Vietnam loves instant noodles more than you. South Korea used to be number one, but now Vietnam is the world’s top consumer of instant noodles per capita. According to the World Instant Noodles Association, Vietnam’s consumption rose steadily from 55 servings in 2019 to 87 in 2021. Meanwhile, Korea consumed 80 servings in 2020 but that dropped to 73 last year. COVID lockdowns and inflation both point to why people keep coming back for instant noodles. Here are three Vietnamese favorites.
Last Wednesday’s episode of ABC’s “Grown-ish” featured the first Indian lesbian couple on American TV. Zaara Ali, played by Queer model, comedian, and actor Tara Raani, is a recurring character in the show. Her recent lover Yazmine, played by filmmaker, comedian, and actor Sahana Srinivasan, shares an intimate bed scene with her in the latest season. This imagery, reflecting the lived reality for many, is something considered by some to be inappropriate, taboo, and even shameful in Asian culture. For others, this is the most representative the South Asian experience has ever looked. From shame to pride, this mainstream imagery has surfaced a spectrum of feelings in the South Asian community. Both actors are known for leading conversations about identity–from queerness to being South Asian. Raani has amassed a TikTok following of nearly 300,000 followers for her comedy skits, and Srinivasan is known for silly one liners about her cultural identity. “Grown-ish” is known to address issues around sexuality and identity, as exemplified in this latest season. Much like other series have begun exploring previously hidden parts of many people’s identity, such as Partition and Islam in Ms. Marvel, and colourism in Bridgerton’s latest season.
India’s Silicon Valley Bengaluru is flooded, forcing tech workers to ride boats and tractors to get to work, contributing to larger climate-change-induced damages across South Asia. Record heat waves & monsoons are worsening issues of water logging, which left a 23-year-old woman dead. The heavy rain and waterlogging has led to traffic jams, flooded apartments and lack of drinking water. A 23-year-old woman whose first name Akhila has been released, has died after being electrocuted when she grabbed an electrical pole to stand up after her moped skidded on a flooded street. On Tuesday, Karnataka state officials said they would release 300 crore rupees, or over 37 million US dollars, to restore infrastructure in Bengaluru alone. But the lack of stormwater management system remains a larger, long-term problem as unpredictable weather conditions are only expected to get worse in the future.
Akihiko Kondo identifies as fictosexual. He married popular virtual singer Hatsune Miku – the one who toured with Lady Gaga – 10 years ago. Now, the software that allows him to talk to Miku’s hologram, is now providing a network error, and Kondo may never get to speak to her again. Gatebox, the developer of the hologram device, has ended its service for Miku during the pandemic and forced Kondo to say goodbye to the vocaloid he spent 17,000 US dollars marrying in 2018. He says Miku lifted him out of depression and social withdrawal after being bullied by coworkers, and now he can no longer communicate with his virtual wife.
Pakistan produces less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and this year the climate change ministry budget was cut by ⅓. Now, ⅓ of the country is under water because of climate change, while the country’s 7,200 glaciers are melting. With lack of planning from the government and infrastructural weaknesses, the country is facing a $10B catastrophe. And that’s not including thousands dead and millions displaced, including millions of already displaced Afghan refugees. The country's already struggling economy is at risk of defaulting, and now health officials are warning of major outbreaks of disease.
Malaysia’s ex-PM Najib Razak sentenced to 12 years in prison for stealing $4.5B to buy luxury property, art & designer goods. Ironically, he also paid for stepson Riza Aziz’s Hollywood film ‘Wolf of Wall Street’, a story about a rise to wealth & fall including corruption. 1MDB is a state fund that Razak founded in 2009, shortly after coming to power, in order to drive up new investment in Malaysia. He is convicted of 7 charges of corruption and money laundering, and faces dozens more. His ruling party is calling for a royal pardon. If he gets one, what does this mean for future corruption in Malaysia?