Online NewsHour: Asia-Pacific Archive | 2006

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ASIA-PACIFIC


	2006 DECEMBER December 26, 2006 Two Years After Deadly Tsunami, Southeast Asia Still Recovering Two years after a tsunami devastated Southeast Asia, the region's hardest hit areas continue to deal with the aftermath. Regional experts discuss efforts to restore the economy and society in the most affected areas.

	December 26, 2006 India Works on Reversing Sterilizations Following Tsunami After the 2004 Asian tsunami wiped away a large segment of the Indian population, including many children, efforts began to help couples reverse sterilization procedures.

	December 25, 2006 Chinese Christians Face Religious Issues A report from Independent Television News looks at how religious freedom and tolerance issues are affecting China's growing Christian population.

	December 21, 2006 Track Countries' Nuclear Developments This interactive map allows you to trace different nations' nuclear efforts over the past 60 years.

	December 18, 2006 Cambodians Search for Justice after Pol Pot's Brutal Regime The people of Cambodia are still searching for justice three decades after former dictator Pol Pot's regime accused of forced labor, starvation and mass executions. The Bureau for International Reporting gives an update.

	December 5, 2006 Fierce Fighting Threatens Afghanistan Mission A car bomb exploded near a NATO-led convoy in Kandahar, Afghanistan, injuring three British troops and two civilians. Barnett Rubin of New York University and Ali Jalali, former interior minister of Afghanistan, discuss the status of the peacekeeping mission and general welfare of the central Asian country.



	NOVEMBER November 30, 2006 Pop Culture Tries to Save Pluto Scientists aren't the only ones weighing in on Pluto's future. Read more about the songwriters, T-shirt makers and others who are voicing their opinions.

	November 22, 2006 Nobel Prize Winner Yunus Discusses the Impact of Microfinance Mohammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank won the Nobel Peace Prize earlier this year for their work in microfinance. The NewsHour's economics correspondent Paul Solman speaks with Yunus about how micro-entrepreneurs improve the overall health of economies.

	November 21, 2006 Peace Deal Ends Nepal's Decade Long Civil War The government of Nepal and Maoist guerrillas signed an historic peace accord Tuesday, ending 10 years of fighting and human rights abuses on both sides that killed over 13,000 people and displaced over 100,000.

	November 20, 2006 Illicit Drug Trade Fuels Afghan Economy Officials say the drug trade in Afghanistan threatens efforts to create a strong central government and rebuild the country's economy, in a year when production of the poppy crop increased by 59 percent. ITN correspondent Alex Thomson reports on the flourishing drug trade.

	November 17, 2006 Senate Passes U.S.-India Nuclear Deal The Senate on Thursday approved a controversial bill allowing the United States to trade civil nuclear material with its one-time foe India, a victory for President Bush who hailed the plan as a major boost for trade with a key Asian ally.

	November 17, 2006 Drug Trade, Resurgent Taliban Fuel Intensified Attacks in Afghanistan Funded largely by a flourishing drug trade, Taliban fighters have stepped up their attacks on Afghan and international forces, killing more than 300 people a month on average in Afghanistan.

	November 16, 2006 NATO Troops in Afghanistan Combat Revived Taliban Five years after a U.S.-led coalition ousted the Taliban in Afghanistan, members of the Taliban are regrouping and putting up a stronger fight against NATO troops sent to help stabilize the country.

	November 16, 2006 President Bush to Focus on Trade in Asia President Bush began an eight-day trip to Asia Thursday to attend the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vietnam. Analysts discuss the politics of free trade and the possible results of the trip.



	OCTOBER October 31, 2006 Korean Americans Fear Ramifications of Nuclear Test Korean Americans are watching closely news of North Korea's nuclear program and wondering what effect its drive toward a nuclear armed state will have on family, on U.S. policy toward the peninsula and on the possibility of a reunified North and South Korea.

	October 31, 2006 U.S. Official Discusses N. Korea's Return to Nuclear Talks President Bush welcomed North Korea's decision to re-enter six-party negotiations regarding its nuclear program Tuesday, three weeks after a nuclear test and nearly a year after shunning the talks. State Department undersecretary Nicholas Burns discusses the next steps.

