Asia

With the Taliban in power, Afghan journalists face detentions and more

5:48am October 06, 2021

by Arezou Rezvani

When the Taliban seized power, hundreds of Afghan journalists fled. Those who stayed behind face threats by Taliban foot soldiers that the government says it doesn't have control over yet.

President Biden speaks during a Sept. 24 summit at the White House that included (clockwise from left) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Yoshihide Suga, Japan's

Long promised and often delayed, the 'pivot to Asia' takes shape under Biden

5:48am October 06, 2021

by Greg Myre

President Obama called for a greater focus on Asia to prepare for the challenges of the 21st century. A decade later, Obama's vice president, now President Biden, seems intent on making it happen.

World News

'Squid Game' conquered the world, but speaks to Korea

4:51pm October 05, 2021

Squid Game has stunned viewers worldwide with its freaky take on the survival genre. Its specificity and historical references might be lost on its massive audience, though.

After weeks at a Wisconsin army base, one Afghan woman says she's bored, but grateful

4:51pm October 05, 2021

NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with Khwaga Ghani, who was NPR's producer in Afghanistan for the past few years and is now at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin awaiting her visa.

Dr. Saleema Rehman stands outside Holy Family Hospital in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The Afghan refugee of Turkmen origin has won UNHCR's Nansen Award for her work helping refugee moms and babies in Pakistan.

An Afghan refugee girl grew up to be a prize-winning doc — with a little help from dad

4:15pm October 05, 2021

by Ruchi Kumar

From the moment Saleema Rehman was born, her father believed she was destined to be a doctor. Now she is the winner of a top U.N. award for her work helping displaced women in Pakistan.

The Pandora Papers cite a number of leaders from lower-income countries or nations with great levels of inequality, among them Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (from left), Chilean President Sebastián Piñera and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Pandora Papers show how tax havens are part of the global inequity problem

7:52pm October 04, 2021

by Jason Beaubien

Of 12 sitting heads of state implicated in the Pandora Papers, most are from low- or middle-income countries. So are many other politicians and elites named in the leaked documents.

Taliban fighters walk at the entrance of the Eidgah Mosque after an explosion in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021. The attack left a "number of civilians dead," a Taliban spokesman said.

World News

At least 5 civilians were killed in the deadliest attack on Kabul since the U.S. exit

12:19pm October 03, 2021

by The Associated Press

The bomb targeted the Eidgah Mosque, where a memorial service was being held for the mother of Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Education

The future of women's education in Afghanistan remains uncertain

9:34am October 03, 2021

NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks to Zakia Menhas, a medical student at Kabul University, who is not allowed to continue her education in a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

Philippine President Duterte retirement fuels speculation around successor

5:21pm October 02, 2021

by Julie McCarthy

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte says he will retire from politics at the end of his term.

Health & Safety

Hospitals in the Philippines struggle under influx of COVID-19 patients

8:02am October 02, 2021

by Julie McCarthy

The Philippines has experienced a surge in coronavirus infections. One-fifth of all infections the country reported since the start of the pandemic happened in September.