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East Asia
TPP free trade talks make strides forward as sensitive issues still remain
Japan, as one of the 12 countries involved in the U.S.-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade talks, wrapped up the 19th round of talks in Brunei on Friday, while advances seemingly have been made on mutually- acceptable trade packages between the members, some pertinent issues still remain. Last month marked…
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Politics
UN Chief Ban Ki-moon expresses deep concerns over Israeli settlement plans
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday expressed deep concerns about Israel’s new settlement plans. The plan fuels the Palestinian people’s “mistrust of the seriousness of the Israeli side toward achieving peace,” Ban said at a press conference with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Ban…
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Georgia reaffirms peace commitment on 5th anniv. of Russia-Georgia War
In this season of numerous Independence Day anniversaries, Georgia is reminded of the Russia-Georgia August 2008 War, which broke out 5 years ago on August 7. On this day, Russia invaded Georgia with a large-scale military operation and has since been occupying Georgia’s South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions, which makes…
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South East Asia
Vietnam-New Zealand vow to strenghten all-sided cooperation in economy
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung met here on Tuesday with visiting New Zealand’s Governor- General Jerry Mateparae, saying the latter’s visit is an important contribution to lifting bilateral ties to a new level. Vietnam attaches importance to further promoting all-sided cooperation with New Zealand, especially in economy, trade and…
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Politics
Defying US, Russia grants whistleblower Snowden temporary asylum
Defying the United States, Russia granted Edward Snowden temporary asylum on Thursday, allowing the National Security Agency leaker to slip out of the Moscow airport where he has been holed up for weeks in hopes of evading espionage charges back home. The 30-year-old former NSA contractor now has plenty of…
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South Asia
Pakistani PM Sharif asks US Secretary of State Kerry to stop drone strikes
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (R) meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan. Pakistan on Thursday asked the visiting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to stop drone strikes in the country’s tribal regions. ISLAMABAD, Aug. 1, 2013 <Xinhua/NEWSis> Secretary of…
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West Asia
UN experts to investigate three alleged chemical weapons attacks in Syria
U.N. experts will travel to Syria as soon as possible to investigate three alleged incidents of chemical weapons attacks, the United Nations announced Wednesday. U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said the green light for the investigation followed “the understanding reached with the government of Syria” during last week’s visit to Damascus…
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West Asia
Israel-Palestine negotiators shake hands as peace talks resume in Washington
Why does it matter? Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would remove a major source of instability in the Middle East, reduce the risk of war there and improve U.S. ties with the Arab and Muslim world. A peace deal, to be endorsed by 57 Muslim and Arab nations, would end Israel’s…
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Politics
Obama-Hillary’s private dine at White House sparks 2016 presidential race
President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton shared a meal Monday. While only that much is known for sure, the political speculation machine nevertheless went into overdrive, highlighting how closely both are being watched for signs of their intentions in the 2016 presidential race. For Clinton,…
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West Asia
Israel-Palestine resume peace talks in Washington on July 29, US says
The Israelis and the Palestinians are set to resume their peace talks in Washington D.C. on Monday, the U.S. State Department said on Sunday. Secretary of State John Kerry extended his invitation to both sides in his phone talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas,…
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