Asia Pacific
Philippines Prepares for the Rise of Sea Levels
As sea levels rise, people living in coastal regions will see floods. Most of this will take place in Asia. In the Philippines, climate change is no longer an abstract concept for those living near the coast.
Microsoft’s Reduced Workweek Increased Productivity by 40%
Microsoft’s Japan office reduced its workweek to four days for a full month, and productivity jumped by 40%. Why isn’t it implemented everywhere? Richard Wolff explains why we’ve worked five days a week since the 1940s.
Demonstrations Continue in Hong Kong in Defiance of Face Mask Ban
Hong Kong police have arrested and charged two protesters for defying the ban on wearing face masks during demonstrations.
Guam’s Independence Movement Grows
The small U.S. territory island of Guam, which houses significant U.S. military bases, is also home to an independence movement that is growing gradually because of the lack of self-rule. We speak to one of the movement’s leaders, Michael Lujan Bevacqua.
Stateless in Malaysia
The stateless people in Sabah, Malaysia are denied access to schools, jobs, and healthcare, and their village is facing demolition. They have found advocates in the youth movement Borneo Komrad.
North Korea Suspends Talks With South Korea Because of U.S. Sanctions
While U.S.-North Korea nuclear talks fail to proceed because of a lack of unanimity within the Trump administration, the North suspended peace talks with the South because of the U.S.’s refusal to lift economic sanctions, says Tim Shorrock
The Forgotten Rohingya Refugees
Existence is resistance: a quarter of a million Rohingya refugees live in Malaysia with no legal rights or protections
Ruthless Philippine President’s High Popularity Is the Result of Failed Democracy
As the death toll in President Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal war on drugs keeps climbing, so does his popularity. How can this be? Walden Bello says it is the result of a failed liberal democracy in the Philippines
US Violates Nuclear Non-Proliferation Obligations, Undermining Credibility With Iran and N. Korea
Trump administration officials deploy a basic lack of understanding and contradictory policies towards Iran and North Korea, despite dealing with a similar problem: nuclear proliferation. We discuss the issue with Phyllis Bennis and Tim Shorrock
NRA’s Playbook Shows Why the US Does not Stop Mass Shootings
After the Chistchurch shooting, New Zealand moves to ban assault weapons, while the US is promoting plans to arm school teachers instead. Al-Jazeera exposes NRA’s “playbook” on media responses after mass shootings