Afghanistan
Foreign aid drops sharply as Taliban abuses jeopardize the Afghan health system, group says (AP)
Afghanistan: Aid Cutbacks, Taliban Abuses Imperil Health (Human Rights Watch)
2 Afghans detained at Guantanamo Bay for 14 years have been released, the Taliban say (AP)
How an Afghan Drug Kingpin Became Beijing’s Man in Kabul (Foreign Policy)
Pakistan
Shocking Opposition Victory Throws Pakistan Into Chaos (New York Times)
Pakistan Sees Imran Khan Followers Protest Over Allegations of Election Rigging (Wall Street Journal)
Pakistan’s Old Guard Parties Near Deal to Thwart Imran Khan (Bloomberg)
Pakistan’s Khan-backed independents lead in final poll count (Reuters)
Khan’s Party Says It’s Ready To Form Pakistani Government; Party Leader Shot (Radio Free Europe)
US, UK and EU urge probe into Pakistan election, express concerns (Reuters)
Pakistan elections draw sharp critiques from U.S. and Europe (Nikkei Asia)
Pakistan hits back at criticism of election conduct and insists cellphone curbs were necessary (AP)
The Rise, and Fall, and Rise Again of Imran Khan (New York Times)
Pakistan’s shocking election result shows authoritarians don’t always win (Washington Post – opinion)
India
Demolition of Muslim Properties Sets Off Deadly Violence in India (New York Times)
‘It Is Suffocating’: A Top Liberal University Is Under Attack in India (New York Times)
Modi Hailed as Qatar Releases Eight Indians on Death Row (Bloomberg)
Indian police block roads to halt farmers marching to New Delhi (Reuters)
IEA and India to start membership talks as Asian energy use rises (Nikkei Asia)
NSB
Children traumatised by Nepal quake need aid to rebuild lives, UNICEF says (Reuters)
Sri Lanka eyes tourism boom in 2024 via slick ads, digital nomads (Nikkei Asia)
Central Asia
Kazakhstan aims for tricky economic reboot after cabinet shuffle (Nikkei Asia)
Kazakhstan’s ‘Bloody January’ Censorship: Good Books And Banned Books (Radio Free Europe)
Kyrgyzstan Responds To U.S. Letter Expressing Concern Over ‘Foreign Representative’ Law (Radio Free Europe)
Kyrgyzstan shuts down prominent news outlet (Reuters)
Kyrgyz Journalists Under Pressure Amid Watchdog’s Concern Over ‘Unprecedented Crackdown’ (Radio Free Europe)
Turkmenistan Conducting Virginity Tests To ‘Evaluate Teenagers’ Morality’ (Radio Free Europe)
Uzbekistan’s trade balance is underwater in its “all-weather strategic partnership” with China (EurasiaNet)
Twitter
Afghanistan
Pakistan
India
NSB
Central Asia
SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS
SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS