• West Asia

    Egyptian workshop on Korean poems

    The very first question addressed to me was: “Why did you choose to translate the book of the Korean monk and poet Cho Oh-hyun?” I was sitting surrounded by an elite audience of Egyptian writers, poets, novelists, critics and journalists. It seemed like a testing start, but I was keen…

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  • Politics

    [Asia Round-up] Asia accounts for two thirds of modern slavery

    The recently released Global Slavery Index conducted by Walk Free Foundation reveals that there are an estimated 29.8 million people enslaved worldwide. India, China, and Pakistan enslave the highest number of people while Mauritania has the highest prevalence. Out of 22 million people enslaved in the index’s top 10 countries,…

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  • East Asia

    N. Korea tries to project unity on anniversary of Kim Jong Il’s death

    North Korea vowed to unite behind leader Kim Jong Un during carefully staged events Tuesday to mark the second anniversary of his father’s death, in an attempt to show it has returned to business as usual after the purge and execution of his once-powerful uncle last week. Kim sat silently…

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  • East Asia

    A Tibetan craftman paints a piece of traditional Buddhist Regong art

    A Tibetan craftsman works on a piece of Thangka painting in Tongren County, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Huangnan, northwest China’s Qinghai Province, Dec. 17, 2013. Huangnan Prefecture is the hometown of Regong arts, which includes Thangka, murals, paintings and other Tibetan Buddhist art forms. The revenue of Regong arts industry…

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  • East Asia

    N. Korea still changing after Chang’s fall

      In what can be described as the most public purge in North Korean history, Chang Song Taek– until recently the second most powerful man in North Korea – has lost his position and life. His sudden downfall has produced much speculation. Indeed, but what is the likely impact of…

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  • South Asia

    Makli: Withering necropolis of Sindh

    Maintenance of world heritage sites is an international issue. A great part of history is in danger if we do not make effort to preserve it, even if not in its original form. This is especially true for Pakistan, where there are more important issues economically as well as socio-politically.…

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  • East Asia

    [Transnational] Sport as a tool for social change

    Chasing my dreams with Seoul academic life Anoma Rathnayake·Sri Lanka·Dream Together Master, SNU “Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.” The above quote by Malcolm X inspires me a lot. As a student from Sri Lanka, I am very…

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  • East Asia

    Connecting people to change society through sport

    Interview with Mie Kajikawa, Founder and President, Sport For Smile From an interpreter at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, later earning a Master’s degree in sports administration from Ohio University, completing an internship at the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Detroit Pistons as the first-ever Japanese female intern, later working as…

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  • Politics

    Sri Lanka will never sell women to boost tourism

    Commercial sex would never be legalised and Sri Lanka would not sell its women for the sake of promoting tourism, the government says. According to rough estimates, there are about 40,000 sex workers in Sri Lanka. Among the campaigns conducted by the government is to increase awareness on abortions and…

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  • Politics

    [Asia Round-up] Diapers form 12.14% of waste in Malaysia

    Adult and baby diapers now 12.14% of waste in Malaysia Diapers formed 12.14 per cent of the total waste disposed in Malaysia. This shows that Malaysia has an ageing population as more senior citizens are using diapers. This fact stressed the importance of using more environmental-friendly and cost-effective technology such…

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