An illegal act, which would undermine relations with Japan, has been pushed through in South Korea in the midst of that country’s political turmoil. This is a grave situation.
Category: Asia
Gunmen kill eight Hazara miners in Afghanistan
Unidentified gunmen killed eight members of Afghanistan’s Hazara minority who were working as miners in the northern province of Baghlan, a local government official said. Faiz Mohammad Amiri, governor of Taleh va Barfak district, said the eight dead and three other wounded, who all came from Daykundi province in central Afghanistan, had been pulled out of a vehicle and shot on Friday.
BNP announces demonstrations across Bangladesh on Sunday
Dhaka [Bangladesh], Jan. 7 : Bangladesh Nationalist Party has announced for a countrywide agitation on Sunday to mark the third anniversary of the January 5 election which it calls as Democracy Killing Day. [NK World] The party said that they are also protesting for not being allowed to hold a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka.
S. Korean critical after self-immolating over sex slave deal
A South Korean Buddhist monk is in critical condition after setting himself on fire to protest the country’s settlement with Japan on compensation for wartime sex slaves, officials said Sunday. The 64-year-old monk suffered third-degree burns across his body and serious damage to vital organs.
World briefs: False report triggers recoil in Germany
It was every God-fearing Christian’s worst nightmare about Muslim refugees. “Revealed,” the Breitbart News headline screamed, “1,000-Man Mob Attack Police, Set Germany’s Oldest Church Alight on New Year’s Eve.”
Flaws of demonetisation: Lessons from India’s journey
A wise man learns by the mistakes of others,” goes the old saying. Many countries may go for demonetisation in the near future after looking at the success of India in curbing counterfeit and so-called black money.
Queen bees: The honey co-ops giving Afghan women control
In the mountainous central province of Bamiyan, one of the country’s least developed but most liberal regions, beekeeping complements its only other commercial crop, potatoes, and gives rural women the chance to become entrepreneurs. Four beekeeping cooperatives have been set up here in recent years, backed by NGOs and foreign aid.
The year Asia’s power balance shifted
Even as many yearn for the days when America’s influence kept geopolitics stable in the region, this may go down in history as the year when Asia no longer stood to attention when a US president cleared his throat. In the 1942 Hollywood classic Casablanca, Major Strasser of the Third Reich tells the French police prefect that his impression of saloon keeper Rick Blaine, the principal protagonist, is that he is just another blundering American.
PTSD suspected in murders
Lionel Desmond was part of the 2nd battalion, of the Royal Canadian Regiment, based at CFB Gagetown and shown in this 2007 handout photo taken in Panjwai district in between patrol base Wilson and Masum Ghar in Afghanistan. A clearer picture is emerging of Desmond, the former soldier involved in an apparent murder-suicide in Nova Scotia, with his own words on social media revealing a man struggling with PTSD who was trying to get his life back.THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Facebook-Trev Bungay A clearer picture is emerging of the former soldier involved in an apparent murder-suicide in Nova Scotia, with his own words on social media revealing a man struggling with PTSD who was trying to get his life back.
JNU Chairs for four languages
New Delhi, Jan. 5: Jawaharlal Nehru University is set to introduce Chairs in four Indian languages to carry out research on comparative literature reflecting the social milieu. The Centre of Indian Languages under the School of Language Literature and Culture Studies of JNU will set up Chairs on Odia, Malayalam, Punjabi and Telugu.
SA on track to victory
South Africa need six more wickets with two days still to play to win the second Test against Sri Lanka, who closed the third day at Newlands on Wednesday on 130 for four, still 377 runs behind the mammoth target set them. Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada both took two wickets in the Sri Lankan second innings as the home team closed in on victory and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
New Delhi: 239 Train Accidents in Last 12 Years: Why is Derailment Happening so Often?
A month and a half after more than 140 passengers died in a train mishap near Kanpur, the Ajmer-Sealdah Express derailed in the same district on Wednesday morning, causing injuries to over 60 passengers. From 2003 to 2015, 239 accidents have happened on the network of the Indian Railways and 208 of these — or 80% of all accidents — have happened because of derailments, says the parliamentary standing committee report presented last month.
Osama bin Laden’s son designated as a terrorist by State Department
The State Department announced today that Osama bin Laden’s son, Hamza, has been added to the US government’s list of designated terrorists. State cites Hamza’s appearances in al Qaeda’s propaganda since Aug. 2015 as evidence of his important role.
Gov’t to develop concept of digital education
A concept of digital education will be developed in Azerbaijan under the Strategic Road Map for the development of information and communication technologies In order to apply the system “Electronic school” in all schools of Azerbaijan, relevant government agencies will consider the possibility to establish a plan of activities, coordination of these activities from a single center and creation of a single database. Under the document, for the development of digital education, courses, used at all levels of education, will be improved on the basis of high-quality electronic products and related methods .
Transport and logistics at a turning point
The future holds more and more goods to be transported, and upgrading its logistics and transport infrastructure Azerbaijan seeks to take advantage of this. The expansion of regional transport routes also increases the country’s attractiveness for investors in terms of ease of delivery processes.
