Topic
Society
36,000 Young Scouts to Evacuate World Jamboree in South Korea as Storm Khanun Looms
By Kim Tong-hyung
A week after intense heat caused hundreds to fall ill, the World Scout Jamboree faces another setback: a typhoon strike.
Remembering China’s Indie Rock Glory Days
By Larry Mullin
In “Rocking China,” Andrew Field depicts a bygone era not only for China’s rock subculture but for the country as a whole.
Indian Court Allows Survey of a 17th-century Mosque to See If It Was Built Over a Hindu Temple
By Biswajeet Banerjee
The Gyanvapi mosque in the city of Varanasi dates to the 16th century, but Hindu petitioners claim a Hindu temple once stood on the site.
The Hujra Phenomenon: How Do Uzbekistan’s Children Learn About Islam?
By Niginakhon Saida
The apparently increasing number of hujra, clandestine religious classrooms, in Uzbekistan indicates a growing need for formal religious education that is not attainable for many at present.
Indonesian School Head Charged With Blasphemy Over Unorthodox Teachings
By Sebastian Strangio
Panji Gumilang, 77, heads a school where women are allowed to preach and pray alongside men.
The Journeys of Ustad Noor Bakhsh: A Baloch Musician Beyond Compare
By Somaiyah Hafeez
This summer Bakhsh performed in 10 countries in Europe to great acclaim, a journey that began with a viral video following a life of music and hardship.
Australian Senate Committee Recommends Government Ban on TikTok be Extended to WeChat
By Rod McGuirk
The committee found that China and other authoritarian regimes continue to pose an unacceptable risk to democracies through targeted online disinformation campaigns.
In Manipur, Women Are Both Victims and Instigators of Sexual Violence
By Kavita Chowdhury
“Whether they be Kukis or Meiteis, the common factor is that women and children are the worst sufferers of this conflict.”
Kyrgyzstan Opens the Door to Matronymics Amid Pushback – and a Power Grab?
By Colleen Wood
Some worry that the push for matronymics, the use of a second name derived from a person’s mother rather than their father, has enabled a concentration of presidential power.
Japan’s LGBTQ Community Battles Tradition and Ultraconservative Politics
By Thisanka Siripala
Securing legal protections for sexual minorities is agonizingly slow in a country playing catch-up.
Shiite Kashmiris Hold Moharram Procession in Srinagar For the First Time in 3 Decades
By Aijaz Hussain
The lifting of the ban on such processions comes as the overall security situation improves in Kashmir, say authorities.
In Nepal, the LGBTQ Community’s Fight for Marriage Equality is Far From Over
By Jefferson He
Despite a groundbreaking ruling from the Supreme Court, there is a long way to go before LGBTQ couples in this landlocked South Asian country are genuinely equal.