All Asia Pacific
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
Will rising summer temperatures raise world鈥檚 climate change concern?It鈥檚 been an extraordinarily hot summer 鈥� with deadly effect 鈥� all across the Northern Hemisphere. Has the heat been changing how people think about climate change?
First LookIn China's 'Solar Valley,' solar cookout aims to woo chefs, reduce carbonA solar cooker company held a cookout to show that traditional Chinese dishes can be made in its devices. China is a "global hotspot" for black carbon emissions, half of which comes from residential kitchens and heaters.聽
First Look海角大神s in China's heartland face government suppressionChinese President Xi Jinping聽is waging the most severe systematic crackdown on 海角大神ity since religious freedom was written into the country's constitution in 1982, experts and activists say.
First LookJapanese students create VR experience of Hiroshima bombingThe Japanese high school students are using virtual reality to transport users back in time to before, during, and after the US dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima 73 years ago today.聽
First LookNew Zealand prime minister joins ranks of working momsJacinda Adern, New Zealand's third female and youngest ever prime minister, has returned to office after six weeks of maternity leave, hoping one day her path "will be normal" among elected leaders.
First LookSoutheast Asian nations and China come closer to South China Sea agreementChina and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have been working to prevent conflict in the disputed waters of the South China sea for years. In a new sign of progress, an early draft of the negotiations has been agreed upon.聽
In China鈥檚 Belt and Road initiative, environmentalists see risky businessEnvironmentalists and local villagers have raised concerns about a hydroelectric dam being built on the Batang Toru River 鈥� part of China's massive "Belt and Road" infrastructure program.聽
In Philippines' 'city of the future,' smart planning goes greenSixty miles north of Manila is the site of New Clark City, designed to be a smart, resilient, green metropolis. Some hope it could provide a model for more environmentally sound cities elsewhere.聽
First LookKorean generals discuss easing decades-long military standoffNorth and South Korean officials met for rare high-level military talks, which concluded with no agreement. Experts say it is unclear聽what progress can be made in the near future聽because easing tensions must include North Korea's denuclearization.聽
First LookNew memo reveals Japanese leaders' thoughts on eve of Pearl HarborA used bookshop owner in Japan found the memo tucked away in a journal. The document gives the first glimpse into conversation between Emperor Hirohito and Prime Minister Hideki Tojo on the eve of the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
In Malaysia, a new attempt to know one's neighbor 鈥� and his faithProximity doesn't always breed familiarity. In religiously diverse Malaysia, many people feel they tolerate each other's faiths without understanding them. But a new government may offer new opportunities, some hope.