Opinion: Russia has become so economically isolated that China could order end of war in Ukraine

SEOUL, July 02 (AJU PRESS) - Western leaders are becoming increasingly frustrated by China’s role in enabling the war in Ukraine. Some have even openly threatened to sanction the country if it continues to provide Russia with the materials it needs to build more weapons. And they are right to focus on China's position of power. Russia is now so dependent on the only major economy still taking the risk to support its regime, that China could effectively force Vladimir Putin

July 2, 2024

Opinion: The most realistic way to replace Joe Biden as Democratic presidential nominee – allow him graceful exit

SEOUL, July 01 (AJU PRESS) - Within minutes of the conclusion of this week's presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, it became clear to many that the 81-year-old Biden may not be capable of winning the general election in November. His inability to clearly communicate during the 90-minute debate earned harsh criticism from across the U.S. political spectrum, most notably among Democrats. Van Jones, a former official in the Obama administration and CNN analyst,

July 1, 2024

Opinion: As debate approaches, presidents are blamed for events over which they have little control

SEOUL, June 28 (AJU PRESS) - Presidents are blamed for just about everything – especially during an election season. As the presidential debates of 2024 begin, the blame game is certain to be part of the spectacle. But presidents are not really responsible for as many things as voters, journalists or political opponents try to blame them for. For the first time since 1912, a former president is a party's presumptive nominee, running against the incumbent. Both men –

June 28, 2024

Opinion: Artificial intelligence meets genuine judgment

KENOSHA, June 27 (AJU PRESS) - "I’m sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that." That is Hal 9000, all-purpose spaceship computer, declining an order from an astronaut to open the reentry doors. The scene is from the 1968 film “2001 – A Space Odyssey.” David Bowman (actor Keir Dullea) remains trapped in a small module, facing death. The theme of machines taking control from people, eventually destroying them, is at least as old as the Indus

June 27, 2024

Opinion: Social media platforms are blocked in Iran. Candidates in this week's presidential election are embracing them anyway

SEOUL, June 27 (AJU PRESS) - After Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash on May 20, the Iranian government had to schedule an early election to choose a new president. The regime has approved six presidential candidates to run in the election on June 28. The pool includes four hardliners, one centrist and one reformist. The main competition is expected to be between two hardliners and the reformist candidate. One of the hardliners is Saeed Jalili, the s

June 27, 2024

Opinion: Julian Assange will be freed after striking plea deal with US authorities

SEOUL, June 26 (AJU PRESS) - Julian Assange has reached a deal with the United States Department of Justice to allow him to return to Australia after pleading guilty to violating American espionage law. Assange, 52, was released from London's Belmarsh Prison, where he has spent more than five years and later was seen at a London airport boarding a private plane. He left around 5 p.m. on Monday London time. Australia's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Stephen Smith, i

June 26, 2024

Opinion: Escalating Israel-Hezbollah clashes threaten to spark regional war and force US into conflict with Iran

SEOUL, June 25 (AJU PRESS) - Months of relentless exchanges between Israel and Lebanon's militant group Hezbollah have seen mass civilian evacuations and widespread death, injury and destruction. The violence has worsened since early June, accompanied by increasingly heated rhetoric. Both sides have prevented the tit-for-tat attacks from escalating into a full-blown war, recognizing the likely catastrophic consequences. The question is whether this fragile containment can hold i

June 25, 2024

Opinion: why Kim-Putin deal is coded message aimed at China and how it worries Beijing

SEOUL, June 24 (AJU PRESS) - The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, paid a visit to Pyongyang this week and signed a defense pact with reclusive North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, as he looks for new allies who can help him increase Russia's supply of munitions for the war in Ukraine. As part of this mutual aid deal, the two leaders promised that each country will come to the defense of the other if attacked. Kim also promised North Korea's full support for Putin's invasi

June 24, 2024

Opinion: Amid scorching heat, 900 people died this week in Saudi Arabia. Climate change has made Hajj pilgrimage more risky

SEOUL, June 21 (AJU PRESS) - Each year, millions of Muslims from across the world embark on the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. The mass migration is unparalleled in scale, and pilgrims face numerous health hazards. Mecca is considered the holiest city for Muslims. And Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, making it a mandatory religious duty for Muslims to perform at least once in their lifetime if they are physically and financially capable. The 2024 Hajj pilgrima

June 21, 2024

Opinion: Putin-Kim summit has roots in an alliance of 'isolated' nations built over decades

SEOUL, June 20 (AJU PRESS) - The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has spent two days in Pyongyang, meeting with the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, and signing a "comprehensive strategic partnership." Few details are being released about this deal and its expected ramifications for rearming Russian forces stretched by the Ukraine war. But the Kremlin said the agreement would mean each country would come to the aid of the other if attacked. At the top of the agenda fo

June 20, 2024