Nov 21st, 2005 · With Iraq's first multi-district elections coming in less than a month, U.S. officials are scrambling to provide support and training to a few key areas -- mostly Sunni Muslim provinces. In Saddam's hometown of Tikrit, angry sheikhs complained that their province is being shortchanged on seats in the new parliament.
Nov 16th, 2005 · China confirms its first two cases of bird flu in people, one of whom has died. Bird flu is suspected in a second death. The world's largest poultry producer, China is fighting nearly a dozen outbreaks in several provinces and faces a tough battle in controlling the disease.
Nov 6th, 2005 · U.S. and Iraqi forces have launched a major new offensive against insurgents in a town near the Syrian border. The effort in the largely Sunni Al-Anbar province is drawing protests from Sunni political leaders, who says it's intended to keep Sunnis from organizing before the Dec. 15 elections.
Oct 18th, 2005 · Some Sunni Arab leaders are charging fraud in Saturday's vote on the Iraqi constitution. Iraq's election commission is investigating what it calls "unusually high" numbers of votes in favor of the constitution in several provinces. Renee Montagne talks to Dexter Filkins, a reporter with The New York Times.
Sep 12th, 2005 · Iraq President Jalal Talabani says he believes voters will approve his country's draft constitution in a national referendum. Sunnis have a majority in three provinces, enough to sink the document if they vote it down.
Aug 12th, 2005 · The December Tsunami took more than 126,000 lives in Indonesia's Aceh province. But it may also have helped bring an end to the decades-long conflict between Acehnese separatists the government. On Monday, officials and representatives of the Free Aceh Movement are scheduled to sign a peace agreement.
Jun 29th, 2005 · After 18 months of contentious debate, Canada's House of Commons passes a bill to give same-sex marriages the same weight as conventional marriages. Canada's Senate is expected to pass the bill in July. Same-sex marriages are already recognized by eight of Canada's 10 provinces.
May 27th, 2005 · The Chinese government rushed 3 million doses of avian flu vaccine to a threatened province this week. After finding almost 200 dead geese, health officials worry the disease could spread to other birds and possibly humans. Can we modernize how we make vaccines? And should we start stuffing our medicine cabinets?