December 23
In Jordan, Gaza rage turns to US as Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood make gains
Federal law needed to stop Yazidi deportations: German state minister
Why Is Turkmenistan Toning Down Its New Year’s Celebrations?
Dubai Hosts the 28th International Sindhi Conference: A Celebration of Sindhi Heritage
The first nail-biter election of 2024: Taiwan
Tibet’s exiled leaders visit Paris as Chinese repression continues
Two Boats Full of Rohingya Refugees; One Saved, Other Vanished
24
1979 December 24: Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
‘They can kill us’: Fear and Sikh resilience in Canada city amid India spat
Timor Leste: 11th Asean member in jeopardy?
25
Top 12 English Speaking Countries in Asia
ASEAN’s credibility and centrality on the line amid crisis in Myanmar
26
1991 December 26: Dissolution of the Soviet Union
Gaza: Forced and protracted displacement of Palestinians would constitute a serious breach of international law and an atrocity crime
Assam: Adivasi Woman Suspected of Being a ‘Witch’ Burnt Alive
27
Pakistan dispatch: violent crackdown on peaceful Baloch protesters in Islamabad highlights ongoing injustices in Balochistan region
6 Kerala Adivasi Gotras selected for Rs 24,000 crore central govt tribal scheme
Nepal’s Himalaya Airlines is flying to Tibet’s capital – a first for foreign airline
China sanctions US-based Xinjiang monitor
Indonesia students storm Rohingya refugee center
28
Shrinking civil space and persistent logging: 2023 in review in Southeast Asia
Lebanon: UN Force condemns attack on peacekeepers
Strengthening cooperation on nature conservation between Turkmenistan and IUCN
Tajikistan Hands Prime Tract Of Land To President’s Relative, Opponents Claim
Kashmir: Rajnath Singh assures justice to families of dead civilians
Mongolia strengthens independent policy despite debt and corruption
Hong Kong’s pro-democracy Civic Party disbands after China cracks down on dissent
29
1911 December 29: Mongolia Independence Day
The Fight To Save Indigenous Languages in the Digital Age
The Medicis of the Middle East?
‘The revolution will continue’: Syrian protesters vow ahead of 2024
Dragon Oil opens its largest regional office in Turkmenistan
Mongolian Policymakers Must Prioritize the Energy Sector in 2024
Hong Kong Democracy Advocate Seeks Asylum in Britain
Academic paper based on Uyghur genetic data retracted over ethical concerns
30
Kazakhstan removes Taliban from list of banned organizations
Justice for victims, ‘military rule’ withdrawal in CHT demanded
Laotian Ambassador’s Visit to Fresno Hmong New Year Brings Promise of New Beginnings
31
Decoding The Competitive Religious Politics Between BJD And BJP In Odisha
Justice served: Lebanon’s Special Tribunal closes
Perspectives | Central Asian states walking fine line on Russian sanctions
North Korea’s Kim Jong Un orders military to prepare for possible ‘war’
January 1
Yazidi refugee fears deportation after three years in Germany
El Niño to pile on suffering for Kashmir saffron farmers
‘Turbulence’ hits India-US ties after Sikh separatist murder plot
Taiwan and China will ‘surely be reunified’ says Xi in New Year’s Eve address
2
2022 January 2: Bloody January, Kazakhstan
US quietly reaches agreement with Qatar to keep operating largest military base in Middle East
Israeli army launches attacks on targets in Syria and Lebanon
US: Rejection of Irresponsible Statements on Resettlement of Palestinians Outside of Gaza
As-Suwayda desires crossing point with Jordan, Amman not interested
In Major Escalation, Drones Target Key Kurdish Power Base Near Irbil
Sri Lanka’s China ‘debt trap’ fears grow as Beijing keeps investing
Baloch march: from Turbat to Islamabad
Former reporter traces how famous Ainu portraits wound up in France
China says 456,000 Uyghurs newly hired this year in Xinjiang
3
Asia publishing mainstay Tuttle rides new wave of interest in Japan
Snow Leopard: Enigmatic big cat of High Asia now National Symbol of Kyrgyzstan
Kuwait’s New Emir: A Frank Speech Signals a Sharp Change in Direction
Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri killed in Beirut blast
Israel in talks with Congo and other countries on Gaza ‘voluntary migration’ plan
Saudi transfers $38.6m grant to Jordan
Kazakhstan: Oil workers persist with protest, government ignores
Can the Nepal-India-Bangladesh (NIB) provide a new template for a regional economic corridor?
