Asia

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…

At least five individuals have lost their lives, and thousands have been displaced due to severe floods and landslides in Malaysia, particularly affecting the states of Sarawak and Sabah on Borneo Island, Anadolu Agency reported. Approximately 5,000 people have been…

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced on Wednesday that Kuala Lumpur plans to build a school, hospital, and mosque in Gaza, which has suffered extensive destruction due to Israel’s military actions since October 2023, Anadolu Agency reported. This announcement coincides…

According to recent data released by Japan’s Health and Welfare Ministry, a record 527 students from elementary and secondary schools took their own lives in 2024, Anadolu Agency reported. This figure represents an increase of 14 from the previous year…

As Japan’s Muslim population grows, so does the demand for burial plots that align with Islamic practices, which prohibit cremation, Japan Today reported. Local governments are exploring the establishment of new cemeteries, but some community leaders express concerns over sanitary…

Thai authorities have denied any immediate plans to repatriate 48 Uyghur refugees back to China, following warnings from UN experts about the potential for torture upon their return, DW news agency reported. The group has been held in immigration centers…

Dozens of Uyghur men detained in Thailand have entered the second week of a hunger strike, protesting against what they fear is imminent deportation to China, where they could face torture and imprisonment, New York Times reported. The detainees began…

Human Rights Watch (HRW) released its World Report 2025, noting a year of significant yet uneven progress for democracy and human rights in the Asia-Pacific region. The report highlights encouraging signs, including citizen activism in India, Bangladesh, and South Korea,…

China’s population decreased for the third straight year, reaching 1.408 billion at the end of 2024, a decline of 1.39 million from the previous year, Arab News reported. This trend poses significant challenges for the government and economy, as the…

Kazakhstan launched the region’s first Shariah-compliant exchange-traded fund (ETF), the ITSS, on January 14, marking a significant milestone in Islamic finance, The Astana Times reported. The ETF, listed on the Astana International Exchange, aims to replicate the performance of the…