Asia

World News

Sounds Of Illegal Drag Races Interrupt Islamabad's Pre-Dawn Quiet

7:06am January 18, 2016

by Philip Reeves

At night, the Pakistani capital of Islamabad is generally tranquil. There are occasions when loud noises interrupt people's slumber. Our reporter went out to investigate what woke him up.

Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen celebrates her victory in Taipei on January 15. Voters in Taiwan elected a Beijing-skeptic president in a dramatic democratic journey, carving their own political path against China's wishes

World News

Taiwan Elects First Female President, From Pro-Independence Party

9:15am January 16, 2016

by Camila Domonoske

Tsai Ing-Wen claimed victory in Taiwan's elections Saturday. Mainland China has threatened war if Taiwan declares independence, and Tsai has pledged not to provoke the island's powerful neighbor.

Stocks on Wall Street and around the world fell on Friday as concerns about oil prices and the Chinese economy persisted.

Wall Street Traders Get Mauled By The Rampaging Bear

6:45pm January 15, 2016

by Marilyn Geewax

Stocks all over the world plunged Friday as investors became even more nervous about China's weakness and oil's collapse. The worries triggered a broad stock sell-off and sent oil below $30 a barrel.

U.S. Stocks Fall Sharply As Oil Prices, China Spook Investors

6:42pm January 15, 2016

by John Ydstie

China's slowdown and plummeting oil prices have investors spooked, and some are heading for the exits. There's concern the selloff in stocks signals tougher times ahead for the U.S. economy.

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The church, of unidentified denomination, is set to open next month.

Taiwan Now Has A Giant, Shiny, Shoe-Shaped Church

4:27pm January 15, 2016

by Laura Wagner

The blue high heel made of glass was apparently built in an effort to draw female worshippers and tourists to the site. It reportedly will have 100 female-oriented features.

A Pakistani mourner sits alongside bodies of blast victims following a bombing near a polio vaccination center at a hospital in Quetta.

Why Terrorists Are Targeting 'Unsung Heroes'

2:45pm January 15, 2016

by Diane Cole

The bombing in Quetta, Pakistan, is the latest of several attacks on polio vaccination centers. We asked an expert to put the incident in context.

People hold placards reading "We Are Not Afraid" during a rally held one day after the terrorist attack in Jakarta.

World News

Indonesia Makes Arrests Over Deadly Attack In Jakarta

11:42am January 15, 2016

by Bill Chappell

Police found an Islamic State flag at the site of the arrests, but it's not yet clear exactly how the suspects may have been linked to ISIS.

Zika Virus Makes CDC Consider A Travel Warning For Pregnant Women

7:31pm January 14, 2016

by Jason Beaubien

The Centers for Disease Control is concerned about an increase in a rare birth defect in Brazil that could be linked to the virus. But Zika is not just in Brazil; see a map of where it is spreading.

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World News

Islamic State Claims Responsibility For Attack In Jakarta, Indonesia

6:43pm January 14, 2016

An attack on the Indonesian capital of Jakarta Thursday killed at least two civilians, according to local authorities, as well as five of the attackers. The Islamic State claimed responsibility online. NPR's Kelly McEvers speaks with Ali Moore of the BBC who is in Jakarta.

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World News

Indonesia's Capital Struck By Suicide Bombers, Gunmen

2:09pm January 14, 2016

Suicide bombers exploded themselves in a Starbucks in downtown Jakarta on Thursday while gunmen attacked a police post. David Greene talks to International New York Times reporter Joe Cochrane.

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