Ethan Zhao
Senior Reporter
The Latest
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North Korean Man Crosses Heavily Fortified DMZ on Foot, Detained by South Korean Troops After 20-Hour Operation
A North Korean civilian was taken into custody by South Korean forces early Thursday after making a rare defection across the heavily militarized Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) near the central-western front line between Yeoncheon and Paju in Gyeonggi Province, military officials said. 
A North Korean civilian was taken into custody by South Korean forces early Thursday after making a rare defection across the heavily militarized Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) near the central-western front line between Yeoncheon and Paju in Gyeonggi Province, military officials said. -
U.S. Lifts Chip Software Curbs on China as Trade Truce Framework Holds
The Biden administration has lifted export restrictions on chip-design software to China, easing one of the more contentious trade controls imposed amid escalating tensions earlier this year. The move, announced Thursday by major U.S. and European software firms, signals incremental progress in U.S.-China trade negotiations and comes as both sides begin rolling back retaliatory measures. 
The Biden administration has lifted export restrictions on chip-design software to China, easing one of the more contentious trade controls imposed amid escalating tensions earlier this year. The move, announced Thursday by major U.S. and European software firms, signals incremental progress in U.S.-China trade negotiations and comes as both sides begin rolling back retaliatory measures. -
Dalai Lama Asserts Sole Authority Over Succession, Rejects Chinese Control Ahead of 90th Birthday
The 14th Dalai Lama declared that his spiritual lineage will continue after his death and insisted that China will have no role in selecting his successor, signaling a fresh challenge to Beijing just days before his 90th birthday celebrations. 
The 14th Dalai Lama declared that his spiritual lineage will continue after his death and insisted that China will have no role in selecting his successor, signaling a fresh challenge to Beijing just days before his 90th birthday celebrations. -
Kim Jong-un Honors Fallen Troops in Rare Tribute as North Korea Confirms 600 Deaths in Ukraine War
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un offered a rare public tribute to soldiers killed while fighting in Russia's war against Ukraine, placing his hands on their repatriated coffins during a state event in Pyongyang, signaling a significant shift in the regime's public acknowledgment of its military role in the conflict. 
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un offered a rare public tribute to soldiers killed while fighting in Russia's war against Ukraine, placing his hands on their repatriated coffins during a state event in Pyongyang, signaling a significant shift in the regime's public acknowledgment of its military role in the conflict. -
Thailand’s PM Suspended After Leaked Call With Hun Sen Triggers Ethics Probe and Coalition Collapse
Thailand's Constitutional Court on Tuesday suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from duty following a leaked diplomatic call with Cambodia's former leader, triggering a political crisis and reigniting tensions between the Shinawatra dynasty and the military-backed establishment. 
Thailand's Constitutional Court on Tuesday suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from duty following a leaked diplomatic call with Cambodia's former leader, triggering a political crisis and reigniting tensions between the Shinawatra dynasty and the military-backed establishment. -
China Evacuates Over 40,000 as Torrential Floods Devastate Guizhou; Beijing Expands Disaster Compensation Amid Record Rainfall
More than 40,000 residents have been evacuated from Rongjiang city in Guizhou province after a second wave of intense rainfall submerged large parts of the region, authorities said Saturday, as China grapples with some of the most extreme flooding in decades. The deluge, which has already claimed six lives, marks another escalation in the country's annual flood crisis, now increasingly linked to climate change. 
More than 40,000 residents have been evacuated from Rongjiang city in Guizhou province after a second wave of intense rainfall submerged large parts of the region, authorities said Saturday, as China grapples with some of the most extreme flooding in decades. The deluge, which has already claimed six lives, marks another escalation in the country's annual flood crisis, now increasingly linked to climate change. -
Canada Orders Chinese Surveillance Giant Hikvision to Shut Down Operations Over National Security Risks
The Canadian government has ordered Chinese surveillance technology manufacturer Hikvision to cease all operations in Canada, citing national security concerns. The decision marks a sharp escalation in Canada's scrutiny of Chinese technology firms and follows years of mounting pressure from Western allies over human rights and data security issues tied to Chinese state-linked companies. 
The Canadian government has ordered Chinese surveillance technology manufacturer Hikvision to cease all operations in Canada, citing national security concerns. The decision marks a sharp escalation in Canada's scrutiny of Chinese technology firms and follows years of mounting pressure from Western allies over human rights and data security issues tied to Chinese state-linked companies. -
China Confirms Trade Deal Framework as U.S. Says Rare Earth Shipments to Resume
The United States and China have finalized a framework agreement to expedite rare earth mineral exports and ease certain technology restrictions, the latest sign of a fragile détente between the world's two largest economies. The deal, confirmed Friday by China's Ministry of Commerce, follows months of stalled implementation after a preliminary consensus was reached in Geneva this spring. The United States and China have finalized a framework agreement to expedite rare earth mineral exports and ease certain technology restrictions, the latest sign of a fragile détente between the world's two largest economies. The deal, confirmed Friday by China's Ministry of Commerce, follows months of stalled implementation after a preliminary consensus was reached in Geneva this spring. -
Oil Tankers U-Turn in Hormuz as China Orders Emergency Daily Check-Ins Amid Strike Fears
Crude oil markets surged and global shipping routes reeled on Monday after U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities sparked fears of retaliation in the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most critical maritime oil chokepoint. Supertankers began zig-zagging, U-turning, or anchoring outside the strait, and freight rates for very large crude carriers (VLCCs) more than doubled in a week to over $60,000 per day, according to freight data. 
Crude oil markets surged and global shipping routes reeled on Monday after U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities sparked fears of retaliation in the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most critical maritime oil chokepoint. Supertankers began zig-zagging, U-turning, or anchoring outside the strait, and freight rates for very large crude carriers (VLCCs) more than doubled in a week to over $60,000 per day, according to freight data. -
China Condemns British Warship Transit Through Taiwan Strait
A Royal Navy patrol vessel transiting the Taiwan Strait has triggered a fierce response from China, which accused the United Kingdom of "deliberately causing trouble" and undermining regional peace. The HMS Spey sailed through the contested waterway on Wednesday in what the U.K. Defense Ministry described as a routine "freedom of navigation operation" consistent with international maritime law. 
A Royal Navy patrol vessel transiting the Taiwan Strait has triggered a fierce response from China, which accused the United Kingdom of "deliberately causing trouble" and undermining regional peace. The HMS Spey sailed through the contested waterway on Wednesday in what the U.K. Defense Ministry described as a routine "freedom of navigation operation" consistent with international maritime law.
