Mohini Barman

Facing mounting pressure over insulin affordability, the U.S. government has initiated a three-month emergency distribution of free insulin starter kits to low-income individuals—especially children and seniors—across 15 states. Approximately 120,000 kits will be delivered via pharmacies, clinics, and outreach programs. President Biden called it an “urgent public health fix” tied to stalled insulin price caps in Congress. Advocacy groups have cautiously welcomed the move, noting it offers vital short-term relief while long-term reforms are debated. Public health planners across South Asia—particularly in Bangladesh, Nepal, and India’s rural districts—want to replicate such emergency measures to aid insulin-dependent populations in regions where…

As of August 22 2025, the Trump administration has launched a sweeping review of over 55 million U.S. visa holders, scrutinizing online behavior for “anti-American sentiment,” potentially leading to revocations or deportations. The Pentagon will deploy civilian personnel to assist with enforcement operations. This move highlights shifting visa policy tone—prompting experts in South Asia (Nepal, Bangladesh, India) to attentively assess its implications for their expatriate communities and diaspora-linked mobility.

In response to increasing coastal salinity and land inundation, Bangladesh is piloting floating agricultural gardens in areas near Khulna. Constructed on buoyant platforms using bamboo and recycled plastic, these gardens allow crops like vegetables and herbs to flourish even during seasonal flooding. Initial trials demonstrate improved yields and water resilience. This innovation is attracting interest from coastal Indian districts and Nepal’s marshlands, where land use is challenged by climate change. Development agencies suggest this could scale into regional climate-adaptive agriculture.

San Francisco has unveiled Sunset Dunes, a 50-acre urban linear park on the former Great Highway, stretching between Lincoln Way and Sloat Boulevard—making it California’s largest pedestrianization project to date. Opened in April 2025, the park offers a scenic two-mile promenade along Ocean Beach, complete with walking paths, dune landscaping, and recreational areas. Built amid pandemic-era street closures, Sunset Dunes reflects a growing trend of converting formerly vehicle-centric zones into vibrant communal spaces. Urban planners in Dhaka, Kathmandu, and Delhi are studying this project as a model for reclaiming underused spaces and boosting public well-being.

The U.S. Department of Transportation, through ARPA-I, has announced a new $1 million “Ideas Challenge” to encourage breakthrough innovations in public infrastructure. Open to individuals, startups, and academic teams, the competition seeks concepts that improve commuting safety, efficiency, and affordability—from smart road management to predictive maintenance systems. Ten finalists will present proposals in early 2026, vying for significant funding and development support. South Asian urban planners—especially from India, Bangladesh, and Nepal—are watching closely, considering similar innovation contests to solve transit challenges in growing metropolitan hubs.

In Pará state, Brazil, officials are testing "passive restoration" of the Amazon—letting a vast, previously deforested area regenerate naturally, with minimal human intervention. The initiative asks if forests can heal themselves. Despite promising early signs, experts caution that 60% of regenerated land may be deforested again, highlighting the fragility of natural regeneration alone.