Asia

The sidewalk repairs are permanent. The big photos offer a temporary touch of beauty during the summit.

Hello Flowers, Bye-Bye Stray Dogs: Nepal Preps For South Asian Summit

4:54pm November 24, 2014

by Donatella Lorch

VIPs arrive in Katmandu tomorrow for the big event. The government is whitewashing buildings, sending beggars away and promising 24-hour power. But what happens when the summit ends?

A census by protesters estimates the main protest camp in Hong Kong is home to about 2,200 tents, but most are empty these days as crowds have dwindled.

World News

After 2 Months, Hong Kong Residents Want Protesters To Head Home

2:15pm November 24, 2014

by Frank Langfitt

More than 2,000 tents still occupy city streets. The longer the pro-democracy demonstration goes on, the more unwelcome it becomes.

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Hospital 'Shocks' Fathers-To-Be

1:02pm November 24, 2014

If men want to understand child birth, a hospital in China will simulate contractions. A nurse will shock a man's abdomen with electrodes for up to five minutes.

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World News

Wealthy Arabs Descend On Pakistan To Kill The Bustards

10:13am November 24, 2014

by Philip Reeves

The Houbara bustard, a large bird whose numbers are declining, migrates to Pakistan every winter. Rich Arabs follow close behind and hunt them in large numbers. Some Pakistanis say this must stop.

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The Viagra Of The Himalayas Brings In Big Bucks And Big Problems

6:49pm November 21, 2014

by Lauren Silverman

A fungus consumes a worm and sprouts out of its head. The resulting ... thing ... is deemed an aphrodisiac and sells for more than gold. How do you keep people from killing each other to harvest it?

World News

Japan Dissolves Parliament, Prime Minister Calls For New Elections

6:36pm November 21, 2014

by Anthony Kuhn

The Japanese Prime Minister, Shizo Abe, has called a snap election for December — but since he's only two years into his term and his party controls both houses of parliament, many Japanese wonder why.

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Thailand's Justice Minister Gen. Paiboon Koomchaya tells Reuters that martial law will remain in place "indefinitely."

World News

Thai Martial Law Will Remain In Place 'Indefinitely,' Minister Says

12:43pm November 21, 2014

by Krishnadev Calamur

The comments by the justice minister came in an interview to Reuters news agency nearly six months after the military overthrew the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Protesters gather outside Wal-Mart's offices in Gurgaon, India. Their demand: Wal-Mart should build its stores far from markets where they work.

Indian Shopkeepers Greet Wal-Mart's Expansion Plans With Protests

4:39pm November 20, 2014

by Rhitu Chatterjee

"Wal-Mart, come to your senses!" the protesters shouted. These vendors and hawkers are not happy that the retail giant plans to open 50 more stores.

What The U.S. Could Learn From Japan's Latest Recession

2:37pm November 20, 2014

Steve Inskeep talks to David Wessel about what's gone wrong with Japan's economy. Wessel is director of the Hutchins Center at the Brookings Institution and a contributor to The Wall Street Journal.

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World News

Oh, The Places You'll Go: Toilet Signs Try To Help (And Often Fail)

4:57pm November 19, 2014

by Eleanor Klibanoff

Do I squat or sit? What can I flush? Is there even a way to flush? Signs from around the world aim to answer your vital toilet questions. Sometimes they're helpful. Sometimes they're just ... weird..