Stories about South Asia
Nepal floods: Festival joy turns to devastation amid unprecedented tragedy
Ahead of Nepal's Dashain festival on October 3, devastating floods and landslides in late September resulted in at least 219 fatalities, transforming the celebrations into a profound national tragedy.
Japan-born Nepali children struggle to ‘be Nepali’
Japan has become a key destination for Nepali migrant families, but their children must adapt to Japanese education, facing difficulties transitioning back to Nepalese education upon returning home.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake wins Sri Lanka’s presidential election and calls for snap parliamentary elections
Sri Lankans made history by electing Anura Kumara Dissanayake as Sri Lanka’s ninth executive president in the September 21 presidential election.
Mapping the shrinking forests in the Terai region of Nepal
Nepal’s forest cover has doubled in 25 years, but illegal logging is thinning the southern jungles.
What does data governance mean to you? Join us for an online discussion on September 30
Connected Conversations is a series of informal, virtual discussion sessions focused on the principles of collective, democratic, participatory, and deliberative data governance.
‘The Goat Life’: The film that angered the Saudis
The film's portrayal of inhumane treatment under the kafala system ignites conversations about workers' rights and systemic exploitation in the Gulf.
Digital partisans: Dissecting Facebook sentiment towards Sri Lanka's main presidential candidates
Facebook’s approximately eight and a half million users in Sri Lanka post far more content and commentary at any time and on any issue or politician than other social media platforms.
Shaping Nepal's reading culture: An interview with Saguna Shah, founder of bOOkahOlics
Global Voices interviewed Saguna Shah, founder of bOOkahOlics, Nepal’s largest online book club, to explore her impact on transforming Nepal’s reading culture and connecting Nepali readers.
Making documentaries for select audiences: Interview with Nepali filmmaker Rajan Kathet
To understand the challenges and joys of documentary filmmaking — a rare profession in Nepal — Global Voices spoke to Rajan Kathet, a Kathmandu-based filmmaker.
Bangladeshis help out in flood-affected communities
Bangladesh is experiencing another round of severe floods. Volunteers from across the country are rushing to the affected areas in trucks, carrying boats, speedboats, and relief supplies.
Lives on the line in the Himalayan mountains
Glacial lake outbursts and debris flows will be more destructive and frequent in Nepal in the near future, highlighting the amplified risks of mountain living due to climate change.
Citizens place blame on India as flash floods ravage Bangladesh
Bangladesh is grappling with one of its worst floods in recent times, caused by heavy rainfall and influx of water from India's Tripura state rivers.
How online disinformation fuels religious, ethnic and sociopolitical tensions during Bangladesh’s regime change
The month-long student-led mass movement that led to the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was marred not only with violence, but also a surge in mis- and disinformation.
Fear and intolerance: The impact of blasphemy allegations on Pakistan’s minorities
Pakistan’s 8.7 million minorities face escalating religious extremism and violence, including forced conversions, mob attacks, and blasphemy accusations, fuelled by the growing influence of extremist groups like Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP).
Website blocking in India: One arrow for all
A report last updated in March 2024 by a digital rights organization observed that 55,607 websites were blocked between 2015 and 2023.
New laws, old shadows: India's criminal legislation overhaul
In August 2023, the Indian government aimed to modernize and Indianize India’s legal frameworks by moving beyond the colonial legacy and overhauling the country’s criminal laws.
Solar power plant in rural Pakistan acquires land without consent
As the government prioritizes green energy over livelihoods, residents of Pakistan's Thal region in the Punjab province confront a heartbreaking loss of their ancestral lands.
Bangladesh 2.0: Youth-led movement ends Sheikh Hasina's 16-year rule, seeks reform
A student-led uprising, supported by hundreds of thousands of citizens, defied PM Sheikh Hasina's heavy-handed measures. The escalating unrest led to anarchy, resulting in her resignation and departure from the country.
Sri Lanka elections: Will the real Wickremesinghe, Premadasa and Dissanayake please stand up?
Over 4,000 tweets associated with President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna party leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake were analyzed to uncover their artificially constructed identities.
Resistance art as a weapon in Bangladesh's ongoing student movement
One remarkable aspect of the ongoing student protests in Bangladesh is the use of cartoons and comics shared on social media, as well as graffiti and posters on the streets.
The Bangladesh tinderbox
The recent Bangladesh unrest, which saw a death toll of more than 200, was not just driven by a demand for the abolition of a quota system for government jobs.
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