Politics

Soldiers of Sri Lanka's Special Task Force walk past damaged houses after a clash between two communities in Kandy district, Sri Lanka on March 8, 2018.
Politics

Buddhist mobs threaten Sri Lanka's fragile ethnic peace

State of emergency declared over anti-Muslim violence

11 March 2018
Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli
International relations

China and India court new Nepali leader

Railways seen to be next area of contention for superpowers

8 March 2018
A woman shows her finger after voting in national elections in the Philippines. The Southeast Asian nation ranks above the global average in women in parliament.
Politics

Once a world leader, Asia now trails in women lawmakers

Philippines, Laos and China among best in terms of females in parliament

8 March 2018
A Chinese sailor signals Russian ships as a Chinese-Russian joint naval drill concludes off Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, China.
Politics

China puts the US Navy on notice with far-flung ports and big guns

Xi's drive to become a maritime superpower echoes European imperialism

8 March 2018
U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Scott Swift speaks to reporters in Tokyo on March 6. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
China People's Congress 2018

China's economic coercion worries retiring US Navy commander

Rules-based order pushed aside by repressive powers in Indo-Pacific

7 March 2018
A Pakistani official hoists a national flag during the country's Independence Day. (Getty Images)
International relations

'Gray-listing' pushes Pakistan further into China's orbit

Watchdog's move to sap South Asian nation of non-China cash

6 March 2018
President Maithripala Sirisena waves to supporters after addressing them at an election rally. (Courtesy Sri Lankan President's Office)
International relations

Japan to roll out the red carpet for Sri Lankan president

Abe looks to support Sirisena as a counterweight to Beijing

3 March 2018
A ship departs a port in Zhanjiang, China, in July for Africa's Djibouti to dispatch members of the People's Liberation Army to man a military base there.
Politics

Brahma Chellaney: China is ensnaring vulnerable states in debt traps

The Maldives is just the latest nation at risk from Beijing's maneuvering

1 March 2018
A Chinese sailor signals Russian ships as a Chinese-Russian joint naval drill concludes off Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, China.
China People's Congress 2018

China puts US Navy on notice with far-flung ports and big guns

Xi's drive to become a maritime superpower echoes European imperialism

27 February 2018
The site of a Chinese-financed project to build a bridge connecting the Maldivian capital of Male with a nearby airport island (Photo by Yuji Kuronuma)
Politics

China debt puts the Maldives at risk of 'land grab,' ex-leader warns

Former president says Male government has opened the door to a takeover

22 February 2018
An aerial view of Male, the Maldives' capital.
Politics

Beijing hits back at criticism of its Maldives policy

Foreign ministry blasts 'land grab' allegations as 'absurd'

22 February 2018
Japan's newborns had the lowest mortality among the 184 countries ranked by UNICEF.
International relations

Japan the safest place to give birth: UNICEF

New report calls for universal health coverage to lower infant mortality

21 February 2018
The competition between China and India over a stake in the Dhaka Stock Exchange is seen as part of a geopolitical power struggle in South Asia.
International relations

Dhaka Stock Exchange picks China's bid for stake over India's

Decision by Bangladeshi bourse could intensify Beijing-New Delhi rivalry

20 February 2018
People walk past the Dhaka Stock Exchange in the Bangladeshi capital.
Economy

China and India take battle for influence to Dhaka stock market

Bangladeshi bourse's 25% stake offer highlights regional economic rivalry

19 February 2018
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi appear in front of reporters in New Delhi, India, on February 17, 2018.
International relations

Iran to help India make an end-run around China and Pakistan

Nine deals signed; Chabahar port will give India access to Central Asia

17 February 2018
Sri Lanka's former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, center, smiles as he speaks during a media briefing in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Feb. 12.
Politics

China debt worries grow in Sri Lanka as ex-president regains clout

After victory in local elections, Rajapaksa calls for new national vote

16 February 2018
In the evenings, people travel through the streets of Thamel, the popular tourist district of Kathmandu.
Politics

Nepal gives up its hippy zeitgeist

New rules and new hotels transform the once-seedy tourist district of Thamel

15 February 2018
An aerial view of Male, the Maldives' capital.
International relations

China hits back at ex-Maldives president's 'land grab' claim

Mohamed Nasheed has no right to speak of bilateral partnership, says Beijing

14 February 2018
Former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed (Photo by Yuji Kuronuma)
Most read in 2018

Maldives faces Chinese 'land grab' over unpayable debts, ex-leader warns

Political crisis worsens cash-strapped island nation's plight

13 February 2018
An Indonesian Muslim holds up a poster during a rally calling for the arrest of Jakarta's then-incumbent governor Basuki Purnama.
Politics

Democracy rankings put Asia in poor standing

Six of seven regions around the world slipped in freedoms for 2017

8 February 2018
Large crowds at an election rally of Mahinda Rajapaksa's in Ampara town, some 350km away from Colombo (Photo courtesy of Office of Mahinda Rajapaksa)
Politics

China's shadow looms large in Sri Lanka local election

Former leader Rajapaksa attempts comeback as corruption probes falter

2 February 2018
An Indonesian Muslim holds up a poster during a rally calling for the arrest of Jakarta's then-incumbent governor Basuki Purnama.
Politics

Democratic conditions 'fall sharply' in Asia

Region regresses as minorities suffer in Indonesia and Myanmar, says think tank

1 February 2018
Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi speaks to the Nikkei Asian Review.
Economy

Pakistan's prime minister brushes off Chinese 'debt trap' worries

Leader says country will benefit greatly from Belt & Road infrastructure projects

1 February 2018
A boy sells umbrellas printed with Pakistan's flag at a market in Karachi last July. Safety in the city has improved dramatically.
Economy

Pakistan keeps terrorists on the run and the economy on a roll

Sweeping security push helps improve growth and business sentiment

1 February 2018
Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who has expressed his country's willingness to host a meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
International relations

Widodo cements Muslim credentials during South Asia tour

Indonesian president turns away from insular policy and strives for world leadership

29 January 2018