• Main Slide

    War Came to Our Tower at 2:11 a.m

    Flat burning after it was struck by a drone (Photo: Samira Danouni) By Habib Toumi MANAMA: My brush with death on the seventh day of the war in the Middle East came at 2:11 a.m. on Friday. An Iranian Shahed kamikaze drone struck a flat about 12 meters from ours…

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  • EditorsPick

    Life and war! The Latest Situation in Tehran

    Iranian international footballer Mehdi Taremi reacts to the death of elementary school girls in a missile attack on southern Iran. The tragedy has resonated with athletes and artists in Iran and around the world. By Alireza Bahrami,Correspondent for AsiaN TEHRAN: The last month of winter in Iran is like Christmas.…

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  • West Asia

    A Call to Prayer, a Siren and the Absurdity of War

    Malls are gradually returning to normal in Bahrain (Photo: Al Ayam) By Habib Toumi MANAMA: Just before dawn, the call to prayer, the first of the regular five prayers a day for Muslims, began to rise from the neighborhood mosque in Manama. Within seconds it was swallowed by the piercing…

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  • West Asia

    When War Silences the Songs of Gulf Children

    Drive-by Gargaoon Handing gifts to children in a car (Photo: Al Ayam) By Habib ToumiMANAMA: For children in Bahrain and across the Gulf, Gargaoon is the most eagerly awaited night of Ramadan, the sacred month Muslims associate with reflection, generosity, and blessings. It is a ritual stitched into childhood memory:…

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  • EditorsPick

    War Kills Innocent People

    People were in bed when their homes were destroyed. (Photo: Entekhab) By Alireza BahramiCorrespondent for AsiaN TEHRAN: A few weeks ago, people were killed in the streets, protesting against a government they believed had taken away their freedom. These days, people are dying at home, by governments they claim want…

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  • People

    From Hope to Hostility: The Middle East’s Fragile Calm Shattered. Again.

    Symbol of Compassion: A woman carrying her dog as she flees from missiles launched by Iran on Bahrain – Picture: Samira Danouni) By Habib Toumi MANAMA: Another war in the Middle East began on Feb. 28, adding yet another chapter to a region’s long history of armed conflict, shattered hopes…

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  • South Asia

    Pakistan: A Nation’s Dignity at Stake

    By Nasir AijazThe AsiaN Representative ISLAMABAD: In the early hours of February 26, 2026, the quiet of a local settlement in historic Umerkot city of southern Sindh province of Pakistan was shattered not by the desert wind, but by the heavy boots of a police raid. What followed was a…

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  • South Asia

    Ending Gender Discrimination: A Global and Local Imperative

    By Pirah AijazKARACHI: Imagine being denied education, healthcare,  safety, and respect — not because of lack of merit and ability, but simply because of gender. Gender discrimination remains one of the most deeply rooted injustices in societies around the world, silently shaping the lives of millions of women. Despite progress…

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  • Main Slide

    Why Did the Iranian Government Lose the Media War?

    The damaged headquarters of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, Iranian state television, is seen in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (Photo: AP/Yonhap) By Alireza Bahrami TEHRAN: These days, Iran is under the influence of popular protests that began about a month ago. Protests that have caused thousands of deaths,…

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  • Main Slide

    Pakistan: The Battle for Childhood

    Pakistani young girls (Photo: pakistan.unwomen.org) By Nasir AijazThe AsiaN Representative ISLAMABAD: Child marriage remains one of Pakistan’s most entrenched human rights crises. Despite decades of activism and a growing legislative firewall, the practice continues to rob millions of girls of their health, education, and childhood. While the state has made…

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