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West Asia
Shirin Ebadi: 71 years as an activist
She lives in the hearts of the oppressed and in the minds of millions who are her admirers— she is Shirin Ebadi. People refer to her as the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Iranian lawyer, human rights activist, and former lawyer. Just as the various titles suggest, she is a…
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East Asia
Obscure and Unknown Asia
Ever think you’ve known all there is to know about a country? Well, think twice, because you will find on the following pages religious, spiritual, and cultural practices in Asia that, for the most part, have not been well-known around the world. These rituals take diverse shape—speaking for the lives…
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West Asia
[Book Review] Words and Tea
Until We Are Free Shirin Ebadi, Random House, 2016 “I have lost more than I ever thought possible, but I nevertheless thank God that even from exile I can still work to build my country.” Shirin Ebadi was only ever interested in human rights. It was her delight to sit…
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Central Asia
In their secret Kurdish Enclave; Are the PKK a Terrorist Group?
Spread across the borders of countries such as Iran, Iraq, and Turkey, the Kurds are a largely nomadic people numbering over 30 million in population. Approximately 4,000 years ago, they were an indigenous group living in the highlands of Kurdistan (part of the Ottoman Empire)—present day south-eastern Turkey and…
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South Asia
War-zone Correspondent Lee Sin-seok: “Reaching the World’s Most Disadvantaged”
Peace was at the heart of World War II reconciliation, but countless regions across the world, particularly Asia, remain war-torn and devastated by ongoing conflict. For 15 years, war-zone correspondent Lee Sin-seok has traveled far and wide to reach refugees—those who have experienced the worst of such wars—to share…
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East Asia
Dubai vs Gwadar: The New World Economy War
Major industrial infrastructure investments launched by the UAE government are expected to push expenditure. According to a report published by the Dubai-based Arabic Language Al-Bayan newspaper, the Dubai economy will remain the least vulnerable to future economic crises due to current investments made in the build-up to Expo 2020.…
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South Asia
Pakistan – Where People Consume Poisonous Water
It was a frosty and misty Sunday morning of December 2017 when I noticed several people of varying ages riding bikes and three-wheeler Chinese rickshaws, locally called “Chingchi”, loaded with empty plastic cans. They all headed to a British-era canal flowing north to south in the east of town. “They…
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West Asia
Arabian Tales
Generations in India have grown listening to the “The Arabian Tales” (“One Thousand and One Nights”). The story of Aladdin, Sindbad, and of course, the story of Alibaba and the Forty Thieves; all of them carried a universal appeal. Each fable read aloud to young children before bedtime always…
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Central Asia
The Diplomat’s Wife who stole Middle Eastern Treasures
Egyptian researcher of Egypt’s Heritage Taskforce Monica Hanna has uncovered the worst case of illegal pirating by Australian citizen Joan Howard, wife of Keith Howard who served as the Australian diplomat for the United Nations in 1967. In her open letter to H.E. Neil Hawkins (Ambassador of Australia to Egypt)…
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West Asia
“The Translator”, new novel written by Egyptian novelist and poet Ashraf Aboul-Yazid
Al-Turjoman, “The Translator” is a new novel written by Egyptian novelist and poet Ashraf Aboul-Yazid. The novel published in Cairo, narrates the lives of the expatriates in a Gulf country. Its character; Egyptians, Syrians, Indians, Filipinos, Kuwaitis and others, are witnessing the collapse of great ideas and the rise of…
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