All Asia: South & Central
- G20 face-lift: Delhi removes poor people, but not povertyDelhi’s push to get beggars off the streets before the G20 summit makes for a more attractive event, but makes life harder for the city’s poorest people.
- Blasphemy claims triggered mob violence. Can Pakistan move forward?As attacks on churches draw attention to the country’s controversial blasphemy laws and growing intolerance, some worry the promise of a secular Pakistan is under threat.
- How India won the race to the moon’s south poleLanding the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft near the moon’s strategically important south pole is a major milestone for India’s space program, demonstrating what can be achieved with modest resources.
- Editor jailed, staff evicted, website shut: An Indian newsroom’s fateThe Indian government has ordered the closure of one of the few independent news outlets in Kashmir, after arresting its editor and harassing staff.
- Why a free election ‘seems almost impossible’ in PakistanCentral to a functioning democracy is the freedom to choose one’s own leaders. But as Pakistan enters a transition period, many see familiar cycles of disenfranchisement.
- 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 groupsIn 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 debateDelhi 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 ultimateCompassion, 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 collideResidents 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 partyWho’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 yearsA 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 hereLeaders 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 hopeClandestine 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 ThailandAs 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 IndiaThe 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.