India, Day 1: World’s Largest Coronavirus Lockdown Begins (Yes, COVID-19 again)

I know, I know, coronavirus again. The news is sure slow and depressing these days.

However, I thought this would be interesting to talk about. India has recently joined the list of countries going into lockdown in an attempt to prevent the further spread of coronavirus. Prime Minister Modi put the 21 day lockdown order into effect while working to look for solutions, but there will be serious consequences for the country.

India is the largest democracy in the world. With 1.3 billion people and millions of those people living with barely any money and in poverty, there will be stress placed upon the economy. Mumbai, India's busiest city, is practically empty as well as restaurants and grocery stores. However, like in other countries closing businesses, grocery stores have been allowed to remain open.

In addition to all this, India is still a nation that relies predominantly on agriculture. Farmers tending fields and multiple other people are unable to work. On top of this, when people are caught driving around, they can be harassed by police officers questioning them on where they are going.

India joins the list of many nations going into shutdown. Countries in red are completely shutdown while those in yellow are in partial shutdown (in updated map, Canada is also red).

Image Source: Coronavirus: Travel Restrictions, Border Shutdowns by Country (Al Jazeera)

Article Link: India, Day 1: World's Largest Coronavirus Lockdown Begins

Coronavirus Weakens China's Powerful Propaganda Machine

As the coronavirus continues to spread, it has caused a loss of faith in the Chinese government among the youth population. People are starting to criticize the government over their handling of the virus and the spread of the coronavirus. People condemn the press around heroes of individual sacrifice while medical personnel are still lacking necessary supplies. There are photos of women shaving their   heads in solidarity, but people are wondering whether they were coerced and why more men were not shown with this supposed solidarity.

There is one critical blog post titled “News Coverage Should Stop Turning a Funeral Into a Wedding,” showing the frustration among some of the population.

Daisy Zhao, a 23 year old Beijing resident, has said “The official media...has lost a lot of credibility.” She once trusted state media, but now is angry over the portrayal of the doctors who tried to raise the alarm over the coronavirus as rumormongers.

The propaganda machine of the Communist party in China is now facing its biggest problem yet. In being slow to warn the public of the virus and repressing people who tired to sound the alarm, they undermined its promise of security to the public in exchange for their personal security. This whole crisis has exposed the issues of being under an authoritarian regime, especially to the younger population. They see the danger of clamping down on free expression and past the facade of a omnipotent government that can get anything done.

Coronavirus Weakens China's Powerful Propaganda Machine

How South Korea's First Female Anchor is Breaking News-And Barriers

In South Korea, news anchor Lee So-jeong acts as the first female primetime anchor. For decades, South Korean news networks have featured all old and serious male primetime anchors with young female sidekicks to cover lighter stories. However, 43 year old Lee So-jeong broke this barrier, even having her own young male sidekick.

For a time, female newsreaders were viewed as pretty flowers. Lee had more ambition than this, hoping to transform KBS (Korean Broadcasting System) by moving away from its conservative style and trying to capture younger audiences. With this success as a trailblazer in South Korea, Lee is definitely feeling the pressure. She says on the topic "If I fail in this, it could disgrace other women reporters as a whole...That sense of responsibility and burden is greater than live-broadcasting primetime news...I have to do well so that other female reporters could have more opportunities."

South Korea's gender wage gap is the highest in the developed world, with women making only 66% of what men earn. In addition, childcare burdens have either forced women to quit their jobs or motivated women to not have children.

How South Korea's First Female Anchor is Breaking News-And Barriers

For a Chinese Traveler, Even Paradise Comes With Prejudice

       With all the fear of the coronavirus across the world, travel to and from mainland China has become more difficult. As Iris Yao, a 22 year old student going to university in Sydney, knows too well after being stuck on Jeju Island off the coast of South Korea for almost two weeks. After going home for a brief time to her hometown of Zhoushan, China, she has been practically marooned on Jeju Island on the way back to school in Sydney, Australia.
       While wealthy Chinese tourists were once welcomed to the island, Ms. Yao is now viewed with suspicion by the local population and other tourists. There are restaurants that have banned Chinese citizens, and employees have asked Ms. Yao to not speak Mandarin in fear of scaring away customers.
      According to current regulations, Ms. Yao will not be able to depart to Australia until she has been out of mainland China for at least 14 days. Jeju Island has also suspended its visa waiver program for Chinese citizens, and there have been 28 cases of coronavirus in South Korea. Ms. Yao is depressed and frustrated, saying "I just want to stay in a safe place."
      Discrimination like this has been happening all over the world. In Japan, the hashtag #ChineseDon'tCometoJapan was recently trending on Twitter. Meanwhile, people in Singapore have signed a petition that called for the government to ban Chinese nationals from entering the country.
      While Ms. Yao is more confident she can fly to Australia after the two weeks are up, she is still worried about a scheduled stopover in Malaysia. Her hometown, Zhoushan, is in the Chinese costal province of Zhejiang. Zhejiang Province is one of the hardest hit by the coronavirus with more than 1,100 confirmed cases, and Malaysia has banned visitors from there. Ms. Yao could potentially be turned around and have even more trouble getting to Sydney.
      Ms. Yao said on this matter, "This is really troubling for me...But it is my only chance."

