Boutique hotels and luxury chains aim to reimagine the Himalayan nation’s image as a cheap holiday spot for backpackers by offering comfortable, stylish accommodation in locations well off the beaten track.

At least dozens of political prisoners are still being held in Bhutan’s jails, according to human rights organisations.

Climate change and a dwindling number of practitioners pose a threat to the Sowa Rigpa system of medicine that dates back to more than 2,500 years.

Since 2018, documentary series Herne Katha has been travelling to ‘unexplored places’ in Nepal to tell deeply personal stories of people who rarely receive prominent media coverage

Poaching and illegal trade are a threat to red pandas, but other risks include habitat loss from deforestation and climate change.

Infrastructure development, earthquakes and climate change are among key causes of springs drying up, with communities displaced due to water scarcity.

Nepali fighters were lured by promises of higher pay and a better life in Russia, but some were tricked into the war zone by unscrupulous agents.

Many people in rural regions lack access to financial institutions and bank loans, leaving them at the mercy of ‘predatory’ money lenders.

As many as hundreds of doctors who took a US licensing exam got their scores invalidated because of ‘anomalous exam performance associated with Nepal’.

The new procedural document could give businesses a “free pass” to exploit Nepal’s land and natural resources in protected areas.

In the past decade, many independent filmmakers in Nepal have tried to capture stories from non-urban settings, piquing the interests of both local and foreign audiences and setting them apart from commercial Hindi films.

Nepal has introduced measures ranging from regulatory changes to “rainbow tourism” guidelines as it targets the multibillion-dollar LGBTQ market.

A wave of young Hindu nationalist singers are releasing songs that ‘spew hatred against Muslims’ and other minorities in an emerging genre known as Hindutva pop.

Scientists say factors including habitat loss, climate change, pollution and the use of pesticides may be ‘changing the genes’ of birds.

The death of Priyanshu Yadav, 16, reveals the extent of abuse faced by India’s LGBTQ community, with many receiving hate and death threats for expressing themselves online.

The project aims to integrate women’s experiences into the Gurkha community’s history, challenging the traditional soldier-centric narratives.

The shop’s maze of books and lack of technology link customers to a ‘time gone forever’ in India’s fast-evolving capital city.

While the names of India’s male rulers are part of the public consciousness, many powerful women are overlooked despite their contributions in history.

Taxol in yew trees is used in cancer treatment, and has prompted ‘haphazard exploitation’ of the species by pharmaceutical firms.

Residents say the cold might kill many more people if they do not receive aid such as warm bedding and food.

Despite the rise in LGBTQ-centric films in recent years, writers say queer genres of Indian literature are still quite limited in reach and representation.

Master artist Lok Chitrakar has been working on paubhas since he was 12, with some paintings taking years because of the amount of time needed for research.

In Nepal, where feminism is not ‘well received’, the blurry line between feminist books and books written by women has often limited the understanding of feminism.

While wealthy governments are expected to help lower-income countries, the latter should also be responsible and be wary of their infrastructure projects, said Pema Gyamtsho who leads the Nepal-based ICIMOD.

Family restrictions, poor infrastructure and low wages often discourage many young Nepali women from pursuing sports as a career.

Hong Kong brands itself as an international city but many South Asian and Southeast Asian residents face discrimination at schools and workplaces.

Nepal’s feminist movement has a decades-long history but poor recognition of the nation’s feminist history grew conflict within the movement.

Community homestays provide tourists with homely accommodation and interaction with locals as they help women in small towns support their families without being ‘limited to our kitchens any more’.

Santosh Shah, winner of Masterchef: The Professionals, Rematch, wants to raise the global profile of Nepali food by showcasing various indigenous cuisines and communities.

Many over the age of 50 married against their will or to meet social norms and are still not recognised for who they really are, let alone sharing in legal gains.