All Asia Pacific
First LookTo tour in China, Grammys will respect media constraintsThe Grammy Awards in China will promote only 'positive and healthy' artists in order to聽break into the world's second-largest economy.聽
First LookFootage leads analysts to question robustness of North Korean ICBMA Japanese video showing atmospheric re-entry of North Korea鈥檚 most recent ICBM suggests the rocket failed to survive extreme heat and pressure on re-entry.聽 聽 聽
First LookNorth Korean economy fueled by thousands of laborers in US-allied nationsNorth Korean workers supply the hermit kingdom with hard currency while living abroad in deplorable conditions. Why they may be the secret to the country's survival despite tough international sanctions.聽
First LookSouth Korea strives for more labor-friendly growth and financial equalityPresident Moon aims for a 'complete paradigm shift' calling for more transparency, support for small businesses, and broader social safety nets for the unemployed.
First LookWhy is North Korea giving its neighbor the silent treatment?South Korea initiated rare face-to-face talks with the North with no response so far. What the cold shoulder from the hermit kingdom might mean.
First LookDisruption of WhatsApp in China triggers censorship fearsDuring a politically fraught time in China, authorities are paying close attention to encrypted messaging platforms like WhatsApp.
First LookSouth Korea offers dialogue with the North to ease border tensionsIf President Moon's overture to the North is successful, it will be the first family reunion talks since 2015.
First LookChina, India capable of handling border dispute like 鈥榮o many situations in the past鈥Following tension sparked by a border dispute in June, China and India should be able to reach a consensus that reflects their 'strategic maturity', says India鈥檚 foreign secretary.聽
First LookSouth Korea's president is ready for a meeting with North Korea's Kim Jong UnSouth Korean President Moon Jae-in seeks common ground with North Korea's President Kim Jong Un. After decades of discord between the neighboring nations, Mr. Moon wants to alleviate tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
North Korea wants to keep its 'ultimate insurance.' Should the US accept it?The United States has insisted that denuclearization be a prerequisite for negotiations with North Korea. But accepting a freeze on the program 鈥撀爏ooner rather than later 鈥撀爉ay be a wise move, some analysts argue.
The ExplainerNorth Korea missile test: How big a technological breakthrough?North Korea's missile test on Tuesday suggests the rogue nation may have dramatically expanded its missile range. They can't yet reach the continental United States, but doing so is only a matter of time, defense experts say.
First LookNorth Korea refuses to put its nuclear program on the negotiating tableAfter a milestone launch, it appears North Korea will continue to test its long-range weapons until it perfects missiles that can strike anywhere in the United States.
First LookChina takes hard stance in territorial dispute with IndiaTension in a month-long territorial standoff escalated to an all-time high over a plateau in the Himalayan mountains聽when Bhutan sought India's help to stop Chinese crews from building a road there. 聽
Amid anniversary protests, fears that Hong Kong is 'just another mainland city'Twenty years after Britain returned Hong Kong to Chinese control, questions about Beijing's commitment to the city's legislative and judicial autonomy are widespread. But for many, being Hong Konger is also a cultural identity 鈥撀爋ne that they worry could be diluted by mainland influence.
FocusChina spent $100 billion on reforestation. So why does it have 'green deserts'?Beijing's Grain-for-Green program has helped blanket the country's hillsides with trees, undoing damage from decades of blistering development.聽But fostering biodiversity remains a challenge, conservationists say.
First LookAfter 20 years of Chinese rule, Hong Kong hype marred by pro-democracy tensionsWhat was once described as 鈥榦ne country, two systems鈥 is now being called 鈥榦ne country, 1.5 systems鈥 as Hong Kong citizens feel increasingly stifled under a tightening Communist grip.聽
First LookChina passes new intelligence law to 'ensure nation's security interests are met'A Chinese intelligence law quickly passed on Tuesday is part of a raft of legislation in the country that will expand government powers to monitor, raid, and seize property.聽
First LookNorth Korea denies cruel treatment of Otto Warmbier, says it is 'biggest victim'After the death of detained American student Otto Warmbier just a few days after his return to the United States, North Korea claims it is being targeted in a smear campaign.聽
Poverty-free China by 2020? Beijing says it's possible 鈥 but steepest climb aheadWhile President Xi Jinping鈥檚 foreign-policy initiatives have made headlines abroad, one of his most ambitious domestic priorities is entering the final stretch: the race to build a 'moderately prosperous society.'
First LookAmerican student death prompts call for North Korea to release detaineesThough the details surrounding Otto Warmbier's death remain unclear, South Korean President Moon and President Trump condemned North Korea's human rights violations.
