Asia
Lebanon / Israel: second airstrike on Beirut in four days
For the second time in four days, Israel’s military have struck a Hezbollah target in Beirut. The precision airstrike, carried out by the air force, killed Hassan Ali Mahmoud Bdeir, a senior Hezbollah…
Taiwan: China’s large-scale military exercises
China has launched large-scale joint military exercises around Taiwan, involving its navy, air force, army, and rocket force, in what it described as a ‘stern warning’, just days after defence secretary Pete Hegseth,…
South Korea: court overturns prime minister’s impeachment
The constitutional court has overturned the impeachment of South Korean prime minister Han Duck-soo, reinstating him as acting president amid ongoing political upheaval. Han was removed from office after president Yoon Suk Yeol…
Gaza: Israel resumes fighting after ceasefire agreement collapses
Israel has launched a ‘limited ground operation’ to retake the Netzarim corridor in Gaza, escalating the conflict after the ceasefire agreement with Hamas collapsed. The corridor, previously used by Israeli forces, had been…
Oman: Afghan women gain temporary reprieve
More than eighty Afghan women studying in Oman on US-funded scholarships have received a temporary extension of support until 30 June, after an abrupt funding cut by the Trump administration. The scholarships, provided…
Syria: misleading reports about ‘slaughter of Christians’
Open Doors has warned that false online reports about a Christian massacre in Syria could put Syrian believers at greater risk. While recent violence in Latakia and Tartus has killed over 1,500 people,…
Syria: entire families killed in sectarian violence
The UN human rights office reports that at least 111 civilians, including entire families, were killed in recent violence in Syria’s coastal region, though the true toll is probably much higher. Predominantly Alawite…
Bangladesh: priorities for interim leader
Bangladesh’s interim leader, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, admits he was ‘dazzled’ when unexpectedly asked to take charge after Sheikh Hasina was ousted last year. Yunus, who returned to lead the country following a…
Pakistan: suicide bombers target military base
At least twelve people were killed and thirty wounded in a deadly militant attack on a military base in Bannu, northwestern Pakistan. Two suicide bombers detonated explosive-laden vehicles near the base’s wall, allowing…
Japan: worst wildfire in fifty years
Japan is battling its worst wildfire in fifty years, with over four thousand residents evacuated and one confirmed dead. The blaze, which started near the northern town of Ofunato, has consumed around 2,600…