	October 31, 2006 North Korea Reportedly Agrees to Resume Six-way Nuclear Talks North Korea agreed Tuesday to restart six-nation negotiations over its nuclear program nearly a year after it called off the talks and conducted an underground test of a nuclear weapon, according to a U.S. official.

	October 26, 2006 Afghan Civilians Killed During NATO Raid Upwards of 60 civilians were killed during a NATO-led bombing campaign against Taliban insurgents in southern Afghanistan on Tuesday, according to local officials there.

	October 20, 2006 U.S. Base in Kyrgyzstan Provides Launching Point into Afghanistan In a report from News 21 Project, a collaboration of five journalism schools, two students look at life on a remote U.S. military base in Kyrgyzstan, where soldiers await deployment to operations in neighboring Afghanistan.

	October 19, 2006 South Korea Vows Continued Ties with North Korea Despite a visit from U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, South Korea is resisting pressures to become more proactive in sanctions against North Korea, hoping to avoid escalating the already tenuous situation. Policy experts discuss South Korea's view of the conflict.

	October 19, 2006 North Korea Country Map and Nuclear Sites Map A map of North Korea's main cities, along with population demographics and country facts. Another map featuring the five main nuclear sites includes information on history and the capabilities of the sites.

	October 19, 2006 North Korea: Historical Overview A timeline tracing North Korea from the Koryo dynasty in the 10th century AD to 1998.

	October 19, 2006 The Demilitarized Zone The demilitarized zone, or DMZ, the world's most heavily fortified border, that spans between North and South Korea is dotted with landmines and bunkers and crisscrossed by barbed wire. The strip of land serves as a tourist destination, a site for negotiations and one of the most noted potential military flashpoints.

	October 19, 2006 Kim Il Sung The North Korean government describes Comrade Kim Il Sung as a precocious revolutionary and visionary "philosopher-king" who saved Korea from "imperialist plunderers" and forged a new nation based on his self-reliance ideology.

	October 19, 2006 Kim Jong Il Although Kim Jong Il has ruled North Korea for nearly a decade, little is known about the reclusive leader, son of North Korea's "Eternal Leader" and first ruler, Kim Il Sung.

	October 19, 2006 North Korea's Nuclear Program North Korea's role as a center for nuclear development commenced even before the official creation of the state. During the Second World War, Japanese officials reportedly based their efforts to develop an atomic weapon in a region that, after the war ended, would be within Soviet-occupied North Korea.

	October 19, 2006 North Korea: Nuclear Standoff: U.S. Relations Despite a brief 61 years on the world stage, North Korea has constantly posed a challenge to U.S. policy makers as the small communist country struggles to define its global position.

	October 17, 2006 North Korea May Be Planning Second Nuclear Test North Korea, which has called U.N. sanctions a "declaration of war", may be preparing for a second nuclear test, according to Japanese and South Korean officials. Policy analysts debate whether the sanctions will deter the communist country.

	October 16, 2006 China Searches North Korean Cargo After Sanctions Imposed China began inspecting cargo for weapons at the North Korean border Monday after coming under intense pressure to enforce sanctions imposed by the United Nations over the weekend.

	October 13, 2006 Bangladeshi Economist Awarded Nobel Peace Prize for Micro-credit Lending Schemes Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh and the Grameen Bank were jointly awarded the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for their pioneering work developing micro-credit lending schemes for the poor. An expert discusses microfinance schemes.

	October 13, 2006 China Limits 'Extreme Sanctions' for North Korea The United Nations Security Council agreed Friday to limit sanctions against North Korea after pressure from China and Russia. Experts Ming Wan and Michael Green discuss the U.N. resolution and China's connection to the isolated Kim Jong Il government.

	October 12, 2006 Bangladesh Financial Pioneer Awarded Nobel Peace Prize Bangladeshi banker Muhammad Yunus and the bank he founded won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for their use of micro-credit loans to alleviate poverty in his home country.