Sarmad Sindhi: Remembering Sindh’s Melodious Voice
Hong Kong’s economy struggles to get back on its feet
4
1948 January 4: Myanmar Independence Day
CJK yields Japan–South Korea engagement with China
Zain Kuwait completes 5.5G test with Huawei
Kuwait tenders 1.1 GW solar project
Atomic: Empowering the Future in the United Arab Emirates
In Tajikistan, independent media throttled by state repression
Chittagong Hill Tracts: Giving peace a chance
The Long History of Enforced Disappearances in Balochistan
Repository of United Nations recommendations on human rights in Macao
Hong Kong will not sell residential, commercial land this quarter amid slow demand
Foster + Partners Reveals the Techo International Airport in Cambodia, Currently Under Construction
Myanmar junta to release more than 9,000 prisoners in Independence Day amnesty
5
North Korea fires artillery shells towards South’s border island
The October 7 Massacre and the War in Gaza: Impact on Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates
Germany: Thuringia introduces ban on deportation for Yazidis
Turkmenistan, Turkey talk gas transit, but Iran factor muddies picture
Listening 2 Tajikistan: Survey of Wellbeing
Uzbek Man Jailed for Social Media Posts Criticizing Mirziyoyev for Supporting Russia’s Putin
Sri Lanka declares moratorium on research ships for a year amid Indian concerns over Chinese vessels
Nepal and India sign 10GW hydroelectricity trade deal
Empowering the Adivasis of Odisha, India
One Health in practice: towards effective and feasible rabies elimination in Cambodia
6
Thermo Fisher stops sale of DNA kits in Tibet after activists raised fears of rights abuses
China Doesn’t Want You to Say ‘Tibet’ Anymore
7
NASA, United Arab Emirates Announce Artemis Lunar Gateway Airlock
United Arab Emirates acknowledges mass trial of prisoners previously reported during COP28
Blinken visits aid warehouse, meets Jordan’s king in push to keep Gaza war contained
Jordan king presses Blinken on Gaza ceasefire, aid
India and China eye strategic areas bordering ‘last barrier’ Bhutan
UN Decries IS-Claimed Deadly Attack on Afghan Religious Minority
Taiwan’s democratic institutions the clear winner in this month’s elections
China plans to invest more than $11bn in development of Tibet in 2024
The rebranding of Xinjiang
Nearly 7,000 Rohingya refugees homeless as fire blazes through camp in Cox’s Bazar
8
Bahrain: The only Arabs to join US Red Sea task force
Iraqi Kurdistan’s parliamentary elections will not be held in February, Kurdish officials say
Documenting the Kashmir Conflict Through Poetry
Taiwan’s democracy thrives under the shadow of China
Exploring Ainu Lives: London’s Japan House chronicles the revival of a suppressed culture
Belgium PM De Croo urged to raise issue of Tibet during trip to China
9
Why more and more Southeast Asians want to learn German
30 Kuwait groups call on gov’t to back South Africa’s case against Israel at ICJ
Islamic State Group Kills 14 Syrian Soldiers: Monitor
China’s major manufacturing hub opens new TIR route with Uzbekistan
Leader Of Karakalpak Diaspora In Kazakhstan Dies In Almaty Hospital
Why Modi’s beach shots sparked calls for an Indian boycott of Maldives tourism
‘Kill and dump policy’: Baloch protest man’s custodial murder in Pakistan
The Qinghai-Tibet railway: The world’s highest train line
Will Vietnam Get Caught in the Crosshairs of Great-Power Politics Again?
