Asia

Under Pakistan’s Hajj Policy 2025, women can perform Hajj without a male guardian, but with previous written consent from a parent or spouse and in the company of trustworthy female companions

41 organ donations from brain-dead individuals have ben performed in 2024, surpassing the combined total of the previous three years and reaching over 9.500 organ transplants nationwide since 1992, with demand for organ transplants still exceeding supply

In Janakpur, southeast Nepal, many transgender individuals live in hijra gharanas, traditional communities led by a guru; they earn through ceremonial performance but face harassment, inadequate social inclusion, discrimination and limited healthcare

The sanctuary for old and sick pets aims at reducing caregiver fatigue and hold off pet euthanasia, providing end-of-life care, medical treatment, rehabilitation, emotional support; it also runs awareness campaigns and promotes compassionate pet care

Ex-president Yoon Suk-yeol remains barricaded in his official residence with the Presidential Security Service blocking attempts to arrest him on charges of insurrection and abuse of power; authorities are considering measures to enforce the warrant

Vientiane’s top tourist sites - including Patuxai Monument, That Luang Stupa, and Buddha Park - attracted over 300.000 visitors in 2024, reflecting a strong recovery in Laos’s tourism sector; targeted campaigns will aim at further boosting tourism in 2025

At the 36th Harbin Ice Sculpture Competition, in China, Mongolian Z. Ganjargal and Kh. Altankhuu won gold, D. Tserenbat and B. Bayarsaikhan secured silver; Mongolian sculptors, regular participants since 2010, are among the most appreciated contenders

Military leaders enacted a cybersecurity law on 1 January 2025 that among other measures tightens internet control, bans VPNs, requires platforms to store user data for 3 years and enforces compliance with the motivation of curbing disinformation

One year since a powerful earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula leaving at least 500 dead, efforts toward full recovery continue in the hardest-hit areas; some 21.000 residents in Ishikawa Prefecture remain evacuated or in temporary housing

The country imported 1.283 tonnes of fireworks and other pyrotechnic products for a total value of US$8,5 million in the first 11 months of 2024, up 51% in value and 108% in volume

The Zangezur corridor must and will be opened, noted President Aliyev, and Armenia should not act as a geographical barrier between Türkiye and Azerbaijan, but as an element of peace and cooperation in the South Caucasus instead

Baguio has launched the 2025 Panagbenga Festival, a month-long celebration showcasing the city’s rich floral heritage; the festival features the Grand Float Parade, street dancing, and “Session Road in Bloom” attracting local and international tourists

Gerakan, the People’s Movement Party supporting inclusion, called for a review of the proposal to require halal certification for food outlets; Kelantan state, with a Muslim majority, seeks to enforce the policy, raising concerns for non-Muslim businesses