	October 11, 2006 President Bush Rules Out Military Attack on North Korea President Bush on Wednesday said the United States had no intention of pursuing military action against North Korea and would continue to follow a diplomatic path to ending North Korea's nuclear program.

	October 11, 2006 American Linked to Al-Qaida Charged with Treason An American who converted to Islam and joined al-Qaida has been charged with treason, the first person indicted on such charges since World War II.

	October 10, 2006 Rebuilding Afghanistan Remains Challenging Five Years After Invasion Last week, peacekeeping duties in Afghanistan were officially handed over to NATO troops, nearly five years after the United States invaded the country and ousted the Taliban. Washington Post reporter Pamela Constable discusses the progress and setbacks in rebuilding Afghanistan.

	October 10, 2006 U.S. Rejects Direct North Korea Talks Despite Threats North Korea officials threatened another nuclear test Tuesday unless the United States agrees to hold direct talks. Policy experts discuss President Bush's continued rejection of direct talks and reaction to the test.

	October 9, 2006 World Leaders Respond to North Korea's Claim of Nuclear Test North Korea said on Monday it conducted a successful nuclear weapons test, forcing an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council. Experts discuss the alleged test, proposed responses and implications for the region.

	October 9, 2006 World Leaders Condemn North Korea Following Claim of Nuclear Test Despite warnings from the U.N. Security Council that a nuclear test would lead to severe consequences, North Korea claimed Monday it set off its first nuclear test.

	October 3, 2006 Taliban Factions Growing Along Afghanistan-Pakistan Border Five years after the overthrow of the Taliban government in Afganistan, lawless tribal areas along the Pakistan border have fallen under control of Taliban militias. A Frontline documentary examines the crisis in the Pakistani province of North Waziristan.



	SEPTEMBER September 28, 2006 Afghan-Pakistan Relations Tense over Taliban Presence Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and Afghan President Hamid Karzai met with President Bush in an effort to allay the war of words between the two leaders. Former officials discuss tensions between the neighboring countries, problems with Taliban fighting at the border and the U.S. war on terror.

	September 20, 2006 Thai Military Calls for New Elections, Constitution The army commander in Thailand who led a bloodless coup against the government said Wednesday a new prime minister would be selected in two weeks and elections held in October 2007.

	September 19, 2006 Thai Military Overthrows Government, Declares Martial Law The military in Thailand ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra Tuesday while he was in New York for U.N. meetings, declared martial law and revoked the constitution. Two analysts discuss growing tension between the prime minister and the monarchy and other factors that could have led to the coup.

	September 14, 2006 Science of DNA Kits Determining ancestry was once the realm of genealogists who followed paper trails and traveled the world, picking up clues. But now, researchers can provide a picture about a person's past with a DNA kit and a swab of his or her cheek.

	September 8, 2006 Afghanistan Violence Escalates After Call for More Troops Following a NATO request for additional troops in Afghanistan to combat Taliban insurgents, a suicide bomber rammed into a convoy near the U.S. Embassy in Kabul Friday, killing 16. Sarah Chayes, a former reporter who covered the U.S. military operation in Afghanistan discusses life in the war-torn country.

	September 5, 2006 NATO Troops Kill, Surround Dozens of Militants in Afghanistan NATO forces killed between 50 and 60 Taliban militants in Afghanistan on Tuesday as a part of a new military offensive, and surrounded 700 others in the southern part of the country.



	AUGUST August 25, 2006 New York Times Researcher Sentenced in China A New York Times researcher in China, Zhao Yan, was charged with revealing state secrets and has been detained by authorities in Beijing for almost two years. The court announced Friday that Yan will be given a three-year prison sentence. An expert discusses the fairness of the Chinese legal system.

	August 11, 2006 Suspected London Terrorists Linked to Pakistan British authorities said suspects in the alleged plot to blow up flights to the United States were men between 17 and 35, and most seemed to be Muslim Britons of Pakistani descent. Experts discuss the link to Pakistan.

