Asia

Japan’s prime minister is attempting to revise constitutional pacifism to allow for strengthening of armed forces. Dear all, Below please find the link to an opinion piece, just published on Al Jazeera, that I co-authored with my colleague Celine Nahory in…

The 76th annual examination of Aljamea-tus- Saifyah conducted by Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin who lays strong emphasis on women empowerment through education The 76th Imteehan Sanawee of the Dawoodi Bohra community’s 200 year old educational institute, Aljamea-tus-Saifyah are currently taking place over…

BAN HOUYTHAO (IRIN*) – “Land grabs” in Laos are driving poor farmers, including ethnic minorities, off their land, away from livelihoods they know and into further poverty, activists and experts say. “When these lands [are given] to companies and converted to…

After the horrors of World War II Japan installed article 9 in its constitution which generally renounces war as a means of conflict resolution and this way forbade the building up of an army. In fact Japan possesses so called…

From friend Grahame Lynch’s Facebook pages (resident in Thailand): Update: Grahame Lynch 25 May at 23:16 · End of day update on the Thai coup: * The National Council for Peace and Order has extended sweeping powers to the military…

The two-week strike by 40,000 workers at the vast Yue Yuen shoe factory in Dongguan last month was one of the largest strikes in living memory [in China]. It was important not simply because of its sheer scale but also…

Lionel Mok is a Hong Kong resident whose work frequently takes him into China. He has a strong interest in Chinese affairs, current, historical and cultural. Pressenza asked Lionel about social media in China and its affect on change, especially…

By Michelle Tullo.- China’s massive urbanisation has been built, literally, by metal, supplied mostly by Latin American countries (LAC). Yet now China’s slowing economic growth and falling commodity prices threaten Latin American commodity booms. “As commodity prices decline, Latin American policy-makers…

The Man Who Stayed Behind By Sidney Rittenberg and Amanda Bennett Simon & Schuster, published 1993 Reviewed by Tony Henderson What a story. He really was a believer – in the Communist ideals… and why not. Thrown in jail in…

Sima Samar is a recipient of Right Livelihood Award Foundation’s award. Sima Samar, born 3 February 1957, is a woman’s rights and human rights advocate, activist and a social worker on national and international forums. She served as Minister of Women’s…