FOR months Yukio Hatoyama’s tenure as prime minister has looked in doubt. But his decision on June 2nd to resign and take down Ichiro Ozawa, his equally powerful sidekick, with him has shocked Japan’s political establishment. It throws the country’s politics into disarray just when it is in the midst of a democratic upheaval and faces pressing economic problems that cry out for strong leadership.

Cambodia's government, with the help of international lenders and foreign investors, is funneling investment into the country's vast rural areas. Although the development projects are welcome in this impoverished country, there are worries that they also set the stage for the displacement of the poor. Here's our report from Cambodia's Kampong Thom province.

HCM CITY — Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan has asked the Ministry of Health to formulate a plan for developing and preserving precious herbs and other materials used for medicinal purposes.

He has also asked the ministry to estimate the use of domestic materials in the manufacture of medicines in the country.