Keyword "South and central Asia" - List of latest news (1 218 results)

11:51 Indian security forces hunt militants after 26 tourists killed in Kashmir attack

Incident apparently involving four gunmen is worst attack on civilians in India since Mumbai shootings in 2008

19:35 At least 28 tourists killed by suspected militants in Kashmir attack

Group of gunmen open fire on holidaymakers in Indian-controlled region in midst of US vice-president’s visit to country

21/04 Nepali-speaking Bhutanese refugees in limbo after deportation from US

Human rights experts voice alarm as refugees expelled by the US, not welcomed by Bhutan and rejected by Nepal

21/04 A ‘strange dance’: media mogul Saad Mohseni on making TV under the Taliban

Once dubbed the ‘Afghan Rupert Murdoch’, Saad Mohseni’s media business was founded after the fall of the Taliban and is now navigating their return

20/04 Sri Lankan police investigate photo of Buddha’s tooth relic

Worshippers are frisked on entering temple in Kandy where relic is held and photography is strictly prohibited

17/04 New daily weight-loss pill shows success at clinical trial

Orforglipron also reduced blood sugar levels in obese participants with type 2 diabetes

16/04 Sauntering on streets and grazing on lawns: what happens when rhinos move into town?

In one Nepali village, the resident rhinos are a conservation success story and attract thousands of visitors, but attacks on humans are on the rise

15/04 The Glassworker: Studio Ghibli’s legacy lives in Pakistan’s first hand-drawn feature

Usman Riaz’s full-length debut is a decade-in-the-making story about life’s beauty and fragility

14/04 Tulip Siddiq decries Bangladesh arrest warrant as ‘politically motivated smear’

Former City minister denies allegations she received land illegally from her aunt, the ousted PM Sheikh Hasina

14/04 UN calls on Trump to exempt poorest countries from ‘reciprocal’ tariffs

Unctad says many countries targeted with high tariff rates are unlikely to be a threat to US

13/04 Arrest warrant issued in Bangladesh for UK MP Tulip Siddiq

Former City minister accused of illegally receiving plot of land from her aunt, ousted PM Sheikh Hasina

11/04 Weather tracker: early heatwave sweeps northern India

Temperatures exceeding 40C trigger deadly thunderstorms, as Mali agency issues hot weather warning

11/04 Elderly British couple ‘interrogated 29 times by Taliban’ since imprisonment

Daughter of Peter and Barbie Reynolds, 79 and 75, says they have ‘no idea’ why they have been in jail for two months

10/04 Canadian citizen extradited to India for alleged role in deadly 2008 Mumbai attacks

Tahawwur Hussain Rana, 64, to stand trial for plotting multiday slaughter carried out by 10 Islamist gunmen

10/04 Apple said to be flying iPhones from India to US to avoid Trump tariffs

Tech firm has reportedly flown 600 tonnes of handsets from Indian factories as Chinese goods face huge tariffs

10/04 ‘Finally we are being seen as contenders’: delight in India as demand for south Asian art booms

As wealth in India has grown, so has the number of arts patrons championing both India’s 20th century modern masters and the next generation

09/04 Fleeing Taliban fighters, Ibrahim begs the country he helped – Australia – to save his family

Mohammed Ibrahim Danish spent four years as a translator for aid workers who taught children and trained doctors. In today’s Afghanistan the penalty for that is death

09/04 Wife of Briton detained in India speaks of fears for his health

Exclusive: Aziz Ahmed, who has heart condition, has spent more than seven months in prison over extremism claims

08/04 ‘Magical realism’: how a fake Hindu nation tried to take over Indigenous land in Bolivia

Contracts show fictional country created by fugitive Indian guru would control vast swathes ‘with full sovereignty’

05/04 Broken and in the grip of civil war, can Myanmar rebuild after earthquake?

The junta’s poor emergency response leaves people fearing prolonged chaos, despite the relentless propaganda

05/04 The people of Myanmar can’t seem to catch a break. Here’s my plea to the international community | Thin Lei Win

We have had to be resilient because no one has come to our aid. Myanmar needs tangible support before the humanitarian crisis claims even more lives

04/04 EU urged to put human rights centre stage at first central Asia summit

Bloc to discuss trade, security and energy with leaders of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan

04/04 Musical vans, school oaths and civic pride: how an Indian city beat the litter

Indore in Madhya Pradesh was once dotted with fetid waste dumps but after a huge campaign is now virtually spotless

03/04 US tourist arrested for landing on forbidden Indian tribal island

Police say man landed on island in attempt to meet the Sentinelese people – a tribe untouched by modern world

03/04 Tata redundancy scheme targeted older, non-Indian nationals in UK, tribunal hears

Three claimants allege Mumbai-based consultancy firm discriminated against them during restructuring

03/04 Millions of Afghans lose access to healthcare services as USAID cuts shut clinics

Fears of surge in malnutrition, measles, malaria and polio as 206 World Health Organization facilities forced to close

03/04 ‘I begged them, my daughter was dying’: how Taliban male escort rules are killing mothers and babies

The need for women to be accompanied by a man in public is blocking access to healthcare and contributing to soaring mortality rates, say experts

03/04 How will Myanmar’s earthquake impact the civil war? – podcast

Myanmar’s military junta has been losing territory for months. Will the earthquake and a new ceasefire help it turn the tide? Rebecca Ratcliffe reports

02/04 ‘Hope in my heart’: displaced Afghans in limbo as White House freezes refugee programs

Texas volunteers had prepared welcome for family fleeing Taliban now stranded in Pakistan in fear of being deported

02/04 British activist in solitary confinement in India despite acquittal, family say

Brother of Jagtar Singh Johal says he is ‘being mentally tortured’ through unwarranted detention

02/04 Women behind the lens: ‘Through needle and thread, a quiet defiance of patriarchy’

One of a series of photographs taken across India in which women, many of them abuse survivors, use traditional needlework to embellish portraits of themselves

01/04 India trains thousands of medics to promote vaccine in huge push to end cervical cancer

Vast scheme aims to counter disinformation and increase awareness in country where low HPV vaccine take-up means many die from the preventable disease

01/04 ‘It’s beyond description’: Bodies pile up in mass graves as Myanmar grapples with quake toll

In Sagaing, the epicentre of the quake, the stench is becoming unbearable as a country wracked by civil war bears the burden of burying thousands killed in Friday’s disaster

31/03 Myanmar earthquake death toll tops 2,000, as health system ‘overwhelmed’

WHO warns there is urgent need for care capacity, while US agency says number of dead could eventually exceed 10,000

31/03 Myanmar earthquake: US slow to act as other countries step in

Donald Trump accused of damaging US ability to respond to disasters through cuts to foreign aid programmes.

