North Korea Set Off a Nuke Under a Mountain
By: Darren Orf A 2017 nuclear test may have reactivated dormant faults under Mt. Mantap. Credit: Getty Images Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story: North Korea’s Punggye-ri nuclear test site is located at Mt. Mantap, in the reclusive nation’s rugged northeastern wilderness. Even though it sits on stable intraplate crust, the area has experienced increased seismicity since 2017, when North Korea conducted its last and largest nuclear bomb test there. A new study
eastsoutheastasia
Oct 2
Taiwan receives 2 US F-16Vs, awaiting more fighter jets
By HUIZHONG WU Credit: Taiwan Ministry of National Defense via AP BANGKOK (AP) — Taiwan on Friday received the first two of 65 F-16V fighter jets ordered from the U.S., the island’s air force said, following years of delays. The two F-16V Block 70 jets landed at Chihhang Air Base in Taitung. There are 63 more to be delivered. The self-ruled island, which is also claimed by Beijing as part of its territory, placed an order for the F-16Vs in 2019. Taiwan largely purchases arms
AP News
Oct 2
Four civilians killed in Pakistani strikes in Afghanistan
By Tinshui Yeung September 25, 2026 Credit: BBC Afghanistan's Taliban government said a wave of Pakistani air strikes had killed four civilians in the latest escalation between the two sides. The strikes hit provinces including Kandahar, the Taliban's base of power, sources told the BBC. A resident told AFP news agency they heard a jet, followed by a large explosion and then a fire in the city. Pakistan said its forces had struck 10 targets in Afghanistan, without specifying
BBC News
Sep 25
UN Says Iran Crackdown Amounted To Crimes Against Humanity
By Iran International September 17, 2026 Iranian security forces committed crimes against humanity in their crackdown on nationwide protests, a UN fact-finding mission said on Thursday, citing mass killings, torture and arbitrary detention. A masked protester raises both hands in victory signs as crowds gather on a smoke-filled road during protests in Mashhad, Iran, on January 9, 2026. The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran said its report examined the 202
#a Iran International
Sep 22
Satire Can Be A Crime In Kazakhstan
By Mihra Rittmann September 17, 2026 Another Critic Prosecuted into Silence Amid Crackdown on Freedom of Expression Downtown Astana, Kazakhstan, February 28, 2023. © 2023 Olivier Douliery/AP Photo Satirist and political commentator Azamat Omarov, who had been in pre-trial detention in Kazakhstan since mid-April on “inciting discord” charges, struck a plea bargain with the prosecution, under the terms of which he pled guilty, and on September 15, was released. While Omarov avo
Human Rights Watch
Sep 18
Tajikistan and the Weaponization of Trauma Narratives
By: Genocide Watch A protest in Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe before the country's civil war. (Source: RFE/RL) Located in Central Asia, Tajikistan continues to navigate the aftermath of Civil War (1992-1997), which resulted in the loss and displacement of thousands of civilians. The Civil War’s widespread devastation, along with other internal issues (poverty, economic stagnation, internal division, and longstanding corruption), continues to plague the State today—particularl
Genocide Watch
Aug 24
Pakistan's army chief turns on hardline Islamist groups
By: Asif Shahzad, Ariba Shahid, Mubasher Bukhari and Rick Noack August 6 2026 Police officers in riot gear stand guard as supporters of various religious and political parties attend a protest rally against Geo News over content aired during a program marking the holy month of Muharram, in Karachi, Pakistan, July 3, 2026. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro/File Photo ISLAMABAD/KARACHI, Aug 6 (Reuters) - When blasphemy allegations against a Christian family prompted a mob of hundreds to as
AFP, AP and Reuters
Aug 7
Repression of Minorities in Kazakhstan and Tajikistan
By Sophia Khan and Kristie Moore Protests in Karakalpakstan in 2022. Peaceful protestors had only flags in their hands, but were met with violence (Source: RFE/RL) Central Asia has seen conflict break out frequently, in the form of interethnic violence within divided communities, border conflict over disputed territory, and skirmishes over shared resources. However, in the post-independence period, authoritarian governments and leaders have protected their own interests by us
Genocide Watch
Aug 5
Kazakhstan’s New Constitution
By the Ukraine, Russia, and Post-Soviet Space Area Task Force Picture of Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev voting in Kazakhstan’s 2026 Constitutional Reform, from the Astana Times Photo credit: Akorda On April 15, 2026, Kazakhstan held a referendum on a new constitution. This constitution was promoted as a means for Kazakhstan to move away from its presidential model of governance, ostensibly giving greater powers to its parliament. These measures should have enab
Genocide Watch
Jul 17
US launches new airstrikes on Iran, Tehran Retaliates
By Jon Gambrell, Seung Min Kim, and Konstantin Toropin July 8 2026 Credit: AP News / Video by Nathan Ellgren DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United States launched new airstrikes against Iran early Thursday, and Tehran responded by hitting Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar in crossfire that again threatened an interim deal intended to help end the war in the Persian Gulf. The strikes came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said recent Iranian attacks on ships in the Strai
Associated Press
Jul 9
Demolition of Uzbek Properties in Kyrgyzstan
By: Kristie Moore The Mothers’ Tears Monument located in Osh, Kyrgyzstan. The inscription is written in Kyrgyz, English, and Russian, but not Uzbek. Source: Kristie Moore (author) Kyrgyzstan has navigated a difficult path since declaring independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. While working to develop an economically and politically robust society, Kyrgyzstan has attempted to construct a Kyrgyz identity. A significant remnant of the Soviet Union is the presence of non-dem
Genocide Watch
Jul 5
Uncertain Futures and Restricted Movement: Afghan Refugees in Tajikistan
By Kristie Moore Photo showing migrants at the Tajik Border. Border signage states foreigners must follow migration rules. Source: TCA After the return of Taliban government to Afghanistan in 2021, former government employees and Afghan civilians fled the country, seeking safety in countries like Iran, Pakistan, and Tajikistan. Like in Iran and Pakistan, where governments have initiated mass deportations of Afghan refugees, the government of Tajikistan is making a similar mov
Genocide Watch
Jun 21
