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ASIA PACIFIC

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A mother takes her child to kindergarten in Hanoi on Wednesday. Vietnam's birth rate fell from 2.11 children per woman in 2021 to 1.91 last year.

ASIA PACIFIC / Society

Jun 4, 2025

Vietnam scraps two-child limit as birth rate declines

The birth rate fell from 2.11 children per woman in 2021 to 1.91 last year, below replacement level.

A man weaves cane into a chinlone ball, used in the ancient Myanmar game considered a blend of sport and art, at a workshop in Hinthada township in the Irrawaddy delta region.

ASIA PACIFIC / Society

Jun 3, 2025

Ancient Myanmar ball game battles for survival in troubled nation

By Lynn MYAT

Myanmar's 2021 military coup and subsequent civil war have made it increasingly difficult for craftsmen to source materials for chinlone balls.

At a calligraphy class in Hanoi, Hoang Thi Thanh Huyen slides her brush across the page to form the letters and tonal marks of Vietnam's unique modern script, in part a legacy of French colonial rule.

ASIA PACIFIC / Society

May 26, 2025

'It's in our blood': How Vietnam adopted the Latin alphabet

The history of romanized Vietnamese links the arrival of the first Christian missionaries, colonization by the French and the rise to power of the Communist Party.

The Harvard University shield "VERITAS" sits above a campus entrance gate at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, last month.

ASIA PACIFIC / Society / FOCUS

May 24, 2025

Long advantageous, Harvard's China ties become a political liability

By Michael Martina

The ties have yielded major financial gifts, influence in international affairs and global prestige for the school.

People smoking in Yuxi, in China's southwest Yunnan province. China is home to a third of the world's smokers and tobacco-related diseases are a major cause of death in the country — a trend likely to worsen as its population rapidly ages.

ASIA PACIFIC / Society

May 13, 2025

Tobacco town thrives as China struggles to kick the habit

By Agatha Cantrill and Matthew WALSH

China is home to a third of the world's smokers and tobacco-related diseases are a major cause of death in the country.

Podcast hosts Terence Chia (left) and Haresh Tilani discuss their show "Yah Lah But" in their studio in Singapore.

ASIA PACIFIC / Society

Apr 30, 2025

Mic check: Singapore's podcast boom amplifies opposition voices

By Satish Cheney

Mainstream election coverage of Singapore's opposition parties has improved over the past decade, with its news podcasts showing a willingness to feature alternative voices.

Students raise their hands in class in front of fans at an elementary school in Manila on March 21. Last year, heat waves forced millions of children in the Philippines out of school. It was the first time that soaring temperatures had caused widespread class suspensions, prompting a series of changes.

ASIA PACIFIC / Society

Apr 14, 2025

Early holiday, more fans: Philippines' schools adapt to climate change

By Cecil Morella

Heat waves forced millions of children in the Philippines out of school in 2024, the first time that soaring temperatures had caused widespread class suspensions.

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.

What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji

By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Smile! It’s ‘Sanrio Time,’ now and ever after

Smile! It’s ‘Sanrio Time,’ now and ever after

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