Business deals
India's Zomato to buy SoftBank-backed delivery startup for $570m
Purchase of Blinkit comes as mainstay food delivery revenues flatten
South Asia
Opinion
China can turn debt trap of its own making into historic opportunity
Beijing should cut its losses and focus on salvaging its reputation
Terrorism
Pakistan holds 'dead' alleged mastermind of 2008 Mumbai attacks
Sources: Sajid Mir in custody as Islamabad aims to exit terror finance watchlist
DealStreetAsia
India's Pine Labs to buy fintech startup Setu for up to $75m
Merchant commerce platform to expand offerings beyond payments
Natural disasters
Afghanistan earthquake leaves homeless waiting for uncertain relief
Taliban say they are working around the clock but need more international aid
International relations
Xi rallies BRICS against sanctions 'abuse,' Cold War mentality
Putin accuses countries of using 'financial mechanisms' to shift their mistakes on the world
Opinion
Youth unemployment will devastate India if left unchecked
Military recruitment uproar exposes the pain of a jobless recovery
Food & Beverage
Diageo bets on India's premium alcohol market amid inflation
Local subsidiary head to expand high-end lineup eyeing post-COVID demand
Companies
Scrapped cars a gold mine for India-Japan recycling venture
Abhishek Group teams up with Kaiho to cash in on demand for parts
Sri Lanka crisis
Sri Lanka prime minister: economy 'has collapsed'
Island faces 'far more serious' problems than lack of food, fuel, toilet paper
Opinion
BRICS shows its usefulness, despite clear limitations
Emerging economy bloc serves its members in different ways
Natural disasters
Afghanistan earthquake kills at least 1,000, toll expected to rise
Rescue operations hampered by inaccessible terrain, recent floods
Climate Change
Japan halts aid for coal-fired plants in Indonesia, Bangladesh
Move comes amid international criticism of sector's greenhouse gas emissions
Sri Lanka crisis
Sri Lanka plans donor conference with China, India and Japan
PM hopes debt restructuring framework can be 'completed in July'
Politics
India ruling party nominates tribal community woman for president
Veteran politician Droupadi Murmu almost certain to be elected by lawmakers
Economy
Pakistan and IMF say bailout talks have made key progress
Islamabad expects lender to increase program funding and duration
Opinion
Inflation functions as a tax on the weakest
Serious shortages are taking hold of the essential elements of life
Coronavirus
COVID worsens gender gap in Indonesia, Pakistan: UN agency report
Study also shows women in Pacific islands affected more by vaccine misinformation
Sri Lanka crisis
Dozens of Sri Lanka bondholders join for debt-restructure talks
Asset managers press government for 'meaningful reforms and fiscal adjustments'
Politics
India military recruitment uproar exposes modernization challenge
As China adds muscle, Modi caught between aging equipment and troops' career hopes