Taiwans flower power Since November 2010, Taipei has played host to the Taipei International Flora Expo, an event sanctioned by one of the worlds leading horticultural bodies, the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH). More than 1,600 plant spec..
Peace revolution through peace regimes We appear to be witnessing a fourth wave in a world transforming to full democratization as it flees from oppressive, dictatorial and undemocratic practices.
Torpedoes off Dokdo? Dear Leader! Felicitations to you and your Glorious Son, the focus of all our dreams! My deepest respects to Eternal President, Kim Il-sung! Glory to the Undefeatable North Korean Peoples Army! And may our Beloved Republic last a thousand yea..
Growing fear in North Korea The pattern of rapid but orderly turnover of leaders initiated by Tunisia has already become a political phenomenon common in many other states in the Middle East. In addition, fear and doubt have started ricocheting around one remote country in No..
Unlock investment to drive African growth On Feb. 15, my fellow members of the Africa Progress Panel and I went to Paris to urge President Nicolas Sarkozy to unlock much-needed private investment flows to Africa as part of his G20 development agenda.
A perfect storm Mass street protests in Tunisia and Egypt have swept away two leaders who had been firmly in the saddle of power. With modern communications, the whole planet has watched the events unfolding minute by minute until Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled from..
Troublesome North Korea I recently read that North Korean soldiers eat salt as a snack in order to relieve hunger beyond our imagination; this causes the body to swell up and could lead to death from salt poisoning.
Arab revolutions, China and oil Moammar Gadhafis speeches grow ever more delusional: he accused al-Qaida of putting hallucinogenic pills into the coffee of unsuspecting Libyan 17-year-olds in order to get them to attack the regime.
Broader Asia-Pacific free trade community The world today is experiencing the effects of unprecedented globalization in international trade. This has led to economic integration across national boundaries at an ever-increasing speed.
No cracks, no dirt, no bloodstains? Should you, kind reader, ever visit southern France this year, and should you have even the mildest interest in history, permit me to recommend two medieval must sees. One is the walled town of Carcassone in Languedoc; the other is the mountain..
Korea, Egypt and democracy The Egyptian people embarked upon a historical revolution for democracy in order to overthrow the Mubarak dictatorship this month, and this has surprised the whole world. They wanted a complete transformation and to this end, hundreds of them gave ..
Snow wars The day that I left Bangkok it was 38 degrees. When I reached Donghae, Gangwon Province, one day later on Feb. 11, all the cars were already buried under mounds of snow, looking like white tombs.
New world economic order UNITED NATIONS American exports surged last year to reach impressive new highs. Despite the recession, over $1.8 trillion in U.S. goods were shipped worldwide.
Good sense of the Arabs They wouldn't do it for al-Qaida, but they finally did it for themselves. The young Egyptian protesters who overthrew the Mubarak regime on Saturday have accomplished what two generations of violent Islamist revolutionaries could not. And they did ..
Winds of democracy in Middle East The Arab masses decided finally to take a leap into the 21st century by overcoming their fear and taking their destiny into their own hands. The winds of freedom are now blowing in all directions in the Middle East.
Its not time for constitutional change The mainstream faction of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) is joining President Lee Myung-baks effort to change the Constitution. Thirty-five GNP lawmakers recently held a meeting to promote constitutional change.
Piracy surges despite defense measures UNITED NATIONS Armed attacks on merchant vessels and piracy off the Somali coast increased by 10 percent last year with some 445 attacks and 49 ship hijackings. And despite international defensive efforts taken by a score of navies off East Afri..
