All Asia Pacific
First LookOfficial denies Trump's accusation that China sold oil to North KoreaUS President Trump said on Twitter the previous day that China had been 'caught' allowing oil into North Korea and that would prevent 'a friendly solution' to the crisis over North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.
First LookSouth Korea: 2015 'comfort women' deal was flawedA South Korean panel set up to investigate the deal concluded that it failed to meet the needs of the thousands of girls and women forced to work in Japan's military brothels.
First LookChinese shadow banking presents economic, political challengesLeaders in Beijing have acknowledged that risky investment practices could compound the threat posed by the economy's accumulation of debt after the global financial crisis in 2008.
First LookUS should look inward to tackle opioid crisis, Chinese officials sayIn November, President Donald Trump blamed a "flood of cheap and deadly" fentanyl made in China for the deadliest drug epidemic in US history.
First LookSouth Korean soldiers fire warning rounds at N. Koreans during defectionSouth Korean soldiers fired 20 warning machine gun rounds as North Korean soldiers approached the border. This incident marks the fourth time this year a North Korean soldier has defected across the world's most heavily armed border.
First LookResidents of Fiji learn disaster preparedness to weather coming stormsAs climate change brings more storms and flooding to the islands in the South Pacific, communities in Fiji are training residents in disaster preparedness, relocating entire villages where possible, and improving infrastructure around the island to keep residents safe.
In northeast China, a test for Beijing's big bet on fairer growthFor decades, the Communist Party's fate was tied to the pace of economic growth. Now, amid a changing economy, President Xi has emphasized his vision for a fairer society. But that dream can seem distant in regions hard hit by the transition.
First LookChina shows military strength with drill held over Sea of JapanChina flew a fleet of warplanes near Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan on Monday in efforts to demonstrate its growing military presence in the region.
First LookWhile world watches North Korea, China builds in the South China SeaWhile the world has turned its focus to North Korea, satellite images show new Chinese high-frequency radar facilities on its controversial man-made outposts in the Spratly and Parcel Islands. China has been pressured to halt its militarization of the contested land.
In Malaysia, religious concerns stall child-bride reformEven cases where men have avoided rape charges by marrying their underage victims have not prompted changes to the law allowing underage marriage. Conservative strands of Islamic opinion favor the practice.
First LookChina willing to work with South Korea to maintain peace on Korean peninsulaDuring South Korean President Moon Jae-in's visit to China, Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirms his commitment to maintaining stability on the Korean peninsula, aiming to denuclearize the peninsula through diplomatic talks.
Beijing gives migrant workers their marching ordersFor decades, low-paid migrant workers from the Chinese countryside have been building the shiny new Beijing and keeping it running. Now the government is demolishing their homes and forcing them out of the city. How will the capital function without them?
First LookAustralia legalizes same-sex marriageAfter a nationwide postal survey showed the majority of Australians favor legalizing same-sex marriage, Australia's Parliament followed through with legislation, which allows same-sex unions to take place starting in January.
First LookQuestions of citizenship plague Australian ParliamentA surprising citizenship crisis has upended Australia's Parliament as a number of members have had their true citizenship called into question. Under Australia's constitution, dual citizens are not eligible for election.
First LookUS sends stealth jets to South Korea for joint exercise and show of strengthThe US and South Korea will carry out an annual joint military exercise including 12,000 US troops and hundreds of aircraft over the Korean Peninsula. This year's exercise comes amid heightened tensions around North Korea's recent missile test.
First LookEmperor Akihito sets date for his abdication of Japan's throneAs Japanese Emperor Akihito prepares to abdicate his throne in 2019, debate resurfaces over whether the women of the royal family should be able to succeed the throne.
China's rust belt gets long-awaited bridge to Russia. But is it still a lifeline?Locals in this frigid corner of China are counting on a rail bridge to Russia to revive a struggling economy. But while they've waited, the country has transformed – making the heavy industries it was built to support look more like the past than the future.
With thaw toward S. Korea, Beijing shelves patriot games – for nowFor months, Beijing punished Seoul for deploying the antimissile system, and encouraged Chinese consumers to do the same. But its habit of dialing citizens' nationalistic sentiments up and down to suit official policies may be getting harder.
First LookNorth Korea claims strongest missile yet after latest testNorth Korea launched Wednesday a 'significantly more' powerful missile than what it has tested before. The launch heightens global tensions as the US aims to prevent North Korea from developing an intercontinental weapon of mass destruction.
First LookBeijing evicts its major labor force with little noticeAuthorities in Beijing have been evicting domestic migrant workers from the capital in droves, triggering a public outcry over the harsh treatment of laborers the city depends on.
