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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.
Gotabaya’s Underwhelming Presidency
By Sudha Ramachandran
The president’s excessive reliance on the military to govern Sri Lanka has plunged the country in multiple crises.
Smog Chokes Indian Capital as Air Pollution Levels Soar
By Sheikh Saaliq
The New Delhi government has ordered the closing of all schools for a week and construction sites for four days beginning Monday.
South Asia Is Caught in a Majoritarian Whirlpool
By Mohamed Zeeshan
The pandemic, rising prices and food shortages have thrown up challenges for governments, and majoritarianism is an easy way to divert public attention from domestic woes.
What Did the Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan Accomplish?
By Sreeram Chaulia
The India-hosted meeting revealed the geopolitical fault lines that have prevented a unified pan-regional response to Afghanistan’s multiple cascading crises.
It Is No Longer ‘Incredible India’ But ‘Intolerant India’
By Kavita Chowdhury
Hindutva activists are seeking to enforce rigid codes of normative Hindu culture and Islamophobia by forcing the withdrawal of progressive advertisements.
Will It Be Curtains for Kabul’s Ariana Cinema Under Taliban Rule?
By Lee Keath and Bram Jannsen
The cinema, which entertained thousands of Afghans, is now silent as it waits for the Taliban to decide its fate.
India Commits to Net-Zero Emissions by 2070
By Santosh Sharma Poudel
At the Glasgow meeting, New Delhi led the charge against rich nations which haven’t fulfilled their pledges on climate finance.
Bangladesh-France Relations: PM Hasina’s Visit and Future Prospects
By MD Mufassir Rashid
Can Bangladesh and France take ties to the next level?
In India, Muslim Claims to Public Spaces Meet Protests and Disruption
By Tarushi Aswani
Hindu right-wing outfits have been disrupting the Friday prayers of Muslims at sites in Gurugram allotted to them by the local administration.
Awami League Set to Win Vote Boycotted by Rivals
By Julhas Alam
This will enable Bangladesh’s ruling party to consolidate its position ahead of the next general elections slated for 2023.
Pakistan Announces 1-Month Ceasefire With Pakistani Taliban
By Munir Ahmed
Many Pakistanis are criticizing the government's decision to make peace with a group that has killed thousands of people.
Will Imran Khan Grant the US Access to Pakistani Airspace Again?
By Niha Dagia
Should the prime minister do so, he would be contradicting his years-long anti-war, anti-U.S. political rhetoric.