UK Government Publishes Case Study Page on Bangladesh Solar

Microfinance was supposed to save Asia’s poor. Why has it failed to live up to its promise?

For the poorest households in Asia, even small loans can lead to expensive debt traps.

Bangladesh's Garment Sector Adapts to Shifting Regional Trade Dynamics

Bangladesh's garment industry stands at a critical inflection point as regional trade patterns evolve and supply chain strategies shift across Asia. The sector, which employs millions and anchors the nation's export economy, faces both structural pre

WIPO Outlines Its Role as United Nations Intellectual

The World Intellectual Property Organization, the United Nations agency serving innovators, creators, and entrepreneurs worldwide, has outlined its core mission of enabling intellectual property protection across borders. WIPO describes its work as spanning IP services, global data, and technical assistance aimed at ensuring innovation benefits people everywhere.

India's President Marks Durga Puja With National Message

President Droupadi Murmu has extended greetings to Indians at home and abroad on the occasion of Durga Puja, linking the festival to national unity, spiritual heritage, and the dignity of women. Her message, issued on October 18, 2026, was released by the President's Secretariat via PIB Delhi.

Living With the Monsoon: How Tropical Asia Adapts

Across tropical Asia, monsoon seasons shape everything from architecture and agriculture to daily routines and infrastructure planning. Communities throughout the region have developed layered strategies — both ancient and modern — to manage life under some of the world's heaviest rainfall.

Modi Hails Pradeep Kumar's Bronze at Asian Para Games

Indian discus thrower Pradeep Kumar claimed bronze in the Men's Discus Throw F43/F44/F62/F64 event at the Asian Para Games 2026, also setting a personal best. Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly congratulated him on October 20, 2026, praising his commitment to pushing his own limits.

India Calls for Maritime Resilience in Indo-Pacific

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has urged regional partners to diversify supply chains and deepen maritime cooperation to counter growing instability in the Indo-Pacific. Speaking at the Indian Navy's annual Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue in New Delhi on November 4, 2026, he warned that certain actors are exploiting the strategic importance of oceans for narrow unilateral gains.

C5+1 Nations Chart Shared Course in Samarkand

The foreign ministers of five Central Asian nations and the U.S. Secretary of State convened in Samarkand on October 19, 2026, reaffirming a broad partnership spanning trade, energy, security, and cultural preservation. The joint statement outlines ambitions to place Central Asia at the center of the global economy through upgraded transport links, deeper energy cooperation, and strengthened security frameworks.

Cold Brews and Chilled Teas Cool Asia's Warming Cities

Across Asia's sweltering urban centers, iced coffee and tea have evolved from simple refreshments into culturally embedded rituals. Their rising popularity reflects both climatic pressures and shifting consumer habits across the region.

How the ‘geopolitical stigma’ associated with Putin’s Russia is affecting ordinary Russians

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine changed more than Russia’s relations with the west – it changed the meaning of being Russian.

Sacred Buddha Relics to Tour Arunachal Pradesh

India's Ministry of Culture will bring the sacred Piprahwa Relics of Shakyamuni Buddha to three Buddhist centres in Arunachal Pradesh between 31 October and 21 November 2026. The exposition, spanning Tawang, Bomdila and Namsai, will offer public veneration alongside an international conference on Himalayan Buddhism.

Afghan Opium Output Jumps Fivefold Despite Taliban Ban

Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan has risen fivefold in a year, according to a UN survey, as impoverished farmers adopt concealment tactics to evade Taliban enforcement of its 2022 ban on narcotics. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime warned that without alternative livelihoods, sustaining reductions in illicit cultivation will remain extremely difficult.