians, gives users the illusion of...
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More than 75 nations participate in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, launched in 2013 to develop trade and connect Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe with ports, roads and railways. But some countries worry about adding to already heavy debt burdens, and some projects have become an issue in...
Transport trouble: Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad criticizes China’s “new colonialism” at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, and Chinese-built railway connects parts of Africa
HONG KONG: China has launched a new publicity drive to...
