Thailand Deports Dozens of Uyghurs to China, Sparking Outcry
Thai police chief, Kittharath Punpetch, told reporters that the Uyghurs arrived in Xinjiang after they were first detained in the Southeast Asian nation a decade ago. The deportation, he said, came at the request of China, which has been repeatedly accused by the US of abuses against the ethnic group.
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Time Magazine
21 hours ago
- Time Magazine
Indonesian Authorities Respond to Mass Flying of ‘One Piece' Flag
Along Indonesia's city streets and country roads, the Southeast Asian nation's red-and-white flag isn't the only one you may see waving from cars, homes, and hands ahead of its Independence Day on Sunday. Since late July, as an expression of dissatisfaction with their government, some Indonesians have flown a version of the Jolly Roger skull-and-bones flag from the popular Japanese anime One Piece, which originated in 1997 as a manga and was adapted into a live-action series by Netflix in 2023. The 'Straw Hat Pirates' flag has in recent weeks become a trendy symbol of defiance against President Prabowo Subianto, a populist former general who was elected last year, after Prabowo called in a late July speech for Indonesians to fly the national flag 'at home, at schools, in offices, in public spaces—wherever you are' in celebration of the country's upcoming 80th anniversary. According to local news media, the symbol of resistance arose after a group of truck drivers, who already typically attach the national flag to their vehicles every year for Independence Day, instead put up the One Piece flag in protest of transportation reforms that they felt overlooked working-class drivers in favor of centralized, elite interests. Others say the political use of the One Piece flag originated during 'Dark Indonesia' student protests earlier this year. Either way, the truckers' pirate flags went viral on social media, gaining traction among others that also adopted it as an expression of broader discontent with Prabowo's government, which has been criticized over its economic policies, expansion of the military's role in government, as well as concerns about corruption, democratic decline, and more. The sentiment, 'red and white are too sacred to be flown in this dirty country'—referencing the colors of the national flag which symbolize sacrifice and purity, respectively—has also been widely shared by proponents of the One Piece flag protest in the nation of 284 million people. 'Massive movement' Indonesian sociologist Bagong Suyanto told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that the anime flag became a 'massive movement' because of its wide appeal across ages and social classes as well as because of its low barrier to entry. 'They all felt the government's policies marginalised their interests,' he said, and 'they don't need to take to the streets, confront authorities, or face police batons.' Others have said the source material itself, which has a large fanbase in Indonesia, has served as inspiration. 'Fighting against oppression and inequality is a major theme' of One Piece, which encourages fans 'to take a stand against injustice and fight for social justice,' according to a 2023 blog about the anime. In Central Java, flag seller Dendi Christanto told a local news outlet that he received 'thousands of orders' for the One Piece flag since Prabowo's July speech. An unnamed resident in Surabaya said that they were not raising the One Piece flag to be unpatriotic: 'I actually did it as proof that I still love this country. But I'm disappointed with the officials' behavior, their policies that favor the elite while ignoring the common people. Currently, taxes are getting higher and many officials are corrupt.' Another Surabaya resident said he'd raised the One Piece flag alongside the national flag but that while he'd take down the national flag after August, as is tradition, he'd keep up the One Piece one to continue to express his 'disappointment' with the government. It's not the first time activists in Southeast Asia have rallied around a fictional symbol for real-world dissent. For more than a decade, opponents of the military- and monarchy-aligned establishment in Thailand have embraced the Hunger Games' three-finger salute. But in a country where freedom of expression has been 'repressed' and past protests met with 'excessive and unnecessary' police force, according to Amnesty International, Indonesian authorities have been divided on how to react to this latest nonviolent demonstration. 'May even be treason' Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, who is the executive of Prabowo's right-wing Gerindra party, urged the public on July 31 to 'resist' the One Piece flag protest movement, calling it 'a coordinated attempt to divide the nation.' Firman Soebagyo, a lawmaker of the conservative Golkar party, said the same day that the protest movement 'may even be treason.' Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Budi Gunawan warned on Aug. 1 that those who raise the One Piece flag could face 'criminal consequences,' citing a 2009 law under which those found guilty of desecrating the national flag can face up to five years in prison or a fine amounting to about $30,000. 'The government will take firm and measured legal action if there are elements of intent and provocation to ensure order and the dignity of state symbols,' Budi said, telling the public to avoid displaying 'symbols which are not relevant to the nation's struggle' ahead of Independence Day. Minister of Human Rights Natalius Pigai suggested on Aug. 3 that the government even had the right to ban the One Piece flag on national security grounds, though the government has not taken steps to do so. Still, at the local level, police in certain areas across the country have been reported to have cracked down on vendors and displayers of the One Piece flag. Police in Jakarta said on Aug. 5 that they were 'monitoring the use of non-national flags and symbols that don't align with the spirit of nationalism, including pirate or fictional-themed flags.' Enforcement, however, has been inconsistent—and in some cases, reports of heavy-handed responses to the protest have inspired others to join the movement. 'By treating a cartoon flag as a threat to national security, they have inadvertently validated the entire premise of the protest,' Farhan Rizqullah, a self-identified One Piece fan and former foreign policy analyst assistant for the Indonesian Parliament, wrote in a blog post on Medium analyzing the flag protest. 'I don't even like anime,' Dinda, a 31-year-old banker who said she changed her Instagram profile picture to the pirate flag, told regional news outlet CNA. 'But the way the government reacted? It made me want to post it even more. It's just a flag. Chill.' 'We need criticism' To be sure, not everyone in the Indonesian government opposed the protest movement. Deddy Yevri Sitorus of the opposition Democratic Party of Struggle said on July 31 that raising the One Piece flag should not be criminalized, calling it a 'symbolic action,' which is 'better than street protests that could turn violent.' Prabowo himself has not directly addressed the One Piece flags, but, according to State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi, he did not mind it as much as other ruling-party and conservative officials did. 'It is OK as a form of expression,' Prasetyo said on Aug. 5, promising Prabowo would not order any raids against those who raised the flag, though he cautioned that the law had to be followed, including that the national flag be flown higher if raised alongside other symbols. 'We must not bring it into conflict, or fly it to oppose the Red-and-White flag,' said Prasetyo. 'As Indonesians, we must recognize that the Red-and-White is our only flag.' Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Bima Arya Sugiarto reiterated that perspective on Aug. 5, telling local news of the One Piece flag trend: 'There's nothing wrong with it, as long as the Red and White flag takes precedence.' Bima framed the protest movement as a shining example of free speech in Indonesia, which is widely regarded as the third-largest democracy behind India and the U.S., though critics have complained of creeping authoritarianism in all three. 'In a democratic society,' said Bima, 'even something like One Piece becoming a trend can be a space for expression, a place where people reflect, critique, and send messages.' Separately, the independent Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights appeared to latch onto the One Piece trend, posting on Instagram that the anime offered 'countless lessons about human rights' on Aug. 13. 'Who says learning about human rights has to be rigid? … The story isn't just about finding treasure, but also full of social criticism and values of fighting against injustice.' Prabowo, for his part, seemed to indirectly address the tangible discontent across Indonesia in his first State of the Nation address on Friday. 'We need criticism,' he said, 'although some of the criticism can be suffocating. But no problem, don't stop criticizing.'
Newsweek
21 hours ago
- Newsweek
One Trump Ceasefire is Already Starting to Fray
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Pointing towards roughly-built houses cut off behind coils of shiny new razor wire, weeping Cambodian villagers complained that Thai soldiers had evicted them from front line homes despite a ceasefire agreed under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump. One Thai official described the claim as "fake news". Thailand meanwhile alleges that its soldiers have been wounded by newly-placed land mines. The allegations by both Southeast Asian countries are putting strain on a ceasefire for which Cambodia — its army heavily outgunned by Thailand's much larger and better equipped forces — has become the latest country to nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. "We want to show the international community how the Thai government violated the ceasefire by putting the barbed wire and pushing the people back from the border," Banthey Meanchey Province Governor Oum Reatrey told Newsweek during a media visit to the front line set up by the authorities. "We never planted new mines and we never violated the ceasefire agreement and we want to keep the area calm here," he said at the Prey Chan commune. Newsweek sought comment from the Thai Army and the U.S. State Department. Why It Matters If the ceasefire falls apart, it could lead to a resumption of fighting in which dozens of people have already been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced across the two countries. It would also be a blow for Trump's peacemaking credentials as he also seeks to bring about an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine and to secure peace in the Middle East amid Israel's ongoing war with Hamas and other Iranian proxy forces as well as its confrontation with Iran over its nuclear program. Cambodian soldier surveys barbed wire alledgly placed by Thai soldiers that cuts Cambodian villagers from their homes at Prey Chan, Cambodia on August 15, 2025. Cambodian soldier surveys barbed wire alledgly placed by Thai soldiers that cuts Cambodian villagers from their homes at Prey Chan, Cambodia on August 15, 2025. Matthew Tostevin What To Know Fighting between Thailand and Cambodia erupted over five days in late July after months of rising tensions over a border dispute dating from the colonial era in a remote region of rice farms and ancient Khmer-Hindu era temples. The skirmishes ended after Trump called both sides and used tariffs to pressure them to stop. Cambodians say that the Thai soldiers forced dozens of Cambodian residents from their homes in two locations on August 13 and erected barbed wire despite the ceasefire that stopped fighting on July 28 and a more detailed subsequent agreement. Five-year-old Cambodian Mesa waits with her grandmother on August 15, 2025 at Prey Chan after the family said they were evicted from their homes by Thai soldiers despite a ceasefire. Five-year-old Cambodian Mesa waits with her grandmother on August 15, 2025 at Prey Chan after the family said they were evicted from their homes by Thai soldiers despite a ceasefire. Matthew Tostevin "The Thai soldiers just told me to get out of the house and I said I need to take my belongings but they forced me out and put the barbed wire," wept Hul Malis, a 52-year-old woman at Prey Chan. "Right now I just want to go back to my house and get back what I had before." Thailand has rejected the accusations of violating the ceasefire over the placement of barbed wire. In its turn, it said it was protesting against what it alleged was the Cambodian use of land mines which had wounded soldiers on August 9 and 12. Its foreign ministry alleged in a statement that this: "reflects Cambodia's lack of good faith and contravenes the ceasefire agreement finalized by both sides." What People Are Saying Cambodian State Secretariat of Border Affairs: "The Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary - JBC (Cambodian side) would like to reiterate its protest against the Thai military's encroachment activities and demand the Thai side to immediately cease and remove the barbed wire, nets, barricade, and vehicle tires, and to take any appropriate measures to prevent further violations of similar nature along the border between the two countries." Royal Thai Army: "The Royal Thai Army calls upon Cambodia to respect the ceasefire agreement, fully comply with the 13-point agreement, and strictly adhere to the principles of international law. Throughout this period, it has been found that the Cambodian side has been continuously committing violations. What Happens Next In addition to the accusations of ceasefire violations and military buildups on both sides, rumors of potential Thai attacks have repeatedly set people fleeing on the Cambodian side. Even if there is no further open clash, the situation is likely to remain tense before confidence can be rebuilt.
