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NEWS ABOUT: Southeast Asia

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Pocket of Asia Yields 208 New Species—in 1 Year

Mekong region's amazing biodiversity under threat, WWF warns

(Newser) - It's a region that produces a new species every other day: Carnivorous plants that can eat mice, birds, and lizards. An all-female species of lizard that reproduces by self-cloning. Brightly colored geckos bathed in orange, yellow, blue, and green markings. A noseless monkey that looks like it's wearing... More »

Vietnam Discovers Own 'Great Wall'

79-mile wall was built to keep tribes separated

(Newser) - In 2005, a professor found a reference to "Long Wall of Quang Ngai" in a 19th-century Vietnamese document. Five years later, Dr Andrew Hardy and his team have uncovered that nearly 200-year-old—and 79-mile long—wall, reports CNN . Up to 13 feet high in places, the scale is much... More »

7 Ways to Get Jailed (or Killed) While Traveling

Forget your ID in Japan, and end up in the pokey

(Newser) - An African safari is likely to be a bit more exciting than a day at Disney Land, but there comes a point where enough is enough. Turner Wright, writing in Vagabondish , runs down seven travel ideas that'll get you killed—or at least some quality time in the local clink:... More »

Obama to Myanmar: Free Suu Kyi

First direct appeal for pro-democracy leader's release

(AP) - President Barack Obama today abandoned decades of Western avoidance and told Myanmar's prime minister to free opposition leader and fellow Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in a rare face-to-face meeting. The strong message, delivered during his summit with leaders of 10 Southeast Asian nations, signals a further thawing in... More »

A Quarter of World Is Muslim

Asia, not Middle East, is center of the world of Islam

(Newser) - A quarter of the world's population is Muslim, and nearly two-thirds of the religion's adherents live in Asia, according to an extensive new study mapping the world of Islam. Indonesia is the largest Muslim nation, and India, a majority-Hindu country, has the world's third-largest population of Muslims—more than twice... More »

Cool and Weird Places to Swim

(Newser) - If you love swimming but tire of the ordinary and the chlorine-scented, consider these "unusual or cool places" uncovered by WebUrbanist:
  • The Dead Sea: Lie back and read a good book in the world's saltiest body of water, which will likely keep you afloat while delivering "an
... More »

Taiwan Bridles Foreign Wife Brokers

Lawmakers angry over unions built on 'weak foundations'

(Newser) - Taiwan is clamping down on companies that arrange quicky foreign marriages for male customers, the BBC reports. Many Taiwanese men say they fly to Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia and Vietnam for brides because women in Taiwan are putting off marriage for career. But officials say cross-border weddings are built... More »

In Myanmar, Soccer Offers Relief

But is it just an opiate for the masses?

(Newser) - Myanmar has had something to cheer about lately, the Wall Street Journal reports. In a country where gatherings of more than five people are officially illegal and free speech is nonexistent, the Myanmar National League has been drawing huge crowds of screaming fans. Launched in May, it’s the country’... More »

Thailand, Cambodia in Firefight Over Temple

Border dispute escalates as both sides accuse other of aggression

(Newser) - Thai and Cambodian troops fought an hourlong battle today, leaving two Cambodian soldiers dead and several wounded by rocket fire in the most serious incident since the start of a border dispute. At issue is just 1.8 square miles of land next to a Hindu temple that an international... More »

One-Quarter of Mammal Species Imperiled: Survey

Deforestation, climate change among culprits threatening 1,141 types of beasts

(Newser) - Nearly 25% of the world’s mammal species face extinction, the Guardian reports, and 3% are critically endangered. The stark conclusion, based on research conducted over 5 years in 130 countries, paints an especially bleak picture for marine mammals, the highly regarded Red List says. "We are threatening the... More »

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