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In the last couple of months, I’ve started paying attention to the news again. Current event discovery has been rather random for me since being in Asia. First of all in my “other life,” I listened to NPR as I drove to and from work and that obviously doesn’t happen. I watched the news at the fitness center and that doesn’t happen. Mom told me about recent reports she had watched and then I paid attention . . . and this no longer happens with the same frequency. I read our local paper because I knew people. I read the headlines in the checkout stand. I read the state paper about once a week.

News just seemed to happen.

At first being here, I relished the release from the constancy of the information world. No longer in shops do I even hear advertisements because I don’t understand anyway. Now if I see an advertisement in the subway, usually I notice it for its interesting visual composition, not for message. I’m sure there are radio stations here in English, but I haven’t found them. Finally, tv news was never my medium.

Except . . . I had the gift of BBC. Twenty-four hours of BBC with minimum commercials. BBC news with world news, reports with a bias that I don’t entirely recognize, news that had a fresh take on the elections in the U.S., news that led with the East Timor shooting rather than sports or weather. Just news that was more global, probably more liberal, but also quicker and more serious.

A tragedy has struck my life. Our cable carrier has decided to let BBC go. I jokingly told one of our Business Office staff that I might have to reconsider my contract. Before I could explain the joke, Sweet Business Office David said he would call the company today and see what they could do. Okay. I’m selfish. I’me going to let him.

You may or may not have heard that Korea has suffered a tragedy in the last day. Namedaemun, the South Gate to the city of Seoul, 640 years old has burned (to the ground?) and arson is suspected.

It was in the city center and kind of a defining landmark. Truly it was impressive. Almost everyone seems to be going through the stages of grief concerning this: at first denial, anger, and so on.

The students had to tell the staff. The English press is usually half a day to a day behind as one would expect.

I watched CNN briefly tonight. The had a 5 minute segment on the yearly killing of the dolphins in the village in Japan. I could tell I have been living here in Asia just long enough because I found the piece sentimentalized toward the dolphins, very propagandistic and with no attempt at understanding the complexities of the issue. Once upon a time I was all about Saving the Whales.

Anyway, BBC on the net has a part of the main page called “The Day in Pictures,” with photos from around the globe showing the events. Absolutely gorgeous, one that is horrific, and they truly did give a snapshot of the world that the headlines neglect.

So what’s happening in your part of the world that’s caught your attention?

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