ASEAN Chair Laos Appoints Special Envoy on Myanmar
10
How a 27-year-old is using social media to promote an indigenous language
The Taiwan that China wants is vanishing
Turkmenistan Stops Gas Exports To Iran Amid Winter Cold
Tajikistan looks to China, Russia for internet services and security
Nietbay Urazbayev, Karakalpak Diaspora Leader, Dies in Kazakhstan
Bhutan Opposition Party Wins Elections Amid Economic Threats to ‘Gross National Happiness’
Protecting the Rights of the Adivasi Community
Taiwan voters face flood of pro-China disinformation
The Taiwan that China wants is vanishing
Tectonic plate under Tibet may be splitting in two
11
Taiwanese election grooves to multiple rhythms
On Hamas, what did Qatar know and when did it know it?
Iran seizes oil tanker St Nikolas near Oman
Yazidi activist warns against withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, Syria
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan Again Designated as Religious Freedom Violators, Granted Waivers
Indian FM’s Visit to Nepal Sees Deals Sealed, and a Controversy
Is Kim Jong Un Preparing for War?
UN must include strong language on Tibet in China review
Timor-Leste stops youths from going to Cambodia over trafficking fears
Cambodia: New Prime Minister But No Improvements
12
1881 January 12: Memory Day, Turkmenistan/Geok-Tepe Massacre
Solving Vietnam’s social protection sustainability problem
Activists Evacuate Dogs From Russia’s Buryatia Over Euthanization Law
Explainer: Why Bahrain supported US strikes on Yemen’s Houthis
Kazakhstan strives to strike water-management deal with China
Indonesia, Vietnam discuss South China Sea security, EVs as Jokowi visits
World Bank Urges Laos to Increase Taxes
13
Kazakh Capital Hosts Exhibition about Altai’s Mystical World
How Qatar, the Gulf’s ‘enfant terrible’ and sponsor of Hamas, is also an ally of the West
Turkey launches air attacks against Kurdish rebels in Iraq and Syria
Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan optimize fees & payments for international cargo transportation
Lai Ching-te will be the next president of Taiwan
14
Can the United States sustain its gathering momentum in Asia?
Maldives Tells India to Withdraw Troops by March as Row Deepens
People’s Democratic Party Wins Elections in Bhutan
Finding the balance between entrepreneurship and Adivasi values in the Nilgiris
US, South Korea, Japan Seek to Expand Cooperation to Counter China
Brunei’s ‘Hot’ Prince Marries Commoner in Grandiose 10-Day Royal Wedding Ceremony
Laos tourist jewel at risk of losing UNESCO status
Cambodian Tycoon Companies Starting Approval Process for Dam Projects, Documents Say
15
Return Of The Jadids: Central Asia’s Soviet-Repressed Groups Getting Fresh Attention From Kazakhs, Uzbeks
Turkish strikes deprive hundreds of northeast Syria Kurdish villages of power
Turkmenistan’s bid to link up with gas-hungry Europe
Maldives ultimatum on troops deepens row with India
Sikhs in West Midlands given ‘threat to life’ warnings as activists fear targeting by India
Nauru Officially Breaks Ties with Taiwan
Taiwan loses diplomatic ally to China days after presidential election
The Tenth Anniversary of Human Rights Activist Ilham Tohti’s Detention
16
3 New Year’s Resolutions Regarding The Importance Of Religious Freedom
Plans to Fell Forest for Mega-Prison in Siberia’s Ulan-Ude Roil Public
Accusing Israel of carpet-bombing Gaza, Qatar PM calls for ‘time-bound’ peace process
Iran Targets Alleged Israeli Spy Headquarters in Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraq recalls ambassador from Tehran after Iranian missiles strike Kurdish region
Iran’s IRGC claims to target Mossad spy center in missile attack on Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraq vows to take Iran to UN after attack on Israeli ‘spy base’
Inside story: Iranian ballistic missiles rock Iraqi Kurdistan
China: India’s geopolitical game hurts outlook for Nepal’s hydropower
Hong Kong No Longer Has the World’s Longest Life Expectancy
North Korea’s Kim Jong Un abandons unification goal with South
Health workers struggle to respond amid severe restrictions in Rakhine state
17
Members of one Indigenous tribe in Taiwan reflect on their indentity
In India, respect for shared forests transcends religious differences
Pope condemns missile strikes on Iraqi Kurdistan
Kazakhstan, Japan to Develop Applications of Satellite-Based Monitoring of Hazards
Missing on Kashmir’s beloved ski slopes: snow and tourists
Are Indian agents targeting British Sikhs?
