The Mourning of Pakistan's Activist

     This week I will be blogging about a prominent female activist who was murdered by two gunmen in Pakistan. Sabeen Mahmud was an activist that surrounded herself with books, people, and discussions about technology, human rights and women's entrepreneurship, according to CNN. She was a free soul that introduced others to street art and talked about books and politics. She was an advocate for free speech. Sabeen owned a little second-floor cafe where she welcomed any who wanted to talk about politics and human rights. Apparently last week Sabeen had just closed her cafe and had stopped a red light when two gunmen in a motorcycle shot her and her mother, Mehnaz Mahmud inside the car. The car was filled with lots of blood and broken glass. Sabeen suffered from 5 bullet wounds and died on her way to the hospital. Her mother was also injured but is expected to be released from the hospital in time for her daughter's funeral. According to CNN, Sabeen had just finished given a forum about the country's restive Balichistan region, which is the home to a long -running insurgency. There is speculation that this action might have enticed the attack. Pakistan is now mourning a person that stood up for beliefs and touched many hearts. Street artists have now taken up walls around Pakistan and shown their love for her through art.


http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/25/asia/pakistan-free-speech-activist-sabeen-mahmud-killed/index.html


http://time.com/3835706/sabeen-mahmud-pakistan-activist-killed/

Japan is a little creepy...

    So this week my article is about a life-like android robot that will be working as a receptionist at a major department store in Tokyo. Mitsukoshi Nihombashi is one of the first department stores to have   a life-like robot to greet customers as they walk in.  The robot's "Aiko Chihira" made her first appearance this week to the media and customers. The department store hopes that this new addition will be able to help customers by giving directions and that it will boost store campaigns. Toshiba is the company that is developing the technology behind this robot. Right now Aiko Chihira can only read programmed transcripts but she will be getting an update very soon. If you have time you should check out the video in the link below. The robot does look life-like in a creepy way.  What do you think? Are robots going to be our future?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/11548919/Life-like-android-robot-receptionist-helps-customers-at-Tokyo-department-store.html

Does Brunei's Prince have a brother? Just Kidding.

Asia's most lavish royal wedding just happened last week in Brunei. Brunei is a country in South Asia that is run as "an absolutist Muslim monarchy" by a sultan named Hassanal Bolkiah. Apparently, the Sultan's son married a young woman in her 20s who carried a bouquet, not made of flowers but, of gems and gold, wore Christian Louboutin shoes, and a dress with diamonds on it, and not to mention the huge necklace of diamonds and emeralds adorning her neck. The couple had about 6, 000 exclusive guests who were all treated to full course meals.
My original thought when I read this was that the sultan of Brunei could be using all this money for something else. However, it seems the country doesn't need it. Brunei is a small oil nation that is doing fairly well. People are okay with their high standard living and free education and health care. Although, Brunei has been criticized by spectators because last year in May the Sultan introduced a very controversial law. Before we discuss this law, we must know that the Sultan is the head of state and government, Prime Minister, Defense Minister, and Finance Minister and also oversees the religious beliefs in Brunei. This law he passed, the Shariah Law, allows for criminals to be punished with stoning, whipping, and amputation. Apparently, he has been slowly working for a country that has more of an orthodox interpretation of Islam.  It seems to me that Brunei is a complex country. It seems to be progressive with its high standard of living and rich economy but kind of backwards with its Shariah Law.  What do you think?


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/brunei/11531950/Sultans-of-bling-Gem-encrusted-wedding-for-Brunei-prince.html


http://www.dw.de/magnificent-wedding-for-brunei-prince/g-18386135

Blame it on North Korea...

