 an accounting, drawn from the Asia Society staff, of the 10 events that most shaped the continent in 2015 — in (more or less) chronological order. Beneath each item, you'll find links to related Asia Society posts and events.
Perhaps no single individual played a larger role in his country’s history than Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew, who died in March at the age of 91. Upon Singapore's independence in 1965, the urbane, cosmopolitan Lee transformed an impoverished country lacking in natural resources into a wealthy state that became one of Asia’s great centers for trade and commerce. Lee’s model of authoritarian capitalism — he openly dismissed the importance of individual rights — earned him much criticism in the West. But Singapore's influence, particularly in post-Mao China, belied its modest size.
On April 25, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck a low-lying valley in Nepal, where much of the country's population lives. The results were devastating: over 9,000 dead and 23,000 injured in and around the capital, Kathmandu, and severe damage to numerous UNESCO World Heritage sites. The tremor also triggered an avalanche at Mount Everest that killed 19, marking the deadliest day on the mountain’s history. The destruction — and the first, tentative steps of recovery — underscored the infrastructure needs of one of Asia’s poorest countries.
In June, the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany persuaded Iran to suspend its capacity to make a nuclear weapon in exchange for sanctions relief. The deal didn’t wash away the enmity between Tehran and the West — if anything, fiery rhetoric only increased in the ensuing months. But it did secure a political victory for Iran’s moderate leader Hassan Rouhani — and offered ordinary Iranians a chance to participate more fully in the global economy.
For six months, China’s two main stock exchanges — Shenzhen and Shanghai — enjoyed a remarkable bull run, as the country’s burgeoning middle class invested in equities in unprecedented numbers. But over a four-week period this summer, the party came to a halt: Chinese companies lost $3.9 trillion in value, causing some analysts to fret that the world’s second-largest economy was on shaky footing. The government scrambled to contain the crisis, and by the end of the year China’s stock markets posted respectable year-on-year returns. The rollercoaster, however, raised the question of whether the country can achieve its goal of fostering an economy less reliant on government intervention.
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In August, the Islamic State seized the Syrian city of Palmyra, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and began the systematic destruction and looting of its ancient artifacts. Despite ISIS's nihilistic rhetoric, a central motivation behind their attack was money — the illicit sale of antiquities is the second-most lucrative revenue stream for terror group after ransom money extracted in kidnappings. Palmyra's seizure elicited international outrage from political, military, and artistic voices concerned about terrorist threats to culture — but finding a solution to the problem in the midst of a deadly civil war will remain a challenge into 2016 and beyond.
In 2015, more than a million Syrians fleeing the country’s civil war completed a perilous journey to Europe, prompting a continent-wide debate over how many should be allowed to settle there. In September, German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced that her country would welcome up to 800,000 Syrians; her Hungarian counterpart, meanwhile, hastily constructed a fence and warned the migrants to stay out. In the United States, Barack Obama’s proposal to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees triggered intense domestic controversy and became a central issue in the country's upcoming presidential election. The United Nations Security Council finally approved a “road map” aiming to resolve Syria's war in December — but the refugee crisis is unlikely to abate in 2016.
After several years of negotiations, 12 countries adjacent to the Pacific Ocean agreed to the landmark Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal in early October. Supporters of the pact argue that it will reduce the cost of goods and services and lead to stricter environmental and labor standards. But the deal isn't free of controversy. Critics within the United States warned that TPP could have a pernicious effect on American workers, while geopolitical thinkers warned that China's exclusion could exacerbate Sino-American tensions. The scope of the deal, however, is undeniable — if implemented, TPP would set trade rules governing 40 percent of the world’s economy. The United States Congress is expected to vote on the pact's approval some time in 2016.
For the first time since an abortive 1990 election ushered in a quarter century of repressive rule, Burmese citizens took to the polls in November. The results were unambiguous: The National League of Democracy, a party led by the iconic Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, achieved a sweeping and historic victory. Euphoria aside, Myanmar’s many problems — including poverty, underdevelopment, and the persecution of the country’s Rohingya minority — will not disappear overnight. But Aung San Suu Kyi’s election offered the possibility of positive change in one of the world’s most stagnant countries.
A handshake may just be a handshake, but when President Xi Jinping of China greeted President Ma Yingjeo of Taiwan in December, it marked the first meeting of the two sides' top leaders since the Chinese Civil War erupted in 1945. Relations between the two have thawed somewhat in recent years, as economic and transportation links have expanded. But Taiwanese elections in January — in which the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party is currently expected to win — may complicate Cross-Strait relations in 2016.
Six years — and countless emissions — ago, international environmental talks held in Copenhagen ended in dismal failure. But in December, nearly 200 nations came together in Paris and pledged to lessen reliance on fossil fuels and prevent global temperatures from rising above 2 degrees Celsius. Many climate scientists have argued that the goals agreed to in Paris are "too little, too late" to prevent the catastrophic consequences of climate change. But the accord confirms that the world’s two largest emitters — the United States and China — could overcome past differences and agree on a matter of such international importance.
King Abdullah dies in Saudi Arabia; A proxy war intensifies in Yemen; Russia launches air strikes in Syria; China constructs artificial islands in disputed maritime territory; Narendra Modi's party loses key regional elections in India; and leaders of the two Koreas meet.
Acne is a chronic skin disease characterized by the formation of nodules, pustules and often associated with scarring. It happens when your oil producing glands becomes hyperactive making the skin suitable for infection (causing bacteria to thrive).
It also happens when your skin cells sheds too much that it clogs your pores. The main reason for most acne breakouts is due to hormonal imbalances especially in teenagers and pregnant women. There are measures and treatments available to manage acne breakouts. But the question is, what are you doing wrong?
If you have acne, not touching your face doesn’t sound too easy to do. Sometimes we even do it unknowingly. Constantly touching your face transfers germs from your fingers onto your face. This causes infection, leads to inflammation, and worsens your acne.
Staying hydrated has proven to improve appearance and tone of the skin. Drinking lots of water is a great way to get hydrated. You can also eat lots of fruits as it is a good source of water. Also drinking enough water flushes out toxins from your body keeping your skin healthy and free of acne.
Knowing that dirt causes acne, you might be tempted to wash your face more than you should.  Also when the skin is too dry, it over produces oil to compensate for the dryness. All these make acne worsen.
Stress may cause or worsen your acne. Some studies propose that stress strongly correlate with acne development. The stress hormone ( cortisol) influences inflammatory processes leading to stress related acnes.
 It has short term improvements but later worsens your acne with further complications. It pushes the pus deep into the skin making it more prone to inflammation.
Trying out different skin care product irritates the skin and worsen your acne even more. The PH of some products may be milder to some people whiles it may irritate others with more sensitive skins. Consult a dermatologist before trying any skin care products.
Exfoliating at least twice a week can help with your acne problems.  It is also very good way to keep your skin smooth and healthy.
Certain foods or not eating certain foods can gravely impact your skin. There is a connection between the development of acne and some associated foods. It is therefore important to know what foods you may be allergic to. If your acne is not going away, change your diet. Eat more fruits and vegetables.
Applying concealer and foundation to your face may be an easy way to hide your pimples. But, some of these products really mess with your acne. They are greasy and tend to clog skin pores; worsening acne effects.
5% of blood from your heart travels to the skin for nourishing purposes. When you exercise, blood flow to your skin improves and keeps your skin nourished. Exercising also reduces stress by down-regulating the release of stress hormones. Not exercising will only make your acne worse.
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From left: Sisters Ernestine Agnes "Tina" Cooke (b. 1939), Belen Cooke (b