The world is watching on agog as China removes Hong Kong’s special status bit by bit, quashing any dissent as it does so. China is a superpower. It is one of the world’s foremost economic and military powers. It is also an expansionist power, with its influence being felt ever more keenly the world over. But how did Hong Kong get here? Why is Beijing behaving as it is? What, if anything, can the world do to help Hong Kong? The answers to these questions lie, not in Hong Kong, but in Beijing.
Category: Asia
The Ten Most Liberal Countries in Asia
In our previous articles, we at Libel have presented top ten lists of different regions around the world, such as Africa and Latin America. Now it’s Asia’s turn. The biggest continent by both landmass and population is home to various…
Putin: President for Life?
A controversial referendum was held in Russia from 25 June to 1 July 2020 that brings sweeping changes to the constitution, including an amendment that allows Vladimir Putin to run for two more presidential terms – which could keep him…
Democracy in Turkey – After all this time? Always…
Upon the municipal re-election of Istanbul, in which the main opposition candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu won a landslide victory following the cancellation of the first one, following absurd allegations over the legitimacy of the first election in Istanbul by Erdogan’s Justice…
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Right Now, Hong Kongers Are Facing Tyranny
Hong Kong experienced an unforgettable year when the government and the police begun violently suppressing the Anti-Extradition Movement almost a year ago. To make matters worse, amidst the current global health crisis, the Hong Kong government took advantage of the…
Through Iran as Rockets Flew
This article originally appeared DEMO, the magazine of Jonge Democraten. “Do be careful! As I understand it, all US citizens have to leave the country, and the Netherlands is an ally…” I had been in Iran for almost a week…
Contact-Tracing Apps: Different Countries Different Rules
All over the world governments have started to use contact-tracing apps to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. Although the use of this technology is touted as an effective way to limit transmission of the virus, critics worry about the privacy of…
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The Problem with Pandemic Bonds
In 2017, the World Bank launched “Pandemic Bonds”, specialized bonds to provide financial support to the Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility (PEF). The creation of the PEF was announced by the World Bank in May 2016 at the meeting of G7…
Coronavirus Phobia: My Views As a Pakistani Medical Student, Studying in China
Since the public revelation of NCOVID19 in January 2020, there has been a steep rise in cases of phobia induced racism all around the world. While it’s normal for people to fear the unknown, what makes things worse is the…
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Is the War in Afghanistan Finally Coming to a Close?
Afghanistan has been in conflict since 1978. In 1979 the Soviets invaded, to prop up the pro-Soviet regime in Kabul. When they left ten years later, a lengthy and brutal civil war followed (or rather continued), in which different factions…
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