March 26, 2012 Edition

The choice for the next World Bank president is not in the hands of those in the developing world who directly feels the influence of the bank, but is with the United States–the biggest shareholder-funder of the bank.

So when US president Barack Obama announced the surprise nomination of Dr. Jim Yong Kim, a former senior official of the World Health Organization, earlier nominees from Nigeria or Colombia, and even famous economist Jeffrey Sachs who nominated himself, may be sidelined.

Nominating Kim, however, is considered a compromise between pressures to keep an American or a non-American in the bank’s top post. Kim was born in South Korea but had an all-American childhood after his family moved to Iowa. He earned his medical and Ph.D. degrees at Harvard. Current president Robert Zoellick ends his term in June.

The World Bank is one of the active partners of the Philippine government in development efforts.

Read more on money.cnn.com and bbc.co.uk.

As expected, Leung Chun-ying was declared as Hong Kong’s incoming CEO on Sunday, March 25, after China’s leaders switched to support him, heeding public opinion and popular resentment of the former British colony’s billionaires amid soaring housing prices and widening rich-poor gap. Leung benefited from the scandals that hounded wealthy businessman Henry Tang, the initial frontrunner backed by Beijing and Hong Kong’s powerful tycoons. News of Tang’s extramarital affairs, an out-of-wedlock child, and the the discovery of an illegal underground entertainment den at his home hurt his chances. Street demonstrations, however, are expected to continue as many Hong Kongers desire to directly elect their leader. Beijing has promised universal suffrage for 2017, when Leung’s 5-year term ends. Leung, who was chosen by around 1,200 pro-Beijing elites, starts his 5-year reign in July.

Read about the recently concluded Hong Kong election and street demonstrations on Rappler.

Read Leung Chun-ying profile on Rappler.

The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. This is especially true for Nobel laureate and Myanmar opposition leader Aung Sang Suu Kyi who is joining for the first time since 1990 in the national elections, considered to be a crucial test of the government’s political reform goals.

She was vomiting and had a low blood pressure on Sunday, March 25, amid a punishing campaign schedule that involves long travels by land, and recently, by boat. Her doctors compelled her to rest amid bitter disappointment among her supporters and partymates.

She is vying for one of the 45 seats in parliament. 

Read more on Rappler and BBC.

Japan scores a cultural diplomacy success during cherry blossom seasons. Japan is known to use cherry trees as a gesture of goodwill, and Tokyo’s flower power diplomacy was in full bloom as visitors reveled in the famously short-lived beauty of the blooming pink and white cherry petals in key cities like Taipei and Washington.

In Taiwan, it’s a measure of the enormous cultural clout Japan wields on the island, second only to China in its impact. Japan’s 50-year rule over Taiwan was marked by brutal crushing of scattered resistance as well as economic development, but the Taiwanese still has generally favorable impression of their former ruler.

Japan plans to also plant its trees in dozens of other cities across the United States including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.

Read more on Rappler.

The movie adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ best selling novel, “The Hunger Games” made history when it opened to an astounding $155 million box office receipts on Sunday, March 25. It is now the third-best debut of all time, the best for any film opening outside of summer, and had the biggest opening for a non-sequel. This changes the fortunes of Lionsgate and gives the studio an instant tentople franchise. Lionsgate will make 3 more films by splitting the final book in Collins’ trilogy into 2 movies.

Read more on MSNBC, Washington Post and USA Today.

Jetstar Hong Kong, a unit of Australian flag carrier Qantas and China Eastern Airlines, will start flying short-haul routes in the world’s fastest growing aviation market in 2013. It targets Chinese flyers, as well as the profitable routes servicing Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia. Local carriers Air Asia Philippines and Cebu Pacific are already investing in new aircraft, route management systems, and other resources for these same routes, but the market potential is huge. China, the main target, has a low 5% penetration rate of budget airline service. Besides, competition should be good for customers.

Read more on Rappler, The Herlald Sun, and The Australian.

For the first time, US President Barack Obama visited the demilitarized zone that splits the Korean peninsula on Sunday, March 26, and peered through binoculars into North Korea where flags flew at half-staff to mark the 100-day anniversary of the death of Kim Jong Il.

He then described in strong words how the isolated North Korea remains in “a time warp,” as well as warned against the planned test-firing of a long-range missile considered a direct violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution that bans the testing of the technology being used in the rocket-powered satellite.

The issue is the overshadowing message of the 2-day international nuclear security summit in Seoul which is bringing together top officials from 54 countries including China and Russia.

Vice President Jejomar Binay is there to represent President Aquino.

Read more on Rappler here and here.

It was a sweet victory after months of title drought for Tiger Woods. The 14-times major winner his first PGA Tour victory since September 2009 on March 25 thanks to a 5-shot victory over Graeme McDowell in the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in Florida. He was quoted as saying, “I’m looking forward to using the momentum I’ve built here.”

Read more on BBC Sports and Sky Sports.

Chief Justice Renato Corona, who is facing an impeachment trial, denied a blog post of journalist Raissa Robles that he owns at least 2 properties in the United States. Corona insisted that the properties Robles cited — one located in Tampa, Florida and another in an upscale community in Mountainview in California — are owned by a friend. He said they stayed there during their previous visits and became their temporary maiming addresses. Robles cited US public records in her report.

Read more on Robles’ blog, on ABS-CBN and GMA.

Despite constant criticisms that the Philippine economy missed the boat due to “Noynoying” and underspending, President Aquino insisted that he and his government have done well in the last 21 months. Despite failing to sustain the 7.6% economic growth rate in 2010–Philippines slumped at 3.7% in 2011–he boasted about the series of international credit rating upgrades and record highs in the local stock market this year, as well as the long-term benefits of his bare-knuckled political fights against his opponents, including Chief Justice Renato Corona who is now facing an impeachment trial. His supporters, like Joel Rocamora, confirm that that President Aquino is “neither lazy nor mentally challenge.” But critics like Bayan Muna secretary general Renato Reyes are not assured, writing in a blog post that Aquino and his officials are not attuned to the needs of the poor.

Read more on Rappler here, here, and here.