Author: Kontrast.at

– Advertisement – Colombia is facing a defining political choice. Right-wing populist presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella emerged as the frontrunner in the first round of voting. He promises more military force, closer ties with the United States, mega-prisons, and the expansion of oil, gas, and fracking projects. Critics, however, warn of setbacks for […]

– Advertisement – Critics dismissively speak of “luxury prisons” when they see images from Norwegian correctional facilities such as Bastøy: small, bright rooms, televisions, kitchens, workshops, gardens and prison officers who do not behave aggressively. But behind this system is not leniency. It is based on a sober question: What ultimately makes society safer? Almost […]

– Advertisement – France is making major streaming services pay up. Since the start of 2024, platforms such as Spotify, Deezer and Apple Music have been paying a streaming levy on their revenue. The country is using the proceeds to support its own music scene. The money goes directly towards productions, tours and smaller organisations […]

– Advertisement – Spain is regarded in Europe as a leading example in the protection of women against violence. The country combines specialised courts, the police, support services, prevention measures and electronic monitoring into a comprehensive system. At the same time, new forms of digital violence, such as deepfake pornography or the case of Collien […]

– Advertisement – Since 2022, Giorgia Meloni has led Italy’s most stable government in decades. Despite social cuts and authoritarian policies, the opposition has so far been unable to find a way to challenge Meloni’s right-wing coalition. Last year in Genoa, Italy’s sixth-largest city, former Olympic hammer thrower Silvia Salis demonstrated how an independent candidate, […]

– Advertisement – A new drug could revolutionise the fight against HIV: studies show it offers almost complete protection. Yet, of all things, the high price of the injection threatened to slow down its roll-out. The pharmaceutical company that developed the drug was charging $14,000 per dose. However, the health initiative ‘Unitaid’ has now announced […]

– Advertisement – Trump is back in the White House, there is conflict in Europe and the Middle East, the climate crisis is worsening, and right-wing parties are celebrating successes in many countries. Scrolling through social media, one quickly gets the feeling that things are going downhill everywhere. Yet this picture is not accurate. From […]

– Advertisement – The world today seems more unstable than it has been for a long time: wars in Iran, Ukraine, the Gaza Strip and Sudan, plus countless minor military conflicts that barely make the news in Europe. So is war an inevitable part of human nature? Peace researcher Werner Wintersteiner disagrees: wars are not […]

– Advertisement – Young, charismatic, progressive, and at the same time deeply rooted in the Christian faith. Texan James Talarico is a rare combination within the Democratic Party. Yet this is exactly what convinces many people who are not core Democratic voters. The young preacher is running for the U.S. Senate and could help stop […]

– Advertisement – Elon Musk is more than an eccentric entrepreneur. In “Muskism”, journalist Ben Tarnoff and historian Quinn Slobodian describe him as a political actor and a symbol of a new ideology: the fusion of technology, capital and power. In an interview with Kontrast, they explain how Musk, through platforms like X, not only […]