Raising wages by government fiat seems to be catching on. The lowest-paid workers in Britain and California — two of the world’s largest economies — are only the latest beneficiaries of plans to lift the minimum wage.The goal in every case is commendable, but the method is far from ideal. On Friday, Britain’s minimum wage will increase to 7.20 pounds ($10.36) an hour for workers age 25 and older, rising each year until it is expected to be above 9 pounds by 2020. California has agreed to set a $

Viewpoints April 4, 2016

The Nuclear Security Summit in Washington could not have come at a better time for South Korea, whose utmost security concern is to tackle threats from North Korea’s nuclear weapons. The biennial summit focuses on coping with the threats of nuclear terrorism and strengthening the safety of nuclear materials and facilities. Although the summit does not focus on nonproliferation, it provided a good stage for calling international attention to the North Korean nuclear issue. Besides, the summit dre

Editorial April 1, 2016

In coming days, people will leave our world for a new realm of gunslingers, cyberbots and other exotic sights. Their ticket out of here will be the Oculus Rift — a $600 virtual reality headset hitting the consumer market.Hmm, even from here we can see, through regular prescription spectacles, that you are unimpressed. You wonder if virtual reality is another goofy, expensive fad like 3-D television. You also remember hearing about Google Glass, the $1,500 augmented-reality eyeglasses that allowe

Viewpoints April 1, 2016

According to the Inquirer’s latest count, at least 542 candidates in the May 9 elections are considered sure winners. Not because of superior odds against their opponent — the result of a better program of governance, perhaps, or a more effective grassroots campaign — but simply by default: They are running unopposed.One may argue, as congressman Arthur Defensor of Iloilo does, that the lack of any adversary in what ought to be an exercise in choosing from a healthy plurality of options is, of a

Viewpoints March 31, 2016

Climate change is a new facet of life in developing and emerging economies; keeping with the environmental spirit of the times, China’s 13th five-year plan sets out a path of sustainable development for its economic growth. The country has unveiled new strategies to tackle climate change and the plan is expected to achieve nonbinding targets set at the Paris Climate Conference and will exceed expectations set in the Copenhagen accord of 2009. According to the World Resources Institute, an enviro

Viewpoints March 31, 2016

The Democratic Party of Japan marked a fresh start as the Democratic Party in the wake of a merger with the Japan Innovation Party.The DPJ lost the reins of government after a House of Representatives election in 2012. Since then, opposition parties have lacked momentum.The DPJ had been unable to regain support, and other opposition parties that labeled themselves as third-pole forces had also run out of steam.If opposition parties that had split into smaller parties are united again, it will sp

Viewpoints March 31, 2016

It isn’t easy to be a strong leader in an era of progressives hell-bent on societal destruction. Refusing to compromise when faced with the tyranny of “progressive” reform is difficult at a time when so many leaders are allowing their countries to slip into oblivion under the guise of some greater leftist “good.”Following the recent Islamic State group terrorist attacks in Belgium that killed at least 35 people and injured more than 300, Belgian police blasted a water cannon at about 200 anti-im

Viewpoints March 31, 2016

Jerusalem is not one city, but two. Nearly 50 years after Israel captured East Jerusalem, the city remains as divided as ever. As its neighborhoods suffer from a new wave of violence, acknowledging this reality is becoming increasingly urgent. Settling the status of Jerusalem – as two cities, one for Israelis and one for Palestinians – must be made a priority if peace between the two sides is ever to be achieved.The 1947 United Nations Partition Plan called for the division of British-controlled

Viewpoints March 30, 2016

Five years ago, the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster spread deadly radiation by land and by sea. In the years since, Japan and the rest of the world have learned many lessons about why the reactor failed and how to prevent another such catastrophes. But one of the most intriguing lessons of Fukushima involves hundreds of thousands of Japanese children potentially exposed to excessive radiation.Japanese public health officials were aware of an increased incidence of thyroid cancer in Russia

Viewpoints March 30, 2016

Q. What’s a good way to waste millions of dollars of taxpayer money without trying very hard?A. Wait for a devastating terrorist attack to frighten people, and then deploy at airports and transportation hubs lots of highly visible security measures that make people feel more secure without actually making them safer.I hate to be cynical, but in the years since 9/11, I have seen this drama play out repeatedly. The terrorists carry out a major attack at home or abroad, politicians call for improve

Viewpoints March 30, 2016