All Asia Pacific
Xinjiang: Beijing’s chilling attempt to erase and replace Uyghur identity‘Social harmony’ has been prized by Chinese leaders for millennia. To achieve that vision, they’ve experimented with reengineering people’s behaviors and beliefs – often forcefully.
Connection or control? On the new Silk Road, two tales of China competeBeijing has cast itself as a global leader, trumpeting connectivity and trade and spearheading the $1 trillion Belt and Road Initiative. But its policies at home underscore a different reality, and more of China’s partners are taking note.
First LookChina detains two Canadians, in political response to Huawei extraditionTwo Canadians were arrested this week in China on national security charges in response to the potential extradition of Meng Wanzhou, a Chinese tech executive, to the US for violation of sanctions and bank fraud. The move further complicates US-China trade negotiations.
First LookJailed Reuters journalists in Myanmar named 'Person of the Year'Dec. 12 marks the one-year anniversary of the imprisonment of Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo in Myanmar. Many believe the journalists were framed by the government in retaliation for reporting on the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar.
In Taiwan's upset election, a complicated message for BeijingSome say midterm elections that sharply boosted the China-friendly KMT party give China confidence about its growing influence ahead of Taiwan's 2020 presidential poll. But others paint a much more nuanced picture.
First LookThailand's indigenous Chao Lay under threat by both tourism and conservationConfronted by a booming tourism industry and new efforts by the government to preserve marine ecosystems, the Chao Lay, one of Thailand's many nomadic and aboriginal groups, are facing new challenges to preserve their traditional way of life.
First LookCambodia considers lifting ban on opposition party activitiesThe Cambodian parliament will consider legislation that reverses a previous decision to ban all opposition party members from political participation for five years. Some believe Cambodia is looking to improve it's democratic reputation with the US and European nations.
First LookFilipino policemen convicted of murdering teenager in drug warThree policemen were convicted this week for the murder of a 17-year-old student accused of selling drugs. It was the first known wrongful death conviction related to the deadly drug war fueled by Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte.
First LookChina orders medical team to stop gene-editing projectResearcher He Jiankui claims to have altered the DNA of twin girls born earlier this month, a move that many scientists condemned as premature. On Nov. 29, China ordered Mr. He's team to stop its gene-editing experiment, with a top official calling the project "shocking and unacceptable."
China sprints toward next sports goal: half a billion weekend warriorsDuring decades of intense economic growth, many Chinese feel wellness – both personal and environmental – was put on the back burner. Today, balance is actually being written into national goals.
Cover Story‘There are no people’: China’s crackdown in the Uyghur heartlandAnn Scott Tyson found reporting especially challenging in the western region of Xinjiang, where she went to witness the impact of China’s forced ‘reeducation’ of its Uyghur minority. But that work produced a rare and nuanced look at the project’s effect.
First LookFormer leaders of Khmer Rouge convicted of genocide, war crimesThe last surviving members of the Khmer Rouge have been sentenced to life in prison for crimes against humanity under an international tribunal. The process toward justice has been long and winding in the decades since Pol Pot left power in the 1970s.
First LookChinese officials defensive over Muslim re-education campsChinese officials have responded to a letter from 15 foreign ambassadors, spearheaded by Canada, expressing concern over the incarceration of thousands of Chinese Muslims, saying the letter contained "unreasonable requests" and was based on hearsay.
First LookAustralia looks to remove children from island refugee settlementSince 2013, refugees who attempt to reach Australia by boat have been diverted to refugee camps on Nauru or Papua New Guinea. Australian officials are now looking to bring children on Nauru to Australia for care as health concerns escalate.
First LookSymbolic mega-bridge connects Hong Kong to mainlandOn Oct. 23, China opened up the world's longest-sea crossing bridge between Hong Kong and the mainland. While some celebrated the bridge as a feat of engineering, others saw it as loaded with political significance.
First LookProgressives criticize South Korea for denying Yemenis refugee statusOn Oct. 17, South Korea's Justice Ministry said it would not grant refugee status to nearly 400 Yemenis who are fleeing a civil war as well as a cholera outbreak. Progressives have denounced the move as xenophobic, though others are calling for deportation.
China's cold but cleaner skies bring an economic challenge
As China clamps down, internet users find it harder to scale 'Great Firewall'Beijing has moved to restrict the availability of virtual private networks, or VPNs, amid an overarching strengthening of Communist Party control under President Xi Jinping.
First LookFollowing US disapproval, S. Korea backs off from sanction liftsOn Oct. 10, South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha indicated an interest in lifting some sanctions against North Korea, but backlash from President Trump and South Korean conservatives was swift, as US-led international sanctions remain firmly in place.
First LookAs relations warm, South Korea considers lifting North Korea sanctionsSouth Korea's foreign minister, Kang Kyung-wha, believes that a lifting of sanctions against North Korea could be the next step in a series of negotiations between the two countries. However, many South Koreans still harbor resentment against their neighbor to the north.
