Opinion: D-Day lessons for today

KENOSHA, May 30 (AJU PRESS) - From ancient times, military professionals have rightly regarded amphibious invasions as especially challenging. We recognize and honor the eightieth anniversary of the greatest such operation, the Allies’ invasion of France in World War II, on June 6, 1944 – D-Day. The Normandy invasion combined thorough planning, mobilizing vast matériel, and great imagination. When the enormous operation underway was announced, a U.S. newspaper hig

May 30, 2024

Opinion: France's headscarf ban in 2024 Summer Olympics reflects narrow view of national identity, writes scholar of European studies

SEOUL, May 30 (AJU PRESS) - The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris have sparked a discussion about whether female Muslim athletes who wear a headscarf should be allowed to compete. In September 2023, the International Olympic Committee, upholding freedom of religious and cultural expression for all athletes, announced that athletes participating in the 2024 Paris Games can wear a hijab without any restriction. French athletes, however, are bound by France's strict separation of

May 30, 2024

Opinion: Could Korea become a model for tackling illegal tiger trade?

SEOUL, May 30 (AJU PRESS) - The illegal wildlife trade is one of the greatest threats to all Asian big cats – tigers, leopards, snow leopards and Asiatic lions, as well as lesser-known species including clouded leopards and the Asiatic cheetah. For that reason, Asian big cats are some of the most strictly protected animals under international law and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, better known as Cites. But the illegal tr

May 30, 2024

Opinion: Pronatalism is latest Silicon Valley trend. What is it – and why is it disturbing?

SEOUL, May 29 (AJU PRESS) - For Malcolm and Simone Collins, declining birth rates across many developed countries are an existential threat. The solution is to have "tons of kids," and to use a hyperrational, data-driven approach to guide everything from genetic selection to baby names and day-to-day parenting. They don't heat their Pennsylvania home in winter, because heating is a "pointless indulgence." Their children wear iPads around their necks. And a

May 29, 2024

Opinion: Fears that English is 'disappearing' in England are misplaced – history shows the island has always been multilingual

SEOUL, May 29 (AJU PRESS) - A common lament among those opposed to immigration is that "in many parts of England, you don't hear English spoken any more." But it has never been the case that English was the only language spoken on this island. Old English, the earliest ancestor of the modern English language, was a relative newcomer to Britain. Its speakers, the Anglo-Saxons, came from different regions across what is now northern Germany to an island where many Celt

May 29, 2024

From backseat to spotlight: US vice presidency's modern relevance

KARACHI, May 28 (AJU PRESS) - In his scathing appraisal, John Adams famously dismissed the role of Vice President as "the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived." Similarly, John Nance Garner, who served as Vice President under Franklin D. Roosevelt, succinctly captured the prevailing sentiment of the time, declaring the office as "not worth a bucket of warm spit." However, contemporary politics challeng

May 28, 2024

Opinion: Norway, Spain and Ireland have recognized a Palestinian state – what's stopping NZ?

SEOUL, May 28 (AJU PRESS) - Norway, Spain and Ireland will formally recognize the state of Palestine today (May 28). While 143 of the 193 United Nations member states already recognize Palestine, this is a significant moment – and leaves New Zealand in an even smaller group of countries yet to follow suit. The latest move is important because it makes a clear statement that members of the international community can no longer wait for the Middle East peace process to conclud

May 28, 2024

Opinion: Are some routes more prone to air turbulence? Will climate change make it worse?

SEOUL, May 27 (AJU PRESS) - A little bit of turbulence is a common experience for air travelers. Severe incidents are rare – but when they occur they can be deadly. The recent Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 from London to Singapore shows the danger. An encounter with extreme turbulence during normal flight left one person dead from a presumed heart attack and several others badly injured. The flight diverted to land in Bangkok so the severely injured passengers could receiv

May 27, 2024

Opinion: Scarlett Johansson's row with OpenAI reminds us identity is a slippery yet important subject

SEOUL, May 24 (AJU PRESS) - OpenAI will be removing access to one of its ChatGPT voices, following objections by actor Scarlett Johansson that it sounds "eerily similar" to her own. Earlier this week, the company said it was "working to pause" the voice of Sky, which is one of a few options users can choose when conversing with the app. Johannson said OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, had approached her in September and again in May, asking if she would allow he

May 24, 2024

Opinion: U.K. election called for 4 July – what happens next?

SEOUL, May 23 (AJU PRESS) - On a rainy afternoon in London, an increasingly damp Rishi Sunak confirmed what many had been speculating for most of the day in a speech outside 10 Downing Street – that the U.K. is heading for an election earlier than anticipated. Here's what to expect in the weeks ahead. When is the U.K. having an election? Election day has been confirmed for 4 July – in just over six weeks' time. The U.K. has to have an election at least every

May 23, 2024