Taiwan offered hope after they fled Hong Kong. Now, they’re leaving again.
People from Hong Kong are finding their long term residency applications in Taiwan rejected for their ties to China, which they were fleeing from.
As China mines more coal, levels of a more potent greenhouse gas soar
China is mining more coal than ever and releasing more methane into the atmosphere.
Stranded in their own homes: Portraits of Shanghai’s lockdown
Residents in Shanghai have been counting down the days until June 1 when authorities are expected to lift lockdown measures that have left citizens confined at home and in quarantine centers for almost two months. Shanghai-based photographer, Raul Ariano, documented the experiences of the city’s residents by photographing friends and acquaintances remotely through video calls.
‘No time to lose’: Top Chinese official sounds alarm over economy
Li Keqiang issued the stark warning as the economy stalled under pressure from multiplying covid restrictions and shrinking demand.
China pushes Pacific deal, as Australia scrambles to repair regional ties
Australia's foreign minister is in Fiji as her Chinese counterpart travels the region offering a 10-nation trade and security deal.
Trove of damning Xinjiang police files leaked as U.N. rights chief visits China
Michelle Bachelet's trip comes as "Xinjiang Police Files" on the internment of Uyghurs and other minorities in China become public.
North Korea fires suspected ICBM after Biden’s Asia trip
The test came hours after the president concluded a trip reinforcing U.S. alliances with South Korea and Japan.
Biden visit showcases hardened stances on North Korea
The Biden administration appears to be returning to the Obama-era "strategic patience" of not engaging in North Korea.
Who are the Uyghurs, and what’s happening to them in China?
China’s crackdown on the Muslim ethnic minority in Xinjiang, explained.
Hong Kong Catholic church cancels Tiananmen memorial Mass
The church memorials were the last organized marking on Chinese territory of the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989.
Airbnb to close listings in China, where it struggled even before covid
Airbnb was a minor player in the Chinese market. Tujia, a larger competitor, has reportedly offered to take over its listings.
Biden insists China policy unchanged despite recent remarks
The president said that there was no change in the U.S. policy on Taiwan, a day after he pledged to militarily defend the island in the event of a Chinese invasion.
It’s not easy staying green: Keeping out of China’s covid lockdown
China is using constant tests and status codes to beat the coronavirus pandemic, but the result is a constant struggle to maintain the coveted “green” status or face social ostracism.
Biden’s charm offensive seeks to bolster ties with South Korea, Indo-Pacific
Biden began engaging personally with Korea's president on the 10th day of his tenure, part of an effort to exert more influence in the region.
Biden kicks off Asia trip lauding tech cooperation with South Korea
President Biden's five-day trip to South Korea and Japan is meant to emphasize U.S. commitment to the region in the face of a more assertive China.
Biden security officials sent home after incident in South Korea
A member of President Biden’s security personnel has been accused of assaulting a South Korean in Seoul one day before Biden's trip to the country, according to South Korean police.
5 problems behind the global cost-of-living crisis
In some countries, distinct factors are in play, such as Brexit and tax hikes in Britain. But a range of problems that cut across borders are driving inflation globally.
Australia’s election: ScoMo, Albo and everything else you need to know
Polls show a close race between the ruling conservative coalition, led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and the center-left Labor Party, led by Anthony Albanese.
Clive Palmer, mining billionaire dubbed ‘Australia’s Trump,’ stirs up election
Palmer recommended voters rank the ruling Liberal-National coalition over the Labor opposition in key races, boosting Prime Minister Scott Morrison's chances.
In a massive Chinese sinkhole, scientists find a secret forest
Researchers say the hole, which spans more than 176 million cubic feet, could be home to previously unidentified plant and animal species.
N. Korea won’t accept help to stave off coronavirus crisis, experts fear
While it is too late to blunt the force of the country’s first wave with vaccines, there are other provisions that could be donated. But it is not clear whether North Korea would accept such offers.
N. Korea readying ICBM or nuclear test for Biden visit, officials say
The provocation would also come as North Korea struggles with an escalating coronavirus outbreak among its vulnerable, largely unvaccinated population.
Shanghai faces mental health crisis as covid lockdown drags on
With official efforts focused on eradicating infections, mental trauma brought on by isolation and lockdown has gone largely untreated.
