Oct 14 Religious minorities face increased threats, U.S. report finds By Bradley Klapper, Associated Press WASHINGTON — The Islamic State led a campaign of attacks last year by militant extremist groups on religious freedom in large swaths of the world, the State Department said in a report Wednesday, pointing to increasing threats to religious minorities… Continue reading
Oct 05 Watch In size and stakes, the Trans-Pacific Partnership is a big deal By PBS News Hour The U.S. and 11 other Pacific Rim nations have struck the largest trade deal in a generation. The wide-ranging Trans-Pacific Partnership sets new rules for labor and environmental standards and reduces and phases out thousands of tariffs on American producers,… Continue watching
Sep 20 Watch 3:39 Japan passes controversial law to nix military limits By PBS News Hour This weekend, Japan gave the green light to its military to deploy troops abroad to help allies fight in the name of collective self-defense, removing a limitation on troops engaging only in self-defense were Japan to be attacked. Peter Landers,… Continue watching
Aug 16 Officials search for Indonesian airliner that crashed into mountain carrying 54 By Cathy Zhao Search and rescue teams were heading into a remote and mountainous region of Indonesia, on Monday, after villagers alerted local authorities that they saw a plane crash into a mountain in Papua, the country's largest province. Continue reading
Aug 09 Photos: Singapore turns 50, celebrates evolution since independence By Andrew Mach The people of Singapore celebrated 50 years of independence on Sunday, haling its growth from a poor colonial port in a poverty-stricken region to a wealthy metropolis with unrivaled economic success. Continue reading
May 29 U.S. says China has two artillery vehicles on artificial island By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press SINGAPORE — Two large artillery vehicles were detected on one of the artificial islands that China is creating in the South China Sea, U.S. officials said Friday, underscoring ongoing concerns that Beijing may try to use the land reclamation projects… Continue reading
May 16 5 things you should know about the South China Sea conflict By Tracy Wholf Despite pressure from the United States, China is not backing down from claiming controversial territory in the South China Sea as its own. While the U.S. has not taken an official position in the dispute, Sec. Kerry has emphasized the… Continue reading
Apr 06 Ash Carter says U.S. is opening new phase of Asia pivot By Robert Burns, Associated Press The Obama administration is opening a new phase of its strategic "rebalance" toward Asia and the Pacific by investing in high-end weapons such as a new long-range stealth bomber, refreshing its defense alliance with Japan and expanding trade partnerships, Defense… Continue reading
Mar 17 Can countries survive their move to the middle class? By Larisa Epatko HANOI, Vietnam -- Vietnam has pulled itself up economically over the decades. One of the consequences? Diminishing donor funds. Continue reading
Mar 17 What it’s like to be a midwife in one of the most remote parts of Vietnam By Larisa Epatko DIEN BIEN PHU, Vietnam — Quang Thi Un, 29, said she didn’t give much thought to becoming a midwife or really any line of work until her brother, a teacher, sent her to a new midwifery training program in Vietnam. Continue reading