Interview: Francis Fukuyama

What's Tokyo to do?

Beyond the obvious, they need to get their act together. Japanese citizens are frustrated about getting essential information like, for one, radiation levels.

Japan's government has been paralyzed by infighting for years.

This could be an occasion for major renewal. I hope that happens, because, like us, Japan faces similar problems—a dire fiscal situation, aging population. Only theirs are far more severe.

Q. Sakamaki / Redux for Newsweek

Photos: Japan's Devastation

Aftermath

Will the Fukushima catastrophe squelch the global nuclear renaissance?

It already has. But it's too bad because it's just as dangerous to, say, be addicted to oil in the Middle East and every 10 years or so have to go to

Private jet business booms as unrest sweeps Mideast

Private jets, once playthings of the rich, have become a necessity for travellers in the restive Middle East and North Africa where commercial airlines have scaled back flights. Business is booming.

Banned by many firms as an extravagance after the global downturn, jets – some with gold-plated interiors, bedrooms and bathrooms – are vital for businessmen, diplomats, politicians and families wanting quick, discrete exits from trouble spots.

Airspace over the world’s No. 1 oil exporting region is buzzing, with passengers doling out as much as $18,000 for an hour-long flight on an 18-seater, after protests toppled rulers in Tunisia and Egypt this year and the unrest spread to Gulf states including Bahrain, Yemen, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

“During the peak of the Egypt unrest, we were flooded with calls,” said Shane O’Hare, president and chief executive of Royal Jet, based in Abu Dhabi.

“We had corporate customers,

Indian, Chinese Chambers of Commerce Sign 400 MoUs in Singapore

Mar. 29 – The Indian and Chinese Chambers of Commerce signed 400 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) on Monday in Singapore, signaling a strengthening of ties between Chinese and Indian industries as well as government.

The MoUs were signed between the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) and the Shanghai Representative Office of its counterpart, the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI).

“It is a step in the right direction in furthering businesses with China,” SICCI Chief Executive Harnek Singh said after signing the MoU.

Currently, there are 3,000 Chinese firms and more than 4,000 Indian firms

Japan’s losses open excellent prospects for Chile’s coho salmon

The coho or Pacific salmon spends most of its life in salt water (Photo by Ernest Keeley) Zoom Image

Chile, one of the world’s largest salmon exporters, is also one the few countries, including Japan, that produces and distributes coho salmon, or Pacific salmon, which spend most of their lives in salt water.

The recovering country will most likely look to Chile to make up for their losses, and will begin importing more salmon.

Last year Japan’s salmon

Serbia seeks extradition of former Bosnian general

BELGRADE, Serbia -- Serbia has submitted a request for the extradition of former Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Army General Jovan Divjak from Austria, Justice Minister Snezana Malovic announced Saturday (March 26th). Divjak was arrested at the Vienna airport in early March based on a warrant issued by Serbia. He is wanted in connection with a May 1992 attack in Sarajevo against Yugoslav National Army troops. (Tanjug, B92, Blic - 26/03/11)

Source: SETimes.com

ICJ hears Greece's arguments in Macedonia lawsuit

THE HAGUE, The Netherlands -- Greece on Thursday (March 24th) reiterated its opposition to Macedonia's EU and NATO accession unless the long-standing name dispute between the two countries is solved. Presenting her country's case over the dispute at The Hague-based International Court of Justice, Greek Foreign Ministry Legal Adviser Maria Telalian accused Skopje of harboring ambitions to take over territories of Greece. Macedonia brought the case, hoping the court would rule that Athens illegally vetoed Macedonia's NATO applications in 2008 over the name dispute, in violation of an agreement struck in 1995 to support Skopje's membership in international organisations under

Libyan Airspace Is Declared 'Under Control'

France declared Libya's airspace "under control" on Friday, after NATO agreed to take command of the no-fly zone in a compromise that appeared to set up dual command centers and possibly new confusion.

Representatives for Moammar Gadhafi's regime and the rebels were expected to meet formally for the first time Friday, in Ethiopia, in what the U.N. described as a part of an effort to reach a cease-fire and political solution.

