Laos Land Grabs: Deutsche Bank Backs Ruthless 'Rubber Lords'

Laos Land Grabs: Deutsche Bank Backs Ruthless 'Rubber Lords'

SPIEGEL ONLINE - May 15, 2013

Vietnamese companies have been ruthlessly taking advantage of Laotian locals and their environment to create vast rubber plantations. The "rubber lords" are also getting support for the land grabs from Germany's Deutsche Bank, which is violating its ethics and sustainability policies, critics say. By Martin Hesse, Jörg Schmitt and Wieland Wagner more... Comment ]

War Angst and Karaoke: Daily Life as Bizarre As it Gets in South Korea

War Angst and Karaoke: Daily Life as Bizarre As it Gets in South Korea

SPIEGEL ONLINE - May 09, 2013

North Korea threatens to start a nuclear war, while South Korea dances Gangnam style. Those are the clichés. War has never been this close, but Koreans in Seoul confront their fears by going about a bizarre version of everyday life, complete with truffle pasta and super-smart phones. By Ullrich Fichtner in Seoul more... Comment ]

Crisis in Korea: Obama Must Change US Approach to Stop Kim

Crisis in Korea: Obama Must Change US Approach to Stop Kim

SPIEGEL ONLINE - April 05, 2013

North Korea's most recent irrational behavior has made clear the government's indifference to sanctions. Some believe China is the only country that can talk Pyongyang into toning down its rhetoric. In reality the United States can do much more to calm the situation. A Commentary by Andreas Lorenz more... Comment ]

Atavistic Abe: Japan's PM Courts Old Dangers

Atavistic Abe: Japan's PM Courts Old Dangers

SPIEGEL ONLINE - January 17, 2013

Japan's once and current prime minister, Shinzo Abe, is determined to restore his country to its former greatness. Apart from focusing on its ailing economy, the nationalist leader is talking tough with its much stronger neighbors. By Wieland Wagner more... Comment ]

The Greece of Asia: Japan's Growing Sovereign Debt Time Bomb

The Greece of Asia: Japan's Growing Sovereign Debt Time Bomb

SPIEGEL ONLINE - January 03, 2013

The eyes of the financial world are on Greece and other heavily indebted euro-zone countries. But Japan is in even worse shape. The country's debt load is immense and growing, to the point that a quarter of its budget goes to servicing it. The government in Tokyo has done little to change things. By Anne Seith more... Comment ]

Power in the Pacific: Stronger Chinese Navy Worries Neighbors and US

Power in the Pacific: Stronger Chinese Navy Worries Neighbors and US

SPIEGEL ONLINE - September 14, 2012

China and the US seem to be on a collision course in the Pacific. Beijing is significantly bolstering its navy, and Washington is shifting its military focus to the Asia-Pacific Region. Many fear it could alter the balance of power in a region rich in oil and crucial for global trade. By Bernhard Zand more...

History Repeating: Communists Drive Out Vietnamese Cook

History Repeating: Communists Drive Out Vietnamese Cook

SPIEGEL ONLINE - January 11, 2012

Vo Van Than arrived in France in 1979 after fleeing the Communist government of Vietnam. His rage against the regime dissipated only with time and the happiness he found in cooking. But now the government has tried to cast him out again, this time as manager of a popular Paris restaurant. By Mathieu von Rohr more...

Thailand's Heavy Monsoons: Bangkok Evacuates as Floodwaters Rise

Thailand's Heavy Monsoons: Bangkok Evacuates as Floodwaters Rise

SPIEGEL ONLINE - October 31, 2011

Historically severe floods in the heart of Thailand have crept into Bangkok. A third of the nation stands underwater and the last decade of development has left the capital without natural defenses such as forests and grasslands. The country's new prime minister is struggling to show a brave face. By Thilo Thielke in Bangkok more...

SPIEGEL Interview with Aung San Suu Kyi: 'We Have to Tackle This -- With Peaceful Means'

SPIEGEL Interview with Aung San Suu Kyi: 'We Have to Tackle This -- With Peaceful Means'

SPIEGEL ONLINE - November 22, 2010

In a SPIEGEL interview, Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi discusses her house arrest, which lasted for more than seven years, overcoming fears of the military regime and her continuing fight for freedom. By Thilo Thielke more...

Cambodia's Version of the Nuremberg Trials: Was Verdict in First Khmer Rouge Case Too Lenient?

Cambodia's Version of the Nuremberg Trials: Was Verdict in First Khmer Rouge Case Too Lenient?

SPIEGEL ONLINE - July 27, 2010

The Khmer Rouge tribunal in Cambodia delivered its first verdict this week. Although Kaing Guek Eav will remain in prison for many years, the judges reduced his sentence substantially for time already served. Still, it's the next and most important case that will determine whether the tribunals are any more than a $150 million farce funded by the international community. A Commentary by Erich Follath more...