All Asia Pacific
Ilham Tohti: Why Chinese court gave life sentence to Muslim Uighur scholarIlham Tohti: A moderate advocate for China鈥檚 ethnic Uighur population was sentenced Tuesday, underscoring the degree to which Beijing is willing to crackdown on the group after multiple attacks this year.
Pixel by pixel, Taiwan maps out claims to contested South China SeaTaiwan is finishing a project to map the disputed sea with high-resolution satellite imagery, generating an unusually detailed map and promoting Taiwan鈥檚 often overlooked maritime claims 鈥� which are as large as China's.
Missing in action at UN climate summit: world's top polluterChinese President Xi Jinping will not be among 120 world leaders meeting in New York today for a climate summit. China says it's doing more to tackle climate change than it gets credit for.
Hounded by his rival, Indonesia's new president faces test of principlesFormer Gen. Prabowo Subianto's coalition could control as much as 60 percent of parliament when new members are sworn in Oct. 1, setting up a showdown with reformist president-elect Joko Widodo.聽- Japan's popular morning drama takes an international twistFor the first time, a foreign actress will play a leading role in the popular morning TV spot for Japanese public broadcaster NHK. The show is based on a historic Scottish-Japanese couple, and promotes cross-cultural couples living in Japan today.聽
Australia's PM decamps to Outback tent to promote Aboriginal rightsPrime Minister Tony Abbott plans on calling a referendum to include recognition of Aboriginals in the Constitution 鈥� a plan some native leaders say is style over substance.
As Asian Games kick off, will North Korea flip its way into S. Korean hearts?North Korea is participating in the Asian Games, due in part to South Korean financial support. As athletes arrive, met by high-security escorts, there's debate in the South over their inclusion.聽
China puts Muslim scholar on trial, expanding scope of Uighur crackdownAfter a series of attacks on Chinese citizens, apparently by restive Uighurs, Beijing is clamping down on the Muslim minority. Last week it sentenced three Uighurs to death, and today it put a prominent scholar on trial.聽
China's Xi arrives in India. Can Asia's giants put their differences aside?Chinese President Xi Jinping is on his first official visit to India, where he may sign investment deals worth $200 billion. Behind economic cooperation lurk reservations about each others' strategic intentions.
Heads up! Chinese city launches smartphone-only sidewalkA sidewalk in Chongqing now has two lanes: one where cellphones are banned and another that encourages them. It's modeled after an experiment in Washington.
New Zealand spying row: Snowden as election wildcard?The former NSA contractor serves up timely allegations ahead of New Zealand's elections on Sept. 20, potentially undermining incumbent Prime Minister John Key.
Tibet's Dalai Lama hints he could be the last in his line 鈥� and Beijing isn't having itThe Dalai Lama implied this week that it would be better to have no Dalai Lama than a weak one. In a curious twist, Beijing 鈥� which accuses him of stirring unrest 鈥� urged respect for traditional reincarnation.
Japan, Germany shake off WWII arms constraints. A cause for concern?Germany is sending arms to the Kurdish peshmerga in Iraq, and Japan is negotiating weapons deals with Australia and India. Their neighbors have very different responses.
Alibaba is coming: meet the Chinese Internet giant that outsells AmazonChinese e-commerce company Alibaba will go public this month in what could be the largest initial public offering in US history. It has more active users than Amazon and eBay combined.
What's a 'hairy monkey'? Chinese artists share their secretA small number of Chinese artists practice this traditional art that combines magnolia buds 鈥� and sloughed cicada shells. The result is a hairy monkey.
Japan's Abe adds women, China-friendly lawmakers to CabinetJapan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is pushing for more women in the workforce, and wants to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in November. The first cabinet reshuffle since his election comes as his popularity dips.
Ice bucket challenge comes to China 鈥� with an equine twistThe ice bucket challenge to raise funds for ALS research is now a hit in China. Participants have added Chinese characteristics to the craze.聽
North Korea allows rare interviews with detained Americans. Why now?Washington has repeatedly offered to send a little-known envoy to North Korea to seek the release of three Americans, but Pyongyang appears to want a bigger name. One of the detained Americans interviewed Monday said George W. Bush would be suitable.
Hong Kong citizenry stirs as Beijing nixes direct democracyThousands of Hong Kong citizens are expected in coming weeks to stage protests after China announced it would screen the nominees for Hong Kong's chief executive.
For Myanmar political predictions, locals look to the starsPopular 'astrology pundits' are featured as serious political commentators in the Myanmar press. This in a country that once聽changed its currency on the advice of an astrologer.聽