Southasiasphere is our roundup of news events and analysis of regional affairs, now out every two weeks. If you are a member, you will automatically receive links to new episodes in your inbox. If you are not yet a member, you can still get episode links for free by signing up here.

In this episode, we talk about the blocking of The Kashmir Walla and the state of media freedom in Kashmir, and the pushback against China’s controversial new map plus Bhutan–China boundary talks. 

In “Around Southasia in 5 minutes” we talk about caste atrocities in Uttar Pradesh, India’s path-breaking lunar and solar missions, the Taliban’s ban on women visiting national parks in Afghanistan and the death of the Afghan female YouTuber Hora Sadat, pushback from the Editor’s Guild of India against a proposed official fact-checking unit in Karnataka, an increase in HIV/AIDs cases in Sri Lanka, the deletion of acting BNP chairman Tarique Rahman’s speeches from social media ahead of Bangladesh’s elections, and a controversial Supreme Court judgment on child marriage in Nepal. 

For “Bookmarked”, we discuss Don’t expect anything, a short film directed by Didier Nusbaumer that led to Myanmar’s junta arresting the cast and director for insulting Buddhist monks.

Episode notes:

The Bajaur bombing, India’s ban on rice exports, violence in Haryana and Gurugram and more: https://www.himalmag.com/bajaur-bombing-india-ban-rice-exports-communal-violence-haryana-gurugram-nuh-2023-rahul-gandhi-defamation/

Memories of Galwan Valley: https://www.himalmag.com/memories-of-galwan-valley-2020/

The Doklam dispute, Rahul Gandhi’s conviction, repression of journalists in Bangladesh and beyond, and much more: https://www.himalmag.com/doklam-dispute-rahul-gandhi-conviction-repression-of-journalists-bangladesh/

Don’t expect anything!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpRm4wZ5i2g