By Muhammad Cohen HONG KONG – For years, American expatriate Jon Niermann wanted to get into television in the worst way. Last year, he did with Asia Uncut, a one-hour weekly talk show on StarWorld that had a rocky first season. While realizing his dream, Niermann also realized that the show needed an upgrade and he hopes progress will be evident when Asia Uncut begins its second season on Sunday night. “I am at the bottom rung of the ladder and I’m the first to admit it. We’re not Oprah [Winfrey] or [David] Letterman or CNN, we’re a local show. … Continue reading Asia Uncut fulfills expatriate dream

By Nick Turse and Tom Engelhardt In his book on World War II in the Pacific, War Without Mercy, John Dower tells an extraordinary tale about the changing American image of the Japanese fighting man. In the period before the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, it was well accepted in military and political circles that the Japanese were inferior fighters on the land, in the air and at sea – “little men”, in the phrase of the moment. It was a commonplace of “expert” opinion, for instance, that the Japanese had supposedly congenital nearsightedness and certain inner-ear defects, while lacking … Continue reading A fight against the odds

By Jerrold Kessel and Pierre Klochendler JERUSALEM – A bizarre diplomatic incident – even by the Byzantine-like standards of the old Near East – has threatened already strained relations between Israel and Turkey. For a quarter century, the two democracies were the region’s most unlikely allies. Since Israel’s assault on Hamas in Gaza a year ago, they have been the most problematic allies. On Monday, Israel created a scene reminiscent of a famous scene in Charlie Chaplin’s movie The Great Dictator which Chaplin parodies Adolf Hitler receiving Benito Mussolini. Each confronts the other by trying to elevate his seat – … Continue reading Israel-Turkey ties hit a low point

The wave of anti-Christian violence Simon Tisdall guardian.co.uk, Coptic Christians protest in Egypt after an attack in which gunmen opened fire on a crowd of churchgoers. Photograph: Khaled El-Fiqi/EPA A recent wave of violent attacks on Christian worshippers and churches in countries across the Muslim world is intensifying concern that continuing military conflict, cultural friction and economic imbalances embroiling Islam and the west are fuelling a parallel rise in religious intolerance at grassroots level. The increase in tensions is seen as particularly disturbing in countries such as Egypt where Islam and Christianity have a centuries-old history of largely peaceful co-existence. … Continue reading Christians in the Muslim world are becoming scapegoats as anger about the ‘crusader west’ takes hold

I am guilty of facial hair profiling Despite having experienced my share of ethnic profiling, I have to confess to my own prejudice – and it involves big beards Sarfraz Manzoor guardian.co.uk, Big-bearded and hardline: Muslim cleric Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed. Photograph: STR/Reuters A damp weekday morning and I am shambling through the Arndale Centre in Luton, on my way to meet a friend and already running late. In my peripheral vision I half-see a man who is walking towards me. He sees me, does a double take in apparent recognition, and stops in front of me. I can see … Continue reading Are we becoming ‘rascist’ against bearded guys?

More prisons are not the answer Instead of pumping more public money into prisons, we should invest in education, health, and community programmes Juliet Lyon guardian.co.uk, Politicians rarely agree publicly about crime and punishment. But today the justice select committee presents a united view on how to cut crime. Following a substantive two-year inquiry, it states that the next government, of whichever stripe, must invest in prevention and rehabilitation instead of pouring scarce public monies into an unsustainable prison building programme. In its report, Cutting crime: the case for justice re-investment, the committee shows how justice policy has swerved off-track. … Continue reading Abolish prisons in the UK!?