South Asia

South Asia achieves record immunisation coverage: WHO, Unicef data

South Asia has achieved its highest-ever immunization coverage for children, with notable progress in India and Nepal, according to new data released on Tuesday by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF for 2024. India reduced its number of zero-dose children those who have not received a single vaccine by 43 per cent, from 1.6 million in 2023 to 0.9 million in 2024. Nepal achieved a 52 per cent reduction, from 23,000 to 11,000, a WHO statement said. Pakistan also recorded its highest-ever DTP3 (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis) coverage at 87 per cent. However, Afghanistan continued to struggle, with the lowest coverage in the region and a one percentage point decline since last year, it added. The progress marks a milestone in the region's efforts to protect every child from vaccine-preventable diseases. "This is a proud moment for South Asia. More children are protected today than ever before, thanks to tireless frontline health workers, strong government leadership, ...

Indian Americans increasingly occupy liminal space between self-identities

A new survey finds multiple forms of connectivity with India and Indian-origin identity; interestingly, acknowledgement and appreciation of Indian-ness seems to be rising rather than falling

Critical thinking vital as society adapts to AI: Deloitte South Asia CEO

Artificial Intelligence, the disruptive tech force reshaping industries and daily life, will create far more opportunities than it eliminates, Deloitte South Asia CEO Romal Shetty said emphasising that critical thinking and ethical oversight must stay central as society adapts to this new era. Weighing in on the ongoing debate over whether or not AI may cause a lowering of human cognitive abilities overtime, Shetty told PTI in an interview that developing independent and critical thinking is crucial when it comes to young minds. That said, at more advanced stages, AI can serve as an extremely helpful and a must-have tool, aiding, not replacing, human ingenuity. His comments assume significance against the backdrop of a new study from researchers at MIT's Media Lab on impact of GenAI on critical thinking abilities. It revealed that although AI tools can improve efficiency, in the study those who relied excessively on GenAI, overtime remembered less. To a question on impact of AI on .

PM Modi's five-nation tour to focus on critical mineral partnerships

China, the world's biggest producer of rare earth elements, has begun restricting exports of the minerals as it increasingly uses its dominance for geopolitical leverage

Mamdani's NYC mayoral primary win leaves South Asians, Muslims electrified

The success of Zohran Mamdani in New York City's Democratic primary for mayor is euphoric for Hari Kondabolu, a stand-up comedian who's been friends with the candidate for 15 years. Mamdani stunned the political establishment when he declared victory in the primary on Tuesday, a ranked choice election in which his strongest competition, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, conceded defeat. When he launched his campaign, the unabashed democratic socialist ranked near the bottom of the pack. Now, the 33-year-old state assemblyman has a chance to be New York City's first Asian American and Muslim mayor. Mamdani's family came to the United States when he was 7, and he became a citizen in 2018. He was born to Indian parents in Kampala, Uganda. For Kondabolu, this moment is not just exciting, but emotional. I think so many of us have had those experiences in New York of being brown and in a city that has always been really diverse and feels like ours. But after 9/11, like you start to ...

Trump to host Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir for White House lunch

US President Donald Trump will host Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir for lunch at the White House on Wednesday, weeks after India and Pakistan were locked in a four-day military conflict. Trump would be hosting the Pakistan Army Chief for lunch in the Cabinet Room of the White House at 1 pm, an official advisory released by Washington said. The US president had cut short his trip to Canada's Kananaskis for the G7 Leaders' Summit and returned to Washington Tuesday morning amid escalating tensions in the Middle East with the latest Israel-Iran conflict. Interestingly, Trump, during a phone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asked him if he could stop in the US on his way back from Canada. But, the prime minister expressed his inability to do so "due to pre-scheduled engagements," Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said. In the phone talks, Modi told Trump that India and Pakistan halted their military actions last month following direct talks between the two militaries without

