Topic
Society
Former Shanghai Bookseller’s Wife Hit With ‘Exit Ban’
By Kanis Leung
Fang Xie wrote in a letter that the police have told her she cannot leave until her husband, a former bookseller who left China after his store was shut down for political reasons, gives himself up.
‘Human Mines’: China’s Population Policy Flip-Flops Spark Anger
By Chauncey Jung
As China’s government deepens its push to raise the birthrate, Chinese internet users compare themselves to extracted minerals.
What’s Behind Kyrgyzstan’s War on Radio Azattyk?
By Catherine Putz
A demand from the Kyrgyz government for RFE/RL's Kyrgyz language service to remove a video has escalated into a legal battle that could end Azattyk's operations in the country altogether.
UN Food Agency: Afghan Malnutrition Rates at Record High
By Ebrahim Noroozi
“Half of Afghanistan endures severe hunger throughout the year,” said a World Food Program spokesperson, while Taliban restrictions on women have seriously impacted aid delivery.
The Korean Wave’s Rocky Road in China
By Wang Linbin
After over six years, China has partially removed its ban on South Korean cultural content, but hallyu in China may never return to its glory days.
Japan’s Population Crisis Nears Point of No Return
By Thisanka Siripala
Japan’s population decline is following the worst-case scenario, prompting the government to devise urgent policies to incentivize more births.
North Korea Imposes 5-day Lockdown on Pyongyang
By Mitch Shin
According to a post published by the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang, North Korea imposed a five-day lockdown on Pyongyang to contain infectious diseases.
Australian Returns 9 Antique Buddha Statues to Thailand
By Sebastian Strangio
The Canberra resident Murray Upton said his father obtained the statues while working as a railways engineer in the south of Thailand in 1911.
Australia Day Focuses Attention on Indigenous Recognition in Constitution
By Rod McGuirk
A referendum due later this year would create an Indigenous body known as the Voice to address Parliament on Indigenous issues.
After an Astonishing Year, Chinese See a Brighter Post-COVID Future
By John D. Van Fleet
There is a palpable sense of relief in China now that the days of zero COVID are over.
It’s Time to Incorporate Consent Into Central Asia’s Sexual Violence Laws
By Catherine Putz
The criminal codes of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan focus on violence in defining rape, rather than the lack of consent.
Asia Travel Hotspots Quiet as Chinese Tourists Stay Away
By Tassanee Vejpongsa and Elaine Kurtenbach
Bali and Chiang Mai are the busiest they have been since the pandemic struck three years ago, but they're still relatively quiet.