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Afghanistan

Latest news and updates on Afghanistan, China relations and the Taliban's return to power after the 20-year war with the US and allies.

Capital

Kabul

Head of state

Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada

Head of government

Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada

Pakistan

Video | Pakistan conducts deadly air strikes in Afghanistan

The air strike puts an end to a month of relative calm between the two sides.

11 Jun 2026 - 4:13PM

Afghanistan after the US

‘Frightened’: Afghan women detained by Taliban in clothing crackdown

8 Jun 2026 - 10:42PM

US, Israel war on Iran

Why the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation isn’t Nato for Iran

30 May 2026 - 8:08AMvideocam

Central Asia

China’s expanding footprint in Central Asia

From addressing critical water security fears to driving a regional green tech revolution, Beijing is cementing its role as an indispensable partner to Central Asia. This three-part series investigates China’s expanding influence in the region amid global geopolitical uncertainty, exploring how new investments and diplomatic ties are reshaping the Central Asian landscape.

30 May 2026 - 8:07AM

Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) arrives in Astana for the second China-Central Asia Summit in June 2025. He was welcomed at the airport by Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Photo: AFP

US, Israel war on Iran

As Iran war stokes water security fears, Central Asia could turn to China

Nations facing chronic water shortages might look to Chinese investment to upgrade their creaking Soviet-era infrastructure, observers say.

29 May 2026 - 1:54PMvideocam

Pakistan

Pakistani prime minister visits China amid ongoing Middle East peace drive

The two countries are also predicted to mark a significant diplomatic anniversary by further deepening their long-standing relationship.

24 May 2026 - 5:24PMvideocam

Taliban

New Taliban law in Afghanistan implies that child marriage is permitted, UN says

UN says the new family code tacitly permits union with minors, despite Kabul claiming forced weddings are banned.

22 May 2026 - 2:35PM

Afghan burqa-clad women in Kabul. Photo: AFP

Diplomacy

Opinion | How China is making the most of the US’ faltering global leadership

As the US’ latest foreign adventures weaken American legitimacy, the world needs a political force that can act as a neutral arbitrator.

17 May 2026 - 5:30AMvideocam

US-China relations

As I see it | Beijing had already won before the Trump-Xi summit even started

There’s a lesson for the US president in Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in the early 19th century.

15 May 2026 - 8:43PMvideocam

India

Iran’s ‘anti-American’ rhetoric tests India’s balancing act at Brics meeting

Foreign Minister Araghchi seeks the bloc’s backing against US pressure in New Delhi, but India likely to prioritise de-escalation and trade.

14 May 2026 - 1:22PMvideocam

India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (right) shakes hands with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi during the Brics meeting in New Delhi on Thursday. Photo: Reuters

Pakistan

Pakistani Taliban splinter group claims suicide attack, 14 police dead

A suicide bomber and several gunmen detonated an explosives-laden vehicle near a police station in Bannu, a district bordering Afghanistan.

10 May 2026 - 6:57PMvideocam

A destroyed police armoured at the site of a suicide attack in Bannu district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan, on Sunday. Photo: Xinhua

Fifa

Fifa says Afghan women’s team can play in tournaments without Taliban approval

Fifa Council agrees to amend federation’s rules at meeting in Vancouver, opens door to potential LA Olympics qualifying campaign.

29 Apr 2026 - 1:27PM

China-Middle East relations

China’s calls to open Hormuz show the limits of its ties to Iran, experts say

While Beijing has long seen Tehran as a useful partner, the nation is not crucial to its Middle East strategy, analysts argue.

28 Apr 2026 - 11:00PMvideocam

United States

Taliban, Congo? Afghans stuck in Qatar who helped US war face more stress

After reports the US could send 1,100 Afghans who assisted the US to the DRC, the Taliban urged them to instead head back to their homeland.

25 Apr 2026 - 11:25PMvideocam

A woman carries a child as they arrive in Qatar with other evacuees from Afghanistan in 2021, following the US withdrawal. Photo: AFP

US, Israel war on Iran

What the US-Iran ‘fight-talk’ dynamic means before their ceasefire ends

Meanwhile, China expresses ‘concern’ over America’s interception of Iranian-flagged cargo ship in Gulf of Oman.

