Asia
South Korea / North Korea: cautious proposal for talks
South Korea’s proposal for military talks with North Korea reflects a cautious but important effort to prevent dangerous escalation along the demilitarised zone. After months of incidents where North Korean troops crossed the…
Syria: why al Sharaa’s visit to Washington is so important
In a stunning U-turn of diplomacy, Syrian president Ahmed al Sharaa - once known as Abu Mohammed al Jolani, former leader of the al-Qaeda affiliate Nusra Front - has arrived in Washington for…
Pakistan: twelve killed in suicide bomb attack in Islamabad
A devastating suicide bombing near the high court killed twelve people and injured more than twenty, shattering nearly two decades of relative calm in Islamabad. The attacker, unable to enter the judicial complex…
India: supreme court rejects accusations of forced conversion
On 17 October India’s supreme court of India rejected a religious conversion case against officials of a noted agricultural university in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, after a protracted legal battle which…
Pakistan / India: 2,000 Sikh pilgrims allowed to cross border
Pakistan’s reception of Sikh pilgrims from India on 4 November marked a rare moment of goodwill amid lingering hostilities between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. After deadly border clashes in May shut down the…
Gaza: ceasefire fragile after Israeli airstrikes kill 100+
On 29 October, Hamas reported that Israeli airstrikes in Gaza had resulted in at least 104 Palestinian deaths, including 46 children. Israel's defence minister accused Hamas of an attack in Gaza which killed…
South Korea: president’s delicate balance as he hosts Xi and Trump
South Korea stands at a delicate crossroads, balancing its security alliance with the USA and its economic reliance on China. Recent rallies in Seoul captured this tension vividly, with protesters denouncing both Donald…
Thailand / Cambodia: peace agreement, but soldiers not yet released
After a peace agreement was signed in Kuala Lumpur on 26 October, Donald Trump and senior US officials had expected the immediate release of eighteen Cambodian soldiers captured by Thailand. However, Thailand’s prime…
Cambodia, Thailand convene joint committee meeting to advance vital border discussions
Cambodia and Thailand have convened a two-day Joint Border Committee (JBC) meeting in Chanthaburi province to advance long-stalled talks on their shared frontier. The session follows June’s historic JBC meeting in Phnom Penh…
China: update on Zion Church following arrest of Church leaders
Zion Church, one of China’s largest and most influential house church networks, is facing a severe government crackdown under new online religious restrictions. Founded in 2007 by Pastor Jin Mingri (Ezra Jin), the…
