Asia

The Beautiful Country and the Middle Kingdom

The U.S. And China: Two Centuries Of Infatuation And Disappointment

2:49pm December 11, 2016

by Alan Yu

In a new book, journalist and author John Pomfret tackles a relationship that stretches back to America's earliest years and is now more important — and challenging — than ever.

Thirty years ago, when the grass grew tall, cashmere goats made up 19 percent of all livestock in Mongolia. Since then, their numbers have skyrocketed to make up 60 percent today.

How Your Cashmere Sweater Is Decimating Mongolia's Grasslands

10:41pm December 09, 2016

by Rob Schmitz

Mongolian goats produce the world's highest quality cashmere wool, and international demand has soared. There's a problem, though. These goats are turning the country into an ecological wasteland.

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South Korea's President Park Geun-Hye attends an emergency Cabinet meeting on Friday in Seoul.

South Korea Impeaches President, But Political Drama Isn't Finished

6:33pm December 09, 2016

by Elise Hu

The president has been suspended from power — but her fate will be decided later by a constitutional court. "Please, let's come together to overcome this crisis," the prime minister pleaded Friday.

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South Korean President Park Geun-hye is shown during a Nov. 29 televised address. The country's first female leader was impeached on Friday.

World News

South Korean Lawmakers Vote Overwhelmingly To Impeach President

10:48am December 09, 2016

by Elise Hu

The vote against President Park Geun-hye follows a corruption scandal that has paralyzed the political system. A constitutional court will now decide whether to formally remove her from office.

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New U.S. Ambassador To Beijing Is An Old Friend Of China's President

6:34am December 09, 2016

by Steve Inskeep

Christopher Hill, a former U.S. ambassador to Iraq and South Korea, talks about President-elect Donald Trump's choice for ambassador to China, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad.

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A baby dinosaur's tail is encased in amber along with ants, a beetle and plant fragments.

Baby Dinosaur's 99 Million-Year-Old Tail, Encased In Amber, Surfaces In Myanmar

9:38pm December 08, 2016

by Rae Ellen Bichell

Millions of years ago, a dinosaur about the size of a sparrow had a bad day. It got stuck in tree resin. Paleontologists recently came across the rare amber fossil containing its tail in Myanmar.

A shopper walks past a Qiaodan Sports retail shop on Thursday in Beijing, China.

Sports

Slam Dunk: Michael Jordan Wins Trademark Dispute In China

5:07pm December 08, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

China's top court has handed basketball legend Michael Jordan a victory in a long-running trademark dispute over the use of his name by a Chinese company.

Protesters carry a portrait of South Korea's President Park Geun-Hye during a rally against Park in central Seoul on Saturday. Hundreds of thousands of protestors marched in Seoul for the sixth straight week on December 3, to demand the ouster and arrest

World News

South Korea To Vote On Impeachment Of Scandal-Stricken President

4:04pm December 08, 2016

by Camila Domonoske

A corruption scandal has destroyed public support for President Park Geun-hye; her approval rating has fallen to 4 percent. Now the legislature prepares for a vote on her impeachment.

This original Blue Seal ice cream store opened its doors to Okinawans in 1963. It's now the flagship location.

Blue Seal: The GI Ice Cream That Okinawans Made Their Own

12:58pm December 08, 2016

by Sonia Narang

Blue Seal ice cream was launched after World War II for American soldiers stationed in Okinawa, Japan. Today, it's a fusion of American and Okinawan tastes that's loved by locals and tourists alike.

Sen. Robert Dole, seated next to then-vice presidential nominee Mike Pence, receives a standing ovation at the Republican National Convention in July.

Behind Trump's Taiwan Phone Chat, A Veteran Washington Insider

7:01pm December 07, 2016

by Peter Overby

Former GOP senator and presidential candidate Bob Dole helped Taiwan connect with the Trump transition team. Federal disclosure reports show Dole has lobbied for Taiwan for nearly two decades.