31/03 Aftermath of the Myanmar earthquake – a visual guide

The 7.7 magnitude quake on Friday wrought destruction across central areas of the country, including the capital

31/03 ‘I stopped counting after three’: the ‘girl sniper’ fighting on the frontline of Myanmar’s civil war

The country’s drawn out conflict has seen children recruited as soldiers on all sides. At the age of 18, Anina is a seasoned fighter with a feared reputation in her all-male resistance unit

31/03 Myanmar earthquake: desperate search for survivors continues as WHO issues appeal for humanitarian aid – live

World Health Organization issues flash appeal for $8m of emergency support amid frantic search for survivors

31/03 Myanmar earthquake: woman trapped for days pulled alive from the rubble

Brief moment of relief as rescue workers carry a woman from the rubble of a hotel in Mandalay after a five-hour operation

31/03 Myanmar earthquake: What we know so far

Rescuers pull a woman from the rubble three days after the quake, raising hopes of more survivors. Here’s what we know so far

30/03 ‘Wherever I looked I saw collapsed buildings’: Myanmar quake rescuers and medics struggle with size of task

After two days there are still not enough teams to find dead bodies or sufficient equipment to sift through debris

30/03 Myanmar earthquake: search for survivors continues as UN warns over medical supply shortage – latest updates

At least 1,600 people killed with at least 139 missing as UN says rescue operations are severely hindered by blocked roads and lack of medical supplies

30/03 ‘It means death’: Afghan women’s rights activists face deportation from Pakistan

Police go door-to-door arresting Afghans as government pledges to send millions back home to Taliban rule

29/03 US citizen detained in Afghanistan by Taliban released to Qatari embassy

Faye Hall had been detained since February along with a British couple before a court order led to her release

29/03 Scramble to free survivors as death toll passes 1,600 after Myanmar earthquake

Woman pulled to safety after 30 hours trapped in building a rare glimmer of hope in midst of devastation

29/03 ‘No one came’: Myanmar volunteers dig with bare hands to save earthquake victims

The military junta is calling for foreign aid but agencies and rescuers must navigate crumbling roads, an overwhelmed health system and ongoing fighting

29/03 ‘My target is those who have looted my banks’: Bangladesh’s bank governor chases vanished assets

Despite attempts to discredit him, the central bank governor is determined to trace the guilty with the UK’s help

29/03 Myanmar earthquake: race to find survivors as junta confirms huge rise in death toll

Military rulers have called for ‘any country, any organisation’ to help as concerns grow over how rescuers will reach affected areas

28/03 The Guardian view on Myanmar’s earthquake: aid must reach beyond the junta

Editorial: International donors will need to work with the country’s fragmented local administrations as well as its military rulers

28/03 ‘A hospital collapsed right in front of me’: Myanmar reels after earthquake

People in Mandalay fear further deadly tremors amid widespread poverty and aid cuts after four years of civil war

28/03 Two killed in Kathmandu rally demanding return of Nepal monarchy

Dozens of royalists injured in clashes with police fuelled by political instability and economic discontent

28/03 What caused Myanmar and Thailand earthquake and how big was it?

Death toll rises in both countries after tectonic plates rub sideways against each other along Sagaing fault

28/03 How have you been affected by the earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand?

We would like to hear from people who have been affected by the earthquake’s impact on the two countries

28/03 Myanmar hit by 7.7-magnitude earthquake with tremors reaching as far as Thailand – live updates

United States Geological Survey said the quake was shallow, at a depth of just 10km (six miles) with the epicentre near the central city of Mandalay

28/03 How Karachi’s women got into power: the female electricians lighting up homes in Pakistan

Two hundred women, known as the Light Sisters, have been trained as electricians in Karachi, challenging gender stereotypes and providing opportunities in the male-dominated energy sector

25/03 ‘Making art made me feel free’: the prison paintings of Myanmar’s Htein Lin

The artist, who has an exhibition at Birmingham’s Ikon Gallery, created a unique body of work from jail uniforms, soap and lids while detained by Myanmar’s regime

24/03 ‘He only wanted revenge’: the bloody insurgency in Balochistan gaining lethal momentum

Rebellion fuelled by violent tactics of Pakistani military has become increasingly sophisticated

24/03 MPs think they may have been targets of ‘disinformation’ over Bangladesh inquiry

Group received emails about Ahsan Mansur, the central bank official investigating money laundering allegations

21/03 First migrant worker dies building a World Cup stadium in Saudi Arabia

Muhammad Arshad, from Pakistan, was a foreman building Aramco Stadium in Al Khobar, one of 11 new venues for 2034

17/03 The pop-up megacity: how the Kumbh Mela prepared for 660m Hindu devotees

Hundreds of millions of pilgrims flocked to the Ganges for this year’s festival, housed in a sprawling temporary metropolis stretching across 4,000 hectares of the floodplains of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh

16/03 Life of British man, 79, imprisoned by Taliban is in serious danger, say family

Peter Reynolds, who runs a business in Afghanistan, was held along with his wife last month and needs heart pills, says his daughter

15/03 Pakistan accuses India of sponsoring militant terror group after train hijacking

