Wipe out polio, now Wild viruses and wildfires have two things in common. If neglected, they can spread out of control. If handled properly, they can be stamped out for good. Today, the flame of polio is near extinction but sparks in three countries threaten to ign..
A signal honor I wanted you to be the first to know. It has just been revealed by the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point Military Academy in the United States that I am on a very short list of journalists (eight in Western countries, and seven others in Ind..
Romney vs. Obama CAMBRIDGE While the presidential primary elections in the United States are not over, Mitt Romney is now almost certain to be the partys nominee to face Democratic President Barack Obama in November.
US-Burma ties: from isolation to engagement After years of isolation and sanctions, the U.S.-Burma relationship has seen improvements in recent months. What are the prospects for this rapprochement? This article analyzes the bilateral relationship from a historical perspective.
East Sea, Sea of Japan The column "No sea change for East Sea" contributed by Andrew Salmon on May 1 in The Korea Times offers a thought-provoking perspective regarding the naming of the sea area between the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese Archipelago. However, I would..
Okinotorishima: its implications to Korea The United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) has decided that the sea territory between the Japanese archipelago and Okinotorishima is part of Japans continental shelf. The CLCS decision may be a blessing to Japan, ..
Has scourge of Somali piracy passed? UNITED NATIONS There s been a significant drop in ship seizures and hijackings by Somali pirates in the troubled waters off East Africa. Despite last years spike in piracy with 28 vessels captured in the first half of 2011, there were only thr..
Sudan is not the norm President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan has been having some fun with language recently. He has come up with a new name for the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement (SPLM), the party that has formed the government of South Sudan since it finally got its i..
Time to broker peace in Tibet KOLKATA A young Tibetan activist succumbing to fatal burn injuries obtained during a self immolation bid while protesting against Chinese President Hu Jintaos trip to New Delhi for the BRICS summit signals a paradigm shift in anti-China protes..
Ban Ki-moons Burma road United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is on the road to Burma to witness a critical moment in the isolated Southeast Asian state s slow but sure transition to a more open political system which may bring democracy, or could legitimize the lo..
France: Mr. Normal takes charge My true adversary does not have a name, a face or a party, said Francois Hollande, Frances next president. He never puts forth his candidacy, but nevertheless he governs. My true adversary is the world of finance.
Korean church and repatriation issue Recently, there have been vigorous protests led by right wing evangelical churches against the Chinese government for its repatriation of North Korean refugees. In the United States, it is led by a consortium of conservative churches called the Kor..
Afghanistan lies In the midst of the Taliban attacks in central Kabul on Sunday, a journalist called the British embassy for a comment. I really dont know why they are doing this, said the exasperated diplomat who answered the phone. Well be out of here in ..
Will oil money produce winners quickly? Brasher than the United Arab Emirates, certainly after the financial crisis in Dubai in 2008 that has left the emirate laden with debt, Qatar has emerged as the Middle Easts buyer per excellence with not only a willingness to wield more cash but ..
Change of European soccer landscape Spearheaded by gas-rich Qatar, Middle Eastern states, royals and wealthy businessmen have in recent years acquired soccer clubs and top European league broadcast rights as part of a multi-layered strategy designed to boost international images, str..
Falklands and all that International human rights campaigner and occasional actor Sean Penn, whose well-deserved Nobel Peace Prize continues to be delayed for mysterious reasons, was the first famous foreigner to lend his support to the cause. The world today is not go..
Burmese politics and election victory On April 1, 2012, Burma had its second elections in less than two years. Numerically, the by-elections result was substantially insignificant than the general election conducted on Nov. 7, 2010. The by-elections were held in 45 constituencies, vaca..
