[Martin Schram] Drug chains, opioids -- and broken news

Back in the days (not so long ago!) when dead trees, properly pulverized, were print journalism’s most reliable source for spreading the news, we all understood two things about America’s greatest newspapers, The New York Times and The Washington Post: 1. They were indeed great newspapers -- but not always good ones. 2. You could always find a great front-page news story in The Times and The Post -- if you kept turning enough pages. And so it was, Wednesday morning, when I indulge

Dec. 1, 2021

[Kim Seong-kon] The new truth and justice in ‘Hellbound’

While “D.P.” and “Squid Game” are still enjoying fame overseas, another Korean Netflix series, “Hellbound,” is now a topic on everybody’s lips. In “Hellbound,” a ghostly presence appears to the people and informs them they are doomed to die and go to hell due to their sins on a specific date and time. When the time comes, three otherworldly dark creatures appear, beat the sinners violently to death and drag them to hell, leaving behind a burn

Dec. 1, 2021

[Trudy Rubin] World asks China #WhereIsPengShuai?　

China disappeared star tennis player Peng Shuai because she accused a top leader of sexual assault, but her fate will affect the Olympics and China’s relations with the world. When Peng disappeared from public view this month after accusing a senior Chinese politician of sexual assault, it caused an international uproar. But back in China, Peng is just one of several people, activists and accusers alike, who have been hustled out of view, charged with crimes or trolled and silenced online

Nov. 29, 2021

[Serendipity] Tale of a family

One day, out of nowhere, a son receives a very generous, unexpected bequest from a stranger. One day, out of nowhere, a daughter receives a very generous, unexpected bequest from a stranger. The stranger’s will contained no conditions to the bequests. One day, the father announces that he is taking the bequests from his children. He declares that since the children are part of the family and he is the head of the household, it is within his rights to do as he pleases with what was given

Nov. 28, 2021

[LZ Granderson] A week of chasing justice in 2 Americas

During weeks like last week, the pursuit of justice feels more like chasing clouds blindfolded. Friday’s “not guilty” verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial wasn’t altogether surprising -- especially after Judge Bruce Schroeder said he wouldn’t allow the people Rittenhouse shot and killed to be called victims. But it still felt like a gut punch knowing the prosecution wasn’t allowed to show a video in which Rittenhouse reportedly said he wish he had a gun so h

Nov. 26, 2021

Putting gender equality first

Rarely in the world have women’s and girls’ rights been challenged in such a concerning way as they have been in Afghanistan. The EU has made it clear that future EU development assistance will depend on the respect for norms on human rights, including women’s and girls’ rights. The EU will continue to support women and girls worldwide, sticking to our values and beliefs. Human rights, freedom, democracy and equality represent core values that make the European Union

Nov. 25, 2021

[Jeffrey D. Sachs] Fixing climate finance

The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow fell far short of what is needed for a safe planet, owing mainly to the same lack of trust that has burdened global climate negotiations for almost three decades. Developing countries regard climate change as a crisis caused largely by the rich countries, which they also view as shirking their historical and ongoing responsibility for the crisis. Worried that they will be left paying the bills, many key developing countries, such as India,

Nov. 25, 2021

[Ana Palacio] How international institutions die

MADRID -- In the aftermath of World War II, the victors established a set of institutions that have underpinned the world order ever since. While those institutions have often been contested, they have proved to be highly resilient. But this does not mean they are invulnerable. On the contrary, their effectiveness may be gradually eroded -- especially when they are used as geopolitical pawns. Academic research offers abundant analysis of the factors that boost institutional hardiness, and thos

Nov. 25, 2021

[Kim Seong-kon] Appointing the right people in Cabinet

Critics have argued that Korean presidents all have one serious flaw in common: They fill government posts with people from their own political faction or election camp only, regardless of their abilities. As a result, amateurs have run the country, making numerous, sometimes fatal mistakes. Of course, there have been some outstanding, competent ministers. However, they often could not extend their abilities to their full capacity, blocked by a bunch of amateurs who wielded political power sur

Nov. 24, 2021

[Andrea Felsted] Black Friday lacking in doorbusters

The bargain bonanza that is Black Friday has begun. Only there are fewer special offers this year, and those that are being advertised aren’t quite so eye-catching. You can blame the global supply chain meltdown for the dearth of doorbusters. Even when toys and TVs start flowing through trade arteries again, retailers should maintain a more disciplined approach to discounting. This won’t be easy, but stores stand to gain a lot if they bin the bargains in Black Fridays to come. This