Egis appoints regional leaders to boost growth in West, South Asia

Egis Announces New Regional Leadership Appointments to Drive Strategic Growth and Transformation

Two neighbours, two futures: India's rise amid Pakistan's mounting woes

India and Pakistan are charting opposite courses, with New Delhi rising in global influence while Islamabad battles economic turmoil and diplomatic isolation, according to World Bank

South Korea elects Lee Jae-myung as president after Yoon's impeachment

Liberal candidate Lee Jae-myung wins South Korea's presidency in a high-turnout snap election after Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment and a brief imposition of martial law

David C Engerman looks at six S. Asian economists who shaped their nations

Of the Apostles still with us, there are few intersections between them and age-related constraints on all

Hope and disappointment: Why BIMSTEC is yet to realise its ambitions

Calls for an early conclusion to an FTA have gone nowhere in five years as members have not been able to reach a consensus over issues such as market access or a dispute settlement mechanism

Best of BS Opinion: As populists pound the podium, common sense retreats

Today's columns revolve around the backlash to globalisation that has made populism popular, even when it flies in the face of the people's best interests

Auction sets record for highest-value sale in South Asian art history

Tyeb Mehta's new record matches Amrita Sher-Gil's to become second most expensive work by an Indian artist

WHO emphasises on rights, equality, empowerment on Intl Women's Day

Saima Wazed, Regional Director for WHO South-East Asia, emphasised that the South-East Asia's growth and development is "inextricably linked" to the health and wellness of women

South Asian-origin men guilty of one of UK's largest money laundering plots

Four British men, including two of South Asian heritage who ran jewellery businesses, were on Tuesday convicted in one of the UK's largest money laundering prosecutions worth an estimated GBP 266 million following a complex eight-year investigation. Arjun Babber, 32, and Haroon Rashid, 53, were found guilty alongside Gregory Frankel and Daniel Rawson, both 46, at Leeds Cloth Hall Nightingale Crown Court in northern England over large amounts of unexplained cash passing through their businesses. Babber ran Goldsteel Limited and is said to have started laundering cash for others through Fowler Oldfield Limited in 2015. According to the UK Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Babber's family members ran RPS Jewellers Limited, a well-known and reputable gold and jewellery business based in west London and Hatton Garden. Meanwhile, Rashid was the sole director of Rashid Jewellers Ltd and was a frequent visitor to the premises of Fowler Oldfield and had access to its computers. This case is

Jaishankar hold talks with several counterparts at Indian Ocean conference

Jaishankar met foreign ministers from Mauritius, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka

Who Is Paul Kapur, Trump's pick for Assistant Secy of State for South Asia?

Indian-origin Paul Kapur is a widely respected scholar, having authored several influential books and academic papers on South Asian security

Boeing expects Indian, S Asian airlines to add 2,800 jets in next 20 yrs

The US planemaker's previous rolling 20-year market forecast, issued last year, was for 2,705 jets

One in five females in South Asia avoid daily tasks during periods: Study

Nearly 20 per cent of women and girls in south Asia abstain from regular daily activities during periods, according to a study published in The Lancet Global Health journal. The study found that overall, 15 per cent of girls and women in low- and middle-income countries do not take part in daily activities while menstruating. In west and central Africa, prevalence of menstruation-related absences were the second highest at 18.5 per cent. Researchers, including those from the University of Melbourne, Australia, also found that girls aged 15-19 years are the most affected, with over 17 per cent not participating in regular daily activities while menstruating. The study analysed survey data collected during 2017-2023 from households across 44 countries. Over 6,73,300 women and girls aged 15-49 years were included in this analysis. "The overall pooled prevalence of menstrual-related absenteeism was 15 per cent, with prevalence being highest in south Asia and west and central Africa," t

'How I Write' explores publishing challenges, writers' creative struggles

Each interview in this collection is insightful, unpacking for the uninitiated how the publishing industry works and the types of desirable and undesirable challenges they face