Tehran using Afghan media to gain strategic advantage
Nearly a third of war-ravaged nation’s outlets backed by Iran either financially or through providing content
New Zealand hikes tobacco taxes 40% in bid to become a smoke-free country
Country has pledged to snuff out the habit entirely by 2025
Barriers in India for women’s role in the work force
Priyanka Roychoudhury: ‘They have so much potential and they are not able to follow up on their dreams – it’s very disheartening ... Our president is a woman, the leading political party’s president is a woman, but at the grassroots and even [the middle class] women are basically not allowed to go out of the four walls of their house’
Western India targets poachers, allows forest guards to shoot illegal hunters
A state in western India has declared war on animal poaching by allowing forest guards to shoot hunters on sight in an effort to curb rampant attacks on tigers and other wildlife.
Pakistani doctor jailed for helping U.S. find Osama bin Laden
A government official says a Pakistani doctor who helped the U.S. track down Osama bin Laden has been convicted of high treason and sentenced to 33 years in prison.
Food
McCain hopes to thaw India's resistance to frozen food
Food-processing giant gambles that frozen idli will change eating habits of huge Indian market
More than a third of southeast Asia, Africa malaria drugs are fake or low quality: study
A study released Tuesday reveals that more than one third of malaria-fighting drugs are counterfeit or low quality, giving health researchers “a sense of emergency” since 3.3 billion people worldwide are at risk of infection.
Worldview
Tea, cricket and tourism: The degree of the thaw in Indian-Pakistani relations
Antagonistic neighbours set to announce new visas that will improve access at border
Images of North Korean nuclear site increase U.S. concern
North Korea has ramped up work at its nuclear test site, according to an analysis of satellite images released Tuesday, a day after a senior U.S. envoy warned the North that an atomic test would unify the world in seeking swift, tough punishment.
Human rights
Blind Chinese activist turns face toward sun during first day of freedom
Escaped dissident plans to study law at New York University, vows to continue to fight for homeland
Blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng arrives in U.S.
Blind human rights activist Chen Guangcheng has left China and is now on a plane bound for the United States.
Lai's sentencing marks the end of China's Great Gatsby
Lai Changxing is the ultimate antihero who came to symbolize the excesses and corruption that have spoiled China's economic rise
Worldview
‘Truth Prevails’ as Bollywood star takes on taboo topics in hit Indian talk show
The brainchild of film star Aamir Khan, has become a popular and critical success, with television reviewers gushing about his style and his subject choices
Worldview
Mysterious suicide bomb raises suspicion in China
As official suicide bombing story shifts, the already battered reputation of China’s justice system is emerging as another casualty
Voice recorder of crashed Russian jet being analyzed
Sukhoi Superjet 100 slammed into Indonesian volcano April 9, killing all 45 aboard
Chinese activist’s bid to study in US making progress
As soon as Cheng Guangcheng and his family obtain Chinese passports, U.S. will issue visas
No Indonesia concert for Lady Gaga
Islamic hard-liners and conservative lawmakers say her sexy clothes and dance moves will corrupt young people and undermine the country’s moral fibre
20 years later, Bosnian Serb Mladic stands trial for genocide
Prosecution of former Serbian military commander by the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal to begin in the Hague
High-profile ouster in China points to battle between reformists, hard-liners
Zhou Yongkang’s backing of disgraced politician Bo Xilai likely made him a target of reformist factions in the government
Dalai Lama: China suffers from “moral crisis”
China is beset by a moral crisis, widespread corruption and lawlessness, leading millions of Chinese to seek solace in Buddhism, Tibet’s exiled Buddhist leader, the Dalai Lama, said on Monday.
Myanmar hosts first visit by South Korean leader since 1983 assassination attempt
President Lee Myung-bak plans to strengthen ties with Myanmar
Australia’s suicide ‘guardian angel’ dies
Don Ritchie in credited with talking hundreds of people out of jumping to their death at a cliff near his Sydney home
China’s “instant buildings” to save on energy
Prefabricated, assembly-line techniques are applied to commercial buildings, not just homes
15 killed in Nepal plane crash
Plane carrying 21 people hits mountain
Blind Chinese activist says arrested nephew a scapegoat
Blind Chinese rights activist Chen Guangcheng said on Sunday that a nephew, arrested on charges of attempted murder, was the victim of vengeance by officials incensed at Mr. Chen’s escape, which cast a global spotlight on his 19 months in house arrest.
