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Last appeal bid rejected in HK ‘Milkshake Murder’

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong's top court has rejected a final bid for an appeal by an American convicted of drugging her wealthy banker husband and bashing him to death. The Court of Final Appeal dismissed Nancy Kissel's application on Thursday....

Sri Lanka to deport UK tourist with Buddha tattoo

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lankan authorities plan to deport a British tourist for having an image of Buddha tattooed on her arm. Police spokesman Ajith Rohana says Naomi Coleman was detained at Colombo’s airport after she arrived from India on Monday when authorities spotted the tattoo of Buddha seated on a lotus flower....

Indonesian general says his flashy watch is a fake

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia's military commander, under fire in the media after being photographed wearing a luxury watch, says his critics should be quiet because the timepiece is actually a cheap Chinese fake. A Singapore website flagged a picture of the general and his watch this week, saying it was a Richard Mille worth more than $100,000....

Obama calls for peaceful end to island dispute

TOKYO (AP) — President Barack Obama says he wants to see a dispute between China and Japan over islands in the East China Sea resolved peacefully....

Top Nepal officials fly to Everest to end crisis

KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Top tourism officials in Nepal are on their way to Mount Everest's base camp to negotiate with Sherpas who want to abandon the climbing season after an avalanche killed 16 of the mountain guides. Tourism Minister Bhim Acharya and a delegation of others boarded a helicopter bound for base camp, according to his assistant, Prem Gautam....

Thai red shirt activist shot dead in Bangkok

BANGKOK (AP) — Police in Thailand’s capital say a pro-government activist who opposed a law punishing critics of the monarchy has been shot dead. Police Col. Thanawat Watthanakul says Kamol Duangphasuk was shot by unidentified gunmen Wednesday in a restaurant parking lot in northern Bangkok. The victim, a poet also known as Mainueng Kor Khuntee,...

Prabowo the Patriot: Indonesia presidential hopeful produces propaganda flop

In recent times Prabowo Subianto's presidential campaign has often manifested as a peculiar spectacle, characterised by colourful and highly unpredictable politicking. In one such unorthodox campaign manoeuvre, earlier last month, Prabowo released an autobiographical documentary entitled Prabowo Sang Patriot ('Prabowo the Patriot'), in which he is self-indulgently portrayed as the mortal embodiment of myriad, vainglorious Javanese and Indonesian stereotypes - from ancient, indefatigable warrior descendent, to paternalistic agro-lover and solider of 'the people.'...

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Murder on Vietnam-China border highlights Uighur plight

Violence erupted on Vietnam’s border with China last week when five Chinese civilians and two Vietnamese border guards were killed....

Is Modi capable of governing India?

Set aside the debate about Narendra Modi and his accountability for the 2002 Godhra riots and focus on the more immediate issue of whether he is capable of being a competent prime minister....

UPDATED: Lèse majesté vigilantism and Thailand’s political crisis

As Thailand's political crisis lingers on, the country's draconian lèse majesté law is still being applied, as two related cases show. Moreover, a new online vigilante group is making sure it stays that way....

Accelerated Anwar case seen as insult to US

Malaysian prosecutors are expected to ask the country’s highest court this Friday to increase the prison sentence meted out to opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who was judged guilty by an appellate court last month on sodomy charges....

India elections 2014: Why I voted for Narendra Modi

Living in Gurgaon, Haryana, I voted for Narendra Modi a couple of weeks back. I am no diehard BJP supporter or Modi fan, ideologue, Hindutva advocate or Pracharak. But, I do weigh my vote carefully every five years. I usually look at two aspects — one nationalistic, the other selfish...