KOREAN PENINSULA: RESPONDING TO SKEPTICISM ABOUT AN END-OF-WAR DECLARATION
MOON CHUNG-IN WRITES — Since South Korean President Moon Jae-in asked the international community to support formally declaring the end of the Korean War during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Sept. 21, the issue has been at the forefront of the government’s diplomatic efforts as Moon’s presidency…
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JAPAN: WILL GLOBAL TRAVELERS GET TO SEE THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS THIS YEAR?
BADER ZAINAL WRITES — Like many countries around the world, Japan has suffered significant negative impacts to its tourism industry during the COVID-19 pandemic, but signs of travel restrictions easing bring hope for recovery. The beauty and mystique of Japan have long enticed visitors from international locales, with tourism soaring…
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OMICRON OBSTACLES: JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
KAMRAN ALISHOV WRITES — The latest, most mutated strain of coronavirus, known as the Omicron, now casts a shadow over Asia’s gradual reopening. According to research, this new version has a higher infection rate, posing a threat to nations around the world. Officials in South Africa first reported Omicron (B.1.1.529)…
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IN MEMORY OF A JESUIT PRIEST: FR WILLIAM J FULCO
ASIA MEDIA INTERNATIONAL WRITES — William J. Fulco, SJ, died recently after a long illness – but after long and devoted service to this university. And, much like other Jesuits on this campus, he was a source of inspiration and ideas to those of us at AMI who’d need a bit of serious uplift from…
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THE SOLOMON ISLANDS: PROTESTS ROCK THE PEACE
DMITRY KOLESNIKOV WRITES – The Solomon Islands are going through dark times as police recover three dead bodies. On November 26, 2021, three people were found dead after a series of anti-government protests, causing Australia to send its military to help the government maintain control of the city following the…
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MIDDLE EAST: THE ILLICIT POPPY TRADE IN AFGHANISTAN
TESSA MULLER WRITES — Afghanistan’s economy is hugely dependent on the illicit poppy trade. This was true throughout the 20-year war with the US, and it continues to be true in the aftermath of U.S. troop withdrawal. One hundred days after the official withdrawal date, the Taliban now controls the…
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BOOK REVIEW: WINTER PASTURE (2021) – THE BEAUTY AND COMPLEXITY OF WALKING THE WORLD
ALEC FARMER WRITES – Nature is a brutal place with harsh conditions that can push anyone to their limits. Despite the vastness of its glory, nature can also be a place of unmatched serene beauty. This dichotomy of truths is ever-present for those who live and move alongside the Earth.…
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INTERVIEW WITH A UIGHUR: YES, HE SAYS, IT IS GENOCIDE
FRANCESCO FIMIANI WRITES — On November 4, 2021 I had the pleasure of interviewing Bugra Arkin, owner and founder of Dolan’s Uyghur Cuisine located in Alhambra, in East Los Angeles.. Prior to our interview, I sat down and had lunch at his restaurant. In the entrance you find a large…
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SESAME STREET: THE NEW ASIAN MUPPET THAT IS NO PUPPET
ALYSSA MONTALVO WRITES — The iconic and dearly loved children’s television show, ‘Sesame Street,’ will add its first Asian American muppet, named Ji-young, on Thanksgiving Day with its ‘See Us Coming Together: A Sesame Street Special.’ According to Channel News Asia (CNA), “At only seven years old, Ji-young is making…
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BOOK REVIEW: SO WE LOOK TO THE SKY BY MISUMI KUBO (2021)
ELLA KELLEHER WRITES — Is it possible that some relationships teeter on the edge of societal acceptance while others are too tame? Ranging from cosplay sex with an older, married woman to a couple that rarely touch each other, Misumi Kubo’s new novel explores five deeply intimate and intertwined stories…
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US-CHINA RELATIONS: HOW BARACK OBAMA CAN HELP AND HEAL THE RELATIONS
TOM PLATE WRITES — If fine oratory is a valuable art form, it is nonetheless becoming a lost one. Beware the mere glitter of charisma alone. In a politician, it is often no more than wrapping paper around a thin gift box of costume jewellery, but true orators can move…
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INDONESIA: A GENERATION’S FUTURE COMES OUT TO BEG
GABY RUSLI WRITES — Beggars roam the busiest streets of Indonesia’s capital cities, some with the intent to gather funds for a cause no one really knows much about, while others simply out of a desperate desire to survive. Imagine you’re a typical driver running errands on a Wednesday. You’ve…
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SAUDI ARABIA: WILL THIS BE THE HOST COUNTRY FOR EXPO 2030?
AHMAD ALSADHAN WRITES — The World Expo, held every five years for a duration of six months, is an event that gathers nations into one venue as a way of presenting solutions to current global challenges. Expo 2020, which was postponed by the pandemic, is currently being hosted by Dubai,…
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US-CHINA RELATIONS: START BY RECOGNIZING ITS ANIMAL NATURE
TOM PLATE WRITES — International peace and stability, more vital to survival than ever before in our enervating epoch of pandemic-proliferation and climate-deterioration, requires a collaborative community of responsibility. What is needed – urgently, obviously — is a global ethic of helping-out and digging-in for the common long haul rather…
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MALALA GETS HITCHED: A LOOK AT THE ISLAMIC NIKAH MARRIAGE CEREMONY
CRISTINA PEDLER WRITES — Malala Yousafzai, human rights activist and champion of women’s education, announced her marriage to the world via social media on November 9, 2021. The happy couple tied the knot during a Nikah ceremony – a legal agreement between bride and groom in her home of Birmingham,…
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LOS ANGELES: “HEAD IN THE CLOUDS” FESTIVAL FELT LIKE HEAVEN ON EARTH
JARED SIVILA WRITES — After such a long break from large crowds, the record label 88rising and its many talented artists took to the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, CA from November 6-7 for the annual Head in the Clouds festival. Having had to move online last year by streaming…
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