Sri Lanka: Exodus rises to 50,000 as thousands more civilians flee war zone

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Thousands more civilians fled Sri Lanka’s northern war zone Tuesday, bringing the exodus of the past two days to nearly 50,000 as a government deadline passed for separatist Tamil rebels to surrender.

Detained Chinese writer’s wife writes open letter to Obama asking him to intervene

BEIJING — The wife of a detained Chinese writer has written an open letter asking President Barack Obama to raise his case with Beijing, the man’s lawyer said Monday.

New Zealand pulls out of UN racism conference, notes likely will be unproductive

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand won’t take part in this week’s United Nations conference on racism, which it fears could descend into the same rancor as one in South Africa in 2001, Foreign Minister Murray McCully said Monday.

Jackie Chan’s China comments prompt backlash in Hong Kong, Taiwan

HONG KONG — Action star Jackie Chan’s comments wondering whether Chinese people “need to be controlled” have drawn sharp rebuke in his native Hong Kong and in Taiwan.

King family is charging fees over project to build memorial to the civil rights leader in DC

King family draws fees from DC memorial project

WASHINGTON — The family of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. has charged the foundation building a monument to the civil rights leader on the National Mall about $800,000 for the use of his words and image — an arrangement one leading scholar says King would have found offensive.