Displaying items by tag: Asia

A UN commission of inquiry has concluded there are reasonable grounds to believe Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza since the 2023 war with Hamas began. The 72-page report cites four of the five acts defined under the 1948 Genocide Convention - killing, causing serious harm, deliberately inflicting life-destroying conditions, and preventing births - along with statements by Israeli leaders, as evidence of genocidal intent. It highlights widespread civilian deaths, collapsed infrastructure, repeated displacement, and a UN-declared famine. Commission chair Navi Pillay said speeches by Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials, combined with Israel’s military conduct, support the inference of intent to destroy those living in Gaza in whole or part. The commission also warned other nations of their legal duty to prevent and punish genocide, noting potential complicity if they fail to act. Israel’s government rejected the findings as false and biased, arguing that its operations are targeting Hamas in self-defence and comply with international law. Meanwhile, the long-awaited offensive by the Israeli military against Gaza City has begun: see

Syria is facing its worst drought in 36 years, devastating wheat production and deepening a nationwide hunger crisis. Farmer Maher Haddad has harvested barely a third of his normal yield, reflecting a 40% drop in wheat output across the country. The FAO estimates a shortfall of 2.73 million tonnes this year - enough to feed 16 million people - while rainfall has plunged 70%, crippling three-quarters of rain-fed farmland. Nearly 90% of Syrians already live in poverty; over 14 million are food insecure, and 9.1 million suffer acute hunger. Bread prices have skyrocketed, forcing families to borrow for daily food. Aid groups like the World Food Programme are providing emergency subsidies and direct payments to farmers, but long-term solutions such as new irrigation systems are hampered by years of war, soaring fuel costs, and economic collapse. Without sustained international support and adequate rainfall, Syria’s food crisis could escalate dramatically into 2026, threatening rural livelihoods and driving further displacement.

Seoul’s household landscape is shifting as single-person homes become the city’s most common household type, according to a 2024 report. Nearly 1.66 million residents now live alone - about 40% of all households - while two-person households make up 26.2% and four-person homes 12.3%. An aging population underscores the trend: people 60 and older represent 20.2% of residents, and more than 30% of households include someone 65 or older. Marriages, which plunged during the pandemic, rebounded to 42,471 in 2024, with an average first-marriage age of 34.3 for men and 32.4 for women; international marriages comprise roughly 10%. Divorces declined overall, but the average age at divorce has risen, with one-quarter now among those 60 and older. Meanwhile, households with young children have fallen over 40% since 2016, reflecting persistently low birth rates. City officials plan inclusive policies to counter social isolation, support young adults’ housing needs, and foster a more child-friendly environment.

The dramatic airstrike by Israel on Hamas leaders in Qatar on 9 October marks a new twist in a war already destabilising the wider Middle East. Qatar, long considered Hamas’ political base and a central mediator in ceasefire negotiations, condemned the attack as a flagrant breach of international law, while regional powers including the UAE and Saudi Arabia denounced it as an assault on sovereignty. The strike targeted Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas’ exiled Gaza chief and top negotiator, but reports indicate he and others survived. Coming just a day after Hamas’ armed wing killed six people in Jerusalem, the move risks collapsing fragile ceasefire talks. In Gaza City, Israeli evacuation orders have spread panic among civilians, many already displaced and trapped in worsening conditions. This year Israel has struck Hezbollah in Lebanon, Houthis in Yemen, and Iranian-linked targets in Syria and Iran, heightening fears of a regional war.

Nepal has been rocked by its most intense unrest in decades, with corruption and nepotism at the heart of nationwide protests. The turmoil escalated dramatically after the government’s controversial ban on social media platforms triggered widespread anger, amplified by resentment over politicians’ wealth and privileges. Though Gen Z activists initially led peaceful demonstrations, they turned violent, leaving at least 29 people dead and parliament, government buildings, and private homes torched. The protesters insist that infiltrators hijacked their movement, a claim supported by the army. While regretting the violence, some are cautiously optimistic that the movement might spark reforms. The army has deployed across Kathmandu, enforcing curfews, manning checkpoints, and inviting protest leaders to talks, while some young people began cleaning debris to show their hope for change. Whether the movement will lead to accountability and new leadership, or simply further instability, remains to be seen.

