Afghan opium production to expand after troops exit

Afghan opium production to expand after troops exit
Australian boy, 14, jailed for drug use in Bali
Australian boy jailed in Bali on drug charge
VIDEO: King of the Cuban cigar
Gambia's Jammeh leads in vote tally so far (Reuters)
SKorean official travels to NKorea to monitor aid (AP)
Gambia's Jammeh leads in vote tally so far
With Egypt Engulfed in Turmoil, U.S. Scrambles to Find a Plan C (Time.com)
Gap says to triple China network in 2012 (Reuters)
Is Turkey Using the Courts to Silence Its Critics? (Time.com)
Asia stocks fall on Europe debt crisis impasse (AP)
Australia to free some asylum seekers from centers (AP)
Oil hovers above $96 amid Europe debt worries (AP)
Moroccans choose new parliament after protests (AP)
Mexico catches escapees from island penal colony (AP)
Analysis: Philippine graft fight carries risk as Arroyo case (Reuters)
Analysis: Philippine graft fight carries risk as Arroyo case
Wanted Congo rebel leader holds public rally
VIDEO: Giffords' Thanksgiving with troops
Insight: New cars for clunkers: Myanmar on road to change

Posted: 25 Nov 2011 12:02 AM PST

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan's former anti-drug czar has warned that opium poppy cultivation will dramatically increase as foreign combat troops head home, with farmers and insurgents taking advantage of a withdrawal set to be complete by the end of 2014.

Australian boy, 14, jailed for drug use in Bali

Posted: 25 Nov 2011 12:03 AM PST

DENPASAR, Indonesia (Reuters) - A Bali court sentenced a 14-year-old Australian boy to two months in jail on Friday for possessing a few grammes of marijuana, a lighter sentence than sought by prosecutors after Canberra asked for leniency.

Australian boy jailed in Bali on drug charge

Posted: 24 Nov 2011 11:42 PM PST

Indonesian court gives 14-year-old two months in jail for buying 6.9 grams of marijuana while on holiday with family.

VIDEO: King of the Cuban cigar

Posted: 24 Nov 2011 11:41 PM PST

At more than 81 metres long, this Cuban cigar has put its maker Jose "Cueto" Castelar into the record books.

Gambia's Jammeh leads in vote tally so far (Reuters)

Posted: 24 Nov 2011 11:28 PM PST

Reuters - Gambian President Yahya Jammeh headed for a new term on Friday with a partial tally showing he won 77.35 percent of votes in a poll criticized regionally for intimidation of opposition groups and voters.

SKorean official travels to NKorea to monitor aid (AP)

Posted: 24 Nov 2011 11:42 PM PST

AP - A South Korean official is heading to North Korea to help monitor the distribution of aid, the first time in three years that Seoul is joining a humanitarian mission to Pyongyang.

Gambia's Jammeh leads in vote tally so far

Posted: 24 Nov 2011 11:28 PM PST

BANJUL (Reuters) - Gambian President Yahya Jammeh headed for a new term on Friday with a partial tally showing he won 77.35 percent of votes in a poll criticized regionally for intimidation of opposition groups and voters.

With Egypt Engulfed in Turmoil, U.S. Scrambles to Find a Plan C (Time.com)

Posted: 24 Nov 2011 10:20 PM PST

Time.com - The State Department on Tuesday finally condemned the "excessive force" used to break up demonstrations, urging "maximum restraint" on the authorities

Gap says to triple China network in 2012 (Reuters)

Posted: 24 Nov 2011 10:28 PM PST

Reuters - Apparel brand Gap Inc said on Friday that it aims to triple its store network in China next year, one of the latest foreign brands to target the country's consumer spending growth.

Is Turkey Using the Courts to Silence Its Critics? (Time.com)

Posted: 24 Nov 2011 10:20 PM PST

Time.com - As 13 defendants, including two well-known journalists, go on trial on charges of seeking to overthrow the government, critics say the accusations are thinly veiled attempts to curb freedom of expression

Asia stocks fall on Europe debt crisis impasse (AP)

Posted: 24 Nov 2011 09:59 PM PST

AP - Asian stock markets were mostly lower Friday after Germany continued to oppose a bigger role for the European Central Bank in managing the continent's debt crisis and Portugal's credit rating was lowered to junk.

Australia to free some asylum seekers from centers (AP)

Posted: 24 Nov 2011 11:18 PM PST

AP - The Australian government will free more than 100 asylum seekers a monthfrom overcrowded detention centers that are being overwhelmed by new boat arrivals, an official said Friday.

Oil hovers above $96 amid Europe debt worries (AP)

Posted: 24 Nov 2011 09:38 PM PST

AP - Oil prices hovered above $96 a barrel Friday in Asia as Europe's debt crisis undermined confidence the continent will avoid recession next year.

Moroccans choose new parliament after protests (AP)

Posted: 24 Nov 2011 09:41 PM PST

AP - Moroccans are choosing a new parliament Friday in Arab Spring-inspired elections that are facing a boycott by democracy campaigners who say the ruling monarchy isn't committed to real change.

Mexico catches escapees from island penal colony (AP)

Posted: 24 Nov 2011 09:28 PM PST

AP - Six inmates from the last island penal colony in the Americas were recaptured at sea Thursday after they used buoyant containers and wood planks to try to swim to freedom in an escape reminiscent of the 1973 movie "Papillon."

Analysis: Philippine graft fight carries risk as Arroyo case (Reuters)

Posted: 24 Nov 2011 09:45 PM PST

Reuters - The arrest of former Philippine leader Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for vote rigging has put President Benigno Aquino's campaign to tackle corruption where he wants it, in the headlines as he tries to rebuild the reputation of the laggard tiger economy.

Analysis: Philippine graft fight carries risk as Arroyo case

Posted: 24 Nov 2011 09:45 PM PST

MANILA (Reuters) - The arrest of former Philippine leader Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for vote rigging has put President Benigno Aquino's campaign to tackle corruption where he wants it, in the headlines as he tries to rebuild the reputation of the laggard tiger economy.

Wanted Congo rebel leader holds public rally

Posted: 24 Nov 2011 11:13 PM PST

Ntabo Ntaberi Sheka, accused of orchestrating mass rape campaign in DR Congo, stages election rally as police look on.

VIDEO: Giffords' Thanksgiving with troops

Posted: 24 Nov 2011 09:08 PM PST

Gabrielle Giffords, the US Congresswoman who was shot in the head in January, has marked another milestone in her recovery by helping to serve Thanksgiving dinner to troops at a military base in Arizona.