All Asia Pacific
鈥楢 huge loss to Japan鈥�: Abe assassination shakes famously safe countryJapan is grappling not only with the loss of a larger-than-life statesman, but also with a shocking moment of violence that could have ripple effects for Japanese politics and society.
First LookU.S.-Taiwan partnership? China has had enough.China demands that the U.S. and Taiwan cease plotting and stop with military 鈥渃ollusion.鈥� Gen. Li Zuocheng, from Mainland China鈥檚 People鈥檚 Liberation Army, said in a virtual meeting that national sovereignty needed to be protected, and that the U.S. was meddling in Asian affairs.
First LookAbe Shinzo: A legacy Japan 'should be proud of'Abe Shinzo, who was assassinated Friday, angered many across Asia during his years as prime minister with his revisionist views and a push to revamp the Japanese military. Yet he also revitalized Japan鈥檚 economy and served as a rare beacon of political stability in the region.
China鈥檚 anniversary deal for Hong Kong: Conform and prosperXi Jinping鈥檚 recent visit to Hong Kong reveals how聽China is increasingly sacrificing diversity for ideological conformity.
First LookShanghai data leak: China tested by possible largest hack in history鈥淐hinaDan,鈥� a Chinese hacker, claims to possess the phone numbers, names, and ages of 1 billion Chinese citizens. Although the scale of the leak seems huge, experts say many online advertising companies already get the same type of data when browsing online.
First LookAnother era, another Marcos: Philippines greets new PresidentIn his inaugural speech as the 17th president of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. defended the stained legacy his father left behind, opting to instead highlight his economic successes. However, for the victims of the ousted dictator's regime, it鈥檚 not that simple.聽聽
Catholic nation? The Filipino Church rethinks its role in politics.A new Marcos government has Catholic leaders rethinking decades of inaction, and taking on more responsibility in the political sphere.
First LookTalent drain: Could Hong Kong shift from a financial to tech giant?Hong Kong鈥檚 status as a global business center is waning and some say a transformation is due. Last year, 90,000 people left Hong Kong and during the second wave of COVID this year, more than 100,000 people left. City leaders are puzzling through what comes next.聽
UN China trip: A foot in the door or human rights letdown?The commissioner聽of human rights got tripped up in the divide between China鈥檚 authoritarian take on human rights and that of the liberal West.聽
鈥楻un philosophy鈥�: Why 鈥榸ero COVID鈥� has young Chinese eyeing emigrationYoung Chinese have fled Shanghai in droves 鈥� and now, some are considering leaving the country altogether.
First LookDefying limits: Oldest person to sail solo across the PacificKenichi Horie of Japan became the oldest person (at 83) to complete a solo, nonstop voyage across the Pacific Ocean. But he's looking for his next challenge because he says "I'm still in the middle of my youth.鈥澛�
First LookAustralia swears in its most diverse Cabinet yetNew Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has led Australia's Labor Party back into power. Of the 30 ministers appointed to the new government, nearly half are women. Women also hold a record 10 spots out of 23 in core Cabinet roles.
First LookWeary and relieved: Shanghai reopens after a rigid lockdownShanghai residents celebrated Wednesday as restrictions eased for most of the city鈥檚 25 million people. The rigid lockdown, part of China鈥檚 COVID-zero policy,聽angered residents and hindered the national economy.
End of strategic ambiguity? Ukraine war shifts thinking on Taiwan.In both China and the U.S., the Ukraine conflict is shifting strategic thinking on Taiwan. All sides face high stakes.
First LookSee you in court: Hindu nationalists petition to access Muslim mosquesFor nearly three centuries, Muslims and Hindus in Varanasi city have worshipped separated by one wall. But Hindus now say the Gyanvapi mosque sits on top of temple ruins. The dispute is one of many in which Hindus claim mosque sites are their property.聽
First LookBiden vows to protect Taiwan, launches Indo-Pacific trade pactPresident Joe Biden launched a new trade deal with 12 Indo-Pacific nations Monday aimed at strengthening their economies. Mr.聽Biden also said the U.S. would intervene militarily if China were to invade Taiwan. But the island nation was not included in the trade deal.
First LookConservative rule ends: Australians elect center-left prime ministerAfter nine years of center-right conservative government, Australian voters Saturday elected a new prime minister, Anthony Albanese, the center-left Labor Party leader.
Ahead of crucial party congress, Xi faces doubts over policiesXi Jinping is poised to claim a rare third term in power at the聽20th Communist Party Congress this fall.聽But experts say his assertive style and efforts to centralize control could cost him 鈥� and China.聽
First LookBalancing act: Marcos victory could test US-China relationsFerdinand Marcos Jr.鈥檚 apparent landslide victory in the Philippines could complicate American efforts to counter Chinese influence and power in the Pacific. President Rodrigo Duterte, who fostered ties with China and Russia, is departing with a 67% approval rating.
First LookSri Lanka prime minister resigns but protesters refuse to let upAmid a dire economic crisis in Sri Lanka, protesters for weeks demanded the resignations of the prime minister and the president. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned on Monday. Still, anti-government protesters continue to defy a countrywide curfew.