Coalition warplanes struck Gadhafi's forces outside the strategic eastern gateway city of Ajdabiya. The overnight French and British strikes on an artillery battery and armored vehicles were intended to give a measure of relief to Ajdabiya, where residents have fled more than a week of shelling and fighting between rebels and government troops.

Enlarge Mahmud Turkia/AFP/Getty Images

Libyans attended a mass funeral at the Shati al-Hinshir cemetery in Tripoli for people who government officials said were killed by coalition attacks.

Mahmud Turkia/AFP/Getty Images

Libyans attended a mass funeral at the Shati al-Hinshir cemetery in Tripoli for people who government officials said were killed by coalition attacks.

French military officials said a warplane destroyed an artillery battery Friday, while Britain said its Tornado GR4 aircraft launched a number of guided missiles at Libyan armored vehicles.

Explosions also could be heard in Tripoli, the Libyan capital, before daybreak Friday, apparently from airstrikes.

"Libyan airspace is under control, and we proved it yesterday, because a Libyan plane in the hands of pro-Gadhafi forces, which had just taken off from Misurata in order to bomb Misurata, was destroyed by a French Rafale," Adm. Edouard Guillaud said on France-Info radio.

On Thursday, France's Defense Ministry said on its website that the plane had been destroyed on the ground shortly after landing.

Planning For NATO Command

NATO's military staff is drawing up detailed plans to assume full control of the no-fly zone over Libya in coming days.

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March 25, 2011

NATO To Enforce No-Fly Zone Over Libya

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NATO envoys decided late Thursday to maintain the no-fly patrols as authorized by a U.N. Security Council resolution last week. They also instructed the military staff to draw up plans for replacing the coalition air force in carrying out airstrikes against Gadhafi's forces.

An official who asked not to be identified because of NATO rules said the alliance was hoping to launch both operations simultaneously within the next couple of days. NATO's top decision-making body still has to approve the airstrike plans. It meets on Sunday.

The no-fly zone has been in effect for nearly a week, and the U.S. has been eager to turn over command. NPR's Tom Bowman said there are currently two missions: One is to prevent the Libyan air force from attacking civilians; the other is to protect civilians from regime ground troops and safeguard the rebel-held city of Benghazi.

Related NPR Stories

Financial Sanctions Part Of Arsenal Against Gadhafi March 25, 2011

NATO Agrees To Enforce No-Fly Zone Over Libya

A senior Pentagon official said the handover could happen as soon as the weekend.

In Libyan Conflict, Is Endgame A Stalemate?

Rebels are disorganized; allies are unwilling to expand strikes to go beyond protecting civilians.

NATO has taken over command of the first mission, but it's still not clear when the alliance will take over the second mission. U.S. Secretary of State

Kat Dennings: 'I'm not concerned with fame'

Kat Dennings has explained that she has never concerned herself with the acclaim that often accompanies celebrity status.

The 24-year-old actress began her career at an early age, appearing on an episode of Sex And The City and starring alongside Bob Saget in Raising Dad while she was a teenager.

In an interview with Complex Magazine, Dennings expressed her belief that retaining humility is key to dealing with success.

"People make the mistake of drinking the Kool-Aid, believing your own hype, letting people tell you you're this or you're that or you're too this," the Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist

Evra moving on from World Cup scar

Patrice Evra concedes he will always "live with the scar" of his role in France's World Cup debacle last year.

But he is nevertheless determined to become a positive force for Les Bleus in the future.

The Manchester United full-back was last week recalled to the national side by France boss Laurent Blanc, nine months on from captaining a squad that became overwhelmed by infighting and indiscipline in South Africa.

The revolt against former France coach Raymond Domenech left a bitter aftertaste, with Evra identified as one of five ringleaders in the disharmony and handed a five-match ban.

