Stories about East Asia from June, 2021
Hong Kong digital news outlet Stand News removes articles and suspends subscriptions following Apple Daily closure
Pro-democracy digital news outlet Stand News has announced it will remove opinion articles it published before May and stop accepting donations to reduce risks under the national security law.
Myanmar journalists endure attacks for reporting the coup
"We're all just waiting for the knock on the door. Sometimes you hear footsteps on the stairs, it's like they're coming for you: you have this feeling all the time."
UNESCO proposes listing World Heritage Great Barrier Reef as ‘in danger’
The fairness of the diplomatic process are irrelevant to the wider context of the reef’s 'in danger' listing. Australia risks being labelled an international climate change pariah.
Confronting ‘vaccine hostility’ in Japan
"Municipalities all over Japan have reported receiving death threats when announcing vaccination programs, particularly for teens and adolescents."
Security police interventions force closure of Apple Daily, Hong Kong's 26-year-old pro-democracy news outlet
In its inaugural editorial, Apple Daily had stated: "Are we not afraid of the changes 1997 could bring about? We are, but we are not willing to be daunted by fear."
Pro-democracy Hongkongers vow to resist on the anniversary of anti-China extradition protests
Overseas Hongkongers rallied in 52 cities around the world advocate for the city's liberation while for those who choose to stay vow that they will continue to resist on June 12 2021.
Some Thai students reject uniforms and standing for national flag during online classes
Some students refused to stand while others used a camera filter to make it appear like they were wearing a school uniform.
Arrests of more Mother Nature environmentalists in Cambodia labeled a witch hunt
Officials called the group "rebellious" and claimed they were using foreign funding in efforts to topple the government.
Japanese brown bear runs amok in Hokkaido island's largest city
The incident illustrates the increasing interactions between bears and humans in Japan.
Pro-democracy Apple Daily continues its operations despite raid, seizures and arrests
Among the five senior executives arrested, two were officially charged with with conspiracy to collude with external elements on June 18
Green playlist: Asian short films on protecting the environment
These films feature the struggles of various communities across the Asia-Pacific region as they defend their lands, environment and cultural heritage.
In Kyrgyzstan, an ultranationalist group thrives on rising anti-Chinese sentiment
Chinese enterprises are making home for themselves in Kyrgyzstan. Some parts of the Kyrgyz population see this trend as a threat.
How Sinophobia is instrumentalized in Kazakhstan as a form of oppositional politics
In Kazakhstan, Sinophobia is often a tool instrumentalized by protest organizers to mobilize people as a form of criticism of governmental policies
China's wandering elephant herd show. Not as ‘lovable’ as it looks.
"Finally an expert has provided an explanation about the herd’s northbound journey. Local officials avoided addressing the truth."
‘Lying down flat’ as passive resistance in China
"You can’t stand up. But you don’t want to kneel down. Then you can only lie down flat."
Remembering Asia’s first Pride march in Manila
Two organizers of the historic 1994 Manila Pride shared their reflections about the legacy of the protest and the continuing struggle to fight for LGBT+ rights
Pro-Beijing lawmakers in Hong Kong slam Gay Games as ‘disgraceful’
"It's civil society’s business if they want to do it, but it’s wrong [for government] to throw money at this."
Global Voices’ top stories on environmental destruction, as the planet just observed World Environment Day
Global Voices has covered environmental issues extensively, and one focus of our stories has been the way pollution, massive urbanization, development infrastructures, and human-caused accidents are destroying fragile ecosystems.
Laos social media task force: Will it target ‘fake news’ or censor online criticism?
"The reinforcement of social media platforms’ registration and severe control of online information are another reflection of the digital dictatorship in Laos."
Tokyo Olympics: A symbol of the divide in Japanese society
Using Twitter's public API, Global Voices analyzed more than 2.5 million Japanese-language tweets to gauge public sentiment around the Tokyo Olympic Games.
What a Kyrgyzstan oil refinery reveals about China's Belt and Road Initiative
"We tried to reach the mayor, arguing that the plant is harmful to the environment...We tried our best but nobody was listening to us."
About our East Asia coverage
