All Asia: South & Central
First LookIndia鈥檚 top court confirms end of Kashmir and Jammu鈥檚 special statusIndia鈥檚 top court has upheld a 2019 decision to strip Jammu and Kashmir鈥檚 special status as a semi-autonomous region with a separate constitution.聽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鈥檚 battered border villagesA 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 cityIndia sees lab-grown diamonds as a path to prosperity and economic independence. But for Surat鈥檚 diamond workers, the picture is more complex. Can the industry become profitable for all?
First LookRescue success: All workers safely removed from tunnel in IndiaAfter 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 鈥渆vacuation pipe鈥� that was drilled through the rock.
After 658 days in jail, Kashmir journalist Fahad Shah shares his storyThe release of Fahad Shah is a triumph for the聽friends and family who鈥檝e been fighting for the newspaper editor鈥檚 freedom. It鈥檚 also a rare moment of relief amid an ongoing crackdown on press freedom in the region.
In potential Israel-Hamas hostage deal, Thailand鈥檚 stakes are highIn Thailand鈥檚 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 鈥榣uxury water鈥� for the privilegedWater 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鈥檛 have clean water to drink.聽
As divisions deepen in India, a 15th-century poet inspires hopeAmid 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 ShahFahad Shah, who's written for 海角大神 and other international outlets, was granted bail after nearly two years in prison.
In Pictures: India鈥檚 timeless floating market lives onAmid unrest and political instability in the Kashmir region, the floating market of Dal Lake is a lifeline.
When a beauty pageant becomes a feminist frontierPakistan鈥檚 debut in the Miss Universe pageant has sparked debate over the issue of respect 鈥撀爁or women, but also for the Muslim nation鈥檚 moral image.
First LookIndia tunnel collapse: Rescuers try to free workers, questions mountRescuers 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鈥檚 historic deportation of Afghans, calls for compassionMass deportations of Afghans living in Pakistan mark a dramatic about-face for a country that鈥檚 historically served as a refuge for people fleeing from neighboring Afghanistan.
First LookPakistan鈥檚 anti-migrant crackdown leaves Afghans with no shelterThe 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 civilians amid ongoing violence and war crimes.
First LookWhy protesters in Dhaka are pressuring Prime Minster Hasina to resignFollowing this weekend鈥檚 protests聽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.
In Pakistan, one embattled ex-PM gets bail, the other doesn鈥檛. Why?In Pakistan, two former prime ministers, both accused of corruption, are receiving different treatment from authorities. What does fairness look like in a case with so many missteps and injustices?
First Look鈥楾his court can鈥檛 make law鈥�: Same-sex marriage struck down in IndiaIn India, social acceptance of homosexuality has grown over the past decade. So has the demand for the LGBTQ+ community鈥檚 legal rights, yet the Supreme Court announced that same-sex marriage won鈥檛 be legalized after hearing 21 petitions earlier this year.
Why protecting Indonesia鈥檚 Indigenous land is a balancing actIn Indonesia, where obtaining land rights often rests on proving Indigeneity, any transformation can be a risk. For many Indigenous peoples, keeping their cultures alive in the 21st century requires careful weighing of adaptation and preservation.
