[ban ki-moon] next secretary-general [probably]

Only just finished writing of ‘human pieces’ and here’s one already. The race to succeed Kofi Annan as U.N. secretary-general may be as good as over, diplomats said Monday, with South Korea's foreign minister so far ahead of five other candidates that time was running out for anyone new to emerge as a serious challenger. Ban Ki-moon first dreamed of becoming a diplomat when he met President Kennedy at the White House in 1962. As an 18-year-old student, he visited Washington on a program organized by the American Red Cross. His rural hometown of Chungju in central South Korea was so proud of their native son that he was honored on his departure by students at a girls' high school. One of those students - who presented him with bamboo strainers, a traditional symbol of good luck - became his wife. More on Ban here.