All Asia: South & Central
First LookIndia will soon have the biggest population. Can its women rise, too?India will soon eclipse China to become the world鈥檚 most populous country, but the number of Indian women in the workforce has been shrinking.聽When women participate in the labor market, they contribute to the economy and their family鈥檚 income,聽experts say.
First LookWildlife over people? Indigenous groups protest India鈥檚 Project Tiger.As India鈥檚 Project Tiger turns 50 years old and the big cat population hits 3,000, Indigenous groups are protesting.聽They say they are being displaced by wildlife projects that push them out of their ancestral land and ask for a say in conservation efforts.
First LookClimate change washes away freshwater for Indian villagersRising seas from climate change is bringing saltwater into freshwater supplies in India, where less than half the population can access clean drinking water. In Chellanam increased salinity in the aquifer has forced residents to retrieve freshwater by hand.
As India鈥檚 Project Tiger turns 50, hope for the big catOn the surface, India鈥檚 gains on tiger conservation over the past 50 years appear modest, but the momentum growing behind the big cat gives wildlife advocates hope.
First LookMalaysia abolishes death penalty. Will other Asian nations follow?Human rights groups have applauded Malaysia鈥檚 move to abolish the mandatory death penalty, bringing possible reprieves to more than 1,300 prisoners on death row.聽Previously, courts had no choice but to mandate hanging as punishment for a range of crimes.
Gandhi鈥檚 expulsion: Bad for Indian democracy, good for opposition?Critics have called the expulsion of opposition leader Rahul Gandhi an assault on the integrity of India鈥檚 democracy 鈥撀燽ut it鈥檚 also inspiring rare unity among different parties, which could sway upcoming elections.
First LookCan public trust endure in India amid high surveillance?In India, the increased digitization of services has led to greater government surveillance and false arrests, activists say. The authorities say the surveillance is needed to curb rising crime.
Pakistan-Khan standoff: What would justice look like to each side?A violent standoff between supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and Pakistani authorities has put pressure on the country鈥檚 legal system.
First LookWhy did Thailand disband its Parliament ahead of elections?A government order has disestablished Thailand鈥檚 Parliament, allowing candidates to change parties closer to election day. An election with stronger candidates and more supportive parties could reduce the political influence of the country鈥檚 military.
First LookPakistan unrest: Supporters clash with police trying to arrest KhanPolice attempts to arrest former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan have triggered two days of street clashes with supporters. Since 1947, at least seven former prime ministers of Pakistan have been arrested in various cases and tried by courts.
First LookIndonesia breaks ground on new 鈥榝uturistic鈥� capital of BorneoIndonesia is moving its capital from Jakarta to the newly unveiled Borneo. The goal is for the island to be a 鈥渟ustainable forest city鈥� that aims to be carbon neutral by 2045, but environmentalists warn there could be issues with deforestation.聽
鈥楴ot worthy of a democracy鈥�: Behind India鈥檚 slide on press freedomTrends of anti-media violence, censorship, and legal intimidation could have disastrous consequences for the world鈥檚 largest democracy.
Boom and bust: How Indian billionaire鈥檚 rise left the nation vulnerableBillionaire Gautam Adani became a symbol of prosperity in modern India. As his fortune comes under scrutiny, so does India's economic model and the country鈥檚 relationship with its super-rich.
Short on food and funds, working-class Pakistanis rely on resilienceAmid Pakistan鈥檚 escalating financial crisis, a visit to a working-class neighborhood in Lahore reveals daily struggles and deep wells of resilience.
In Pictures: Acid attack survivors take the lead at this Indian cafeAcid attacks aim to degrade and disfigure women. At Sheroes cafe, survivors take charge and achieve the confidence to move forward with their lives.聽 聽
First LookBBC offices in India searched: Is the government silencing critics?Indian tax authorities have conducted searches at the BBC鈥檚 offices in New Delhi and Mumbai. The searches took place after the BBC aired a two-part documentary critical of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Britain.
Difference MakerWith after-school center, trans activist Sumi Das seeks kinder futureIn eastern India, an after-school center run by trans women is helping kids reconnect with learning. It is also forging compassion and solidarity.
Is there female genital mutilation in India? Delhi says no, survivors say yes.A court case to determine the rightful leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community is highlighting the oft-ignored issue of female genital mutilation in India.
Difference MakerArt as a tool for healing? Cambodian circus fosters joy and confidence.In Cambodia, a circus is helping break the cycle of poverty and renew arts that were nearly wiped out by the Khmer Rouge regime.
Why is democratic India helping Russia avoid Western sanctions?Russia鈥檚 ability to endure sanctions relies on the reluctance of countries like India to join the West鈥檚 economic embargo. The trade channels being formed could have lasting geopolitical effects.
