All Asia: South & Central
- First LookBangladesh election: Why young, digital-era voters want change
Political battles in Bangladesh were historically fought on the streets by parties led by two women. But young Bangladeshis, who make up almost one-third of the country’s registered voters, are changing the narrative ahead of the Jan. 7 general election.
- Letter from Kushtia: Getting a rock star’s view into Bangladesh
A day in Kushtia, Bangladesh – a city that’s off the beaten path but brimming with history and culture – provided Monitor journalists a reprieve, as well as a deeper appreciation for one of the region’s youngest nations.
- First LookIn war-torn Myanmar, illicit poppy production flowers once more
Myanmar has regained its lead in global opium production, surpassing Afghanistan. The nation’s farmers are turning to cultivating poppy flowers to make ends meet. In Afghanistan, the Taliban’s ban has led to a 95% drop in the cultivation of opium poppies.
- First LookIndia’s top court confirms end of Kashmir and Jammu’s special status
India’s top court has upheld a 2019 decision to strip Jammu and Kashmir’s special status as a semi-autonomous region with a separate constitution. The move also divided the region into two federal territories, Ladakh and Jammu-Kashmir.
- Honor killings: What would it take to keep women safe in Pakistan?
The death of a young Pakistani woman has many wondering what it would take to rid the country of so-called honor killings.
- Visitors breathe new life into Kashmir’s battered border villages
A cease-fire has brought tourists to the India-Pakistan border in Kashmir. They have brought relief but also highlight the progress still needed.
- How lab-grown diamonds are reshaping this western India city
India sees lab-grown diamonds as a path to prosperity and economic independence. But for Surat’s diamond workers, the picture is more complex. Can the industry become profitable for all?
- First LookRescue success: All workers safely removed from tunnel in India
After 17 days, all 41 construction workers have been rescued from a collapsed tunnel in the Indian Himalayas. The trapped workers were pulled out one at a time, through a 3-foot wide “evacuation pipe” that was drilled through the rock.
- After 658 days in jail, Kashmir journalist Fahad Shah shares his story
The release of Fahad Shah is a triumph for the friends and family who’ve been fighting for the newspaper editor’s freedom. It’s also a rare moment of relief amid an ongoing crackdown on press freedom in the region.
- In potential Israel-Hamas hostage deal, Thailand’s stakes are high
In Thailand’s north, families fear for loved ones kidnapped by Hamas. In the south, hearts go out for victims of Israeli counterattacks in Gaza. In Bangkok, this presents a delicate balancing act.
- First LookAs the planet thirsts, the rise of ‘luxury water’ for the privileged
Water drawn from volcanic rock in Hawaii, icebergs in Norway, and droplets of mist in Tasmania is being bottled and sold to those who can afford it, despite millions of people worldwide who still don’t have clean water to drink.
- As divisions deepen in India, a 15th-century poet inspires hope
Amid heightened religious division, some Indians find common ground in the teachings of a poet who brought Hindus and Muslims together 600 years ago.
- India grants bail to Kashmir Walla editor Fahad Shah
Fahad Shah, who's written for The Christian Science Monitor and other international outlets, was granted bail after nearly two years in prison.
- In Pictures: India’s timeless floating market lives on
Amid unrest and political instability in the Kashmir region, the floating market of Dal Lake is a lifeline.
- When a beauty pageant becomes a feminist frontier
Pakistan’s debut in the Miss Universe pageant has sparked debate over the issue of respect – for women, but also for the Muslim nation’s moral image.
- First LookIndia tunnel collapse: Rescuers try to free workers, questions mount
Rescuers are trying to save 40 workers trapped under a collapsed highway tunnel in the Indian Himalayas. Critics of the ambitious highway project say that it was pushed ahead despite concerns about its environmental impact.
- Amid Pakistan’s historic deportation of Afghans, calls for compassion
Mass deportations of Afghans living in Pakistan mark a dramatic about-face for a country that’s historically served as a refuge for people fleeing from neighboring Afghanistan.
- First LookPakistan’s anti-migrant crackdown leaves Afghans with no shelter
The Pakistani government set Oct. 31 as a deadline for migrants without documentation to leave the country, forcing hundreds of thousands of Afghans to flee in fear of arrest. Camps on the other side of the border lack proper shelter, food, and water.
- First LookThousands have died under Myanmar’s military rule. Can a website help?
Security Force Monitor, a product of the Columbia Law School Human Rights Institute, is a new website its creators hope will help bring accountability and justice to Myanmar’s civilians amid ongoing violence and war crimes.
- First LookWhy protesters in Dhaka are pressuring Prime Minster Hasina to resign
Following this weekend’s protests in Dhaka, Bangladesh, that turned violent, key opposition figure Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was arrested. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party is demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.