Asia

World News

Underwater Landslide May Have Triggered Tsunami In Indonesia

7:49am December 24, 2018

David Greene talks to Kathy Mueller of the Red Cross about the tsunami that hit Indonesia over the weekend between Java and Sumatra. More than 200 people are reported dead.

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News Brief: Government Shutdown, Tsunami, U.S. Troops To Leave Syria

7:49am December 24, 2018

The federal government is likely to remain partially shut down until after the new year. The death toll is expected to rise after a tsunami hit Indonesia. U.S. troops wind down their mission in Syria.

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The Reaction In Afghanistan To Trump's Troop Withdrawal

8:01am December 23, 2018

NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks with Afghan policy analyst Najib Sharifi about the regional reaction to President Trump's decision to pull thousands of U.S. troops from that country.

From left: Man Kaur of India celebrates after competing in the 100-meter sprint in the 100+ age category at the World Masters Games in Auckland, New Zealand; an illustration inspired by a list of global poverty thinkers being called a "Sausagefest"; Marya

6 Fearless Women Who Were An Inspiration In 2018

7:09am December 23, 2018

by Malaka Gharib

They broke taboos and stereotypes around the world. They include the co-recipient of this year's Nobel Peace Prize, a disability activist — and a 101-year-old runner.

Residents inspect a house damaged by a tsunami, in Carita, Indonesia. The tsunami, which struck late Saturday, killed scores of people.

World News

More Than 200 Dead, Hundreds More Injured After Tsunami Hits Indonesia

7:07am December 23, 2018

Officials say the tsunami was triggered by underwater landslides caused by volcanic activity on the island of Anak Krakatau.

Devotees of Lord Ayyappa, the deity of the Sabarimala temple in India's Kerala state, protest a Supreme Court verdict in Ahmadabad, India, in October. The temple had barred women of menstruating age from entering the temple, but India's Supreme Court stru

India's Supreme Court Orders Hindu Temple To Open Doors To Women, But Devotees Object

4:24pm December 22, 2018

No women ages 10 to 50 have been able to reach the temple since the ruling in September. "I'll block younger women with my own body if I have to," says a woman who waited until age 53 to visit.

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In the video game Darshan Diversion, avatars of women in red saris try to reach the top of a temple but are thwarted by Hindu priests if a red blinking light indicates that the women are menstruating.

Menstruating Women Are Blocked From Temple In Video Game — And In Real Life

7:12am December 22, 2018

by Sushmita Pathak

In Darshan Diversion, avatars of menstruating women dodge Hindu priests trying to bar them from a temple. Meanwhile, women of childbearing age can't enter India's Sabarimala temple — for real.

Japan's Population Is In Rapid Decline

7:26pm December 21, 2018

by Sasha Ingber

New figures from the government show that the estimated count of babies born in 2018 has dropped to a historic low. "We know we must address the birthrate," a Japanese official says.

A joint China-North Korea basketball game in Pyongyang in October.

World News

North Korea Promotes Basketball As 'An Important Project'

6:36pm December 21, 2018

by Sasha Ingber

"We must rush to elevate the sport to global levels," North Korea's official newspaper reportedly stated this week. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has a well-known love for the sport.

People dressed as Santa Claus compete in a run to mark Christmas at Xiannu Mountain in Chongqing, China. Even though only about 5 percent of the population is Christian, many people celebrate during the holiday.

Religion

Sorry, Santa: A Chinese City Has Just Banned All Things Christmas

3:15pm December 21, 2018

by Yuhan Xu

No public Christmas displays. No celebrations. No holiday socks or Santa costumes sold by vendors. What's behind this seemingly Grinch-like stance?