Topic: Asia

Change Agent
Mobile technology boosts access to clean water for the poor

The widespread availability of mobile phones has enabled the development of low-cost solutions aimed at improving water security and reducing poverty.

Latin America Monitor
Organized crime in the Americas: bad for the environment, too?

A new report exposes the environmental consequences of criminal activity, such as gangs clearing land in a Guatemalan reserve to launder money through cattle ranches.

The Monitor's View: Why Europe needed the Nobel Peace Prize

Sunk low by euro woes, the European Union needed the Nobel Peace Prize to remind it why it should be grateful for its past success. Gratitude helps in affairs of state as much as in personal ties.

Bufori cars: What makes the Malaysian luxury auto so special?

Bufori cars have emerged as one of the most sought-after luxury items among Asia's ultra-rich. 

In Gear
What's the most popular color for new cars? White.

White was used on 22 percent of all new vehicles sold globally over the past year, according to PPG Industries, followed by silver on 20 percent of vehicles and black on 19 percent, Vijayenthiran writes.

Gloomy outlook from Chevron, Alcoa sinks stocks for third straight day

Stocks slumped Wednesday after Chevron and Alcoa issued pessimistic reports. Energy and materials stocks, whose fortunes hinge on economic growth, dropped the most.  

Toyota recall affects 7.4M cars. Power window could be fire hazard (+video)

Toyota recall includes 7.4 million cars worldwide for a faulty power window switch that could be a potential fire hazard. The Toyota recall is the single biggest auto recall since 1996. 

Opinion: What if Britain left the European Union?

Amid the debt crisis in Europe, Euro-skeptics in Britain are dominating public discourse. British Prime Minister David Cameron is publicly hinting at a referendum on membership in the European Union. But remember, Britain, if you leave the EU, it's cold out there.

Focus
Vladimir Putin 2.0: A harder, eastward-looking presidency

Vladimir Putin, once again in the Kremlin's top post, faces a far more divided Russia than he did during his first stint, and he's taking a more authoritarian line to match.

Stocks slump after weak IMF report

Stock traders were discouraged by an International Monetary Fund report released overnight that said the global economy was weakening. Energy stocks were the only major group in the S&P 500 to finish higher.

The Monitor's View: World's big 'wanted' sign: 600 million jobs

Even as the World Bank calls for 600 million more jobs by 2020, the IMF forecasts a long economic slowdown. Will new technologies help? No. The first need is basic reform in governance.

From humanly trafficked to humanely freed

A Christian Science perspective: A mother seeking a better paid job overseas in order to provide for her family found herself trapped in a position with no way out. Here's how her faith in God came to the rescue.

The Monitor's View: China bashing in the presidential race

Romney and Obama try to compete in bashing China. Yet both the history and future of US-China ties point to a need for calm debate on how the two economic giants can cooperate.

Stocks fall on Asia's gloomy economic outlook

US stocks faltered Monday after the World Bank said Asia's economies won't grow as much as expected this year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 36 points to 13574 an hour after the opening bell. 

The 20 most fascinating accidental inventions

Most inventors strive for weeks, months, or years to perfect their products. (Thomas Edison tried thousands of different light bulb filaments before arriving at the ideal mixture of tungsten.) But sometimes, brilliance strikes by accident. Here's a salute to the scientists, chefs, and everyday folk who stumbled upon greatness – and, more important, shared their mistakes with the world.

UPDATE: After great reader feedback, we've added five additional accidental inventions: Stainless steel, plastic, ice cream cones, Post-it Notes, and matches.

Energy Voices
Gas prices: Can the economy weather another rise to $4 gas?

High oil prices and rising gas prices weaken an economy because they reduce discretionary spending and indirectly cause people to be laid-off from work, Tverberg writes. Can the US economy stand another jump in prices?

Opinion: In quest for jobs, Fed chair Bernanke's money spigot hurts economy in long run

US unemployment fell to 7.8 percent (a possible boon to President Obama, whose economic leadership Mitt Romney criticizes). But job growth remains slow. Fed Chair Bernanke's quantitative easing policies aim to boost the economy, but they will more likely spur inflation and capital flight.

Duck-billed dinosaurs 'like walking paper mills'

The plants these dinosaurs fed on were tough and covered with hard, tooth-gouging particles. Hadrosaurids chewed their meals with teeth that possessed flattened grinding surfaces much like those of horses and bison.

Iran's currency: Why did the rial tumble so precipitously? (+video)

US sanctions played a role. However, Iranians aren't blaming the US, they're blaming their own government.

Horizons
Facebook: 1 billion users. What's next for the social network?

Facebook: 1 billion users arrives just two years after it announced it had half a billion users. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is now 'a part of this tradition of things that connect us.' 

'Half the Sky:' Series on exploited women looks to empower

'Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide' is airing as part of public TV's 'Independent Lens' series. The documentary is based on New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn's 2009 bestseller.

Isolated Taiwan to get wider global reach with US visa waivers

The United States announced that it will include Taiwan in its Visa Waiver Program starting Nov. 1.

How China got businesses to pay taxes: scratch-n-win tickets

A decade ago China was losing about $158 million a year in tax revenues. World Bank figures show that China has steadily increased its tax revenues since 1994.

Hong Kong sinking: Arrests, but no answers yet (+video)

Seven crew members were arrested Tuesday in relation to Monday's Hong Kong boat collision that killed 38. Though the causes of the incident remain unclear, it appears to have been related to human error.  

Will Georgia see a peaceful transfer of power? (+video)

As Georgia's President Mikheil Saakashvili conceded defeat Tuesday, Russia's Dmitry Medvedev expressed hopes for improved relations between the two countries. The U.S. State Department also views Saakashvili's concession in a positive light.