All Asia: South & Central
First LookShe鈥檚 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 鈥渄eng,鈥� or bounce, and her zookeepers post clips of her giddy frolics.聽Now, the Thai zoo seeks to patent 鈥淢oo Deng the hippo.鈥�
The ExplainerWhy Kashmir鈥檚 local election could usher in a new political eraWith fresh faces emerging to challenge the traditional political powerhouses, the region鈥檚 political dynamics already appear to be changing.
A former prime minister facing military trial? Pakistan flirts with risky precedent.Pakistan鈥檚 democracy is at an unprecedented crossroads as the government, army, and judiciary decide whether to try Imran Khan in a military court.聽
To reach Kashmir鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檛 restore the political agency lost over the past decade 鈥� but it鈥檚 a step forward that many in the heavily militarized region hope to build upon.
Young, educated, and jobless: Is India鈥檚 unemployment crisis 鈥榳aiting to explode鈥�?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鈥檛 progress translate on the ground?Bangladesh鈥檚 impressive advancements overshadowed a growing discontent, which erupted into weeks of violent protests. Some hope Mr. Yunus鈥檚 interim government marks a fresh start.
First LookWorld鈥檚 longest-serving female prime minister flees Bangladesh amid protestsBangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned from her job and fled the country following weeks of protests. What began as peaceful student-led protests against job quotas have evolved into a violent uprising against Ms. Hasina.
Bangladeshi youth bore the brunt of last week鈥檚 violent protests. They want accountability.Bangladeshis are reeling from one of the most violent weeks in their country鈥檚 recent history. At the center of the chaos are young people striving to be heard.
First LookIn Malaysia, royal families take turns on the throne. This king rides a motorbike.Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar was officially installed on July 20 under a unique system where nine ethnic Malay state rulers take turns as Malaysia鈥檚 king. The 65-year-old monarch from southern Johor state is outspoken about Malaysian politics and corruption.
First LookPakistan鈥檚 political crisis deepens as government seeks to ban Imran Khan鈥檚 partyThe political party of imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan faces a potential ban by Pakistan鈥檚 government on charges of foreign funding and inciting riots, shortly after key acquittals for Mr. Khan.
India-Russia summit: Why the world鈥檚 largest democracy is keeping Putin closeIndia-Russia ties seem as strong as ever after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin spent two days together in Moscow. But for India, experts say, the trip was really about asserting independence.
Nepalis thought they were going to Russia to 鈥榟elp.鈥� They were made to fight 鈥� and die.Russia has sent thousands of foreign 鈥渉elpers鈥� to fight in Ukraine 鈥� including many Nepalis. Families of missing recruits are searching for answers.
First LookMailboxes on every street: Afghanistan鈥檚 plan to modernize postal servicesPhasing out the traditional 鈥減ay and pray鈥� system, Afghanistan鈥檚 postal service plans to replace mosque-based drop points with mailboxes nationwide.
After tumultuous India election, Modi softens toward KashmirIndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi appears to be easing up on Kashmir 鈥� a shift that could restore a sense of political agency to millions in the beleaguered region, and buttress peace efforts.聽
More than a strongman? In India, coalition politics will be Modi鈥檚 third-term test.For India鈥檚 new coalition government to last, experts say Prime Minister Narendra Modi must find ways to temper his party鈥檚 Hindu nationalism and compromise on other key issues.
Almost no one recognizes the Taliban. But Russia appears set to start.Much of the world regards the Taliban as outlaw rulers of Afghanistan. But Russia appears set to recognize them, in the interest of domestic security.
Pakistan鈥檚 army buried Imran Khan with legal cases. The courts are digging him out.With one of the three major cases聽against former Prime Minister Imran Khan overturned, Pakistanis are now reckoning with what the popular but divisive leader鈥檚 release would mean for the country.
Even before his latest victory, Modi was reshaping India. These numbers show how.With India鈥檚 weekslong election over, Prime Minister Narendra Modi鈥檚 last two terms can offer insight into the incoming government鈥檚 economic, infrastructure, and welfare agenda 鈥� and the future of press freedom in India.
