The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has been called unAustralian by prime minister Tony Abbott, who has also called for a review of its funding. Helen Clark reports
Australia’s “Auntie” pummelled over Indonesia coverage
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CATEGORY: Asia and Pacific
Indonesia’s democracy is no guarantee to freedom of faith
In the run up to this year’s elections, Indonesia’s politicians would have you believe that religious freedom is not a problem for the world’s largest Muslim population country. Endy Bayuni reports
Pakistan: Between a “cultural coup” and giving “peace another chance”
Hoping to use culture to battle Pakistan’s slide into “Talibanisation”, the son of Benazir Bhutto kicked off a two-week-long arts festival on 1 February. Zofeen Ebrahim reports
China: Suppression of religious freedoms in Xinjiang continues
The Chinese Communist Party continues to develop expansive legal and political frameworks that repress the cultural and religious freedoms of its Uyghur population in Xinjiang province. Ahmed W Khan reports
Is India’s biometric benefits database trampling privacy?
India’s laws and controls over its massive collection, storage and use of biometric data are hugely deficient, writes Ram Mashru
Pakistan’s politics thwart launch of Malala book
Peshwar University found itself at the centre of a controversy surrounding the launch of I Am Malala when police refused to provide security for the event. Zofeen Ebrahim reports
Indian films at mercy of new censor board CEO — and his five-year-old daughter
The new CEO of India’s censor board has described his objection to some of India’s recent blockbusters based on the reactions of his wife and five year old daughter. Mahima Kaul reports
State of press freedom in China and Hong Kong “reminiscent of the Mao era”
New report from the International Federation of Journalists slams “continued deterioration of press freedoms”
Pakistan’s religious kidnappings: Forced conversions and marriages
An increase in kidnappings of Hindu girls who are then coerced to embrace Islam and forced to marry has raised concerns in Pakistan, Zofeen Ebrahim writes
Pakistani journalists plea for protection
Three men working for a TV station were last week killed by the Taliban in Karachi. Now Pakistani journalists are calling on the government to appoint special public prosecutors to investigate the murders of media workers. Zofeen Ebrahim reports