Kabul Isn’t a Second Saigon – It’s Another Tehran
by Daniel ZaboImage: Left (“North Vietnam”/ manhhai is licensed under CC BY 2.0) Center ( Viking Vehicles Open Fire on Taliban Positions in Afghanistan, by Defense Imagery) Right (“Imam Khomeini”/ kamshots is licensed under CC BY 2.0_ On April 23, 1975, United States President Gerald Ford announced that after twenty-one years, the war in Vietnam… Continue reading Kabul Isn’t a Second Saigon – It’s Another Tehran
New policies in China “relieve” the Students from Peer Pressure
by Irina JiangImage: yu wei / Unsplash Chinese children, born into the most populous country in the world, face tremendous pressure since birth, as do their parents. Every choice made by parents is perceived to directly affect their child’s future career and social status. Some parents spend much of their income on kindergarten education for… Continue reading New policies in China “relieve” the Students from Peer Pressure
Space: An Old Frontier in a New Cold War
by Richard NghiemImage: Jared. 2015, digital image. Available from: Flickr When President Trump officially announced the creation of the United States Space Force, many experts and officials in Washington D.C., along with the US population, scoffed at the idea. What security threats or weapons were there in space? What was the need for such a force?… Continue reading Space: An Old Frontier in a New Cold War
The Filipino Youth’s Call to Reopen Physical Classes
by Karina MelencioImage: Ivan Aleksic/ Unsplash On March 16, 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte announced a nation-wide lockdown, declaring the Philippines in a state of calamity. The announcement put all citizens under an Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ). Along with the news came a flood of preventive measures meant to ensure the safety of Filipino citizens and… Continue reading The Filipino Youth’s Call to Reopen Physical Classes
Olympics: Game for Peace or Game for Politicians?
by Irina JiangImage: Bryan Turner/ Unsplash The Olympics games were established three thousand years ago in Greece and have since become the most preeminent sporting event in the world. Apart from being a renowned sporting competition, the Olympics is beloved for a beautiful Greek principle: the Olympic Truce. First beginning in the eighth century B.C,… Continue reading Olympics: Game for Peace or Game for Politicians?
China’s Dangerous Interpretation of America’s Withdrawal from Afghanistan
by Richard NghiemImage: Anthony Kwan/ Bloomberg. 2017, digital image. Available from: Flickr With the chaotic and bloody US withdrawal from Afghanistan receiving immense attention all around the world, Beijing has wasted no time in capitalizing on this unprecedented propaganda opportunity. Videos of desperate Afghans hanging onto the fuselage of a C-17 transport plane and the… Continue reading China’s Dangerous Interpretation of America’s Withdrawal from Afghanistan
The Shadow of Sunshine Industry
by Karina MelencioImage: Petr Macháček / Unsplash The Philippines is known as the Call Center Capital of the World, with over 700 Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies across the nation. Since its humble beginnings in the 1990s, the BPO industry has been one of the few ‘legs’ of the Philippine economy, having contributed 9% to… Continue reading The Shadow of Sunshine Industry
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI): a Golden Opportunity Facing Multiple Obstacles
by Sonia SaidImage: Christian Lue / Unsplash Similar to the ancient Silk Road, the Belt and Road Initiative is bringing some modernity in a world where isolation is, sometimes even unconsciously, more and more encouraged. In that sense, the BRI seems to come at the right time to lead to China’s rise in the current… Continue reading The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI): a Golden Opportunity Facing Multiple Obstacles
As Pakistan Fights COVID, Misinformation Presents Another Battle
by Meheer CommuriImage: visuals / Unsplash Both in the thick of the coronavirus pandemic, India and Pakistan find themselves in opposite positions. In India, people are lining up for far too few vaccines. In Pakistan, there are far too few lines. Although the country “has secured 17 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine… [and] approved… Continue reading As Pakistan Fights COVID, Misinformation Presents Another Battle
Civil Servants: “Work to Live” takes a Courage