	August 3, 2006 Daily Attacks Mar NATO Takeover of Southern Afghanistan Attacks against NATO forces in southern Afghanistan killed 21 civilians and four Canadian troops Thursday.



	JULY July 29, 2006 NATO Faces Difficult Task of Securing Afghanistan As the North Atlantic Treaty Organization officially expands its mission Monday to the restive southern region of Afghanistan, the alliance must try to stabilize an area in the midst of an insurgency orchestrated by the Taliban fighters.

	July 25, 2006 Expert Explains Collapse of Global Free Trade Talks An expert discusses the failure of global free trade talks, known as the Doha round, and assesses what countries may do from here.

	July 25, 2006 After Faltering for Months, Global Free Trade Talks Suspended After several months of acrimonious debate and failed negotiations, international trade representatives officially suspended the Doha round of free trade talks, marking a major setback to efforts to reduce trade barriers throughout the globe.

	July 18, 2006 U.S., Afghan Forces Aim to Reclaim Areas Controlled by Taliban U.S. and Afghan officials said Tuesday that they will launch "decisive operations" to oust Taliban forces from strongholds set up in several towns in southern Afghanistan.

	July 12, 2006 Forensic Experts Scrutinize Indian Train Wreckage International Television News provides an update from Mumbai, India on the investigation into Tuesday's train bombings that killed more than 200 people.

	July 12, 2006 Indian Officials Investigate Train Bombings Millions of commuters in India's financial capital Mumbai (formerly Bombay) returned to the train system Wednesday, a day after coordinated bombs killed at least 200 people and injured 700 others on trains and at stations around the city.

	July 11, 2006 Day of Terror Unfolds in Afghanistan, Iraq and Chechnya Terrorist incidents in Afghanistan, Iraq and Chechnya over the past few days included attacks on coalition forces abroad and the assassination of Chechen militia leader Shamil Basayev.

	July 11, 2006 Blasts on Indian Commuter Trains Kill More Than 140 Eight bombs blasted commuter trains in India Tuesday, killing more than 140 people in a well-coordinated terrorist attack. A reporter provides an update.

	July 11, 2006 Bombs Hit Commuter Trains in India, Killing Dozens Eight explosions tore through Mumbai's commuter rail in India's financial district during rush hour Tuesday, killing at least 147 people and wounding more than 400 in what authorities are calling a well-coordinated attack.

	July 6, 2006 North Korea's Kim Jong Il Vows to Continue Missile Testing In a public statement Thursday, North Korea announced the successful testing of several missiles this week and promised to continue launching missiles as "our legal right." Three policy experts discuss what is driving North Korea's defiant actions.

	July 5, 2006 U.S. Envoy Says Missile Test Further Isolates North Korea The U.N. Security Council on Wednesday considered whether to impose sanctions on North Korea for test-firing at least seven missiles, including a long-range one that malfunctioned. U.S. envoy Christopher Hill outlines the American response to the test.

	July 5, 2006 U.N. Weighs Response to North Korea Missile Launches The U.N. Security Council on Wednesday considered whether to impose sanctions on North Korea for test-firing at least seven missiles, including a long-range one that malfunctioned.

	July 3, 2006 Experts Race to Understand Bird Flu's Spread in Indonesia After scares that an Indonesian family died from human-to-human transmission of the bird flu, a team of United Nations veterinary experts are working to set up a countrywide surveillance system to monitor the disease's spread and train local people to participate.



	JUNE June 22, 2006 Concerns Mount over North Korea's Ballistic Missile Testing North Korea announced preparations to test a long-range ballistic missile, followed by reports that the United States readied its ground-based interceptor missile-defense system. The moves have sparked a debate about how the United States should respond to a missile threat.

	June 16, 2006 Nepal Prime Minister, Rebel Leader Hold First Peace Talks The leader of Nepal's communist rebel group held talks with the country's new prime minister Friday paving the way for what many hope will be the end of a 10-year insurgency that has killed 13,000 people.

	June 15, 2006 Renewed Violence in Sri Lanka Raises Fears of Return to Full-scale War Landmines in northern Sri Lanka ripped through a crowded bus Thursday morning, killing 64 people, including 15 school children, and wounding 78.