A spokesperson offered no evidence for the claim after 26 people were killed on a train that was hijacked in Balochistan province on Tuesday

12/03 Up to 200 still held hostage amid train hijack standoff in Pakistan

Baloch Liberation Army says attack took place because of ‘decades-long colonial occupation’, while officials say dozens of militants killed

10/03 Muhammad Yunus on picking up the pieces in Bangladesh after ‘monumental’ damage by Sheikh Hasina’s rule

Yunus is facing a huge security challenge as some police refuse to return to their posts, gang crime is rife and tensions simmer with the country’s army chief

08/03 Two men arrested in India over alleged rape of Israeli and local woman

The two women were said to have been stargazing with three male travellers when the incident took place

06/03 World Food Programme halves food rations for Rohingya in Bangladesh

Decision made after attempts to raise more funds had been unsuccessful, agency tells authorities

05/03 Building a ‘second republic’: students who led Bangladesh revolution launch political party

Jatiya Nagorik party, popular among the country’s vast youth, could shift electoral landscape but needs to show democratic, secular credentials

04/03 British activist Jagtar Singh Johal acquitted in India terror trial

Human rights campaigner still faces faces threat of death penalty if found guilty of further charges

25/02 Taliban says ‘misunderstanding’ led to arrest of British couple in Afghanistan

After an evaluation a Taliban spokesperson said Peter and Barbie Reynolds would be released as soon as possible

25/02 ‘It shatters my heart’: the slow death of India’s once-famous Urdu book bazaar

For over a century, poets, publishers and printers filled this Delhi district’s narrow lanes. But as profits plummet, bookshops are being replaced by kebab shops

25/02 Beatings, torture and electric shocks: freed scam compound workers allege horrific abuse

Lured by the promise of well-paying jobs in Southeast Asia, thousands instead allegedly end up enslaved in jail-like compounds and forced to carry out online scams

24/02 Family of elderly British couple held by Taliban call for Foreign Office support

Daughter of Peter and Barbie Reynolds says government must do ‘everything in their power’ to secure their release

24/02 UK ministers head to India in search of trade deal they hope will boost economy

Business secretary says negotiations – now in their 15th round – are a ‘top priority’ for Labour government

23/02 British couple in their 70s arrested by the Taliban in Afghanistan

Peter and Barbie Reynolds were detained in Bamiyan provice for ‘teaching mothers parenting with children’

21/02 Tens of thousands could be held in illegal scam compounds in Myanmar, Thai police general says

Head of anti-trafficking agency says dozens of Chinese criminal gangs were running the centres

19/02 British tourist dies after rescue from mountain trail in Himalayas

Man was trekking with another Briton in Dhauladhar range on trail from Dharamkot to Triund in northern India

19/02 Off air: One by one, the Taliban are removing women’s voices from Afghan radio

As one of the last female-run stations in the country is silenced, a former broadcaster gives an inside view of the crackdown on women working in the media

18/02 ‘Pursue this urgently’: whistleblower case reveals Whitehall focus on Kabul animal airlift

Emails released as part of employment tribunal lift lid on questionable decisions made amid Afghanistan evacuation

18/02 Kabul evacuation whistleblower wins case against UK government

Civil servant Josie Stewart found to have been unlawfully dismissed in 2022 after she told BBC about failures

16/02 ‘There has been an awakening’: ancient sects on the rise in Modi’s India

Some 400 million devotees will attend this year’s Kumbh Mela festival. Pilgrims and politicians explain why it’s bigger than ever

14/02 US deports 119 immigrants of varying nationalities to Panama

People from Afghanistan, Iran, China and other countries flown out as Trump’s deportation effort intensifies

14/02 Goa man found guilty of rape and murder of Irish backpacker eight years ago

Family of Danielle McLaughlin say justice has finally been achieved after Vikat Bhagat convicted in India

12/02 Tycoon profited after India relaxed border security rules for energy park

Exclusive: Military experts raise concerns over change to protocols on Pakistan border to allow project that was handed to billionaire Gautam Adani

11/02 Shot, poisoned and beaten to death: why leopard killings are soaring in Pakistan

A wave of incidents threatens the survival of the species in the country, say conservationists

11/02 Trump’s aid cuts will lead to a surge of propaganda, say press freedom groups

Loss of USAid funds will sow ‘chaos and confusion’ and force independent media outlets to shut down, says RSF

10/02 ‘Total chaos’: Monkey blamed for nationwide power cut in Sri Lanka

Energy minister says monkey ‘came into contact with grid transformer’, causing hours-long outage in sweltering heat

10/02 Police in India stop Ed Sheeran’s impromptu street concert

Local channels showed a policeman walking up to Sheeran as he was singing the hit single Shape of You and unplugging the microphone

10/02 More than 1,100 dead sea turtles washed up along southern India’s coastline

The mass death of once-endangered olive ridley turtles in January has prompted an increase in wildlife patrols and a crackdown on fishing boats

07/02 Azerbaijan escalates rare standoff with Russia over downing of passenger plane

Baku reportedly preparing to appeal to ‘an international court’ unless Moscow takes responsibility for crash

06/02 Modi’s BJP poised to win Delhi state elections for first time in 27 years, exit polls show

‘Poll of polls’ gives prime minister’s Bharatiya Janata party a majority in the Delhi assembly, which would oust the reformist Aam Aadmi party (AAP)

05/02 Bangladeshi protesters destroy ex-PM’s family home symbolising independence

Property from which Sheikh Hasina’s father declared break from Pakistan attacked due to link with authoritarianism

04/02 The Guardian view on Myanmar, four years on: the army unleashed terror, but the people are defiant | Editorial

Editorial: The junta’s brutality has failed to secure victory in the civil war, but is devastating the country

04/02 ‘People fear eating, drinking and going outside’: anxiety stalks Indian village after mystery illness kills 17 people

Initial suspicions of food poisoning have been ruled out but the authorities are taking no chances as they wait for lab results in the search for a cause