Business Insider
2 days ago
- Business Insider
Elon Musk called on corporations to leave Delaware. Delaware says it's doing just fine.
Elon Musk has a Rolodex of feuds: US President Donald Trump, "212" rapper Azealia Banks, and even a British diver who helped save a Thai soccer team stuck in a flooded cave. In 2024, he set his sights on Delaware. Although Delaware is generally considered a business-friendly state with a robust corporate legal system, Musk tried to shatter that reputation after a judge at Delaware's Court of Chancery denied his multi-billion-dollar pay package, which was approved by Tesla's board. In typical Musk fashion, he used his X account as a megaphone to blast the court and urged others to incorporate their business elsewhere. "Companies should get the hell out of Delaware," Musk wrote last August. Musk moved SpaceX and Tesla from Delaware to Texas in 2024. Some prominent companies have since followed Musk out of the state. VC firm Andreessen Horowitz is the most recent high-profile company to exit Delaware because, the company said in a blog post, recent rulings by the Court of Chancery had undermined its "reputation for unbiased expertise." Companies like Roblox, Dropbox, and Trump Media have also left the state. Texas, Nevada, Florida, and Wyoming have become preferred destinations for some business leaders in a shift that some have dubbed "Dexit," a reference to the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, known as Brexit. The state's historical dominance as a destination for companies to incorporate is rooted in the Delaware General Corporation Law, a business-friendly statute that acts as the bedrock of its corporate law. Companies leaving Delaware might do so for various reasons, including privacy or tax preferences, but for Musk, it's about finding greener legal pastures. For its part, Delaware isn't overly worried. Dexit? Not according to Delaware. Attorneys and state officials still consider Delaware the premier destination for corporations, despite Musk's criticism. "Yes, there has been some political rhetoric about leaving Delaware," Delaware Secretary of State Charuni Patibanda-Sanchez told Business Insider. "What our data is showing is that Delaware is still the preeminent place to incorporate your business." Patibanda-Sanchez's office oversees the Division of Corporations, which says the state was home to over 2.1 million corporations and two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies in 2024. Still, the number of business entities formed in Delaware has slowed slightly, falling from about 313,000 in 2022 to about 289,000 in 2024. Joshua Margolin, a partner at Selendy Gay who is familiar with corporate governance in Delaware, told Business Insider that the state's decadeslong experience navigating corporate disputes is a big reason the state remains a top destination. "You've got judges who sit on the Court of Chancery who have spent their entire careers litigating corporate disputes," Margolin said. "That is invaluable to have that experience on the bench when you're bringing a dispute, whether you're the plaintiff or the defendant." Margolin added that Delaware has a "breadth and depth of case law and precedent that I don't think other states can rival." "I think if you went back over time, you'd see various states creating business courts that are in one way or another meant to try to mirror the expertise of the Court of Chancery," he said. Lindsey Mignano, founding partner of SSM Law PC, which represents emerging tech companies, said Delaware remains the "simplest, most cost-effective choice" for business founders. Mignano said many of the documents related to governing financing for startups are based on Delaware corporate law, meaning attorneys would need to adopt those templates to fit the requirements of other states. "This is an expensive lift from a practical perspective," Mignano said. Patibanda-Sanchez said, for now, the state isn't sweating. "We don't believe that Delaware's position as the corporate leader and corporate capital of the world is being threatened in any significant way," Patibanda-Sanchez said. "We always come under threat, though, because states are always trying to get a piece of the action." In February, Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer told Business Insider that things may "need to change" as companies considered leaving the state. Meyers approved changes to Delaware's corporate law in March. This month, Delaware's Court of Chancery said it would automate its process for case assignment, which could address concerns of bias.
