L.A. Times - Asia

Afghanistan official shot, another kidnapped in Kabul

By Hashmat Baktash and Shashank Bengali — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 04:58:00 PDT

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Two security incidents within 24 hours involving Afghan government officials have taken some of the glimmer off of this month’s generally successful presidential election and renewed concerns about safety in Kabul.

Malaysia Airlines plane search goes underwater

By Julie Makinen — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 20:32:00 PDT

The search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 wreckage now relies on a small robotic submarine that scans the seabed. Investigators appear to be readying to call off the hunt for surface debris.

BEIJING — Investigators looking for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 have put away their towed pinger locator and are about to call off searches for surface debris. Now, it's all up to a little yellow robotic submarine to find the missing Boeing 777 in an area bigger than the city of Los Angeles.

Ethnic Armenians tell of flight from Kasab, their town in Syria

By Patrick J. McDonnell — Wed, 9 Apr 2014 05:30:00 PDT

'We knew we would be butchered if we stayed,' says one man who made it to safety in Lebanon as rebels advanced from Turkey, a situation with historic parallels.

BEIRUT — They fled Kasab at daybreak, amid the clamor of artillery and word that Islamist rebels were advancing toward them from Turkey.

Taiwan protesters end long occupation of parliament over trade deal

By Ralph Jennings — Thu, 10 Apr 2014 11:09:00 PDT

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Hundreds of protesters in Taiwan ended a nearly monthlong blockade of parliament Thursday, giving leaders a fragile reprieve to finish a disputed trade pact with China, the island’s longtime political foe and biggest economic partner.

More signals are detected that may be from Malaysian jetliner

By Julie Makinen — Tue, 8 Apr 2014 22:16:00 PDT

The latest 'pings,' similar to those of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370's 'black boxes,' will help to significantly narrow the search area in the Indian Ocean, the search coordinator says.

BEIJING — An Australian ship hunting for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 has picked up two more transmissions similar to those of the jet's "black boxes," and the coordinator of the search said Wednesday the "pings" were helping to narrow the search area significantly.

Afghan police officer kills Western journalist in Khowst province

By Shashank Bengali — Fri, 4 Apr 2014 15:26:00 PDT

The officer shoots into a car, killing AP photographer Anja Niedringhaus and injuring AP reporter Kathy Gannon. The Taliban has vowed to disrupt the election the journalists were covering.

KABUL, Afghanistan — An Afghan police officer turned his weapon on two Western journalists Friday, killing one and wounding the other inside a security forces compound in eastern Afghanistan on the eve of the country's closely watched presidential election.

New signal detected in hunt for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370

By Julie Makinen — Thu, 10 Apr 2014 03:24:00 PDT

BEIJING -- An Australian military plane participating in the search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 on Thursday detected an underwater acoustic signal that may be from the Boeing 777’s black boxes, Australian authorities said.

Afghan presidential vote may be different this time

By Shashank Bengali — Thu, 3 Apr 2014 16:16:00 PDT

Irregularities are expected. But robust voter registration and other improvements fuel optimism about the election in Afghanistan.

KABUL, Afghanistan — The last time Abdullah Abdullah ran for president of Afghanistan the election devolved into a bloody farce.

Rebel assault on Kasab, Syria, revives dark memories for Armenians

By Patrick J. McDonnell and Nabih Bulos — Fri, 4 Apr 2014 04:00:00 PDT

It's unclear how many died in the attack in Latakia province, but much of the anger is directed at Turkey for allegedly facilitating it.

BEIRUT — A rebel assault on the northern Syrian town of Kasab near the Turkish border has sparked a furor among Armenians worldwide and revived dark memories of the Ottoman-era genocide.

British submarine joins search for missing Malaysian plane

By Julie Makinen — Wed, 2 Apr 2014 19:57:00 PDT

In the U.S., FBI investigators find nothing suspicious about the Malaysian pilot's home flight simulator, an official says.

BEIJING — A British submarine joined the search Wednesday for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet as Malaysian police said their investigation of the 227 passengers found no personal or psychological problems or motivation to hijack or sabotage the aircraft.