20 Apr 2026 - 7:32PMvideocam

A police officer gestures to a vehicle at a check post near Faisal Masjid on Sunday, as Pakistan tries to convene a tentative second phase of peace talks between the US and Iran in Islamabad. Photo: Reuters

US, Israel war on Iran

Opinion | Pakistan has the world’s attention. Now it must focus inwards

For Islamabad, sustaining its diplomatic success will also depend on how effectively it addresses internal challenges.

14 Apr 2026 - 5:30AMvideocam

Xinjiang

Why has China mapped out a third new county in Xinjiang on its western frontier?

Cenling county, near Pakistan and Afghan borders and disputed frontier with India, follows Hean and Hekang as Beijing boosts security.

11 Apr 2026 - 3:46PMvideocam

Australia

Decorated Australian soldier faces 5 murder charges in Afghan war crime probe

Roberts-Smith reportedly kicked an unarmed Afghan civilian off a cliff and drank out of a prosthetic leg of a man who was gunned down.

7 Apr 2026 - 2:06PM

Former member of Australia’s elite Special Air Service regiment Ben Roberts-Smith leaves the Federal Court in Sydney on May 1, 2025 .Photo: AFP

United Nations

Afghan mother demands answers after son dies in Pakistani hospital bombing

Human rights groups have called for an independent investigation into the March 16 strike on a drug treatment centre that killed 411.

6 Apr 2026 - 9:14AMvideocam

Central Asia

Afghanistan wants US$10 billion in trade deals with Central Asia

Central Asia’s typical trade routes through Russia are hampered by heavy sanctions, while the Taliban is trying to trade with the world despite international sanctions.

5 Apr 2026 - 9:26PM

Earthquakes

Afghan boy sole survivor after quake kills 8 in refugee family back from Iran

The group, who recently returned to live in a tent near Kabul, died when a wall collapsed on them, their toddler the only one left alive.

4 Apr 2026 - 8:21PMvideocam

A man digs in the ruins of a building after a fatal earthquake in Kabul province, Afghanistan, on Saturday. Photo: Xinhua

US, Israel war on Iran

In a time of war, Chinese museums are a safe haven for ancient treasures of Iran

Cultural exchanges established with the Middle East are underscoring China’s role as a safe harbour for vulnerable global heritage.

4 Apr 2026 - 12:00PMvideocam

An image showing damage to a room in Tehran’s Golestan Palace. Photo: AP

United States

Hegseth ousts army’s top uniformed officer, even as US wages war on Iran

Chief of Staff Randy George has been asked to take early retirement, in the latest of over a dozen firings of top generals and admirals.

3 Apr 2026 - 6:55AMvideocam

Pakistan

What Pakistan gains by playing peacemaker in Iran war

If Islamabad can successfully carry off the talks, it stands a chance of bringing in much-needed investments and weapon sales, analysts say.

1 Apr 2026 - 7:20PMvideocam

War and conflict

Opinion | How selective outrage over Iran war exposes the limits of realpolitik

From Iran to Afghanistan, the cold logic of ruthless pragmatism ensures human life and welfare are always the biggest casualties.

1 Apr 2026 - 5:30AM

People hurry past damaged residential buildings in southern Tehran, on March 27. Photo: EPA

US, Israel war on Iran

China, Pakistan launch five-point plan to ease Iran crisis, push ceasefire

Beijing backs Islamabad’s mediation push as both call for truce, Hormuz reopening and talks to restore regional stability.

1 Apr 2026 - 2:40AMvideocam

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar (left) meets his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing on January 4. Dar is visiting China again this week – his second trip to the country in three months. Photo: Xinhua

Diplomacy

Opinion | Why India is quietly deepening its engagement with the Taliban

New Delhi’s courtship of Kabul is powered by realpolitik as the imperatives of security, strategy and connectivity converge.

31 Mar 2026 - 5:30AMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran war and rogue drones force European aviation safety rethink

As the Middle East conflict clogs flight corridors between Asia and Europe, EASA chief warns of ‘hybrid warfare’ risks.

30 Mar 2026 - 2:28PM

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Afghanistan

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}Video | Pakistan conducts deadly air strikes in Afghanistan

The air strike puts an end to a month of relative calm between the two sides.

‘Frightened’: Afghan women detained by Taliban in clothing crackdown

Why the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation isn’t Nato for Iran

China’s expanding footprint in Central Asia

As Iran war stokes water security fears, Central Asia could turn to China

Nations facing chronic water shortages might look to Chinese investment to upgrade their creaking Soviet-era infrastructure, observers say.

