Asia

Iraq’s sham elections

Story Summary At the last elections, in 2010, it was clear that what the people of Iraq wanted did not really matter, and that with Iran’s backing, Nouri al-Maliki was sure to be re-elected. Having endured so much over the last 11 years, with hundreds of thousands dead and a […]

US, PH reach new defense deal

ABS.CBN news — MANILA — The signing of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation (EDC) between the United States and the Philippines has been scheduled on Monday morning, ahead of the arrival of US President Barack Obama. Prime Berunia, information officer of the Department of National Defense, said the agreement will be […]

Reign of radicalism in Pakistan

Daily Times: The recent discourse regarding terrorism and terrorists has taken a turn from combatant to non-combatant stakeholders and it has left the citizens of Pakistan bewildered about whether they are the democratic citizens of Pakistan or the denizens of an alien land In recent times, a lot has been […]

Indonesian Ahmadis defy prayer ban call

Source: ucanews.com Muslim council demands sect adheres to mainstream teachings. Followers of a minority Muslim sect in Indonesia are continuing daily prayers in their West Java mosque despite a call for a ban from the district’s Indonesian Ulema Council. Syaiful Uyun, an Ahmadiya cleric at the mosque, told ucanews.com that daily […]

Hotel of Death

Source: CNN Varanasi, India A10-hour journey on Indian roads can be difficult and this one, fueled by faith, was more so. Dinesh Chandra Mishra packed moth-eaten woolen blankets for the trip along with muslin and cotton quilts that had once been crisp and white. He also brought a single-burner kerosene […]

Israel shows Zionism’s true colors

STORY SUMMARY by Rami G. Khouri This week, the Israeli Transportation Ministry announced that it would establish designated bus routes for Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, allowing Jewish Israelis to travel on buses without Palestinians. The creation of bus routes for Palestinians alongside other routes that Jewish Israelis and […]

Israel’s Sustainable Success

Source: NY Times: LONDON — Hearing an Indian official talk the other day about Delhi’s booming arms trade and ever-closer relationship with Israel, I had a thought that also struck me while listening to Israeli businessmen in Beijing. The idea may be summed up in three words: It is sustainable. […]

Tragedy brings Korea to a standstill

Source: Korea Herald Government offices remained closed on Friday except to conduct search operations and support the Sewol victims and their families.Private companies have also temporary held off or scaled down both internal and external events as the country mourns the latest tragedy, which has brought Korea to a standstill.As […]