Mira Nair famously turned down Warner Bros.’ offer to direct a Harry Potter movie, opting instead to make The Namesake. When asked about this decision during the 2018 Jaipur Literature Festival, Nair revealed her then-14-year-old son, Zohran Mamdani, helped her choose.​

1 in 10 Hong Kong women struggles to afford menstrual products as group urges ‘period poverty’ awareness About 25 per cent of respondents changed their sanitary pads three times a day during their periods – half the frequency recommended for maintaining basic hygiene and reducing infection risks.

Child bride faces execution in Iran unless she pays £80,000 in ‘blood money’ Goli Kouhkan, 25, on death row for seven years for killing her abusive husband, has until December to settle with the victim’s family.

The young lawyer taking Pakistan to court over its unfair ‘period tax’ Pakistani lawyer Mahnoor Omer hopes the case will put public pressure on the government to make sanitary products affordable in a country where they cost too much for most women.

‘Look delicate’ marriage tips for women backfire in Japan A Japanese municipality was forced to withdraw tips urging women to wear shoes that make them appear “delicate” or choose makeup that looks “demure” in order to secure a partner, after facing accusations of sexism.

Same-sex couples in South Korea can now be counted as “spouses” in the national census — a simple checkbox that, for many, marks long-overdue recognition in a country that still denies them legal marriage.

Is Having a Boyfriend Embarrassing Now? The script is shifting. Being partnered doesn’t affirm your womanhood anymore; it is no longer considered an achievement, and, if anything, it’s become more of a flex to pronounce yourself single.

She's known for writing on politically significant events incl the 2009 play May 35th - euphemism for the 1989 June 4 Tiananmen crackdown. Ironically before HK's recent social movements & subsequently tightening political situation, Chong was once referred to (in 2013) as "A Playwright for Our Time"

Indian women are studying sharks, restoring mangroves and rebuilding our relationship with the sea Along India’s coastline, a rising wave of women is healing our oceans, moving beyond the margins of shore-bound roles traditionally ascribed to them.

Controversial playwright speaks out after cancellation of gay-themed play Hong Kong playwright Candace Chong reflects on the off-on-off decision to cancel her play "We Are Gay" starring Antony Wong. www.scmp.com/lifestyle/ar...

"Horror, for me, exposes how society treats women’s bodies as abject, shameful. Writing Blood was a way of reclaiming what had once made me afraid," says Indonesian writer Intan Paramaditha. www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...

Pakistan Supreme Court upholds woman’s right to 'Khula', recognises psychological abuse as ground for divorce Khula is an Islamic concept which recognises the right of a woman to dissolve the marriage, a contrast against 'Talaq' which grants the right to a man.

Why ‘Cruelty By Husband’ Still Dominates Crimes Against Women In India Spousal violence being the leading form of gender-based violence in India keeps with global trends.

"Reverse discrimination" doesn't exist: South Korea's Ministry of Gender Equality and Family will respond to some of the backlash sparked by recent changes & fears that addressing "reverse discrimination" claimed by men would dismantle discussions on structural discrimination women face in reality.

Japanese man jailed for 8 years after rare public accusation of rape Koji Daimon was convicted of raping his daughter Riho Fukuyama in 2016, when she was in high school.

Family law shift hailed as victory for children facing domestic abuse ‘Groundbreaking’ repeal of presumption of parental involvement in England and Wales ‘will ensure courts place safety of children above all else’

In a new book, education advocate Malala Yousafzai tries to shed her saintly image by opening up about student life, dating and her mental health struggles.

Money, muscles and anxiety: Why the manosphere clicked with young men – a visual deep dive. www.theguardian.com/technology/n...

With no legal status, Hong Kong same-sex couples take end-of-life planning into their own hands In Hong Kong, where same-sex partnerships are not recognised, married LGBTQ couples are writing wills and making advanced death preparations to protect their partners when the time comes.

just saw a post on LinkedIn criticizing this as well (not someone I follow, it's their algorithm), saying that it's not meritocratic - how linkedin! the policy isn't even mandatory, just encouraging people to reflect on citation diversity. I only just began

150,000 join Taiwan Pride as organizers urge understanding Organizers and participants expressed hope that the parade would help build understanding amid a growing global backlash against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

Taiwan: 3,000 march in Taipei to support transgender community In a press statement, the Tongzhi Hotline said the 2025 Taiwan Trans March was especially significant in 2025, in the midst of setbacks to transgender rights around the world earlier in the year. #LGBTQ

No Country for a Woman Women in China have suffered abuse, silencing and erasure — despite the Communist Party’s slogans about women’s liberation. Two novels by the Wuhan writer Fang Fang show how gendered oppression persists throughout political change.

Return-to-Office Mandates Are the New Glass Ceiling Return-to-office mandates erode the flexibility gains of the pandemic, disproportionately impacting working mothers and widening the gender pay gap once again. www.forbes.com/sites/juliak...

