Asia

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, is asking China for more information on its policy of capital punishment.

Election, regarded as most pivotal in more than 50 years, comes after Prime Minister Koizumi dissolved lower house of parliament to call for national mandate on postal reform plan.

Traditional views towards women continue to slow progress towards equal rights between the sexes in China.

Bishop Xie Shiguang, leader of the chinese underground Roman Catholic Church has died of leukemia at the age of 88.

During recent meeting, leaders did not agree on a way forward for loose confederation known as CIS.

Court decision that Chandrika Kumaratunga's term ends in December sets stage for new elections.

South Korean now have a better opinion of their communist neighbor to the north than of long-time ally, the United States.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has confirmed for the first time that his country's former top scientist transferred centrifuges and their designs to North Korea.

US Defense Secretary says Russia-China exercises should not be seen as anything out of the ordinary.

An international children's charity says more than one-fourth of the children in Asia are living in absolute poverty and almost half of them are seriously deprived.

South Korea's Foreign Minister Ban Ki Moon is in Washington for discussions with US officials on North Korea's nuclear program.

Earlier, South Korean Unification Minister had said Pyongyang has general right to pursue civilian nuclear program.

Trip comes as tensions are rising between Japan and its neighbors, which claim Japan has never adequately apologized for its wartime aggression and continues to gloss over actions of its soldiers.

Report says situation is worst in Eastern Burma, where, since 2002, about 100,000 members of Karen minority have been displaced.

Suspicious package received was later found to contain a biological agent similar to anthrax.