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East Asia
New Zealand signs Free Trade Agreement with Taiwan in low-key ceremony
New Zealand on Wednesday signed a free trade agreement with Taiwan in a deliberately low-key ceremony designed to demonstrate the South Pacific nation’s fealty to its formal relations with mainland China. The location of the signing ceremony at a university and the absence of senior officials from either side underscored…
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East Asia
S. Korean vehicles return after inspecting Kaesong Industrial Complex
Talks between the rival Koreas aimed at restarting a stalled inter-Korean factory park ended Wednesday with no breakthrough, but both sides agreed to meet again next week to discuss restoring what was once a rare symbol of cooperation between the archrivals. They also agreed to a separate set of talks…
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South East Asia
Cambodian King and PM plant trees on Forest Day in Preah Sihanouk province
Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni (2nd R) and Prime Minister Hun Sen (L) plant trees in Preah Sihanouk province, Cambodia, July 9, 2013. Cambodia observed the Forest Day on Tuesday, urging people to plant trees in order to ensure the sustainability of forest and environment. <Xinhua/NEWSis/Sovannara> Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni speaks…
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South East Asia
Visitors watch dolls at World Costumes Dolls Exhibition held in Kuala Lumpur
Visitors watch dolls dressed in Spanish traditional costume during the World Costumes Dolls Exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, in Malaysia, on July 9, 2013. <Xinhua/NEWSis/Chong Voon Chung> A visitor takes photos of dolls dressed in Sri Lankan traditional costume during the World Costumes Dolls Exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on July…
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East Asia
Vietnamese, Lao PM attend ceremony for completion of border mark planting
Prime Ministers of Vietnam and Laos on Tuesday hailed the completion of the border marker project, saying it is of great significance in traditional friendship between the two countries. The appreciation was made at the grand ceremony to celebrate the completion of border mark planting held at border gate separating…
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West Asia
Turkish protesters eat food on Ramadan as form of protest on Gezi Park
Thousands of anti-government protesters have broken their fast for the holy month of Ramadan by sitting down for a meal along a main Istanbul pedestrian street. As a police water cannon stood watch, the protesters on Tuesday laid newspapers and table cloths on the ground along Istiklal street for a…
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West Asia
Egyptian interim President Mansour appoints ex-finance minister as new PM
Egypt’s interim President Adli Mansour appointed Tuesday ex-finance minister Hazem al-Beblawi as prime minister and leading figure of the National Salvation Front (NSF) Mohamed ElBaradei as vice president for foreign affairs in the transitional government. Al-Beblawi served as the finance minister in the cabinet of former prime minister Essam Sharaf,…
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South East Asia
Ramadan, holy month for hundreds of millions of Muslims starts on July 9
Indonesian muslim perform first Tarawih pray in the Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta, Indonesia, July 9, 2013. The first tarawih pray marks the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan for local Muslims to fast during the month ahead. Indonesian government has set the first fasting on Wednesday, July 10, 2013. <Xinhua/NEWSis/Veri…
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West Asia
Scrutinizing architectural elements of mosques
Editor’s note: On July 9 this year, hundreds of millions of Muslims are celebrating the first day of the holy month of Ramadan. For this occasion, Dr. Khalid Azab, an Egyptian writer who works as a media director at Alexandria Bibliotheca, Egypt tells about the architectural elements of mosques. Teachings of the Prophet…
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