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2021March 2021International NewsAsia
Jasmine Ortega

Journalists Released from Detention in Myanmar

Associated Press journalist Thein Zaw and BBC journalist Aung Thura, among other media personnel, were released recently from detention in Myanmar. Their release comes after mounting pressure from the international community to release all journalists and cease the media crackdown. Since the February 1 coup that saw the overthrow of its democratically-elected government, a military government controls Myanmar which has cracked down on independent press coverage of protests resisting the new government, ABC News reports.

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2021March 2021International NewsAsia
Keshav Agiwal

Historic Transgender Islamic School Opens in Pakistan

A young transgender woman opened the first transgender-only madrasa in Islamabad, Pakistan. A madrasa is an Islamic religious school where students can pray, learn the teachings of the Qur’an, and discuss other Islamic subjects. Rani Khan, the founder of the school, explained to Reuters that in a dream, her transgender friend who passed away was in a great state of agony, begging her to do something for the transgender community. The dream changed her life and inspired her to use her life savings towards creating this two-room school.

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2021March 2021International NewsAsia
Kiara McGaughey

India Threatens to Deport Rohingya Refugees to Myanmar

Authorities in Jammu detained over 200 Rohingya refugees in early March and are threatening to deport them to Myanmar, the state from which they are fleeing. India claims that the refugees are considered “illegal immigrants” and explains they are in the process of deporting the detainees back to their home country, despite the continued severe violence against Rohingya Muslims in the region.

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2021March 2021FocusVaccine DiplomacyAsia
Mia DiPaola

FOCUS on Vaccine Diplomacy: China

Over a year after the world first felt the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, countless vaccines have been produced at record speed. Vaccine diplomacy, the practice of using shots to enhance a country’s regional ties and global status, provide nations like China the opportunity to flex their diplomatic muscles by using resources and development to their advantage. If vaccine diplomacy is a competition, then China is winning.

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2021March 2021FocusVaccine DiplomacyAsia
Chimdi Chukwukere

FOCUS on Vaccine Diplomacy: India

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, developing countries faced long delays obtaining access to vaccines due to vaccine nationalism and hoarding by rich countries. To fill the gap, India has emerged as a ‘vaccine superpower’ and source of hope to poorer countries, which are unable to access vaccines due to their high cost and unavailability. India is offering governments in developing nations both the locally-manufactured British AstraZeneca vaccine and its own home-grown vaccine, Covaxin. 

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2021March 2021International NewsAsia
Marie Diawatan

New Zealand Announces Initiative to Make Sanitary Products Free in Schools

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on February 18 that starting this June, all New Zealand schools will provide free sanitary products to tackle period poverty across the country, reports Reuters. “Period poverty” refers to the poor accessibility to pads or tampons that can negatively impact education, health, and employment, according to The New York Times.

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