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Women and children attend a civil registration event. Without registration there can be no birth certificate, no identity card, no passport and no proof of age or parentage

The 40 million children who just didn't exist

One charity's campaign to register the births of all children in the developing world is transforming millions of young lives.

Inside World

Dutch first in Europe to adopt green tax for cars

The Dutch government is to become the first country in Europe to introduce a green tax to replace annual road tax on cars.

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Asia diary
The Independent's Asia Correspondent Andrew Buncombe leads a busy life, bringing you news from India, Pakistan, Burma, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and occasionally parts of South East Asia. Click here to read his blog

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Chavez to 'seed' clouds with rain

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez says he will join a team of Cuban scientists on flights to "bomb clouds" to create rain amid a severe drought that has aroused public anger due to water and electricity rationing.

Helicopters boost troops in Afghanistan

Merlins will be used to ferry troops and supplies around Helmand

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Palestinian push for an independent state causes Israeli alarm

Netanyahu to denounce Prime Minister's drive to sidestep Israel and secure support from UN Security Council

Demand for illegal ivory soars in booming China

Twenty years after a worldwide ban, there's a new black-market trade in elephant tusks from Africa

After 50 years, the 'lost innocents' shipped from home win apology

150,000 orphan and poor children taken to colonies as 'white stock' suffered years of institutional brutality

America's 'first Pacific president' woos China, North Korea, and Burma

US President Barack Obama pledged yesterday, in the first major speech of his extensive Asia tour, to deepen dialogue with China rather than seek to contain the rising power.