Weekly Rewind: An Armed Tour Bus in Karachi, China's 'Magic Bunny,' and the Private Side of Lee Kuan Yew
A family pays tribute at Tanjong Pagar Community Club in Singapore following the passing of former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew on March 23, 2015. (Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images)
Welcome to Asia Society’s Weekly Rewind, featuring some of the best writing and multimedia you may have missed. This week:
Lee Kuan Yew death: 7 unusual facts about Singapore's founding father
Mary-Ann Russon | International Business Times
Lee Kuan Yew, the first Prime Minister of Singapore, died on Monday, March 23 at the age of 91. While much is known about his political legacy, here’s a look at Lee’s personal life and his relationship with his wife and family.
All aboard the Super Savari Express: an armed tour bus for crime-ridden Karachi
Maryam Omidi | The Guardian
“Dubbed ‘the world’s most violent megacity’, armed muggings, carjackings and extortion are part of everyday life in Karachi,” says journalist Maryam Omidi. Read about how wealthy Karachi residents are taking armed bus tours to see their own city.
An NPR Reporter Chauffeurs A Chinese Couple 500 Miles To Their Rural Wedding
Frank Langfitt | NPR
Retrace the 500-mile roadtrip Frank Langfitt, NPR’s Shanghai correspondent, took during Lunar New Year carpool with a Chinese couple on the way to their rural wedding.
Long-Distance Parenting
Ana P. Santos | The Atlantic
As of 2012, there were more than 10 million Filipino migrant workers around the globe, many of whom have left their children behind. Read about how migrant mothers from the Philippines are raising kids through care packages.
The Foreign Correspondent
Pallavi Aiyar | Granta
"India: Another Way of Seeing" is the theme of literary quarterly Granta’s current issue. Read Pallavi Aiyar’s reflections on being one of the only Indian foreign correspondents, then explore the rest of the issue.
Multimedia
Rare Ili Pika Photographed for the First Time in 20 Years
Bec Crew | Scientific American
China’s “magic bunny” has gone viral on social media. Known as the Ili Pika, this rabbit-like mammal is only found in China and is highly endangered, with less than 1,000 left.
Overheard This Week
“Lee was the founder of Singapore and a strategist and statesman widely respected by the international community… He was also an old friend of the Chinese people and the founder, pioneer and promoter of China-Singapore relations.” — Chinese President Xi Jinping offers condolences for the death of former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. [Xinhuanet]
By the Numbers
$435 — Singapore’s per capita income in 1959, when Lee Kuan Yew became the city-state’s president. [Financial Times]
$12,700 — Singapore’s per capita income in 1990, at the end of Lee’s presidency. [Financial Times]
2.4 million — The number of Chinese visitors to Japan in 2014. This represented an 83% increase from 2013. [Bloomberg View]
11.3 — The percent of Chinese, when polled, who had a favorable opinion of Japan. [Bloomberg View]
$164 billion — The total amount Chinese spent abroad in 2014, making them the world’s biggest vacation spenders. [Bloomberg View]
Each week, Asia Blog will feature highlights from Asia-focused feature writing, photography, and multimedia. Do you have recommendations? Please email a link and any related details to [email protected] (we regret that we won’t be able to respond directly to each inquiry).
Opinions expressed on highlighted articles are solely those of the author(s), not of the Asia Society.