For a Chinese Traveler, Even Paradise Comes With Prejudice

Gandhi's Killer Evokes Admiration as Never Before

Since Indian prime minister Narendra Modi was elected five and a half years ago and reelected, Hindu nationalism has started spreading across India. Evidence comes from the recent worship of Nathuram Vinayak Godse, the man who assassinated Gandhi, by a group of Hindu nationalists in Meerut. Much of the hatred for Gandhi comes from him allowing the partition of Pakistan and being too lenient with Muslims living in India. While some Hindu nationalists invoke Gandhi, they are co-opting his message for their own gain. One example of this is a recent law on citizenship by Mr. Modi's government, said to discriminate against Muslims and threaten the secular state that Gandhi had envisioned.

Meanwhile, over a dozen statues of Gandhi's killer have been erected and many Hindu temples are being converted to Godse temples. Just last year, the government of Uttar Pradesh State, led by a fiery Hindu monk, proposed changing Meerut to Godse City. Recently, vandals connected to right-wing groups have defaced pictures of Gandhi, attacked memorials to him and written the word traitor across his picture. A statue of Gandhi was decapitated in June 2019. Technology has only made the spread of this ideology more far reaching.

Ms. Pandy, leader of the Meerut branch of Hindu Mahasabha:
  “Our hero stopped Gandhi’s poison from spreading in this pure land...If I was born before Godse, I would have shot Gandhi myself.”

Gandhi's Killer Evokes Admiration as Never Before

Indian School Girl Wins Bravery Award for Thwarting Trafficker

On Wednesday, an Indian schoolgirl named Carolyn Malsawmtluangi won a bravery award for rescuing a seven year old girl from a trafficker. In the northeastern state of Mizoram, she had spotted the trafficker last year while playing with her, but did not think there was anything amiss. She thought it was a mother and daughter and even invited the girl to join in. However, when authorities raised the alarm on the trafficker, she became suspicious. The next time she spotted the trafficker with the child, she convinced the trafficker that she would watch the young girl while the woman went to run an errand, then escaped while carrying the girl on her shoulders and avoiding stones being hurled at her by the trafficker.

Of India's 600,000 victims of human trafficking, about half of them are children. They often come from rural areas to escape poverty and lured to cities by traffickers promising them jobs. Instead, they are sold into modern day slavery. The president of the Central Mizo Association, a charity that works on anti-trafficking programs, says Carolyn will act as an inspiration and bring attention to the issue.

The award she one, the National Bravery Award, is given to about 25 children every year between the ages of six and 18. Often, children have won awards for foiling robberies, fighting off armed intruders, rescuing people from drowning, saving lives during stampedes, and putting out fires.

Indian School Girl Wins Bravery Award for Thwarting Trafficker

South Korea Discharges Soldier Who Underwent Sex-Change Surgery

On Wednesday, the South Korean military discharged a soldier who had had sex reassignment surgery and wished to continue working in the military. The decision came among an outcry from LGBT advocates who said the soldier was being unfairly treated. This decision highlighted the discrimination against LGBT people in South Korea's conservative society.

Currently, South Korea still technically remains at war with its neighbor North Korea at one of the most heavily guarded borders in the world. As such, South Korea requires that all men must serve for up to two years. Women are not required to, but can enlist if they choose to. Meanwhile, transgender citizens are barred from serving, categorized as having mental and physical "disorders." Some do join, but hide their identity to avoid harassment and abuse.

Human rights groups believe the South Korean military should allow more trans people to serve. After living with decades of low birth rates, the country is having difficulty filling the ranks of its military, which numbers at 600,000. However, South Korean society holds deep biases against the LGBT community, despite more vocal support recently.

South Korea Discharges Soldier Who Underwent Sex-Change Surgery