India was close to the pre-Taliban regime but it collapsed when the US pulled out in 2021 and its successors now look to Russia and China. A land link to Central Asia, India knows it must re-engage

The Taliban's inability to deal with terrorist groups on its soil means Islamabad has launched its own military action over the border. To restore order, international mediation is now needed

The knock-on effects of sanctions aimed at Russia after its invasion of Ukraine are still taking a toll, lifting local currencies in Georgia and Armenia and hurting exports

The ousted Bangladeshi autocrat Sheikh Hasina relied on India for years, while India put all its eggs in the Hasina basket. Now she has fled the country and everyone looks silly

What began as protests about job quotas grew into a wider movement feeding on grievances relating to autocratic rule, rigged elections, economic inequalities, and corruption. The country can now reset

Caliph Harun al-Rashid sent Emperor Charlemagne a beautifully crafted chessboard showing how shared pastimes can be a bridge between peoples

The MENA region looks increasingly appealing to China as a tariff-free trade route into the European Union

He balances that with being unshakeably committed to state-owned enterprises, too

A series of violent and even fatal attacks on Muslims hit BJP-controlled areas amid concern the party is doubling down on its divisive Hindu nationalism after the setback in the national vote in June