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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.
The Idea of India—And a Transition Toward Violent, Exclusionary Nationalism
By Nazir Ahmad and Muneeb Yousuf
What the nation meant for Tagore, Gandhi, and Nehru differs from what it means for the BJP and RSS.
Taliban Ready to Begin Cease-Fires in Virus-Hit Afghan Areas
By Associated Press
The announced followed a United Nations Security Council statement on Afghanistan.
Hundreds of Stranded Americans Leave Nepal Amid Lockdown
By Associated Press
American tourists in Nepal left the country on a repatriation flight amid the COVID–19 pandemic.
Nepal Cannot Fight Coronavirus Alone
By Kamal Dev Bhattarai
Kathmandu needs the support of bigger, wealthier, and more developed countries, even as the pandemic wrecks havoc across the world.
Bangladesh Garment Makers Say $3 Billion in Orders Lost to Virus
By Associated Press
Order cancellations and the failure of buyers to pay for canceled shipments is a blow to Bangladeshi garment workers.
India Marshals More Resources to Stop Virus, But Gaps Remain
By Associated Press
India is preparing for a long haul against COVID–19.
The Taliban Rejects Ghani’s Intra-Afghan Dialogue Team: What Now?
By Umair Jamal
The Taliban’s decision to reject Ghani’s intra-Afghan dialogue team should not come as a surprise.
Pakistan’s Fight Against the Coronavirus Threat
By Muhammad Ahmad Saad
Prime Minister Khan has been criticized for his response, but Pakistan is managing the best it can under difficult circumstances
Afghan Officials Say Taliban Attacks Kill 11 Troops, Police
By Associated Press
The Taliban have not claimed responsibility for the latest attacks which Kabul says they carried out on Afghan forces.
Why India’s Ruling Party Is Cultivating the Memory of Deendayal Upadhyaya
By Krzysztof Iwanek
Upadhyaya’s Integral Humanism looms large over today’s BJP.
Soldiers Enforce 10-Day Shutdown in Bangladesh to Slow Virus
By Julhas Alam
The Bangladeshi government has deployed the armed forces to maintain a shutdown amid concerns around COVID-19.
Why Southeast Asia Should Matter to Imran Khan’s Pakistan
By Sidra Tariq Jamil and Mustafa Izzuddin
As Khan seeks to break new ground in Pakistan's foreign policy, it's time to give ASEAN a closer look.