LOS ANGELES: Influential Newsletter Features ‘In the Middle of the Future’
The influential newsletter of the Pacific Century Institute, just published, features a story on the upcoming book “In the Middle of the Future: Tom Plate on Asia.” Written by the founder and editor in chief of The New Asia Media, the book is a sweeping review of the last two…
Full Article LOS ANGELES: Influential Newsletter Features ‘In the Middle of the Future’SINGAPORE: Malaysia Only Wants to be Friends in Secret
STEPHANIE GARCIA WRITES – As Singapore’s president, Dr. Tony Tan Keng Yam, made his first diplomatic visit to neighboring Malaysia, Singapore news outlets stressed the importance of a strengthened relationship, while Malaysia sang a better-off-without-you tune in its own media. The Straits Times and Singapore-based Channel News Asia stressed the value…
Full Article SINGAPORE: Malaysia Only Wants to be Friends in SecretJAPAN: Media Icon Defies Status Quo Amid Olympics Euphoria
JEREMIAH FAJARDO WRITES – While much of the nation celebrates its 2020 Summer Olympics bid win, one celebrity has done something surprising: speak out against the government. Norika Fujiwara, a popular model and actress, recently revealed her distaste for a proposed bill on her website. Referred to as the state…
Full Article JAPAN: Media Icon Defies Status Quo Amid Olympics EuphoriaCHINA: ‘Conversations with Ban Ki-Moon’ Published in Chinese
Popular Holdings, the Southeast Asian based publishing group, has announced the publication of ‘Conversations with Ban Ki-moon’ in simplified Chinese for Mainland marketing. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon spent many hours in confidential conversation with American journalist Tom Plate to produce a serious inside look at the United Nations from…
Full Article CHINA: ‘Conversations with Ban Ki-Moon’ Published in ChineseMYANMAR: Hackers Gonna Hack
ALEXANDRE GUIRAUD-COINTREAU WRITES – In the past few weeks, a group of cyber hackers has made a name for itself across the world. The Myanmar Muslim Cyber Force (MMCF), has been multiplying its attacks, as its Facebook page boastfully confesses. The group refers to its actions as “targeting all racist…
Full Article MYANMAR: Hackers Gonna HackAFGHANISTAN: Taliban Strike but was it a Big Deal?
VITTO BANEZ WRITES – A U.S. airfield was under attack! Late in the night of October 13, Taliban fighters launched several missiles in Bagram, an airfield north of the capital of Kabul. It’s still uncertain on how much of an impact the attack made. Reports on its effectiveness varied. A Taliban…
Full Article AFGHANISTAN: Taliban Strike but was it a Big Deal?LEBANON: Suicide on Film, Have They Crossed the Line?
NICOLE SABA WRITES – Imagine watching the evening news. With no warning and no disclaimer, a video of a woman committing suicide is aired. In a span of less than three minutes, you see a woman threatening to kill herself, while her husband, who is filming it all, pants and…
Full Article LEBANON: Suicide on Film, Have They Crossed the Line?CHINA: Blogging Crackdown
LEXIE TUCKER WRITES – Everything you type can and will be held against you. Microblogging has become insanely popular over the past few years in China, much like Twitter here in the US. Many critics on these micro blog sites have become online superstars whose millions of followers read, debate…
Full Article CHINA: Blogging CrackdownSouth Korea: Propaganda Disguised as Education?
RYAN LIPPERT WRITES – A new textbook awaiting publication by Kyohak Publishing Co. is now the subject of an intense argument between South Korean liberals and conservatives. On both sides, politicians, media personalities, and educators are making their opinions known. Following the South Korean Ministry of Education’s decision to require…
Full Article South Korea: Propaganda Disguised as Education?THAILAND: No Uniform, No Service
ELIZABETH NAAI WRITES – Do uniforms foster a collectivist culture, or a class system? Thammasat University’s second year student, nicknamed Aum Neko, believes forcing students to wear uniforms violates the individual’s freedom of expression. A relic of sexual objectification, and domination, Neko released a provocative campaign of posters exploring Thailand’s…
Full Article THAILAND: No Uniform, No ServiceBAHRAIN: Human Rights Violator Wants to Judge
ELODIE INTROIA WRITES – Earlier this month, the European Parliament issued a warning on deteriorating human rights in Bahrain. Despite its seemingly progressive human rights legislations, NGOs and the international media have exposed the tight grip the kingdom is keeping on its citizens. Bahrain is a beautiful island country where…
Full Article BAHRAIN: Human Rights Violator Wants to JudgeTHE SYRIAN ANGLE THE WORLD MEDIA MISSED
TOM PLATE WRITES – You have to admit that the timing of the Russian ploy to trip up (or at least drag President Obama’s feet on) any U.S. bombing of Moscow ally Syria was exquisite. I for one would now not only want to avoid playing Russian roulette with Vladimir…
Full Article THE SYRIAN ANGLE THE WORLD MEDIA MISSEDMYANMAR: A Buddhist Plan to Segregate Muslims
ELODIE INTROIA WRITES – Religious violence has flared in Myanmar for more than a year. Now a disturbing neo-Nazi-like movement has emerged that aims to contain the rights of minority Muslims. The man critics say is behind the effort: Buddhist monk Ashin Wirathu. Wirathu’s 969 Movement has been widely described as…
Full Article MYANMAR: A Buddhist Plan to Segregate MuslimsPHILIPPINES: Social Media Slaps Sticky Fingers in ‘Pork Barrel Scam’
LAUREN CHEN WRITES – Gone are the days of handing out flyers or haranguing your friends on the phone to support a worthy cause. Now all it takes to turn out a mega-march is a juicy scandal and populist call to arms on Facebook and Twitter. Filipinos gathered August 26…
Full Article PHILIPPINES: Social Media Slaps Sticky Fingers in ‘Pork Barrel Scam’PAKISTAN: At Prices This Low, Teens Can’t Afford Not to be Immoral
AUSTIN SZABO WRITES: You can’t trust your kids once the sun goes down. At least that’s what Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) officials say. The News reports that the Pakistani government has demanded wireless companies stop selling late-night cellphone packages to teenagers, claiming such deals will ultimately destroy the country’s culture. Their logic? Discount…
Full Article PAKISTAN: At Prices This Low, Teens Can’t Afford Not to be ImmoralNORTH KOREA: Did Porn put Popstar in Firing Line?
RYAN LIPPERT WRITES – A dozen North Korean musicians faced a government firing squad last month for allegedly making and selling porn. That might have gone unnoticed by the world if one of them hadn’t been Hyon Song-wol, national chanteuse and hottie former girlfriend of Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un. Conspiracy…
Full Article NORTH KOREA: Did Porn put Popstar in Firing Line?