Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Tuesday decried Buddhist monks' attacks on Muslims in Myanmar, saying killing in the name of religion was “unthinkable.”

Schools and businesses were closed on Wednesday as a nationwide strike called by Bangladesh's opposition over the killings of Islamists in a police crackdown brought large parts of the country to a halt.

North Korea has taken a major step back from a planned missile test, U.S. officials said, even as Pyongyang and Seoul exchanged fresh threats Tuesday of swift military retaliation to any provocation.

Three Taiwanese convicted of drug trafficking will have to stay behind bars in Indonesia for the rest of their lives, the Criminal Investigation Bureau said yesterday.

President Barack Obama and South Korea's new leader Park Geun-hye will seek to present a strong front against North Korea's nuclear threats when they meet at the White House on Tuesday. But they also want to leave the door open to talks with Pyongyang.

Chinese officials have certainly been busy.

Malaysia's Chinese minority has for decades gone about its business and left leadership to a Malay-dominated regime, but in weekend polls they deserted it in what the premier called a “Chinese tsunami.”

The latest and most controversial speech of Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra about democracy in Mongolia last week has led to an impact beyond her expectation.

One of the Philippines' most active volcanoes rumbled to life Tuesday, spewing room-sized rocks toward nearly 30 surprised climbers, killing five and injuring others that had to be fetched with rescue helicopters and rope.

Anwar Ibrahim vowed Tuesday his Malaysian opposition would soon present evidence of government cheating in bitterly fought weekend elections as he called for a “fierce” campaign for electoral reform.