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Asia A Week in Pictures, September 19, 2010 | Journalist Profile

This week has seen a dramatic increase in violence and tension throughout much of the Asia region,and the pictures on the wire reflect this mood. It seems that actions by not only nations, armedgroups but individuals have all had a dramatic impact on the mood of the region. The weight of thenews feels almost claustrophobic as I try to keep on top of what is happening.

U.S. Army soldiers from Delta Company, a part of Task Force 1-66 carry a wounded 7-year-old Afghan boy, a victim of a road side explosion, at their base near the village of Gul Kalacheh, Arghandab River valley, Kandahar province, September 18, 2010. REUTERS/Oleg Popov

On the surface of it the parliament elections can only be good news for the people of Afghanistan,but 16 hours spent live blogging pictures with our team of 18 journalists, watching the minute byminute developments made me wonder about the timing of this election as different groupstried to impose their influence on the outcome through violence and fraud. Attacks by theTaliban killed 14 who were directly involved in the polling process. A radio commentator I waslistening to assured his listeners that this death toll was part of normal daily life in Afghanistan andshould not be seen to reflect election violence, I was not cheered by this. Oleg's picture aboveseems to bear this out; does it really matter what the motivation was behind the blast as theboy writhes in agony, his blood stained hands trembling and clawing at his bandaged head. If the election had not gone ahead would he still have been injured? Even Masood's picture belowof the election worker and the donkey struggling through the mountains seem to reflect theuphill battle the whole country has to face. Ink being washed off fingers so voters could vote and

vote again; fraudulent voting cards printed and who knows what amount of ballot box stuffing will

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take place before the final count is revealed late October; all of which seem to undermine thedemocratic process. Who wants to be ruled by leaders who have gained power through corruption -notably the only political point the Taliban make.

An Afghan man and a donkey transport ballot boxes to villages unreachable by vehicles in Panjshir

province, north of Kabul September 17, 2010. Afghanistan will hold parliamentary elections onSeptember 18. REUTERS/Ahmad Masood

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An Afghan girl stands in line with her mother to get food package on the outskirts of KabulSeptember 14, 2010. A hundred food packages were distributed to flood hit families by theInternational Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) led-Turkish troops on the outskirts of Kabul.REUTERS/Ahmad Masood

Mullah Tarakhel (Mohammadi), a Kuchi member of Parliament seeking re-election, addresses hissupporters during an election campaign inside a room on the outskirts of Kabul September 13, 2010.

Afghanistan will hold parliamentary elections on September 18. REUTERS/Fayaz Kabli

New female recruit of the Afghan National Police (ANP) aims her weapon during a training session

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in a police base south of Herat, western Afghanistan September 16, 2010. REUTERS/RahebHomavandi

In Pakistan millions continue to struggle with the flooding, while militant attacks are unabated. In a separate act of violence in London Imran Farooq, a founding member of the MQM party wasstabbed to death outside his home, an action that led to the complete shutdown of Karachi,Pakistan's commercial capital. The MQM announced ten days of mourning amid fears of a repeat of widespread violence last month that left 100 dead and hundreds wounded after MQM member RazaHaider, was gunned down at a funeral. Every Pakistan-related violent act seems to be a catalyst formore violent reaction. The pictures below shot by Morteza, Akhtar and Fayaz in different locationshint at the hopelessness the ordinary people of Pakistan are facing - the eye contact in theimages quite haunting.

A flood victim stands in a swamp as he waits to catch a fish in Mohib Banda near Charsadda,Pakistan's northwest Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province September 13, 2010. REUTERS/MortezaNikoubazl

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Five year old flood victim Aabdi, who suffers from eye infection, eats a meal outside her family tentwhile taking refuge in a relief camp for flood victim in Sukkur, in Pakistan's Sindh provinceSeptember 17, 2010. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro

A father places his hand on his 7-year-old son, Abrar, who is suffering from typhoid, while takingrefuge at a camp for flood victims in Nowshera, in Pakistan's northwest Khyber-PakhtunkhwaProvince September 15, 2010. The disaster has killed more than 1,750 people, and aid agencies havewarned that millions are at risk of death if emergency food and shelter are not quickly provided.REUTERS/Fayaz Aziz

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Two weeks before the opening of the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi gunmen opened fire on atourist bus near the Jama Masjid Mosque injuring two tourists in an apparent attempt to disruptplans for the games. In Kashmir police opened fire into a crowd of protestors who were defying acurfew, killing three. One could ask if these act are related?

A Kashmiri protester runs for cover during an anti-India protest in Srinagar September 14, 2010.

