One more country joins the ranks of so many that have fallen victim to a major terrorist attack in recent years. The Wednesday-night bombings of three luxury hotels in the Jordanian capital of Amman that killed 57 and injured more than 100 carried all the hallmarks of international terrorist organisation al-Qaeda: well-coordinated bombings against soft targets aimed at inflicting maximum civilian casualties and cause a staggering political and economic impact. The perpetrators of this despicable crime appear to have achieved all they set out to do.

OVERDRIVE: Ting-tong tips for steering clear of bird flu

Although I am now attending an international media conference in London, I have been keeping in touch with my friends around the world. They keep sharing with me horror stories they’ve heard about what could happen if a bird-flu pandemic breaks out and steps we can take to avoid getting sick.

A Turkish model for southern Thailand?

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is in Turkey today to meet with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The visit, which is of importance in many respects and more than many observers may think, comes at a time when Thailand’s restive South is ridden by violence and insurgency. As a secular and Muslim country, Turkey can provide Thaksin with some useful advice in his dealing with the Muslim South. There is a lot Thailand can learn from Turkey, and the Turkish model with respect to what is going on in its South. The countries have much in common.