Nov. 24, 2021

From aid recipient to donor: Korea’s inspirational development path

By Manuela V. Ferro 　 By Akihiko Nishio ----------------------------------------------------------------- A document in the World Bank’s archives tells a story of modest beginnings: In 1962, representatives of South Korea and the International Development Association, the World Bank’s fund for the world’s poorest countries, signed a Development Credit Agreement for a railroad project “to meet growing traffic needs, to improve its operating efficiency and to decreas

Nov. 23, 2021

[Lee In-hyun] Viva, Verdi who united Italians

Every news media outlet around the world has been focusing on COVID-19. Some may wonder if there is any other news besides the virus. As you may have heard, electing the next president of South Korea is less than 150 days away. The election is the most important event in the country politically and socially. Those who are not usually interested in politics start paying attention to election-related news. I think they have a tendency to pay more attention this time around because they want to c

Nov. 23, 2021

[Sławomir Sierakowski] The home front of Poland’s border debacle

Poland’s ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party knew well what to expect from Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko before he started funneling refugees from the Middle East to the Polish border. Belarusian authorities had already done it to Lithuania and Latvia. And in a clear sign of what was to come, Belarus terminated its readmission agreement with the EU in October. Poland had time to pursue preventive measures in the refugees’ countries of origin. It didn’t, and now thous

Nov. 23, 2021

[Shang-Jin Wei] Why is China‘s growth rate falling so fast?

In early 2021, the consensus forecast for Chinese GDP growth this year among 25 major global banks and other professional forecasters was 8.3 percent. In contrast, the Chinese government’s own growth target was around 6 percent, lower than the best guesses of 24 out of the 25 institutional forecasters. Did the government know something that outsiders had missed? Did it plan to do something that it regards as desirable even though it might compromise growth? More recently, international b

Nov. 22, 2021

[Takatoshi Ito] Beware of Japan‘s ‘new capitalism’

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida survived the general election on Oct. 31, which came just weeks after his arrival in office as the new leader of the nation. Losing only 15 seats, the Liberal Democratic Party performed better than expected and will maintain a comfortable majority in the House of Representatives, with 261 of 465 seats. The relative loser was the largest opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party, which lost 13 seats, leaving it with 96. It performed worse than p

Nov. 22, 2021

[Robert J. Fouser] South Korea and COP26

The recent 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Glasgow, Scotland ended to mixed reviews. The purpose of the conference was to develop detailed plans to implement the goal of limiting global warming to within 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels by 2050. This goal agreed to in the Paris Agreement in 2015. The scientific community is in broad agreement that warming beyond this level will have grave implications for people and ecosystems. Scientists and climate activists

Nov. 19, 2021

[Song Jong-hwan] Freedom, is it automatic?

On March 23, 1775, American Founding Father Patrick Henry (1736-1799) famously declared, “Give me liberty, or give me death!” When this declaration spread to the world, it ceased belonging to just one person, and became truth. The liberty he claimed is an innate human right to think and act autonomously without external oppression or interference, and no political authority can deprive one of it. The Liberty International Movie Festival which highlights liberty as its motif, exists

Nov. 18, 2021

[Parmy Olson] Facial recognition has its limits

London is one of the most watched cities in the world: Its inhabitants are caught on camera about 300 times a day on average and the British capital has become a test bed for police use of live facial recognition. But the technology, which powers a multibillion-dollar market for security firms and building management, has troubling limitations. To show it up even more, a special team of human officers have, anecdotally, been doing a better job than the cameras. London’s Metropolitan Polic

Nov. 18, 2021

An advanced weather radar network: The first line of defense against severe weather

“An instrument called Cheugugi was made in Seoul from iron for measuring rainfall. It measured one cheok and five chon (about 32 cm) deep and seven chon (about 15 cm) in diameter.”  - May 8, 1441, 23rd year of King Sejong’s reign This is the first record of humanity’s first step in the scientific measurement of rainfall, as written in the Veritable Records of King Sejong on May 8, 1441. The cheugugi was similar to modern rain gauges except for the ways of communica

Nov. 17, 2021