Has China become the world’s best problem-solver ?

Rwandan President Paul Kagame.”The Chinese bring what Africa needs: investment and money for governments and companies, -China is investing in infrastructure and building roads”

The “west” gets  short shrift from the Rwandan leader in an article with a German newspaper..

“Western firms have to a large extent polluted Africa and they are still doing it”

and he claims that European and American investment is inextricably linked with aid.

His words come a few days after China won praise for it’s talks with North Korea to bring them back to the negotiating table.

On air: Should Bill Clinton have gone to North Korea?

Two US journalists detained in North Korea and sentenced to 12 years of hard labour have been pardoned after former US President Bill Clinton visited North Korean leader Kim Jong-il to ask for their release. According to reports, the reporters Laura Ling, 32, and Euna Lee, 36, who worked with US based internet broadcaster Current TV flew home with Mr. Clinton.

Human bargaining chips ?

Barack Obama says he’s “deeply concerned”  about the jailing of two American journalists in North Korea.

Euna Lee and Laura Ling have been given 12 years for  “hostile acts”  and illegal entry from China.

Back to the Fuchsia…

Fuchsia leaves our programme today, to re-join her chums on Newshour. Her love of Chinese food, heavy metal, gothic novels, Morris dancing and the Austin Powers films means she’s been an entertaining part of our team, and we’ll miss her.

Priya has put some ideas for today’s programme on the Talking Points page… have look at them.

Here’s some of my thoughts…

Talking points 27 June

Good morning! It’s a slightly bleary-eyed Priya blogging today after last night’s Euro 2008 semi final in an especially boisterous World Service bar. Thanks Mike and Bob for watching the blog while I slept.

It’s also Fuchsia’s last day on the programme 😦 From now on she will be far far away from us (sitting about three desks down at Newshour). So I’ll begin with her suggestion:

Is there anything wrong with swearing?

She has blogged about it already, so keep leaving your comments there.