	June 9, 2006 2006 World Cup Kicks Off in Germany As soccer's World Cup kicks off in Germany, two authors talk about the history and culture of the tournament.

	June 1, 2006 Major Powers Strike Deal over Iran's Nuclear Program In a major diplomatic move, six major powers announced Thursday that they had reached agreement over a set of proposed incentives for Iran to suspend its nuclear effort, and a series of possible actions should Tehran defy international will.

	June 1, 2006 East Timor President Calls for Unity Amid Violent Clashes East Timor's President Xanana Gusmao appealed to the country's military and police forces Thursday to cease feuding and work together to unite the country a week after fighting flared between soldiers and rebels.



	MAY May 30, 2006 AIDS Continues to Shape U.S., World Policies First identified in 1981, the HIV/AIDS epidemic has shaped health policy, politics and medicine in the United States and throughout the world. International efforts have led to some breakthroughs but no simple answers in combating the virus.

	May 30, 2006 Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai Pleads for Peace in the Streets of Kabul An U.S. Army investigation found that the convoy accident in the capital of Afghanistan triggering violent riots against the U.S. was due to a mechanical failure. Meanwhile President Hamid Karzai vowed to stand up against the agitators. Two analysts discuss the situation in Afghanistan.

	May 29, 2006 Survivors of Indonesia's Deadly Earthquake Face Threat of Volcano Eruption Survivors of Saturday's deadly earthquake in Indonesia face the threat of Mount Merapi, a volcano showing signs of eruption. Following a report on the volcano's activity, Indonesia's ambassador to the United States updates relief efforts in the region.

	May 29, 2006 U.S. Humvee Crash Sparks Deadly Riots in Afghanistan Authorities in Afghanistan imposed a curfew in the city of Kabul Monday after a traffic accident involving a U.S. Humvee triggered a day of rioting that left at least eight people dead and more than 100 injured.

	May 27, 2006 Powerful Earthquake Kills Thousands in Indonesia A massive earthquake leveled homes and killed more than 3,000 people in central Indonesia early Saturday, in the nation's worst disaster since the 2004 tsunami.

	May 24, 2006 Health Officials Investigate Possible Person-to-Person Spread of Bird Flu The World Health Organization launched an investigation Wednesday into the deaths of six family members in Indonesia who may have died as a result of human-to-human transmission of the bird flu.

	May 22, 2006 Coalition Air Strike Kills 80 Taliban Rebels in Afghanistan A U.S.-led coalition air strike killed up to 80 Taliban rebels and 16 civilians in the Kandahar province of southern Afghanistan, U.S. military and Afghan officials said Monday.

	May 19, 2006 Top Militants Captured as Violence Soars in Afghanistan Afghan officials reported Friday that three top militant fighters were captured during one of the deadliest weeks in Afghanistan that saw more than 100 people killed.

	May 15, 2006 Chinese Investment Sparks Economic Boom in Sudan With a 40 percent stake in Sudan's oil industry, China has become Sudan's largest investor, financing part of a major economic boom and in exchange exporting one-third of the resource-rich African nation's oil output. Margaret Warner reports from Khartoum about the challenges facing Sudan's economy.

	May 10, 2006 President Putin Responds to Cheney Critique In his state of the nation speech Wednesday, President Putin addressed Vice President Cheney's criticisms of Russia's recent record on human rights and democracy as well as other domestic concerns. Two experts discuss the reactions to the exchange of criticisms and the increasing tensions between the two countries.



	APRIL April 28, 2006 Report Shows Terrorism Increasing in Iraq, Worldwide The State Department issued an update on terrorist activities around the world Friday and tallied over 11,000 attacks in the past year, a fourfold increase from 2004. The report also said terrorist organizations in Iraq are strengthening.

	April 27, 2006 Reefs Near the Maldives Continue Decline Coral reefs provide both the foundations and the protection for the Maldives Islands in the Indian Ocean. Yet due to global warming, they could all be gone within 50 years. Lawrence McGinty of Independent Television News provides a report.

