Economy

19 October 2025
A 6.0 magnitude earthquake in August brought shoddily built homes cascading down hillsides in eastern Afghanistan. (Photo by Aga Khan Development Network)
Rescue workers clear debris in Afghanistan's Kunar province on Sept. 2 after a deadly magnitude-6 earthquake struck the nation on Aug. 31. A further magnitude-5.5 quake shook southeastern Afghanistan on Sept. 2.
Natural disasters

New quake shakes devastated Afghan region as death toll exceeds 1,400

Difficult terrain has badly hindered relief efforts in isolated villages

3 September 2025
Civilians and Taliban soldiers carry earthquake victims to an ambulance at an airport in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on Sept. 1.
Natural disasters

Afghanistan earthquake kills over 800, with at least 2,800 injured

Taliban asks world for help as rescuers struggle to reach remote areas

1 September 2025
Some experts believe the cancelled contract will impact Sino-Afghan relations, but others say the two countries are bound by critical mutual interests. (Source photos by Reuters)
Economy

Taliban cancel oilfield deal with Chinese in Afghanistan's north

Kabul regime terminates first major investment project due to slow progress

25 June 2025
Women and children wait to see a doctor at a health clinic in Afghanistan run by nonprofit organization World Vision. 
Opinion

Economic isolation is pushing Afghanistan deeper into crisis

Without regional initiatives, Kabul may become haven for extremist groups

24 April 2025
Afghanistan's embassy in London is set to cease operations after its diplomats refused to work with the Taliban.
Afghanistan turmoil

Taliban locked in showdown with Afghanistan's old-guard diplomats

U.K. embassy set to close this week as militant group squeezes 'renegade' missions

26 September 2024
Taliban fighters outside the Interior Ministry in Kabul in August 2021, after the militant group retook power in Afghanistan.
Your Week in Asia

Taliban takeover anniversary, Japan GDP, Greater China earnings

Your weekly lineup of Asia's biggest business and political events

11 August 2024
"Not enough time, not enough support": Uzbekistan, a landlocked country slightly bigger than California, is facing the consequences of a history of poor irrigation, with rising salinity slashing the size of usable growing areas.
Asia Insight

Uzbek farmers battle to save cotton, wheat crops from mortal enemy: salt

Growing salinization crisis bites as cotton exports to Bangladesh skid 80% in 5 years

7 May 2024
An Afghan repairs a carpet in Kabul. Carpets are one of Afghanistan's primary items of exports to Pakistan.
International relations

Pakistan and Taliban to expand trade despite lingering tensions

Two countries agree on 'separation of business from politics'

5 April 2024
The Afghan Taliban says China has accepted its choice for ambassador to Beijing with the release of this photo of an unidentified Taliban representative.
Afghanistan turmoil

Taliban says China has accepted its envoy to Beijing

Afghanistan 'last piece' of strategic puzzle as Beijing looks to shut out West

10 December 2023
Afghanistan's under-construction Qosh Tepa irrigation canal aims to turn some 550,000 hectares of desert land into usable farmland.
International relations

Taliban vow to finish disputed canal at 'any cost'

Afghanistan's Central Asian neighbors cry foul over plans to tap shared river

9 December 2023
Afghan women walk in the district of Zinda Jan, in Herat province, on Oct. 10. After major earthquakes and aftershocks, some women in the region say they face obstacles to receiving aid.
Afghanistan turmoil

Female Afghan earthquake survivors face higher hurdles to aid

Taliban officials insist help is being distributed fairly; women say otherwise

24 October 2023
An Afghan boy who says he lost his father in the recent earthquakes is pictured at a Red Crescent camp in Herat, Afghanistan, on Oct. 10. Many people remain without tents like these, sleeping under plastic or out in the open. 
Natural disasters

Starving Afghan earthquake survivors face reality of aid shortfall

Agencies, Taliban officials and victims stress need for emergency funds

12 October 2023
A boy cries as he sits next to debris in the aftermath of an earthquake in the district of Zinda Jan, in Herat, Afghanistan, on Oct. 8.
Natural disasters

Afghans continue to dig out the dead after quake kills over 2,000

Survivor says villagers don't need food, but shovels to excavate bodies

9 October 2023
An Afghan woman walks past a banned beauty salon in Kabul on July 6. Despite international calls to do more to defend women's rights, there is little consensus on what "more" should be. 
Asia Insight

Afghanistan rulers win tacit acceptance as women face 'apartheid'

