Reporting about Muslims? Here are some things to consider

As Ramadan begins, Eva Nisa and Faried F Saenong from Victoria University of Wellington's Religious Studies programme share some useful points for media to consider when covering Islam and Muslim society.

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The Kiwinoy community: What we know about Filipinos in NZ

Regardless of their different circumstances, Filipinos abroad tend to be lumped together as "Overseas Filipino Workers", or OFWs. But in New Zealand, it's a different story, writes Sarah Domingo Lipura and Gay Marie Francisco.

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Death by overwork: The complicated case of the Indonesian election

The fact that more than 400 election workers across Indonesia died while helping to administer the world's biggest single-day election has been making headlines. But are these deaths really so questionable, asks Jesse Grayman?

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What has media in New Zealand been reporting about Asia? Here's a roundup of stories from the past week. 

• What is Ramadan? Muslim New Zealanders to start month of daytime fasting
  STUFF
    
• Ramadan could draw wealthy tourists to New Zealand
  STUFF
    
• Plastic Mountain
  1 NEWS NOW
   
• Fighting the plastic explosion on Bali's beaches 
  1 NEWS NOW 
   
• Inside Bali's Green School: The future of education? 
  1 NEWS NOW  
   
• Rugby on the rise in Southeast Asia
  1 NEWS NOW

• New Zealander in K-pop superstar group Blackpink storming world charts
  RADIO NZ
    
• Huawei decision looms over NZ
  NEWSROOM

• Queenstown man takes on the Japanese at their own game - by brewing sake
  1 NEWS 

What has media in Asia been reporting about New Zealand? Here's a roundup of stories from the past week.

• Ex-New Zealand PM: Philippines needs to rethink drug policy
  PHILSTAR | PHILIPPINES
   
• Decriminalizing drug use will 'multiply' problem
  PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY
   
• Kiwi accent named 'world's sexiest'; 'Malaysian' ranks 39th 
  NEW STRAITS TIMES | MALAYSIA 
   
• New Zealand committed to peaceful solution for the Korean Peninsula
  YONHAP NEWS AGENCY | SOUTH KOREA
   
• Aloysius Pang's death due to lapses of all three servicemen in howitzer cabin: COI
  STRAITS TIMES | SINGAPORE

• New Zealand government acknowledges the importance of NZ-China relations
  XINHUA | CHINA

Sarah Domingo Lipura

Sarah Domingo Lipura is a PhD candidate in Asian Studies at the University of Auckland. Her research interests include international student mobility, Korean language education, Philippines-NZ relations and Filipinos in NZ.

What are you working on right now?

I’m completing my field interviews with Korean students in atypical study destinations such as Fiji, India, and the Philippines.

Tell us the most interesting thing that’s not on your CV:

I'm a mother of a four-year-old boy and I watch VeggieTales in my free time.

What’s your favourite film about Asia?

Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War. It's a South Korean film about two brothers separated by the Korean War, showing the complexities of the Korean division.

VIEW Sarah's PROFILE HERE

Thailand: King Vajiralongkorn receives his crown

Two years after he ascended to the throne, Thailand's King Vajiralongkorn was officially crowned in an elaborate three-day ceremony. He was presented with the diamond-studded "Great Crown of Victory", which weighs more than 7kg.

Philippines: Filipino accent ranked 'sexiest' in Asia

Kiwis might have the sexiest accent in the world, but Filipinos can at least claim the sexiest accent in Asia. "Gentle and soft, the accents you’ll hear when in the Philippines are simply lovely," wrote travel website Big 7 Travel. 

Brunei: U-turn on death penalty for homosexuality

After sparking international outrage, the Sultan of Brunei has backtracked on laws that would have made anal sex and adultery punishable by stoning to death. Many celebrities had called for a boycott of hotels owned by the sultan.