03/02 Taliban minister ‘forced to flee Afghanistan’ after speech in support of girls’ education

Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, Taliban’s deputy foreign minister, left for UAE after criticising ban on secondary school and higher education for girls

03/02 Indians flock to Hindu temples to pray for US visas after Trump crackdown

Aspiring emigrants seek help at ‘Visa Hanuman’ and ‘Visa God’ temples after US president demanded tougher vetting

03/02 Diesel, oil, condoms: Indian transgender sex workers teach truckers about Aids

On the road for weeks at a time, STDs are rife among lorry drivers. Now, volunteers are teaching them about safe sex

31/01 From missing goats to health tips: how a female-run radio station is giving rural India a voice

For nearly two decades, ‘General’ Narsamma and her team at Sangham Radio have honed their craft, learning every aspect of broadcasting, including fixing the radio mast and interview techniques

31/01 Four years after the coup, chaos reigns as Myanmar’s military struggles

A patchwork of armed opposition groups have made major gains over the past year, with the military facing further losses

30/01 How joy turned to horror as Kumbh Mela festival crowd crush unfolded

This year’s event, heavily promoted by India’s ruling party, continues despite deaths of at least 30 people

29/01 Kumbh Mela: what is the Hindu ‘festival of festivals’?

World’s largest religious gathering, held in India, has become scene of crowd crush as estimated 100m people travelled to take holy dip

29/01 Dozens feared dead in India at Kumbh Mela religious festival

Witnesses describe surging crowds that crushed people on the banks of the Ganges as they arrived to take a dip at holy site

29/01 India crowd crushes: dozens feared dead at Kumbh Mela religious festival – latest updates

Local officials say at least 38 people are feared to have died as site in Prayagraj where world’s largest religious gathering is taking place

27/01 Ice stupas of the Ladakh desert: an ingenious solution to water scarcity – a picture essay

Farmers in the northern Indian region used to rely on snow and glacier meltwater, but the climate crisis is disrupting the water cycle – which means new ways of storing water are needed

27/01 Stories woven in cloth in Pakistan’s first textile museum

Nasreen and Hasan Askari open Karachi museum with her 1,000-piece centuries old collection from trade crossroads

26/01 What went wrong with ‘Pakistan’s Dubai’? – inside the Chinese initiative that is prompting terror attacks

The small port city of Gwadar has a huge new airport funded by China, but local suspicion of Beijing’s true intentions threatens to wreck the project

25/01 Sky Force review – Akshay Kumar stands tall in threadbare air-war flagwaver

Kumar does his best to inject some humanist gravitas into a film set during the 1965 India-Pakistan war, that is otherwise obsessed with duty and sacrifice

23/01 ICC chief prosecutor seeks arrest warrants for Taliban leaders over persecution of women

Application says there are reasonable grounds to believe crimes against humanity being committed against women and girls in Afghanistan

22/01 Nepal increases permit fee for Mount Everest climbers by 36%

Cost of scaling world’s tallest peak rises for first time in nearly a decade to $15,000

22/01 ‘We’ve lost all hope’: Rohingya trapped as Bangladesh closes Myanmar border

Muslim refugees fleeing persecution in Myanmar are being detained and forced back by Bangladeshi border guards

21/01 Two Americans freed from Afghanistan in prisoner swap for Taliban figure

Ryan Corbett and William McKenty swapped for Khan Mohammed, who was held in California for drug trafficking

21/01 The lost mansions of Chettinad: festival showcases opulent homes turned heritage hotels

In its heyday, Chettinad in southern India was a thriving hub of international traders. Today, the grandeur of their homes is being restored by a community keen to celebrate the houses’ cultural importance and promote them to tourists

20/01 Indian police volunteer gets life sentence for raping and murdering trainee doctor

Judge rejects death penalty for Sanjay Roy as victim’s parents suspect more were involved in killing, which sparked strikes

20/01 Myanmar airstrike on detention camp kills dozens, armed opposition group says

Those killed in attack on camp for relatives of junta soldiers in Rakhine state were women and children, Arakan Army says

19/01 UK MPs withdraw report criticising current Bangladesh regime over ‘bias’

Exclusive: Complaints said report was 'inaccurate’ and biased in favour of ousted Sheikh Hasina’s government

18/01 Indian court finds police volunteer guilty of rape and murder of trainee doctor

Case was fast-tracked after crime in Kolkata sparked protests across India amid concern for women’s safety

17/01 Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan sentenced to 14 years in prison in corruption case

Former leader and wife found guilty of illegally obtaining lucrative plots of land in deal with property tycoon

17/01 How climate-friendly waterwheels are coming around again

From the Himalayas and Nepal to Northern Ireland, sustainable source of energy seems to be back in vogue

16/01 Bangladeshi and British politics collided to bring down Tulip Siddiq | Salil Tripathi

After allegations of corruption, the former government minister’s family legacy now lies in tatters in both countries, says author Salil Tripathi

16/01 Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan recovering after being stabbed by intruder at his home

Knife lodged in spine of actor during 2am attack at Mumbai property he shares with Kareena Kapoor and their two children

16/01 Pakistan PM orders inquiry after national airline ad accused of evoking 9/11 imagery

Online advertisement by PIA is called ‘stupidity’ by finance minister, who said PM Shehbaz Sharif had ordered an investigation

14/01 Afghans evacuated by US in chaos of withdrawal are languishing in foreign camps, documents reveal

Exclusive: records show evacuees with pending applications to enter US ‘forced to remain in limbo’ in at least 36 countries, some in ‘untenable conditions’

14/01 Bangladesh files criminal case against UK minister Tulip Siddiq

MP accused of misusing her position to gain influence and illegally acquire land with her aunt Sheikh Hasina

14/01 Biden insists US is ‘winning’ on world stage – what would losing look like?

