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South East Asia
Malaysia declares emergency state for haze caused by Indonesia’s forest fire
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono apologized Monday to Singapore and Malaysia for record-setting pollution caused by forest fires in his country. “For what is happening, as the president, I apologize to our brothers in Singapore and Malaysia,” Yudhoyono said. He asked for their understanding and said Indonesia is working hard…
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South East Asia
More than 1000 dead in monsoon flooding in northern India
An Indian man crosses over a swollen river with the help of a rope in Govindghat, India, Sunday, June 23, 2013. Bad weather hampered efforts Sunday to evacuate thousands of people stranded in the northern India state of Uttarakhand, where at least 1,000 people have died in monsoon flooding and…
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East Asia
‘Super moon’ rises over Singapore’s Bay Garden clearing from haze
A full moon sets behind a building of the Forbidden City in Beijing, capital of China, June 23, 2013. The moon looks 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than usual on Sunday. The scientific term for the phenomenon is “perigee moon”, but it is also known as a “super…
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South East Asia
Thai demonstrators hold masks to protest against gov’t corruption
Anti-government demonstrators hold a mask during a rally Sunday, June 23, 2013 in Bangkok, Thailand. A few thousands of demonstrators took part in the rally to show their resistance against the government accused of ravishingly spending the tax money just to win popularity. <AP Photo/NEWSis/Sakchai Lalit> Anti-government demonstrators march through…
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South East Asia
Indonesia’s forest fire brings smoky haze in neighboring Singapore
A woman wears a mask as the Singapore Central Business District is covered with haze Thursday evening, June 20, 2013. Singapore urged people to remain indoors amid unprecedented levels of air pollution Thursday as a smoky haze wrought by forest fires in neighboring Indonesia worsened dramatically. <AP Photo/NEWSis/Joseph Nair> Cars…
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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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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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South East Asia
98,000 Filipinos displaced by flash floods
Local rescue units participate in a flood drill in Quezon City, the Philippines, June 18, 2013. Flash floods brought about by tropical depression displaced nearly 98,000 people in Mindanao, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Tuesday. <Xinhua/NEWSis/Rouelle Umali>
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South East Asia
Floods wreaks havoc in western Nepal and northern India
Kathmandu- Incessant monsoon rains have wreaked havoc in western Nepal. Dozens of people were killed in the floods and mudslides triggered by the heavy rain. About 60 houses, including 11 government offices and a hospital of Darchula district headquarters were swept away by the swollen Mahakali river that flows down…
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