South Asia

Black and white illustration of a boat on rocky waters

A boat carrying 180 Rohingya refugees vanished. A frantic phone call helped untangle the mystery.

Last year, an estimated 3,500 Rohingya Muslims boarded wooden boats and set off from Bangladesh, across hundreds of miles of dangerous waters in the Bay of Bengal, in search of starting new lives in Malaysia or Indonesia. Hundreds of them never made it.

A boat carrying 180 Rohingya refugees vanished. A frantic phone call helped untangle the mystery.
Prem Pariyar stands in front of Alexander Meiklejohn Hall on the campus of California State University, East Bay.

'Hidden discrimination': California university joins national trend to protect against caste bias on campus

'Hidden discrimination': California university joins national trend to protect against caste bias on campus
Protesters around a flower wreath

Workers' movements advocate for rights on May Day; Saudi activists allege man killed over megacity plans; Doctors wait hours as Venezuela faces fuel shortages

Workers' movements advocate for rights on May Day; Saudi activists allege man killed over megacity plans; Doctors wait hours as Venezuela faces fuel shortages
A Buddhist nun with a shaved head takes part in a Kung Fu display

Climate change forced Nepal women into trafficking. Now, 'Kung Fu' nuns are cycling the globe for them.

Climate change forced Nepal women into trafficking. Now, 'Kung Fu' nuns are cycling the globe for them.
A woman's photo is superimposed on an illustrated image of the Brooklyn Bridge

Author Mira Jacobs reflects on raising a brown boy in America today

Author Mira Jacobs reflects on raising a brown boy in America today
A large group of people sit on a wooden boat with a man rowing at the head of the boat toward a golden colored city at night.

In ‘Twice Born,’ author Aatish Taseer explores the impact of caste in today's India

Aatish Taseer talks with The World's Marco Werman about his experiences with caste in modern-day India and describes one of the most revealing moments from his new book, "The Twice Born: Life and Death on the Ganges."

In ‘Twice Born,’ author Aatish Taseer explores the impact of caste in today's India
People cross the road in Delhi, India, during the height of the most recent air pollution crisis, Nov. 7, 2017.

As New Delhi’s pollution crisis persists, so do widespread public denial and complacency

In early November, there was no escaping the fact New Delhi was facing a public health crisis. The city’s Air Quality Index, by some readings, soared as high as the maximum, 999. Schools were closed, questions of governmental competency were raised and high-level meetings were convened. Conditions have improved, but remain far from healthy. But you wouldn’t know it by observing daily life.

As New Delhi’s pollution crisis persists, so do widespread public denial and complacency
Man on sidewalk looking up

So, what is the problem with Apu?

Comedian Hari Kondabolu explains that his new documentary "The Problem with Apu" is not just about a cartoon.

So, what is the problem with Apu?
Rohingya refugees arrive under the cover of darkness by wooden boats from Myanmar to the shore of Shah Porir Dwip, in Teknaf, near Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, Sept. 27, 2017.

More than half of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are kids. Many are fleeing Myanmar alone.

About 480,000 Rohingya refugees have entered Bangladesh since late August, fleeing violence in neighboring Myanmar's Rakhine State. Sixty percent of them are children. Many are alone.

More than half of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are kids. Many are fleeing Myanmar alone.
Commuters walk through water-logged roads after rains in Mumbai.

Photos: Mumbai recovers from floods after the most rainfall in a more than a decade

The flooding brought back memories of 2005 when around 37 inches of rain fell on Mumbai in just 24 hours, killing more than 1,000 people.

Photos: Mumbai recovers from floods after the most rainfall in a more than a decade
Commuters ride on rickshaws as streets are flooded due to heavy monsoon rains in Dhaka.

Floods and landslides kill over 1,200 in South Asia

There are no official estimates on damage yet, but thousands of acres of farmland are devastated and more than 1,200 people have been killed in India, Nepal and Bangladesh.

Floods and landslides kill over 1,200 in South Asia
The newly created country of Pakistan continued to use stamps printed by the British, but stamped them with the name Pakistan, until new stamps could be printed.

It's been 70 years since India's Partition. There's finally a museum devoted to it.

India has a new museum devoted to its Partition with Pakistan. Organizers say they want to collect stories from people not just in India, but Pakistan, Bangladesh and the diaspora.

It's been 70 years since India's Partition. There's finally a museum devoted to it.
India Christians

To interest low-caste Indians in Christianity, evangelicals add Hindu traditions

India has for a long time prided itself on being a multi-faith, secular nation. But in many parts of the country, there is a battle for souls taking place.

To interest low-caste Indians in Christianity, evangelicals add Hindu traditions
Team USA on the kabaddi mat at the World Cup in October

The ancient sport that mixes tag, wrestling, rugby and chanting

Forget about cricket. Kabaddi is king in India.

The ancient sport that mixes tag, wrestling, rugby and chanting
Two weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the demonetization of 500 and 1000 rupee currency notes, residents of south Delhi continue to line up in front of ATMs in hopes of withdrawing cash.

India's crisis over bank notes hits women especially hard

The Indian government took 500 and 1,000 rupee notes out of circulation to crack down on tax evasion and corruption. But the people feeling it most are at the bottom of the economic ladder — women without bank accounts.

India's crisis over bank notes hits women especially hard