The president defended his record on Ukraine, Gaza and Afghanistan but foreign policy successes have been few

13/01 The Taliban made me marry my boss: how one word led to a forced marriage

Afghanistan’s ‘morality police’ arrested Samira at work in Kabul – and then made the 19-year-old marry her employer

13/01 Ladies Only review – striking account of sisterhood’s intricacies on the Mumbai metro

Shot in stunning black and white, a tapestry of faces and voices beautifully lays bare the hidden subtleties of Indian women’s emotional lives

13/01 India’s Maha Kumbh Mela festival gets under way for first time in 144 years

The grand version of the 12-yearly Hindu pilgrimage is expected to draw more than 400 million devotees

10/01 Lisa Nandy rejects calls for England to boycott Afghanistan cricket match

UK culture secretary says it should go ahead despite pressure for it to be cancelled over Taliban’s treatment of women

07/01 Investigators in Bangladesh demand Tulip Siddiq’s bank account details

Anti-money laundering officials ask banks for information on UK minister and seven of her family members

07/01 From Igbo to Angika: how to save the world’s 3,000 endangered languages

With half of all languages predicted to die out in decades, activists are turning to online tools to preserve them

06/01 Investigators receive black box data from plane that crashed in Kazakhstan

Authorities now have access to cockpit dialogue from Azerbaijan Airlines plane that went down on Christmas Day

06/01 Indian press groups call for investigation after journalist’s body found in septic tank

Mukesh Chandrakar had reported on alleged corruption in the construction industry and had a popular YouTube channel

05/01 ‘A glimpse of hope’: how Observer readers are helping mend broken lives in war-torn lands

Médecins Sans Frontières workers have unique insight into the suffering of those they help, providing medical care in times of crisis

03/01 Smuggled Starlink devices allegedly used to defy India’s internet shutdowns

Civilian and armed groups in conflict-ridden state of Manipur using Elon Musk’s satellite internet technology, sources say

03/01 Shunned and shamed, Pakistan’s trans community finally gets help for TB

Often forced into sex work, trans people are at higher risk of tuberculosis but face abuse when they seek treatment. Now screening and outreach work are helping tackle the disease

02/01 Removal of waste from site of 1984 Bhopal disaster dismissed as ‘farce’

Indian government accused of PR stunt after moving 337 tonnes of toxic waste that had been held in containers

01/01 Shyam Benegal obituary

Pioneering director who played a vital role in India’s ‘parallel cinema’ movement, and used his films to explore difficult issues

31/12 Kung fu nuns show off martial art skills at monastery reopening in Nepal

Nuns mark opening of Druk Amitabha nunnery with performance, five years after Covid closure

30/12 Killed birds, rotting sculpture and a PM’s execution: the Pakistani artists who defied a dictator

A dazzling exhibition of Pakistan’s art and architecture – some of it never before loaned outside the country – shows how the repressive 11-year regime of Zia-ul-Haq triggered an extraordinary resistance

30/12 Pharaohs, masks and bronze age boats: six standout new museums around the world in 2025

Openings across Africa and Asia offer newcultural experiences in stunning architectural surroundings

29/12 Azerbaijan president blames Russia for shooting down plane on Christmas Day

President Aliyev says Moscow must ‘admit its guilt’ after downing plane, albeit unintentionally, with loss of 38 lives

28/12 India mourns former PM Manmohan Singh with Delhi state funeral

Coffin flanked by honour guard and carried to Congress party headquarters in capital as Modi hails one of country’s ‘most distinguished leaders’

27/12 Azerbaijan Airlines says there was ‘external interference’ before plane crashed

Carrier suspends flights to five Russian airports after early findings of investigation into crash on Christmas Day

26/12 The Guardian view on digital media: the case for better regulation must be made | Editorial

Editorial: Over the holidays, this column will explore next year’s urgent issues. Today we look at the crisis in western democracy, Donald Trump’s victory and the role played by digital media

26/12 Former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh dies aged 92

The ex-politician was admitted to hospital on Thursday after his health deteriorated

26/12 Russia seeks to play down speculation over Azerbaijan Airlines crash

Kazakhstan also stresses that the cause remains unknown after claims Russian air defence fire led to fatal crash

25/12 We can be heroes: the inspiring people we met around the world in 2024 – part one

From an exuberant mountaineering woman to a boy representing unheard refugees, here are some of the brave individuals that gave us hope

24/12 Shyam Benegal, influential director of India’s ‘parallel cinema’, dies aged 90

The film-maker challenged mainstream Bollywood and pioneered a new wave cinema movement in the 1970s that tackled social issues

23/12 Bangladesh formally asks India to extradite former PM Sheikh Hasina

Hasina fled to India after student-led protests that ended her 15 years in power

23/12 Tulip Siddiq questioned over multibillion-pound embezzlement allegations

Treasury minister denies claims by Bangladesh that she helped broker corrupt deal with Russia to build nuclear plant

21/12 Myanmar rebels claims= control over major western military headquarters

The regional command at Ann would be the second regional military command to fall to ethnic rebels in five months, and a huge blow to the military

20/12 At least 30 children die from drug shortages in Pakistan after sectarian violence

Key roads closed in Kurram, a hotbed of sectarian violence between Shia and Sunni Muslims for decades

19/12 Minister issues warning after British Sikhs report harassment by India

Exclusive: Dan Jarvis has written to the Sikh Federation after allegations of people being stopped at UK airports

19/12 Labour minister accused of involvement in embezzling billions in Bangladesh

Tulip Siddiq denies claims that she brokered corrupt deal with Russia to build nuclear power plant in Bangladesh

18/12 Pakistan and Bahamas join push for global pact to phase out fossil fuels

Climate-vulnerable pair add weight to proposed treaty seeking transition from coal, oil and gas in equitable way

17/12 Bamboo bonanza: how a village in India used its forest to go from poverty to prosperity

Restoring age-old land rights has enabled 300 villagers to build a prosperous business and halt the exodus to the city

17/12 Youngest world chess champion Gukesh returns to hero’s welcome in India

Teenager receives raucous reception after defeating China’s Ding Liren in tense 14-game series

