China frees U.S. pastor after nearly two decades, State Department says
California pastor David Lin was charged with fraud by Chinese authorities while active in a religious movement. The United States says that he was wrongfully detained.
By Kelly Kasulis ChoTaliban begins enforcing new draconian laws, and Afghan women despair
Afghan religious police wield new power to enforce a ban on women raising their voices in public and looking at men other than their husbands or relatives.
By Rick NoackNorth Korea reveals uranium site as Kim Jong Un demands more nuclear weapons
The North Korean leader called for stronger efforts to “exponentially increase” the number of nuclear weapons in the country.
By Andrew Jeong and Victoria BissetAfghan women defy Taliban and continue medical school in Scotland
The Scottish government granted free tuition to female students from Afghanistan to continue studying medicine after the Taliban upended their education.
By Daniel WuHouse GOP maneuvers to portray Democrats as weak on China
With its “China Week” blitz of legislation, the House GOP seeks to bolster the party’s foreign policy credentials ahead of November’s election.
By Abigail Hauslohner, Cate Cadell and Marianna SotomayorAfghan women endure draconian Taliban, 23 years after 9/11
The plight of Afghanistan’s women in 2024 provides a grim coda to the saga of the U.S.’s role in the country since 2001. It’s a tale of tragedy and hubris, misadventures and corruption, and — in the final, bleak reckoning — a tale of failure.
By Ishaan TharoorDozens dead after Typhoon Yagi makes landfall in Vietnam
Dozens of people were dead or missing after Typhoon Yagi struck, triggering heavy rains and landslides. A steel bridge collapsed as a result of the flooding.
By Leo SandsAustralia plans social media minimum age, citing mental health concerns
The government is considering a minimum age of between 14 and 16 for using apps without parental permission, but some experts warn of harmful consequences.
By Michael E. MillerWhat is ecocide and could it become an international crime like genocide?
Vanuatu, Fiji and Samoa — island nations particularly vulnerable to climate change — asked the International Criminal Court to make the destruction of ecosystems a crime.
By Rachel PannettPhilippine celebrity pastor arrested in human trafficking, sex crime case
Philippine police have captured Apollo Quiboloy, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ megachurch founder who is also wanted by the FBI on charges of sex and human trafficking.
By Annabelle Timsit and Sammy WestfallChina’s ‘disappeared’ foreign minister demoted to low-level publishing job, say former U.S. officials
Qin Gang, an aggressive “wolf warrior” diplomat, had a meteoric rise and an even faster fall from grace. He’s now said to be taking a salary at a Beijing state-run bookseller.
By Ellen Nakashima and Christian ShepherdTyphoon Yagi leaves four dead, dozens injured in Vietnam
The “super typhoon” shuttered airports and wreaked havoc on roads in Hanoi and surrounding areas in northern Vietnam.
By Bryan PietschTyphoon Yagi, one of 2024’s most powerful storms, makes landfall in China
Packing winds up to 160 mph, Yagi became the planet’s second-strongest storm this year.
By Vic Chiang, Matthew Cappucci and Jason SamenowNew Zealand’s Maori celebrate new era as 27-year-old queen is anointed
Nga Wai Hono i te Po Paki takes on the ceremonial role amid heightened tensions with the conservative government, which is rolling back “race-based” policies.
By Michael E. MillerA tax on tourism? To visit these destinations, it’ll cost you extra.
New Zealand announced it is nearly tripling its tourist tax, joining places from Venice to Bali, Indonesia, that are trying to offset overtourism.
By Rachel PannettChina pledges $50B and 1M jobs in renewed outreach to Africa
Chinese leader Xi Jinping, seeking contrast with Washington, said Beijing offered Africa modernization without Western-style “suffering.”
By Christian Shepherd and Vic ChiangFormer aide to N.Y. governors charged with secretly helping China
Linda Sun and her husband, Chris Hu, are accused of accepting millions of dollars in kickbacks in exchange for pushing political actions to benefit China.
By Devlin BarrettHow China extended its repression into an American city
Events in San Francisco illustrate how the Chinese Communist Party is willing to target people exercising their First Amendment rights in an American city.
By Shibani Mahtani, Meg Kelly, Cate Brown, Cate Cadell, Ellen Nakashima and Chris DehghanpoorIndia’s growing reliance on China poses challenge for U.S. trade strategy
The United States is looking to Indian manufacturing as a way to reduce commercial ties with Chinese factories and avoid supply disruptions due to tensions.
By Karishma Mehrotra‘Dark’ tanker crash exposes dangers of China’s thirst for cheap oil
Dark ships — vessels that deliberately hide their locations — delivering oil to China are posing major safety threats and alarming global shipping groups.
By Rebecca Tan, Pei-Lin Wu and Júlia Ledur