Asia

The 9th Asian Winter Games officially kicked off in Harbin, northeast China, on Friday under the theme “Dream of Winter, Love among Asia,” Anadolu Agency reported. Chinese President Xi Jinping inaugurated the event in Heilongjiang province, as reported by Xinhua…

Amnesty International has called on the Philippine government to stop misusing anti-terrorism laws against human rights advocates and NGOs, Jurist News reported. The organization highlighted a troubling trend of state-sponsored harassment targeting development workers and activists, particularly through “red-tagging,” which…

Malaysia’s recent government guidelines requiring non-Muslims to seek official approval before inviting Muslims to events at places of worship have been met with widespread criticism, South China Morning Post reported. The new rules mandate that non-Muslims obtain permission from Islamic…

Human Rights Watch reports China restricts Uyghurs’ freedom of movement, despite easing some travel bans, prompting concerns over human rights violations and international law breaches. China is violating Uyghurs’ right to freedom of movement by enforcing strict travel restrictions for…

Updated guidelines regulating Muslim participation in non-Muslim events, funerals, or houses of worship are set to be finalized by Malaysia’s National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs (MKI) by late February 2025, The Star reported. Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar…

In a significant move to uphold the rights of Muslims in the Philippines, Senator Mark Villar has introduced Senate Bill No. 2288, which mandates all public offices and institutions in the country to allocate prayer rooms for Muslims. The proposed…

The Malaysian government is exploring the development of a light rail transit (LRT) or tram-bus network in Johor Bahru to ease traffic congestion upon the completion of the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link, Dawn Newspaper reported. The federal…

Kyrgyzstan has officially banned the Islamic niqab, a garment that covers the body and face except for the eyes, effective February 1, Radio Free Europe reported. The new law imposes a fine of 20,000 som (approximately $230) on women wearing…

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has called for legislation aimed at minimizing the dangers and risks associated with artificial intelligence (AI), Anadolu Agency reported. Speaking to lawmakers, Ishiba emphasized the importance of AI in addressing Japan’s low productivity issues. He…

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on Kazakhstan to act on recommendations made during the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review, Jurist News reported. The review, which involved 103 state delegates, resulted in 294 recommendations addressing various human rights…