Civic Music brings Russians back to town
Burlington Civic Music introduces singers from around the world to southeast Iowa each year, and on Saturday they’ll present the Russian National Ballet Theatre for the second time. Burlington Civic Music introduces singers from around the world to southeast Iowa each year, and on Saturday they’ll present the Russian National Ballet Theatre for the second time.
Heaven in the Himalayas: Nepal’s top 5 responsible boutique hotels
It’s been nearly two years since one of Nepal’s major fault lines sparked the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that claimed at least 8,000 lives and many of the Himalayan nation’s historic monuments. Online hotel reviews in Nepal are plagued by complaints of disruption by rebuilding work.
Non-OPEC Voluntary Cuts Unraveling Before They Even Start
With much fanfare, OPEC held a press conference on December 10th at its headquarters in Vienna to announce that an agreement had been made with various non-OPEC producers: Azerbaijan, Kingdom of Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Equatorial Guinea, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Sultanate of Oman, the Russian Federation, Republic of Sudan, and Republic of South Sudan commit to reduce their respective oil production, voluntarily or through managed decline, in accordance with an accelerated schedule. The combined reduction target was agreed at 558,000 barrels a day for the aforementioned producers.”
Heavy Smog Chokes a Third of China’s Cities at Start of New Year
Heavy smog has blanketed a third of China’s cities, including its capital Beijing, with 62 issuing health alerts since Jan. 1, officials said. The hazardous air has forced hundreds of flight cancellations or delays and is forecast to linger into the weekend in some areas.
Turkey detains 5 IS suspects linked to nightclub attack
A man with a Turkish flag walks past a Turkish police officer guarding the scene, during a memorial outside the Reina club following the New Year’s day attack, in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack killing 39 people saying a “soldier of the caliphate” had carried out the mass shooting to avenge Turkish military operations against IS in northern Syria.
Bollywood producer Abis Rizvi’s mortal remains brought back to Mumbai
Bandra wears a sombre look as film producer’s body arrives from Istabul at his Meena Mahal residence early on Wednesday morning. Rizvi’s father was there at the gate to receive it An eerie silence took over the otherwise chirpy 7th Road near Bandra’s Andrew College, where around 7.45 am, film producer Abis Rizvi’s body was brought home, Meena Mahal, from the airport.
113 mutilated bodies found dumped across Balochistan in 2016: BHRO
Karachi [Pakistan], Jan. 4 : Baloch Human Rights Organisation chairperson Bibi Gul Baloch has claimed that at least 113 mutilated bodies were found dumped across Balochistan last year. Revealing details of the annual report compiled by the BHRO at a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday, Gul Baloch said that during 2016 scores of military operations were carried out in the province’s insurgency-hit south-western parts and that 32 people had gone missing after being “arrested by the law enforcement agencies”.
Chinese renewable power giant builds global empire
In this Nov. 7, 2008 photo, people stand near electric pylons watching flow of water is discharged through the Three Gorges Dam in Yichang in central China’s Hubei province. Three Gorges Group is spending heavily to buy or build hydro, wind and solar projects at a time when Western utility investors are pulling back and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to revive coal use has raised doubt about U.S. support for renewables.
Istanbul attack: Mortal remains of Abis Rizvi, Khushi Shah reach India from Turkey
Mumbai: Bodies of film producer-realtor Abis Rizvi and fashion designer Khushi Shah, who were among 39 people killed in the Istanbul terror attack, arrived here early today. “The Turkish Airlines plane carrying the bodies landed at Mumbai airport shortly after 5 AM,” BJP MP Kirit Somaiya, who received the bodies at the airport, told PTI.
Cane shortage brings down sugar rush
Sugar mills have been able to produce higher volume of the sweetener in the first quarter of the season due to better yield of sugarcane in Uttar Pradesh, but the euphoria of beating a lower output estimate may soon be over with factories in Maharashtra closing down one after another, earlier than the regular schedule. As much as 25 mills in the top sugar-producing state of Maharashtra have closed factories due to a severe shortage of sugarcane.
Pentagon: The US can protect its allies from North Korean nukes
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un provides field guidance at the newly built National Space Development General Satellite Control and Command Centre in this undated photo released by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency in Pyongyang May 3, 2015. The US Defense Department, reacting to North Korea’s statement that it plans to test an intercontinental ballistic missile, said on Tuesday it was confident in its ability to protect U.S. allies and the U.S. homeland from threats from Pyongyang.
China Needs U.S. More Than U.S. Needs China
I received several questions concerning the subject matter of my last column , wherein I introduced the Triffin Dilemma, so I’m going to expand on those issues here. Because of the rhetoric being used by Donald Trump and his economic team concerning the need to renegotiate new trade agreements and threatening domestic companies with penalties for taking advantage of existing agreements , it is important to understand the logic for doing so and the issues that may arise as a result.
