All Asia Pacific
First Look#MeToo movement struggles to gain momentum in Japan's patriarchal societyThe #MeToo movement that has shaken America has not yet caught on in Japan, where discussion of sex crimes is still taboo and victims are often blamed and face backlash from speaking out.
Cover StoryCan schools help rid the world of sexual harassers and abusers?From Iceland and Israel to Mexico and South Korea, schools around the world increasingly see rooting out sexism as their domain, before it takes hold and expresses itself in workplace abuse or domestic violence. Part 8 of Reaching for Equity: a global series on gender and power.
First LookSingapore proposes measure to ban citizen communication at terror attack sitesIn efforts to counter terrorism, Singapore has proposed a new law to prevent people from taking pictures and videos at terror attack sites. The law has drawn criticism from experts who believe it will be hard to apply in a digital age.
After 'gang' uproar, Sudanese-Australians set to tackle crime – and biasConcerns about crime by African-Australian youth led national headlines for weeks early this year. Many allege the alarm was overblown, and exposed cracks in Australia's proud multiculturalism. A new task force aims to tackle root causes of teens' disengagement.
First LookIn Indonesia, reconciliation aims to heal scars from militant attacksIndonesia has imprisoned hundreds of Islamist militants since the 2002 Bali bombings, but it has struggled to convince many of them to renounce their past. Now, an effort to bring former extremists together with victims may be sowing the seeds of peace.
Letter from Pyeongchang: Finding beauty in the Olympic struggleThe attention on medals belies the grander purpose of the Games – and their relevance to a world facing much harder challenges than triple axels or tricks in the halfpipe.
When Olympism runs in the familyFrom the bobsledding niece of an MLB player to the daughter of Olympic rowers, a number of this year's Winter Olympians have been propelled by athletically accomplished relatives. But 'propelled' doesn't always mean 'pressured.'
First LookSouth Korean chat app brings #MeToo movement to the countryThe app Blind is shedding new light on sexual harassment in the country's heavily male-dominated workplace. But many South Korean users say they are yet to see significant changes in their workplaces.
First LookAn Australian laundry business has a mission to improve the lives of its employeesVanguard Laundry Services exclusively hires unemployed people with mental illnesses to do laundry for more than 80 hospitals and hotels in eastern Australia. The business aims to provide employees with independence and financial security.
In Pyeongchang, a historically diverse Winter OlympicsThe 2018 Games represent a wider spectrum of humanity than ever before. That’s particularly true in women’s bobsledding – in which four of the top five teams in Pyeongchang included at least one black athlete.
US women win historic Olympic gold in cross-country skiingKikkan Randall and Jessie Diggins, powered by a tight-knit team, won the American women's first-ever Olympic medal in a close sprint with Sweden and Norway on Wednesday.
Japan wants Fukushima evacuees to go home. They're not so sure.About 160,000 people left their homes in 2011, after an earthquake and tsunami triggered the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. Today, the government says it's safe for many to return. But regaining residents' trust remains a challenge.
In South Korea, a new Cinderella story is unfolding – on iceThe Korean women’s curling team has surprised many – not least of all their compatriots – by defeating almost every single country so far.
More than glitter: How US women pin Nordic medal hopes on teamworkAmerican women used to be the also-rans in cross-country skiing, a sport dominated by Scandinavians. But by valuing each other’s unique contributions, they have become one of the top teams in the world.
First LookAfter the Olympics, war-torn families still hope for reunionsFamilies separated at the outbreak of the Korean War hope that thawing relations between the two Koreas will be enough to restart reunion programs with loved ones that live across the border. Many believe North Korea's outreach is serious this time.
America’s Olympic team: faster, higher, stronger for longer – with kidsTraditionally, many Olympians hang up their skates, skis, and sleds in order to have a family. Today, more teams are helping athletes balance parenthood and full-time training to extend their careers.
Off the slopes, Olympians look up and out for a larger causeOlympians’ intense focus and self-sacrifice is key to reaching the highest levels of their sport, but leaves some hungry for a bigger purpose. Many competitors in Pyeongchang have embraced causes or relationships beyond their performance, looking for an even deeper sense of fulfillment.
At winter Olympics, science wins the dayIn sports like bobsled, luge, and snowboarding, where fractions of a second make a difference, it's not only athletes who are crucial. Hundreds of technicians work behind the scenes to help teams adjust to conditions that change by the day, if not the hour.
Winter Olympics – forging peace or false dawn?South Korean President Moon Jae-in hopes North Korea's participation in the Winter Olympics will pave the way to reconciliation. If it turns out to be flimflam, diplomacy will be weakened and the threat of war could loom again.
First LookSouth Korean firms hope North-South complex will reopenSouth Korean investors in the Kaesong complex, a joint North-South endeavor shuttered in 2016, hope thawing tensions surrounding the Winter Olympics could lead to a revival of the industrial park.
