Central Asia
Protests rock Kazakhstan over land-grabbing
Hundreds have been detained in protests across Kazakhstan over a new government policy to privatize farmlands and open the agricultural sector to foreign capital.
Tag: China
Iran
Global executions surge —yet again
Amnesty International's annual report on the death penalty again notes an alarming surge in the number of executions worldwide—now reaching the highest total since 1989.
East Asia
Real threat in North Korea: regime collapse
North Korea's missile tests point to a desperate regime trying to keep its own populace distracted, and to spook the international community into providing food aid.
East Asia
China: lawyer detained for post mocking president
Civil rights lawyer Ge Yongxi was detained by Chinese authorities for posts on social media that "poked fun" at President Xi Jinping in relation to the Panama Papers.
South Asia
Bangladesh: deadly repression of anti-coal protest
Police opened fire on peasant protestors at the site of a coal-fired power plant project in the Chittagong district of Bangladesh, killing at least four.
East Asia
Tiananmen dissident: Trump threat to freedom
Wuer Kaixi, veteran of the Tiananmen Square protests, called Donald Trump a threat to values of freedom after the candidate called the 1989 pro-democracy movement a "riot."
Central Asia
Tibetan language campaigner disappears
The family of Tashi Wangchuk, an advocate for Tibetan language rights in Qinghai province, reports that the has "disappeared" since a New York Times story on his efforts.
Central Asia
Two Tibetans self-immolate in one day
The year's first self-immolation in the Tibetan region was reported as a monk burned to death in Kardze prefecture. An exile-born Tibetan youth survived his self-immolation in India.
East Asia
Taipei presses South China Sea territorial claims
President Ma Ying-jeou's provocative visit to the disputed Spratly Islands seems aimed at pressing the incoming Tsai Ing-wen to adopt a "one China" position.
East Asia
China passes draconian anti-terror law
China's new anti-terrorism law requires technology companies to provide decryption to officials, restricts media reportage on terrorist activity, and permits overseas military raids.
East Asia
China: prominent rights lawyer released
Chinese human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang received a suspended sentence and was released—after protesters clashed with police at the courthouse when he was convicted.
Africa
China gets naval base in Djibouti —and Namibia?
As China establishes its first foreign military base at Djibouti, rumors have Beijing seeking a second base in Namibia—where Chinese uranium interests face labor unrest.