Toplines The PLA flew a surveillance drone through Taiwanese airspace over Pratas (Dongsha) Island on January 17, possibly the first confirmed PLA violation of Taiwan’s territorial airspace in decades. The PRC is escalating incursions into Taiwanese-administered airspace and waters to assert its sovereignty, test Taiwan’s response, and erode Taiwan’s threat awareness. Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) condemned the incursion […]

Toplines North Korea abolished an organization historically responsible for inter-Korean affairs amid organizational restructuring, according to a South Korean Ministry of Unification (MOU) report. The removal may signal a further downgrade of organizations responsible for inter-Korean diplomacy in line with Kim Jong Un’s continued hostile rhetoric toward South Korea. The MOU report indicated that North Korea dissolved the Korea Asia-Pacific […]

Kazakhstan’s entry into the Abraham Accords may be designed to facilitate new critical minerals supply chains, reducing signatories’ dependence on China. On November 6, 2025, President Trump announced that Kazakhstan would join the Abraham Accords. This makes it the first country with preexisting diplomatic ties with Israel to join. The announcement raised eyebrows among Washington analysts, largely because the two […]

La Reserve Bank of India a présenté une proposition au gouvernement de New Delhi pour relier les monnaies numériques des banques centrales des pays du BRICS, facilitant ainsi les transactions commerciales et touristiques entre ces économies émergentes. Cette initiative, qui pourrait figurer à l’ordre du jour du sommet des BRICS de cette année, qui se tiendra en Inde, représente une […]

The new coalition, including both Islamist parties and more centrist ones, signals a sea-change in Bangladesh’s politics. “Bikolpo Ke?” (Who is the alternative?) That slogan gained immense momentum during and after Bangladesh’s July Uprising, capturing the sentiment of fed-up citizens. The answer – “Ami” (Me) – became a rallying cry that symbolized the rejection of the established political order. The […]

IntroductionThe rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham (ISIS) to the forefront of the global jihadist movement challenges al Qaeda’s prominence and influence. The ISIS counter-state that does away with the Iraq-Syria border, as well as its growing presence in such places as Libya, the Sinai, and Afghanistan, are proof of the group’s power and the effectiveness […]

China’s repression of its Muslim citizens acts as a lightning rod for criticism of the country and its influence campaign in Central Asia. As China deepens its economic and political footprint across Central Asia, it has also found itself entangled in the region’s evolving religious and ideological currents. Among the most sensitive, and potentially volatile, of these is the role […]

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday that all talks held with Taliban authorities have failed to produce results, accusing them of not making serious commitments on Pakistan’s security concerns. Speaking at a public event, Sharif said Islamabad had repeatedly raised concerns about militant groups operating from Afghanistan’s territory, but had received no firm assurances from the Taliban. “All […]

China expressed condolences on Tuesday over an explosion in Kabul that killed one Chinese citizen and wounded five others, and urged the Taliban authorities to take stronger measures to protect Chinese nationals and interests. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a regular briefing in Beijing that China had made emergency representations to the Taliban, calling for all efforts to […]

China’s embassy in Tajikistan warned on Monday that security conditions along the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border are “extremely dire and complex” following a recent clash. It urged Chinese citizens to leave border areas as soon as possible. In a statement, the embassy advised Chinese nationals and companies operating in border regions of Afghanistan and Tajikistan to closely monitor the security situation, strengthen […]