To tell you the truth, I don’t know how much more bad news I can take so this edition of news in Asia is going to focus more on funny, quirky, and positive news from Asia. However, there is some bad news that needs to be addressed:
Brenda already highlighted that on the same day as the shooting in Connecticut, there was an attack on school children in China. Unfortunately, knife attacks on school children in China are tragically frequent. In 2010, there were six in a seven month period. The AP News has a profile of school and student attacks worldwide.
This photo has been widely circulating on the Internet. It shows Pakistani school children lighting candles for the victims of the Newtown, CT shooting. Considering the unpopularity of the US drone program in Pakistan, the gesture is very heartwarming.
Japan’s conservative party is on track to win a majority in Parliament and former premier Shinzo Abe is expected to be elevated back into power.
On to the better news:
Al Jazeera has a profile on Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai, who talks about fame and the various controversies she’s had to endure in the course of her career.
Just in time for the holidays, a jewelry store in Tokyo is selling a solid gold Christmas tree. Because nothing says Christmas like complete excess.
South Korean golfer K.T. Kim helped to elevate Asia past Europe to win the Royal Trophy.
Southeast Asian education leaders gathered in Manila over the weekend and vowed that they would reject the example set by China and not sacrifice the environment in favor of exponential economic growth.
This may be considered more Eurasian news, but vodka has apparently saved the lives of two circus elephants.
Speaking of animals, the Singapore Zoo just opened their giant panda exhibit so have some video of some pandas being panda-like.
3 replies on “News in Asia”
My paper had a small piece on China being high and mighty about “stuff like that in America doesn’t happen here” but somehow unable to be social about what happened in their own backyard and don’t (seem to) mourn it at all. But Chinese media says they don’t give any attention to it in fear of imitations following.
Either way, it isn’t anything to be smug about.
So fun that the people were excited about the pandas, what a great privilege to see a real interview of people living there.
Elephant anti-freeze! I love it.