Asia Uzbekistan A bill to mitigate penalties for the illegal import of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has been passed by the Uzbekistan Senate; it introduces administrative liability instead of criminal liability
Asia Turkey In the wetlands of the Aegean coastal city of Izmir, a significant increase in the number of winter birds has been observed compared to last year; members of NGOs and volunteer birdwatchers, led by experts, are engaged in censusing 14 areas
Asia East Timor East Timor President José Manuel Ramos-Horta was received by Pope Francis for the scheduled meeting in the Vatican Apostolic Palace
Asia India Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate today a large Hindu temple in Ayodhya symbolising the country's growing Hindu cultural nationalism, a movement also known as Hindutva, which stands on the site of a mosque demolished in the 16th century
Asia Iran Iranians in 15 countries including Canada, the US, Iraq and others in the EU demonstrated as part of the global 'No to Executions' campaign against the increase in death sentences in Iran
Asia Maldives According to a senior official in the Office of the President, the government would be holding talks with an Egyptian contractor for the construction of a bridge connecting Hithadhoo and Hulhumeedhoo in the town of Addu
Asia Malaysia Tan Sri Devaki Krishnan, the first Malaysian woman elected to public service, has died at the age of 100; an influential figure in Malaysian politics, she had been called the 'Grand Dame of Malaysian Indian politics'
Asia Mongolia 102,3 million tonnes of goods were transported in Mongolia by all means of transport; the volume of goods transported by road in Mongolia rose to 69,9 million tonnes, by rail to 32,4 million tonnes and by air to 8.600 tonnes
Asia Israel Thousands of people demonstrated in Tel Aviv demanding Netanyahu's resignation, the dissolution of the Knesset and new elections; one of the mottos is 'those who divide will not unite, those who destroy will not build, those who destroy will not create'
Asia North Korea The arch of unification, built in 2001 to celebrate his father's dream of seeing the peninsula united again, could now be destroyed by Kim Jong-un, who does not consider peaceful reunification with the South a viable goal
Asia Palestine On average, two mothers have lost their lives every hour since the beginning of the conflict in Gaza, UN Women said
Asia Tajikistan The heads of ministries, agencies, provinces and cities will start holding press conferences on the results of the last six months' work on 29 January; on 4 March 2005, President Rahmon had signed a decree obliging them to hold quarterly press conferences
Asia Bangladesh Only 47.773 citizens registered for the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, out of a quota of 127.000, marking the lowest turnout of registrations ever; despite government efforts to reduce the price of packages, most people cannot afford the trip