Indictment describes alleged Chinese spying on dissidents
Chinese American and four MSS officers are accused of orchestrating a scheme of spying on and pressuring dissidents and human rights leaders in the United States and abroad.
Chinese university is scene of rare coronavirus lockdown protest
It was the latest example of students protesting lockdowns on campuses that have left residents, in some cases, without regular access to showers.
What you need to know about the covid crisis hitting North Korea
With no vaccines and a woefully underequipped health sector, experts say, the country will suffer greatly in the wave of omicron infections.
China draws North Korea closer than ever as Biden visits region
As President Biden makes his first presidential trip to South Korea and Japan, he must contend with North Korea’s thawing relationships with China and Russia, aimed at reducing U.S. influence in the region.
U.S. watchdog details collapse of Afghan security forces
Paranoia riddled the most senior levels of the Afghan government, and chaos overwhelmed the country’s security forces, according to a U.S. government watchdog report
In Australia’s quiet climate election, independents could make noise
Natural disasters have pushed concern in Australia about climate change to an all-time high. Yet as the country heads toward a federal election, neither major party is talking much about it.
Once China’s darling, tech industry is burdened by covid and crackdowns
Many in China's tech industry fear that the best days of the sector may be behind it.
Coronavirus cases, deaths in North Korea surge as Kim blames officials
Authorities say that more than a million people have fallen ill with "fever" and experts fear tens of thousands could die.
Hong Kong churches no longer off-limits as Beijing tightens grip on dissent
Churches are tightly controlled in mainland China, and that now appears to be the fate for Hong Kong's religious institutions, some of which had a major role in the city's activism.
North Korea reports 6 deaths amid ‘explosive’ coronavirus outbreak
North Korea announced a "public health crisis," with 350,000 infected, a day after it admitted covid-19 had reached the country.
Xi’s strict covid policies prompt rumblings of discontent in China
The interference into daily life by the Communist Party, especially in Shanghai, is evoking memories of the bad old days in China's recent history.
Biden pivots to Asia as Ukraine war rages on
The Biden administration aims to show that its heavy involvement in the Ukraine war is not a distraction from its priorities to the East.
Katsumoto Saotome, chronicler of Tokyo firebombing, dies at 90
Katsumoto Saotome, a Japanese writer who gathered the accounts of survivors of the U.S. firebombing of Tokyo in World War II to raise awareness of the massive civilian deaths and the importance of peace, has died. He was 90.
North Korea faces its first covid outbreak without any vaccines
North Korea, like Eritrea, has refused to join vaccine-sharing initiatives.
China shuts down talk of covid hardship; users strike back
The Voices of April video is a reminder of the online activism that still survives in China’s heavily censored information environment.
North Korea admits to coronavirus outbreak for the first time
North Korea says it has detected the omicron variant in its capital, the first time the country has admitted to a positive case since the pandemic began more than two years ago.
Hong Kong arrests 90-year-old cardinal on foreign collusion charges
Cardinal Joseph Zen, who was once bishop of Hong Kong, is one of the most prominent pro-democracy activists from the Catholic Church.
Philippine election: How did Marcos win the presidency?
His father was a dictator. But Marcos's victory at the polls should not come as a surprise.
As Emhoff visits South Korea, gender and LGBTQ issues come to the fore
During second gentleman Doug Emhoff's visit, an adviser to South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said "homosexuality can be treated" like smoking.
WHO chief calls for end of ‘zero covid’ in China, so Beijing censors him
The comments were a blow to China's insistence its strict measures are WHO-approved.
Acquittal in Aboriginal town stirs ghosts of Australia’s last massacre
Almost a century separates the 2019 killing of Kumanjayi Walker and the 1928 Coniston Massacre. But the people of Yuendumu say little has changed.
How one powerful family wrecked a country
There are falls from grace and then there’s what’s happening to Mahinda Rajapaksa in Sri Lanka.
Marcos family once ousted by uprising wins Philippines vote in landslide
Unofficial tallies show an overwhelming win for the children of two strongmen, suggesting a population that has lost faith in liberal democracy.
Fear grips Sri Lanka after an explosion of violence
Protesters vow to stay in the streets as the president clings to power.