Pakistani prime minister visits China amid ongoing Middle East peace drive

The two countries are also predicted to mark a significant diplomatic anniversary by further deepening their long-standing relationship.

New Taliban law in Afghanistan implies that child marriage is permitted, UN says

UN says the new family code tacitly permits union with minors, despite Kabul claiming forced weddings are banned.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | How China is making the most of the US’ faltering global leadership

As the US’ latest foreign adventures weaken American legitimacy, the world needs a political force that can act as a neutral arbitrator.

As I see it | Beijing had already won before the Trump-Xi summit even started

There’s a lesson for the US president in Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in the early 19th century.

Iran’s ‘anti-American’ rhetoric tests India’s balancing act at Brics meeting

Foreign Minister Araghchi seeks the bloc’s backing against US pressure in New Delhi, but India likely to prioritise de-escalation and trade.

Pakistani Taliban splinter group claims suicide attack, 14 police dead

A suicide bomber and several gunmen detonated an explosives-laden vehicle near a police station in Bannu, a district bordering Afghanistan.

Fifa says Afghan women’s team can play in tournaments without Taliban approval

Fifa Council agrees to amend federation’s rules at meeting in Vancouver, opens door to potential LA Olympics qualifying campaign.

China’s calls to open Hormuz show the limits of its ties to Iran, experts say

While Beijing has long seen Tehran as a useful partner, the nation is not crucial to its Middle East strategy, analysts argue.

Taliban, Congo? Afghans stuck in Qatar who helped US war face more stress

After reports the US could send 1,100 Afghans who assisted the US to the DRC, the Taliban urged them to instead head back to their homeland.

What the US-Iran ‘fight-talk’ dynamic means before their ceasefire ends

Meanwhile, China expresses ‘concern’ over America’s interception of Iranian-flagged cargo ship in Gulf of Oman.

Opinion | Pakistan has the world’s attention. Now it must focus inwards

For Islamabad, sustaining its diplomatic success will also depend on how effectively it addresses internal challenges.

Why has China mapped out a third new county in Xinjiang on its western frontier?

Cenling county, near Pakistan and Afghan borders and disputed frontier with India, follows Hean and Hekang as Beijing boosts security.

Decorated Australian soldier faces 5 murder charges in Afghan war crime probe

Roberts-Smith reportedly kicked an unarmed Afghan civilian off a cliff and drank out of a prosthetic leg of a man who was gunned down.

Afghan mother demands answers after son dies in Pakistani hospital bombing

Human rights groups have called for an independent investigation into the March 16 strike on a drug treatment centre that killed 411.

Afghanistan wants US$10 billion in trade deals with Central Asia

Central Asia’s typical trade routes through Russia are hampered by heavy sanctions, while the Taliban is trying to trade with the world despite international sanctions.

Afghan boy sole survivor after quake kills 8 in refugee family back from Iran

The group, who recently returned to live in a tent near Kabul, died when a wall collapsed on them, their toddler the only one left alive.

In a time of war, Chinese museums are a safe haven for ancient treasures of Iran

Cultural exchanges established with the Middle East are underscoring China’s role as a safe harbour for vulnerable global heritage.

Hegseth ousts army’s top uniformed officer, even as US wages war on Iran

Chief of Staff Randy George has been asked to take early retirement, in the latest of over a dozen firings of top generals and admirals.

What Pakistan gains by playing peacemaker in Iran war

If Islamabad can successfully carry off the talks, it stands a chance of bringing in much-needed investments and weapon sales, analysts say.

Opinion | How selective outrage over Iran war exposes the limits of realpolitik

From Iran to Afghanistan, the cold logic of ruthless pragmatism ensures human life and welfare are always the biggest casualties.

China, Pakistan launch five-point plan to ease Iran crisis, push ceasefire

Beijing backs Islamabad’s mediation push as both call for truce, Hormuz reopening and talks to restore regional stability.

Opinion | Why India is quietly deepening its engagement with the Taliban

New Delhi’s courtship of Kabul is powered by realpolitik as the imperatives of security, strategy and connectivity converge.

Iran war and rogue drones force European aviation safety rethink

As the Middle East conflict clogs flight corridors between Asia and Europe, EASA chief warns of ‘hybrid warfare’ risks.

Video | Pakistan conducts deadly air strikes in Afghanistan

Opinion | How China is making the most of the US’ faltering global leadership