Asia
Indonesia: millions affected by catastrophic floods, over 600 deaths
Indonesia is facing a mounting humanitarian emergency after catastrophic floods killed at least 631 people and left nearly 500 missing, with rescue teams still struggling to reach isolated communities. Triggered by a rare…
Sri Lanka: cyclone tragedy exposes government failures
The authorities are under intense scrutiny for their handling of Cyclone Ditwah, which has affected more than 1.46 million people across all 25 districts and caused the nation’s worst flooding in two decades.…
Israel: looming crisis over conscription of ultra-Orthodox Jews
The long-standing exemption of ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) men from military service has potentially become a huge crisis for Benjamin Netanyahu. With the Gaza war placing immense strain on reservists, public opinion has shifted decisively…
Malaysia: court confirms state involvement in Pastor Koh’s abduction
A landmark ruling in Malaysia has recognised state involvement in the disappearance of Pastor Raymond Koh, who was abducted in broad daylight in February 2017 and has not been seen since. The high…
Hong Kong: at least 83 dead in devastating tower block fire
A devastating blaze has engulfed a residential development in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district, rapidly spreading across multiple tower blocks despite the efforts of more than a hundred fire engines. The alert was…
Gaza: Christians face an almost impossible choice
Gaza’s small Christian community, long rooted in the land where their faith began, is now confronting an existential crossroads. As a fragile ceasefire wavers and destruction remains widespread, believers like Elias al-Jalda face…
South Korea / North Korea: cautious proposal for talks
South Korea’s proposal for military talks with North Korea reflects a cautious but important effort to prevent dangerous escalation along the demilitarised zone. After months of incidents where North Korean troops crossed the…
Syria: why al Sharaa’s visit to Washington is so important
In a stunning U-turn of diplomacy, Syrian president Ahmed al Sharaa - once known as Abu Mohammed al Jolani, former leader of the al-Qaeda affiliate Nusra Front - has arrived in Washington for…
Pakistan: twelve killed in suicide bomb attack in Islamabad
A devastating suicide bombing near the high court killed twelve people and injured more than twenty, shattering nearly two decades of relative calm in Islamabad. The attacker, unable to enter the judicial complex…
India: supreme court rejects accusations of forced conversion
On 17 October India’s supreme court of India rejected a religious conversion case against officials of a noted agricultural university in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, after a protracted legal battle which…
