What is life like for a young girl growing up in Indian-administered Kashmir, one of the most heavily militarized zones in the world? How different is it to that of a girl living in the Indian capital Delhi? BBC Hindi's Divya Arya asked two teenagers, Duaa from Srinagar and Saumya in Delhi, to become pen pals.

"Many bilateral aid programmes to Asia have been cut by over 40 per cent and there have been complete withdrawals from some sectors such as regional health programmes in South-East Asia. There has been a lack of strategic vision in Asia so clearly demonstrated by Australia’s reduction in assistance to Myanmar as a fledgling democracy and transitioning economy. We also remain extremely concerned that the most vulnerable people living on Pacific island nations are inadequately protected from climate change,” Purcell tells SciDev.Net. 

When eight-year-old Sita, an orphan from one of the most marginalized sections of Indian society – developed a fever, her condition gradually worsened despite her family’s efforts to treat her. [...] But she was lucky. Correct treatment was administered and she was saved. Ten years ago, this story may have ended differently.[...] Much of the recent legwork has come from an international consortium called Tackling Visceral Leishmaniasis in South Asia and East Africa (KalaCORE), backed by £21.5m of funding from the UK’s Department for International Development (DfID.

The successful launch of the South Asian Satellite from Sriharikota onboard the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) on Friday not only reiterated the technological prowess of India’s space agency, but was also a landmark in science diplomacy in the region. This is the first time a communication satellite built and launched by India will be put to the common use of South Asian countries.