Asia

Caregivers are applying lessons from resisting authoritarianism under Philippine dictator Marcos Sr. to the modern-day fight against Trump.

Exploiting the rampant poverty and unemployment in South Africa, international traffickers lure local youth into stealing rare plants for sale in Asian and Arab countries. Though laws have been strengthened, a technological solution would be more effective in curbing biopiracy.

The Philippine government's accusation that activists have links to terrorism has led to non-profit funds being frozen and local climate projects being delayed or scrapped.

This year, our journalists and photojournalists worked across 12 countries, four U.S. states, and two disputed regions, bringing readers a visual documentation of the issues we covered.

Their stories surfaced in fragments, often only within families. A coalition led by Asian American women is pushing Congress to make them part of the official record.

“We’re talking about a nation that is not only highly repressive but also the second-largest economy globally,” said Sarah Cook, who worked for years for Freedom House, which defends civil liberties around the globe. “This creates an unprecedented situation.”

“I never had to use a medical cream in my life,” says Biren Bhuiyan. Pointing to the skin ailments which he now treats with store-bought medicine, he says, “There used to be abundant medicinal plants around us, but we can’t find them here. We are dependent on hospitals now.” 

Earlier this year, I embarked on a probing trip to a small coastal area in Southeast Asia to see what this ancient wood-eater could offer us: about resilience, and the many ways life endures, adapts, and sustains others.

Momand learned only two days later that it was a nationwide blackout. Momand and his family have lost approximately 350,000 Afghanis (around $5,340 USD) — one of their worst losses in more than a decade.

Officers on fishing vessels often subject workers to physical violence, intimidation and fraud. Most of the crew members interviewed by the Environmental Justice Foundation reported being trapped in debt bondage, with substantial recruitment fees and debts forcing them to work for minimal pay. Many recounted shifts exceeding 14 hours, poor food, degrading living conditions, and senior officers confiscating their passports.