North Korea:

North Korea's vice foreign minister says President Trump is "making trouble" with "aggressive" tweets. - Associated Press via Twitter

New satellite images suggest that North Korea might soon conduct another underground detonation in its effort to learn how to make nuclear arms - its sixth explosive test in a decade and perhaps its most powerful yet. – New York Times via Straits Times

China:

An attempt by police in Beijing to encourage ordinary citizens to tip them off about foreign spies with bigger rewards means that foreign journalists and nongovernmental organization (NGO) workers are at risk of detention at any time, commentators told RFA. Beijing has lifted the reward for whistle blowers from US$1,500 to a staggering US$73,000. – Radio Free Asia (U.S.)

The ruling Chinese Communist Party has hit out at the country's three megacities for failing to meet pollution targets, while authorities detained 61 people on charges linked to pollution. – Radio Free Asia

Plans for Xiongan New Area, an economic zone about 100 kilometers south of Beijing, are becoming more clear. The zone will span Xiongxian, Rongcheng and Anxin counties in Hebei Province, covering 2,000 square kilometers in the long term with a population of 2 to 2.5 million. – Xinhua

Images circulated on Chinese internet sources suggest that the China Coast Guard (CCG) has equipped its lead Type 818 vessel with the Type 630 30 mm close-in weapon system (CIWS). - IHS Jane's Navy International

Taiwan:

Two months after hitting pause on its Taiwan operations, Uber is back running in Taipei under a new business model. The popular ride-hailing service surprised the local market earlier this week, announcing it had formed a new partnership with car rental companies. – The News Lens

The wife of the Taiwanese activist held incommunicado in China for 25 days has been told her husband may have been mistakenly detained by local officials because of tough new NGO laws. – The News Lens

A passenger airplane operated by Daily Air yesterday overran the runway and crashed into guard rails at Lanyu Airport on Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼), the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said. – Taipei Times

Hong Kong:

Pan-democrat lawmaker “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung has been allowed to enter the mainland for the first time in a decade. – South China Morning Post

Myanmar:

Two former exiled news outlets—the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) and Mizzima—have been selected to run their own digital channels in Burma under the state-owned Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV). – The Irrawaddy

Indonesia:

The rights of all Indonesians are at greater risk following a Constitutional Court ruling this week that the central government could no longer repeal local Sharia (Islamic law) ordinances adopted in the country. – The News Lens

A Cessna C208 Caravan plane, which disappeared from radar screens on Wednesday (12/04), has reportedly crashed into a cliff in the Mt. Bintang area in Papua. – Jakarta Post

Japan:

The Tokyo High Court on Thursday upheld a lower court decision finding a female artist guilty of obscenity for distributing 3-D scans of her genitalia and ordered her to pay a fine of ¥400,000 ($3,700). – Japan Times

Editor: Edward White