MARY GRACE COSTA WRITES – Melinda “Mei” Magsino-Lubis, 40, a former correspondent to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, was shot and killed in broad daylight in front of her home in Batangas Monday, April 13. The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) of the Philippines reports that the murderer shot Magsino-Lubis in…
YVONNE EPPS WRITES—Part of the reason why gender inequality is still a problem is due to our refusal to talk about it. In Vietnam, the discussion portal is open and someone is finally taking the podium. Thanh Nien News is on a roll with addressing gender inequality in the media.…
MIRANDA PAK WRITES – Twitter, which has been blocked in China since 2009, opened an office in Hong Kong on March 10. Tweeting was blocked in China because officials were worried that citizens would use social media for their own benefit and plan large anti-government protests. Despite what many people think,…
TRISTAN WILLENBURG WRITES– Western ideas clash yet again with Middle Eastern realities. Saudi Arabia will no longer issue or renew the visas of Swedish nationals and has withdrawn its ambassador from Stockholm in response to the comments of a senior Swedish official. An arms deal between the two countries has also fallen apart over the…
HAIG TER-GHEVONDIAN WRITES – According to an interview between Pakistani teacher Rubia Akram and Feminist: Stories from Women’s Liberation director Jennifer Lee, in 1947, during the war of independence in Pakistan, a woman named Dr. Fatima Jinnah fought alongside male soldiers. After the war ended, she became a national legend. Today she…
PEYTON CROSS WRITES- International Women’s Day has been observed since the early 1900s. Since then, it has grown in popularity as more countries have began observing and celebrating it. To commemorate the special day, The Independent Television Network (ITN) organized a special day-long program titled “Liya Waruna.” According to the ITN…
ANNIE LUNDGREN WRITES – “Marco Polo” is Netflix’s newest warfare-meets-orgy saga. Despite failing with critics, the historical melodrama was greenlit for a second season in January. Since Netflix does not release ratings data, it is safe to assume that the show is doing well among viewers. Marco Polo showcases Asian…
YVONNE EPPS WRITES— When the western world first saw the platypus, they were confused, but curious. Now, whenever we encounter strange animals in the media, we have the same reaction – but that curiosity is only satiated when those animals are actually real. A man in the northern province of…
YVONNE EPPS WRITES— We all have our poisons: Japan sips sake, Korea loves its Soju, the Philippines drink Tanduay rum. As for Vietnam, it would seem that they have finally reached their legal drinking age and the parental units are starting to feel uneasy. Out-of-state media sources have recently shown…
MIRANDA PAK WRITES- With all the tension and protests in Hong Kong, it’s not surprising that media censorship is on the rise. Two recent reports show the decline of Hong Kong’s press freedom. The PEN American Center, a literary society and human rights organization, released a report stating that media self-censorship…
HAIG TER-GHEVONDIAN WRITES – Pakistan’s flag is comprised of the colors green and white. The green represents the Muslim majority, while the white represents non-Muslim minorities. Together, they represent religious tolerance and unity – concepts on which the nation was founded. Such values are called into question, however, when cases…
YVONNE EPPS WRITES— It seems that 2015 is beginning to look promising for the modernization of Vietnam’s regime. It’s true that you can’t ban social media, but you can always issue regulations that squeeze the life out of the industry. Mike Ives of the New York Times recently wrote about…
SHUTING LI WRITES – In a country of 1.4 billion, with an extreme gender imbalance of 117.6 boys to every 100 girls, competition for love is fierce. But what do Chinese men think of when they imagine a traditionally beautiful woman? The primary factor to be considered is white skin. The…
YVONNE EPPS WRITES— Today’s generation would find it hard to imagine life without social media. And at least some people in the government seem to have caught on. According to TuoiTreNews, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung stated that authorities must provide “official and accurate information in a timely manner on…
YVONNE EPPS WRITES— Since the beginning of Fall, I’ve been bemoaning the lack of press freedom in Vietnam, beating this dead horse and watching talented journalists battle the nooses around their necks. However, this sad story is taking a turn. It’s about time someone with a powerful voice said something about this…
YVONNE EPPS WRITES — In a perfect world, there would be depth to the concept of press freedom in Vietnam. Unfortunately, all they have now is a shallow kiddy pool that is severely monitored by ‘helicopter’ parents. The issue is becoming much more complicated as the party is finding more…
