All Asia Pacific
First LookMalaysian court gives both parents a voice in deciding religion of their childrenThe Malaysia court has decided that both parents must give consent in the religious conversion of a minor, a victory for religious minorities in the Muslim-majority nation. Hindu women now have a say in whether or not their children are converted to Islam.
First LookProtests rumble in China after fraudulent investment scheme failsFollowing the collapse of Qianbao.com, a major Chinese investment scheme, authorities are working to quell protests in the eastern city of Nanjing. China's lax regulations on internet investment have allowed several fraudulent companies to grow in recent years.
First LookSouth Korean protesters burn 'unification flag' and photos of Kim Jong-unProtesters in South Korea took to the streets during the visit of North Korean pop-star in Seoul to voice displeasure about the North's participation in the Winter Olympics and recent rapprochement deals between the neighboring nations.
Cover StoryReturn to China: One reporter finds a nation that has gone from bicycles to bullet trainsFor a visiting journalist, the country of today聽feel worlds away from the China she first encountered decades earlier.
First LookSouth Koreans chafe against North-South unified Olympics teamAn agreement to have North Korea and South Korea march under one flag and field a joint hockey team in the Winter Olympics has triggered a backlash in South Korea from young and old alike who feel the move is nothing more than political propaganda.
In a threatened Cambodian forest, hand-in-hand push to protect land and peopleCambodia's deforestation rate is one of the fastest in the world. That puts endangered animals at risk, as well as cultures that have long drawn on the forests for their livelihoods and traditions.聽But conservation initiatives may help protect these communities.
First LookA joint women's hockey team could be the first unified Korean Olympics team everThe two Koreas took a great stride toward unity when they agreed to consider fielding a joint women's Olympic hockey team. If successful, the unified Korean Olympics team would be monumental in reconciling the alienated sister countries and reducing frontline hostilities.聽
First LookRipple effect of #MeToo in China: Beijing professor dismissed over sexual allegationsInspired by the #MeToo movement in the United States, a former student of Beihang University in Beijing spoke out against her professor. Her actions, in turn, inspired students from more than 50 universities around the country to do the same.
After South-North talks, Seoul tries to chart slow-but-steady courseAfter months of rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula, many analysts say the immediate outcomes of Tuesday's talks seem inadequate 鈥撀爋r just a bid for time. But South Korean President Moon Jae-in, a champion of dialogue with Pyongyang, appears to be betting on incremental, unity-building moves.聽
First LookFirst signs of thaw: North Korea will send athletes to OlympicsNorth and South Korean delegates meet for the first time in two years. In an effort to ease a strained relationship, North Korea agrees to send athletes to the upcoming Games and聽to restore a military hotline between the two countries.
First LookWhat North-South Korea hope to achieve in joint talksAs the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics draw near, two neighbors seek to thaw a frosty relationship and ease tensions after nuclear missile testing by the North.
For China, Olympic dreams and 'snow business' in winter sports boomChina will host the Winter Olympics in four years. New investments in ski resorts and other winter sports double as bets on service industries like tourism becoming a greater economic driver.
First LookCommunication channel officially reopens between the KoreasNorth Korea has accepted overtures from its neighbor and announced it will hold talks with South Korea, another sign of easing animosity between the rivals after a year of nuclear bomb and missile testing by the North and a showdown of insults with Washington.
In a changing Mongolia, higher stakes for out-of-school herding boysIn many countries, girls have fewer educational opportunities. For years, that was reversed in Mongolia, with boys pulled out of classes to help their families herd. They've made strong gains聽鈥� but as the climate and economy shift, education becomes even more important.聽
First LookSouth Korea continues its overture to North Korea as Olympics draw nearSouth Korea's President Moon has invited the nation's northern neighbor to discuss Olympic cooperation and how to improve ties. High-level talks have not occurred between the two nations since December 2015.
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.聽