World struggles to give aid without helping Taliban as regime enters third year

15 August 2023
Truckers wait near Pakistan's border with Afghanistan during a temporary closure in February. Islamabad authorized formal barter trade in June, aiming to ease pressure on foreign reserves.
Economy

Pakistani barter trade with Afghanistan, Iran, Russia stuck in neutral

Plan to ease forex pressure met with disinterest amid strained Taliban ties

6 July 2023
People gather to receive sacks of free flour at a distribution point in Peshawar, Pakistan, on March 30. The government blames smugglers for compromising its efforts to ease food shortages.
Afghanistan turmoil

Pakistan cracks down on food smuggling to Afghanistan

Islamabad targets black market between crisis-hit neighbors to ease inflation

30 April 2023
An Afghan lecturer reads a book inside her home in Kabul. Some female students have turned to the internet, but even these efforts are hampered as connections are poor.
Afghanistan turmoil

Over 1m girls barred from Afghanistan schools as rules sap economy

Taliban restrictions deplete workforce, prompting warnings of long-term damage

12 April 2023
Acting Afghan Mines and Petroleum Minister Shahabuddin Delawar, left, exchanges documents with a CAPEIC representative at the oil extraction deal's signing ceremony in Kabul on Jan. 5.
International relations

Taliban build ties to U.S. rivals with new China oil deal

Isolated government taps resource riches to connect with outside world

19 January 2023
Stream article image
Feeding Asia

Hunger in Asia on the rise

Inflation, COVID-19, climate, conflict drive food insecurity

6 July 2022
Afghan men search for survivors June 23 in the debris of a Paktika Province house destroyed by an earthquake.
Natural disasters

Afghanistan earthquake leaves homeless waiting for uncertain relief

Taliban say they are working around the clock but need more international aid

24 June 2022
A child gets treatment for malnourishment at the Indira Gandhi Children's Hospital in Kabul. (Photo by Kanika Gupta)
Afghanistan turmoil

Global food inflation stokes Afghanistan's starvation crisis

War, drought and economic crisis leave millions unable to cope with rising prices

18 June 2022
Afghan women wait to receive sacks of rice at a distribution centre in Kabul on April 7.
Afghanistan turmoil

Poverty drives Afghan women to sell their babies, bodies

Collapse under Taliban leaves people with few economic options

2 April 2022
Indian and Pakistani flags are lowered during a highly charged daily retreat ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border crossing between India and Pakistan when border gates are firmly shut. 
Afghanistan turmoil

Afghans starve for wheat stuck in India-Pakistan bureaucracy

Red tape ties up 50,000 tons of goodwill assistance for hungry until spring

13 February 2022
The Afghan Taliban under Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, left, sought international recognition at talks held late last month in Norway. (Source photos by Reuters)
Interview

Taliban hopeful of international recognition after Oslo talks

Norwegians doubtful as confident Afghan official says 'actions speak louder'

9 February 2022
Afghan children scramble onto a truck heading to Pakistan at the Torkham border crossing on Jan. 23. (Photo by Kanika Gupta)
Afghanistan turmoil

Afghan children risk death smuggling across border with Pakistan

Under Taliban rule, hundreds of minors traffic goods each day for families' sake

31 January 2022
U.S. Marines are on guard during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Aug. 20: policymakers in Washington have decided to leave the morass of middle Eurasia to others. (Handout photo from U.S. Marine Corps)
Opinion

2022 look ahead: Central Asia will cement its turn against the West

Expect China and Russia to step in and take advantage

30 December 2021
Millions of Afghans are facing food insecurity or worse as winter approaches. (Photo by Kanika Gupta)
Afghanistan turmoil

Afghanistan food crisis prods India, Pakistan to cooperate on aid

Archrivals close to arranging emergency transport of 50,000 tons of Indian wheat

2 December 2021
Poppy cultivation in Afghanistan has tripled by area since the U.S.-led invasion that deposed the Taliban in 2001.
Afghanistan turmoil

Afghan poppy season returns in force under Taliban rule

Farmers say authorities have not halted cultivation, despite public pledges

29 October 2021
The cargo center in Termez in southern Uzbekistan is a base for trade with Afghanistan. The Uzbek government has proposed extending a railway from there to as far as the southern Afghan city of Kandahar. (Photo by Yohei Ishikawa)
Interview

Afghanistan should be regional trade hub, says top Uzbek senator

Politician Safoyev says neighbor needs north-south transport corridor

21 October 2021