April 10, 2023 Written by Allan Willard Why do all thieves have Modi as their surname?" These were the words uttered by Rahul Gandhi in 2019 that set off a defamation case that could see him imprisoned for up to two years. Gandhi is the descendent of three former Indian Prime Ministers and was a... Continue Reading →
A Not-So-New Kazakhstan
Written by Allan Millward Kazakhstan's snap election for its lower house, the Majilis, was conducted on March 19th and has since concluded. Despite President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's promises of "modernization" and a "New Kazakhstan" in response to protests last year, the results already cemented the current order. The President's ally in parliament, the Amanat (formerly Nur... Continue Reading →
Blinken’s Central Asian Charm Offensive
Written by Allan Millward March 12, 2023 US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken was in Kazakhstan last week for a meeting of the C5+1 group, a diplomatic summit that consists of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and the United States. All five Central Asian states are sandwiched between the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic... Continue Reading →
Imprisoned President Allowed Medical Treatment in Kyrgyzstan
Written by Allan Millward March 5, 2023 In Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan’s capital, the Pervomaisk district court has granted former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev permission to leave the country for medical treatment. This comes alongside another judicial victory for the embattled leader after the country’s Supreme Court annulled his 11-year sentence for corruption and abuse of power in... Continue Reading →
Modi Heckled by Opposition Over Adani
Written by Allan Millward Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the country's congress numerous times in the past few weeks. Most recently, sitting in the upper house, he was harassed by opposition lawmakers about his ties to the Indian conglomerate Adani. The Adani company has shed about $100 billion in market value due to accusations... Continue Reading →
Nuclear Fears on the Peninsula
Written by Cameron Chambers February 11, 2023 Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have risen in the past month, with both North and South Korea engaging in nuclear saber-rattling. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, speaking to his defense and foreign ministries, put on the table the policy option of creating a nuclear weapons program. This comes... Continue Reading →
The Legacy of Pakistan’s Pervez Musharraf
Written by Allan Millward February 11, 2023 Former President and Pakistani General Pervez Musharraf has died at the age of 79. He had been living in self-imposed exile in the United Arab Emirates at the time of his death. Although considered controversial, his life and legacy are worth reviewing. Born in Delhi in 1943, Pervez and his... Continue Reading →
Tensions Between U.S. and China Ballooning to New Heights
Written by Cameron Chambers February 5, 2023 Tensions between the U.S. and China continue to rise given this week's spy balloon incident which saw a Chinese high-altitude balloon cross the continental U.S. China has responded to the sighting by stating that the balloon's purpose was for meteorological purposes and that China did not have operational... Continue Reading →
Mosque Attacked by Pakistani Taliban
Written by Allan Millward February 5, 2023 Tragedy has struck Peshawar in northwestern Pakistan after a suicide bomber blew up a mosque killing more than 80 people and injuring around 217. The mosque was situated inside a police compound and attended mostly by law enforcement officials. Conflicting messages from the Pakistani Taliban or Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP)... Continue Reading →
Kazakhstan Announces Parliamentary Elections
by Allan Millward Almost a year after deadly anti-government riots engulfed the country, President Tokayev dissolved Kazakhstan's lower house of parliament, the Majjlis, and called for an election on March 19, 2023. The legislative election was initially slated for 2025 but was pushed up in response to last year's protests. The parliamentary election was not... Continue Reading →
The Patterson Journal of International Affairs 