World Asia: South & Central
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First Look Rohingya teen looks beyond refugee camp to college and a career
Rahima Akter, born in a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh, is one of only a few girls to complete a high school education. Now, she's preparing university applications and interviewing refugees who fled Myanmar last year, hoping to document their stories.
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First Look India's highest court delivers victory for LGBT rights
The country overturned an 1861 British colonial law that criminalized LGBT Indians. The court's decision is a first step toward the recognition of sexual orientation as a fundamental right in South Asia.
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An Afghan woman, on top of the (tallest) mountain
Hanifa Yousoufi has entered the alpine record books as the first Afghan woman to summit Mt. Noshaq, which towers at 24,580 feet in her country's northeast. She hopes to inspire other women to push past barriers.
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First Look Rohingya who stayed behind still persecuted in Myanmar
The Myanmar government claims it is ready to repatriate its Rohingya refugees from camps in nearby Bangladesh. But Rohingya who did not flee Myanmar during the August 2017 exodus report continuing harassment from government forces and unlivable conditions.
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First Look Unsung heroes: fishermen rescue thousands in Kerala floods
In the worst floods in a century, fishermen in southern India were the ones who rescued their more affluent neighbors when official rescue response teams faced delays, resulting in tens of thousands of people saved by community volunteers.
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As Imran Khan takes office, military looms over plan for 'New Pakistan'
From campaign slogan to oath-of-office attire, Imran Khan has signaled he wants a new chapter for Pakistan. It’s a frequent promise of charismatic, break-the-mold politicians. But it often collides with the realities of government – in this case, a powerful army.
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First Look In Nepal, women learn how to build stronger homes after 2015 earthquake
In April 2015, a 7.6-magnitude earthquake ripped through Nepal, leaving more than 785,000 families homeless. Rebuilding efforts are frustratingly slow, and so Nepali women have started to build their own homes – but this time, stronger.
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First Look Can Asian leaders say no to Chinese-funded development as promised?
New leaders in Malaysia, Pakistan, and the Maldives all campaigned on promises to reevaluate Chinese-funded development projects that increase the national debt and bolster China's influence. Now that they've been elected, will they follow through?
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First Look Pope and China to jointly decide on appointing Catholic bishops
Since the Communist takeover in 1949, the Catholic Church has had limited control in China with a split between underground and state-sponsored churches. This new compromise could signal a new direction for the faithful and a step toward restoring diplomatic ties between the Vatican and Beijing.
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First Look In high-stakes election in the Maldives, a win for democracy
In what many feared would be a rigged election and a slide back toward autocratic rule, opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih declared victory over President Yameen Abdul Gayoom. Over the past few years, Mr. Yameen has grown increasingly powerful by jailing his opponents.
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First Look Instant divorce of Muslim women outlawed by India's Modi government
The practice of talaq in Indian Muslim communities allows men to instantly divorce their wives. India's Hindu-led government is pursuing its punishment of this edict in efforts to, some experts say, broaden their electoral chances ahead of elections in April.
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First Look A mountain water pipe brings peace to Pakistani village
With a limited water supply, villagers in northern Pakistan struggled to grow crops, bathe, and drink clean water. But a new mountain pipe drastically increased water supply, yielding greener fields and a higher quality of life.
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First Look Who will Aung San Suu Kyi stand with: the military or the Rohingya?
As the Myanmar military continues to face international pressure for its role in the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya minority last year, many are wondering what the country's democratically elected leader will do.
Photos of the Week 10/15 Photos of the Week
Spectactors attend the opening of the Lumiere 2018 Grand Lyon Film Festival, in Lyon, France, Oct. 13.
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First Look Rohingya take documentation of ethnic cleansing into their own hands
A group of Rohingya refugees have painstakingly pieced together the only record of those killed in a brutal crackdown by Myanmar's military. The lists tell the stories of 10,000 people which the group hopes will serve as a historical record of atrocities that otherwise might be forgotten.
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First Look In remote Himalayan town, women take on plastic to preserve natural beauty
When the town of Leh – located in the far north of India – became a popular tourist destination, plastic and pollution also came with the new attention. Steady environmental deterioration over the years inspired one women's alliance to take action.
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First Look Pakistan's newly elected parliament convenes for swearing in
Former cricket player Imran Khan is expected to be sworn in as prime minister. He has adopted a conciliatory foreign policy strategy and promised job growth.
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First Look In northeast India, 4 million must prove citizenship as nativist anger churns
For decades, fears of migration from Bangladesh to Assam state have triggered tensions between its majority ethnic group, Hindus, and Muslims. Now, those left off of an official citizenship list are filing appeals to avoid possible detention, expulsion, or years in limbo.
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First Look Cricket star Imran Khan wins historic Pakistani election
Despite criticism of the election process, Imran Khan has won Pakistan's third consecutive election and promises to sweep out corruption and rebuild international relationships. But without majority support he must form a coalition before he can pursue his agenda.
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First Look Laos dam collapse raises questions about construction standards
The collapse earlier this week, which killed at least 27 people and left 131 missing, was most likely caused by heavy rainfall or shoddy engineering. Laos has dozens of other hydroelectric projects under construction.
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As Pakistan votes, military tightens its leash on the media
The country's July 25 elections represent its second civilian transition of power in its seven decades of independence. But many military critics have warned of its attempts to influence the election, particularly through control of the media.
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First Look One million people to become homeowners in India's Odisha slums
A government program aims to give land rights along with loans to build sturdier houses to about 1 million people living in slums across the eastern Indian state of Odisha. Living in temporary structures is incredibly dangerous given near yearly cyclones.
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First Look After decades of fear, political parties openly campaign in Pakistan
Politician Altaf Hussain's political party long dominated Karachi, Pakistan's financial center. Now, open campaigning for the upcoming general election demonstrates the transformation of the coastal metropolis since his 1992 exile and a 2013 paramilitary crackdown.
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Afghan women write their own stories to fight for gender equity
Free Women Writers, a nonprofit in Afghanistan, strives to foster a shift in thinking about women in a nation rife with gender-based violence. It has published poems, memoirs, and articles written by more than 140 women and creates scholarships for women with the proceeds.
