By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s much admired Emperor Akihito is set to abdicate on April 30, 2019, at age 85 in the first such departure from the Chrysanthemum Throne in about 200 years, the government announced on Dec. 1. Akihito’s elder son Crown Prince Naruhito will ascend the throne a day […]
Bare-bottomed Americans arrested over Thai temple photo
BANGKOK (AP) — Two Americans who maintained a social media account called “Traveling Butts’’ have been arrested in Thailand after posting a photo of themselves at a famous Buddhist temple with their rear ends exposed, police said on Nov. 29. Deputy police spokesman Krisana Pattanacharoen said the men were arrested on Nov. 28 night at […]
Group calls for Indonesian forces to stop virginity tests
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia’s military and police continue to perform abusive virginity tests on female recruits three years after the World Health Organization declared they had no scientific validity, an international human rights group said last week. Human Rights Watch said senior Indonesian police and military officers have told it that security forces still […]
Attack siren blares in Hawaii for first time since Cold War
By CALEB JONES and JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER Associated Press HONOLULU (AP) — A siren blared across Hawaii on Dec. 1 for the first time since the end of the Cold War in an effort to prepare tourists and residents for a possible nuclear attack from North Korea. The state is the first to bring back […]
Hmong woman appointed judge in Minnesota
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A Minnesota woman has become the state’s first judge of Hmong descent. Gov. Mark Dayton named attorney Sophia Vuelo to the Ramsey County District Court bench on Nov. 30, Minnesota Public Radio reported. The position was open because the previous judge retired. Vuelo was raised in Wisconsin and received degrees […]
2 men arrested in Asian-owned business robberies
ATLANTA (AP) — The two men who FBI officials said are behind a recent series of violent armed robberies targeting Asian-owned businesses in metro Atlanta, appeared in federal court on Nov. 28. In the hearing, a judge found enough evidence to keep the case going and to keep the two suspects in jail. Investigators said […]
Bus line apologizes for racist ad
CHAMPAIGN, IL — A bus company that shuttles students from the main University of Illinois (UI) campus around the Chicago area is facing criticism from some for a promotional ad promising customers they would be riding with “Passengers like you. You won’t feel like you’re in China when you’re on our buses.” That promise was […]
Chinese actress Liu Yifei cast as Disney’s Mulan
LOS ANGELES (AP) — It took a year of searching and nearly 1,000 candidates, but the Walt Disney Studios has found its Mulan. The studio said on Nov. 29 that Chinese actress Liu Yifei will play the warrior in the live-action epic from director Niki Caro. The 30-year-old actress, who is also known as Crystal […]
Hangzhou aims to be China’s Seattle
By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY The 2017 “China Global Investment Forum: Hangzhou,” held in the capital city of Zhejiang province from Nov. 20-22 — drew nearly 1,000 experts, scholars, and entrepreneurs from all over the world. One story from that forum stood out, with the headline, “Speed up development with manufacturing, Hangzhou strives to be […]
Fight over Trump travel restrictions back to appeals courts
Associated Press SEATTLE (AP) — For most of the time Syrian refugee Mohammad Al Zayed has been in the United States, judges have been wrestling with the Trump administration’s efforts to impose travel restrictions that he says would keep him from seeing relatives who remain overseas. It’s taken an emotional toll — one that continues […]