16/12 Judge finds UK unlawfully detained Tamils stranded on Diego Garcia

Government could face a huge bill for damages after keeping more than 60 asylum seekers in ‘hellish’ conditions

16/12 Light at the end of the tunnel: TB screening for Pakistan’s miners comes out of the clinic and on to the coalface

Those who work underground in mines have a high rate of tuberculosis, but they risk losing their job if they take time off to travel to a clinic. Now mobile technology is helping diagnose miners at work

16/12 Zakir Hussain, legendary Indian tabla musician, dies aged 73

The classical musician, who performed with George Harrison and Van Morrison, died in a San Francisco hospital on Sunday

11/12 ‘Many migrant workers will die’: why awarding the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia alarms rights groups

Millions of migrants will build stadiums, transport networks and hotels. But testimonies from Bangladeshis who have worked there suggest abuse is deeply entrenched in the Gulf kingdom

09/12 ‘I feel dizzy but I can’t stop’: global heating is already making kiln workers’ lives unbearable. And it will only get worse

Researchers mapped brick kilns across India and used climate models to forecast the levels of heat stress workers face between now and 2050

06/12 Taliban move to ban women training as nurses and midwives ‘an outrageous act of ignorance’

Afghan students and activists condemn halt to medical courses amid warnings of women dying from lack of healthcare

06/12 A fisher of people: the Kashmiri man who has saved hundreds from drowning

Abdul Salaam Dar fishes for a living, but he is also regularly called upon to help rescue people – dead and alive – from the region’s waters

05/12 India-Bangladesh relations sour as tensions rise over attacks on Hindu minority

Allegations of violence against Hindus prompt mass protests in India and attack on Bangladeshi consulate

03/12 Nocturnes review – entrancing film on how to study moths by night in the Himalayas

Sparse and precise, this meditative film immerses the viewer in the world of lepidopterist Mansi Mungee and her assistant as they survey hawk moths

03/12 Dozens of Tamils arrive in UK after three years stranded on Diego Garcia

Lawyers and campaigners hail removal of 47 people from remote Indian Ocean island as ‘a big day for justice’

02/12 Who is Bushra Bibi? Imran Khan’s wife stands at the forefront of the Pakistan protests

Elusive spouse of the former prime minister led march of tens of thousands on Islamabad

30/11 Money trail: questions over deposed Bangladeshi elite’s £400m UK property empire

Associates of former Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina have spent millions buying up top-flight property assets in the UK

30/11 Landmark space mission set to create artificial solar eclipses using satellites

Two satellites in Proba-3 mission expected to be launched on Wednesday in India and will work in tandem to study sun’s corona

29/11 Women arrested by Taliban for begging report rape and killings in Afghan jails

Draconian new laws allow mass incarceration of women and children forced to beg because of work ban

27/11 Pakistan army and police accused of firing on Imran Khan supporters

Multiple protesters said to be killed and dozens injured in clashes in Islamabad as supporters demanded Khan’s release from jail

27/11 ICC prosecutor seeks arrest warrant for Myanmar military leader

Min Aung Hlaing accused of crimes against humanity over deportation and persecution of Rohingya minority

27/11 The Taste of Mango review – powerful memoir of family secrets in Sri Lanka

Film-maker Chloe Abrahams combines documentary and memory in candid conversations with the women in her family

26/11 ‘Education is survival’: parents of Rohingya refugee children fight for their right to go to school in India

Official attitudes are hardening towards the minority refugee group amid an anti-Muslim crackdown, say activists

26/11 Pakistan: one killed, dozens injured as Imran Khan supporters clash with security forces

Authorities have enforced a lockdown for the last two days after Khan called for a march on parliament to demand his release

25/11 Pakistani capital under lockdown to block rally by Imran Khan supporters

Government shuts down internet, blocks highways and brings in troops to stop protest by former PM’s supporters

24/11 ‘It’s about political will’: is the Foreign Office failing Britons detained abroad?

Relatives and campaigners hope Labour will usher in a step-change in the handling of hostage cases

23/11 Hundreds flee deadly sectarian violence in north-west Pakistan

About 300 families relocate after fresh violence between Sunni and Shia Muslims kills 32 people

22/11 Canada denies it has evidence linking Modi to killing of Sikh separatists

Trudeau adviser shuts down foreign ministry’s allegations that Indian government was behind intimidation plot

22/11 ‘The air is killing us’: why Delhi’s pollution problem runs deeper than smog season

Leaders of Indian capital must tackle transport and heavy industry rather than seek quick fixes, say campaigners

22/11 Bread & Roses review – Afghan women reveal crushing reality of Taliban rule

Made under dangerous conditions, this documentary charts how the lives of three women were turned upside down by Afghanistan’s overthrow in 2021

21/11 More than 40 killed in north-west Pakistan in gun attack on Shia convoy

Violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa follows killing of dozens of people in clashes between Sunnis and minority Shias

21/11 Who is Gautam Adani, the Indian billionaire charged in the US over bribery plot?

Adani, widely regarded as one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in India, has close ties to Modi’s government

21/11 World’s conflict zones increased by two-thirds in past three years, report reveals

Wars have spread and intensified, with far-reaching impacts on global economic growth and food security, according to latest Conflict Intensity Index

21/11 I Want to Talk review – Abhishek Bachchan is Mad Men-style ad man who declares war on cancer

A greater degree of setup would have given this story of a Don Draper type’s determination to beat a terminal diagnosis more dramatic heft

19/11 Family of woman found dead in car in London accuses police of failing to protect her

Exclusive: Sister of Harshita Brella says she reported abuse but ‘police processes made her feel more scared and alone’

18/11 Keir Starmer to restart UK-India talks after previous negotiations stalled

Whisky and migration thwarted earlier deal but UK PM hopeful of reaching agreement with Narendra Modi

18/11 Cop29: ‘We’re here for life and death reasons,’ says ex-climate minister of Pakistan

