All Asia Pacific
First LookPhilippines protests waste dump, ships trash back to CanadaPhilippine officials claim 69 containers of Canadian trash were illegally transported to the Philippines. In shipping the waste back, the Philippines joins other Asian countries dissatisfied with wealthier nations dumping trash at their ports.
Trade war roils US, China, but it means jobs for rest of AsiaChina is still an engine of global manufacturing, but tariffs are prompting a rebalancing of production. Other Asian nations stand to gain.
In Tokyo rice shop, loyalty to a sacred stapleRice can seem nearly synonymous with Japan, but consumption has shrunk by half. Do rice shops have a future?
Global city or Chinese city? Hong Kong fears the balance is tippingA proposal to ease extraditions, including to mainland China, has prompted Hong Kong’s largest protests since the pro-democracy Umbrella Movement.
First LookCrucial midterm test: Will Filipino voters back Duterte's allies?In the Philippines, 43,500 candidates are vying for around 18,000 congressional and local posts in Monday's elections. The outcome could show if President Rodrigo Duterte's authoritarian-style leadership still has popular support.
First LookNorth Korea puts diplomacy at risk with another weapons launchNorth Korea has launched weapons twice in five days as a possible signal that Kim Jong Un's regime is turning away from diplomacy. South Korea said it is working with the United States to determine the types of weapons that were fired.
Reporting in Xinjiang: ‘A war zone with no war’As Ramadan starts, Muslims in Xinjiang, China, face tight restrictions. Our reporter gives a firsthand account of China’s crackdown in Xinjiang.
China is awash in dinosaur fossils. But who will dig them up?China’s dinosaur researchers have made extraordinary discoveries, but worry about the paleontology pipeline. Can they spark new interest?
First LookMyanmar frees jailed Reuters reporters after two yearsTwo Reuters journalists arrested in 2017 for reporting on the killings of Rohingya villagers have been freed in Myanmar. Press freedom groups around the world continuously called for their release.
First LookNorth Korea missile test downplayed by Trump administrationThe test alarmed Washington's regional allies. Tensions have grown since North Korea and the U.S. failed to make any deals during their February summit.
FocusIn race to dominate AI, US researchers debate collaboration with ChinaMore oversight is needed over boundary-crossing research on artificial intelligence, experts say. But collaboration on beneficial AI is essential too.
Nostalgia and hope as Japan’s emperor hands over throneEmperor Akihito will abdicate on Tuesday, leaving the throne to his son Naruhito. The handover has spurred spending – and eagerness to turn a page.
First LookPlans for train connecting Korean peninsula to region remain stalledRail travel linking the Korean peninsula, Russia, and beyond would connect markets and make travel more efficient. But sanctions and distrust stand in the way.
First LookNorth Korea says it tested new weapon amid stalemate with USNorth Korea test-fired a new type of "tactical guided weapon," it said Thursday, and demanded the removal of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo from nuclear talks. Pyongyang said Washington has until end of 2019 to reach an acceptable deal.
First LookIndonesia's Widodo eyes election victory, despite objectionsIndonesian President Joko Widodo is likely headed to a second term, according to initial results Wednesday. The moderate Muslim survived a campaign marked by the growing influence of conservative Islam in the world's biggest Muslim-majority nation.
Beijing club promises parents it will make their boys into menThe boot camps and sports-heavy classes at the Beijing True Boys’ Club are unique. But the concerns that prompt parents to send their sons here are common, amid widespread debates about Chinese masculinity.
First LookMilitary-backed party appears to lead Thailand's first election since coupUnofficial results show that junta leader and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha is in a strong position to stay in office, following Thailand's first election since the 2014 coup. Analysts say the next government is likely to be unstable and short-lived, whichever party leads it.
Christchurch brings global white supremacist threat into sharp reliefWhite supremacist terrorism is on the rise around the world. The attack in Christchurch, New Zealand, has brought new awareness of the long-underestimated threat.
First LookA look at New Zealand's weapons banWithin a week of the shooting in Christchurch, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has banned semi-automatic weapons. Unlike in the United States, where owning guns is considered a right, New Zealanders have been swift to support the ban.
After Christchurch, Muslims ask: Are we safe in the West?The Christchurch attack has shaken Muslims around the world. It was preceded by increasingly Islamophobic rhetoric and hate crimes.