What Every Multinational Company Needs to Know About…The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (Part I)
China’s Big Gamble in the South China Sea
18
Language and Traditions Are Considered Central to National Identity
As Tensions with India Grow, Maldives Looks to China
Where is Balochistan and why is it the target of Iran and Pakistan strikes?
Pakistan: JSFM holds rally to mark 120th birth anniversary of Sindhi nationalism’s founder Sain GM Syed
Mongolia’s new snow and ice festival sets Guinness World Record
Muscle and mediation set to continue in the South China Sea
Singapore minister resigns after being charged with corruption in a first for the city state
Singapore Art Week exhibitions explore connections between the city-state and the Global South
19
Egypt’s Paymob becomes first international fintech company licensed in Oman
Pope Francis meets with President of Kazakhstan
Managing Regional Rivalries and Extraregional Interests as a Buffer State: The Nepalese Case Study
Indigenous effort in Bangladesh helps reverse endangered fish’s slide to extinction
How women in Pakistan are fighting enforced disappearances and killings
Czech Republic court decides to extradite Indian national accused of attempting to assassinate Sikh separatist to US
AP tribals to tie up with Bharat Adivasi Party Nation
Davos 2024: Mongolia on soft power diplomacy at World Economic Forum
Film ‘Kamui no Uta’ traces Ainu woman’s quest to translate poem
20
Why people shout ‘frozen garlic!’ ahead of Taiwan’s elections – language is political there
Kazakhstan Joins Leading Italian Tour Operator’s Network
Myanmar Conflict Unveils Complex Dynamics of China’s Interests
21
Gaza death toll surpasses 25,000 as Israel escalates assault
Iran warns air strike on Syria will not go unanswered
Kashmir snow crisis raises fears of upcoming water woes
To Bird, a savage. To Chiri, alive and aglow.
Manila gets tough in the South China Sea as a showdown looms
22
1946 January 22: Establisment of the Republic of Kurdistan
Manet proposes Cambodia become regional ‘French cultural hub’
Altai: Russia Detains Man For Plotting Arson Attack On Army
Qatar to explore legal avenues after Fox News allegations of spying on US lawmakers
Protests Erupt In Iraqi Kurdistan After IRGC Missile Attack
Iraq holds funeral for newly-identified Yazidi IS victims
Communist unity top on agenda as Chinese flock to Nepal
Students protest against arrest of Hazara women
Iran strikes put Balochistan’s neglected conflict and its victims in the spotlight
Another severe winter in Mongolia as climate change puts children at risk
Hong Kong: UN human rights experts call for immediate release of Jimmy Lai
Young Ainu steps into the future
Capturing climate change in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau through the eyes of its pastoralists
Pope Francis meets with President of Timor-Leste
Two B-1 Bombers Deploy to Indo-Pacific, Train with Singapore and Japan
New Cambodian law seeks to provide thousands with a legal identity
23
1954 January 23: World Freedom Day, Taiwan & South Korea
Preserving indigenous languages with AI
Under Kremlin Suppression, Speaking Your Own Language Is a Protest
Navigating algorithmic bias amid rapid AI development in Southeast Asia
Umar Khalid: Indian activist languishes in jail without bail or trial
Ayodhya Ram Mandir: India PM Modi inaugurates Hindu temple on razed Babri mosque site
Breaking Language Barriers, Uzbek Love Songs Conquer Central Asia
Exclusive: The UAE’s war on UN sanctions busters
Three dead as 7.1 earthquake strikes near China’s border with Kyrgyzstan