	April 25, 2006 Nepal's King Reinstates Parliament Thousands of Nepalese protesters rallied in Katmandu after King Gyanendra announced that Nepal's parliament would be restored, however, Maoist rebels continued to reject the concession.

	April 25, 2006 China-Sudan Trade Relations Complicate Darfur Crisis When Chinese President Hu Jintao visited the White House last week, among other things, President Bush urged Hu to cooperate with the U.S. government in its effort to end the ongoing crisis in Sudan's Darfur region.

	April 21, 2006 Analysts Consider Political Implications of Hu Visit Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and National Review editor Rich Lowry speak about the shakeups at the White House, and the impact of President Hu's U.S. visit on trade, diplomacy and the media.

	April 21, 2006 Chinese Media Offers Controlled Coverage of Hu Visit A lone protester shouted at China's President Hu Jintao as he spoke Thursday on the White House south lawn. The protesters disruption was seen all across the world except in one place: China. Two experts on Chinese affairs discuss the Chinese government's censorship of the media.

	April 21, 2006 Nepal's King Says He Will Return Power to People After weeks of massive pro-democracy protests and building international pressure, Nepal's King Gyanendra said Friday he will return power to the people.

	April 20, 2006 Presidents Hu and Bush Discuss Trade, Human Rights President Bush welcomed China's President Hu Jintao to the White House Thursday while anti-China protesters gathered outside. Experts discuss the political and economic implications of the visit.

	April 19, 2006 Chinese President's Visit Focuses on Trade Issues Chinese President Hu Jintao meets with President Bush this week to discuss issues ranging from trade to piracy. Paul Solman discusses the issues facing the two leaders in a conversation with Jim Lehrer.

	April 18, 2006 China Continues Efforts to Limit Access to the Internet In Northern California, a Chinese-born computer scientist is waging a technological war on the Chinese government's Internet restrictions. Following a report on their efforts, two regional experts assess the Chinese government's efforts to control information within its borders.

	April 13, 2006 Pakistan Forces Kill African Embassy Bombing Suspect The al-Qaida member believed to be responsible for the 1998 African embassy bombings in Tanzania and Kenya was killed today by Pakistani forces, according to a Pakistan government official.

	April 10, 2006 People Displaced by Earthquake Return Home Six months after a devastating earthquake, refugees are returning home to Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. NewsHour correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro of Twin Cities Public Television reports on their progress and how a relatively warm winter and massive relief effort helped avert a second wave of deaths.

	April 5, 2006 Secretary Rice Urges Congress to Approve the U.S.- India Pact Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice tried to persuade members of Congress that President Bush's decision to share U.S. Nuclear technology and information with India is a good one. Experts weigh the implications of this nuclear deal.



	MARCH March 29, 2006 Christian Convert Flees Afghanistan, Lands in Italy Abdul Rahman, the Afghan man who had faced the death penalty for converting to Christianity from Islam, arrived in Italy Wednesday after the cancellation of his trial, which had gained worldwide notice.

	March 23, 2006 Converted Christian Sentenced to Death in Afghanistan A 41-year-old Afghan, Abdul Rahman, was born a Muslim but was sentenced to death for converting to Christianity. Jeffrey Brown discusses the religious trial with Washington Post editor Pamela Constable.

	March 22, 2006 Minnesota Tackles Tough Immigration Issues Immigrant communities have grown to record levels in Minneapolis and St. Paul in recent years. NewsHour correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro of Twin Cities Public Television reports on Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty's crackdown on illegal immigration and the debate over the issue in Minnesota.

	March 21, 2006 Azerbaijan Reports Five Human Deaths from Bird Flu The World Health Organization confirmed seven human cases of the H5N1 strain of the bird flu in Azerbaijan. Five of the victims died, bringing the human death toll to 103 out of 184 recorded cases since late 2003.

	March 16, 2006 India Works on Reversing Sterilizations Following Tsunami After the 2004 Asian tsunami wiped away a large segment of the Indian population, including many children, efforts began to help couples reverse sterilization procedures.

