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South East Asia
Taiwan-Philippines row over Taiwan fisherman’s death escalates
Philippines issues fresh apology for death of Taiwan fisherman after Taipei recalls its envoy The Philippine president apologized to Taiwan for the fatal shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman by Philippine coast guard personnel, after Taiwan rejected an earlier Philippine apology and started retaliating diplomatically. In a subsequent…
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South Asia
Sri Lankan people carry torch demanding reduction of electricity rates
A Sri Lankan man carries a torch demanding the reduction of electricity charges during a protest in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, May 15, 2013. Thousands of Sri Lankans including opposition leaders, lawmakers, trade union activists and journalists marched in protest against the increased electricity charges and demanded an immediate reduction.…
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West Asia
Palestinians clash with Israeli security forces as they mark ‘Nakba Day’
Palestinians clash with Israeli security forces as they mark Nakba Day in Jerusalem, Wednesday, May 15, 2013. Palestinians annually mark the “nakba,” or “catastrophe” the term they use to describe their defeat and displacement in the war that followed Israel’s founding in 1948. Israeli security forces detain a Palestinian man…
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South Asia
An Indian Muslim Sufi holy man self-flagellates with sharp objects
In this Saturday, May 11, 2013 photo, an Indian Muslim Sufi holy man self-flagellates himself with sharp objects during a procession at the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti during the Urs festival in Ajmer, India. Thousands of Sufi devotees from different parts of India travel to the shrine for the…
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South Asia
Pakistan elections: A positive step toward democracy
Editor’s note: Pakistan elections held on May 11 have paved the way for the first transition from an elected government to another. G. Shabbir Cheema, Senior Fellow at the East-West Center, explains their implications. This past weekend’s national election in Pakistan marked a landmark event in the country’s 66-year history.…
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East Asia
Dalai Lama speaks to US lawmakers praising democracy and compassion
Dalai Lama speaks to US lawmakers, praises democracy and compassion The Dalai Lama, speaking on the floor of the Wisconsin Assembly where lawmakers just two years ago hurled expletives at each other while angry protesters screamed insults, said on May 14 that the key to a happy…
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East Asia
LA Mayor Villaraigosa, Beijing Mayor Wang attend Sino-U.S. Mayors Summit
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, from left, Beijing Mayor Wang Anshun, China Association of Mayors, Secretary General, Chui Hengde, and Chinese Consul General Qiu Shaofang attend the seventh annual Sino-U.S. Mayors Summit in Los Angeles Tuesday, May 14, 2013. The United States Conference of Mayors (USCM), the Chinese Association of…
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East Asia
Shaven-headed little monks play soccer to celebrate Buddha’s birthday
Shaven-headed young boys play the Dongjasung (little monk) soccer match to celebrate Buddha’s upcoming birthday on May 17 at Jogye temple in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, May 14, 2013. The children entered the temple to have an experience of monks’ life for two weeks, called Little Buddha Camp. A shaven-headed…
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South East Asia
A third of Vietnam’s 90 million people use ubiquitous online services
Three young Vietnamese girls use a laptop and smart phones to go online at a cafe in Ha Noi, Viet Nam Wednesday, May 14, 2013. Close to a third of Vietnam’s 90 million people are online and men and women browsing phones and tablets are ubiquitous in the cafes of…
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South East Asia
Clans, corrupt celebrities dominate Philippines’ midterm elections
Filipino clans, celebrities dominate midterm polls From Imelda Marcos to Manny Pacquiao, familiar names of political clans and celebrities dominated the ballots in the Philippines’ congressional and local elections on May 13, making them a contest of popularity first and reform second. Despite scattered killings and fears of fraud,…
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