Protocols enforced, traditional rituals adapted in order for devotees to celebrate safely India’s annual Hindu festival Durga Puja, marking the … More
Category: South Asia
Sri Lanka parliament strengthens presidential powers
COLOMBO (Reuters) : Sri Lankan lawmakers approved amendments to the constitution that strengthened the powers of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and … More
India to roll out quick and cheap COVID-19 paper test
NEW DELHI: A fast and cheap paper-based COVID-19 test will soon be available across India, with scientists hopeful that it … More
India’s Mukesh Ambani: Bad boy billionaire or ‘a simple man’?
With a fortune of US$80 billion, Mukesh Ambani is one of Asia’s richest individuals, and as divisive as he is … More
India holds digital fashion week amid pandemic
NEW DELHI (AP) : Unlike a fashion show, the models aren’t swaying on a ramp in real life. They are … More
India’s ‘cycle girl’: How pandemic changed a Dalit family’s life
Jyoti Paswan, 15, cycled 1,200km in May with her injured father on the back, drawing adulation and international media headlines. … More
Pakistan protests: Huge rally against Imran Khan draws comparisons to Thailand
Thousands gather at rally in Karachi demanding resignation of Pakistan PM over worsening economy and ‘rigged’ election Tens of thousands … More
Tens of thousands rally to demand Pakistan PM Imran Khan resign
KARACHI (REUTERS) – Tens of thousands of opposition supporters rallied on Sunday (Oct 18) in the city of Karachi as … More
Jamdani, the traditional weaving art of Bengal and Bangladesh
Weavers go to great lengths to make each piece stand out with rich detailing AP / GULF NEWS
Police offer Rs5m reward for info on killers of Maulana Adil Khan and Religious parties announce country-wide strike on Friday
This was a very gruesome act of terrorism which had also created panic and sense of insecurity in general public … More
Coronavirus wipes the shine off India’s diamond city
The pandemic has hobbled India’s diamond industry in Surat, where workers say their wages have been cut in half. Although … More
Pakistan cleric killed in apparent sectarian attack
KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — Gunmen riding on a motorcycle shot and killed a religious scholar who belongs to a little-known … More
UN and neglected conflict of Kashmir
World powers need to understand there is no way Kashmir dispute can be settled once and for all except in … More
Shunned by many, Indian man carries on cremating virus dead
GAUHATI, India (AP) : Ramananda Sarkar never wanted to burn bodies for a living, but he was deep in debt … More
Northeast India recalls ‘Stalingrad of the East’
KOHIMA, India (AP) : To Kuozeu Vizo, the landscape was as spellbinding as a rice field, golden and ripe for … More
Bollywood drug saga drags on, fuels discussions on prevalence of drug use in industry
BANGALORE – Filmmaking in India has ground nearly to a halt amid the Covid-19 pandemic – but celebrities are making the kind … More
As virus curbs Nepal’s festivals, devotees fear gods’ anger
KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) : The revered living goddess is not leaving her temple this year. The old palace courtyard packed … More
32 acquitted in razing of mosque that set off India violence
LUCKNOW, India (AP) : An Indian court on Wednesday acquitted all 32 people who had been accused of crimes in … More
Like the Uyghurs, Tibetans locked up in re-education camps (II)
In 2020, the Communist Party of China “trained” and indoctrinated 543,000 “surplus” rural workers in Tibet. The pattern adopted in … More
In Pakistan’s eyes Turkey leads Islamic world
Turkey is channeling its imperial past to assert its status as the ideological and cultural leader of the Muslim world … More
How Chinese fried noodles by a Muslim hawker became a hit in India’s biggest slum
Dharavi may be one of the world’s most infamous slums but it is also a surprising melting pot of cultures, … More
Harley-Davidson quits India after struggling to crack the world’s largest motorcycle market
Harley-Davidson is discontinuing its operations in India, the world’s largest motorcycle market. It has struggled to grab market share since … More
Sri Lanka’s Ceylon tea workers live under a legacy of exploitation
The descendants of Indian Tamil tea plantation workers remain stuck at the bottom of Sri Lankan society. Many of them … More
Why the China-India Border Standoff Is Cause for Concern
Rising nationalism in both nations is creating problems. In June 2020, reports of a serious military clash involving India and … More
