Stories about East Asia from March, 2014
Cambodia Government Accused of Suppressing Public Protests
Human rights group Licadho reported that the Cambodian government organized several counter-protests to undermine peaceful protests last year: If 2012 was the most violent year ever documented in terms of...
A Poem for #CongressOccupied Protesters in Taiwan
"Tonight, we are willing to be violent mobs for love"
Meet Crimea's New Anime Mascot, Natalia Poklonskaya
A definitive fan-art collection of Natalia Poklonskaya, the newly minted Prosecutor General appointed by the secessionist government of Crimea, who has captured the heart of RuNet and Japan.
South Korea Moves to Restrict Young People's Online Overseas Shopping
Young South Koreans are getting their hands on foreign products not available in their country as well as Korean products at cheaper prices by buying from international sellers.
China Recruits Tencent and Alibaba for Private Bank Pilot
China has named ten companies, including Internet giants Alibaba and Tencent, to set up five privately owned banks. The move has some fearful for state-owned traditional banking.
Smog Insurance China's Latest Air Pollution Band-Aid
Smog insurance, the first of its kind, is targeting travelers and local residents of seven cities in China. Some cities have been plagued by smog for years.
Taiwan's #CongressOccupied Protest, Translated
Hundreds of translators have organized themselves through Facebook to translate stories about protesters' occupation of Taiwan's legislature following the ruling party's passage of a controversial trade agreement with China.
Taiwan #CongressOccupied: Wild Lily Turns into Sunflower
The Wild Lily student movement took place in March 16 1990 at Freedom Square in Taipei is the most significant historical event that marks the democratic struggle in Taiwan. As...
Support Pours in for #CongressOccupied Protesters in Taiwan
In reaction to the ruling party's autocratic move to pass a trade agreement with China, thousands of protesters are occupying Taiwan's legislature.
Global Solidarity for Missing Malaysian Plane MH370
Netizens around the world are expressing support to relatives and friends of passengers of the missing Malaysian Airlines plane MH370 which lost contact last March 8
Protesters Occupy Taiwan's Legislature Over China Trade Deal
Angry protesters surrounded the Legislation Yuan and some stormed the floor demanding a proper review of the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement signed with China.
The Appeal of WeChat and Self-Media in China
Tencent’s WeChat, semi-private messaging service has replaced Twitter-like Sina Weibo as a leading channel of alternative information. Tea Leaf Nation has explained the appeal of WeChat and “self-media” in general to young Chinese...
Riau Forest Fire Triggers Worst Indonesia Haze Pollution
Forest fires have intensified this month in western Indonesia which caused the worst haze pollution in the country. The haze also affected Singapore and Malaysia.
How Cafe Culture is Destroying Indonesia's Street Food Culture
An Ismanto from Yogyakarta in Indonesia observes how new western-style cafes are edging out ‘plastic tent-covered food carts’ known as ‘angkringan': …the angkringan is in decline. Students don’t frequent them...
Two Historic Saigon Buildings to be Demolished in Vietnam
Tim Doling, writing for the Saigoneer, gives a brief history of the Ho Chí Minh City People’s Committee building and an art deco office block which are both scheduled for...
Lies and Falsehoods Keep the World Go ‘Round in Japan
Twitter user @suzaks1 criticized [ja] the amount of lies and inaccuracies that are making Japanese headlines: ホテルの食材も北の国のレールも何処かの役場の書類もクラッシックの楽曲も国が誇るトップレベルの研究所や有名大学院で博士なるための論文も、みんな虚偽だらけ虚偽まみれ。それでも回っちゃってる変な国。原発だって爆発して当然だわ。国土汚染しても嘘の上塗りで皆を騙せられる便利な国。こえ～ — 須崎真一NoMyCar,NoNukes (@suzaks1) 2014, 3月 14 [Japan is a] country covered in lies: fake ingredients...
PHOTOS: Birdwatching in Southern Philippines
Birdwatching is more fun than Tweeting. Check out some of the wild birds from the southern island of Mindanao in the Philippines. Keep on birding!
The Hidden Rules of Chinese TV Series Censorship
Chinese film and TV directors often blame strict censorship for losing domestic viewers. But what limits do censorship place on the content of Chinese TV series?
Korea: English, Borrowed Words, Konglish
Words adopted from another language, or ‘borrowed words’ permeate the Korean language. R. Elgin wrote an informative post about how borrowed English words are being used in Korea compared to...
Ultraman Comic Book Banned in Malaysia for Using the Word ‘Allah’
Ultraman may be a comic book hero but the translation of the word God into Allah is considered by Malaysia’s Home Affairs Ministry as a threat to public order.
Malaysia Airlines MH370 Mystery Fuels Conspiracy Theories
After a week of waiting for answers in the disappearance of flight MH370 and its 239 occupants, conspiracy theories have cropped to fill the void about what happened.
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