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West Asia
20 Taliban Prisoners Released By Effort Of Afghan Peace Council In Charge Of Brokering Peace With Taliban
Former Taliban prisoners attend a ceremony in Nangarhar province of eastern Afghanistan, on Jan. 3, 2013. A total of 20 Taliban prisoners were released from Bagram Prison, formerly controlled by the U.S. forces in the country. Their release was secured in the mediation of Afghan High Peace Council, a committee…
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West Asia
Turkey’s Former Chief Of Staff Under Questioning Over His Role In Toppling Former Gov’t In 1997
Turks wave national flags and his posters as Ismail Hakki Karadayi, Turkey’s former Chief of Staff, arrives at a courthouse in Ankara, Turkey, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. A prosecutor on Thursday began questioning Karadayi over his role in the ousting of an Islamic-led coalition government in 1997. Police escorted Karadayi,…
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West Asia
Libya’s Prime Minister Has A Joint Press Conference In Tripoli
Libya’s Prime Minister Ali Zeidan speaks during a joint press conference in Tripoli, Libya, on. Jan. 3, 2013. Libya’s Prime Minister Ali Zeidan (C) speaks during a joint press conference in Tripoli, Libya, on. Jan. 3, 2013. <Xinhua/Hamza Turkia>
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West Asia
A Woman Watch Graffiti Of Military Officers Disappeared In 1994 During The Rule Of Former Yemeni President
A Yemeni woman looks at graffiti of military officers who disappeared in 1994 on a wall as artists call it a “Walls Memory” campaign in Sanna, Yemen, Jan. 3, 2013. Yemen’s authorities have set up a commission to investigate on tens of political leaders and activists who disappeared during the…
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South Asia
Pakistan’s Shiite Muslims Hold Religious Procession To Remember Imam Hussain In Karachi
Pakistani Shiite Muslims attend a religious procession in southern Pakistani port city of Karachi on Jan. 3, 2013. Pakistani Shiite Muslims held religious processions across the country to mark the 40th day of mourning after the anniversary of the death of Imam Hussain, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed. <Xinhua/Masroor>
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West Asia
Radical Group Members Hold Rally In Dhaka To Demand Gov’t Declare Ahmadiyya Muslim As “Non-Muslim”
Members of the radical group Tehreek e Khatme Nabuyat run from a riot policeman using a teargas spray outside the National Mosque compound in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. The protest was held to demand the government declare Ahmadiyya Muslims as “Non-Muslim,” according to media reports. Members of the…
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East Asia
Branding Korea by Psy
LONDON ― There was a time when Korea was best known overseas for Samsung gadgetry and Hyundai cars. Now Korea is permeating the global consciousness in ways that would have seemed unlikely if not impossible two or three years ago. The latest proof positive is a New Year’s eve feature…
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East Asia
Talking elegantly can be a New Year’s resolution
People make numerous resolutions at the start of the new year — to get rich, to lose weight, to be promoted, to learn English. Yet one crucial resolution seems to be missing on many people’s lists — to stop verbal abuse. Verbal abuse pervades many aspects of the Korean society,…
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East Asia
Why is Google leader headed to N. Korea?
A report that Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt will soon travel to North Korea on a private mission with an American politician is attracting keen interest in South Korea, raising questions on what the visit means for the information-starved state. Schmidt will travel with former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson…
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East Asia
Lawmakers play fox guarding the hens
It is like letting a fox guard the chicken house. In this metaphor, the fox is lawmakers of both parties, while the chicken house is taxpayers’ money. Differently from the ambience of this saying, the lawmakers brazenly approved their overly-generous state-subsidized pensions. This bipartisan effort to attach financing plans for…
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