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So far Central Asia has created 50 blog entries.

Rising Waters Force New Relief Centres to Open in Northern Malaysia

In Perak, 2,496 victims from 857 families have been evacuated, with the Kerian and Perak Tengah districts newly affected. Twenty-four temporary relief centres are operating, including two new ones in SK Kampung Dew (Kerian) and SM Layang-Layang Kiri Parit (Perak Tengah). The Larut Matang, Selama, and Manjung districts remain heavily impacted. In Kedah, the [...]

Jordan, Palestine Strengthen Ties on Family Welfare and Women’s Empowerment

Jordan’s Minister of Social Development, Wafa Bani Mustafa, met with Maher Khudair, Chief Justice of the Palestinian Supreme Shariah Court, in Amman to strengthen cooperation on social and family welfare issues. The talks focused on empowering women and children, protecting families, and improving care for the elderly. Both sides agreed on the need to [...]

Fears Grow Over Child Marriage and Gender Discrimination in Iraq

Human Rights Watch has denounced Iraq’s recent amendment to its 1959 Personal Status Law, warning that it undermines women’s rights and reinforces gender inequality. Passed in January, the amendment allows Iraqis to choose between civil or religious laws for family matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and child custody. Under this change, the Shiite [...]

Bhutan’s Schools See Sharp Drop in Bullying Through Compassion and Connection

Across Bhutan, bullying in schools is declining as education shifts from punishment to compassion. Guided by the School Health and Wellbeing Strategy and the Guidelines for Anti-Bullying Mechanisms in Educational Institutions launched by Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck in 2022, schools are fostering empathy, connection, and emotional intelligence among students. Programs such [...]

Iran Faces Renewed Unrest Amid Sanctions and Soaring Inflation

Iran’s leadership is facing growing fears of renewed nationwide unrest as United Nations sanctions deepen the country’s economic crisis. Following the collapse of nuclear negotiations, the sanctions have worsened inflation—now around 40%—and caused the rial to plummet past 1.1 million per dollar. Millions have fallen deeper into poverty, with unemployment rising and trade and oil [...]

Dhaka Airport Fire Destroys Imports Hub, Losses May Top $1 Billion

A massive fire broke out in the cargo terminal of Dhaka’s main international airport, destroying the entire imports area and causing losses estimated to exceed $1 billion. The blaze, which affected around 200–250 exporting companies in Bangladesh’s crucial textile sector, left the area in ruins, with smoke still rising from the site the next day. [...]

MOE to Issue Guidelines on Smartphone Ban for Students Under 16

Malaysia’s Education Ministry (MOE) announced that it will soon issue guidelines for banning smartphone use among students below 16 years old in schools. The decision follows the government’s plan to improve safety in educational institutions, including increased police monitoring and efforts to protect children from cyber threats. The ministry also supports setting 16 as [...]

16 Human H5N1 Cases, Five Deaths Reported in Cambodia This Year

A three-year-old girl from Chek village in Kampong Speu province, Cambodia, has tested positive for the H5N1 bird flu virus, bringing the total cases this year to 16, with five deaths, the Ministry of Health said. She developed fever, diarrhoea, cough, and stomach pain and is being treated by doctors. Investigations revealed that chickens [...]

Job Turnover in Jordan Rises Sharply, Women Most Affected

Jordan’s labour market is facing a sharp rise in job turnover, according to the Jordan Strategy Forum (JSF).From 2015 to 2023, the number of people who left or changed jobs rose from 53,509 to 89,584 — with a 187.9% increase among women and a 46% rise among men. The main reasons for leaving include [...]

Rights Groups Warn of Rising Gender Discrimination in Iraq

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has condemned Iraq’s new amendment to the Personal Status Law, saying it discriminates against women and makes them “second-class citizens.”The law, amended in January, lets people choose between religious or civil laws for marriage, divorce, and inheritance. It allows men to apply Shiite religious codes to their marriages without their wives’ [...]

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