Population pressure, climate change drive search for new rice varieties

NAOGAON, 6 September 2010 (IRIN) - Like many farmers in Bangladesh, Abdul Aziz from Naogaon District in northwestern Bangladesh has had to adapt his plantings...

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Bangladesh Leads Way With International Crimes Tribunal

The Irrawaddy By MATT CROOK SEPTEMBER 4, 2010 DHAKA—As criticism over the lack of progress in Sri Lanka’s war inquiry is mounting and a defiant military regime in...

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Taking toxins out of ship-breaking

DHAKA, 3 September 2010 (IRIN) - A Dutch engineering company is trying to make safer the dangerous job of dismantling old ships contaminated with chemicals...

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Asia’s new backpacking hot spots

Timor-Leste (formerly East Timor) Like Bali without the bells, Timor-Leste offers backpackers a chance to enjoy life in the slow lane. The half-island nation is still...

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Killing women in the name of religion

DHAKA, 13 August 2010 (IRIN) - Nearly two decades after a peasant woman’s suicide first raised national awareness about the danger of religious rulings, and...

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George Town fears losing World Heritage status over birds’ nest soup

Penang residents warn that birds' nest industry is out of control Guardian Weekly, Tuesday 10 August 2010 — George Town, the capital of Malaysia's Penang state,...

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Hajime Robot Restaurant: Good food, dancing robots, what more could we ask for?

CNNGo August 2, 2010 — Among mankind’s many pastimes these days, eating meat and watching robots dance must surely rank among our favorites. But what...

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Slain Newsman’s Sister Vows to Uncover Truth

The Irrawaddy By MATT CROOK JULY 30, 2010 As criticism mounts of the Thai government’s response to the deaths of two foreign newsmen during recent political violence in...

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Tracks on, rocks off at these 11 buzzing Bangkok pubs

CNNGo July 19, 2010 — Kurt Cobain once said, “If it's illegal to rock and roll, throw my ass in jail.” While we wouldn’t...

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“Spectacular” reduction in child mortality rates

DILI, 14 July 2010 (IRIN) - Timor-Leste, one of the world’s newest and poorest nations, has achieved significant declines in infant mortality, under-five mortality and...

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Heading for The Clouds in Central Java

Jakarta Globe, July 13, 2010 -- Shreds of silky white clouds flowed over the hilltops all around. As the clouds made their advance, I turned...

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Timor-Leste trials healthcare from the people, to the people

Timor-Leste gets creative at the grassroots level in battling a chronic shortage of healthcare professionals Guardian Weekly, Tuesday 13 July 2010 -- A firm belief in...

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7 reasons to check out Penang in July

This month the George Town Festival hits the UNESCO listed Malaysian city, to show off its food, its history, its movies and lots in between CNNGo...

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Tense Times in Timor-Leste

The Irrawaddy Tense Times in Timor-Leste By MATT CROOK JULY, 2010 - VOLUME 18 NO.7 Ozorio Leque stands accused of inciting a riot in Dili, the East Timorese capital,...

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Taking on Timor

Reader’s Digest April 2010 Taking on Timor...

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About me

I work for Plan in Bangkok. I was a freelance journalist based in Southeast Asia (mostly Timor-Leste). I recently did my MA at SOAS. You can read my stories here on this website. Find out more about me here or contact me