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Asia Life
Sports, culture and the arts are a passion for billions in the Asia-Pacific, and offer unique insights into what makes countries here tick. From the latest cricket match to prize-winning novels and the latest art exhibitions, The Diplomat's bloggers cover it all, giving you a fresh perspective on the region.
How Bollywood Discriminates Against Playback Singers
By StoriesAsia
Bollywood’s playback singing industry is brutal for upstarts and newcomers.
Murder Case Sparks a Reckoning With Nepal’s Caste Discrimination
By Aashiyana Adhikari
Caste-based discrimination remains a national tragedy, but one that is rarely discussed.
Why Did Pakistan’s Prime Minister Promote a Turkish TV Show?
By Krzysztof Iwanek
Market values and Islamic values: Ertuğrul is a hero that exclaims "Ya Allah" before vanquishing his enemies.
Cyberbullying and the Tragedy of Hana Kimura
By Hayden Marks
Governments around the world have struggled to figure out how to best confront and stop online harassment. Japan is no exception.
Taiwan to Loosen COVID Social Distancing Restrictions, Announces Global Assistance Measures
By Nick Aspinwall
The country, which has confirmed just 443 cases of COVID-19, is set to ease social distancing seating restrictions in public places.
Tokyo Olympics Just Beginning the Race to Reset Themselves
By Associated Press
"If you ask, are we just around the first corner of the 400-meter race, I cannot answer that question," said organizing committee CEO Toshiro Muto.
Sports Behind Closed Doors: Lessons from the Koreas
By Layne Vandenberg
Post-COVID sports may resemble the October 2019 FIFA World Cup Qualifier between the men’s national teams from North and South Korea.
Yoshifumi Kondo, Studio Ghibli’s Forgotten Master
By Kiran Mohandas Menon
25 years after its release, Kondo’s solitary contribution to the revered Studio Ghibli canon remains much beloved.
Calgary Zoo Returning Pandas to China Due to Bamboo Acquisition Barriers
By Associated Press
Fresh bamboo is difficult to get in Calgary amid the pandemic, so the loaned pandas will be returned to China.
Tibet’s ‘Orphan Super-Mother’ Lost to COVID-19
By Morris Tennyson
Tendol Gyalzur cared for 300 children over a period of 25 years.
Thai Elephants, Out of Work Due to Coronavirus, Trudge Home
By Associated Press
An estimated 2,000 tame elephants are at risk of starvation because their owners are unable to feed them.
A Goodbye to Bollywood’s Irrfan Khan: A Master Actor That Was Not a Showman
By Krzysztof Iwanek
Irrfan Khan was extraordinary precisely because he managed to stay ordinary.