Sri Lanka’s September 22, 2026 Easter Sunday judgment marks a decisive legal reckoning with one of the country’s deadliest terrorist attacks, convicting 15 of 24 defendants after an extensive examination of thousands
In this cultural and philosophical essay, Martina Moneke begins with The Economist’s reflection on AI-planned travel and follows its implications beyond tourism. She argues that personalized systems do more than help people
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Summary: Why do billions of people care so deeply about games whose outcomes have no direct effect on their lives? Beginning with the tension of watching a World Cup Final, Martina Moneke argues
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To speak of the Strait of Hormuz today is already to enter a language of reduction. In policy briefings and military analyses, it appears as a “chokepoint,” a narrow passage through which
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A word keeps appearing across political commentary and media critique, as if it might contain the problem: childish. It surfaces with remarkable consistency—leaders described as immature, as adolescent, as performing power rather
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The idea of war carries a strange rhythm. For long stretches, it moves slowly, almost invisibly, as tensions accumulate beneath the surface of ordinary life. Then, at moments that appear sudden and
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The current liberal surge feels real, a swell in public sentiment that suggests energy and possibility. Polling numbers rise, and political commentators point to renewed enthusiasm for Democrats, but beneath the surface,
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Summary: In this satirical and philosophical essay, Martina Moneke imagines “resurrecting” the 19th-century Whig Party as a model for today’s fractured American politics. She opens with a critique of the nation’s obsession with
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May I never not be frisky,May I never not be risqué.May my ashes, when you have them, friend,and give them to the ocean,leap in the froth of the waves,still loving movement,still ready,
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Summary: Martina Moneke examines Donald Trump as America’s auditor, a figure whose presidency functions less as conventional leadership and more as an erratic and often chaotic diagnostic probe into the nation’s democratic structures.
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Summary: In this essay, Martina Moneke exposes how states wield claims of sovereignty and international law not as binding principles, but as tools to justify power. From Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to Kremlin
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Summary: In this essay, Martina Moneke traces the ethical lineage of Christmas beyond Christianity, grounding it in pre-Christian solstice traditions and shared Abrahamic moral principles such as charity, hospitality, humility, and civic responsibility.
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Summary: In this provocative essay, Martina Moneke argues that the scientific name Homo sapiens no longer reflects the reality of human behavior. Despite our intelligence, humanity has repeatedly demonstrated arrogance and ethical blindness—systematically misrepresenting
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Summary: Comedy thrives on irreverence, vulnerability, and the refusal to accept a society’s official story at face value. As political and cultural pressures narrow the bounds of acceptable speech, comedians occupy a uniquely
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Summary: Gratitude is often hailed as a path to happiness—but its darker consequences are rarely discussed. Social pressures to express thanks can generate guilt, anxiety, and performative compliance while masking systemic injustices and
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Summary: Martina Moneke examines how patriotism—once a unifying expression of national pride—has been politicized in the United States, particularly by the MAGA movement. Flags, anthems, and public celebrations increasingly signal ideological loyalty rather
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