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East Asia
How to internationalize the Kaesong Industrial Complex
[Editor’s note] The Kaesong Industrial Complex was shuttered in April this year when North Korea pulled out its workers as inter-Korean tensions escalated, but its role as a zone of engagement between North and South Korea catapulted into the headlines recently when Seoul and Pyongyang agreed to reopen the complex.…
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East Asia
When the nightmare of N. Korea’s diplomacy began
Everybody knows: North Korea is a difficult country to deal with. It is difficult for its adversaries, but it might be even more difficult for its allies. Perhaps, nobody knew it better than the Soviets who had their fair share of troubles with Pyongyang in the 1960s and 1970s. An…
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East Asia
‘Uncrowned king’ throws book back at China’s judicial system
He might be hailed an “uncrowned king” in media circles but the Chinese authorities had him by their book. Hong Kong correspondent Ching Cheong, whose perspectives are greatly influenced by the Chinese traditional portrayal of a journalist, found himself labeled a spy by the Communist government in Beijing. He was…
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East Asia
[Asia Round-up] 2,290 Chinese officials disciplined for excessive extravagance
Editor’s note: Followings are summaries of editorials from major Asian media on current issues. 2,290 Chinese officials disciplined for excessive extravagance [China, China Daily, 31-07-2013] More than 2,000 Party and government officials have been punished as of late June for violating new Party rules on extravagance and excessive formality according…
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West Asia
The Feminine ‘N’, the River of Art
My new book entitled “The Feminine (N), the River of Art” was published in Cairo a few days ago. In Arabic language the letter (N), or (Noon) as it is pronounced, and (ن ) as its written is considered to be a symbol of women, in the Arabic culture. In…
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South Asia
Flood water causes mass mortality of fish at Karachi Harbour
The torrential rain on August 03 last has caused not only misery for the citizens of Karachi, the biggest city of Pakistan and capital of Southern Sindh province, but also affected marine life, as the rain water flowing through Industrial Estate laden with toxic chemicals when entered Karachi Harbour resulted…
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East Asia
N. Korea’s ‘organizational life’ in decline
Communist societies loved to educate their subjects. Initially, this penchant for education began with a rather noble aim in mind. Communism itself was the child of the European Enlightenment and therefore early communist ideologues believed that the common people should be immersed in great and uplifting moral thought, as well…
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[Asia Round-up] Democracy is more than the ballot box
Editor’s note: Followings are summaries of editorials from major Asian media on current issues. Democracy is more than the ballot box [UAE, Gulf News, 28-07-2013] Morsi and his supporters are still clinging to the “legitimacy of the ballot boxes” while his opponents argue that democracy is a concept far more than…
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South Asia
Bangladeshi hill region turns into ‘death valley’: Tribesmen accuse Santu Larma
Bangladesh’s much talked about Chittagong Hill Tract peace treaty signed in 1997 between the then government of Sheikh Hasina and Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS) led by Santu Larma have been failing to bring peace in the hills. Apart from the conflict between the Hillmen and the settler Bengali…
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South Asia
Tracing history of Buddhism in Sindh
I had always found myself very close to Buddhism. May be it was because we Sindhis (natives of Sindh, the land of great Indus civilization, now a province of Pakistan) are by nature Sufis (Mysticism) believing in inter-faith harmony, brotherhood, non-violence and wishing best for progress and prosperity of the…
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