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The Pulse
South Asia is a story of promise and peril where Asia’s conflicting forces of modernity and reaction meet head on. Home to a multitude of different cultures, ethnicities, and religions, The Diplomat's regional correspondents and experts will provide the insight you need to navigate one of the world's most consequential regions.
UN Seeks Record $4.4 Billion for Afghans Struggling Under Taliban
By Jamey Keaten and Kathy Gannon
"Without immediate action we face a starvation and malnutrition crisis in Afghanistan," U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.
China Strongly Backs Afghanistan at Regional Conference
By Associated Press
Afghanistan has been partially successful in boosting stability, improving livelihoods, and protecting human rights, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said.
What Imran Khan’s Struggle for Power Tells Us About Pakistan’s Politics
By Ameya Pratap Singh and Supriya Ravishankar
Khan is pulling all the levers to avoid losing a no-confidence vote – and in the process highlighting the fault lines in Pakistan’s democracy.
World Bank Suspends Projects After Taliban Reversal on Girls’ Education
By Catherine Putz
Can the Taliban be pushed toward moderation with aid the incentive and progress on women’s rights the price?
For Climate Migrants, Bangladesh Offers Promising Alternatives
By Julhus Alam
Its government has invested in climate-resilient infrastructure and job creation in towns like Mongla to attract at-risk people from low-lying areas.
Did Wang Yi’s Visit Stem the Slide in China-Nepal Relations?
By Santosh Sharma Poudel
The Chinese foreign minister’s visit came less than a month after Kathmandu ratified the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact, despite Beijing’s reservations.
Why Does China’s Foreign Minister Want India to Put the Border Dispute on the Back-Burner?
By Sudha Ramachandran
Beijing is keen to swiftly normalize relations with India so that the Indian PM attends the upcoming BRICS summit in China.
India Scores a Strategic Victory Over China in Sri Lanka
By Krishan Francis
India has signed an agreement to set up power plants in northern Sri Lanka months after China suspended its plans for similar projects.
US-Bangladesh Partnership Dialogue: What Next?
By Hassan Ahmed Shovon
The latest talks took a positive tone, but there were no breakthroughs on the major issues between Dhaka and Washington.
China Eyes Investment in Afghanistan’s Mes Aynak Mines
By Samya Kullab
Potential wealth from Afghanistan’s untapped mining sector has prompted the Taliban’s shift in position on the Buddha statues.
Imran Khan Fights For His Survival
By Umair Jamal
Could the Pakistani prime minister appoint a new army chief to turn the political tide in his favor?
BJP Government Uses a Movie to Incite Anti-Muslim Violence
By Kavita Chowdhury
The film, which pays little heed to facts, claims that Kashmiri Hindus were victims of genocide at the hands of Muslims.