Asia Pakistan A major fire broke out at the Gul Plaza shopping centre in Karachi on 17 January, spreading rapidly through the multistory commercial building, which firefighters could to douse in 24 hours; at least 26 people died, 50 are missing, damage is extensive
Asia India Air India confirmed that it is in the process of returning personal belongings of the AI171 crash victims; over 22.000 items are listed, to be given back to the relatives of the 260 victims of the worst air disaster in three decades
Asia Israel 2 babies die, 53 children injured in incident at unlicensed Jerusalem daycare supposedly caused by fault in heating system; 3 caregivers have been detained as video footage shows babies and toddlers sleeping in inadequate areas, near toilets, in closets
Asia Iraq A middle school inside Nasiriyah Central Prison will open as part of Ministry of Justice efforts to strengthen rehabilitation and reform programs by supporting inmates’ educational pathways within a comprehensive correctional environment
Asia Jordan Over 7.000 Christian pilgrims from across the Kingdom took part in the annual pilgrimage to the Baptism Site of Jesus Christ, Al Maghtas, on the eastern bank of the Jordan River, coinciding with the Feast of the Epiphany marked by the Orthodox Church
Asia Brunei As Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah underwent knee replacement surgery, with a two to three months expected recovery period, a special Doa ceremony at Religious Teachers University College and nationwide prayers were organized for his well being
Asia Taiwan Many school-aged children in Taiwan take jobs to assist their families, about 20% underpaid or working in unsafe conditions, World Vision Taiwan WVT reported; in underprivileged families 26% of children work while in school, 80% of them for economic help
Asia Bahrain 128 competitors, 59 male and 69 female, took part in this year's Mutun competition; the event awards the three best in seven categories, each focusing on the memorization and comprehension of foundation texts related to Quranic sciences
Asia Turkey Turkish defense authorities said that there is no evidence of a mass influx of Iranians crossing the border despite a government crackdown on protesters in the neighboring country
Asia East Timor East Timor is at the helm of the Group of Least Developed Countries until 2028, positions the country at the forefront of global climate diplomacy within the UN; representatives from 20 countries out of 44 are expected for the official handover ceremony
Asia Georgia State Security Service SSSG said it has launched an investigation into “sabotage” and “unauthorized penetration of a government computer system” after media outlets found classified documents on an official government website
Asia Myanmar Union Solidarity and Development Party USDP with military-appointed seats secured enough seats to form a new government before the final phase of the junta-held elections concludes, amid widespread criticism of the process’s legitimacy
Asia Uzbekistan Uzbekistan's electricity production in 2025 reached 86,7 billion kWh, a 6% increase from the previous year; 16,8 billion kWh of total production came from renewables - solar, wind, and hydroelectric power plants, +29% compared to 2024