The pro-democracy advocate continues to suffer under the oppressive National Security Law, imposed by Beijing to crush dissent in Hong Kong. Read More… In a blow to free speech, pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai has been found guilty of fraud by a court in Hong Kong as China works to stamp out dissent. District Court judge Stanley Chan said mitted fraud by not revealing that he operated a consulting firm from the offices of his pany—a violation of his lease with...

Trying to anticipate all the ways life-transforming decisions can go wrong is stress we’ve all experienced. A new book by economist and podcaster Russ Roberts helps us look at those forks in the road with better eyes. Read More… The most thought-provoking scene in John Boorman’s 1981 lavish epic fantasy film, Excalibur, is one of its most understated. It’s a conversation about love. King Arthur stares enchanted by the Lady Guinevere as she dances across the great hall. After confessing...

A new book sheds much-needed light on what the Founders did—and did not—say about religious liberty, church-state relations, and natural rights. Read More… The religion clauses in the First Amendment are among the most hotly debated topics in constitutional law and history. Unfortunately, the records of the Founders don’t always offer much help in elucidating their meaning. The congressional debates over the religion clauses can be especially exasperating to scholars. The framers in the First Congress lurched from one draft...

After a mere 45 days, Liz Truss is out as prime minister. Given the contradictions in Conservative Party policies, no one should be surprised. Read More… Boris Johnson, though deeply flawed, was the glue that held the British Conservative Party together. His electoral reach, charisma, mitment to deliver Brexit put together a huge majority of 80 seats over all other bined in the 650-seat House of Commons. But that glue came unstuck owing to Boris’ character flaws, and now, in...

The latest installation in the Star Wars saga is finally a reason to celebrate, as it models self-sacrifice and leadership, especially for young men. Read More… If there’s anything close to national mythology in America nowadays, it’s Marvel. This may be depressing, but we should nevertheless face the fact and make the best of it. Before that, it was Star Wars, which is still an incredibly profitable business, even as it is failing. They’re both Disney properties, which now make...

The prize for economics was awarded to three men whose work explained both the necessity and occasional failure of banks. If you thought you could do without the oft-demonized institution, you may want to think again. Read More… Earlier this month, Ben Bernanke, Douglas Diamond, and Philip Dybvig were awarded the Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in memory of Alfred Nobel. Bernanke, Diamond, and Dybvig were honored for their many contributions to our shared understanding of both the...

A novel by Richard John Neuhaus’ biographer is both an entertaining and theologically deft take on the consequences of the choices we all make as we seek the Good. Read More… In a cultural landscape that is often hostile—or at best indifferent—to religion, a popular and widely lauded novel whose plot focuses not only on matters of faith but also a main character whose worldview and identity is shaped entirely by his Catholicism is a rare occurrence. Randy Boyagoda, perhaps...

The latest from Samuel Gregg lays out a broad vision for what made the American economy the wonder of the world, and can again. And it isn’t to be found in populisms and nationalisms of the right or left. Read More… Let me start with my summary judgement of The Next American Economy: Nation, State, and Markets in an Uncertain World: Samuel Gregg has written an outstanding contribution to the theory and practice of political economy for our times. Gregg’s...