The ASEAN summit concluded after three days of discussions on Saturday, centring on the violence in Myanmar and tensions in the South China Sea. Laos’ Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith chaired the meeting, which included representatives from the US, Russia, and China. The summit placed significant emphasis on Myanmar’s post-coup humanitarian crisis. ASEAN issued a joint [...]

India’s Supreme Court intervened on Monday to suspend directives issued by police in the northern states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand that required restaurants to publicly display owners’ names. These directives, aimed at eateries along the Hindu Kanwar Yatra pilgrimage route, had sparked criticism over potential discrimination against Muslims. Initially issued by Muzaffarnagar’s Senior Superintendent [...]

The French region of La Rochelle witnessed clashes between protesters and police on Saturday, amidst demonstrations against new irrigation reservoirs being built. The protests, attended by around 2,000 people, turned turbulent when police intervened, responding with tear gas as some protesters threw objects. Both the police officers as well as the demonstrators reported minor injuries. [...]

Thousands of lawyers in the Indian capital city of Delhi protested against provisions of three new criminal laws on Monday. The lawyers said the new criminal laws are draconian and in opposition to litigants’ interests. The protest is primarily a response to The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2023, also known as the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita [...]

Japan’s Defense Ministry announced disciplinary action on Friday against 218 members of the ministry and the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) for various misconducts, including mishandling classified materials. Among those disciplined, 11 officials were dismissed, two were demoted, 83 were suspended, 14 received pay cuts, and seven were formally reprimanded. The remaining personnel received admonishments or warnings. [...]

Indian local authorities detained two anti-dam activists as a precautionary measure on Monday Hours before Union Minister of Power and Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal, embarked on his maiden state visit to Arunachal Pradesh, a state in north-eastern India. During the Union Power Minister’s visit to Itanagar, authorities held activist lawyer Ebo Mili and Siang [...]

Following initial opposition from Karnataka’s Law Minister HK Patil to the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and associated legislations scheduled to enter into force July 1, Patil announced Karnataka’s intention to introduce 23-25 amendments to these laws before their enforcement in the state following a cabinet meeting Friday. These amendments are based on Karnataka’s feedback [...]

The Supreme Court of India on Thursday, granted bail to Javed Gulam Nabi Shaikh, who has been held in custody for four years without trial under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Justices J B Pardiwala and Ujjal Bhuyan criticized the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for delaying the framing of charges against Shaikh. The court was [...]

Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio signed into law a landmark bill criminalizing child marriage on Tuesday, marking a significant step in addressing a persistent issue in the West African nation. The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, which received parliamentary approval last month, imposes strict penalties, including up to 15 years in prison or fines [...]

Amnesty International has accused authorities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KR-I) of neglecting their duty to hold perpetrators of domestic violence accountable, according to a new report released on Wednesday. Titled “Daunting and Dire: Impunity and Underfunded Institutions Undermine Protection of Women and Girls from Domestic Violence in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq,” the [...]