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West Asia
An Iraqi woman cast votes during country’s provincial elections
Iraqis in two Sunni-dominated provinces voted Thursday in provincial elections marked by tight security that left streets in former insurgent strongholds largely deserted for much of the day. The country is confronting its worst outbreak of violence in years and relations between Iraq’s Sunni and Shiite Muslims remain fraught. The…
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East Asia
China and Taiwan agree to strengthen cross-Strait economic ties
Negotiators from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan on Thursday spoke highly of the prospects of a service trade agreement in strengthening cross-Strait economic ties and boosting the two sides’ respective competitiveness in the service industry. Both Zheng Lizhong, a senior negotiator from the Chinese mainland and his Taiwanese counterpart, Kao…
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East Asia
Chinese Premier visits Vietnam to ease disputes between two nations
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with visiting Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang on Thursday, calling for dialogue to expand consensus and manage differences between the two countries. As neighbors and partners, China and Vietnam are important to each other and the two countries are mutually complementary economically with immense room…
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South Asia
Dissent follows Nepal’s election date announcement
Kathmandu – Almost three months after its formation, the election interim government of Nepal has decided to hold the Constituent Assembly (CA) election on November 19. The announcement of the poll date has ended the uncertainty about the second CA elections in this tiny Himalayan country. The key parties have already…
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East Asia
A Chinese artist makes award-winning egg carving work
Pu Derong, a man from Dongzhuangtou Village in Zhuozhou City, makes an egg carving work in Zhuozhou, north China’s Hebei Province, June 19, 2013. Pu, who started egg carving in 1995, have won several awards in various contests and exhibitions. <Xinhua/NEWSis/Wang Xiao> Photo taken on June 19, 2013 shows egg…
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South Asia
Death toll from Monsoon flooding in northern India surpasses 120
Monsoon flooding that has stranded thousands of people and caused landslides in northern India has killed almost 120 people, and the prime minister said the toll could rise substantially. The torrential rain and landslides since Sunday have stranded pilgrims at four revered Hindu shrines, washed away bridges and roads and…
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East Asia
China-Vietnam agree to set up hotline to resolve South China Sea dispute
China and Vietnam agreed on Wednesday to set up a hotline to resolve fishing incidents in disputed South China Sea waters that have been a frequent source of tensions between the two ideological allies. The two countries’ agriculture ministers signed the agreement in Beijing. No details were immediately available. China…
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West Asia
Turkish demonstrators stand in silent protest at Taksim Square
Men face people that gathered for a silent protest at Taksim Square in, Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, June 19, 2013. After weeks of sometimes-violent confrontation with police, Turkish protesters have found a new form of resistance: standing still and silent. T-shirt reads “Against Standing Man.” <AP Photo/NEWSis/Petr David Josek> People stand…
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South Asia
UN special envoy Angelina Jolie speaks with Syrian refugee in Jordanian camp
Afghan refugee girls walk on a street on the eve of World Refugee Day in northwest Pakistan’s Peshawar, June 19, 2013. There are 1.65 million registered Afghans currently living in Pakistan. Since 2002, UNHCR’s voluntary repatriation program has assisted more than 3.8 million Afghan refugees to return home. <Xinhua/NEWSis/Umar Qayyum>…
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East Asia
N. Korean’s Vice FM visits China in attempt to repair strained relations
Negotiators from North Korea and China held strategic talks in Beijing on Wednesday as they work to repair strained relations, but offered little indication they will lead to a resumption of nuclear disarmament talks any time soon. Neither Pyongyang or Beijing offered details of the meeting between North Korean First…
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