In The News

Iraq War “Sideshow” in North Korea

March 23, 2003
Globalization is often associated with the flow of ideas, goods, people, and information, but in North Korea information doesn't flow so readily. Updates about the current war unfolding in Iraq have been deflected from the country’s media, only appearing as brief diatribes about US aggression. Instead, in the days since the war began, North Korean news bulletins have reported on...

Mainland Professor Who Died in Hong Kong Spread Mysterious Form of Pneumonia

Helen Luk March 20, 2003
A mysterious pneumonia-like disease, which has now infected and killed hundreds of people in several countries, including Vietnam, Singapore, and Canada, has been traced back to a medical professor from mainland China who carried the disease with him when he stayed at a Hong Kong hotel. Among those he infected were foreign guests suspected of then carrying the disease to the other countries....

Mystery Illness Highlights Taiwan's Health Isolation

Melody Chen March 18, 2003
An outbreak of a mysterious flu-like illness in several Asian countries has prompted international coordination to identify and contain the spread of the condition. But although Taiwan has reported three cases of the 'SARS' problem to the World Health Organization, Taiwan is disadvantaged in attacking the problem because it is not a WHO member. "We can't quickly know how...

Asia Braces for Iraq War Fallout

March 18, 2003
From Afghanistan to Australia, countries across Asia are preparing for the effects of a US war on Iraq that is expected to begin any day now. Anti-war protests in Australia are on a scale not seen since that country sent troops to help the US in Vietnam. In other countries, worries run the gamut from stock market disasters to rage and terrorist attacks by Islamic extremists. – YaleGlobal

Asian Airports Screen Passengers for Flu-like Symptoms

March 17, 2003
The World Health Organization has issued a worldwide health threat after an outbreak of flu-like symptoms among travelers in Asia killed 9 people and infected hundreds. According to the WHO health alert, airline passengers could be spreading a “mysterious illness,” which has resulted in governments in several Asian countries to strictly monitor air travel and contain further spread of the...

Indonesia Must Integrate with World to Advance

Hans W. Vriens March 14, 2003
While many countries experience large inflows of foreign direct investment, Indonesia has a net outflow of investment monies. In two recent rankings, the country appeared at the bottom of the barrel in terms of economic integration with the world. Despite the elation of some Indonesian intellectuals at their country's de-globalized status, writes consultant Hans Vriens, economic...

Chinese Astronauts to Compete for Final Frontier

Joan Johnson-Freese March 14, 2003
A chain reaction of space activity, begun by Soviet-U.S competition in the 1960’s, has been duly catalyzed by China’s own manned space effort. The Middle Kingdom began its ventures into space in 1999, but soon it hopes to be only the third nation to have achieved human spaceflight. If this does happen, China’s position vis-à-vis the world - and particularly vis-à-vis the US - is bound to change...