by Irina JiangImage: Saulo Mohana / Unsplash How can one find security during a volatile time? For graduates from top Chinese universities, the answer is working as civil servants. Civil servants are those who work for the government in positions such as firefighters, social workers, teachers, and army attorneys. Earning on average 6000 RMB ($930… Continue reading Civil Servants: “Work to Live” takes a Courage
Denial, Disdain & Delusion : How PM Modi steered India into a COVID nightmare
by Heeya FirdausImage: Mufid Majnun / Unsplash As the first wave of COVID-19 ebbed towards the end of last year, India’s leaders prematurely declared “victory” over the disease and proceeded to mislead the public into living a dangerously care-free life. India’s Prime Minister Modi was at the helm of perpetuating this illusion. What followed was… Continue reading Denial, Disdain & Delusion : How PM Modi steered India into a COVID nightmare
China’s Rocket Launch Failure
by Jessie JinImage: SpaceX / Unsplash On April 29 of 2021, China launched the Long March 5B rocket in Hainan Island, China, leaving many people wary after the launch. The rocket, approximately 33 meters tall and 40,000 pounds, marked the initiation of China’s new space program. The rocket was intended to release Tianhe, the main… Continue reading China’s Rocket Launch Failure
The 2021 Tokyo Olympics Debate
by Lindsay WongImage: Dakiny / CreativeCommons The upcoming Tokyo Olympics has sparked a very unique debate concerning the dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic: should the games be held or cancelled? While it looks like the games have gotten the green light to go ahead and are slated to begin on July 23rd, the public is… Continue reading The 2021 Tokyo Olympics Debate
India’s Pandemic is Bad, But Don’t Forget About the Farmer Protests
by Anonymous Image: Gayatri Malhotra / Unsplash The recent and current media fever about India is, rightly, related to the country’s vicious yet losing battle with the covid pandemic. Headlines continue to expose the grave health crisis and its disastrous handling by the Indian government. All for good reasons too, as India’s total COVID-19 caseload… Continue reading India’s Pandemic is Bad, But Don’t Forget About the Farmer Protests
Questionable Effectivity: the Duterte Administration’s ‘War on Drugs’
by Phylicia Abary Image: Colin Davis on Unsplash An overview on the ‘War on Drugs’ During Duterte’s presidential campaign in 2016, he claimed that one of the most rampant issues in the Philippines was the usage of illegal drugs. Duterte pledged that if he were to be elected into office, criminal activity concerning drugs would… Continue reading Questionable Effectivity: the Duterte Administration’s ‘War on Drugs’
An Aging Population: What does that Mean?
by Irina JiangImage: empty007 An Aging Population: What does that Mean? In November and December 2020, China conducted its seventh national census with early reports expected in April 2021. Though it is already May, the National Bureau of Statistics has not yet disclosed their data, and with rumours of a significant decline in working population percentage… Continue reading An Aging Population: What does that Mean?
The Consequential Vote
by Phylicia AbaryImage: Artypixall / Flickr The Republic of the Philippines is going to hold its next presidential elections on the 9th of May, 2022. With the COVID-19 pandemic, the circumstances facing the ever-nearing election is a far cry from what the nation had encountered in 2016. With the date growing closer by the day,… Continue reading The Consequential Vote
Tokenism in Australia Against the Aborigines
by Lindsay WongImage: k8rry / Flickr It’s no surprise that the Australian government and general public is hostile towards their indigenous people, just like Canada and the US. The country has a complicated relationship with the Aborigines, who have endured centuries of discrimination and violence since the arrival of settlers on the land. They have… Continue reading Tokenism in Australia Against the Aborigines
Sanctions on Military Coup: To Do or Not to Do?
by Douaa QadadiaImage: The Foreign Photographer / FlickrWhat’s happening in Myanmar? On the night of February 1st, the Burmese military, under the leadership of Min Aung Hlaing, seized control of the country. They then accused the landslide victory of Aung San Suu Kyi in the recent democratic election as a fraud. She was detained, among… Continue reading Sanctions on Military Coup: To Do or Not to Do?
