Asia
Gaza: Israeli airstrike kills Hamas commander but also 23 civilians
On 9 April Israel carried out an airstrike in northern Gaza, reportedly killing a senior Hamas commander, Haitham al-Sheikh. The IDF said the operation targeted a high-ranking terrorist and said there were multiple…
China / USA: trade war intensifies, stock markets react
China has announced an 84% tariff on all US imports, up from 34%, in retaliation to Donald Trump’s increased tariffs on Chinese imports (now 104%). This move escalates tensions in the ongoing trade…
Myanmar / Thailand: devastating earthquake
A catastrophic 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on 28 March, with the effects being felt as far away as Thailand and China. The death toll has already surpassed two thousand, with over 3,400…
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…