Sherry Rehman says rich nations should pay ‘internationally determined contributions’ to help poorer and worst-affected countries

18/11 Pollution in Delhi hits record high, cloaking city in ‘hazardous’ smog

Indian capital imposes emergency measures including closing of schools and offices and barring heavy vehicles

18/11 Bangladesh to seek extradition of ousted leader Sheikh Hasina from India

Interim leader Muhammad Yunus confirms plans to put former PM on trial accused of crimes against humanity

18/11 Narendra Modi to make ‘historic’ Guyana visit for energy talks

Indian PM’s trip expected to focus on trade and investment as oil-rich Caribbean country’s economic boom continues

18/11 Revealed: the truth behind the Taliban’s brutal Kabul ‘regeneration’ programme

Using satellite imagery, social media footage and resident testimony, investigation shows trail of devastation as houses razed in the Afghan capital, leaving thousands homeless

17/11 ‘What’s happening in Canada?’: clashes between Hindus and Sikhs spark fears of growing divisions

Misinformation drives tensions in Ontario’s south Asian community amid rise of Hindu nationalism

16/11 Ten newborn babies die after fire breaks out at Indian hospital

Another 16 infants were in critical condition after the blaze at a neonatal unit in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh

15/11 Pakistan military has no intention of cutting deal with jailed former prime minister Imran Khan – sources

Speaking from his jail cell, the former superstar cricketer had told the Guardian he would be willing to engage with army leadership

14/11 Creative sparks: how the Mughal empire made opulent art with power

The V&A’s Great Mughals shines a light on a cultured and enlightened reign over India and south Asia that still wields influence today. Take a close look at some of the remarkable artefacts of that era

14/11 How the Taliban are erasing Afghanistan’s women – photo essay

The journalist Mélissa Cornet and the photographer Kiana Hayeri met more than 100 Afghan girls and women in seven provinces, and found resistance and defiance but also despair

13/11 India’s 1st Best Trans Model Agency review – rocky and emotional journey for acceptance

Documentary about India’s ‘hijras’ highlights the harmony within the community and prejudice against it, but shies away from anything too political

10/11 This Remembrance Day, let’s acknowledge how Britain’s colonies suffered during the second world war | Mihir Bose

While war raged against Hitler, people in places such as India were brutalised – despite their own sacrifices to the cause, says author Mihir Bose

09/11 Bomb blast at Pakistan train station kills at least 24

Police say army personnel targeted in possible suicide bombing in country’s south-west and many of more than 40 injured in critical condition

08/11 Indian import ban on Rushdie’s Satanic Verses lifted after official order lost

Delhi high court told government notification prohibiting import of 1988 novel ‘untraceable’

08/11 ‘Women are made to feel as if they’re against each other’: the hit Indian film that challenges the patriarchy

Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light wowed Cannes with its portrayal of the struggles of women in Mumbai. She talks about inequality, misogyny – and being haunted

07/11 2 million at risk of starvation in Myanmar state amid ‘total economic collapse’

Exclusive: a UN report will accuse the military of imposing ‘collective punishment’ on Rakhine state, more than three years after seizing power in a coup

05/11 World watches with bated breath as US votes for Harris or Trump

Election watchers in Europe, Asia and elsewhere will be tuning in – and some have a particular interest in the result

04/11 Tamils stranded on Diego Garcia for three years allowed to enter UK

Government drops opposition to case of 64 people, including 16 children, who fled persecution in Sri Lanka

02/11 Singham Again – third time around for Ajay Devgn’s supercop leading selection box of star names

The big Diwali release is the latest entry in Rohit Shetty’s ‘Cop Universe’, once again featuring Devgn as the purveyor of supposed nation-saving cool

01/11 ‘More toxic than ever’: Lahore and Delhi choked by smog as ‘pollution season’ begins

As air pollution hits toxic levels, one proposal is to introduce a ‘smog diplomacy’ initiative between Pakistan and India

01/11 Yoga and Ayurveda: King Charles and Camilla’s secret stop in India at plush wellness retreat

In a hush-hush visit, royal couple quietly recuperated at Soukya on way back from Australia and Samoa tour

31/10 Village in India where Harris is ‘daughter of the land’ on edge as US election looms

Billboards with Harris’s face wishing her good luck erected across sleepy village and daily prayers held at local temple

30/10 Canada alleges Indian minister behind plot to target Sikh separatists

Parliamentary committee told of Narendra Modi ally’s alleged role in campaign of violence and threats

30/10 What happened to Bhutan’s ‘kingdom of happiness’?

The Himalayan country is facing unprecedented emigration and high youth unemployment, casting doubt on its famous happiness-based economic approach

29/10 Arugam Bay residents in Sri Lanka in shock after terror threat to Israeli tourists

Israeli travellers told to evacuate immediately as police set up patrols and roadblocks

29/10 ‘I was asked to find a volunteer for an air pollution campaign in Lahore – I couldn’t find anyone’

As Pakistan’s second biggest city takes the lead in the poor air quality index, one artist and activist struggled to find people who cared

26/10 Pakistan’s budding democracy is on the verge of collapse. It has two options – change tack or implode | Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar

As a senator, I’ve seen how major parties conspired with the military to manipulate elections and crush opponents. This can’t go on, says Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar

25/10 ‘Sherpas are rarely seen as elite athletes’: record-breaking teenager’s fight for equality

Nima Rinji Sherpa is youngest person to summit world’s 14 highest peaks at 18 years old. Now he is pushing for recognition of his community

23/10 Putin calls for alternative international payment system at Brics summit

Russian president’s goal to de-dollarize world economy alarms members that do not want bloc to turn against west

23/10 Israelis told to urgently leave Sri Lankan tourist areas after terrorist threat

Israel tells citizens to leave Arugam Bay area as US embassy issues warning amid heightened tension over Gaza war

22/10 Regulators urged to examine UK business dealings with Bangladeshi ex-minister

HMRC and FCA asked to look into property deals by Saifuzzaman Chowdhury now under investigation in Dhaka

21/10 Pakistan’s government curbs judiciary’s power after alleged harassment of MPs

Coalition will now be able to hire and fire judges but faces accusations it bribed and abducted lawmakers to get its way

21/10 India’s airline industry in chaos after 90 hoax bomb threats in a week

Authorities yet to uncover source and motive of surge in fake bomb threats, as dozens of planes forced to reroute

21/10 ‘One-man anti-abortion army’: shadow of US global gag rule looms over Nepal’s family planning services

Since the country legalised abortion, maternal mortality rates have plummeted. But US-funded anti-abortion programmes and a Trump victory could reverse that progress, warn experts

20/10 Allegations suggest India is now part of the assassination club | Hannah Ellis-Petersen

Canada’s PM, Justin Trudeau, claims Indian diplomats are implicated in murders on Canadian soil

18/10 Indian diplomats put ‘on notice’ in Canada after links to anti-Sikh activity uncovered

Canada expelled six Indian diplomats as fallout continues from 2023 killing of Canadian Sikh Hardeep Singh Nijjar

16/10 Lawrence Bishnoi: the feared Indian mob boss implicated in Canada killings

Indian gangster in prison for past nine years was mentioned by police in connection with killings of Canadian Sikhs

16/10 Air India flight escorted by Singapore fighter jets after latest hoax bomb threat

The Air India flight landed at Changi Airport after being escorted by air force F-15SG jets, in what was the third threat to the national carrier in recent days

15/10 Air India plane makes makes emergency landing in Canada after bomb threat

Abrupt landing comes a day after flight from Mumbai to New York was diverted to Delhi after a false bomb threat

15/10 Canadian police accuse India of working with criminal network to kill dissidents

Modi government agents alleged to have collaborated with syndicate run by mob boss Lawrence Bishnoi

15/10 Brazen shooting of politician revives fears Mumbai’s gangster past is returning

Killing of Baba Siddique in the wealthy neighbourhood of Bandra has exposed the ‘complete collapse of law and order’, says Rahul Gandhi

14/10 India and Canada expel top diplomats in escalating row over Sikh activist’s death

Tit-for-tat moves come after Indian envoys were named in investigation into killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar

13/10 Muslims in India face discrimination after restaurants forced to display workers’ names

Muslims in two states fear this will allow them to become focal points of targeted attacks or economic boycotts

12/10 Tribal clashes in north-west Pakistan kill at least 11 people

Shooting incident in Kurram district between rival tribes follows attack on coalmine in south-west Pakistan

12/10 Armed attackers storm Pakistan coal mines, killing at least 21

About 40 assailants fired rockets and hurled grenades at mines and miners’ quarters in country’s south-west, days before regional summit in Islamabad

10/10 Superboys of Malegaon review – boisterous heartwarmer about movie-loving underdogs

Inspired by a true story, this feelgood Indian film is about some Bollywood superfans making their own movies with a cheeky but admirable DIY ethos

09/10 Indian tycoon Ratan Tata dies at age 86

Tata, described as ‘a truly uncommon leader’, credited with transforming Tata Group into a global conglomerate

09/10 What is gender apartheid – and can anything be done to stop it?

Activists hope a change in international law could help to address the intensifying erosion of women and girls’ rights in Afghanistan

09/10 Afghan women fight to hold Taliban to account over gender apartheid

What women face in Afghanistan is a crime against humanity, say activists pushing for recognition by UN

08/10 Opposition Congress party wins power in Indian-administered Kashmir

Narendra Modi’s BJP loses first election since stripping the region of its autonomy and statehood

08/10 Myanmar military kills dozens in heaviest airstrikes since 2021 coup

Ten children reportedly among those killed during intense aerial campaigns last month

08/10 Indian police charge man over doctor’s rape and murder in Kolkata hospital

Sanjay Roy charged with crime that prompted nationwide anger and protests over violence against women

08/10 Mountaineers who were stranded in Himalayas describe loss of their gear

British climber Fay Manners, who was stuck for three days, says: ‘There was a big, big, long sense of silence between us’

07/10 Pakistan bans Pashtun group as government cracks down on dissent

Protests have been broken up with violence and opposition politicians from Imran Khan’s party arrested

06/10 One killed and 10 injured in explosion near Karachi airport

Baloch Liberation Army claims it carried out vehicle-borne attack targeting Chinese nationals

02/10 ‘Life is pretty brutal’: concerns in India over high-pressure corporate jobs

The death of a young chartered accountant has highlighted a work culture of overworked employees and bullying bosses

01/10 Indian police investigate ticket resales for Coldplay Mumbai gigs

After tickets quickly sold out, some began to reappear on unauthorised third-party websites for more than £750

30/09 Mount Everest is having a growth spurt, say researchers

River erosion has pushed the mountain upwards and added an extra 15 to 50 metres over the past 89,000 years

30/09 More than 200 dead in Nepal floods, as parts of Kathmandu left under water

At least 30 stranded or missing and hundreds injured after heaviest monsoon rains in two decades

30/09 ‘Our new doctors have no clue about leprosy’: experts sceptical of India’s target to eliminate the disease by 2027

After huge gains by 2005, efforts to wipe the disease out in India, which has most of the world’s cases, stalled. But the new campaign is seen as a political move without resources

28/09 At least 66 killed and 69 missing as flooding and landslides hit Nepal

Rain has been pouring since Friday night and is expected to continue over the weekend

28/09 Snatched from their beds, taken on the streets - the young men in Myanmar forced to fight the junta’s losing war

After a string of humiliating defeats, the army has turned to press-ganging young men into frontline duty – leaving distraught families unaware of their fate

28/09 Sri Lanka’s new president faces a problem shared by too many developing countries: austerity imposed by the west | Ahilan Kadirgamar

Anura Kumara Dissanayake wants a better deal from the IMF to reduce suffering during the country’s debt crisis, says the political economist Ahilan Kadirgamar