The Philippines once again finds itself grappling with the enduring scourge of corruption, an issue that has haunted the last three presidents: Ferdinand Marcos Sr, Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III, and now Ferdinand Marcos Jr. He is now trying to assume the mantle of anti-corruption reform, despite his own family name being historically associated with cronyism and ill-gotten wealth. Unlike Aquino, who launched his integrity drive at the height of his popularity, Marcos Jr faces diminishing political capital, factional rifts within congress, and a resurgent Duterte camp weaponising public anger. The stakes are high: scandals such as the multibillion-peso flood control controversy threaten to erode governance credibility at a time when systemic accountability is urgently needed. The president must move beyond rhetoric, pursuing transparency and reform even within his own circles. Without decisive action, the Philippines risks sliding into deeper political instability, echoing past failures to tackle entrenched corruption and injustice.

A powerful 6.0 magnitude earthquake has devastated Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar and Kunar provinces, killing 1,400 and injuring at least 3,000. Striking late at night near Jalalabad, the quake was felt as far away as Kabul and neighbouring Pakistan. Entire villages collapsed under the force, with fragile mud and timber homes burying families beneath rubble. Rescue efforts have been severely hampered by landslides, blocked roads, and the region’s mountainous terrain, leaving many unreachable for hours. Helicopters are being used to transport survivors, while international aid organisations and neighbouring countries have offered assistance. The timing of the disaster compounds Afghanistan’s hardships, already strained by recent flash floods, ongoing humanitarian needs, and a collapsed healthcare system under Taliban rule. Hospitals near the epicentre, especially in Jalalabad, are overwhelmed. With infrastructure destroyed and communications cut, the death toll is expected to rise further. Rebuilding will take years.

Beijing has hosted a grand military parade marking eighty years since the end of WW2, with Xi Jinping standing alongside Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un in a rare joint appearance. Xi framed the event as a moment for nations to choose between ‘peace and war’, as China unveiled an extensive array of modern weaponry, including huge nuclear-capable underwater drones, and futuristic defence systems. With more than 50,000 chosen  spectators present, the spectacle highlighted China’s military ambitions and global positioning. The gathering drew leaders from Iran, Pakistan, Vietnam, Zimbabwe, and others, though most Western leaders declined invitations. Xi emphasized unity and prosperity in his toast, urging nations to reject ‘the law of the jungle’. After the parade, at bilateral talks, Putin praised Pyongyang for contributing troops to fight in Ukraine; it is estimated that there are now 15,000 North Korean troops there.

Catastrophic flooding has displaced nearly half a million people in Pakistan’s Punjab province after days of torrential monsoon rain swelled three major rivers. More than 2,300 villages have been inundated, affecting over 1.5 million residents, including parts of Lahore. In what authorities describe as the largest rescue effort in Punjab’s history, 481,000 people and 405,000 livestock have been evacuated using more than 800 boats and 1,300 rescue personnel. Over five hundred relief camps have been established to provide shelter and care for displaced families. The floods have killed at least thirty people, adding to the hundreds of lives lost during this year’s unusually heavy monsoon season. But with the rains continuing, authorities have warned that the crisis is far from over.

A deadly double strike on a hospital in Gaza has drawn sharp international condemnation. At least twenty people were killed, including five journalists and four health workers, when two consecutive strikes targeted the facility. The UN, describing the attack as ‘unacceptable’, called for those responsible to face justice. The IDF claimed the strikes were aimed at a Hamas-operated camera, but did not explain why a second strike was deemed necessary. There have been escalating protests inside Israel, with families of hostages and supporters demanding that Netanyahu agree to a ceasefire deal. The humanitarian crisis is deepening across Gaza: a UN-backed body has confirmed that a famine is taking place in Gaza city (a claim described as an ‘outright lie’ by Israel), and most of the territory’s population faces dire shortages of shelter, food, and medical care after months of war. Pope Leo XIV has joined the Latin and Greek Orthodox patriarchs of Jerusalem in a powerful plea for an immediate end to the war: see