[ NPR ] China is removing domes from mosques as part of a push to make them more ‘Chinese’

China is removing the domes and minarets from thousands of mosques across the country. Authorities say the domes are evidence of foreign religious influence and are taking down overtly Islamic architecture as part of a push to sinicize historically Muslim ethnic groups — to make them more traditionally Chinese. The campaign comes amid rising Islamophobia…

Read More

[ Myanmar Now ] Junta turns to retired soldiers amid heavy losses and a slide in recruitment

Myanmar’s military is increasingly relying on retired soldiers to replenish its ranks, as months of conflict take a heavy toll on troops and recruitment efforts, according to military sources. In an effort to bolster its strength in restive regions, the regime has started offering incentives to former military personnel to return to uniform, one ex-soldier…

Read More

[ The Independent ] Singapore recovery stalled by 100k seniors who won’t get jabs

Chris Barnett, the South-east Asia correspondent for  The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, said this when he reported  the extension of strict social curbs here until next month which was announced by Singapore’s Multi-Ministry Task Force (MTF) on Wednesday. “Now, though, after setting the standard in the region with its COVID-19 immunisation drive, vaccine…

Read More

Pakistani Taliban a Cause of Concern For Islamabad

Reversal of Fortunes The attacks carried out by Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) aka Pakistan Taliban have increased to the highest level in over four years as the US left Afghanistan and the Afghan Taliban took power. TTP has been emboldened by the developments in next-door Afghanistan. This has complicated the internal security scenario for Pakistan as…

Read More

China hit by flood again, 3rd time this year.

Dykes of the Yellow River breached, causing the 3rd flood of 2021 for China. Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces, that are in the Yellow River basin are hit by severe flooding. More than 120,000 people had been evacuated thus far just in Shanxi alone. It is said to be the largest flood in nearly 40 years…

Read More

[ TIME ] China, Isolated From the World, Is Now the Last Major Country Still Pursuing a ‘Zero COVID’ Strategy

Now, with the rise of the delta variant and the proliferation of vaccines, only one is still holding fast to that goal of eliminating Covid-19: China. With New Zealand preparing to shift away from the zero-tolerance strategy, China’s isolation is complete, raising the stakes on how long it can stick to a playbook that requires closed borders,…

Read More

[ NBC ] Lawmakers in Japan elect Fumio Kishida as new prime minister

Japan’s parliament on Monday elected Fumio Kishida, a former moderate turned hawk, as prime minister. He’ll face an economy battered by the pandemic, security threats from China and North Korea and leadership of a political party whose popularity is sagging ahead of a fast-approaching crucial national election. With his party and its coalition partner holding a…

Read More