LEBANON CRISIS: AT LEAST THE EUROPEAN UNION IS NOT ASLEEP
BOOK REVIEW: SIREN QUEEN (2022) BY NGHI VO — IN THE LAND OF STARLETS AND MONSTERS
GABY RUSLI WRITES— Do you have what it takes to become the next big thing? If so, would you do anything to have your shot at stardom? Translated into English, Siren Queen (2022) by Nghi Vo chronicles Luli Wei – a girl born and raised in a stereotypical traditional Chinese laundromat family in the pre-Code…
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K-POP ASIA: STILL EXPLODING,YES – BUT NOT ALWAYS SO KOREAN
YUKANA INOUE WRITES – On the surface, the recently debuted girl group XG appears to be like any other K-Pop girl group. Upon closer examination, however, one quickly finds that all seven members — Jurin, Chisa, Hinata, Juria, Cocona, Maya and Harvey — are Japanese and their production company, Xgalx,…
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ASSIGNMENT CHINA: MIKE CHOY’S ENGROSSING ORAL HISTORY
AMI FOUNDER TOM PLATE WRITES – Over the decades, even during rare warmish breaks in the tundra of US-China relations, I do not think I ran across a single American foreign correspondent who claimed that their Beijing posting was an easy job. The other day, while thoroughly enjoying former CNN…
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BOOK REVIEW: CUSTOMS (2022) BY SOLMAZ SHARIF – LIMBO BETWEEN BORDERS
ANGELINE KEK WRITES — A dwelling, a city, a country — a space synonymous with belonging. Wherever you go, you can relish in the comfort of a home to return to. What happens when that is no longer true? Solmaz Sharif is an Iranian American poet, whose family immigrated to…
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NO GLORY IN BULLYING: SOUTH KOREA HAS TO TAKE STOCK
ALI ZANE WRITES – The Netflix original series “The Glory” has provided viewers with a new perspective on the trauma that school violence victims carry throughout their lives. “The Glory,” produced by Netflix and Hwa&Dam Pictures – a Korean drama production company with an impressive list of works and a…
Full Article NO GLORY IN BULLYING: SOUTH KOREA HAS TO TAKE STOCK
PERSISTENT, URGENT PLEAS FOR DIALOGUE ACROSS THE PACIFIC: WHY DEMONIZATION IS THE ENEMY OF PEACE
SPENCER H KIM WRITES – Thirty-six years ago I helped co-found the Pacific Century Institute (PCI). Our goal was to build “bridges of understanding” between the peoples living on the vast Pacific Rim because we saw the coming century as the “Pacific Century.” That this is now the Pacific Century…
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SOUTH KOREA: ALL WORK AND NO PLAY?
MICHELLE CHANG WRITES – When the clock strikes 5:00pm, people finish their last emails, close their computers, and head out after a long day at work. At least, that’s what is normally expected; but a recent proposal under review by South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol would mandate a maximum 69-hour…
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MUSIC REVIEW: DON’T BLAME THE WILD ONE (2022) – THE POWER OF THE OUTCAST
SARAH LOHMANN WRITES — “Who are we to say that we are not enough?” Ena Mori asks this of listeners in “WHITE ROOM,” the tenth track of her sonically stunning LP, DON’T BLAME THE WILD ONE! (2022). The LP flows through an eclectic soundscape with passion-charged lyrics and production. According…
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CENTRAL ASIA: BIG ENOUGH FOR TWO BIGS?
AMANI ALAWWAD WRITES – After the recent summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Xi made a surprising move by calling a meeting of Central Asian countries March 22. Was this an audacious power play aimed at expanding its influence in the region? The meeting, held…
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CHINA AND ITS NEIGHBORS: HOW ELSE MIGHT IT DECIDE TO STRIKE BACK?
GONZALO REYES MONTANO WRITES – The United States is not the only country deeply concerned with the direction of China’s potential. Consider the substantially increased military spending plans proposed by the current government of the United Kingdom, based upon the fear of imminent danger posed by China. But what is…
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BASEBALL: JAPAN’S AMAZING OHTANI RISES AGAIN
JARED D’AGOSTINO WRITES – It seems like just yesterday …what a game! On March 21st, 2023, Shohei Ohtani led Team Japan against Mike Trout and Team USA in the final of the World Baseball Classic. Ohtani and Trout are considered two of baseball’s very best players and were put on…
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MIDDLE EAST STABILITY: DOES CHINA PLAY A SMARTER GAME?
NASER ALMESHARI WRITES – China’s success in brokering the Saudi Arabia-Iran peace treaty signifies the possibility of its expanding role in the Middle East. Beijing’s initiative in mediating the discussion between the two conflicting countries marks its first significant attempt at establishing a prominent position in the region. China successfully…
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INDIA: WHERE WOMEN’S RIGHTS ARE LEFT HANGING BY A THREAD … AND A SAFETY PIN
ADAM ESCLAMADO WRITES – One would not think of a humble safety pin as a tool for self-defense; yet a movement in India has thousands of women on social media platforms claiming to have utilized the pins to ward off attackers. Originally intended to keep together bits of clothing, the…
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CHINA: A DARING DIPLOMATIC DEEP DIVE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
ANYA CHINAPPI WRITES – On Friday, Mar. 10, after seven years of tension, Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations in a deal brokered by China. The agreement was reached in Beijing after four days of previously undisclosed talks between the rival countries. With the current strain in…
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NEW ZEALAND’S GREAT VAPE ESCAPE: OUTLOOK CLOUDY
JACOB VILLEGAS WRITES -New Zealand health officials are calling for vapes in New Zealand to be sold solely at pharmacies and/or to require a prescription for them, as a result of the rising number of teens picking up the unhealthy habit. This comes after New Zealand introduced the world’s first…
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