OPINION: Fed slashes rates by a half-point – what that means for economy and presidential election

SEOUL, September 19 (AJP) - In a widely anticipated move, the Federal Reserve announced on Sept. 18, 2024, that it was cutting its benchmark interest rate by half a percentage point to a range of 4.75 percent to to 5 percent – the first time the cost of borrowing has been lowered in four years. The move marks an important pivot point, signaling that central bankers believe they have finally won their battle against inflation. It is also significant in timing, coming just month

September 19, 2024

OPINION: Will exploding pager attack be the spark that ignites Israel-Hezbollah war?

SEOUL, September 19 (AJP) - The alleged Israeli attack on members of Hezbollah via their pagers is another ominous development propelling the Middle East towards a full-scale regional war. It leaves Hezbollah with little option but to retaliate with the full support of the Iran-led "axis of resistance." The sophistication and impact of targeting the pagers is unprecedented. The attack resulted in at least 11 deaths, including some of Hezbollah's fighters, and up to 3,0

September 19, 2024

OPINION: How the west is foiling Russia's attempts to use the Arctic in Ukraine war

SEOUL, September 13 (AJP) - Things are not exactly going to plan for Moscow in the Arctic – an area that is a strategic military region for Russia and has significant economic potential that could help Russia in propping up its war economy. Yet, a combination of Ukrainian military capabilities, western pushback and the pressure of international sanctions have put a dent into Russian hopes to use the Arctic to its advantage in the war against Ukraine. As tensions with the west

September 13, 2024

OPINION: Could Taylor Swift's endorsement of Kamala Harris make difference? 19% of young people admit celebrity's OK might influence them

SEOUL, September 12 (AJP) - Following months of speculation about would she or wouldn't she, Taylor Swift announced her endorsement of Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris with an Instagram post shortly after the Sept. 10, 2024, presidential debate. "I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election. I'm voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them,"

September 12, 2024

OPINION: Middle East and US foreign policy

CIA Director William J. Burns and British counterpart MI6 Chief Richard Moore have just met and are launching the latest effort to secure a peace agreement in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, and stop the emerging regional war. This reflects the vital importance of intelligence for Israel as well as the close Anglo-American “Special Relationship,” which began with intelligence agencies in World War I. This unusual approach also reflects the difficulty of dealing with Isr

September 11, 2024

OPINION: Starting with handshake, presidential debate between Harris and Trump then turns fierce, and pointed

SEOUL, September 11 (AJP) - As the two presidential candidates entered the debate stage, Kamala Harris strode across it and offered her hand to Donald Trump to shake, setting a confident tone that didn't flag throughout the debate. Trump, appearing to grow angrier through the night, stuck to his well-trodden themes of American decline and reminded viewers that Harris was part of the Biden administration, which he blamed for that decline. Each candidate probably won points wit

September 11, 2024

OPINION: ICC judges to decide on arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders

SEOUL, September 11 (AJP) - The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, has been a prominent figure in the news in recent years. In 2023, he requested – and was granted – a warrant for the arrest of Russia's president, Vladimir Putin. He then dived into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in May 2024, requesting arrest warrants for the leaders of Hamas and Israel in response to the ongoing violence in the Middle East. The ICC is expected to mak

September 11, 2024

OPINION: Isn't it time for Christian street protesters to fold up the tent?

SEOUL, Sept. 6 (AJP) - Last weekend, I was driving along Sejong-ro in downtown Seoul and got held up by the Christian protest that dominates the boulevard most Saturdays. I was on my way to meet two friends who had been foreign correspondents here in the 1980s. They were staying at a hotel nearby. The hotels downtown advise guests about protests, so they knew something was going on. Back in their day, a demo meant earnest students hurling broken paving stones and Molotov cockta

September 6, 2024

OPINION: The harsh process of becoming K-pop star is opening to western performers

SEOUL, Sept. 4 (AJP) - "Made in Korea: The K-Pop Experience" is a six-part reality show following five British trainees over 100 days as they debut as a Korean-pop (K-pop) idol boy group called Dear Alice. In collaboration with SM Entertainment, a K-pop powerhouse, the show will introduce the behind-the-scenes of making a K-pop idol through an immersive training system. Showing a glimpse of the lives of K-pop trainees, the first episode introduces K-pop as a multi-billion

September 4, 2024

OPINION: Brazil just banned X. Could other countries follow suit?

SEOUL, Sept. 3 (AJP) - Authorities in Brazil, the country with the world's fifth largest number of internet users, have banned the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter). The ban came into effect over the weekend. It followed a long-running battle between Elon Musk, the owner of X, and Brazil's Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes who had previously ordered the social media platform to block far-right users. The ban has outraged Musk. In the wake of it,

September 3, 2024