Raped by Her Boss, Then Fired: A Chinese Survivor’s Fight for Justice After a landmark work-related injury ruling, a woman assaulted during a business trip has faced a lengthy legal battle to win compensation. www.sixthtone.com/news/1017734

Singapore: Trio acquitted of organising pro-Palestinian procession The acquittal of the 3 Singaporean women, Mossammad Sobikun Nahar, 26, Siti Amirah Mohamed Asrori, 30, & Annamalai Kokila Parvathi, 37, was met with jubilant reactions from the public gallery.

Don’t say 'others have it worse' to someone with depression, South Koreans say A recent national survey has found that phrases often meant as encouragement are frequently received as hurtful by those dealing with depression.

Sanae Takaichi appoints just two women to cabinet after becoming Japan’s first female PM New leader had promised levels of female representation comparable to those in Iceland, where six of cabinet of 11 are women.

Indonesian Minister Urged to Apologize for Downplaying Sexual Abuse in Islamic Schools Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar suggested that reports of sexual abuse in Islamic boarding schools were being exaggerated by the mass media.

In Hong Kong, around 20 per cent of secondary school students exhibit moderate to severe depression, anxiety and stress, but nearly half are reluctant to reach out when facing mental health issues. Adolescents instead confide in AI chatbots for instant emotional support. #WorldMentalHealthMonth

Women-led patrols and fire prevention restore forests in northern Thailand Over the past two decades, a group of women in Lampang province have taken action to improve their local environment and curb sources of haze by restoring their local community forest. news.mongabay.com/2025/09/wome...

Suspect in Malaysia school stabbing secretly admired female victim, handwritten note discovered “He kept them to himself. The victim was also unaware of the suspect’s feelings,” police said.

Reactive Abuse vs Reactive Defense: How Mislabeling Harms Victims of Domestic Violence In reality, these reactions are more accurately described as "reactive defense," a natural response to the ongoing emotional, psychological, and physical torment victims endure.

Any Woman, Any Workplace—Except Political Parties: Indian Supreme Court Compounds Kerala High Court Error A law designed to safeguard any woman at any workplace is denied to women in politics, where hierarchies and power imbalances make harassment most likely.

Was prehistory a feminist paradise? Visions of matriarchal utopia may be wishful thinking, but there’s growing evidence of women wielding power.

For psychologists working with young people, the task isn’t simply treating behaviour—it’s decoding the human behind the label. And what they’ve found is unsettling: those dismissed as ‘troubled’ are often just mirrors of the pressures baked into Singapore’s system.

South Korean activist on Gaza aid flotilla detained in Israeli prison: civic group The activist, identified as Kim Ah-hyun or Haecho, was among scores of people aboard one of 11 ships bound for Gaza that were intercepted by Israeli forces. www.koreatimes.co.kr/foreignaffai...

‘It’s more than martial arts – we teach courage’: the Afghan sisters honing karate skills in Iran Shokoufeh, Maryam, and Mandana Jafari live in exile where, despite an increase in deportations and rising hostility towards migrants, they use sport to empower women.

Photos celebrate the glory of girls on 'International Day of the Girl' Photographer Danielle Villasana says she is in awe of the strong spirit of the girls she's encountered. www.npr.org/sections/goa...

Starving children screaming for food as US aid cuts unleash devastation and death across Myanmar U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has repeatedly said “no one has died” because of the decision to gut USAID. But in Myanmar, families say their loved ones have died as a direct result of the aid cuts.

Gen Z women brewing Cambodia’s coffee boom Young enterprising Cambodian women are redefining the local coffee industry by creating new career paths and showcasing their entrepreneurial skills that challenge traditional norms.

Japan’s first female PM is not a feminist Sanae Takaichi's policy positions on gender place her on the right of an already conservative LDP. www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-as...

A court in southern France has increased by a year the jail term of the only man who challenged his conviction for raping Gisèle Pelicot. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Dr Emma Katz is widely regarded as one the world’s foremost academic experts in her area of research — how coercive control impacts on children and young people. Here are her expert definitions and explanations, with quick, accessible answers to all the main questions about coercive control.

Greta Thunberg called out Russia and Israel, Pope Leo called out Russia and Israel, the late Jane Goodall called out Russia and Israel. Notice a pattern? Intelligent and heroic people stand against tyranny whether it is Russia or Israel.

As Gaza’s humanitarian crisis grows, women say they have been exploited by local men — some associated with aid groups — promising food, money, water, supplies or work in exchange for sexual interactions. www.ap.org/news-highlig...

South Korea: Surge in domestic violence feared during long Chuseok holiday Police statistics show that violent incidents, particularly those occurring within families or intimate relationships, tend to rise during traditional holidays when relatives gather for extended periods.

In her pioneering studies, Jane Goodall noted that the most successful chimp leaders were gentle, caring and familial. Males that tried to rule by asserting their dominance through violence, tyranny and threat did not last.

Sanae Takaichi: the new leader of Japan’s Liberal Democratic party who cites Thatcher as an influence Takaichi, likely to become Japan’s first female PM, is a rightwinger who has been critical of China and focused on migration in her campaign.

Afghan women lose their 'last hope' as Taliban shut down internet For women like Fahima, the internet was her last lifeline to the outside world. On Tuesday, that lifeline was cut off when the Taliban imposed a nationwide internet shutdown that is set to last indefinitely.