Covering Policy Issues from South Asia
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Will MBS’ Defense of China’s Uighur Crackdown Backfire in Saudi Arabia?0
- Blog
- March 4, 2019
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, fourth from right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, third from left, at a meeting at the Great Hall of the People, Beijing, Feb. 22, 2019 (Pool photo by How Hwee Young via AP). Kyle Haddad-Fonda Monday, March 4, 2019 Before Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in Beijing
Sri Lanka’s Drug Scourge0
- Blog
- March 4, 2019
By Amresh Gunasingham 4 March 2019 SYNOPSIS Sri Lanka’s recent move to bring back capital punishment for convicted drug offenders has put a spotlight on growing narcotics related crime in the country. The government’s apparent tough stance is in response to concerns that Sri Lanka is re-emerging as a transit hub for global drug trafficking
Bangladesh’s moral police turn the screw0
- Blog
- March 4, 2019
Porn, gambling and social media sites blocked as activists protest about clampdown on freedom of speech Bangladeshi men use their cellphones in Dhaka on Dec. 28, 2018, after authorities severely restricted internet services across the country in an effort to fight propaganda ahead of the Dec. 30 general election. (Photo by Munir Uz Zaman/AFP) Stephan Uttom
Deadly Dhaka: Govt ‘ignored warnings’ of industrial fires0
- Blog
- March 4, 2019
Critics say Bangladesh moving too slowly to relocate chemical plants from urban areas as 70 perish in latest disaster Relatives of victims who were killed in a fire mourn in Dhaka on February 21. At least 69 people died in a huge blaze that tore through apartment buildings also used as chemical warehouses in an
The Pulwama Attack’s After Effects: Fake News and Rumours0
- Blog
- March 4, 2019
By Mohammed Sinan Siyech 4 March 2019 SYNOPSIS The terrorist attack in Kashmir which resulted in the death of more than 40 members of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has generated fresh tensions between India and Pakistan. The Pakistan-based terrorism group Jaish e-Mohammed (JeM) claimed responsibility. What does the attack reveal about the nature
India’s Rocker Aristocrat Takes on Modi0
- Blog
- March 4, 2019
By Sonia Sarkar • MAR 04 2019 Why you should care 3,673,917 Population Bengali, HindiSpoken Languages $4457 GDP Per Capita Agartala Capital City Dressed in a white kurta and pajama with a red-and-black scarf, Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma looks energetic. Rolling up his sleeves, in high-pitched Hindi, he tells the crowd: “Today, the king will
Commentary
TAMIL NADU IN INDIA NOW ON SLIPPERY PATH1
- Commentary
- May 25, 2018
by N. S. Venkataraman 25/5/2018 In recent times, Tamil Nadu has been in the news for all wrong reasons. A few years back, investors and employees in Kerala and West Bengal, both those residing in the state or from outside the states, were reluctant to invest or seek employment in Kerala and
LOVE FOR POWER & AXIS OF EVILS0
- Commentary, Issue 25 – Summer 2018, Issues
- May 25, 2018
by F R Chowdhury 24/5/2018 We see in the history of civilization the lust for power to have control over others. In the old days, the kings and emperors conquered other territories to satisfy their ego and desire for power. In modern days it is not possible to conquer other lands. Now the appetite
ATTACK ON PAKISTAN’S INTERIOR MINISTER FOR BLASPHEMY ALLEGATION0
- Commentary, Issue 25 – Summer 2018, Issues
- May 24, 2018
An Islamist shot Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Ahsan Iqbal under blasphemy allegation. About three decades ago, Iqbal’s mother was behind the controversial blasphemy law, which has been vigorously used against liberal Muslims and religious minorities, since its inception. The recent attack shows the level of growing militancy and religious intolerance, which is gripping the Islamic country
What to do with Pakistani militant Hafez Saeed? Pakistan and China grope for ambiguity0
- Commentary, Issue 25 – Summer 2018, Issues
- May 24, 2018
By James M. Dorsey 24/5/2018 Recent remarks by several senior Pakistani officials suggest that Pakistan and China are groping with how to deal with globally designated Pakistani militant Hafez Saeed as the South Asian nation gears up for elections expected in July and risks being next month put on an international terrorism finance
Why is the Taliban so strong?0
- Commentary, Issue 25 – Summer 2018, Issues
- May 23, 2018
MICHAEL KUGELMAN, May 20, 201814:12 This past week, the Taliban entered the city of Farah, the capital of a province by the same name located in western Afghanistan. For a brief period, it took over several government buildings before being pushed out by Afghan ground forces and US airstrikes. The offensive marked one of the
An American’s letter to Sabika Sheikh0
- Commentary
- May 23, 2018
Michael KugelmanUpdated May 22, 2018 Dear Sabika, It’s been several days since the school shooting at Santa Fe High School in Texas, where you, a 17-year-old Pakistani exchange student, were among the 10 victims. Since then, I’ve learned a lot about you from media reports and the moving testimonials from your family and friends. You were blessed
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Featured
Indian-American Hindutva believers are ecstatic about India’s court decision on Babri Masjid
By Bhargavi Kulkarni and Suman Guha Mozumder Nov 12, 2019 The Nov. 9 verdict of the Supreme Court that granted Hindus permission to build a Ram temple at the centuries-old Ayodhya holy site, ending one of the country’s most politically-charged land disputes, has evoked a mixed reaction from Indian-Americans. The Hindu-American community and those supporting
India’s Narendra Modi has had a free pass from the west for too long
Threats to minority rights and democratic norms are ignored to preserve a comforting illusion Gideon Rachman November 11 2019 The Financial Times The world’s democracies are desperate to believe in India. From Washington to Tokyo, and from Canberra to London, the country is viewed as an indispensable counterbalance to China. The two Asian giants are