Asia

Southeast Asia’s “Scam State” Economy: A Multibillion-Dollar Fraud Industry Uncovered ————————- A recent investigation by The Guardian has shed light on a sprawling network of online scam operations across Southeast Asia — dubbed a “scam state” — which now constitutes…

China Launches Nationwide High-Rise Fire Safety Inspections After HK Blaze …………. Chinese authorities announced on Saturday a nationwide inspection campaign aimed at strengthening fire-safety standards in high-rise buildings in the wake of a tragic fire in Hong Kong that killed…

Muslims in Uzbekistan pray for rain amid severe drought ——————————– Uzbek Muslims held mass prayers for rain Friday as the Central Asian country is experiencing severe droughts associated with climate change, France 24 reported. The prayers were held in 2,000…

Investigation Underway After Deadly Hong Kong Tower Fire ………….. Hong Kong is grieving following a high-rise fire that killed 83 people, including a firefighter and two Indonesian domestic workers, The Guardian reported. Another 79 victims are being treated in hospitals…

China: Train kills 11 railway workers ……….. A train crashed into a group of railway workers on Thursday, killing 11 and injuring two, Reuters reported. The accident, described as the deadliest in more than a decade, occurred in the southwestern…

Volcanic Ash from Ethiopia Disrupts Flights in India and Pakistan ………… Ash clouds from a rare volcanic eruption in Ethiopia drifted over parts of Pakistan and northern India on Tuesday, prompting precautionary flight cancellations, Reuters reported. The Hayli Gubbi volcano…

Hong Kong Tower Fire Leaves 44 Dead and Hundreds Missing as Investigation Begins …………. A massive fire that swept through several high-rise residential blocks in Hong Kong has left at least 44 people dead and 45 in critical condition, with…

Protests in Guizhou Over Funeral Policy Highlight Rising Rural Unrest in China ………….. Protests have erupted in Shidong town, Guizhou province, after local authorities encouraged cremation over traditional burial, The Guardian reported. The demonstrations, which began over the weekend, reflect…

Malaysia Rejects Proposal to Create Non-Muslim Equivalent of Zakat Fund ………….. Malaysia’s Ministry of Finance has rejected parliamentary calls to establish a zakat-like fund for non-Muslim communities, stressing that zakat is a religious obligation defined strictly by Islamic law and…

Flooding in Vietnam Kills 90, Dozens Missing Amid Heavy Rain …………… Flooding and landslides in south-central Vietnam have claimed at least 90 lives, with 12 people still missing, The Guardian reported. Torrential rains since late October have battered popular tourist…