Asup news 2019
Here are some of the top news stories from the Asia-Pacific region in 2019:
Politics and Governance
- Hong Kong Protests: Pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong continued to escalate throughout the year, with demands for greater autonomy and democratic reforms.
- China-US Trade War: The trade war between China and the United States continued to affect the global economy, with both sides imposing tariffs on each other's goods.
- India's Citizenship Amendment Act: India passed a controversial citizenship law that allows citizenship to be granted to non-Muslim migrants from certain countries, sparking widespread protests and criticism.
- Thailand's General Election: Thailand held its first general election since the 2014 military coup, with the pro-military party winning a majority of seats.
Economy and Business
- ASEAN Economic Integration: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) continued to work towards economic integration, with the launch of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2019.
- China's Belt and Road Initiative: China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) continued to expand, with new projects and agreements signed with countries across the region.
- Indonesia's Economy: Indonesia's economy grew at a slower pace in 2019, due to declining commodity prices and global trade tensions.
- Singapore's Economy: Singapore's economy grew at a slower pace in 2019, due to declining exports and global trade tensions.
Environment and Natural Disasters
- Typhoon Hagibis: A powerful typhoon hit Japan in October, causing widespread damage and flooding.
- Australian Bushfires: Australia experienced its worst bushfire season on record, with millions of acres of land burned and thousands of homes destroyed.
- Indonesia's Forest Fires: Indonesia experienced severe forest fires in 2019, causing widespread air pollution and health problems.
- Climate Change: The Asia-Pacific region continued to feel the impacts of climate change, with rising sea levels, more frequent natural disasters, and increased risk of water scarcity.
Health and Science
- Coronavirus Outbreak: A new coronavirus outbreak was reported in Wuhan, China in December, which has since spread to over 200 countries and territories worldwide.
- Dengue Fever Outbreak: A dengue fever outbreak was reported in several countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
- MERS Outbreak: A Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak was reported in South Korea, with several deaths and hundreds of cases reported.
- Space Exploration: The Asia-Pacific region continued to make progress in space exploration, with China launching its Chang'e 4 mission to the far side of the moon and Japan launching its Hayabusa2 mission to an asteroid.
Sports and Entertainment
- Asian Games: The 2018 Asian Games were held in Jakarta, Indonesia, with over 11,000 athletes from 45 countries participating.
- FIFA World Cup: The 2018 FIFA World Cup was held in Russia, with several teams from the Asia-Pacific region participating, including Japan, South Korea, and Australia.
- Chinese Super League: The Chinese Super League continued to attract top talent from around the world, with several high-profile signings made by Chinese clubs.
- K-Pop: K-pop continued to gain popularity worldwide, with groups such as BTS, Blackpink, and EXO releasing hit songs and albums.