Hundreds of stone-throwing protesters battled police in Indian Kashmir on Tuesday, a day after oneof the worst single episodes of violence in two decades of separatist protests. Eighteen people werekilled, nearly all of them in police firing, on Monday during anti-India and Koran demonstrations inthe disputed region, increasing the pressure on the government to tackle the protests that havesimmered through the summer. REUTERS/Danish Ismail

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Women mourn during the funeral of a Kashmiri youth, Yasir Rafiq Sheikh, in Srinagar September 17,2010. Sheik, who was injured during an anti-India protest last month, succumbed to his injuries at aNew Delhi hospital, relatives said. REUTERS/Danish Ismail

An Indian policeman stops a woman during a curfew in Srinagar September 14, 2010. Indianauthorities deployed thousands more federal police across Kashmir to enforce a curfew on Tuesdayafter one of the worst single days of violence in two decades of separatist protests. Eighteen peoplewere killed, nearly all of them in police firing, during anti-India and Koran demonstrations in the

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disputed region, increasing the pressure on the government to tackle the protests that havesimmered through the summer. REUTERS/Danish Ismail

In a disturbing turn of events the relationship between Japan and China has taken a down turn. Japan refuses to release a captain of a Chinese fishing vessel after a clash in the disputed waterswith Japanese coast guard vessels. The Japanese may start drilling near a gas field in disputedwaters if China extends its drilling activities there the Nikkei business daily reported. Separately,the Japanese economy is under pressure after the government intervened in the value of the Yen.Business sentiment at Asia's top companies fell in Q3 as growing concerns about the globaleconomic outlook dented optimison. Pictures illustrating a downturn in the economy are tough todo but beautiufully mastered by Tokyo based Kim Kyung-Hoon and Korea based Yonghak Jo.

Yonghak also shot a terrific image of the 60th anniversary of the US led UN landing operationsduring the 1950-53 war.

People walk past an exchange booth in Tokyo September 16, 2010. Japanese Prime Ministersignalled that Japan was ready to keep intervening to curb gains in the yen, as a deterioration inmanufacturing confidence underscored the threat of a strong currency to the fragile economicrecovery. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

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An office worker carrying his bag walks up the steps of an underground passage in central SeoulSeptember 14, 2010. Business sentiment at Asia's top companies fell in the third quarter, markingthe first decline in six quarters, as growing concerns about the global economic outlook dentedoptimism.

Picture taken September 14, 2010. REUTERS/Jo Yong-Hak

South Korean Marine Corps' amphibious vehicles take part in a mock landing operation in the sea off Incheon, west of Seoul, September 15, 2010. The operation marked the 60th anniversary of the U.S.-led United Nations troops' Incheon Landing Operations during the 1950-1953 Korean War.

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REUTERS/Jo Yong-Hak

In additional to these man-made troubles nature has thrown in her hand to keep the tension high in Asia with typhoon Fanapi hitting Taiwan then heading to China and volcano Mount Semeruspewing smoke in Indonesia. From these looming disasters are two images that really stand out.

Indonesia's Mount Bromo volcano spew smoke next to Mount Semeru volcano (in the background) asseen from Penanjakan mountain outside Pasuruan, East Java province September 14, 2010.REUTERS/Beawiharta

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People walk along a flooded street as Typhoon Fanapi hits Kaohsiung City, southern TaiwanSeptember 19, 2010. A typhoon injured 45 people, cancelled flights and cut power to tens of thousands in Taiwan on Sunday, keeping officials on high alert to stop any repeat of a deadly stormlast year that damaged the president's reputation. Typhoon Fanapi, Taiwan's most severe storm sofar in 2010, brought 162 kph (101 mph) maximum wind gusts that caused injuries by topplingscooters, breaking glass and blowing down signs, the National Fire Agency disaster response centresaid. REUTERS/Stringer

In addition to this rather gloomy report are pictures that also caught my eye; some bizarre, somebeautiful and one that demands you read the caption to find out just what is going on, I will let youdecide which is which.

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Participants compete in the traditional game "Snatching the Lamb", also known as Diaoyang inChinese, during the seventh Xinjiang Ethnic Minorities Traditional Games in Hami, Xinjiang Uighur

Autonomous Region September 15, 2010. Snatching the Lamb, which is a popular game among theKazaks, requires five to eight horsemen riding their horses and trying to grab a headless lambcarcass with one hand. The winning team is the first to bring the lamb to a designated place.REUTERS/Stringer

A woman prays with joss sticks as she joins thousands others at the Siriraj hospital praying every

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day for the health of Thailand's 82-year-old revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej in Bangkok September18, 2010. As the world's longest-serving monarch marks a year in hospital on Sunday, Thailand faceshard questions over the future of its most powerful institution and whether it can sustain itstraditional role as pillar of stability in times of upheaval. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj

Naked boat trackers pull a vessel along the Shennong Brook for a photo opportunity in Badongcounty, Hubei province September 12, 2010. The photo opportunity, organized by a localphotographing club, was a re-enactment of the boat trackers' working scenes which has faded sincethe 1980s, local media reported. Boat tracking formed a popular profession in the early 20thcentury, but the development and modernization of transportation infrastructure gradually endedthe need for such a job. The physically-intensive nature of boat tracking compelled labourers inthis region to remain naked and the practice has since become tradition. Picture taken September12, 2010. REUTERS/Stringer

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A man performs Mallakhamb (gymnast's pole) during a practice session at a playground in MumbaiSeptember 13, 2010. Mallakhamb is a combination of traditional Indian gymnastics and martial artsand it can be traced back to the 12th century. For centuries, the sport has been dormant but is nowregaining popularity in the country. This old sport helps one to be more agile, improves mind andbody coordination as well as overall fitness. The group will perform during the opening and closingceremonies at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, according to their coach. Picture takenSeptember 13, 2010. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui

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A performer takes part in a show "The House of Dancing Water" at the City of Dreams resort inMacau September 15, 2010. The HK$2 billion ($256 million) water-based show, created and directedby Franco Dragone, is inspired by the "seven emotions" principle derived from classical Confucianbeliefs in Chinese culture. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu