U.S. appoints first woman ambassador to Bahrain since 1971
By Habib Toumi MANAMA: The United States has appointed its first woman ambassador to Bahrain, breaking with a tradition that lasted since the diplomatic agreement between the two countries in 1971 and has included 19 male ambassadors. Bahrain in 2008 appointed a woman, Houda Ezra Nonoo, as its Ambassador to the United States, a role […]
On Memorial Day, South Korea honors its fallen heroes
By Habib Toumi Manama: On Thursday June 6, 2024, I will make sure that I will say a prayer for the Korean soldiers who died defending or in the service of their country. It is always painful for anyone to lose loved ones and for a nation to lose men and women in uniform or in […]
Ansan tops with natural beauty, vibrant living, futuristic education
Habib Toumi ANSAN: The stylish picture shows high-rise white buildings near lush multi-colored parks and wide, well-manicured highways with the bold message “Ansan: The best land to live under the sky.” The description is attributed to King Jeongjo (1752-1800), the 22nd King of Joseon, as he was impressed by the abundance of seafood and fertile […]
Korea’s renewable energy wonder: The Sihwa Tidal Power Plant – High energy capacity, low environmental impact
By Habib Toumi ANSANCITY: The comon view across teh globe is that power plants are associated with degrading the environment and spoiling the aesthetics of their surroundings. But, such a view does not stand in the Republic of Korea where the Sihwa Tidal Power Plant (TPP) has, to the contrary of the generally-held view, […]
WJC2024 conference: Should journalists welcome Artificial Intelligence, fear it, or both?
By Habib Toumi SEOUL: The second conference of the World Journalists Conference (WJC2024) in the Korean capital Seoul piqued my interest. It was a far cry from the first one that addressed “The Role of the Media in War Journalism and World Peace”, but failed to include any speaker from the Middle East, the region where […]
Incheon, City of International Peace, grand ambitions
By Habib Toumi INCHEON: Incheon Metropolitan City is set to become an international meeting point for people from across the world, its vice mayor has said. “Featuring the world’s best hub, Incheon International Airport, Incheon Part that serves as a logistics hub for Northeast Asia, , Incheon is South Korea’s key economic and international city […]
Korea’s Miracle OK Language School answers foreign workers’ prayers
By Habib Toumi Pocheon City, South Korea: In small groups of six and eight, the students sat avidly around a white table, taking in every word uttered by their teacher while pointing to white board filled with numbers and letters. The lesson on the proper use of Korean numbers was part of a curriculum to […]
Kyung-In Women’s University: Dedication to excellence is palpable
By Habib Toumi KYUNG-IN, KOREA: University campuses are usually noisily loud. The mobiles, the music, the brouhaha when sharing jokes, the uproar in the neighborhood … However, the campus of Kyung-In Women’s University (KIWU) is comfortably quiet and does not generate any noisy disturbance to the environment. Serene, peaceful and committed. This is roughly how […]
DMZ: The zone where the 1950-1953 Korean War never ended
By Habib Toumi SEOUL: As she was looking into North Korea from the Dora Observatory at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), Khadija was enveloped by an eerie feeling that mixed dramatic history with people’s tragedies without any regard for peace or compassion. She has never been so close to a highly fortified border with wire fences […]
Korean Folklore Village: The pull of history keeps traditions alive
By Habib Toumi SEOUL: Around 40 kilometers south of the skyscrapers and high-tech facilities that define the ultramodern Korean capital Seoul, a folk village displays more than 600 years of history, culture and values. For the visiting group participating in the World Journalists Conference, the Korean Folklore Village (KFV), a living open-air museum offered the […]
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Trump, Kim, and the Three P’s of Summit Diplomacy: 
