All Asia: South & Central
- First LookPakistan’s Imran Khan is in prison for corruption. What comes next?
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan has been transferred to a high-security prison after being convicted of corruption. His supporters say a flurry of legal filings is part of an attempt to sideline the popular opposition leader.
- India’s opposition parties team up to beat Modi. Is it enough?
A common enemy can be a powerful unifier. But in India, a new rainbow coalition will need to dig deeper if it wants to sweep the polls and stop the country’s democratic backslide.
- First LookDeadly attack in Pakistan reflects divisions between Islamist groups
In Pakistan, a suicide bombing at an election rally for a pro-Taliban cleric killed 54 and injured nearly 200 on Sunday. Although no one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, it appears to reflect divisions between Islamist groups in the region.
- ‘Pink parks’: Delhi’s bid to build safer city for women sparks debate
Delhi plans to build hundreds of “pink parks” to improve women’s access to outdoor spaces. While parkgoers welcome the oasis, experts say this sort of short-term safety fix fails to move the ball forward on equality.
- India’s Manipur has spent months on the brink of war. Is there hope?
A relief camp for displaced children in India’s violence-wracked Manipur state shows the challenges of keeping hope alive amid crisis.
- In India, peace building goes ultimate
Compassion, respect, and communication are all essential for lasting peace. In a conflict-wracked area of northeast India, an unfamiliar sport is helping foster these skills.
- In Thailand, conservation drive and Indigenous traditions collide
Residents of Thailand’s Ban Sop Lan village are pushing back against efforts to expand the boundaries of a nearby national park.
- India, the US, and ‘friendversaries’
The challenge for the United States is to boost ties with strategically located countries, like India, that have shared interests but adversarial ones as well.
- Why Pakistan army is targeting Imran Khan’s party
Who’s responsible for the May 9 riots in Pakistan? Some Pakistanis say the army’s furor at former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party is misdirected.
- Why this Indian village has fought a steel plant for 18 years
A village’s enduring resistance against a massive steelworks project highlights gaps in India’s environmental protections and human rights.
- The ExplainerWhy India lags behind in rail safety – and where it goes from here
Leaders in India have been pouring money into modernizing the country’s massive rail system. But as a recent accident in Odisha shows, modern doesn’t always equal safe.
- Secret schools defy Taliban to offer Afghan girls light and hope
Clandestine classes are keeping learning alive for girls whom the ruling Taliban have banned from school amid growing restrictions on women.
- In Pictures: Two views of elephant tourism in Thailand
As Thailand’s elephant tourism rebounds from a pandemic pause, so too has discussion of how to best care for the beloved beasts.
- How wrestling became a battleground for women’s safety in India
The USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal showed how cooperation and courage can lead to safer sports for young women. Now, Indian wrestling is having its own #MeToo reckoning.
- First LookPower shift in Thailand: Opposition surges, what’s ahead?
Thailand’s opposition has won a substantial majority, challenging conservative parties and the former general who led the country for nine years. The election results reflect discontent among young voters, but the next government coalition remains uncertain.
- Pakistan’s army vowed to avoid politics. Now it’s back in the middle.
Mass protests over Imran Khan’s arrest have left a trail of destruction throughout Pakistan, and brought the integrity of the country’s most powerful institutions under fire.
- First LookEscalating crisis: Pakistan's former prime minister Khan arrested
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been arrested and appeared in a court in Islamabad, to face charges in multiple graft cases, said officials from his party. Mr. Khan claims the calls for his arrest are politically motivated by opponents.
- How one Indian couple has helped thousands of sugarcane cutters
Fighting modern slavery takes courage. One couple is using every tool available – including education – to combat bonded labor in India’s mammoth sugar industry.
- The Dream Journey: Meet the friends bringing Pakistani music back
The cultural effects of an oppressive regime can linger for generations. But in Pakistan, a collective of music lovers is reviving the country’s musical heritage and spreading joy across borders.
- In Pictures: For blind musicians, Khmer culture sings
A small school in southern Cambodia runs a dual-track mission: to care for orphaned children and preserve the traditional arts.