Stories about East Asia from January, 2020
How Zimbabwe's biometric ID scheme — and China’s AI aspirations — threw a wrench in elections
Some citizens were told that if they didn't register and submit their biometrics, they might be barred from voting.
For Taiwan, the Wuhan coronavirus is also a diplomatic battle
Taiwan is one of the most vulnerable places for the spread of the virus after the PRC.
Hong Kong medical workers frustrated at government indecision about blocking mainland visitors
Medical professionals in Hong Kong have urged the government to close Hong Kong-China border checkpoints to limit the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus into Hong Kong.
The Wuhan coronavirus is also an economic plague for China
When an epidemic coincides with the spending spree that traditionally accompanies the Chinese New Year festivities, a country's economic health also comes under strain.
Subdued recognition in Japan for Sugihara Chiune on 75th anniversary of Auschwitz liberation
As a diplomat in Lithuania in 1940, Sugihara issued 6,000 visas for Jews looking to flee to the Americas via Japan.
From Cox's Bazar to Yangon, poets show solidarity with Rohingya minority in Myanmar
"Myanmar’s oppression dispersed our ethnic minorities, now our poetries bring us together."
Citizens from Chinese city on lockdown roar ‘Beijing has abandoned Wuhan!’
Over 11 million residents in Wuhan, China, are now in a state of shock and panic, given the lack of appropriate medical response and credible information regarding the coronavirus epidemic.
A sea of red: Celebrating the Chinese New Year
The 2020 Lunar New Year, which began at midnight on January 24, will last for several days.
What's in a ‘Japanese Adult Cream Pie'?
"Didn't McDonald's Japan understand how bad it sounds in English?" was a common reaction. "What were they thinking?"
Editor of environmental news platform Mongabay arrested in Indonesia for alleged visa violation
"I am surprised that immigration officials have taken such punitive action against Philip for what is an administrative matter."
Kazakh family of writers and musicians caught in the Xinjiang vortex
The Oralbai family had a happy and productive life in China before a state purge targeting ethnic minorities tore them apart.
In preparation for the Lunar New Year mass migration, China finally gets serious about the Wuhan coronavirus
Initial rumors of a new form of coronavirus are being confirmed globally and, albeit reluctantly, by Beijing.
Is Russia getting its model for digital authoritarianism from China?
On the surface, China and Russia share much when it comes to digital governance. But their crackdowns on cyberspace also have important differences, says professor Maria Repnikova
The meaning of Tsai Ing-wen's 8.17 million votes in the Taiwan presidential elections
Some analysts have attributed Tsai Ing-wen's landslide victory in Taiwan's recent presidential to the Hong Kong protests and encroachment by Beijing. But that's only part of the story.
How ‘fake news’ and disinformation were spread in the run-up to Taiwan's presidential elections
Puma Shen, director of DoubleThink Labs, shares his observations on the ways in which fake news and disinformation were disseminated prior to Taiwan's January 11, 2020 presidential elections.
Facebook apologizes for translating Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s name as ‘Mr. Shithole’
"And the president of China, Mr. Shithole, signed a guest record of the house of representatives."
Residents flee as Philippines’ smallest active volcano emits smoke and ash
Over 30,000 are estimated to be affected and displaced from Batangas and Cavite provinces because of the volcanic eruption
Despite legal threats and harassment, thousands join the ‘Run Against Dictatorship’ in Thailand
"The reactions by the authorities and intimidation tactics are not just wrong but also absurd. As the country has returned to democracy, no citizen should face such intimidation."
From Indonesian exile to Czechoslovakian pop star: An interview with Rony Marton
Jaroni Surjomartono, an Indonesian scholar, arrived in Prague in 1963. He and hundreds of scholars were later banned from returning home after General Suharto rose to power.
Victory for labor rights in Cambodia as largest casino workers’ strike ends in peace
Despite the success of the strike, workers could face sanctions for breaching the court order which declared the protest as illegal.
Taiwan presidential election: Tsai Ing-wen re-elected with record-breaking votes
Tsai said: 'I want to once again call upon Beijing authorities to remind them that peace, clarity, democracy and dialogue are key to positive cross-strait interactions and long-term development.'
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