South Asia

The surging rice prices were triggered by India, the world's largest rice exporter, which banned export of its crop amid increasing demand for rice as an alternative to wheat.
Economy

On topic: How do rising rice prices affect Asia?

A collection of stories to catch up on a recent hot topic

8 October 2023
A man uses a mobile phone in Colombo in 2020: Sri Lanka's government is pushing an Online Safety Bill that it says will "promote responsible utilization" of internet platforms.
Politics

Sri Lankans warn of legislative curbs on dissent as elections loom

Government cites public safety in pushing online regulation, terrorism laws

8 October 2023
Global IME Bank is the largest bank in Nepal, while IFC is a multinational lender and member of the Word Bank Group. (NIKKEI montage/Source photo Getty. Logos from Global IME Bank and IFC websites)
DealStreetAsia

Nepal's Global IME Bank likely to get $56m from IFC

World Bank Group member proposes three-year U.S. dollar-denominated loan

6 October 2023
Indian women plant rice in Midnapur, 150 kilometers west of Kolkata in eastern India.
Agriculture

Higher rice prices may trigger another global wave of food anxiety

India's export ban and bad weather threaten to cause further increases

6 October 2023
A protest over the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Amritsar, India: New Delhi's growing feud with Canada is a headache for the U.S.
Opinion

Biden has to wade into the India-Canada standoff

Washington cannot afford to let dispute between key allies fester

6 October 2023
Afghanistan's Ibrahim Zadran plays a shot at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup at Perth Stadium in Perth, Australia on Oct. 22, 2022.
Sports

Afghanistan cricket, soccer underdogs test their World Cup luck

Conflict-wracked nation's ruling Taliban pull plug on women's cricket team

6 October 2023
Uniqlo's Mumbai store was is the brand's 11th in India. (Photo by Ryosuke Hanada)
Retail

Uniqlo opens first Mumbai store in growing India push

Japanese brand takes aim at globe-trotters in financial hub

6 October 2023
Pakistan and India are due to face off in the Cricket World Cup on Oct. 14 in Ahmedabad. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by AP and AFP/Jiji) 
Sports

Cricket World Cup opens in India with all eyes on Pakistan clash

Tournament to last month and a half, buoying airfares and hotel rates

5 October 2023
Two-wheelers are expected to lead the transition to battery-powered vehicles in India, the world's biggest market for scooters and motorcycles.
Startups

India EV scooter startups grapple with losses, uncertainty, rivals

Legacy manufacturers raise game in bid to catch up in green mobility sector

5 October 2023
Heritage buildings built during Portuguese colonial rule of Goa (1510-1961) can be found across the western Indian state. Some have been impeccably restored, while others lie in disrepair. (All photos by Kalpana Sunder)
Life

Goa's colonial mansions open doors on faded past

Indian state's heritage architecture offers a glimpse of Portuguese legacy

5 October 2023
The Mes Aynak valley, about 40 kilometers southwest of Kabul, is thought to be the world's second-largest unexploited copper mine.
International relations

Taliban urge Japan to invest in Afghanistan's minerals, metals

Japanese ambassador to country met official in Qatar last month

4 October 2023
Tata Steel is expected to be one of the Asian commodities exporters to be hit by Europe's carbon tax regime that will be fully implemented in 2026.
Climate Change

EU carbon tax regime hammers Indian steelmakers

New reporting rule poses hurdle for Asian exporters as governments seek WTO help

4 October 2023
A sign calling for an investigation into India's alleged role in the killing of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar is seen at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara temple in Surrey, Canada, on Sept. 20.
International relations

Canada wants to deal with India 'privately' as diplomats face removal

Ottawa seeking to draw down tensions with possible ouster of staff looming

4 October 2023
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a wreath-laying ceremony at Raj Ghat, Mohandas Gandhi's cremation site, during the Group of 20 Summit in New Delhi on Sept. 10.
Comment

Canada's dispute with New Delhi reflects dawn of 'Indian century'

Successful diaspora can influence policies in countries around the world

4 October 2023
This Bhutanese man, Sumba, took the author and his expedition partner to visit a cave where yetis allegedly sleep. (Photo by Andrew Benfield)
Tea Leaves

Yeti or not, something interesting is out there

A Himalayan odyssey brings some unexpected insights

4 October 2023
Mohamed Muizzu, winner of the Maldives' presidential election, smiles after a news conference in Male on Sept. 30.
Politics

Maldives' Muizzu marches to victory on anti-India drumbeat

Some expect new pro-China president to work with both Beijing, New Delhi

3 October 2023
Bangladesh's upcoming election is causing friction with the U.S., which has repeatedly expressed concern about the fairness of the polls.
International relations

Bangladesh-U.S. election rift widens over visas, envoy safety

Washington adds pressure for fair polls seen as 'Rubicon' moment for democracy

3 October 2023
Sri Lanka's debt negotiations with China are seen as a sticking point holding up arrangements with other creditors, as the bankrupt South Asian country seeks to unlock more support from the International Monetary Fund. (Nikkei montage/Source photo by Reuters) 
Sri Lanka crisis

China keeps Sri Lanka in debt grip, stalling IMF relief

Failed bailout review raises stakes of Wickremesinghe's upcoming trip to Beijing

3 October 2023
Islamabad is decorated with flags to welcome China's vice premier in July. Beijing has shown a reluctance to expand the scope of Belt and Road projects in Pakistan.
Belt and Road

China spurned Pakistan's proposals for new Belt and Road projects

Meeting minutes reflect Beijing's concerns over political instability, security

2 October 2023
Foreign investors are betting on India's burgeoning middle class and growing internet-savvy population, while their domestic counterparts cower at the lack of profitable exits from startup investments. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Reuters, Getty Images and AP)
Market Spotlight

For India tech startups, IPO success hinges on foreign investors

While domestic managers exercise caution, overseas funds take opportunities

2 October 2023
A growing number of Indians are looking for relationships outside marriage via dating apps. It was not until 2018 that the Supreme Court decriminalized adultery.
Life

Extramarital dating site signposts Indian social shift

The dynamics of relationships are changing as women claim more freedom

1 October 2023
Bangladesh and the Philippines see a continued role for natural gas in assisting their move to cleaner energy. (Nikkei montage/Source photo by Reuters) 
Energy

Philippine, Bangladesh power giants: Gas needed in green transition

Aboitiz, Summit Power point to developing Asia's massive electricity demand

1 October 2023
A Philippine flag flutters on a ferry sailing close to U.S. aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan anchored at Manila Bay in Manila.
Your Week in Asia

U.S.-Philippine naval drills, Nobel Prizes, India policy rates

Your weekly lineup of Asia's biggest business and political events

1 October 2023
India urged its nationals in Canada to exercise "utmost caution," while Canada updated its travel guidance on India as the two feud over the killing of a Sikh separatist.
International relations

On topic: What led to India-Canada tensions?

A collection of stories to catch up on a recent hot topic

1 October 2023
Protesters wave flags in support of the Khalistan movement and call for the shutdown of the Indian High Commission during a demonstration in Toronto on Sept. 25.
International relations

India-Canada ties burned by Sikh separatist flame fed in diaspora

Nijjar killing only part of overseas Khalistan movement's complex, bloody history

30 September 2023