The 29-year-old's

US ready to help Chile solve human rights crimes but no apology for 1973 events

Richard Nixon; Salvador Allende and Eduardo Frei Montalva Zoom Image

It was the first question at Obama joint news conference with Chilean President Sebastian Piñera. A Chilean reporter asked if Obama would share classified U.S. documents with Chilean judges investigating the deaths of former presidents Salvador Allende and Eduardo Frei Montalva as well as hundreds of other opponents of the dictatorship (1973/1990).

The reporter also asked Obama if he would apologize for the US campaign, led by the Central Intelligence Agency under orders from President Richard Nixon that destabilized Chile and encouraged

How many of us are there, anyway?

It is counting time for Southeast Europe, as 2011 is the year of the population census.

By Natasa Radic for Southeast European Times in Zagreb -- 21/03/11

The census is designed to gather detailed information about current residents.

Within months, at least on paper, most countries in the region will have an updated count of their people, as well as new information on social, religious, national and ethnic demographics.

Croatia will be among the first countries to hold its census, beginning on April 1st and ending four weeks later. Roughly 15,000 people will collect the data, with results to be published on June 30th.

Censuses don't come cheap, however -- Croatia's is expected to cost 23.6m euros. The questionnaire itself has 45 questions, including some that may be unexpected.

People will be asked if they know how to use the computer, if they use the internet and if they communicate via email. This is to profile the nation's computer literacy. In addition, each individual will be asked how he or she commutes to work -- via public transportation or by car.

There are more personal questions as well. Apart

Workers In Japan Seeing Success In Cooling Reactors

After a week of disasters and setbacks, power plant workers and military personnel at the Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant made some progress today in cooling over-heated fuel rods.

On Friday, U.S. officials warned those rods posed the most urgent danger of radiation leakage into the environment because the water that is supposed to cover them – keeping them cool and shielding their radiation – had largely drained away.

Unlike the nuclear fuel inside the plant's reactors, the rods in the storage pools are not walled off by containment vessels, and the buildings they're in have been heavily damaged by explosions and fires. That allows radioactive gases to escape directly into the environment.

But NPR's Christopher Joyce in Tokyo reports that seawater sprayed from water cannons has succeeded in lowering temperatures in the storage pools.

Workers were also able to back away from a planned release of radioactive gases at the facility's troubled No. 3 reactor because pressure within the reactor stabilized after mounting ominously earlier.

NPR's Science Desk Explains ...

What Went Wrong With Japan's Nuclear Reactors

Officials are scrambling to get water into the Japanese reactors to cool the nuclear cores.

Tracking The Latest At The Fukushima Nuclear Plant

The latest updates on each of the reactors at the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility.

They also brought electrical power to the No. 2 reactor from what was essentially a mile-long extension cord, and planned to extend the power to other reactors.

However, it isn't yet clear whether the power will be able to reactivate pumps and other equipment needed to cool the reactors and adjacent storage pools for radioactive fuel rods. Much of that equipment may have been damaged by the 20-foot tsunami that inundated the power plant on March 11.

Hundreds more workers have been brought in to the afflicted plant, bringing the total to 500. For most of the past week, 170 workers have

Radioactive iodine in Tokyo water

TRACES of radioactive iodine were detected in tap water in Tokyo in the wake of the emergency at the Fukushima quake-hit nuclear power plant.

Abnormal levels of radioactive iodine were also found in the water supply in the central prefectures of Gunma, Tochigi, Saitama, Chiba and Niigata, said an official at Japan's science ministry, which is monitoring radiation levels.

But the levels were far below Japan's legal limit, said the official, who did not want to be named.

Earlier the government said it had discovered abnormal levels of radiation that exceeded the legal limit in milk and spinach from areas near the stricken plant, but they posed no immediate threat to humans.

Source: News.com.au

Demand for Luxury Goods Spilling Over Into China’s 2nd and 3rd Tier Cities

By Jennifer Park

Mar. 18 – Japan is still the largest luxury goods market, but it won't be for long as the sustained influx of high-end stores continues to spread across China.

According to research conducted by CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets, China is forecasted to become the world's foremost luxury goods market by 2020, with total expected sales amounting to US$100 billion. In 2009, annual sales were US$9.4 billion, accounting for 27.5 percent of global luxury goods consumption.

