An Afghan man is seen from the side as he walks down the street selling Taliban flags, which hang from wooden poles slung over his soldier. Traffic barriers and trees are visible along the side of the road.
An Afghan man is seen from the side as he walks down the street selling Taliban flags, which hang from wooden poles slung over his soldier. Traffic barriers and trees are visible along the side of the road.

The Taliban Enter Fourth Year in Power

Despite challenges, the group faces no meaningful threat to its political survival.

People gather to celebrate the resignation of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
People gather to celebrate the resignation of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Sheikh Hasina Leaves Behind Complicated Legacy

Bangladesh’s democracy hangs in the balance after the prime minister fled Dhaka.

From left: Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pose before the Quad ministerial meeting in Tokyo.
From left: Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pose before the Quad ministerial meeting in Tokyo.

The Quad Gets a Boost

The foreign ministers’ meeting in Tokyo sends a signal that all is well with the grouping after a year of competing obligations.

Bangladeshi army personnel stand in a line behind barbed wire as they guard the parliament house in Dhaka, Bangladesh, following clashes between police and protesters. The soldiers wear green camouflage fatigues and helmets, and they hold rifles as they look straight ahead.
Bangladeshi army personnel stand in a line behind barbed wire as they guard the parliament house in Dhaka, Bangladesh, following clashes between police and protesters. The soldiers wear green camouflage fatigues and helmets, and they hold rifles as they look straight ahead.

Protests Undermine Bangladesh PM

Violent demonstrations have shattered Sheikh Hasina’s aura of invincibility.

People cheer before a banner with Imran Khan's face on it.
People cheer before a banner with Imran Khan's face on it.

Pakistan Is Trying to Ban Imran Khan’s Party. Will That Spark a Political Crisis?

A new judiciary-military rift threatens to further destabilize the country.

Narendra Modi and Vladimir Putin are seen from the chest upward as they stand near each other in front of a yellow wall. Each man has one hand raised to gesture as they lean close to speak to each other.
Narendra Modi and Vladimir Putin are seen from the chest upward as they stand near each other in front of a yellow wall. Each man has one hand raised to gesture as they lean close to speak to each other.

The Modi-Putin Summit Wasn’t All Bad News for Washington

Why the “Russia factor” is a manageable challenge for the U.S.-India partnership.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid leaves a press conference in Kabul.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid leaves a press conference in Kabul.

Engaging With the Taliban Can Only Go So Far

Nearly three years since the group took over in Afghanistan, the Doha process underscores how talking comes with trade-offs.

A police officer adjusts the crime scene barricade tape at the blast site a day after a suicide attack on a van near the Confucius Institute in Karachi, Pakistan.
A police officer adjusts the crime scene barricade tape at the blast site a day after a suicide attack on a van near the Confucius Institute in Karachi, Pakistan.

Pakistan Unveils New Counterterrorism Plan

The timing of the announcement suggests that China could play a role in the strategy.

Pro-Khalistan activists stage a demonstration demanding justice for Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, on Sept. 29, 2023.
Pro-Khalistan activists stage a demonstration demanding justice for Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, on Sept. 29, 2023.

The West Eyes India’s Transnational Repression

As Modi begins his third term, the targeting of Sikh separatists abroad remains in the conversation.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sits on a stage decorated with flowers alongside a row of seated cabinet ministers. Modi's hands are raised as he claps. Greenery is visible beyond the stage.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sits on a stage decorated with flowers alongside a row of seated cabinet ministers. Modi's hands are raised as he claps. Greenery is visible beyond the stage.

How Will Modi Rule in Coalition?

The Indian leader’s new administration looks much the same, but he could face challenges to his Hindu nationalist agenda.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, riding in a decorated truck, waves to supporters during his roadshow in Varanasi, India.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, riding in a decorated truck, waves to supporters during his roadshow in Varanasi, India.

Modi Hits a Roadblock

After a decade of always bouncing back, the Indian leader and his Bharatiya Janata Party suffer a setback at the ballot box.

A span of dozens of folding seats of a stadium are seen beneath a mostly clear blue sky. The camera is tilted upward, showing the back wall of the stadium and the roof that hangs over the highest seats.
A span of dozens of folding seats of a stadium are seen beneath a mostly clear blue sky. The camera is tilted upward, showing the back wall of the stadium and the roof that hangs over the highest seats.

The U.S. Tries Its Hand at Cricket

As the country co-hosts its first World Cup, the South Asian diaspora is already giving the sport a boost.

Elon Musk arrives to inaugurate a Starlink satellite unit at a community health center in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia.
Elon Musk arrives to inaugurate a Starlink satellite unit at a community health center in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia.

Will Elon Musk Test the South Asian Market?

As the tech billionaire markets his Starlink internet service, the region presents an opening—as well as some challenges.

Three Pakistani farm workers stand in a wheat field, feeding piles of cut wheat into a mechanical thresher. One of the workers is resting on a bag of threshed wheat, preparing another empty bag. The sky overhead is blue and clear, and a ridge of trees is visible far in the distance.
Three Pakistani farm workers stand in a wheat field, feeding piles of cut wheat into a mechanical thresher. One of the workers is resting on a bag of threshed wheat, preparing another empty bag. The sky overhead is blue and clear, and a ridge of trees is visible far in the distance.

Pakistan Seeks More IMF Funding Amid Protests

The country has achieved a measure of economic stability, but it needs structural reforms—not just a bailout.

Voters wait to cast their ballots outside a polling station during the third phase of voting for the India's general election in Sadashivapura village in Karnataka, India.
Voters wait to cast their ballots outside a polling station during the third phase of voting for the India's general election in Sadashivapura village in Karnataka, India.

India’s Battleground State

Electoral predictions in Karnataka underscore the challenge Modi and the BJP face to reaching a national supermajority.

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