Latest from Asia

Strong quake hits New Zealand capital; no injuries

Indian school lunch deaths: 23 dead

Soon after they served the daily free lunch they had prepared for dozens of children at a rural Indian school, the two cooks realised something was very wrong.

Pakistan to try to mend fences with Afghanistan

Stock Takes: Tenon sparks up

A weaker New Zealand dollar and signs of life in the US housing market have combined to drive the share price of timber products group Tenon higher.

Afghan officials: Insurgents kill 8 laborers

Japan's Abe may push nationalism after election

SKorea clears Google after 2-year Android probe

Indian gov't forces kill 4 protesters in Kashmir

India: Riots after lunch kills 22 children

It was a free school meal of rice, lentils and potatoes. But it was tainted by insecticide, and by the end of lunch 22 children were dead.

Taliban attacked Malala for her criticism

A Taliban commander has written to Malala Yousafzai, telling her she was shot for being critical of the Taliban - not because she championed girls' education.

NKorea to Panama: Free detained freighter and crew

Japan: Apres ski, we cook

Japan's snow tours ensure Doug Conway has lots to do.

A charming cultural collision

Chris Harrington discovers a village in Thailand with a distinctly Chinese history.

Indonesia: Diving into the Gulf of Tomini

The Togian Islands off the northern Indonesian island of Sulawesi offer some of the best diving spots on earth.

A worthwhile Thailand alternative

It's hard to beat Thailand's beaches. But where to go if you've been to Phuket and Koh Samui, the most popular choice of tourists, and you'd like to try somewhere slightly less crowded?

China: A soft spot for sizzled spaniel

Derek Cheng challenges himself and sets a new personal best for culinary repugnancy.