South Korea’s new president sworn in, calls on North to denuclearize
South Korea’s new conservative president vowed to take a hard line against North Korea as Pyongyang shows signs of preparations for another nuclear test.
In the Philippines, nostalgia for strongmen trumps democracy
Online disinformation and fitful struggles of Philippine democracy over the past three decades have left many Filipinos with little problem returning a Marcos to power.
Dictator’s son Marcos takes overwhelming lead in Philippines election
Ferdinand Marcos Jr. holds a significant margin over Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo and looks poised to assume the presidency of the country his family once plundered.
Beijing’s security-focused candidate wins Hong Kong election unopposed
Lee, Hong Kong’s top security official, oversaw a 2019 crackdown on pro-democracy protesters and helped roll out China’s new national security law.
Taliban orders head-to-toe coverings for Afghan women in public
The announcement was the latest move to constrain the lives of women since the Taliban took control of the country last year.
North Korea tests suspected submarine-launched ballistic missile
North Korea carried out the launch as it ramped up its weapons testing and South Korea prepared to inaugurate a new president.
China’s unvaccinated elderly prevent an end to covid lockdowns
China's vaccination strategy initially prioritized the young, and now the elderly are the most unvaccinated segment of society, jeopardizing any effort to relax restrictions.
The other Mr. Ma: Mistaken identity embodies China’s tech woes
After a string of regulatory crackdowns, public crackdowns on executives and U.S. sanctions, China's tech sector is on edge.
South Asia’s scorching heat wave comes as climate action stalls
South Asia is at the forefront of places in the world where experts believe life could literally become unbearable before the end of the century.
Howitzer delivery to Taiwan delayed by strained U.S. supply chain
The delays are a blow to Taiwan's efforts to build up its military in the face of increasing Chinese assertiveness.
Some Eid celebrations marred by war, others return to pre-covid scale
In Ukraine, some members of a small and diverse Muslim community gathered amid the devastation of the war for morning prayers at the Kyiv Islamic Cultural Center.
The drug trade now flourishing in Afghanistan: Meth
Long a hub for opium production, the country is fueling a new global drug crisis.
China’s aggressive efforts to bring back fugitives grow more brazen
Intimidation is part of Beijing’s playbook of transnational law enforcement that has raised alarm in Europe.
With an eye on Shanghai’s woes, Taiwan moves to live with the virus
Taiwan pursued a zero-covid policy for much of the coronavirus pandemic but after Shanghai's latest lockdown, authorities look ready to begin living with the virus.
China’s lockdowns bring the pandemic full circle
Shanghai, now nearing its fifth week of an asphyxiating lockdown, is the latest showcase of China’s relentless “zero covid” policy.
Activist in South Korea restarts illegal leafleting of the North
A 2020 law criminalizes sending leaflets north and activist Park Sang-hak of Fighters for a Free North Korea is already on trial, but the new conservative government may take a different approach.
Singapore executes intellectually disabled man despite outcry
The execution has brought unwanted attention to Singapore’s harsh drug laws and its use of capital punishment for nonviolent offenses.
Race to replace Philippines’ Duterte is a wild contest of characters
From a crowded field, two frontrunners have emerged: Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who is leading polls, and Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo, the country's vice president.
Postcards from Kamikatsu, Japan’s ‘zero-waste’ town
The town estimates it is about 80 percent of the way toward achieving its goal of becoming totally carbon neutral.
Chinese drone-maker DJI suspends operations in Russia, Ukraine over war use
Despite Beijing's rhetorical support for Moscow, Chinese companies have distanced themselves from Russia over fear of getting caught in Western sanctions.
Is the Philippines ready for another Duterte?
Sara Duterte-Carpio appears likely to become the country's next vice president, but her supporters say she's very different from her controversial father.
Amid talk of World War III, diplomacy is losing steam
On Tuesday in Moscow, Russian leaders hosted U.N. Secretary General António Guterres, whose desperate entreaties for an immediate cease-fire and an “end” to the war “as soon as possible” appeared to make little impact.
In Australia, slot machines are everywhere. So is gambling addiction.
Australia is home to 0.3 percent of the world’s population but 20 percent of its “pokies.” The country leads the planet with an average $1,000 in gambling losses per adult per year.