While high-end goods were previously concentrated in the country's major cities like Beijing and Shanghai, the desire to acquire luxury items is starting to spread

New Republic: In Bachmann, A Serious Contender

Enlarge Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) speaks at CPAC in February in Washington, D.C. Although no GOP candidates for the 2012 presidential election have been announced, Bachmann is among the names of those who may be weighing a decision to run.

Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) speaks at CPAC in February in Washington, D.C. Although no GOP candidates for the 2012 presidential election have been announced, Bachmann is among the names of those who may be weighing a decision to run.

Ed Kilgore is a special correspondent for The New Republic.

As the 2012 Republican presidential field finally takes shape over the next few months, one thing is fairly certain: An intensely ideological female politician closely identified with the Christian Right and with the Tea Party movement, someone liberals love to hate, will define the race. But surprisingly, it's increasingly likely that person will be Michele Bachmann rather than Sarah Palin. The former Alaska governor has been deliberately opaque about her plans, but she looks ever less interested in running for president — and even if she is quietly hankering for a White House bid, her approval ratings have been sliding steadily among Republicans as well as the public at large (worse, a vast majority of Americans think she is unqualified to be president). That leaves an opening for Congresswoman Bachmann, the Tea Party firebrand from Minnesota, who is almost an improved version of Sarah Palin: even more right-wing, which appeals to the base, but also lacking many of Palin's fatal political flaws.

The parallels between Bachmann and Palin are hard to ignore, up to and including their backgrounds as minor beauty pageant contestants. Both women are politically rooted in the anti-abortion movement, having earned the loyalty of anti-choicers by "walking the walk" — Palin by carrying to term a child with a severe disability, and Bachmann by serving as a foster parent to 23 children (in addition to her own five), plus walking a few abortion clinic picket lines over the years. Both candidates are heroes of the Tea Party movement (Bachmann is the founder of the House Tea

Canada bows out with loss to Australia

Shane Watson and Brad Haddin put on a commanding opening stand of 183 to lead Australia to a seven-wicket win over Canada on Wednesday, lifting the defending World Cup champion atop Group A with one game remaining.

After failing to bowl out Kenya on Sunday, Australia's high-profile attack endured an early batting onslaught from fearless teenager Hiral Patel, who bludgeoned a dazzling 37-ball half century that helped Canada reach 50 faster than any team in the tournament.

But Brett Lee took 4-46 to lead the Australian recovery as Canada was bowled out for 211 in 45.4 overs.

Watson (94) and Haddin (88) recorded Australia's best opening partnership at a World Cup as the three-time defending champion reached its target in the 35th over, finishing 212-3.

Australia took its unbeaten World Cup run to 34 matches and remains the only side without defeat at the

Report finds Notre Dame committed violations in death of film student

A four-month investigation into a student's death has found the University of Notre Dame did not maintain safe working conditions and failed to heed wind warnings when the hydraulic lift he was standing on to film football practice toppled over in winds gusting over 80 kilometres an hour.

Indiana Department of Labor Commissioner Lori Torres said Tuesday that the school will be fined $22,500 for five violations, including failing to properly train Declan Sullivan, the 20-year-old junior film student from the Chicago suburb of Long Grove, Ill. who died in the Oct, 27 accident.

She said the university also was

Japan Disaster Casts Dark Cloud Over Global Economy

Japan is struggling to prevent a full meltdown of reactors at a nuclear plant following Friday's devastating earthquake. A second explosion was heard at the facility in Fukushima Monday. The country is still reeling from last week's damage caused by the massive quake and tsunami, which hit its northeastern region. Host Michel Martin speaks with Wall Street Journal economics reporter Sudeep Reddy about the likely impact of the catastrophe on both the Japanese and global economies. They also discuss creative solutions proposed by Tell Me More's Facebook fans, for reducing the budget deficit in the U-S.

Source: NPR : National Public Radio

Kerry Katona 'back on the beef curries'

© Rex Features

Kerry Katona has reportedly started comfort eating to deal with her axe from Dancing On Ice.

