China

Relatives await word of survivors from a cruise ship that capsized in the Yangtze River. The Eastern Star was carrying more than 450 people; only 14 have been rescued.

World News

Death Toll Up To 65 In China Boat Disaster; Government Orders Censorship

1:24am June 04, 2015

by Bill Chappell

Of the more than 450 people who were aboard the Eastern Star when it capsized in rough weather Monday, only 14 have reportedly been saved — but rescuers haven't given up hope of finding more alive.

Since the first case on May 20, confirmed cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS, have swelled to at least 30 in South Korea.

Classes Canceled, 1,300 Quarantined In S. Korea's Scramble To Stop MERS

7:59am June 03, 2015

by Elise Hu

Additional confirmed cases of the Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS, have led to more than 200 school closures and a minor public panic in South Korea.

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Rescuers pull a survivor from an overturned passenger ship in the Jianli section of the Yangtze River in central China's Hubei province on Tuesday.

Cruise Ship Capsizes In China, Leaving Hundreds Unaccounted For

12:47am June 03, 2015

by Eyder Peralta

The captain told local media the vessel sank after getting caught in a cyclone in China's Yangtze River. Few of the 458 on board are thought to have survived the incident.

Wang, a young human rights lawyer, argues that Chinese people have to push the government to build a system of rule of law. She did not want her full face shown to protect her identity.

World News

A Rare, Spontaneous Democracy Debate In A Shanghai Taxi

10:46pm June 01, 2015

by Frank Langfitt

NPR's Frank Langfitt has been driving around Shanghai offering free rides to learn about real life in China. But he was recently a taxi passenger when something unusual happened.

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The website bestenglishname.com uses the answers to questions about subjects such as music, sports and personal style to generate suitable English names.

World News

So Long 'Cinderella,' Website Helps Chinese Find Better English Names

7:28pm June 01, 2015

by Frank Langfitt

Billboard. Mo Money. Lady Gaga. Cinderella. Those are just a few of the unusual names young Chinese have adopted over the years. An American entrepreneur hopes to suggest more appropriate ones.

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A range of Darjeeling tea at Goomtee Tea Estate in Darjeeling, India.

Sip It Slowly, And Other Lessons From The Oldest Tea Book In The World

6:03pm May 26, 2015

by Jeff Koehler

Over 800 years before tea was known in the West, a Chinese master penned the The Classic of Tea. In it, he blends the practical with the spiritual and emphasizes rituals from cultivation to drinking.

The Dzungar army surrenders to Manchu officers of the Qing Dynasty in 1759 in the Ili Valley, now part of China's Xinjiang region, in this painting made several years later by Chinese and Jesuit missionary artists.

World News

Why A Chinese Government Think Tank Attacked American Scholars

6:23am May 22, 2015

by Frank Langfitt

The think tank's article says professors are miscasting the history of the country's Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). That's big for the Communist Party, which is invested in history — and who interprets it.

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First-graders take soccer class at the Nandulehe Elementary School in suburban Beijing. The school is one of 20,000 that's launching a national soccer curriculum in the next five years. It's part of a government plan to raise China's soccer skills and eve

China Kicks Off 'Great Leap Forward' On The Soccer Field

7:07pm May 21, 2015

by Anthony Kuhn

China is rolling out an ambitious soccer program. President Xi Jinping is reported to be a big fan who wants China to win a World Cup. Critics say there's too much emphasis on quick results.

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Members of Exile Tibetan Women Association protest to demand the immediate release of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama, during a gathering to mark the 20th anniversary of his disappearance, in New Delhi, India, on Sunday.

20 Years After China Seized Boy Monk, Tibetans Call For His Release

3:01pm May 17, 2015

by Scott Neuman

In 1995, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was designated as the 11th Panchen Lama, Tibetan Buddhism's second-highest spiritual leader. He was promptly detained by Chinese authorities and never heard from again.

The twisting Shanghai Tower (right) is the world's second-tallest building and opens soon.

World News

Shanghai Tower: A Crown For The City's Futuristic Skyline

10:40am May 12, 2015

by Frank Langfitt

The 2,073-foot-tall Shanghai Tower, the world's second-tallest building, opens this year. More than just a skyscraper, it's a symbol of Shanghai's — and China's — soaring ambitions.

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