BANGKOK – A trial began Tuesday for a man alleged to have shot and killed Cambodian opposition politician Lim Kimya during a brazen daytime attack in the Thai capital earlier this year. Lim Kimya’s widow, Lim Ani, told reporters outside the courthouse that she wanted to know why her husband was murdered. “I want to know the story behind the case. Who the masterminds were. I believe the judicial system here could help,” she said through a translator. “His death has turned everything upside down in my daily life,” she…
Category: RFA
Hong Kong, parts of southern China shut down ahead of typhoon
Residents and businesses hunkered down in Hong Kong and at least 10 cities in southern China on Tuesday as Super Typhoon Ragasa, the most powerful tropical cyclone of the year, barreled toward land. Authorities urged residents to stay in their homes, where people taped up windows to protect against high winds. Supermarket shelves emptied in some areas as panicked residents stocked up on supplies. Super Typhoon Ragasa Residents in Hong Kong stock up on supplies at a supermarket to prepare for the approaching Typhoon Ragasa on Sept. 22, 2025. (Tyrone…
Xi visits Xinjiang to mark region’s anniversary
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived to a jubilant celebration in Urumqui, the capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, on Tuesday, part of a trip to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the region’s founding. Video from state TV showed dozens of dancing, flower-waving celebrants on the airport tarmac as Xi disembarked. State media reports say he met with representatives of ethnic groups and “expressed the hope that everyone would join forces and move forward together to build a beautiful Xinjiang.” The friendly tableau stood in stark contrast to widespread allegations…
China to crack down on hostile, gloomy online content
A sweeping two-month crackdown on online content is coming in China, aiming to restrict posts expressing views from hostility and conflict to “world-weariness,” Beijing’s top internet regulator announced on Monday. Monday’s notice from the Cyberspace Administration of China did not specify when the content crackdown would begin. It follows an announcement on Saturday saying the CAC would would take “disciplinary and punitive measures” against Weibo, a micro-blogging platform, and Kuaishou, a short-form video service — and a similar action taken on Sept. 11 against Xiaohongshu, the Instagram-like social-media service known…
A Chinese international student and activist goes missing during a trip home
A Chinese international student and activist has gone missing during a trip to China to visit family. Rights and advocacy groups are saying it’s the latest case of transnational repression. On July 5, Zhang Yadi, 22, who has been studying in France, returned to Changsha, Hunan province, to visit family. On July 30, she disappeared in Shangri-La, Yunnan province. Zhang is an editor for the digital platform Chinese Youth Stand for Tibet (CYST) that emerged after the “white paper protests” in 2022. According to the group, it aims to “share…
Thai security forces clash with Cambodian protesters at disputed border
Thai security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets as they clashed with Cambodian protesters on Wednesday in a disputed border area. It’s the most significant escalation since they declared a ceasefire to end a deadly five-day conflict in July. Video: Thai security forces clash with Cambodian protesters at disputed border (RFA) The clash took place at a disputed frontier settlement, which Thailand says is part of its Ban Nong Ya Kaew village in Sa Kaeo province, but Cambodia says is part of Prey Chan village in Bantheay Meanchey province.…
Hong Kong to ‘fast-track’ mega-project near border
Hong Kong will “fast-track” an ambitious initiative along the border with Shenzhen in mainland China and establish artificial intelligence as a “core industry” to accelerate economic growth, Chief Executive John Lee said Wednesday in his annual policy address. The address, which reaffirmed a 2% to 3% economic growth target for 2025, comes amid a broader push from Beijing to resuscitate China’s flagging economic growth and emerge from a longstanding real estate crisis. Last year, the Chinese Communist Party called on Hong Kong’s elite to boost China’s overall fortunes. The Northern…
Chinese, Philippine ships collide in South China Sea
Ships collided and water cannons allegedly caused damage and injuries during a skirmish between Chinese and Philippine vessels in the disputed South China Sea on Tuesday. The Philippine Coast Guard said that two Chinese ships used water cannons while pursuing the BRP Datu Gumbay Piang, a fisheries vessel, as it delivered food to Filipino fisherman near the Scarborough Shoal, a triangular set of rocks and reefs that both countries claim. “This aggressive action lasted for about 29 minutes, resulting in significant damage, including shattered glass from the aft window of…
Analysis: Nepal’s protests are being closely watched in Vietnam
RFA Perspectives — Nepal’s streets have exploded in protest. Thousands of young people, angered by a government ban on social media, are standing up against corruption and inequality. In Vietnam, the youth are watching closely, because Nepal’s story feels eerily familiar. Video: Why Vietnam is paying attention to the protests in Nepal (RFA) Why Vietnam cares So why are Vietnamese youth paying attention to what’s happening in Nepal? Because Nepal’s uprising highlights struggles they know all too well. Censorship, corruption, unemployment, and the communist party – these challenges echo in…
Myanmar election results expected at end of January, official says
An official from the commission set up by Myanmar’s ruling military junta to oversee upcoming elections said Thursday that the results of the widely disputed poll will be available by the end of January. At a news conference in Naypyidaw, Myanmar’s capital, election officials said that six parties would run for nationwide seats, while another 51 others would compete in individual states or regions. The vote is scheduled to be held in three phases beginning on Dec. 28, with two weeks between each phase, officials said. The military announced the…