The reality star has put on a stone since her elimination from the skating competition because her shoulder injury means that she cannot exercise, the Daily Star Sunday reports.

A source said: "She had been eating like a sparrow for months but now she's back on the beef curries and is eating crisps, chocolate and sweets to cheer herself up. Just as things seem to be going well for her, something always seems to go wrong.

"Kerry is in

West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin Goes Rogue

Enlarge Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin took a swipe last week at the president's leadership on budget talks, rankling fellow members of his party. The senator is shown sitting by himself last week in the House of Representatives as he awaited an address to a joint session of Congress by the Australian prime minister.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin took a swipe last week at the president's leadership on budget talks, rankling fellow members of his party. The senator is shown sitting by himself last week in the House of Representatives as he awaited an address to a joint session of Congress by the Australian prime minister.

It's not often that a newly elected senator goes rogue and delivers a stinging rebuke of the president of the United States — especially when they're both from the same party. Yet that's exactly what West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin did last week.

On Tuesday, the 63-year-old former governor of West Virginia, who now holds the seat of the late legendary Sen. Robert C. Byrd, rose on the Senate floor and held forth on the partisan battle over federal spending that's tied lawmakers in knots and threatened to shut down the government.

"Now, I may be just a freshman senator, but I'll be blunt — this whole process does not make a lot of sense to me," he said. "And I'm afraid it doesn't make sense to a lot of West Virginians, or a lot of our fellow Americans."

The debate [over the budget] will be decided when the president leads these tough negotiations. And right now, that's not happening.

- West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin

Manchin spoke shortly before the Senate voted on rival bills to keep the government in business. One, passed by House Republicans, chopped $61 billion from federal programs over the next six months, what Democrats called the meat ax approach to austerity; the Democrats proposed far more modest cuts. Everyone, including Manchin, knew in advance that both measures would be rejected. But Congress, he said, can't break this stalemate.

"This debate, as important as it is, will not be decided by House Republicans or by Senate Democrats negotiating with each other — or past each other," Manchin said. "The debate will be decided when the president leads these tough negotiations. And right now, that's not happening."

Later, in an interview, Manchin explained his presidential tongue-lashing.

"As the governor, I had to put budgets together," he said. "You have to basically sit down with the parameters and put your priorities in what we believe. And that's all I'm asking."

But Manchin's swipe at the president rankled fellow Democrats. When asked about it, West Virginia's other Democratic senator, Jay Rockefeller, would only say, "It's a nice day." And Majority Leader Harry Reid defended the president.

Sex offender Jailed

A 35-year-old man convicted of child abuse has been sentenced to 14 years imprisonment.

Rajwinder Dhami of Whinfell Way, Gravesend, Kent was found guilty of over 20 serious sexual offences, including rape and was sentenced at Coventry Crown Court.

The offences took place in Coventry over a ten year period between 2000 and 2010.

Investigating Officer Detective Constable Helen Waite said: "The victim in this case has been extremely brave to come forward to the police and to partake in the court case by telling us about the traumatic experience he endured for a number of years. The sentence passed reflects the gravity of the offences,"

"However, it's important offenders aren't able to escape

British Asian Nabi signs pro contract with West Brom

WEST Bromwich Albion's British Asian youngster Adil Nabi has signed his first professional contract with the club.

17-year-old Nabi is a product of West Brom's academy, and has signed a two-year deal to keep him at the club until June 2013.

West Brom sporting & technical director Dan Ashworth said: "I'm delighted Adil has signed his first pro contract.

"It highlights the hard work he and his family have put in and is another step on the ladder to him hopefully getting in and around the first team.

"I remember Adil playing for our reserves as a 14-year-old in a pre-season match at Hereford. We're really pleased with the progress he has made and hope it will

2012 Olympic Ticket scam warning

WITH just one week to go until the ticketing process for the Olympic Games opens, new advice has been launched to make sure it’s the criminals who miss out.
The rise in the use of the internet to purchase tickets and accommodation packages online, coupled with the huge expected demand, gives criminals new opportunities to sell non-existent tickets and steal personal and credit card details to use in other crimes.
Over 8 million tickets will be made available for the Olympic Games and a further 2 million for the Paralympics. The ticket process for the Olympic Games opens on 15 March and runs until 26 April. By taking some simple steps anyone buying a ticket can help prevent themselves from becoming a victim.
Acting Supt Joanne Chilton from West Midlands

Coldplay deny October release date rumour

© Rex Features

Coldplay have denied rumours that they were planning to release their next album in October.

