Afghanistan
State Department notifies Congress of reorganization plan with bigger staff and program cuts (Los Angeles Times)
State Department Plans to Close Office That Aids Afghan Refugees (Bloomberg)
Afghans in Kentucky fear for future after Trump strips deportation protections (Reuters)
Pakistan
200 Miles of Sublime Pain on a Hindu Pilgrimage in Pakistan (New York Times)
2 police officers, 4 Pakistani Taliban killed in a rare raid in Pakistan-held Kashmir (AP)
India
US Trade Team to Visit India Next Week, Official Says (Bloomberg)
U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum to feature Usha Vance and Howard Lutnick (Washington Examiner)
India says over 1,000 nationals deported by US since January (BBC)
India Explores Partners Beyond US to Build Fighter Jet Engines (Bloomberg)
How does India benefit from early, ample monsoon rains? (Reuters)
NSB
Japan to give $1.06 billion to Bangladesh in budget support, Dhaka says (Reuters)
Bangladesh recalls ambassador from Myanmar (Reuters)
Bangladesh clothes sector hit by trade barriers, internal turmoil (Nikkei Asia)
Tens of thousands demonstrate in Nepal seeking restoration of ousted monarchy (AP)
Nepal’s royalists demand restoration of monarchy dumped 17 years ago (Reuters)
British flight attendant, 21, appears in court accused of smuggling 46kg of synthetic cannabis into Sri Lanka - where she faces up to 25 years in prison (Daily Mail)
Central Asia
Kazakhstan’s president on balancing Russia, China and the West (Al Jazeera)
Kazakhstan wants to lead a middle-power rebalancing of global order (EurasiaNet)
Kazakhstan Mulls Building Key Gas Refinery Without Oil Majors (Bloomberg)
Kazakhstan minister says oil price above $70-$75/bbl likely suits all countries (Reuters)
Kyrgyzstan detains eight media workers in widening crackdown (Reuters)
Kyrgyzstan ups judicial transparency amid spate of closed-door hearings (EurasiaNet)
Kyrgyzstan: Whistleblower Convicted for Exposing Corruption in Court System (Human Rights Watch)
Uzbekistan and Slovenia strengthen ties with new trade and cooperation agreements (Euronews)
Human Rights Defenders Targeted in Uzbekistan (Human Rights Watch)
Indo-Pacific
Pakistan, India close to completing border troop reduction, senior Pakistani general says (Reuters)
Indian Navy will lead New Delhi’s response to any future Pakistani aggression, minister says (Reuters)
China Breaks Silence on Chinese Weapons in India-Pakistan Air War (Newsweek)
Twitter
Afghanistan
Pakistan
India
NSB
Central Asia
SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS
SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS