World | ANALYSIS Oct 1, 2013

Sudan president losing allies amid crackdown

When longtime Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir introduced drastic austerity measures, he berated the public for being ungrateful over how his regime had improved their lives, boasting that before he came to power, Sudanese never ate hot dogs, talking as if they were a strange, ...

World Sep 30, 2013

Chemical inspectors detail Syria arms plan

Syria's government has been "businesslike and efficient" ahead of meetings this week to lay the groundwork for the destruction of the country's chemical weapons, officials charged with overseeing the effort said say.

Politics & Diplomacy Sep 24, 2013

Cambodian MPs re-elect Hun Sen amid opposition boycott

Cambodia’s parliament reappointed strongman Prime Minister Hun Sen for another five-year term Tuesday, extending his nearly three-decade rule as the opposition threatened to mount fresh protests over fiercely disputed elections. The controversial move came despite recent mass public demonstrations and a boycott of parliament ...

World Sep 24, 2013

Egypt bans Brotherhood, to seize assets

An Egyptian court orders the banning of the Muslim Brotherhood and the confiscation of its assets, opening the door for authorities to dramatically accelerate a crackdown on the extensive network of schools, hospitals, charities and other social institutions that was the foundation of the ...

Crime Sep 17, 2013

Aging activist inspires younger generation with doggedness

When Chinese police beat elderly former professor Sun Wenguang so badly they broke four ribs, it was just part of the price he has paid for a lifetime defying authority. The white-haired, soft-spoken Sun first went to prison nearly 50 years ago and is ...

Politics & Diplomacy Sep 16, 2013

Cambodia rivals meet after protest bloodshed

Cambodia’s political rivals held fresh crisis talks Monday as thousands of people massed for a second day following violent clashes against a disputed election that left one demonstrator dead and several wounded. Prime Minister Hun Sen and opposition leader Sam Rainsy met at the ...

Asia Pacific | Focus Sep 16, 2013

Activist Chinese billionaire detained

Last month, Chinese police invited Wang Gongquan in for a “cup of tea,” often a prelude to detention. He had launched a public petition calling for the release of arrested dissident Xu Zhiyong, and the authorities were not amused. But Wang effectively told the ...

World Aug 20, 2013

Mubarak could be released; Brotherhood leader arrested

A court in Egypt grants bond to the country's former autocratic ruler, Hosni Mubarak, raising the prospect that he could be released from jail within days — potentially escalating the political crisis in the Arab world's most populous nation.

World Aug 18, 2013

Surveillance prompts creation of covert clothing

by Dana Priest

At the Pentagon and CIA, they are known as “countermeasures,” the jargony adaptation of Newton’s Third Law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The U.S. Army in Iraq jammed cellphones to counter deadly roadside bombs triggered by calls. Osama bin ...

Asia Pacific Aug 16, 2013

Pakistani gunman wounded after police standoff

Pakistani police snipers shot and seriously wounded a gunman who was tackled live on television by a politician during a dramatic standoff close to Islamabad’s high-security political quarter. The man, who was with his wife and children as he issued demands for the imposition ...

Asia Pacific Aug 12, 2013

South Korea in grip of power crisis

South Korea ordered government offices to turn off their air conditioning as two power plants shut down Monday, a day after a minister warned of an imminent national energy crisis. The Dangjin III plant, with a capacity of 500,000 kw, was taken offline by ...