Worldview
Dangerous nationalism on the South China Sea
If Asian neighbours keep manufacturing crises for domestic consumption, one day the anger they manufacture will be all too real
For or against: A look at world leaders' stances on gay marriage
From the Guatemalan president’s condemnation of ‘Adam and Esteban’ to François Hollande’s support for equality, world leaders are divided on controversial issue
China tightens restrictions on blind activist's family
Several members of Chen Guangcheng’s family are either under house arrest, in police detention or have had their movements severely restricted
Wreckage of Russian Superjet found strewn on Indonesian mountain
No sign of survivors among 45 people on board demonstration flight for Russia’s first all-new passenger jet since fall of Soviet Union
Court bans Exxon Valdez tanker from entering India for dismantling
Infamous ship responsible for Alaska oil spill won’t be allowed into India until it has been decontaminated, court rules
Russian plane with 50 aboard missing outside Jakarta
A new Russian-made civilian plane carrying 50 people went missing in Indonesia while flying over mountains Wednesday during a demonstration flight for potential buyers and journalists, officials said.
Nationwide strikes erupt in Bangladesh over politician’s abduction
The disappearance of Elias Ali has highlighted dozens of political abductions and raised hostilities between the government and opposition
‘Uncle SMS’ dies in jail
Man was serving 20-year sentence for defaming Thai royal family in text messages
Worldview
Hillary Clinton takes charge, ‘Aunty’ style, in South Asia
Being an ‘Aunty’ in South Asia isn’t exactly a compliment -- but in the end, she’s the one in charge
China to investigate drug capsules containing child remains
Chinese Ministry of Health found no proof that capsules confiscated in South Korea were being manufactured in China
Worldview
Why al-Jazeera correspondent Melissa Chan's expulsion from China matters
She’s the first journalist to be expelled in 14 years, and the clearest sign yet that China will no longer even pretend to honour promises of greater media freedom
Clinton presses India to cut oil imports from Iran
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton urged energy-starved India on Monday to reduce its Iranian oil imports to keep up pressure on the Islamic republic to come clean about its nuclear program
U.S. secretly released prisoners in Afghanistan
Washington Post says ‘strategic release’ program used prisoners as bargaining chips to reduce violence in restive provinces
Attacker in Afghan army uniform fires on international troops, killing 1
Shooting is the latest in a string of attacks against foreign forces either Afghan partners or assailants posing as them
Deadly tornado rips through city near Tokyo
Tornadoes are relatively rare in the Tokyo area; the storm killed a teenage boy
Dissident can apply to study abroad, China says
Chen Guangcheng has been offered a fellowship at New York University that would allow him to bring his family
Taliban claims Pakistan suicide bombing that killed 20
At least 40 people were wounded in the blast; Pakistan's branch of the Taliban, has killed or injured thousands of people since 2009, many of them civilians
Worldview
New study pokes holes in $105-million clean cookstove campaign
Despite a surge in popularity, clean cooking stoves as a foreign aid tool may not be as effective as once thought, a new study shows
Clinton hails progress after China says blind activist can study abroad
Foreign Ministry statement could possibly open door to resolving diplomatic standoff with United States
Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng backtracks on asylum request
Chen Guangcheng says he still hopes to leave China for rest and medical treatment, but with the intention of returning
Philippines erects wall to hide slums during meeting of finance ministers
Presidential spokesman says ‘any country will do a little fixing up before a guest comes’
Budget pressure forces Australia to delay F-35 fighter orders
Two-year delay puts country on same timetable as the United States
Media
Freedom of the press rises from debris of collapsed dictatorships
The Arab Spring heralded improvements to press freedom in 2011, but many free countries are placing more limits on media
Tsunami
Tsunami-swept Harley-Davidson found on B.C. island
Rusted bike found inside white container where its Japanese owner had kept it
New details show deeper intrigue in Bo Xilai’s home
Ousted Chinese leader’s wife allegedly poisoned British businessman after he demanded a cut for organizing money transfer
Suu Kyi makes historic debut in Myanmar parliament
Ushers in new political era after nearly quarter-century fight against military dictatorship
Obama says destroying al-Qaeda on track during surprise trip to Kabul
Republican rival Mitt Romney accuses president of politicizing anniversary of Osama bin Laden’s death
China police admit activist's escape was legal, despite local security cordon
Chen Guangcheng is now under the protection of U.S. diplomats, and American and Chinese officials are deliberating his fate.
One year later
How Osama bin Laden’s death muddied the path to peace
A year ago, a U.S. raid killed Osama bin Laden, leaving al-Qaeda fractured and injuring a key bond between America and Pakistan.
103 dead, 100 missing after Indian ferry capsizes
Army divers and rescue workers pulled 103 bodies out of a river after a packed ferry capsized in heavy winds and rain in remote northeast India, an official said Tuesday.
Relatives of Pakistani man killed by CIA contractor murdered, possibly over ‘blood money'
Police say the widow and mother-in-law of one of two Pakistani men shot and killed by a CIA contractor last year have been murdered in the eastern city of Lahore.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon urges further lifting of sanctions on Myanmar, increased aid
Ban Ki-moon said in a speech to parliament Monday that the world should match the ambitions of the country's people for democracy and change.
Pakistan sends mixed signals on 1st U.S. drone attack after parliament demanded they end
Pakistani officials on Monday condemned the U.S. for carrying out its first drone strike in the country since parliament demanded they end two weeks ago, but qualified that it should be seen in light of the presence of Islamist militants on Pakistani soil.
Rights groups: U.S. asylum likely for blind Chinese activist
China and the U.S. want to reach agreement on the fate of Chen Guangcheng before the annual high-level talks between U.S. officials begin in Beijing on Thursday, according to rights group ChinaAid.
Titanic II: Australian billionaire says replica ship will set sail in 2016
An Australian billionaire on Monday said he will create a high-tech replica of the Titanic using a Chinese shipbuilder, and that its maiden voyage in late 2016 will be from England to New York, just like the original.
Myanmar Politics
Suu Kyi party to swear oath, attend parliament
Aung San Suu Kyi said Monday that she and other lawmakers in her opposition party will attend Myanmar's parliament Wednesday for the first time and will take the oath of office though they still fiercely dispute its wording.
Kidnapped British Red Cross doctor found beheaded in Pakistan
Khalil Rasjed Dale, 60, was abducted by suspected militants Jan. 5 while on his way home from work
UN chief visits Myanmar to push for further reform
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon made a landmark visit to a fast-changing Myanmar on Sunday to encourage its government to carry out more democratic reforms and shore-up peace deals with ethnic rebel groups.
Tear gas fired as 25,000 rally for Malaysia reforms
Police unleashed tear gas and chemical-laced water Saturday at thousands of demonstrators who staged one of Malaysia's largest street rallies in years, demanding fair rules for national elections expected soon.
Roadside bomb kills 10 members of Afghan police
Earlier, two Taliban militants hiding small guns in their shoes slipped into a provincial governor's compound in southern Afghanistan on Saturday, setting off a fierce gun battle that left two security guards and both attackers dead
Escaped Chinese activist under U.S. protection: report
Blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng is now under United States protection in Beijing after fleeing from house arrest
Marriage
In India, if you think you’ve found Mr. Right, call the detectives
Most marriages here are arranged, but parents can no longer rely on personal connections to vet potential mates – especially if they’re found online. So families hire an investigator
Pakistan deports bin Laden family to Saudi Arabia
Osama bin Laden’s three widows and his children have been deported to Saudi Arabia according to reports from Pakistan’s government.
British businessman found dead in China not a spy, U.K. foreign secretary says
William Hague said he was breaking conventions which usually prevent ministers from commenting on the identities of intelligence officials
Worldview
Ferrari? What Ferrari? Disgraced Chinese politician’s son defends lifestyle
Bo Guagua apparently took it upon himself to clear up questions about his education at Oxford and Harvard universities in a statement to The Harvard Crimson
U.S., Pakistan discuss reopening of supply routes, drones
Pakistan shut the supply lines in November to protest U.S air raids that killed 24 Pakistani troops along the Afghan border
3 Afghan women killed during fighting between NATO, Taliban
Both sides used heavy weapons, but it was not immediately clear who fired the mortar that killed the women
TIMOTHY GARTON ASH
Spectacular scandal, decisive reform?
The Bo Xilai affair will surely increase pressure on the party leadership to restore its tarnished reputation and deliver more of what most Chinese might regard as progress
Kazakhstan’s Borat-style promise and peril
Deputy prime minister Kelimbetov in Canada to dispel misinformation about his country, promote investment in Kazakh natural resources
U.S., Philippines stage war games despite warnings from China
Thousands of American and Philippine troops waded ashore on Wednesday in a mock assault to retake a small island in energy-rich waters disputed with China, a drill Beijing had said would raise the risk of armed conflict.
Pakistan tests missile days after India's launch
Pakistan successfully launched an upgraded ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead Wednesday, days after its neighbour and archenemy India conducted its own missile test, the Pakistani military said.
Myanmar exiles, angered by EU suspension of sanctions, urge US to push for reform
The European Union's suspension of economic sanctions against Myanmar has riled exiled activists, who are urging the United States to press for further reforms by the dominant military before following suit.
PIRACY
Sea piracy on the decline in first quarter
International naval patrols largely credited for drop in attacks
EU agrees to suspend most Myanmar sanctions, keep arms embargo
The European Union agreed on Monday to suspend most of its sanctions against Myanmar for a year in recognition of sweeping democratic reforms after half a century of military rule, EU diplomats said.
Tsunami-swept soccer ball found in Alaska; returned to Japanese teen
A 16-year-old who lost his home in Japan's devastating tsunami now knows that one prized possession survived: a soccer ball that made it all the way to Alaska.
Red Cross staffer abducted in Yemen
The Frenchman was on his way to the port city of Hudayda when he was kidnapped, a spokeswoman said
Australia's parliamentary speaker steps down amid sexual harassment scandal
Australia's parliamentary speaker temporarily stepped down Sunday amid allegations of sexual harassment and fraud.
Opposition strike cripples Bangladesh's capital
Schools and businesses were closed in Bangladesh's capital on Sunday as opposition parties enforced a daylong general strike across the South Asian nation.
Pakistan promises full probe into plane crash
The crash killed everyone onboard, officials said, vowing to examine all possible causes
Afghan security forces seize 10 tons of explosives, foiling attack
Afghan security forces have arrested five militants with 10 metric tons of explosives that they had brought from Pakistan to use to carry out a massive attack in Kabul, as well as another three planning an assassination attempt against the vice-president, an official said Saturday.
CHINESE POLITICS
Bo Xilai’s fall signals victory for China’s reformers
Spectacular ouster of leftist governor shines light on decades-old split between liberals and hard-line wing of the Communist Party
China
Love, dissident-style: The saga of Hu Jia and Zeng Jinyan
Mark MacKinnon on how police harassment and the constant threat of prison sparked the breakup the leading couple of China's dissident community
Pakistan moves against airline after crash kills all passengers
Pakistan launches investigation into airplane crash; blocks head of the airline from leaving the country
Woman's 8-litre-a-day Coca-Cola habit cited in death
Soft-drink giant notes that even water can be deadly in excessive amounts
EU to suspend Myanmar sanctions for one year
The sanctions, which target more than 800 companies and nearly 500 people, will be suspended for a year, with the possibility of a review in six months
A leap of faith as Suu Kyi plans to finally travel abroad
Trip will mark first time the democracy icon will leave Myanmar in 24 years
INDIA
Once a beacon of integrity, India's military is in disarray
Armed forces suffered embarrassment over recent events, including a ‘near-coup experience’ that left the government scrambling to seal off the capital
Photos emerge of U.S. troops posing with maimed bodies of Afghan insurgents
Photos published by the LA Times come amid strained U.S.-Afghanistan ties
Bin Laden family's deportation from Pakistan delayed
The family was detained by Pakistani authorities last May after U.S. Navy SEALs killed the al-Qaeda chief
Suu Kyi to visit Norway and Britain, her party says
Democracy hero to make first foreign trip since 1988 as her newly elected colleagues get set to begin work in parliament
Ex-guerrilla fighter to win East Timor presidency
Jose Maria Vasconcelos, known by his nom de guerre, Taur Matan Ruak, received 61 per cent of the vote in Monday's run-off
China’s Bo Xilai backed, then blocked murder probe against his wife: sources
The sources’ account gives new details of the dramatic breakdown in relations between Bo and his once trusted police chief, Wang Lijun
UN condemns North Korea rocket launch, warns of further action
The UN Security Council was united in its decision to condemn the launch after a rocket disintegrated over the Yellow Sea, raising concerns about North Korea’s nuclear program
Worldview
Two years after violent protests, Thailand remains a deeply divided country
A recent editorial in a Thai newspaper opined that ‘a new round of violence’ was possible later this year
Ex-guerrilla fighters vie for East Timor presidency
The winner has the potential to help unify Asia's newest and poorest nation
Audio
The second disaster: Scale of Japan tsunami damage shocking to witness
Audio from Mark MacKinnon, The Globe and Mail's East Asia correspondent, on his reporting trip to the fishing village of Otsuchi, annihilated in the March 11 tsunami
Interactive
Aftershocks in Japan: The ripples of devastation
From auto and electronic supply disruptions to food contamination, the damage caused by the natural and nuclear disasters in Japan is spilling over to other economies amid a fragile global recovery
Pictures from Japan
In Pictures
Images from a devastated Japan
In pictures
Before and after: Satellite photos of the destruction in Japan
Images from Google show the level of devastation after earthquakes and tsunami
Devastating photos of the aftermath of Japan's disasters
Photos from the day after Japan's strongest recorded earthquake and the devastating tsunami that followed
