Latest fromAsia

McCaw in for a shock if ABs don't win World Cup
If the All Blacks fail to win the World Cup, Prime Minister John Key will taser captain Richie McCaw, Key joked to business leaders in Korea today.

Solo riders each have a story
Rob Gray finds that all you really need to ride around the world is a motorbike and a fair bit of determination.

Petraeus: 'We are in this to win'
General David Petraeus has formally assumed command of the 130,000-strong international force in Afghanistan.

Female postie bids to row Tasman solo
Anamarie Ewins wants to deliver another sporting milestone for New Zealand and become the first woman to row solo across the Tasman.

World equities slide overnight
Equities slid overnight amid further signs of economic weakness in China, Europe and the US.

Kyrgyzstan: Taste for a local delicacy
As we pulled up at the Kyrgyz nomad camp I noticed that a young woman was milking the mares and started to get excited.

Laos: Drifting amid lost dreams
Sleepy, spectacular Laos has had its share of grandeur, writes Brett Atkinson.

NZers in Afghanistan bomb scare
New Zealand defence personnel and a Television New Zealand film crew in Afghanistan were involved in a bomb scare while on bomb disposal patrol.

Malaysia: Discovering Asia's secret shores
Sholto Byrnes experiences Malaysian hospitality, from its coral reefs to cosmopolitan cities.

Young choristers make the music speak
Artistic director Karen Grylls should be justifiably proud of the diversity and range of music that her 46-strong choir will be singing.

One year since his death, fans remember Michael Jackson
Global celebrations of Jackson's brilliant but troubled life kicked off with the unveiling of a memorial in London yesterday.

Mongolia: A bully at the border
An encounter with a corrupt border guard almost sees the 51st Traverse team stranded in no man's land.

Call for peacekeepers as Kyrgyz conflict escalates
There are calls for UN peacekeeping forces to intervene as violence between the majority Kyrgyz population and Uzbeks intensifies.

Govt calls for return of riots' 'mastermind'
Kyrgyzstan's Government is demanding that Britain extradite the man they say is responsible for stoking vicious riots.

Caste divide spurs brutal 'honour' killing
A so-called 'honour killing' has stunned India's capital.

Surviving Siberia's 'Road of Bones'
Despite warnings of bandits, corrupt police and endless forests, the 51st Traverse team make good progress through Russia.