North Korean leader threatens nuclear strikes if provoked
The parade showcased North Korea's new Hwasong intercontinental ballistic missiles that could reach the United States.
‘Everything is halted’: Shanghai shutdowns are worsening shortages
The challenges are likely to contribute to higher inflation but come at a time when demand is waning for many items.
Chinese city with ‘zero covid’ still hit by pandemic economic woes
China’s adherence to a strict zero covid policy is hampering economic growth, and workers across the country are feeling the effects.
Hong Kong foreign press club scraps prestigious human rights awards
It is the latest indication of the city’s tense political environment prompting self-censorship among institutions.
Mass testing hits Beijing amid fears it could face Shanghai-style lockdown
Though only a few dozen cases have been discovered, some areas in Beijing have already been locked down and there is mass testing.
Student poetry contest in China becomes unexpected outlet for dissent
Even as the poems were censored, they still circulated through social media talking about themes of lockdown alienation, poverty and even the war in Ukraine.
As world reopens, North Korea is one of two countries without vaccines
The decision could potentially have drastic consequences in the reclusive country, which experts say could be a hot spot for new variants.
Surviving the ‘time machine’: Helping North Korean defectors to the South
Daehyeon Park's Woorion helps North Korean defectors navigate the bewildering world of South Korea that feels decades removed from their home.
Taliban vows crackdown on ISIS as violence surges in Afghanistan
After months of relative calm, a bloody and chaotic week has raised fears that the Taliban will be unable to keep the peace.
Locked down, Shanghai residents skirt censorship to vent online
Social media posts paint a dire picture of life in Shanghai under lockdown. We ask a human rights expert how the government might respond.
With coal surge, China puts energy security and growth before climate
China produces and consumes half the world's coal and despite recent climate pledges, it remains deeply bound to continuing to use this energy source.
Kiwi mascots dancing to somber strings welcome New Zealand PM to Japan
The surreal spectacle of giant kiwi mascots dancing to solemn music stole the show during New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s visit to Japan.
YouTube shuts down channel of future Hong Kong leader, citing sanctions
The U.S. sanctioned John Lee and several other officials in August 2020 for their role in repressing pro-democracy demonstrations.
Hong Kong journalist trades his camera for a taxi amid media crackdown
Stanley Lai is one of about 700 journalists and editorial staff who lost their jobs after three major news organizations shuttered in the past 10 months.
China signs security deal with Solomon Islands, alarming neighbors
The announcement, coming right before a U.S. envoy was to visit, has stirred fears among local opposition leaders and U.S. allies that the deal could lead to a Chinese military presence in the islands.
The war in Ukraine underscores a moment of democratic crisis
A new report found that only six of 29 countries spanning from Central Europe to Central Asia managed to maintain a “consolidated” democracy, while most others drifted toward authoritarianism or a bleak “gray zone” where the trappings of democracy truss up illiberal or autocratic political project.
Prominent Afghan high school targeted by deadly bombings
Twin blasts in the heart of the Shiite Hazara community struck students as they were leaving class in the morning.
China tries to cover lockdown strains on Shanghai’s front-line workers
When reports surface of frustrated officials or workers wanting to resign over the stress of enforcing lockdown policies, state media tracks them down and has them recant their stories.
In clash with Russia, U.S. and Europe revive Cold War ‘containment’
Russia was once dismissed as a “regional power" with limited influence and capacity. Now, the White House sees it alongside China as a primary adversary.
How war in Ukraine turned Sri Lanka’s economic crisis into a calamity
Sri Lanka was already struggling with its worst economic downturn in decades. Now the conflict in Ukraine has sent food and fuel prices soaring.
Shanghai’s covid siege: Food shortages, talking robots, starving animals
For more than three weeks, China’s most populous city, Shanghai, has been under strict lockdown orders in an effort to control a coronavirus outbreak, leaving its 25 million residents trapped at home, struggling to feed themselves or get medical help for sick family members.
The war in Ukraine unsettles countries all around the world
For nearby countries, the war is a crisis of security and politics. But countries much further afield have been impacted, too.
South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol unveils foreign policy goals
The Washington Post interviewed the president-elect, who wants to take South Korea in a more assertive direction, recalibrating its foreign policy from a fixation on North Korea.
