North Korea’s Kim Jong Un on ‘rampage,' punishing local officials over floods. Amid ongoing corruption crackdown, elite defections sharply rise, South Korea says. cnn.com/2024/09/20/wor… Erin Burnett OutFront Erin Burnett John Mees Wayne Chang YoonjungSeo

'Exploding' iPhone rumors rampant on China’s social media. Censors allowing viral videos falsely claiming *unmodified* iPhones can be remote detonated/used as deadly weapons. Some Chinese companies even banning iPhones at work. Erin Burnett OutFront Erin Burnett John Mees Wayne Chang

China is leaving open the possibility of more military moves near Taiwan. "Operation Joint Sword 2024B" concluded with Taipei claiming it tracked a daily record of at least 125 PLA aircraft & dozens of warships near the island. @FirstMove @jchatterleyCNN John Mees Wayne Chang

China's Coast Guard deployed 17 ships including a 12,000 ton "monster" for drills around Taiwan. They also published images of CCG vessels encircling Taiwan in the trajectory of a heart, called Taiwan "sweetheart" & the blockade drills an act of "love." Wayne Chang John Mees

At least 3,000 North Korean soldiers arrived in eastern Russia this month, the White House says, and while it remains unclear what exactly they will do, it is a “highly concerning probability” that they will join the fight against Ukraine. Erin Burnett OutFront Erin Burnett Eric Cheung

Taipei’s top diplomat quietly delivering a letter during a private lunch with Trump's former national security adviser Robert O'Brien. Trump’s return to the presidency could shift U.S. defense policy on Taiwan. An upcoming TV series shows how a Chinese attack could play out.

Citing regional intelligence assessments, a senior Taiwanese official tells Eric Cheung — China could respond to Taiwan President Lai’s first overseas trip by staging a new round of military drills near the island — now facing a far more uncertain future under Trump 2.0

TikTok users flock to Chinese app #Xiaohongshu aka #Rednote amid uncertainty over TikTok's future. Rednote, linked to the Chinese government, sees surge of 3M+ new American users despite censorship and data privacy concerns. Erin Burnett OutFront Erin Burnett (((Harry Enten)))

A new Chinese cancer drug is making waves—showing nearly double the effectiveness of Merck’s $130B blockbuster Keytruda in clinical trials. Some call it a game-changer, just like DeepSeek in AI. But in China, skepticism runs deep. Erin Burnett OutFront Brianna Keilar Eric Cheung

North Korea reopens to Western tourists, with influencers flocking to visit the isolated country and share their experiences on social media. To bypass the US travel ban, some are spending up to $250K on second passports. Despite strict COVID-19 protocols and paranoia, the tours

CNN’s signal was just censored in China as we reported on Beijing celebrating cuts to U.S. state-funded media like VOA and RFA—longtime counters to China’s narratives. Their future is now uncertain, while China expands its global state-run media influence.

Trump says Musk wasn’t briefed on China war plan in Pentagon meeting. Musk has publicly praised China’s leadership, raising alarm here in Taiwan. He once questioned whether Taiwan's status is similar to Hawaii's in the US, even suggesting it could be “special administrative zone”

BREAKING: Awaiting China's response as Trump raises tariffs to 125%. Beijing remains defiant on escalating trade war as it faces internal military crisis. People's Liberation Army purge deepens with a top General missing in action. China censored CNN's reporting on the military

Three U.S. senators visit Taiwan amid rising China tensions. Sen. Chris Coons tells CNN the trip is about “reassurance”—as Taiwanese leaders quietly worry about tariffs, war, and Washington’s direction. Eric Cheung John Mees Senator Chris Coons

After months of secrecy, North Korea and Russia are flaunting their military alliance. By why now? Shreyas Reddy reports for NK NEWS the timing may be an attempt to gain leverage for talks with Trump. Eric Cheung John Mees Erin Burnett OutFront Erin Burnett

What to make of Russia FM Lavrov’s third trip to North Korea since Oct. 2023? It comes as NK may be sending up to 30,000 more troops to Ukraine. After NK, Lavrov heads to China. I’d love to be fly on the wall during those talks… John Mees Wayne Chang

“Everything looks pretty bad.” Fewer Chinese students are coming to the U.S., now surpassed by Indian students as the top source of international enrollment. Recruiters cite Trump-era visa crackdowns, rising anti-Asian sentiment, and political uncertainty as key factors. These

“Welcome to Taiwan in 2025…” John Mees Wayne Chang