Stories about Asia
15 June 2019
#JBF2019: Japan's Lego Brick Festival 2019 takes to Twitter
More than 270 Lego fans displayed their creations, and the thousands of people who attended Brickfest over the weekend shared photos on Twitter using the hashtag #JBF2019.
14 June 2019
Indonesia’s post-election riots led to free speech violations
"While we understand the government’s intention to stop the distribution of false information and protect the public, the decision has also inadvertently restricted public’s access to factual information."
Why are Hong Kong authorities calling a demonstration a “riot”?
As the majority of protesters were peaceful and had not taken violent act, a large number of civic groups slammed the “riot” label as ludicrous.
12 June 2019
Thousands of anti-extradition protesters block roads surrounding Hong Kong government headquarters
On the morning of June 12, protesters were able to postpone debate on the controversial extradition bill by the Legislative Council.
11 June 2019
Vietnamese victims of 2016 marine disaster have filed a landmark lawsuit against Formosa Plastics Group in Taiwan
A group of 7,875 Vietnamese plaintiffs launched a lawsuit in Taiwan against Formosa Plastics Group and other smaller stakeholders of the Ha Tinh Steel Corporation based in Vietnam.
Beyond Beijing: What China's 1989 Democracy Movement was like in Changsha
Interview with Andréa Worden about the events in Chinese city of Changsha during the spring of 1989 that she experienced first hand.
9 June 2019
Hundreds of thousands protest in Hong Kong against the extradition bill
Protesters said the proposed amendments would make it easier for mainland China to cause the arrest of critics, dissidents, and even journalists in Hong Kong.
7 June 2019
Police raids on major media organisations expose lack of press freedom in Australia
"These continued attacks on press freedoms in Australia should be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Freedom of the Press to scrutinise the Govt is crucial to liberal democracy."
‘Everything is destroyed': Inside the ruins of Marawi City in the Philippines
"Despite the scale of the destruction, almost no clearing has been done yet. Bombed homes and establishments, plazas, churches, and mosques — everything is destroyed."
Xi Jinping has muzzled Chinese social sciences, says French sinologist Chloé Froissart
As China's GDP slows down, and unemployment grows, the situation will get worse with the absence of any mechanism for social dialogue. One cannot rule out violent riots.
Reactions to the presidential pardon of Sri Lankan rightwing religious leader
"Given Gnanasara’s past record of hateful speech, the Presidential pardon amounted to disrespect to all those who had suffered religious freedom violations in Sri Lanka."
5 June 2019
Record crowd commemorates Tiananmen Massacre at Hong Kong candlelight vigil
"Even though it is a crime to remember / The truth will find its courage to be told /The history that has happened will be revealed..."
Tiananmen commemorations: an inconvenient truth for Beijing, a dire warning for Hong Kong and Taiwan
As many witnesses and activists asked: when will Beijing finally acknowledge historical facts? When will it apologize to the families of the victims?
4 June 2019
How Beijing uses intimidation to censor the Tiananmen Massacre outside of China
"Beijing's intimidation does have an impact on shaping the stories [journalists] tell and the ways that they tell it.”
Turning ‘likes’ into rewards: Hong Kong citizen media outlets launch ‘Civic Likers’ campaign
By turning “likes” into “monetary rewards”, the content can remain open for public access while the authors can get their revenue from “likes”.
1 June 2019
As Afghanistan's war rolls on, its mental health toll grows greater
“The doctors wanted to discharge me. I begged them to keep me in longer.”
31 May 2019
Indonesian General Election 2019: Unique events from the campaign trail
According to an Australian think-tank Lowy Institute, Indonesia has the distinction of holding the largest single-day elections in a democratic country.
29 May 2019
‘You can't run from the truth': Iconic art protests preface Kazakh presidential vote
A police state that once hungered after a shiny international image now seems resigned to painting itself as it really is.
In Myanmar, Buddhists offer white roses to Muslims during Ramadan
"There is no place for religious extremists in our country."
26 May 2019
China arrests filmmaker for retweeting an image of a liquor bottle referencing Tiananmen Massacre
The bottle label carries the image of "Tank Man" with the description "Never forget, never give up".
