The Latest Breaking News on Asia

'Under attack' from fragrance, Hanoi prunes its famous blossoms

Hanoi is pruning hundreds of its iconic milkwood trees after residents complained the blossoms are causing daily discomfort, breathing issues.

The Economic Times · 3h ago

Why Is This Artwork Essential to Traditional Durga Puja?

During Durga Puja, most people focus on Maa Durga’s beautiful face, her weapons and the moment she defeats Mahishasura. But look just behind the idol, and you may discover another piece of art filled with stories, symbolism and centuries of tradition. Known as Chalchitra (also spelled Chandrachitra in some references),…

MyLifeXP · 11h ago

‘Clean air is not a favour’: Indonesia’s neighbours fed up with acrid haze as Singapore threatens to prosecute

Millions affected by smoke from wildfires as schools close, respiratory illnesses soar and diplomatic tensions rise

The Guardian - UK · 13h ago

Bathukamma: The Telangana Festival Where Flowers Become a Goddess

A Goddess You Build With Your Own HandsBathukamma begins not in a temple but in a field. The flowers used, tangedu, gunugu, banti, celosia, cucumber flowers, are not cultivated for the occasion. They grow wild after the monsoon, in the margins of tanks and along bund walls, and the women…

Times Life · 20h ago

Nabapatrika: The Nine Plants Bengal Has Long Called Ganesha's Wife

A Banana Tree in a SariBefore the sun clears the Ganga on Mahasaptami, women carry a banana plant to the riverbank, bathe it in the water, wrap it in a white sari with a red border, and bring it back to the pandal to stand beside Ganesha. The crowd calls…

Times Life · 20h ago

That Pretty Bamboo Could Become Your Most Expensive Landscaping Mistake

Imagine spending $200 on a few beautiful bamboo plants to create a natural privacy screen in your backyard. Within a couple of years, you’ve got the lush, tropical-looking barrier you wanted, and you haven’t spent thousands of dollars installing a fence.

Frugal Gardening · Oct 15

VFS Global inaugurates its first visa application centre in Guwahati for 14 countries

VFS Global has inaugurated its first visa application centre in Guwahati, Assam, catering to multiple countries. The facility aims to serve applicants from several Northeastern states, improving accessibility for visa services. Various officials, including Assam's Chief Minister, attended the inauguration event. The centre will facilitate visa applications for countries including…

The Economic Times · Oct 15

Indian city’s attempt to create real-life ‘rainbow road’ spectacularly backfires

Government orders inspection after motorcyclists fall on freshly painted road

The Independent UK · Oct 15

What is causing the haze in Southeast Asia? Key facts explained

The ongoing wildfires in Indonesia have led to a sharp rise in respiratory issues across the region, significantly impacting air quality in neighboring countries like Singapore and Malaysia. This environmental crisis has caused escalating tensions as Indonesian officials feel mounting pressure to boost firefighting efforts and seek help from affected…

The Times of India · Oct 15

Rs 3,350 crore gift to Ladakh: India's 1st petroglyph park, airport terminal for 35 lakh passengers & 298-km Himalayan road among 5 projects launched by PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated five development projects worth Rs 3,350 crore in Ladakh on Thursday. The projects include a new Leh airport terminal, the 298-km Nimmu-Padum-Darcha Road, a hydropower project, a transmission line, India's first petroglyph conservation park and 40 water bodies under Project Him Sarovar, aimed at improving…

The Economic Times · Oct 15