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South Asia
India marks Independence Day amid tight security in disputed Kashmir
The local government in Indian-controlled Kashmir Thursday held Indian Independence Day functions amid tight security arrangements and complete shutdown called by separatists, officials said. The main function was held at the Bhakshi stadium in Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir. The region’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah hoisted the…
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East Asia
China drought leaves 13 million people without proper drinking water
A drought that has parched China’s southern regions since last month has left nearly 13 million people without easy access to drinking water, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said Thursday. Continuous hot and rainless weather in the provinces of Anhui, Hunan, Guizhou, Jiangxi, Hubei and Zhejiang, as well as Chongqing…
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Society
Rare discovery of new species of racoon-sized mammal “olinguito”
This undated handout photo provided by Mark Gurney shows a olinguito. Imagine a raccoon with a teddy bear face that is so cute it’s hard to resist, let alone overlook. But somehow science did _ until now. Researchers Thursday announced a rare discovery of a new species of a mammal…
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Politics
UN Chief Ban Ki-moon expresses deep concerns over Israeli settlement plans
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday expressed deep concerns about Israel’s new settlement plans. The plan fuels the Palestinian people’s “mistrust of the seriousness of the Israeli side toward achieving peace,” Ban said at a press conference with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Ban…
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East Asia
Hong Kong activists march to protest against Japanese militarism
Members of several social groups parade towards the Japanese Consulate General in south China’s Hong Kong, Aug. 15, 2013. Thursday marks the 68th anniversary of Japan’s surrender to the Allies and China’s victory on Japan’s aggression war in 1945. Local activists in Hong Hong organzied a parade to commemorate the…
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West Asia
Iran’s parliament approves Rouhani’s candidates for cabinet posts except 3
Iran’s Majlis (parliament) on Thursday approved President Hassan Rouhani’s candidates for key posts in his cabinet while disqualifying three other nominees. Iran’s Majlis had started to study the qualifications of the 18- member cabinet line-up on Monday. Bijan Namdar-Zanganeh, who served as minister of energy from 1988 to 1997 and…
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West Asia
Death toll reaches 638 in Egypt as gov’t declares state of emergency
Weeping relatives in search of loved ones uncovered the faces of the bloodied, unclaimed dead in a Cairo mosque near the smoldering epicenter of support for ousted President Mohammed Morsi, as the death toll soared past 600 Thursday from Egypt’s deadliest day since the Arab Spring began. World condemnation widened…
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East Asia
China and Russia conclude joint anti-terrorism drill “Peace Mission-2013”
China and Russia concluded their joint anti-terrorism drill “Peace Mission-2013” Thursday with a closing ceremony. During the drill that had three phases of troop deployment, battle planning and simulated combat, the troops practiced joint reconnaissance, joint block and control of accident areas, joint support for campaign equipment and live-ammunition exercises,…
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East Asia
When the nightmare of N. Korea’s diplomacy began
Everybody knows: North Korea is a difficult country to deal with. It is difficult for its adversaries, but it might be even more difficult for its allies. Perhaps, nobody knew it better than the Soviets who had their fair share of troubles with Pyongyang in the 1960s and 1970s. An…
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