Afghanistan

In a time of war, Chinese museums are a safe haven for ancient treasures of Iran

4 Apr 2026 - 12:00PMvideocam

United States

Hegseth ousts army’s top uniformed officer, even as US wages war on Iran

Chief of Staff Randy George has been asked to take early retirement, in the latest of over a dozen firings of top generals and admirals.

3 Apr 2026 - 6:55AMvideocam

US Army Chief of Staff General Randy George speaks to American soldiers in southern Germany in February. Photo: AFP

What Pakistan gains by playing peacemaker in Iran war

If Islamabad can successfully carry off the talks, it stands a chance of bringing in much-needed investments and weapon sales, analysts say.

1 Apr 2026 - 7:20PMvideocam

Opinion | How selective outrage over Iran war exposes the limits of realpolitik

From Iran to Afghanistan, the cold logic of ruthless pragmatism ensures human life and welfare are always the biggest casualties.

1 Apr 2026 - 5:30AM

China, Pakistan launch five-point plan to ease Iran crisis, push ceasefire

Beijing backs Islamabad’s mediation push as both call for truce, Hormuz reopening and talks to restore regional stability.

1 Apr 2026 - 2:40AMvideocam

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar (left) meets his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing on January 4. Dar is visiting China again this week – his second trip to the country in three months. Photo: Xinhua

Diplomacy

Opinion | Why India is quietly deepening its engagement with the Taliban

New Delhi’s courtship of Kabul is powered by realpolitik as the imperatives of security, strategy and connectivity converge.

31 Mar 2026 - 5:30AMvideocam

Iran war and rogue drones force European aviation safety rethink

As the Middle East conflict clogs flight corridors between Asia and Europe, EASA chief warns of ‘hybrid warfare’ risks.

30 Mar 2026 - 2:28PM

Taliban

Afghanistan releases detained US citizen after more than a year

Researcher Dennis Coyle, 64, was arrested in January 2025 on ‘violations of Afghanistan’s applicable laws’.

25 Mar 2026 - 2:28AM

US citizen Dennis Coyle (middle) waits at the airport in Kabul on Tuesday after the Taliban released him. Photo: AFP

Climate change

Himalayan glacial loss threatens 2 billion as Asia’s ‘water tower’ shrinks

Conflicts, such as the Iran war, are diverting global attention away from the ecological crisis, scientists warn.

21 Mar 2026 - 3:00PM

Nepal’s Mera Glacier is among the handful of glaciers in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region that meets the World Glacier Monitoring Service’s benchmark standards. Photo: Patrick Wagnon/ICIMOD

Video | Pakistan to pause Afghan strikes for Eid

The decision was made at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey.

19 Mar 2026 - 11:43AM

Pakistan announces 5-day pause on Afghan strikes for Eid

The temporary ceasefire comes after Monday’s hospital strike, the deadliest in an escalating conflict between the two neighbours.

19 Mar 2026 - 11:43AMvideocam

Video | Survivors recount deadly air strike on Kabul drug rehab hospital

Afghanistan says 400 killed In hospital strike, Pakistan denies targeting civilian sites.

18 Mar 2026 - 9:57PM

02:19

Taliban

‘People were burning’: 400 dead after Pakistan strikes hit Kabul hospital

Pakistan rejected the accusation, saying its air strikes on eastern Afghanistan did not hit any civilian sites.

18 Mar 2026 - 10:02PMvideocam

Firefighters work at the scene of alleged Pakistani air strikes in Kabul on Tuesday. Photo: EPA

United States

Afghan asylum seeker dies in ICE custody, US advocacy group says

Mohommad Nazeer ⁠Paktyawal, who had worked with the US military in Afghanistan, died ⁠in Texas after his arrest on Friday, AfghanEvac said.

16 Mar 2026 - 4:27AM

Afghan Taliban’s drone attacks on civilians ‘crossed red line’, Pakistan warns

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari says the administration in Kabul has brought ‘grave consequences upon itself’.

14 Mar 2026 - 9:30PM

Opinion | US-Israeli war on Iran makes a mockery of global governance rules

Inevitably, the world will be split between those committed to peace and harmony, and those who want to fight to secure dominance.

13 Mar 2026 - 8:30PMvideocam

US President Donald Trump gestures during a visit to Verst Logistics in Hebron, Kentucky, US, on March 11. Photo: Reuters

Trump threatens ‘death, fire, and fury’ as US destroys 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels

After reports of mine-laying in the Strait of Hormuz, the US unleashes its ‘most intense’ day of strikes on Iran since the war began.

11 Mar 2026 - 5:48PM

Iran

Why China sees stability in hardliner Mojtaba Khamenei’s rise to lead Iran

Continuity over change seen in cleric whom analysts anticipate could double down on policies against the US and Israel.

13 Mar 2026 - 5:12AMvideocam

Asia sees violence, fuel rationing, queues as energy crunch over war hits

In Bangladesh a man was killed and the military has been deployed, while lines have formed elsewhere too, as many nations rely on imports.

10 Mar 2026 - 5:59PMvideocam

People wait to refuel their vehicles near a fuel station in Dhaka on Monday. Bangladesh launched fuel rationing on Sunday. Photo: AFP

My Take

My Take | An America in decline will keep losing wars to weaker foes – including in Iran

When battles become a matter of choice rather than necessity or survival, US leaders have a preternatural ability to choose badly and undermine their own country.

9 Mar 2026 - 10:39AM

This photo taken on March 3, 2026 shows a view of the damaged Golestan Palace in Tehran, Iran. The UNESCO World Heritage Site was partially damaged in air raids during US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Photo: Xinhua

Trump’s ‘feeling’-driven Iran war cops criticism for ‘arrogant’ messaging

The conflict started by the US president lacks clear rationale, stoking public opposition and economic concerns amid rising fuel prices.

7 Mar 2026 - 3:53PMvideocam

Pakistan imperils its IMF rescue as Afghanistan border violence rages

Without an IMF bailout, ‘Pakistan won’t survive’, one economist says. But financial collapse wouldn’t just be Islamabad’s problem.

7 Mar 2026 - 2:00PM

Iran

How far could the war with Iran spread beyond the Middle East?

From Turkey and the Caucasus to South Asia, analysts warn the war could ignite new flashpoints along regional fault lines.

6 Mar 2026 - 6:29PMvideocam

The sun sets behind a plume of smoke from a US-Israeli military strike in Tehran, Iran, on Tuesday. Photo: AP

Open Questions | Iran war’s impact on China limited, scholar Pan Guang says

China’s Middle East position ‘relatively favourable’, professor says, and regional spillover from US-Israeli attacks likely to be limited to Tehran’s Shia militia allies.

6 Mar 2026 - 4:04PMvideocam

Hong Kong tourism

Hong Kong trying to secure seats on flights from Dubai for stranded residents

Carrier Emirates is planning to operate direct flights from Dubai to Hong Kong from Friday to Sunday, government says.

6 Mar 2026 - 10:49AMvideocam