Tensions are rising between two Asian allies of the United States. And U.S. officials say the escalation is a matter of concern. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

If you look out the window anywhere across the islands, the Arctic Circle may feel like a long way away. But at a meeting in Sweden this week, a number of Asian countries are trying to get a bit closer. HPR’s Bill Dorman explains in today’s Asia Minute.

Award winning writer, storyteller, educator, Makia Malo, was diagnosed with Hansen’s disease at age 12, and exiled to Kalaupapa in 1947.  HPR’s Noe Tanigawa spoke with Malo about experiences included in his new memoir.

Makia Malo will appear at this weekend’s Hawai’i Book and Music Festival for a talk story and reading from his new book, My Name is Makia: A Memoir of Kalaupapa.   Pamela Young & Jeff Gere, contributors to Makia Malo’s new book, will appear also, this Saturday, May 18th, 10am in the Alana Hawaiian Culture Pavillion.

The Hawai’i Book and Music Festival site:

http://hawaiibookandmusicfestival.com/

Find My Name is Makia: A Memoir of Kalaupapa and other books by Watermark Publishing:

http://blog.bookshawaii.net/2013/04/26/hbmf-2013/

Hawai’i Bookblog:

http://www.hawaiibookblog.com/articles/tag/makia-malo/

Honolulu is not the only city with a debate about trains. In Vietnam, there’s been an ongoing discussion about improving the rail link between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

There are an estimated two thousand maker spaces around the world.  Also called hackerspaces or co-working spaces, these enclaves of equipment and creative people are part of a changing way of working.  HPR’s Noe Tanigawa reports.

Learn more about Maker Spaces in Hawaii, Oahu, Kauai, and Maui.

Maui Makers is the grant manager for SpaceGAMBIT, a $500,000 2 year DARPA funded program to encourage makerspaces around the world to work on projects that promote humanity's long term survival and expansion into space.

In Box Jelly in Kaka'ako:

http://hicapacity.org/

On Hawai'i Island:

http://easthawaii.org/program-areas/hawaiitechworks/

Cyclovia Hawai’i/ Hele On Kaka’ako:

http://cycloviahawaii.org/

Make Magazine:

http://makezine.com/

The president of South Korea spent a couple of days in Washington this week. She met with President Obama and told a joint session of Congress that it’s time to stop rewarding North Korea for bad behavior. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

China is an important growth market for Hawaii’s tourism business. And that means developments concerning the country’s largest airline can be interesting to a wide audience. HPR's Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute...

Since 2002, the Big Island Drug Court has provided a path for non violent criminals to become productive members of society. One of the requirements of the stringent process is for participants to help their community. From Hawaii Island, HPR's Sherry Bracken tells us about one such work project.

Losing the popular vote but winning political power. It’s happened before in the U.S. presidential election, and now it’s happened in a different context in Malaysia. HPR’s Bill Dorman explains in today’s Asia Minute.