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The Debate
The Debate is our home for the best opinions from around Asia. Whether it is negotiating with Iran, responding to North Korean provocations, discussing Japan's looming demographic issues, or considering the new balance of power in the Asia-Pacific, some of the region's leading thinkers offer their take.
Trump’s Gutting of RFA Hurts Press Freedom – And Helps Its Opponents – Across Asia
By Montse Ferrer
RFA and VOA had been the most accessible alternatives to state media for many people in countries like China and North Korea. Not anymore.
Pakistan’s War on Balochistan Has Reached a Point of No Return
By Dilshad Baluch
The arrest of Dr. Mahrang Baloch, the leader of the peaceful Baloch protest movement, has set the entire province aflame.
Afghan Schools Reopen for Another Year Without Girls
By Meena Ahmadi
Afghan women share stories of the toll the education ban is taking – and how they are fighting back.
What India Needs to do to Fix the Foundations of its WASH Sector
By Joel Kolker
It must cover operating costs and capital expenditures through a transparent long-term mix of taxes and user charges.
The Disappearance of Voice of America Is a Failure of American Values
By Li Qiang
For decades, VOA has not only brought accurate information to China, but has served as a rare conduit for Chinese activists to speak to the world.
A Rebuttal From Singapore’s US Ambassador
By Lui Tuck Yew
“We welcome legitimate investors and businessmen, but we act firmly and decisively against those who break our laws.”
It’s Time For a ‘Like-minded Autonomy’ in the Indo-Pacific
By Joshua Espeña
Can the Philippines play a role in convening regional discussions aimed at upholding a rules-based order?
Why Won’t Baloch Civil Rights Groups Condemn the BLA?
By Kiyya Baloch
Rights activists like the BYC say that demands for such statements are an attempt to sidestep the real issues: years of political marginalization, human rights abuses, and economic neglect in Balochistan.
A Roadmap for South-South Cooperation
By Fifa A. Rahman, Benjamin Djoudalbaye, J. Carolyn Gomes, Nagham Karhili, J. Carlos Lara, and Munira Mustaffa
Greater Global South solidarity is the only viable solution in the face of the seismic political shifts in the West.
India Needs to De-weaponize Misinformation
By Pradip Thomas
Indian law needs to fix the meaning of fake news and misinformation and needs to be tied to the public interest rather than to the interest of the state.
Argentina’s President Milei Ignores Asia
By Patricio Giusto and Juan Manuel Harán
It is evident that Asia – with its immense economic development and limitless opportunities for Argentina – has no place in Milei’s libertarian world.
Myanmar’s Decentralized Resistance Is Too Resilient and Flexible to Crush
By Miemie Winn Byrd
The lack of unified leadership has often been described as a weakness. But it may be the movement's greatest strength.
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