President Tokayev’s First Visit to Italy Reflects Kazakhstan’s Multi-Vector Foreign Policy, Broader Engagement with EU
Uzbek President In China Seeking New Era Of Relations And Investments
Sikh activist death has echoes of Litvinenko case, says lawyer in both cases
China set to dodge accountability at its UN human rights review
Philippines and Vietnam on Course to Sign Pact on South China Sea
Sanctioned timber baron wins new mining concessions in Cambodia’s Prey Lang
Rohingya Refugees and the Shifting Tide in Indonesia
24
China’s political shakeup in 2023
Head of Russia’s Buryatia Moves to Scrap Mayoral Elections in Regional Capital
Widespread Telegram, WhatsApp Outages Reported Across Russia
Attacks on Lebanon-Israel Border Prompt Warnings of Escalation
Turkmenistan Increases International Rail Cargo Shipments
Polish exports to Kyrgyzstan up 1700% amid Ukraine war as firms evade sanctions on Russia
China seals closer Uzbek ties, pushes railway route bypassing Russia
Uzbekistan, China pledge to boost trade to $20Bln in “near future”
Trade turnover between Uzbekistan & China increases by 50 percent
The Plight of Hazaras Under the Taliban Government
Hazara Women In Pakistan: Loop Of Displacement
Mongolia: Three dead after liquified natural gas tanker crashes
Between China and Russia, landlocked Mongolia eyes summit to enhance ties as geopolitical pressures mount
US Urges North Korea to Halt Provocations, Return to Diplomacy
Unethical studies on Chinese minority groups are being retracted — but not fast enough, critics say
Laos’ economic reckoning
Laos: Fuel shortages occurring in Vientiane Capital as of Jan. 24
Cambodia strengthens ties with Japan amid US–China tensions
Union leaders in Cambodia must be reinstated
Myanmar’s army is losing – and facing fire from a militant monk
Could Myanmar Come Apart?
25
How Ramayana became popular outside India, from east Asia to the Caribbean
Tokopedia, NCS among companies in pilot run of AI language model for SEA
Buryatia: In first, Russia fines activist for giving comment to news outlet designated ‘undesirable’
Qatar ‘appalled’ at alleged Netanyahu criticism of mediation in Gaza war
Biden to deploy CIA director to help broker major Gaza deal
Israel-Gaza war spillover risk: Mapping recent strikes in Middle East
Hamas blasts Israel’s plan to create buffer zone in Gaza as a ‘crime’
Mass burial for 41 Yazidis in Sinjar; conference on Yazidi women in Brussels
Sweden investigates Islamic State Woman for suspected Yazidi genocide: prosecutors
Kyrgyzstan: Parliament should reject bill that criminalises and obstructs civic activism
Tajikistan enacts mandatory vehicle recycling fee
Chakma Rebels Allegedly Undergoing Training in Mizoram: Reports
Thousands of Fresno Sikhs expected to travel to San Francisco for independence vote
Sindhi nationalists seek to cut through PPP’s fog
China, Vietnam Tensions Flare Anew Over South China Sea Islands
Judge Phillip Rapoza becomes East Timor’s first honorary consul to U.S.
26
1950 January 26: Republic Day in India
Qatar PM to meet Israel, US intel chiefs on new Gaza captives deal
In Hong Kong, decades of wealth gains evaporate on China’s watch
World Court says Israel must take steps to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza
*
1948 February 4: Sri Lanka Independence Day
1997 February 5: Gulja massacre, East Turkistan/Xinjiang
February 5: Kashmir Solidarity Day, Pakistan
1913 February 13: Tibetan Independence Day
2011 February 14: Day of Rage (Bahrain)
February 21: International Mother Language Day
1950 February 25: Kuwait National Day
1947 February 28: 2.28 Incident in Taiwan