In The News

Economies Sickened by a Virus, and Fear

Keith Bradsher April 21, 2003
Around the Asia-Pacific region, the economic impact of Sars is being immediately felt. In one Australian fishing area, lack of demand from Hong Kong restaurants – the industry's biggest customers – means that some fishermen might not make their home mortgage payments. Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, in India, a software company executive worries about the wisdom of his company's...

SAS nabs N Korea drug ship

Ian Gerard April 21, 2003
Braving rough seas and bodily harm, yesterday members of Australia's special forces boarded a North Korean ship suspected of smuggling over 50 kg of heroin. Although the ship's flag showed it to be registered in Tuvalu, the first land-based arrests in the case included a Singaporean and two Malaysians, with the crew of the smuggling ship believed to be from North Korea. International...

Clashing Agendas Threaten Start of North Korea Talks

Doug Struck April 20, 2003
American leadership in the world is being tested in Asia. A Wednesday meeting between the US, China, and North Korea is still on schedule, but it's not clear what – if anything – will come of it. The US wants Pyongyang to give up its nuclear program and re-submit to UN inspections, but observers say that's unlikely unless the US gives something in exchange to North Korea. Within the...

North Koreans and U.S. Plan Talks in Beijing Next Week

David E. Sanger April 16, 2003
The US will begin negotiations with North Korea in Beijing – the first talk between the two governments since North Korea threw out nuclear weapons inspectors. The US had contended that it would not talk to North Korea until it gave up its nuclear arms program. Furthermore, it feared that one-on-one talks with North Korea would drive a wedge between the US and its allies. North Korea, wishing to...

US retailers back import ban on Burma

Edward Alden April 15, 2003
International agencies such as the International Labor Organization have long advocated sanctions against Burma to protest its record of human rights violations and "disregard for democracy." In spite of a United States government ban on US investments in Burma, the US remains one of the country’s largest trading partners. However, US clothing manufacturers and retailers recently...

China's School Children Learn to Love English

Richard McGregor April 15, 2003
Many in China are well-aware that the country’s competitiveness in the global economy, today and in the near future, will require a population proficient in English. The government has encountered several logistical impediments in implementing English lessons in its curriculum: lack of qualified teachers, short supply of school materials, etc. Demand for English lessons, however, has given rise...

N. Korea Shifts Stance on Nuclear Talks

James Brooke April 13, 2003
Since admitting to its hitherto-secret uranium enrichment program last October, North Korea has demanded bilateral talks with the United States to resolve the crisis. The U.S., however, has insisted on the participation of North Korea’s neighbors arguing that North Korean nuclear program was a matter of regional concern. North Korean refusal to take part in a multilateral discussion has raised...