Asia
Gaza: Israel accused of targeting aid workers
Humanitarian groups have accused Israeli forces of intentionally targeting them in Gaza, after the airstrike on 1 April on a World Central Kitchen (WCK) convoy. Seven aid workers, including three Britons, were killed…
Myanmar: landmine casualties triple
In Myanmar, the devastating impact of landmines is exemplified by Nyien, a four-year-old who lost both legs in an explosion while collecting plums. In 2023, 188 people were killed and 864 wounded from…
Bangladesh: spectacles make a spectacular difference
A study conducted in Bangladesh reveals that owning a pair of reading glasses might increase earnings by a third. Researchers found that average monthly earnings rose from $35 to $47 within eight months…
Gaza: Israel using starvation as a weapon?
A UN-backed report has revealed that Gaza is facing a man-made famine, prompting pressure on Israel to uphold its legal obligations by allowing sufficient humanitarian aid into the region. The UN's human rights…
Pakistan: suicide attack kills five Chinese
On 26 March five Chinese nationals and a Pakistani driver were killed in a suicide attack near Besham city. They were en route from Islamabad to Dasu, where a Chinese company is building…
Pakistan: three women convicted of ‘blasphemy’ killing
Three women have been convicted of the brutal murder of Safoora Bibi, a schoolteacher at an Islamic seminary in Dera Ismail Khan, in March 2022. The main suspect, Umra Aman, planned the attack…
India: PM accused of ‘crippling’ opposition party
Narendra Modi's government has been accused by the opposition Congress party of using the tax department to financially cripple them ahead of the upcoming elections in April and May, which Modi’s BJP party…
Vietnam: president’s shock resignation
In what has been described as a ‘political earthquake’, Vietnam's president Vo Van Thuong resigned on 20 March, after allegations of corruption which have tarnished the Communist party's image. He was the youngest…
Hong Kong: new law draws widespread criticism
There has been a wave of criticism over Hong Kong's new security law, known as Article 23, unanimously passed by the pro-Beijing parliament on19 March. It allows closed-door trials, extended detention without charge,…
Israel / Gaza: first maritime aid shipment
A ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza has left Cyprus, marking the first maritime shipment of aid to the war-torn region. It aims to deliver 200 tons of food aid, equivalent to around…