India’s flash floods: an Inevitable Consequence of the Government’s Ignorant Environmental Practices
by Heeya FirdausImage: Uttarakhand Information Department Eight years after the devastating Kedarnath floods, the North Indian state of Uttarakhand once again finds itself battling turbulent natural disasters that are tearing through populated villages, reducing all that comes before it to rubble. On February 7th, a violent flash flood swept through the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.… Continue reading India’s flash floods: an Inevitable Consequence of the Government’s Ignorant Environmental Practices
Move Forward: the Philippines’ Response to COVID-19
by Phylicia AbaryImage: Asian Development Bank / Flickr In late January last year, the first active case of COVID-19 in the Philippines was confirmed. More than a year has passed since then, and yet the handling of the pandemic in the country remains as stagnant and subpar as it was in the first quarter of… Continue reading Move Forward: the Philippines’ Response to COVID-19
The Democratic Decline in Southeast Asia
by Lindsay Wong Image: Ah Nyie / Flickr Though democracy has been heavily promoted and adopted by the majority of Western countries as well as former Western colonies, Asia’s relationship with this system of government is much more complicated. While some countries have always been hostile towards democracy, Southeast Asia has more or less made… Continue reading The Democratic Decline in Southeast Asia
Indo-Pakistani Conflict: the Underlying History of Border Armed Conflicts
by Jessie Jin Image: Tor Lundgren/Flickr In November 2020, a major exchange of gunfire occurred in the disputed region of Kashmir, marking the latest development in an ongoing series of armed clashes between India and Pakistan known as the India-Pakistan border skirmishes. The November border skirmishes have left at least 22 dead, including 11 civilians.… Continue reading Indo-Pakistani Conflict: the Underlying History of Border Armed Conflicts
Owe It to the Country: How the Philippine National Police has Forsaken the Filipino
by Phylicia Abary Image: Brandon Fike/Flickr We serve and protect. Bold words with such heavy weight and significance, used as the motto of individuals who swore oaths to serve the Filipino. All men and women serving under the Philippine National Police (PNP) have one obligation: to ensure the safety of the masses. If anything, their… Continue reading Owe It to the Country: How the Philippine National Police has Forsaken the Filipino
Unnoticed: India is Snowballing Towards Authoritarianism
by Heeya Firdaus Image: Indian Cop/Flickr Since the BJP government came to power in 2014, India has seen an exponential increase in the arrest of dissenters. Be it comedians, authors, activists, journalists or simply students, the government has not hesitated to pursue a brutal campaign against anyone who even approaches a narrative that is remotely… Continue reading Unnoticed: India is Snowballing Towards Authoritarianism
China-Australia Trade Dispute
by Lindsay Wong Picture Credit: simon2579/Getty For the better part of 2020, China and Australia have been embroiled in a trade dispute that has altered their relationship from somewhat friendly to outright hostile. China was once Australia’s top trading partner, but this has changed because of the ongoing trade dispute which has no end in… Continue reading China-Australia Trade Dispute
Economic Growth During a Pandemic: An Oxymoron or a Reality?
by: AnonymousImage Credit: Samurai Spy Let’s play a modified game of ‘Two Truths and a Lie’, except in this version of the game, identify two lies and one truth. Statement 1: Vietnam is currently regarded as one of the most dangerous and COVID-19 case abundant countries in the world. Statement 2: Every country in Asia… Continue reading Economic Growth During a Pandemic: An Oxymoron or a Reality?
