Asia

• Qatar: Israeli airstrike on Hamas leaders 11 September 2025
  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…
• Nepal: violent protests against corruption and ban on social media 11 September 2025
  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…
• Philippines: Marcos an unlikely anti-corruption crusader 11 September 2025
  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…
• Afghanistan: hundreds dead after powerful earthquake 4 September 2025
  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…
• China: huge military parade watched by Putin, Kim, and other leaders 4 September 2025
  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…