South Asia

South Asia gets back to reality

The crises in Sri Lanka and Pakistan raise questions about the relevance and costs of reliance on the alternative financial system provided by China's Belt and Road Initiative

UAE eyes renewables partnerships opportunities with India: Jaber in COP28

UAE will explore all partnership opportunities with India to help the south Asian country's growth and low carbon plans, the UAE's climate envoy and designated president of the COP28 summit

US values long-standing cooperation with Pakistan: State Dept official

The United States values its long-standing relationship with Pakistan, a State Department official said on Wednesday but refrained from making any comment on the ongoing domestic politics of the South Asian country. "We value our long-standing cooperation with Pakistan. We've always viewed a prosperous and democratic Pakistan as critical to our interests. That very much remains unchanged. Whether it has come to an end or not, we don't let propaganda, misinformation, disinformation get in the way of any bilateral relationship," State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at his daily news conference. "That, of course, includes our valued bilateral relationship with Pakistan. When it comes to various political players inside of Pakistan, we don't have a position on one political candidate or party versus another. We support, as we do around the world, the peaceful upholding of democratic, constitutional, and legal principles," Price said. He, however, refrained from making

Want to see Pakistan in an economically sustainable position, says US

United States wants to see Pakistan in an economically sustainable position, an official spokesperson said, amid reports that the South Asian country's foreign exchange reserves are fast running out

Unicorns in South and SE Asia need to reduce cash burn: S&P Global

They can't continue spending if operational turnarounds are delayed, says report

South Asians 15 times more likely die from climate change impact: Guterres

'South Asia is one of the world's global climate crisis hotspots -- in which people are 15 times more likely to die from climate impacts than elsewhere'

Melting glaciers of Tibet may impact regional security in S Asia: Report

Melting glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau can result in excess water in some places and shortages in others, says a report in Hamrakura

S Asian black carbon aerosols increase glacial mass loss in Tibet: Study

Black carbon aerosols have indirectly affected the mass gain of the Tibetan Plateau glaciers by changing long-range water vapour transport from the South Asian monsoon region, a study has found. The South Asia region adjacent to the Tibetan Plateau has among the highest levels of black carbon emission in the world, the researchers said. Black carbon aerosols are produced by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and biomass, and are characterised by strong light absorption. Many studies have emphasised black carbon aerosols from South Asia can be transported across the Himalayas to the inland region of the Tibetan Plateau. Researchers noted that black carbon deposition in snow reduces the albedo of surfaces -- a measure of how much of Sun's radiations are reflected -- which may accelerate the melting of glaciers and snow cover, thus changing the hydrological process and water resources in the region. The study, published in Nature Communications, found that since the 21st centu

Inflation to remain high, between 21-23%: Pakistan's Finance Ministry

Pakistan's Ministry of Finance has forecast that country's inflation will remain high, between 21 to 23% as the south Asian nation's fiscal deficit widened by more than 115% between July and October

South Asian migrant workers wary of life after FIFA World Cup in Qatar

Workers from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka helped build many of Qatar's eight stadiums, and to fill them for the matches

India needs to change course to curb air pollution: World Bank study

Terming air pollution as a public health crisis for South Asia, the report highlights that this crisis not only imposes high economic costs but also cause nearly 2 million premature deaths each year

Singapore airport reconnects with South Asian cities, adds Pune to network

Singapore's Changi Airport has re-established its link to all South Asian cities to the pre-pandemic level and added Pune to its network, reporting a strong rebound in passenger traffic, according to a media report on Sunday. Up to 150,000 passengers are passing through Changi Airport daily, with about a million each week, or about 75 per cent of the average weekly passenger pre-pandemic, The Straits Times newspaper quoted Transport Minister S Iswaran. The airport is said to see a strong rebound in passenger traffic as the number of passengers and flight movements steadily climbed over the months. Australia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand were the top traffic markets in the first 10 months when the airport handled 23.6 million passengers, representing 42 per cent of its pre-Covid-19 traffic, The Straits Times reported. The strongest passenger traffic recovery came from North America, South Asia, and Europe. Despite the uptick, the airport is well-equipped to handle the .

Dubai-based Coral Energy turns focus to Asia, halts trade in Russian crude

he trading house emerged as one of the key suppliers of Russian crudes to Asia after some western entities shunned purchase of Russian oil

Type 2 diabetes linked with gestational diabetes in S Asian women: Study

Women of South Asian origin may be more likely to experience gestational diabetes due to the same complex genetics that increases their chance of acquiring type 2 diabetes, according to a study

Reliance Strategic Investments appoints K V Kamath as Independent Director

Kamath served as Chairman of Infosys. In 2015 he was appointed as the first President of the New Development Bank set up by the BRICS countries from where he retired in 2020

COP27: All eyes on Egypt to steer climate finance towards adaptation

With the summit happening amid Ukraine war and recession fears, budget cuts for climate are apprehended as nations use money to secure energy and development aid shifts towards humanitarian projects

Pakistan seeks billions of dollars in new loans after floods

Pakistan will ask international lenders for billions of dollars in loans after devastating floods exacerbated the South Asian nation's economic crisis, the media reported on Wednesday

China's rise a threat for S Asian, ASEAN neighbours, developing countries

China has been on a war path of elevating its status from a regional developing country to a nation that has threatened many of its contemporaries with its economic and militaristic powers.

WHO Regional Committee member countries vow to strengthen health systems

The 75th session of the Regional Committee for WHO South-East Asia concluded in Bhutan on Friday with member countries vowing to strengthen health systems, accelerating multisectoral actions and re-energising comprehensive primary health services to build societies that are more inclusive, equitable and resilient against present and future emergencies. Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia, said focus must be on identify vulnerable populations and how best their health needs can be addressed. We are at a history-defining juncture. Over the past two and a half years, the region and the world have witnessed immense transformative change, she said. "It is important for us not just to spend more on health, but to spend efficiently and spend equitably. Our focus must be on vulnerable populations, we must identify them and see how best we can address their needs. We cannot leave anyone behind as we seek to drive rapid and sustained progress towards universal ..

S Asian community in US condemns racial abuse of 4 Indian-American women

The South Asian community in the United States has strongly condemned the incident of racial abuse of four Indian-American women by a Mexican-American woman in Texas. The incident took place on Wednesday night in a parking lot in Dallas, Texas. The woman, identified as Esmeralda Upton who has now been arrested, is seen in the video identifying herself as a Mexican-American and assaulting a group of Indian-Americans. "I hate you Indian. All these Indians come to America because they want a better life," Esmeralda Upton is seen saying in the video. The video shows her telling the group of women to "Go back to India. You... people are ruining this country". The video has now gone viral and sent shock waves among the Indian-American and South Asian American communities across the United States. Arun Agarwal, president and co-founder of the Indian American CEO (IACEO) Council, told PTI that the Indian-American community in the Dallas-Fort Worth area is strong and will continue to grow .