Having been confirmed for headline slots at this year's Glastonbury and T in the Park festivals, fans began speculating that the 'Viva La Vida' band were gearing up to release new material.

Following an announcement that no new material would be played by Coldplay this summer, a user of the band's online forum claimed that the fifth studio album would be released in October.

However, a spokesperson for the band has now come forward and confirmed to MTV that: "A

Toledo leads in Peruvian presidential election opinion polls

Presidential hopeful Alejandro Toledo could repeat next April 10. Zoom Image

The Datum poll shows Toledo with 29% vote intention (up one percentage point) while Ms Fujimori and Castañeda are tied at 18%, having lost one percentage point from the previous poll. Ultra nationalist Ollanta Humala, (who lost to current president Alan Garcia in the run-off in 2006) figures with 13% (up two percentage points) and liberal economist Pablo Kuczynski is also up two full points from 5%

Foreign ministers of Austria, Slovenia, Bulgaria to visit BiH

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) – The foreign ministers of Austria, Slovenia and Bulgaria -- Michael Spindelegger, Samuel Zbogar and Nikolay Mladenov respectively-- will visit Sarajevo on Monday (March 7th) to meet with members of the BiH tripartite presidency and representatives of the international community. Ahead of the visit, the three diplomats said that BiH needs to form governing bodies at all levels as soon as possible. In a joint article published in Nezavisne Novine on Saturday, they urged Bosnian leaders to focus their efforts on meeting goals related to EU rapprochement, stressing that BiH belongs in the EU. (Radio

Energy prices for Chilean business the highest in three years

Hydroelectric production was down to 42% of total output in February Zoom Image

February was the most expensive month in almost three years, according to figures from Chilean bank BICE Inversiones. The last time energy prices were this high was during the 2008 drought.

The average marginal cost of the electrical system rose to US$242.70 per megawatt in February, which reflects a 75% increase since February 2010 and a 39% increase since last January. During the 2008 drought the

Alex Ferguson appeals against FA charge of improper conduct

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson appealed against a charge of improper conduct by the Football Association on Friday following his criticism of a referee.

Ferguson was furious with match official Martin Atkinson's performance in United's 2-1 defeat to Chelsea in the Premier League on Tuesday, saying his team didn't get a “fair or strong referee.”

“Sir Alex has responded to the FA today to deny the charge of improper conduct,” United said.

Both United and the FA said Ferguson has requested a personal hearing, which will take place no later than March 25.

If Ferguson is found guilty, he would

Trevor Gillies missed the NHL's message

Globe Hockey columnist Eric Duhatschek and Montreal-based sports reporter Sean Gordon join host Darren Yourk to discuss Islander enforcer Trevor Gillies's latest transgression, the Bob Probert findings and a quiet trade deadline.

— AP2001

Play audio Hockey podcast Mar. 3

Download (.mp3)

Source: The Globe and Mail

Hamilton close to management choice

Lewis Hamilton is close to announcing the management team who will guide his career over the next few years.

It is now 12 months since Hamilton stunned Formula One by ditching father Anthony as his manager.

Anthony had previously been by Lewis' side every step of the way, from his early days in karting onto becoming F1 world champion in 2008.

The stunning decision effectively left Hamilton rudderless through last season, but after a year under his own steam, he is poised to finally allow a third party to act for him.

IMG, who include Tiger Woods and Roger Federer

House GOP Reverses Democrats Green Initiative

Republicans have re-introduced the plastic foam coffee cup, which was banned by Democrats four years ago. The Republicans are phasing out the Democrat's green program, which also requires the use of biodegradable utensils and trays.

Source: NPR : National Public Radio