Asia

Chinese researchers at Tsinghua University have developed the world’s smallest and lightest wireless amphibious robot, capable of shape-shifting to adapt to different environments, Anadolu Agency reported. Measuring just 9 centimeters (3.5 inches) in length and weighing 25 grams (0.88 ounces),…

Hong Kong’s Muslim community has warmly welcomed the city’s first outdoor Halal Food Festival held in Tsim Sha Tsui, marking a significant step towards greater inclusivity and recognition, South China Morning Post reported. The event, co-organised by the M.E.L.T. Ethnic…

China held the world’s first humanoid robot race alongside human runners on Saturday, Anadolu Agency reported. The event featured nearly 20 robotic companies. The Chinese-made Tien Kung Ultra robot won the half-marathon, completing the 21-kilometer course in just under 2…

Vietnam is positioning itself as a key player in the global Halal market, projected to hit $12 trillion by 2030, leveraging its strengths in agriculture, food production, and tourism, SGGPO news agency reported. At an international conference in Hanoi, experts…

China announced plans to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into its education system, targeting curricula, textbooks, and teaching methods across primary, secondary, and higher education levels, Reuters reported. The initiative, outlined in a policy paper by the Ministry of Education on…

Almost 200 international hotels are operating or planned in China’s Xinjiang region amid government efforts to promote tourism despite ongoing human rights concerns, The Guardian reported. A report by the Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP) identified 115 active hotels and…

The decline, driven by aging demographics and a record-low fertility rate (1.2 children per woman in 2023), has prompted urgent policy measures. In June 2024, Japan passed legislation to boost birthrates, expanding child allowances and parental leave. Officials warn the…

Kyrgyzstan has implemented a ban on the full-body niqab, which covers women’s bodies and faces, following a decree from President Sadyr Japarov in January, WION reported. The ban has now received support from the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kyrgyzstan,…

Authorities have detained two teenagers under the Internal Security Act, one for planning to attack mosques and the other for wanting to join Daesh, Arab News reported. The 17-year-old male, who held far-right extremist views, intended to shoot mosques and…

Japan’s parliament, the Diet, has voted to make public high school education free for all students, reversing a previous decision that reinstated tuition fees in 2013 after their abolition in 2010, HRW reported. This new measure, included in the latest…