In The News

Southern Carnage: Kingdom Shaken

April 29, 2004
In the country's deadliest day of violence since 1973, over 100 Muslim militants died in clashes with security forces throughout southern Thailand. The militants, many of them teenagers, carried only machetes as they attacked police outposts while screaming religious slogans. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra quickly declared victory and played down the political consequences, saying many of...

SARS Threatens Reappearance in China

Helen Pearson April 23, 2004
The World Health Organization (WHO) has revealed that a nurse in Beijing has tested positive for the SARS coronavirus in initial tests. Five of the 171 people with whom she had contact prior to showing symptoms have developed fevers, a strong indicator of SARS infection. In order to prevent another international epidemic, researchers must now examine the present strains to determine its mode of...

Asean to push for free trade talks with Australia, NZ

Chuang Peck Ming April 22, 2004
With free trade agreements with China, India, and Japan due to go into force over the next ten years, the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) is now proposing FTA deals with Australia and New Zealand. In the most recent ASEAN trade meeting, economic ministers of the ten member states also decided to further lower the tariffs within the region under the ASEAN Industrial Cooperation...

North Korean Ends 'Candid' China Visit

Edward Cody April 22, 2004
Unexpected private talks between North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and leaders in Beijing resulted in what is being called a "broad common understanding." During the talks, Beijing reiterated its desire for a nuclear-free Korean peninsula while also addressing North Korea's 'rational concerns,' a hint at North Korea's desire for security guarantees from the US. For his...

Transatlantic Thaw Can Help Taiwan

David Huang April 21, 2004
Leading up to Taiwan's presidential election last month, China was hoping to make the most of out the apparent rift between the US and Europe. According to David Huang, a researcher at Taiwan's most influential think tank, China had attempted to exploit the transatlantic disagreement over war in Iraq in order to bolster its designs on Taiwan. Engaging in a joint naval exercise with...

Cost, Language Barrier Still Keeping Tourists Away

Kaho Shimizu April 20, 2004
Japan wants to attract more tourists but faces many hurdles: a confusing transportation system, limited ATM and currency exchange access, and expensive accommodation. The government has already changed the coding for Tokyo's subway system to allow tourists easier orientation. But changing ATM access will face considerable costs. At the moment, Japan's magnetic strips on bank and credit...

Looking for a Villain, and Finding One in China

Eduardo Porter April 18, 2004
A couple years ago, economists warned that China was exporting deflation to the US. Now that is over, but many still see China as the problem. To some, China is a big cause of inflation, and economists, businessmen and politicians have blamed it for every economic woe. "China is choking off the profits of American companies with its hunger for commodities pushing up the price of raw...