	March 16, 2006 India Works on Fertility Reversal After Tsunami NewsHour correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro of Twin Cities Public Television reports from India on the effort to reverse sterilization, one of India's most common forms of birth control, for those who lost children in the tsunami.

	March 16, 2006 Taliban Leader Promises More Attacks Mullah Omar, the leader of the ousted Taliban regime in Afghanistan, released a statement Thursday promising renewed attacks on coalition troops this summer.

	March 10, 2006 Scientists Discover 'Lost World' in New Guinea An international team of scientists travelled to the Foja Mountains in western New Guinea and found several new species of birds, frogs and plants.

	March 3, 2006 President Faces Katrina Fallout, Pakistani Protests Mark Shields and David Brooks speak with Jim Lehrer about Hurricane Katrina and the briefing video with President Bush, the president's trip to India and Pakistan and other leading stories from this week.

	March 3, 2006 Presidential Visit Highlights Tenuous Pakistan Relationship President Bush visited Pakistan to meet with Pakistani President Pervez Musharaff, amid anti-American and anti-Western protests. Analysts discuss the current status of the Muslim country's relations with the United States.

	March 2, 2006 Bird Flu Spreads to Europe, Africa The deadly H5N1 strain of the bird flu has infected poultry and wild fowl in Asia, Africa and Europe raising fears that it could spark a global pandemic if it becomes easily transmittable from human to human. Two health officials discuss the recent outbreaks.

	March 2, 2006 U.S. and India Agree to Nuclear Partnership President Bush met with Indian Prime Minister Singh on Thursday and agreed to share nuclear technology despite reservations from some worried about the spread of atomic weapons. Three experts discuss if the deal will spur economic growth or reward a country that has opposed nuclear non-proliferation efforts.

	March 2, 2006 Indian, U.S. Leaders Seal Landmark Nuclear Pact India and the United States have sealed a civilian nuclear agreement to allow India access to U.S. nuclear technology, but the pact has sparked concerns among some nuclear proliferation experts since India will receive these benefits without signing a non-proliferation treaty.

	March 1, 2006 President Bush Makes Surprise Visit to Afghanistan President Bush makes a surprise visit to Afghanistan to meet with President Hamid Karzai and visit with U.S. troops. Following a report on the president's trip, two guests discuss America's role in rebuilding the war-torn land.



	FEBRUARY February 24, 2006 U.S.-India Nuclear Deal on Course Ahead of President Bush Visit Talks between U.S. and Indian officials Friday over a landmark nuclear deal that would give India access to U.S. nuclear supplies and solidify relations between the two countries ahead of President Bush's visit next week ended with an upbeat statement from the Indian Foreign Ministry saying progress had been made.

	February 23, 2006 Experts Debate the Security of Foreign-Run Ports After a background report, experts debate a controversial deal to transfer management of terminals at six U.S. ports to a state-owned company in the United Arab Emirates.

	February 21, 2006 Illness Breaks Out Among Philippines Mudslide Survivors Breakouts of chickenpox and other infectious diseases at crowded evacuation centers in the Philippines have sparked new concerns about the survivors of Friday's deadly landslide.

	February 17, 2006 Mudslide Buries Villages in Philippines; Hundreds Missing Heavy rains in the central Philippines triggered mudslides Friday morning that swallowed hundreds of homes and an elementary school in sludge three stories high. At least 23 bodies were recovered but 1,500 people were still missing and feared dead, according to the Associated Press.

	February 15, 2006 Scholars Discuss Religious Iconography in Wake of Cartoon Violence As protests, many of them violent, continue to shake the Muslim world in the wake of depiction of Muhammad in a series of cartoons, two religious scholars discuss the use of religious imagery in public places and in the media.

	February 14, 2006 Firms Outsourcing Drug Research to India Fred de Sam Lazaro of Twin Cities Public Television reports from India on drug companies that outsource research.

	February 13, 2006 China, Indonesia Report New Bird Flu Deaths The World Health Organization confirmed new human cases and deaths of the H5N1 strain of the bird flu in China and Indonesia following the discovery of the deadly virus among birds in Greece, Italy and Bulgaria over the weekend.

