https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/17/asia/bangladesh-sheikh-hasina-verdict-intl-hnk The Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal sentenced the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death on November 17 2025. She was convicted of crimes against humanity. The charges stem from the violent suppression of student protest in 2024 which resulted in significant casualties leading to her resignations and, further, her exile. She had been forced out of power by student… Read more »
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/pakistani-forces-step-raids-afghan-border-killing-23-127700558 Pakistan security forces raided two Pakistani Taliban hideouts in the northwest near the Afghan border. Intense shootouts left 23 dead. This operation followed raids earlier that week. The military identified the killed militants as “Khawarji”. These militants are allegedly supported by Afghanistan and India. Along with this raid, a roadside bombing killed two police officers and wounded four in… Read more »
At the 2025 East Asia Summit held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim urged Asia-Pacific leaders to choose dialogue over coercion and cooperation over confrontation. He referenced global flash-points such as Gaza, Ukraine, North Korea, and rising U.S., China tensions as the backdrop for his comments. He also stressed the role of multilateralism and international law, advocating that… Read more »
The article describes how immigrants from Central Asia (especially Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan) working in Russia face deep-seated hostility and violence despite Russia having a labour shortage. Migrant workers report everyday discrimination, being ignored at banks, receiving dirty looks in public offices, and being treated as outsiders. Following a deadly attack in Moscow in March 2024, the backlash against migrants intensified:… Read more »
The U.S. has taken a new diplomatic turn toward the Central Asian region by hosting the leaders of five nations, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, at the White House.The goal: secure access to rare earth metals and other critical minerals needed for high-tech devices, electric vehicles, defense systems, and so forth, resources that are currently dominated by China in… Read more »
https://iwpr.net/global-voices/training-new-generation-afghan-journalists Since the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan in 2021, media freedom has been severely restricted. Journalists face censorship, intimidation, and the threat of violence for reporting anything unsanctioned by the Taliban. Over 80% of female journalists have lost their jobs, and women are banned from higher education, preventing journalists from being trained. In response, the institute for war and peace… Read more »
https://apnews.com/article/pakistan-afghanistan-clashes-northwest-taliban-f953f284cfe5566d030e2c48e81df3fd Pakistani and Afghan forces broke out into a confrontation by the border of northwestern Pakistan. This marked the second exchange of fire in a week. Afghan troops opened “unprovoked fire” on a Pakistani military post in Kurram district promoting a “strong response”. Pakistani officials claim they damaged Afghan tanks, destroyed Taliban training facilities, and repelled the attack. Afghan officials… Read more »
https://apnews.com/article/india-china-resume-direct-flights-border-tensions-0cd2c721b868f22b82357fdc9995c746 India and China have agreed to resume direct flights between cities after a 5 year suspension. Flights had been halted during covid 19 pandemic in 2020 and remained suspended due to border clashes in the Himalayas that killed soldiers on both sides. India’s embassy in Beijing announced the reopening as part of a broader effort to rebuild diplomatic and… Read more »
The recent Kazakhstan-Afghanistan Business Forum and Afghan Goods Exhibition, held in Shymkent in this passing October marks a crucial step towards strengthening the connections between the economic state of South and Central Asia and their political cooperation as well. With a focal point of building a better industrial partnership, 180 Afghan entrepreneurs and government officials attended and new advancements were… Read more »
In South and Central Asia, countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India are facing difficulty in balancing civilian governance and military influence in government. In the countries listed, where the military holds or re-enters significant power, civilian institutions weaken, democracy stalls, and accountability suffers. For example, analysts argue that in Pakistan the armed forces maintain bad influence over foreign policy,… Read more »
