FILE - A soldier stands at a North Korean military guard post next to loudspeakers, seen from Paju, South Korea, near the border with North Korea, on Feb. 26, 2026. Ahn Young-joon/AP hide caption
October 22, 2026 • North Korea plans to resume anti-Seoul propaganda broadcasts along the heavily armed border with South Korea, leader Kim Jong Un's sister said, reviving a psychological warfare campaign.
Kanchan and her son sit on his bed, next to Kamal, a relative, in the Muslim-majority neighborhood Bela Slum in New Delhi, India, October 13, 2026. Elke Scholiers for NPR hide caption
October 21, 2026 • India is plunged into political crisis after 130 million names were struck off voter rolls during a massive revision.
October 20, 2026 • Sometimes it feels like when we aren’t worried about AI destroying humanity — we worry about it replacing white collar jobs like lawyers, accountants, coders. But tech companies have plans for AI-powered robots to replace blue collar jobs as well.
Balraam Singh, 35, eats breakfast with his wife, Nusaa Davii, and their 7-year-old son, Munna, on the pavement outside Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi, India. The child is receiving treatment for a heart condition, and the family has been sleeping on the pavement outside the hospital for the past 20 days. Sajad Hameed for NPR hide caption
October 17, 2026 • Patients travel miles to be treated at public hospitals in Delhi. Those in need get financial aid for their care. But for overnight accommodations, families are often on their own — and on the street.
Prominent student leader Neha Bora, center, shouts slogans as she is detained by the police during a youth demonstration demanding the resignation of the country's election chief Gyanesh Kumar, in New Delhi, India, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026. Vipin/AP hide caption
October 16, 2026 • Protests have intensified over a review of voter lists that critics say is politically motivated and threatens to disenfranchise voters. The Election Commission and Modi's administration deny these allegations.
A volunteer clears the way for an ambulance transporting injured school children following a roof collapse at a private school in Peshawar, Pakistan, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. Maaz Awan/AP hide caption
October 15, 2026 • The roof of a private school collapsed in northwestern Pakistan on Thursday, killing at least 28 children and a female teacher and injuring more than 50 other people.
October 14, 2026 • Factory workers in India are being asked to wear GoPro cameras to record the way they do their jobs. The ultimate goal is to train robots to take over. Will it work?
Security personnel in riot gear arrive to escort workers of India's opposition Congress party as they gather for a march toward the Supreme Court demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi, India, on Monday. Manish Swarup/AP hide caption
October 12, 2026 • Opposition parties say revisions to the list of eligible voters favor Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party. Authorities have removed more than 130 million names from the voter roll.
Jyoti Kumari holds a photo of her dad, Mohan Paswan. She became a global celebrity after news spread of her 700-mile bicycle ride, carrying her injured father on her bicycle, to get him to their village. Promises were made to reward her heroic feat. Were they kept? Deepak Paswan hide caption
October 11, 2026 • Her epic ride — carrying her injured dad on her $20 hot pink bicycle — made headlines. Promises were made — financial help, training for a cycling career, even a movie deal. Were any of them kept?
A protester shout slogans as they are detained and taken in a police vehicle during a protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. Manish Swarup/AP hide caption
October 10, 2026 • The protests focus on the Election Commission's voter list revision, which the opposition claims disenfranchises millions. The government denies the allegations, saying the revision aims to eliminate duplicate entries.
FILE - Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters, on Sept. 23, 2026. Seth Wenig/AP hide caption
October 8, 2026 • The South Korean announcement on Thursday came days after its President Lee Jae Myung threatened unspecified punitive steps if Ukraine refuses to apologize over the revelation.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung delivers a speech during the Armed Forces Day at a military base in Gyeyong, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. Jeon Heon-kyun/EPA POOL via AP hide caption
October 8, 2026 • The test follows North Korea's recent hypersonic missile test. Tensions between the Koreas have increased after land mine explosions injured three South Korean soldiers near the border. North Korea denies responsibility.
October 7, 2026 • The Lahore High Court is a near-perfect specimen of British South Asian colonial architecture and its main square is a pleasant spot shaded by banyan trees.
Afghan boys play soccer at the Nadir Khan hilltop in Kabul on September 27, 2026. Wakil Kohsar/AFP via Getty hide caption
October 6, 2026 • This week marks twenty five years since the United States invaded Afghanistan, on October 7th, 2001. It was less than a month after the September 11th attacks and President George W. Bush vowed swift revenge. And the U.S. did quickly oust the Taliban– the Islamist group controlling the country– over its support for and harboring of Osama bin Laden and his militant group al Qaeda, blamed for the deadly attacks on U.S. soil.
A protester wears a mask depicting Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar with the words "vote theft" during a protest organized by Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena , demanding his resignation and the suspension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. Rafiq Maqbool/AP hide caption
October 6, 2026 • The campaign is led in part by India's "Cockroach" youth movement, which previously forced the education minister to resign.
A cat is being cared for at a rescue facility of an animal rights group after police raided an operation that steals and resells cats for meat in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam, Sept.17, 2026. Humane World for Animals/AP hide caption
October 6, 2026 • State media cited investigators who said the network recruited people to ride motorcycles through neighborhoods at night, trapping up to 10 cats a night.
October 5, 2026 • The FBI and U.S. prosecutors say Wanying Zhang, also know as Heather, surveilled the Taiwanese president's son and his family.
Supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party prepare to march demanding Khan's release, in Lakki Marwat, a remote town in northwestern Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. Maaz Awan/AP hide caption
October 5, 2026 • Talks between Khan's party and the government failed two days ago. Besides Khan's release, protesters demand his transfer to a hospital and family visits.
A national flag of Thailand flutters in the wind with the city skyline in the background in Bangkok on September 9, 2026. AMAURY PAUL/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
October 2, 2026 • Activists across Asia are being hunted down by authoritarian governments even across international borders. Human rights groups have been warning of a "swap market" of repression in Southeast Asia.
U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd-L) speaks to Archivist of the United States Bradford Wilson (L) as he views the U.S. Constitution during a tour of the National Archives Museum alongside first lady Melania Trump, President of China Xi Jinping and first lady of China Peng Liyuan on September 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images hide caption
September 29, 2026 • The sudden change was precipitated because of Chinese displeasure over one document that the U.S. had planned to show.
President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) speak via an interpreter as they depart following a tour of the National Archives Museum in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 25. Win McNamee/Getty Images hide caption
September 25, 2026 • The visit comes at an important time for both men.
President Trump (L) and China's President Xi Jinping shake hands as they leave after their talks at the Gimhae Air Base, located next to the Gimhae International Airport in Busan on October 30, 2025. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
September 24, 2026 • Despite the pageantry and the cordial tone, expectations for any big breakthroughs on issues ranging from AI to Iran to a trade war truce are low.
China's President Xi Jinping and President Trump arrive to attend a state banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing in May. Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
September 23, 2026 • It is the second time the leaders are meeting this year after the Beijing summit in May.
The Nepali Army conducts a search-and-rescue operation on Sept. 10 inside the Chilime Hydropower Station tunnel days after the deadly flash floods and mudslides in Nepal's Rasuwa district in August. In the wake of the disaster, concerns are being raised about the impact of the construction of hydropower plants and dams in the Himalayas. Skanda Gautam/AFP/via Getty Images hide caption
September 23, 2026 • Building dams and hydropower plants in the Himalayas holds great promise for providing electricity. In the wake of the Nepal disaster, experts are asking about the risks of such construction.
