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South East Asia
Malaysian PM Razak boosts Election Commission’s independence
Malaysia’s leader said Saturday that the Election Commission would be placed under Parliament’s watch to boost confidence in its independence after recent national elections sparked allegations of fraud, but the opposition said the move did not go far enough. Prime Minister Najib Razak’s National Front coalition won May 5 polls,…
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East Asia
2 dead and 21 injured in 6.3 magnitude earthquake in Taiwan
Two people died and 21 others were injured, including 3 severely, in an earthquake that shook Taiwan’s Nantou County on Sunday afternoon, according to the island’s disaster response authorities. The two deaths were reported in Nantou and the neighboring Chiayi County, the authorities said. One person is still missing, the authorities said. Zhang Zhijun,…
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East Asia
Vietnamese protest against China’s territorial claims in South China Sea
Police detained about 15 anti-China protestors Sunday during a march in the Vietnamese capital that showed the domestic pressure the government faces when dealing with Beijing’s muscular approach to territorial claims in the South China Sea. Scuffles broke out as police hauled ringleaders or especially vocal protesters into buses during…
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Central Asia
Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics medals revealed
President and CEO of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee Dmitry Chernushenko shows Sochi 2014 Olympics medals during presentation at the SportAccord International Convention in St.Petersburg, Russia, Thursday, May 30, 2013. The gold medal is displayed for journalists during a presentation of Sochi 2014 Olympic medals at the SportAccord International Convention…
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South Asia
Pakistani protesters condemn US drone attack that killed Taliban leader
The drone attack that killed a Pakistan Taliban deputy leader this week was a clear signal that despite President Barack Obama’s promise last week of new transparency in the drone program, the CIA will still launch secret attacks on militants in north Pakistan and the administration will not have to…
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South East Asia
Myanmar’s gov’t and Kachin rebels edge toward cease-fire
Myanmar’s government and ethnic Kachin rebels have ended three days of peace talks with a tentative deal to de-escalate fighting and continue a political dialogue. The two sides signed a seven-point agreement Thursday in the Kachin state capital, Myitkyina, in an effort to end nearly two years of fighting. There…
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South East Asia
ASEAN prioritizes disaster management, emergency response
Disaster management and emergency response are among top priorities of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)’s members and partners. The statement was made by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at the opening ceremony of the second meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-2) to the ASEAN Agreement…
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West Asia
Syrian President Assad says ‘confident in victory’ in civil war
Syrian President Bashar Assad said in an interview broadcast Thursday that he is “confident in victory” in his country’s civil war, and he warned that Damascus would retaliate for any future Israeli airstrike on his territory. Assad also told the Lebanese TV station Al-Manar that Russia has fulfilled some of…
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West Asia
Another bomb attack kills 33 in Iraqi sectarian fighting
Officials in Iraq are growing increasingly concerned over an unabated spike in violence that claimed at least another 33 lives on Thursday and is reviving fears of a return to widespread sectarian fighting. Authorities announced plans to impose a sweeping ban on many cars across the Iraqi capital starting early…
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South East Asia
Indian PM Singh visits Thailand to discuss economic, security issues
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met with his Thai counterpart Thursday on a visit meant to strengthen bilateral ties and connect with the Southeast Asia region. After arriving in Bangkok, Singh held talks with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. They discussed a framework for a free trade agreement and cooperation in…
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