All Asia: South & Central
- First LookDeadly bombing of a girls' school in Afghanistan. Who did it?
Saturday’s attack on a girls’ school in a Shiite neighborhood in Kabul, Afghanistan was among the worst the country has seen, leaving dozens dead.
- First LookPandemic price? India's ruling party stumbles in state elections
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist party may be slipping as the country struggles with a surge in coronavirus cases.
- First LookWhat's next for Afghanistan as the US prepares to pull out?
As the U.S. prepares to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, questions remain for Washington’s goal of global security, and for Afghanistan’s internal security and governance.
- Difference MakerIndia trashes 100 million tires a year. She turns them into playgrounds.
Anthill Creations, the brainchild of Pooja Rai, is a Bengaluru-based nonprofit that designs and builds low-cost playgrounds throughout India.
- First LookIn Myanmar, funerals become platforms for pro-democracy protests
The escalating violence - which took the lives of 114 people Saturday - prompted a U.N. human rights expert to accuse the Myanmar junta of “mass murder.”
- First LookMost Indian tea pickers are landless. Can their kids fight back?
After a lifetime of picking tea, plantation workers are left landless once they stop working – their housing, on the tea estates, is tied to their labor. Their children, who are often stuck working at the plantations to keep their parents housed, are fighting for a better deal.
- In this Kashmiri library, the power of books goes beyond words
Kashmir is home to the “Traveler’s Library,” one man’s testament to the power of books – although he himself cannot read.
- Vaccine diplomacy: Will free shipments pay off for India?
India is sending millions of COVID-19 vaccines abroad, amid its own domestic campaign. Experts say New Delhi sees an opportunity for soft power.
- First LookWith Myanmar media under pressure, livestreams become essential
With established media under pressure following the military coup in Myanmar, local journalists and citizens alike are shaping their country’s story by posting videos, photos, and livestreams to Facebook – if they can get around internet shutdowns.
- First LookPakistan and India agree to cease-fire for first time since 2003
Pakistan and India have agreed to a cease-fire in the disputed region of Kashmir for the first time since a 2003 accord. The move could be a major step in defusing tensions, even paving the way for a broader detente.
- First LookMyanmar pro-democracy protesters call for national strike
- First LookHope for women as Indian journalist is acquitted in #MeToo case
A New Delhi court has acquitted journalist Priya Ramani of criminal defamation after she accused M.J. Akbar, a prominent former editor-turned-politician of sexual harassment in 2018. Mr. Akbar had filed a case against Ms. Ramani, denying the allegations.
- First LookWomen farmers in India join national protests to push for rights
Women farmers have long complained about their particular difficulties in accessing wholesale markets, owning land, and securing credit. Now, the demonstrations in Delhi have given them a forum to press their demands as part of the greater protest movement.
- First LookRescuers hunt for missing after Himalayan glacier bursts
Rescue efforts are under way after part of a Himalayan glacier broke off on Sunday and sent a wall of water and debris rushing down a mountain, trapping power plant workers in a tunnel. Experts say the disaster could be linked to global warming.
- First LookAmid protests, a 'chilling development for the press' in India
In response to continued demonstrations against new agricultural reforms, India is clamping down on free speech. Hundreds of Twitter accounts were suspended on Monday, and at least nine journalists have been charged for their coverage of the protests.
- First LookThe military has taken over in Myanmar. Why now?
Civilian leaders, who co-led Myanmar as part of a power-sharing agreement with the military, have been detained following a coup. The military cite election fraud as one of the reasons it took control, promising new elections in a year.
- First LookMilitary coup in Myanmar: Elected leaders arrested
Aung San Suu Kyi and other elected officials in Myanmar's National League for Democracy party were detained under house arrest, and communications were cut to the capital.
- First LookTractors roll through New Delhi as farmers escalate protests
As India celebrated Republic Day, farmers previously camped on the outskirts of the capital rolled into the city, ramping up their protests against agricultural reform laws. The government insists that the laws will boost production through private investment.
- No Tamil movie ending, yet: Lockdowns dim Bhuvi Velu’s prospects
In her last year of an engineering degree, with lockdowns affecting the job market, she says she’s even contemplating telemarketing to find an income.
- First LookLogging on to a new life: India's migrant workers get job skills
India's economy depends on the work of 100 million internal migrants, whose livelihoods were considered most vulnerable to the coronavirus. Now, a growing number of online programs are offering practical training and job placement.