What it Means to Have a Voice: Thailand Protests
by: Anonymous Photo Credit: The Foreign Photographer All throughout history, conflicts between the ruler and the ruled have existed. Even if citizens are largely happy with policies put into place by leaders, there is almost always a percentage that is not satisfied. Oftentimes, this results in protest and civil unrest. The countries that make up… Continue reading What it Means to Have a Voice: Thailand Protests
YuZhang Academy: the Reform Schools of Exacerbation
by Jessie Jin Image Source: CGTN Trigger Warning: r*pe, abuse, self-harm. Viewer discretion is advised. “The room I was imprisoned in was dark, the only source of light was from a crack in the wall. The walls are covered in mildew, and there are often rats and cockroaches on the floor. The room has an… Continue reading YuZhang Academy: the Reform Schools of Exacerbation
India: Farmer Protests 2020
by Heeya Firdaus Image Source: Aniruddha Guha Sarkar Braving the harsh Delhi winter, impoverished Indian farmers are marching towards the capital in hopes of registering their protests against the oppressive Farm-Bills passed by the Narendra Modi Government in September, 2020. The Government claims that the bills make it easier for farmers to sell their produce… Continue reading India: Farmer Protests 2020
In Biden’s Lead: Filipino Immigrants and Overseas Workers in the Next Four Years
by Phylicia Abary Image Source: The Atlantic Relationship Status Updated: the Philippines and the United States of America Throughout history, the Philippines has been interlaced with foreign influence and relations, but no other country’s impact has come close to the United States’ over the past few decades. Such an affiliation and partnership only becomes more… Continue reading In Biden’s Lead: Filipino Immigrants and Overseas Workers in the Next Four Years
Tibet Deserves Its Independence From China Once and For All
by Yug Yadava Image source: Graeme Bartlett Tibet was an independent country after the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1912 but abruptly became an “autonomous” region of China in 1951. While the Chinese say they treat Tibet with respect, there have been numerous reports of human rights violations within the region such as the… Continue reading Tibet Deserves Its Independence From China Once and For All
Omnibus Bill – Protests in Indonesia
By Raihan Woodhouse Image Credit: Bloomberg Chaos, the epitome of 2020, has engulfed the streets of every major Indonesian city across the vast archipelago. In response to economic and demographic challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and his administration implemented a 905-page omnibus legislative measure which amended more than 75 national… Continue reading Omnibus Bill – Protests in Indonesia
Patriotic Education for Chinese High Schools
by Jessie Jin Image Source: The Conversation Bravery lies equidistant of cowardness and recklessness. Truthfulness lies equidistant of self-depreciation and boastfulness. People strive to reach a balancing point between these characteristics; it’s with the delicate point of balance that ultimate productivity can be achieved. Like everything else, there is a fine line between educating youth… Continue reading Patriotic Education for Chinese High Schools
Thailand Protests
By Akina Nanayakkara Image Credit: Aljazeera The first series of protests began on the 23rd of February 2020. Preconditions to the distrust in government are mostly rooted in Prime Minister Prayut’s five-year rule. Under the leadership of Prayut, there were substantial limitations put on citizens and their civil rights, as well as growing poverty and inequality.… Continue reading Thailand Protests
The Ongoing Japan-South Korea Political and Trade Dispute
By Lindsay Wong Image credit: The Lowy Institute Japan’s colonization of Korea in the early 20th century paved the way for decades of underlying conflict, which still has reverberations to this day. For decades, Japan and South Korea have disputed over controversial issues like comfort women, forced labor, territory, and more. Currently, the two countries… Continue reading The Ongoing Japan-South Korea Political and Trade Dispute
China-U.S. Relations: Where is it going?
By Irina Jiang Image Credit: Orissa Post Every year, 360,000 students from China pay to attend higher education in the United States in hopes of a better future. However, with the pandemic and lockdown restrictions, the concept of schooling has shifted. Now, international students from China are being asked to log onto Zoom at 2… Continue reading China-U.S. Relations: Where is it going?
Cultural Differences Unveiled Through COVID-19
By Kristin Cho Image credit: Oracle The COVID-19 pandemic has a global impact socially, economically, and politically. Although countries like New Zealand, Vietnam, and Taiwan have been averaging less than 5 new cases each day, many countries still struggle with the exploding new COVID cases. With the elongated duration of the pandemic providing great numbers… Continue reading Cultural Differences Unveiled Through COVID-19
“What’s Wrong with Rehabilitation?”: How the Chinese Government is Denying a Cultural Genocide
By Joyce Li Image credit: ABC Net Currently, there are approximately a million Uighur Muslims being held in concentration camps in Xinjiang, an autonomous region located in northwest China. This is a fact backed up by satellite images, refugee testimonies, and several government data leaks, all of which prove not only the establishment of these… Continue reading “What’s Wrong with Rehabilitation?”: How the Chinese Government is Denying a Cultural Genocide
One Country, Two Systems: Hong Kong’s Challenge
By The Global Diplomat Writer It’s August 12. Our plane is due to leave for Hong Kong at nine. It’s eight-thirty now, still early, but the passengers are restless. My mom refreshes the Air Canada website every couple of seconds to check if our flight would be suddenly cancelled. Several people have gathered near the… Continue reading One Country, Two Systems: Hong Kong’s Challenge
The Global Diplomat 