Sri Lanka: Exodus of civilians from war zone reaches 50,000 as thousands more rush out

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

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.

AP Interview: Taliban who control Pakistani resort valley say bin Laden welcome to set up shop

MINGORA, Pakistan — Pakistan was trying to end bloodshed when it let the idyllic Swat Valley fall under Islamic law last week. Instead, it has emboldened the Taliban and prompted an invitation — however improbable — for Osama bin Laden.

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.

China to clamp down on inmate abuse at state prisons following 15 questionable deaths

BEIJING — China plans to clamp down on inmate abuse at its prisons following more than a dozen suspicious deaths this year, according to a report by the country’s highest investigative body.

Malaysian Hindu mother challenges husband who converted their 3 children to Islam

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — A Hindu woman is challenging her husband’s conversion of the couple’s three young children to Islam, the woman’s lawyer said Monday — the latest interfaith dispute over minors in Muslim-majority Malaysia.

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.

Survivor of Oklahoma City bombing: If time heals all wounds, why does it still hurt?

OKALAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum brought together those who survived the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, family members of the victims and rescue workers for a program called “First Person: Stories of Hope.”

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.