North Korea first ladiy Ri Sol Ju not as powerful as Kim Jong Un’s sister
North Korea ‘s first lady is known for her lavish lifestyle and her appearances alongside her husband Kim Jong Un . But according to Thae Yong Ho, the senior North Korean diplomat who fled Pyongyang’s embassy in London, Ri Sol Ju’s status as a “commoner” in North Korea’s classification system means she is not quite in a position to hold influence over Kim’s important decisions, South Korean news network MBN reported Tuesday.
SKorean president refuses to testify in impeachment trial
A lawyer for South Korean President Park Geun-hye prays before the first hearing arguments for Park’s impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Jan 3, 2017. less A lawyer for South Korean President Park Geun-hye prays before the first hearing arguments for Park’s impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Jan 3, 2017.
Heavy smog blankets part of China as locals still dance the Viennese Waltz in Fuyang
Nothing can stop them! Heavy smog blankets part of China but it doesn’t stop the locals from donning face masks and dancing the Viennese Waltz Heavy smog blanketing northern and central China could not deter the spirits of a number of locals who took to the streets to dance. Dozens of flights and highways were closed on Monday but people in Fuyang, in the Anhui province, braved the shocking pollution, donning masks to perform their best Viennese Waltz.
Not lovin’ it! Cardinal voices outrage after a McDonald’s store…
Mayhem at airports as immigration system inexplicably crashes – causing huge lines and hours of disruption on one of the busiest travel days of the year, but officials dismiss suggestion of hacking Four young siblings are killed and a further six relatives are hospitalized by poisonous gas from MOUSE PESTICIDE sprayed under their home Don’t drop your life for your partner, avoid talking about your ex and NEVER become clingy: The six things you shouldn’t do if you want your relationship to last the distance United Airlines employee is found trapped in a plane’s baggage hold after a flight from North Carolina to Virginia So what DID happen the night George Michael died? Tweets about suicide. Rumors of drug abuse.
Hessle firm Agencia hopeful of first Chinese contract after trade mission
An East Yorkshire-based company is looking to build on two years of developing links with the world’s second largest economy. Change management business Agencia is confident of securing its first contract in China after attending a major healthcare trade mission, headed by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
Is Beijing concealing Pakistan-linked terror in Xinjiang1 hour ago
Hong Kong, Jan.3 : In the last six months of 2016, state-owned media in China has reported two terrorist incidents in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region , the most recent of which occurred in the province’s Karakax County, resulting in the death of one person. Both of these terror-related incidents took place this year on September 10 and December 28 respectively.
Trump on North Korea ICBM: ‘It won’t happen!’
“North Korea just stated that it is in the final stages of developing a nuclear weapon capable of reaching parts of the US,” Trump tweeted. “It won’t happen!” Kim Jong-Un announced on Sunday that North Korea is in “final stages” of developing an intercontinental ballistic missile .
Right-wing militia trains Russians to fight the next war – with or without Putin
In a half-lit basement on a side street in St. Petersburg, 18 men holding reproduction Makarov pistols were fumbling through an exercise, racking the slides, taking aim and firing. Click, click, click, click, click.
Taliban ramp up attacks in southwestern Afghanistan as NATO casualties hit a low
The Taliban have continued their assault on Afghanistan’s southwestern Helmand province with fresh attacks in two key districts, Afghan security forces said, as NATO announced that its forces last year suffered the fewest casualties since the U.S. invasion in 2001. The latest round of fighting began Dec. 31 in Sangin and Marjah districts, a provincial spokesman said.
Eye on the dragon: Agni-IV clears final test
India successfully test-fired the Agni IV intercontinental ballistic missile today. Here’s all you need to know about the deadly long-range weapon which promises to give a massive boost to India’s military might.
Air Marshal Anil Khosla takes over as AOC-IN-C Eastern Air Command, IAF
Kolkata, Jan 1 : Air Marshal Anil Khosla AVSM VM took over as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Air Command on Jan 1,2017, officials said. The Air Marshal is an alumni of the National Defence Academy, was commissioned in the fighter stream of Indian Air Force in Dec 79. Air officer has to his credit over 4000 hours of accident free flying mainly on different variants of Jaguar, Mig-21 and Kiran aircraft.
Reality Bites
This is a bigger deal than it may look. The past 25 years of world politics have rested on a series of polite fictions, agreed-upon conventions and hypocritical pretenses: That we had a policy to end the North Korean nuclear drive ; That Europe was becoming a great posthistorical power based on the mighty engine of the euro; That the two-state solution was just a settlement freeze away; That international institutions and civil society were replacing national governments at the center of world politics; That immigration was a no-brainer; That the progress toward free trade was inexorable; That democracy was irresistibly on the march; and so on.
PM opens Dhaka trade fair
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina poses with the recipients of the National Export Trophy for fiscal 2013-14, at the inaugural ceremony of Dhaka International Trade Fair 2017, at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka yesterday. Photo: BSS Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday inaugurated the Dhaka International Trade Fair, announcing leather as the “product of the year” for 2017.