Afghanistan
Taliban suspends chess over gambling concerns (BBC)
Taliban Govt Suspends Chess In Afghanistan Over Gambling (Agence France-Presse)
Will President Trump protect the Christian Afghan refugees who fled here to escape martyrdom? (FOX News – opinion)
Pakistan
IMF frees $1 billion for Pakistan, approves new $1.4 billion program (Reuters)
Bomb targeting a vehicle carrying police killed 2 officers in northwest Pakistan (AP)
India
India Envoy Rejects US Calls for Mediation in Kashmir Issue (Bloomberg)
India’s diplomatic ambitions tested as Trump pushes for deal on Kashmir (Reuters)
Vance called Indian prime minister to encourage ceasefire talks after receiving alarming intelligence, sources say (CNN)
India claims its strikes inside Pakistan territory last week killed over 100 militants (AP)
Indian Defense Firm Says It Did Not Resell U.K. Technology to Russia (New York Times)
NSB
Bangladesh Bans the Political Party of Its Ousted Former Ruler (New York Times)
Bangladesh bans activities of ousted PM Hasina’s party following protests (Reuters)
Passenger bus skids off a cliff in Sri Lanka, killing 21 people and injuring 35 (AP)
Central Asia
Recollecting the benefits of shoe leather diplomacy in Turkmenistan (EurasiaNet – opinion)
Block Central Asia’s Financial Pipelines to the Sino-Russian Military Axis (Town Hall – opinion)
Indo-Pacific
Reluctant at First, Trump Officials Intervened in South Asia as Nuclear Fears Grew (New York Times)
India and Pakistan Announce Cease-Fire but Clashes Persist (New York Times)
As Truce Seems to Hold, India and Pakistan Both Claim Victory (New York Times)
The U.S. helped deliver an India-Pakistan ceasefire. But can it hold? (Washington Post)
India, Pakistan Cease-Fire Brokered by U.S. Appears to Hold (Wall Street Journal)
Trump Truce Leaves India Furious, Pakistan Elated as Risks Loom (Bloomberg)
India, Pakistan military officials to discuss next steps; markets inch up (Reuters)
Rubio speaks with UK’s Lammy, Germany’s Merz on India-Pakistan tensions, Russia (Reuters)
Rubio offers US help to secure peace in escalating India-Pakistan conflict (The Guardian)
Trump vows to increase trade with India, Pakistan after praising ceasefire agreement: ‘A job well done!’ (FOX News)
How backchannels and US mediators pulled India and Pakistan back from the brink (BBC)
The Danger for India and Pakistan Has Not Gone Away (New York Times)
India and Pakistan Enter a More Dangerous Era (New York Times – opinion)
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Afghanistan
Pakistan
India
NSB
Central Asia
SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS
SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS