Obama’s Journey to Reshape Afghan War

Sun, 20 May 2012 21:01:11 GMT

President Obama concluded in his first year that the Bush-era dream of remaking Afghanistan was a fantasy. The lessons he has learned there have shaped his presidency.

Blind Chinese Dissident Leaves on Flight for U.S.

Sun, 20 May 2012 05:55:03 GMT

Chen Guangcheng, the blind lawyer whose escape from house arrest jolted relations between the United States and China, followed a hastily arranged flight with an open-air news conference in New York.

Chinese Security Chief Seems to Keep Grip on Power

Sun, 20 May 2012 17:00:51 GMT

Zhou Yongkang completed a tour of the volatile region of Xinjiang last week, a sign that he still had a firm hold on his post despite having opposed the purging of Bo Xilai.

India Ink: Newswallah: Bharat Edition

Sat, 19 May 2012 10:26:51 GMT

A round-up of news from across India.

India Ink: Going on Faith

Sat, 19 May 2012 09:41:26 GMT

A novelist discovers his ancestral homeland, Kerala, where religions are lost and found and enlightenment comes when you least expect it.

India Ink: Image of the Day: May 18

Fri, 18 May 2012 16:43:35 GMT

A man pierced his tongue with a thin rod in protest in New Delhi.

India Ink: The Cartoon That Taught Indians The Meaning of "Many"

Sat, 19 May 2012 10:12:44 GMT

Documentary filmmaker Vijaya Mulay talks about the 1974 animation film -"Ek Anek Aur Ekta"- that was created to spread the message of unity in diversity

Pakistan Blocks Twitter Over Cartoon Contest

Sun, 20 May 2012 23:13:29 GMT

The government blocked access to the social networking service on Sunday, after holding Twitter responsible for promoting a blasphemous cartoon contest, officials said.

NATO Summit Shadowed by Tensions Over Pakistan

Sun, 20 May 2012 20:17:55 GMT

A NATO summit meeting on long-term security for Afghanistan opened in Chicago with the United States and Pakistan still divided over reopening supply routes for the war.

In Afghanistan, New Insurgent Group Emerges

Sun, 20 May 2012 07:30:14 GMT

The emergence of Mullah Dadullah Front, a new, more extreme insurgent faction of the Taliban, could trouble any efforts to restart the peace process.

Bomber Strikes U.S. Soldiers in Southern Afghanistan

Sun, 20 May 2012 13:56:49 GMT

A suicide bomber attacked a group of American soldiers in southern Afghanistan on Sunday, apparently killing and wounding an unconfirmed number of them.

Crawford Greenewalt Jr., Archaeologist Who Dug at Sardis, Dies at 74

Sun, 20 May 2012 06:27:20 GMT

Professor Greenewalt, an archaeologist, transformed scholars’ understanding of Sardis, now western Turkey.

Pakistani Leader May Face Friction Over Supply Routes at NATO Summit

Sun, 20 May 2012 01:07:45 GMT

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari arrived in Chicago on Saturday for a NATO summit to what could be a chilly reception if a hoped-for deal allowing trucks to again supply alliance troops in Afghanistan fails to materialize.

Crackdown on Aleppo Students Stokes Fury in Syria

Sat, 19 May 2012 05:08:59 GMT

Antigovernment anger in Syria has escalated over the harsh repression of students in Aleppo, where activists on Friday reported extensive protests against President Bashar al-Assad.

Chinese Tycoon Gets Life Sentence for Smuggling

Sat, 19 May 2012 05:08:59 GMT

Lai Changxing, a peasant-turned-billionaire, was given a life sentence on Friday for his role in a corruption scandal, according to the state news media.

Pentagon Study Says China Military Getting Stronger

Sat, 19 May 2012 07:00:42 GMT

The annual appraisal of China’s military modernization also suggests Beijing leaders want to project power while avoiding confrontation with neighbors and the United States.

Monument in Palisades Park, N.J., Irritates Japanese Officials

Sat, 19 May 2012 05:07:21 GMT

Officials in Palisades Park, N.J., have refused to remove a plaque in memory of sexual slavery during World War II, and the episode has irritated South Korea-Japan relations.

Burlington Journal: Vermont’s Refugees Rebuild After Irene Floods

Sat, 19 May 2012 10:04:07 GMT

Refugees from Africa and South Asia are rebuilding their livelihoods after last summer’s devastating flood that ruined 10,000 acres of land.

Special Report: Education: Business Schools: Looking Local for a Global Reach

Fri, 18 May 2012 06:57:15 GMT

Prospective business school students from Brazil, Russia, India and China are increasingly exploring possibilities at home.

North Korea Resumes Work on Nuclear Reactor, Group Says

Fri, 18 May 2012 18:30:14 GMT

North Korea has resumed construction of a nuclear reactor that can be used to expand the country’s nuclear weapons program, an American-based institute said Thursday.

U.S. Redefines Afghan Success Ahead of NATO Conference

Fri, 18 May 2012 16:30:14 GMT

American officials acknowledge that the bar has been significantly lowered in Afghanistan after 11 years of combat and describe a hoped-for outcome far less ambitious than what was once envisioned.

World Briefing | Asia: Afghanistan: Governor’s Office Attacked

Fri, 18 May 2012 16:42:45 GMT

Taliban insurgents killed at least seven people on Thursday in an attack on a provincial governor’s office, Afghan officials said.

White House to Ease Ban on Investment in Myanmar

Fri, 18 May 2012 16:50:05 GMT

The Obama administration will give American businesses far greater license to make investments in Myanmar, responding to the country’s political and economic opening over the last year.

World Briefing | Asia: Malaysia: Mexicans Sentenced to Death

Fri, 18 May 2012 18:00:44 GMT

A court convicted three Mexican brothers and two other people on Thursday and sentenced them to be hanged for drug trafficking.

‘Princelings’ in China Use Family Ties to Gain Riches

Fri, 18 May 2012 16:23:02 GMT

The authorities are eager to paint the fallen official Bo Xilai, whose family has a substantial fortune, as a rogue operator. But other officials’ relatives have also amassed vast wealth.

Taliban Strike Afghan Governor’s Office

Fri, 18 May 2012 07:00:39 GMT

At least 11 people died after Taliban insurgents on Thursday attacked a provincial governor’s office, but were beaten back by security forces, Afghan officials said.

Catalog of Wounded in Afghan War Could Be Model

Fri, 18 May 2012 16:57:18 GMT

Col. Michael D. Wirt’s database of injuries and treatment in his corner of the Afghan war could be a model for improving care, but the military has yet to follow his example.

Chinese Fishing Boats Reported Seized by North Korean Gunmen

Fri, 18 May 2012 19:00:44 GMT

Chinese state news media said gunmen seized three boats with 29 sailors aboard and were demanding ransom.

Special Report: Education: Designing Business Education for a Custom Fit

Fri, 18 May 2012 06:57:23 GMT

More business schools are going into business themselves by designing -- and profiting from -- customized training programs for big corporate clients.

Echoes of Tiananmen, on Film, Face Hurdles in China

Fri, 18 May 2012 10:04:49 GMT

A film on Cui Jian, the rock musician whose songs embodied the spirit of hope and protest among young people in China in 1989, faces obstacles in getting distributed.

U.S. Slaps Tariffs on Chinese Solar Panels

Fri, 18 May 2012 18:20:02 GMT

The United States Commerce Department concluded that Chinese producers had “dumped” their products on the American market.

World Briefing | Asia: Cambodia: Police Officers Kill Girl, 15, in Clash With Villagers Over Land

Thu, 17 May 2012 17:59:29 GMT

Security forces shot and killed a 15-year-old girl on Wednesday during a clash with about 200 villagers armed with axes and crossbows in eastern Cambodia.

Figure in China’s Political Drama Found in Cambodia

Thu, 17 May 2012 18:29:25 GMT

Until now, Patrick Henri Devillers, a French architect who has been part of the Bo Xilai drama in China, had not been heard from.

Diplomatic Memo: Some Europeans Have Grim View of Afghan Future

Fri, 18 May 2012 08:43:31 GMT

Continental Europeans are being asked to contribute millions to keep Afghanistan secure after NATO withdraws, but they sound less optimistic than the United States and Britain do.

World Briefing | Asia: China: Activist Applies for Passport

Thu, 17 May 2012 17:59:29 GMT

Chen Guangcheng, the Chinese activist who incited a diplomatic crisis by fleeing into the American Embassy in Beijing last month, filled out a Chinese passport application Wednesday.

Retired Party Members Call for 2 Top Chinese Officials to Resign

Thu, 17 May 2012 18:10:11 GMT

A petition circulated by 16 retired Communist Party members seeks the resignation of China’s security boss, Zhou Yongkang, and a top propaganda official, Liu Yunshan.

Shift by U.S. Muddles Solar Imports Case

Thu, 17 May 2012 06:40:02 GMT

A decision in an anti-dumping case is expected Thursday and will focus on whether China's solar panel companies have been building market share by selling their products below cost.

A Facebook Co-Founder Reflects on the Path Forward

Fri, 18 May 2012 05:08:43 GMT

Eduardo Saverin, who left the company after two years, is assessing how best to manage the extraordinary wealth that will come his way in Facebook’s initial public offering.

World Briefing | Asia: South Korea: Myanmar Pledges To Stop Buying North’s Weapons

Wed, 16 May 2012 17:30:11 GMT

South Korea has received assurances from Myanmar that it will no longer buy weapons from North Korea, an aide to President Lee Myung-bak said Tuesday.

U.S. and Pakistan Say Deal to Open NATO Supply Lines is Near

Wed, 16 May 2012 17:50:11 GMT

An invitation for Pakistan to attend a NATO summit meeting in Chicago this weekend appears to have helped achieve a resolution.

As Trained Afghans Turn Enemy, a U.S.-Led Imperative Is in Peril

Wed, 16 May 2012 20:17:27 GMT

This year, 22 American-led coalition service members have been killed by men in Afghan uniform, which the military calls “green on blue” attacks.

Myanmar Vows to Cease Buying Weapons From North Korea

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:40:06 GMT

President Thein Sein of Myanmar acknowledged that his country had bought conventional weapons from Pyongyang over the past 20 years but vowed to end the practice.

Prosecutors Say Philippine Justice Had $28 Million in Accounts

Tue, 15 May 2012 18:05:06 GMT

Documents in the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato C. Corona showed that $28.7 million was added to his bank accounts during a period when he was earning about $935 a month.

News Analysis: China’s Political Turmoil Won’t Delay New Leadership

Tue, 15 May 2012 18:20:06 GMT

Communist Party insiders and observers say China’s once-in-a-decade leadership change is still on track for this autumn, despite a spectacular political scandal.

World Briefing | The Americas: Argentina: Vice President Faces the Prospect of an Investigation

Tue, 15 May 2012 18:30:11 GMT

A prosecutor said Monday that he would ask a federal judge to investigate accusations that Vice President Amado Boudou had enriched himself illegally.

India Ink: From Bleak Central India, a People's Movement

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:04:29 GMT

In the Pati region of Madhya Pradesh, villagers are fighting for their basic rights and entitlements.

Afghan Soldiers Increasingly Attack American Counterparts

Wed, 16 May 2012 17:43:11 GMT

The rise in “green on blue” killings — Afghan forces turning on their American trainers — has threatened the goal of leaving Afghanistan in the hands of a stable security force.

WORLD: Rough Treatment in Shandong

Tue, 15 May 2012 16:02:06 GMT

Journalists working for The New York Times were accosted by men who followed them after they tried to talk to residents near Dongshigu, the village where Chen Guangcheng’s was held captive.

WORLD: Myanmar Drug Surge

Mon, 14 May 2012 14:09:33 GMT

Thai police are combating a surge in drug trafficking at the border with Myanmar.

At War Blog: Spying Balloons as Artistic Muse

Fri, 18 May 2012 16:42:49 GMT

One reader sees art in the specter of all-seeing eye in the skies over Afghanistan.

At War Blog: What's Your Memorial Day Tradition?

Thu, 17 May 2012 19:47:22 GMT

At War is asking you, our readers, to tell us about your Memorial Day traditions and rituals.

At War Blog: Military News Roundup: Green on Blue, a Call for a Nuclear Reduction and NATO's Supply Line

Wed, 16 May 2012 18:20:55 GMT

A selection of military-related articles from Wednesday's New York Times.

The Lede Blog: Sentiment Against Foreigners Flares in China

Fri, 18 May 2012 17:31:28 GMT

The search giant Baidu and the huge social media hub Sina Weibo are urging users in China to help crack down on "misbehaving foreigners."

The Lede Blog: Territory Claimed by China and Philippines Is Mainly Underwater

Fri, 11 May 2012 23:24:03 GMT

A skirmish over who owns a band of coral rocks in the South China Sea - China or the Philippines - would have to be small, since the land mass is almost comically tiny.

The Lede Blog: China Vows Investigation Into Pills Said to Contain Human Remains

Tue, 08 May 2012 18:46:32 GMT

Chinese authorities are investigating disturbing reports that thousands of pills intercepted by South Korean border officials were manufactured in China to contain the desiccated powder remains of human babies.

Room for Debate: Are We Headed for a Cold War With China?

Thu, 03 May 2012 18:09:40 GMT

Do recent human rights cases and the standoff in the South China Sea point to a larger conflict on the horizon?

Letter from China: A Chinese Composer Sounds Off About Music and Politics

Thu, 17 May 2012 18:20:44 GMT

A leading contemporary composer in China says the country is backward in a range of educational and cultural areas, including music, even though Chinese musicians and composers do extremely well abroad.