	February 10, 2006 Protests Roil Muslim Nation of Indonesia Ian Williams of Independent Television News reports on the continuing outcry over cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad in Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim nation.

	February 9, 2006 Journalists Debate The Publishing of Offensive Cartoons After a Shiite march in Lebanon turned into a protest against cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, U.S. news organizations differed in their handling the Muslim cartoons. Three journalists debate whether to publish the cartoons in the United States.

	February 8, 2006 Author Discusses his Return to Afghanistan A book conversation with Said Hyder Akbar, a young Afghan-American author, who gives an unusual look at Afghanistan in his book "Come Back to Afghanistan: A California Teenager's Story."

	February 6, 2006 Violence Erupts over Muhammad Cartoons Demonstrations continued across the Muslim world against cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad that were published in several European papers. After a background report, two guests discuss the causes of the controversy and the role of Muslims living in Europe.

	February 3, 2006 ITN Reporter Discusses Experience in Pakistan The NewsHour recently aired a report by Dan Rivers of Independent Television News on earthquake survivors in the Pakistani village of Moori Patan. Rivers talks about the process of putting together his report and the outpouring of viewer mail it generated.

	February 2, 2006 Cartoons Provoke Anger Across Muslim World Political cartoons published in European newspapers depicting the Prophet Muhammad against Islamic law caused a controversy across the Muslim world. Following a background report, two guests discuss the reaction and opposition to these cartoons.



	JANUARY January 25, 2006 Google Agrees to Censor Chinese Version Google has agreed to censor its search engine in China. In return for blocking politically sensitive terms, Google gains access to the world's No. 2 Internet market. Following a background report, an expert discusses censorship for business interests and the implications this decision may have on the Internet.

	January 19, 2006 Earthquake Survivors in Pakistan Face Harsh Winter Earthquake survivors in the remote Himalayan village of Moori Patan, Pakistan face a frigid winter.

	January 19, 2006 Bin Laden Threatens U.S. in New Message Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden threatened the United States on an audio tape aired Thursday by Al-Jazeera. Following a background report, two experts discuss the threat and its implications.

	January 18, 2006 Tokyo Stock Exchange Shuts Down Due to Heavy Trading The Tokyo Stock Exchange shut down Wednesday following a flood of sell orders spurred by a prosecutors' raid on the offices of livedoor.com, a popular Japanese web portal.

	January 16, 2006 Bombings in South Kill Dozens as Karzai Warns of New Attacks Remnants of the Taliban continued to launch attacks Monday, claiming responsibility for two suicide attacks in the southern part of Afghanistan that killed at least 26 people and wounded nearly 50 others.

	January 13, 2006 Lab Finds Mutation in Bird Flu Virus; EU Pledges $100 Million in Aid A British laboratory has found that two victims of Turkey's bird flu outbreak died from a slightly mutated strain of the H5N1 virus, raising fears the virus could start spreading more easily.

	January 10, 2006 New Human Cases of Bird Flu in Turkey, China, Japan Turkish health authorities confirmed the 15th human case of the H5N1 strain of bird flu and have said a third child in the same family died from the virus, though the World Health Organization has confirmed only two deaths and four cases.

	January 6, 2006 Turkey Confirms Third Human Death from Bird Flu Turkey announced Friday the third death from bird flu, the deadly virus that experts say is still an animal disease but has proved fatal in over 70 human cases. The three deaths in Turkey, all children from the same family, mark the virus' first occurrence in people outside Southeast Asia and China.

	January 3, 2006 China Criticized for Not Sharing Bird Flu Information Despite requests from the World Health Organization and other international health bodies, China is still not sharing virus samples from animals infected with the H5N1 strain of the bird flu.

	January 3, 2006 Refugees International Officials Discuss Recovery Efforts in Pakistan Relief efforts continue in Pakistan three months after a devastating earthquake struck the region. Following a report detailing the efforts, two officials from Refugees International discuss the recovery.