News : Thousands of Filipinos call for Arroyo ouster on 'people power' anniversary

MANILA, Philippines – Thousands of Filipinos took to the streets and flocked to churches Monday in a fresh wave of nationwide protests on the anniversary of a 1986 grass-roots revolt, calling for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to resign.

Left-wing protesters, Roman Catholic church-backed groups, students, teachers and others took part in anti-Arroyo rallies in 15 cities.

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News : S Korean leader vows pragmatism

South Korea's new president has pledged a "pragmatic" approach in dealing with his country's northern neighbour, shortly after being sworn into office.

Lee Myung-bak said on Monday he was willing to meet Kim Jong-il, the North's leader, to establish mutual respect and "make the lives of all 70 million Koreans happy" through unification.

"If it is to discuss these issues, then I believe the two leaders should meet whenever necessary and talk openly, with an open mind," he said at his inauguration."

We must move from the age of ideology into the age of pragmatism."

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News : Where are the happiest places on the planet?

In The Geography of Bliss, Eric Weiner set out to visit the happiest places on the planet. As a foreign correspondent for National Public Radio, he'd covered a multitude of catastrophes and maladies from more than 30 countries over the past two decades, and he decided it was time to investigate the other side of the story.

Using the ancient philosophers and the much more recent "science of happiness" as his guide, Mr. Weiner traveled the world in search of the happiest places.

He made his way from Iceland (one of the world's happiest countries) to Bhutan (where the king has made Gross National Happiness a national priority) to Moldova (not a happy place). He traveled to Switzerland, where he discovered the hidden virtues of boredom; to the tiny—and extremely wealthy—Persian Gulf nation of Qatar, where the relationship between money and happiness is laid bare; to India, where Westerners seek their bliss at the feet of gurus; to Thailand, where not thinking is a way of life; to a small town outside London where happiness experts attempt to "change the psychological climate."

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