All Asia: South & Central
As Kashmiri crafts struggle, papier-mâché artists find hope in creative evolutionIn Kashmir, papier-mâché artisans are struggling to overcome the challenges faced by many of the region’s traditional craftspeople – but they also see a reason for hope.
First LookRescue efforts ongoing after quake rocks much of MyanmarRescue efforts are underway across Myanmar after a devastating earthquake Friday. Teams and equipment have been flown in from other nations, though the quake damaged airports in Myanmar's major cities.
When slash-and-burn plantation fires spread, these Indonesian women douse the flamesThe palm oil industry has put Indonesian Borneo at risk of devastating wildfires. Ahead of International Women’s Day, The Christian Science Monitor joins an all-female firefighting force on patrol.
India’s census delay brings new life to an old debate: Is it moral to count caste?Caste – an outlawed hereditary hierarchy – has continued to shape Indian society in overt and subtle ways. But calls for a full nationwide caste census have been met with resistance, sparking debate over India’s path to equality.
How Pakistan could undercut US efforts to curb China's EV boomElectric Vehicles have become a new battleground for the power struggle between China and the West. For Beijing, Pakistan could become an important ally.
Immigration built this Punjab village into a ‘mini US.’ But has it led to a good life?The Trump administration’s push to deport unauthorized immigrants threatens to disrupt the lives of thousands of Indians. In one village where U.S. migration has led to both prosperity and loneliness, opinions are torn.
He went to capture the beauty of Hinduism. Then the stampede happened.A reporter’s trip to the world’s largest holy festival was interrupted by a deadly stampede. His account reveals both the risks and spiritual importance of the Kumbh Mela, and how India’s relationship with Hinduism is changing.
First LookWhy did the Philippine vice president threaten to assassinate her boss?Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte publicly threatened the life of the country’s president on Nov. 23. Under the Philippine penal code, such public remarks may constitute a crime and is punishable by a jail term and fine.
First LookAI makes the fashion industry faster and greener. But what will that mean for workers?Suppliers and brands across the $1.7 trillion global fashion industry are starting to use AI technology to boost production and reduce their climate impact. But recent innovations could threaten some of the 75 million jobs in the labor-intensive industry.
How India’s crackdown on Kashmir – and the blowback – transformed the region’s politicsIndia’s curb on separatist militancy and other forms of dissent pushes new candidates – and voters – to participate in local elections in Kashmir.
The kids are all right: How rural India’s ‘goat nurses’ help animals – and themselvesIn rural India, a goat is a valuable asset. For the women who have been trained to care for them, they’re also a path to greater dignity.
First LookSri Lanka elects Marxist lawmaker as president after years of economic turmoilAnura Kumara Dissanayake’s victory is seen as a rejection of Sri Lanka’s old political guard that has been widely accused of pushing the nation toward economic ruin.
First LookShe’s chubby, wet, and fierce. Meet Moo Deng, a baby hippo and internet darling.Spawning memes, merch, and crowds at the zoo, baby hippo Moo Deng went viral within weeks of being born. Appropriately, she likes to “deng,” or bounce, and her zookeepers post clips of her giddy frolics. Now, the Thai zoo seeks to patent “Moo Deng the hippo.”
The ExplainerWhy Kashmir’s local election could usher in a new political eraWith fresh faces emerging to challenge the traditional political powerhouses, the region’s political dynamics already appear to be changing.
A former prime minister facing military trial? Pakistan flirts with risky precedent.Pakistan’s democracy is at an unprecedented crossroads as the government, army, and judiciary decide whether to try Imran Khan in a military court.
To reach Kashmir’s Himalayan nomads, teachers bring classrooms to the pastureAccess to education looks different depending on the community. In the hilly pastures of Kashmir, mobile schools meet little shepherds where they are.
Protests over women’s safety in India are taking cues from an unusual sourceIndia has long struggled to tackle gender-based violence. But as Kolkata reels from a brutal attack on a young doctor, some protesters point to neighboring Bangladesh as proof that with enough solidarity, change is possible.
Five years after India stripped it of statehood, Kashmir prepares for electionsThe return of elections to Jammu and Kashmir won’t restore the political agency lost over the past decade – but it’s a step forward that many in the heavily militarized region hope to build upon.
Young, educated, and jobless: Is India’s unemployment crisis ‘waiting to explode’?Amid high unemployment and higher-education scandals, young Indians are questioning traditional, merit-based paths to prosperity.
On paper, Bangladesh was on the rise. Why didn’t progress translate on the ground?Bangladesh’s impressive advancements overshadowed a growing discontent, which erupted into weeks of violent protests. Some hope Mr. Yunus’s interim government marks a fresh start.
