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Youths in Philippines protest against Lady Gaga

By AP News Sat, May 19, 2012 6:26PM UTC View Comments

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Christian young people in the Philippines protested Saturday against upcoming concerts by Lady Gaga despite organizers’ assurances that her performances would not threaten morality. About 200 Christian youths marched in Manila for a second straight day, holding placards urging the pop singer to “respect our faith, stop the blasphemy.” The Biblemode Youth...

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Asia’s young debaters gather to discuss Migration in Asia

By Kirsten Han Sat, May 19, 2012 5:33PM UTC View Comments

It’s a collection of nations at the Thammasat University Learning Resort Centre in Pattaya, and everyone is arguing. Fortunately, none of it is hostile; we’re not witnessing the breakdown of diplomacy, but the first ever Asia Youth Forum organised by the International Debate Education Association (IDEA). The IDEA Asia Youth Forum is a gathering of...

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Law: the bane of Burma’s landowners

By Francis Wade Fri, May 18, 2012 3:41PM UTC View Comments

A farmer ploughs field with the use of draught cattle to grow crops in the village of Ohn-chaung, Burma. Pic: AP.

The issue of land rights hangs like a heavy cloud over Burma. More than 60 percent of the country is reliant on agriculture as a primary source of income, yet farmers are not allowed to own the land they work – instead, they effectively rent it from the government, meaning that lucrative arable fields can...

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Asia’s sugar blues: Grim realities leave a bitter aftertaste

By Graham Land Thu, May 03, 2012 8:03AM UTC View Comments

Farmers ride bullock carts loaded with sugar cane in Uttar Pradesh, India. Pic: AP.

Sugar cultivation has a pretty grim history. The sweet stuff contributed to the colonization of tropical lands by European powers, fueling the slave trade, forced migration and indentured servitude that forever changed the face of the world. Refined sugars, which are commonly consumed by most people around the world, are believed to have many ill...

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Students strive to be good stewards of the earth

By Woodstock School Wed, May 02, 2012 2:13PM UTC View Comments

A student-designed poster encouraging Woodstockers to be green

At Woodstock School we aim to develop into individuals who “understand and seek to preserve our natural environment as good stewards of the earth for future generations”, and I love being part of a community which aspires to such a goal. When I teach environmental science, I impress upon my students the magnitude of personal...

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