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West Asia
Obama blends threat of attack, hope of diplomacy
President Barack Obama used a nationally televised address Tuesday night to make his case for military action against Syria, telling skeptical Americans that President Bashar Assad’s government posed a threat to U.S. security even as he recognized that diplomatic steps could render attacks unnecessary. While noting he had asked Congress…
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East Asia
South China explosion kills 2, injures 44
Two people were killed and 44 injured Monday in an explosion near a school in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. A man and a woman were killed in the blast, and 39 are hospitalized for treatment, police with Guilin City said. The injured mainly suffered burns and skin lacerations,…
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Central Asia
Kazakh director Zhanabek Zhetiru: Recreating myth in cinema
As Otilija Kerbelyte says, in cinema we find the myths and legends portrayed with fantastic genres, special effects, and mythological creatures such as elves and orcs in the The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Mythical creatures usually wear the clothes, which no human would wear (e.g. faun and fairies in…
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Central Asia
Strong showing for Navalny in Moscow mayoral race
Moscow’s incumbent mayor has been re-elected with 51 percent of the vote, just enough to avoid a run-off against opposition leader Alexei Navalny, election officials said Monday. The Moscow Election Commission said Monday morning that Sergei Sobyanin got just over half the vote while Navalny, who energized the race into…
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East Asia
Chinese, Uzbek presidents hold talks on boosting ties
Visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Uzbek counterpart Islam Karimov held talks here Monday on further development of bilateral relations and cooperation. Xi is in Tashkent for a state visit as a guest of Karimov, who went to the airport to receive the Chinese president on Sunday evening. “I…
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West Asia
White House tries to sway war-wear public on Syria
President Barack Obama is going public to try to convince war-weary Americans that limited strikes against Syria are needed for the United States’ long-term safety, while his national security team is attempting to reassure skeptical lawmakers that the United States is not heading toward another Iraq or Afghanistan. Obama on…
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East Asia
G20 leaders adopt St. Petersburg development strategy
The Group of Twenty (G20) leaders on Thursday approved here a strategy outlining development priorities for the group members over the medium term. The St. Petersburg Development Strategy, prepared by the development working panel of G20, detailed such priorities as reinforcing G20’s commitment to shared growth and improving the group’s…
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South Asia
Pakistani women take part in a rally for the World Hijab Day
Pakistani women take part in a rally to mark the World Hijab Day in southern Pakistani port city of Karachi on Sept, 4, 2013. Nationwide rallies were organized to highlight the importance and value of hijab for Muslim women in Pakistan. <Xinhua/NEWSis>
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South Asia
India passes $20 bln law to expand food welfare
India plans to subsidize wheat, rice and cereals for some 800 million people under a $20 billion scheme to cut malnutrition and ease poverty. The Food Security Bill, sent this week by India’s parliament to the president for approval, guarantees citizens a legal right to food. India has some of…
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West Asia
UN chief stresses need for cooperation on global issues
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon on Wednesday highlighted the importance of cooperation in addressing the challenges facing the world, as leaders from major economies are to attend a G20 summit in Russia. After arrived in the Russian city of St. Petersburg on Wednesday for the summit, Ban said the international…
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