     This week North Korea is at it again! Or are they? This blogpost is going to be about an article in BBC.com that has to do with North Korea, Mexico, and the UN. Apparently, North Korea has accused Mexico of illegally holding a North Korean ship that ran aground on a reed last year in Mexico. North Korea is saying that the holding of Mu Du Bong, the NK ship, was a "legitimate violation" of sovereignty" because it was an actual commercial ship and they have paid the damages to the reef. But here is the catch, the UN is stating that Mu Du Bong is a ship linked to North Korea's Ocean Maritime Management, which is blacklisted in the UN. North Korea's Ocean Maritime Management ships are blacklisted because in 2013 a ship was seized in Panama for having Soviet-era weapons and fighter jets hidden under sugar sacks. Since then the UN has banned most arms shipments to North Korea. Mu Du Bong is being accused by the UN  of having "overwhelming" evidence that shows the ship is linked to Korea's Ocean Maritime Management. So far the "evidence" has not been proven. What do you think? Do you think North Korea is sneaky enough to have sent a ship with arms? 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32200689

Feminism in Action in India

        This week I chose a different type of article. This is a fun type of article that a writer for BBC did from her experience in India. Apparently many years ago our writer, Geeta Pandey, was traveling on an assignment for the BBC.  She was traveling on an overnight train when a man sitting opposite of her struck up a conversation with her. He asked many questions like what part of India was she from and what her careers was. Then he asked her, "What does your husband do?" This question got Geeta thinking hard. She had not told him she was married and she got the impression that he didn't really care about her career as a journalist for BBC.  At that moment she got the impression that she was just a woman who was insignificant unless she had the label of wife, daughter, or sister. She was just a woman in India's patriarchal society. Greta is not the only one who has been asked this questions many times before by men who she has barely met. Her friends have had to deal with the same question.
         Therefore, Geeta decided to do an experiment on the men of India by asking them, "What does your wife do?".  This experiment surprised Geeta as she realized that most men were willing to answer the question even though they had never been asked this question before. In the article she has pictures and the interviews she did with the men.  Some men replied to her question and experiment with joy when asked about their wives. They also gave their own explanation as to why women get asked this question. One man said it was because Indian's are friendly and joyful people that just want to connect with others. This other man said it was because people in Indian think that woman needs to be married and cannot accept a woman who is not married. My personal favorite was the last man in her article. He came off a little aggressively when asked the question. He responded with, " Who are you? Why are you asking me this question? You have no business asking me this question". When Geeta told him about her experiment he stated it was "okay for men to ask you this question if they've been talking to you for about half an hour".

What do you think? Does India have a patriarchal mindset? Do you agree with some men's opinions?

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-31828529

Is China Unjust?

     Today we are discussing the arrest of five young women activists in China from police authorities for organizing a protest that would have been held on International Women's Day.  Apparently,  Chinese police officers arrested these five women days before the protest in a coordinated raid. The women were charged for "picking quarrels and provoking trouble". According to the article, this reasoning that the authorities have used to arrest the women has been used many times before. This, "picking quarrels and provoking trouble" has been increasingly used by the Chinese authorities to end activism and discussion of social and political issues. The five young women are currently being detained at the Haidian Detention Center in Beijing and only of them has been able to to meet with a lawyer in person. According to the young women who was able to meet with her lawyer has stated that when the Chinese authorities came to her hour they did not have proper documentation, as in a search warrant or ID's. The lawyer has stated that they will file a complaint under this as there was no proper documents and behavior during her arrest. Why not file a complaint that this is her right under freedom of speech? Does she not have rights that allows her to protest or speak out for her beliefs? Apparently, the protest that was to take on Women's International Day was a call to end sexual harassment on public transportation. They had planned to put stickers in public buses, subways, and other public transportations. These five women are also prominent leaders of activists groups that advocate for equal rights for women, people with disabilities, and people with HIV.

What do you think? Do you think these five women were arrested unjustly? I honestly think that they were. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/14/world/asia/5-womens-rights-activists-are-formally-detained-in-beijing.html?ref=asia

Pakistan: A Turmoil Time

    This week my blog is on an article published by nbc.com called, "Pakistan Polio Push: 471 Parents Arrested for Refusing to Vaccinate Kid." This article discusses how the Pakistan government arrested 471 parents for refusing to let their children be vaccinated against polio even after the government's efforts to provide a nationwide alert. The parents were arrested for asking other parents to not let their  children be vaccinated. Apparently, polio has been a main concern in Pakistan. Other countries have been able to eradicate polio but not Pakistan. In the North, the Taliban have criticized the vaccine and have even declared that the vaccine is just a ply from the West to sterilize the children of Pakistan. Whether, the parents were influenced by the Taliban is unclear but the fact remains that they were arrested. Also, about sixty-four people have been murdered by the Taliban in order to prevent the vaccinations. Health teams now travel with protection. Pakistan finds itself in a very turmoil time.



http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/pakistan-polio-push-471-parents-arrested-refusing-vaccinate-kids-n316191

Thailand Stuck in the Past?