Interview with South Korea’s next president, Yoon Suk-yeol
South Korea’s new president takes office on May 10. In his first interview as president-elect of South Korea, Yoon Suk-yeol spoke with The Washington Post on a range of policy matters, and shared his goals on advancing his country’s foreign policy. This is a transcript of the interview.
Through child marriage or paid adoption, Afghan girls bear brunt of crisis
Officials say they are receiving reports of a rise in child marriages and sales of babies for adoptions as Afghans seek ways to cope with the economic crisis.
China reporter’s notebook: Stuck in time, as covid griefs repeat
Traveling back to China under strict covid restrictions as a journalist shows the limitations of a country still holding on to a zero-covid policy, which has locked down its financial center Shanghai.
Even out of office, Imran Khan shows he can still draw a crowd
Just days after being ousted in a no confidence vote, former prime minister Imran Khan was already laying the groundwork for a political comeback, launching a national street campaign calling on the new government to hold elections.
Sri Lanka suspends debt payments as it struggles to import fuel and food
The extraordinary step underscores the crisis facing a government that is struggling to contain soaring inflation, large-scale protests and a potentially looming humanitarian disaster.
How the Philippines’ brutal history is being whitewashed for voters
Through the power of social media, one of the Philippines most despised families is being rehabilitated into one of its most revered.
What to know about Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s new prime minister
A veteran politician, Shehbaz was elected three times as chief minister of the powerful Punjab province and is the younger brother of three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Pakistan’s ousted prime minister remains a potent force
Imran Khan, who was voted out of office as Pakistan's prime minister Sunday, disappointed many Pakistanis by trying to stop the vote instead of accepting defeat. But he and his supporters are already eager for a comeback.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan ousted in no-confidence vote
Khan made a last-ditch effort to cling to power, producing a document that he said proved U.S. officials had conspired against him in league with his legislative opponents.
Japan’s women-led start-ups are making period cups and the pill a thing
Women are revolutionizing the reproductive and sexual wellness industry in Japan and across the Asia-Pacific region's patriarchal societies with products like menstrual cups and period underwear.
Beijing’s handpicked candidate for Hong Kong signals tighter control
The former security chief in Hong Kong has been handpicked and reflects China's disregard of outside criticism.
Shanghai fashionistas face covid lockdown with lipstick, Louis Vuitton
Shanghai's 26 million residents are under lockdown, but some are wearing their best designer outfits for their only activity of the day: mandatory coronavirus tests.
Taiwan’s Han Chinese seek a new identity among the island’s tribes
Amid increasing Chinese rhetoric about unification, some Taiwanese are looking to the island’s Indigenous communities for their own separate identity.
Hong Kong’s Carrie Lam won’t seek second term as chief executive
Carrie Lam will retire from politics, ending a five-year run as chief executive, with a legacy as one of Hong Kong’s most unpopular leaders.
Pakistan’s prime minister skirts effort to oust him, orders Parliament dissolved for elections
Khan blamed efforts to oust him on a foreign conspiracy that he claimed was backed by the United States.
Huawei’s CFO promoted to a top post months after U.S. extradition deal
Meng, daughter of Huawei’s founder Ren Zhengfei, is now one of three rotating chairs who helm the tech giant for six-month intervals.
Voice recorder in Chinese crash comes to D.C. as U.S. investigators head to China
Chinese and U.S. safety investigators have stepped up cooperation in their effort to determine what caused a Boeing 737 flown by China Eastern Airlines to crash last month, killing all 132 people on board.
Sara Suleri Goodyear, acclaimed Pakistani memoirist, dies at 68
She helped establish the study of postcolonial literature and made her own entry to the genre with the memoir "Meatless Days."
Medical emergencies mount as Shanghai’s lockdown tightens
While the United States and many other places in Asia are returning to normal, China’s financial capital has descended into its deepest crisis of the pandemic.
Even after Singapore lifts restrictions, residents stick to their masks
After two years, an outdoor mask mandate ended in Singapore. The Straits Times news organization found 90 percent of residents polled on the streets and beaches still plan to wear them.
South Korea reopens to fully vaccinated foreigners without quarantine
The looser restrictions come after one of the largest infection spikes subsides.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia-pacific/?itid=nb_world_asia
