In The News

NBA Financial Hit From China: Wall Street Journal

Ben Cohen February 23, 2020
A Houston Rocket basketball executive tweeted support for the Hong Kong protests in October, upsetting the close relationship between China and NBA. The fallout could result in a financial hit for NBA. The NBA commissioner suggests the loss may reach $400 billion in response to speculation that the total could be $1 billion. Disturbed by the NBA’s support for free speech, China stopped...

US-Philippines Visiting Forces Agreement: Diplomat

Prashanth Parameswaran February 14, 2020
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced he delivered notice of ending the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States, triggering a 180-day waiting period. Duterte expressed concern about visa revocation of an official who ran that country’s harsh crackdown on illegal drugs. The two countries have been allies since 1951 under the Mutual Defense Treaty, and ending the agreement that...

Coronavirus and Job Losses in China: SCMP

Sidney Leng February 13, 2020
The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in China has climbed to more than 60,000 cases with more than 1,300 dead. Chinese authorities early on took steps to curtail crowds, resulting in an economic slowdown and “firms faced with tough decision whether to reduce staff levels and wages to be able to survive,” reports Sidney Leng for the South China Morning Post. Restaurants, hotels, retail stores...

Not by Bullying: Times of India

Nayan Chanda February 11, 2020
The World Health Organization reports more than 40,000 cases of the new coronavirus with 1000 deaths, exceeding the 2003 SARS death toll. Public health responses vary around the world, and China now relies on those to assess its ties with other nations. For example, China has chastised the United States and other countries for imposing travel bans that incite panic and isolate the Chinese economy...

Why Parasite Won Best Picture Oscar: Screen Rant

Kayleigh Donaldson February 10, 2020
Global audiences embrace stories with global themes. The film Parasite won four Academy Awards, including best picture. The satire explores equality in South Korea: A struggling family with few qualifications connive their way into working for a wealthy family clueless about their own self-worth. The son is tutor, daughter is art therapist, father as chauffer and mother as housekeeper. Kayleigh...

Australia's Burn-Me Cities: Sydney Morning Herald

Elizabeth Farrelly February 9, 2020
Heavy rain falling in eastern Australia has doused the bushfires but not the horrific memories of destruction. Australians must rethink how they build cities and prepare for a changing climate. “Cities have always been shaped by fire,” writes Elizabeth Farrelly for the Sydney Morning Herald, and she refers to the sturdy, stark architecture that followed the 1666 Great Fire of London that...

China Says US Causes Coronavirus Panic: BBC News

February 3, 2020
China is on the defensive after the United States declared the coronavirus a public health emergency, limiting travel and denying entry to foreign nationals who have visited China in the past two weeks. China has more than 17,000 confirmed new coronavirus cases and more than 350 deaths; the US has 11 confirmed cases.Some public health officials suggest that the case estimates could be low...