      This week I will be talking about Thailand. According to telegraph.co.uk Thailand has sentenced two college students to jail for two and half years for insulting the monarchy while participating in a college play. A little excessive? Well, according to the article this sentencing has come from a turmoil time currently happening in Thailand because of the new successor. Apparently, Thailand has been under martial law since a May coup. There is a lot of anxiety and stress over the health of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 87, and the issue of who his successor will be. Thailand has a else-majeste law that prohibits to defame the king or any member of the royal family and it is the world's harshest law, according to the article. People who are convicted under this law can be sentenced up to 15 years. The two college students named Patiwat Saraiyaem, 23, and Pornthip Mankong, 26, were convicted under this less-majeste law when performing a play at Bangkok's Thammasat University. The play which was called "The Wolf Bride" was about a fictional kingdom and fictional king. The two students were actually sentenced to five yeas but it got reduced to two and half because they confessed. More like they forced them to confess? What do you think? After the sentencing college students gathered up and started protesting. As of right now the students are convicted and will be sent to jail. What do you think? Does Thailand's time of turmoil let it sentence two college students for insulting a fictional king?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/thailand/11429239/Thailand-jails-two-students-for-insulting-monarchy-in-college-play.html

The (Lack of ) Homophobia in Japan!

     This week we are reading about Japan and Korea. So my blog is going to be about Japan and its legalization of gay marriage. Apparently,  Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is not eager to alter the Constitution when it comes to same sex marriage. He has stated that the Constitution, "does not envisage marriage between people of the same sex". This statement was a response to another statement made by a political leader that supports gay marriage. This other political leader, Kota Matsuda, said that recognizing gay marriage would give hope to 5 percent of Japan's population that have come out at as homosexuals. This article also gives insight on how homosexuals are treated in Japan. According to the article, people that have come out to the public have found it difficult to rent apartments and sometimes are denied visitation rights to visit their partners in the hospital because they are not considered family. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe however, does not only face pressure from other politicians but at home too. His wife had been part of rallies and marches that advocate for the LGBT community.  This article also talks about how Japan is not as homophobic as some western countries (I'm looking at you, United States). Japan's reluctance to legalizing gay marriage is not because of religious or cultural reasons. What do you think? Why is Japan being so reluctant if religious and cultural reasons are not the cause? What are other factors that are preventing Japan from legalizing hay marriage?

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/02/19/national/social-issues/gay-marriage-push-faces-constitutional-barrier/#.VOYxkIuJnzI

Mummified Monk Not Dead!

   Last week in class we were talking about the different types of religions in Asia. So apparently last week in Mongolia a mummified monk was found very well-preserved . The monk was found sitting in a lotus position. Senior Buddhists say that he is not dead but that he is in a deep mediative trance. Scientists, however, are still wondering why the monk is well-preserved. There are some theories that it must be Mongolia's cold weather that aided in the preservation. Dr. Barry Kerzin, a physician to Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, told Siberian Times that the monk was in a rare state of meditation called "tukdam". The identification of the monk is unclear but there is some speculation that he was the teacher of Lama Dash-Dorzho Itigilov, who was also mummified. The "mummy" which is 200 years old is not being sent to be examined as it was only discovered because a man was trying to sell him in the black market. So what do you think? Is he still in a trance? Or is he dead?

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-31125338

U.S, India, and ReligiousTolereance

    President Obama met up with Indian Prime Minister Narendra and Indiam President Pranab Mukherjee yesterday (Tuesday 27, 2015) to urge for religious tolerance and other social issues. The election of Hindu nationalist Modi has sparked fear among the country's Muslim minority. Modi was a PNG in Washington D.C for over a decade after communal riots in Gujarant killed 1000 people mostly Muslims in 2002. President Obama stated, "India will succeed so long as it is not splintered along lines of religious faith, along lines of anything, and is unifies as one nation."

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/obama-ends-india-visit/1619132.html

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