[Jeffrey Sachs] Time to overhaul global financial system

At last month’s COP26 climate summit, hundreds of financial institutions declared that they would put trillions of dollars to work to finance solutions to climate change. Yet a major barrier stands in the way: The world’s financial system actually impedes the flow of finance to developing countries, creating a financial death trap for many. Economic development depends on investments in three main kinds of capital: human capital (health and education), infrastructure (power, digita

Dec. 7, 2021

[Martin Schram] Unsettling our ‘settled’ abortion law

Virtually every unofficial US Supreme Court watcher has reported feeling a chill wind of political reality and pending change as it whipped through the court’s imposing chamber this past Wednesday -- and then whooshed through the Great News Funnel into the homes of all Americans. A chill wind of change: You could hear it in the questions the justices asked in the oral argument of a case challenging a recent Mississippi law that bans virtually all abortions after the first 15 weeks of pre

Dec. 7, 2021

[Pico Iyer] Finding a balance between COVID freedom and control

This long, strange season of the pandemic has made so many things impossible that it’s easy to forget the many things it’s made newly possible. For me, one of its unexpected gifts has been a round-the-clock immersion -- and instruction -- in the vast gap between the two continents I call home and the radical differences that still cut up our seemingly connected global neighborhood. Ten times during the age of COVID-19 I’ve flown across the Pacific between my longtime apartmen

Dec. 6, 2021

[Andrew Sheng] US-China rhetoric versus reality

Coming back from a trip to Europe suggested to me that the US-China rivalry was not headline news within Europe. Europe appeared more concerned with the urgent job of economic recovery amidst the omicron threat that is leading to more lockdowns. Protests in Rotterdam and elsewhere showed that the public, especially the young, are rebelling against further restrictions to their rights to socialize. Back in Asia, the news is incessantly in the face on US-China conflicts, including threatened boy

Dec. 6, 2021

[Robert J. Fouser] Going beyond Ineffective Travel Bans

Thanksgiving Day in the US this year was supposed to mark another step in a return to normal as more people traveled than at any time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The next morning, the world awoke to alarming news of a new and potentially dangerous variant of the virus identified by scientists in South Africa. As expected, stock markets tumbled, and governments imposed travel bans on southern African nations. Over the weekend, the WHO officially declared it a “variant of concern&rdqu

Dec. 3, 2021

[Elizabeth Shackelford] Africa will test Biden’s democracy approach

President Joe Biden has pledged to “revitalize our national commitment to advancing human rights and democracy around the world.” This month, he will host a virtual Summit for Democracy as a demonstration of that commitment. But it is still unclear how democracy and human rights will fare in the trade-off of foreign policy priorities. This administration’s policy toward Africa will provide a good test case of how Biden’s team will navigate these choices, and that policy

Dec. 2, 2021

[Kim Myeong-sik] Business community needs to raise own political voice

“I don’t like communists,” said Chung Yong-jin, vice chairman of the Shinsegae business group in a message on social media recently. He was responding to comments about his picture carrying a red wallet and Jackson Pizza in an advertisement. “Do I look any bit like a communist? Never misunderstand me ... I believe in anti-communist democracy which should be the core of our patriotism and is the only way to realize the ideals of the Free World,” he said. As a citiz

Dec. 2, 2021

[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