All Asia Pacific
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.聽
First LookAustralia considers banning immigrants from settling in major citiesAs population continues to increase rapidly in Sydney and Melbourne, Australian officials are considering preventing immigrants from settling in these cities unless they have employment or family connections there.聽
First LookIn Indonesia, some survivors refuse to give up hopeOn Sept. 28, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake rocked the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, leaving thousands dead, injured, or missing in its wake. Amid the uncertainty and grief, Indonesians search for survivors and pray to be reunited with loved ones safely.聽
Slice of life: A reporter's search for knives in BeijingBeijing has cracked down on knives in recent years, in response to high-profile knife attacks and stabbings. What's a Chinese chef to do?
First LookNew Okinawa governor addresses the complexity of US bases in JapanDenny Tamaki, the first elected leader of Okinawa to have an American parent, is leading a push against the US military presence on the island. Many consider him a "new kind of leader" as he stands for diversity in a country with a reputation for uniformity.聽
First LookKoreas begin to remove landmines near border to reduce tensionsSouth Korean officials announced the beginning of demining efforts in the demilitarized zone on Oct. 1. The efforts are part of a deal with North Korea to reduce military tensions on several fronts.聽
First LookRescue efforts under way as Indonesian tsunami claims more than 800 livesSeveral large coastal towns in Indonesia were hit by an earthquake and tsunami on Sept. 28 washing out communities and trapping residents under rubble. Poor roads and lack of heavy equipment, medical supplies, and experts is making recovery efforts difficult.
First LookNorth and South Korea take steps toward easing tensionFollowing a series of meetings between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, the two announced an ambitious program aimed at bringing peace to聽the Korean Peninsula 鈥� including a pledge on denuclearization.
First LookSouth Korean president in Pyongyang for new talksThe continued dialogue between North and South Korea after President Trump's June meeting with Kim Jong-un heralds the possibility of renewed economic and diplomatic ties between the two countries.聽
First LookInside Hong Kong's mission to curb clothing wasteA new textile mill in Hong Kong is taking aim at the tons of textile waste dumped into landfills as a result of "fast fashion" with technology that will separate fabric blends in waste garments and produce a recycled yarn to be spun into new clothes.
First LookSearch missions continue in Philippines after typhoon MangkhutAs hurricane Florence continues to ravage the American South, the Philippines聽is working its way out from under another natural disaster as landslides pummel the country after typhoon Mangkhut. The government has blamed the mudslides on illegal mining operations.
First LookNew liaison office designed to improve communication between KoreasLocated in the North Korean border town of Kaesong, the office will be staffed by officials from both Koreas in hopes of easing tensions between the two countries ahead of their聽leaders' summit in Pyongyang next week.聽
For West, Aung San Suu Kyi鈥檚 silence complicates response to Rohingya crisisAung San Suu Kyi is hardly the first icon who has wound up leaving many admirers disillusioned. But amid the Rohingya crisis, the consequences of the world鈥檚 bewilderment may be especially high.
First LookChina pushes companies to look for non-US suppliers, buyersAs a response to President Trump's tariff hikes, Beijing is pushing companies to trade less with the United States. But there are few alternatives to the US as an export market and technology maker.
How 鈥榟eritage players鈥� are helping Vietnam build a basketball cultureAthletes whose families fled Vietnam decades ago are now returning to play professional basketball. They鈥檙e key in the effort to expand the sport鈥檚 popularity.聽
As China detains Muslim Uyghurs, its economic clout mutes world criticismHas China simply become too powerful for the world to protest its human rights abuses? A vast surveillance and detention campaign against a Muslim minority is putting that to the test.
First LookLatest leader-swap frustrates AustraliansFormer Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was forced out of office on Friday by disgruntled lawmakers, the fourth prime minister pushed out of the job since 2010 in a period of political instability. The leadership change has struck a particularly sour note among Australians.聽
First LookSeparated Korean families reunite for brief, long-awaited meetingsDozens of elderly South Koreans crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea for emotional reunions with relatives. The weeklong event, the first of its kind in almost three years, comes as the rival Koreas ramp up their reconciliation efforts.聽
First LookJapanese Emperor expresses remorse for his father's warAhead of his abdication, Emperor聽Akihito again expressed remorse for World War II in a speech on the anniversary of Japan's surrender. Throughout his reign, he has visited some of the harshest battlefields of the war and promoted pacifist, democratic views.
First LookNorth and South Korean leaders agree to a fall meetingNorth and South Korean leaders are planning to meet for the third time this year in September, continuing聽diplomatic negotiations on denuclearization amid renewed worries.聽
