History of Asia in the 2020s covers history on the continent, other thanelections, from 2020 onwards.
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Business and personal
45th and 47th President of the United States Tenure
Impeachments   | ||
TheUnited States–Taliban deal, officially known as the Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan between the United States of America and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (commonly known as the Taliban and not recognized by the United States as a state) and commonly known as the Doha Accord,[1] was apeace agreement signed by theUnited States and theTaliban on 29 February 2020 inDoha, Qatar, with intent to bring an end to the2001–2021 war inAfghanistan.[2][3] Negotiated for the U.S. byZalmay Khalilzad for the firstTrump administration, the negotiations for the agreement did not involve theIslamic Republic of Afghanistan, the Afghan government at the time.[4] The deal, which also had secret annexes, was one of the critical events that caused the collapse of theAfghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF).[5] Adhering to the conditions of the deal, the U.S. dramatically reduced the number of U.S. air raids, leaving the ANDSF without a key advantage in keeping theTaliban at bay. This resulted in "a sense of abandonment within the ANDSF and the Afghan population" according to a report by theSpecial Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR).[6] ANDSF was ill-prepared to sustain security following a U.S. withdrawal, which allowed for theTaliban insurgency, ultimately leading to theTaliban takeover of Kabul on 15 August 2021.[6]
The agreement stipulated fighting restrictions for both the U.S. and the Taliban, and provided for thewithdrawal of all NATO forces from Afghanistan in return for the Taliban's counter-terrorism commitments. The U.S. agreed to an initial reduction of its force level from 13,000 to 8,600 within 135 days (i.e. by July 2020), followed by a full withdrawal within 14 months (i.e. by 1 May 2021) if the Taliban kept its commitments. The United States also committed to closing fivemilitary bases within 135 days, and expressed its intent to endeconomic sanctions on the Taliban by August 27, 2020. The agreement was welcomed by Pakistan, China, Russia and India,[4][7][8] and unanimously endorsed by theUN Security Council.[9]
Insurgent attacks against the Afghan security forces surged in the aftermath of the deal, however, with thousands killed. Regardless, withdrawals per the agreement continued. By January 2021, just 2,500 U.S. troops remained in the country, and NATO forces fully evacuated by the end of that summer. The U.S. completed its full evacuation on August 30, 2021, as the Talibantook control of the country by force.
Critics of the deal claimed that the then Trump administrationappeased the Taliban and ignored the then Afghan government for a quick withdrawal from Afghanistan.[10]
TheUnited States Armed Forces completed their withdrawal fromAfghanistan on 30 August 2021, marking the end of the2001–2021 war. In February 2020, theTrump administration and theTaliban signed theUnited States–Taliban deal inDoha,Qatar,[11] which stipulated fighting restrictions for both the US and the Taliban, and in return for the Taliban's counter-terrorism commitments, provided for the withdrawal of all NATO forces from Afghanistan by 1 May 2021. Following the deal, the US dramatically reduced the number of air attacks on the Taliban to the detriment of theAfghan National Security Forces (ANSF), and its fight against theTaliban insurgency.[12]
TheBiden administration's final decision in April 2021 was to begin the withdrawal on 1 May 2021, but the final pull-out of all US troops was delayed until September 2021, triggering the start of the collapse of the ANSF.[13] This collapse led to theTaliban takeover of Kabul on 15 August 2021.
As part of the United States–Taliban deal, the Trump administration agreed to an initial reduction of US forces from 13,000 to 8,600 troops by July 2020, followed by a complete withdrawal by 1 May 2021, if the Taliban kept its commitments.[14] At the start of the Biden administration, there were 2,500 US soldiers remaining in Afghanistan and, in April 2021, Biden said the US would not begin withdrawing these soldiers before 1 May, but would complete the withdrawal symbolically by 11 September.[15][16] The Taliban began afinal offensive on 1 May and, on 8 July, Biden moved up the completion date to 31 August.[17][18] There were about 650 US troops in Afghanistan in early August 2021, tasked with protectingHamid Karzai International Airport and theUS Embassy in Kabul.[19][20]NATO'sResolute Support Mission concluded on 12 July 2021[21] whileUS intelligence assessments estimated as late as July that Kabul would fall within months or weeks following withdrawal of all American forces from Afghanistan, the security situation deteriorated rapidly.[22][23]
The US also launchedOperation Allies Refuge toairlift the American translators and select Afghan citizens considered at risk ofreprisals and US Forces Afghanistan Forward was established on 7 July 2021 as a successor command overseeing theevacuation of all American diplomatic, security, advisory, and counter-terrorism personnel remaining in the country after the withdrawal of US troops. On 12 August 2021, following continued Taliban victories across Afghanistan, the Biden administration announced that 3,000 US troops would be deployed to Kabul Airport to evacuate embassy personnel, US nationals andSpecial Immigrant Visa applicants.[24][25] With the rapid advance of the Taliban in the provinces, on 14 August the US increased its troop commitment to 5,000.[26] On 15 August, with the fall of Kabul, another 1,000 troops were deployed,[27] and on 16 August, a further 1,000 troops were deployed, bringing the total number of troops to 7,000. The last US military planes left Kabul airport at 11:59 p.m. Kabul time on 30 August 2021.[28]
Following the disastrous[29][30][31] US withdrawal, around one thousand American citizens and Afghans holding US or other visas were held up by the Taliban with the US government not authorizing their departure.[32][33] On 28 and 29 September 2021,US Secretary of DefenseLloyd Austin,Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen.Mark Milley andUnited States Central Command (CENTCOM) commander Gen.Frank McKenzie were among the numerous Defense Department officials who denied during congressional testimonies President Biden's previous claim that his decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan was because of advice from senior US military leaders and stated that they had in fact advised him to keep some troops in Afghanistan.[34][35]Following the2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement, Armenian forces were to withdraw fromArmenian-occupied territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh by 1 December. An approximately 2,000-strong Russianpeacekeeping force from theRussian Ground Forces was to be deployed to the region for a minimum of five years, one of its task being protection of theLachin corridor, which links Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Additionally, Armenia undertook to "guarantee safety" of passage between mainland Azerbaijan and itsNakhchivan exclave via a strip of land in Armenia'sSyunik Province. RussianFSB′sBorder Troops would exercise control over the transport communication.[36][37][38]
Shortly after the news about the signing the ceasefire agreement broke in the early hours of 10 November,violent protests erupted inArmenia againstNikol Pashinyan, claiming he was a "traitor" for having accepted the peace deal.[39] Protesters also seized the parliament building by breaking a metal door, and pulled thePresident of the National Assembly of ArmeniaArarat Mirzoyan from a car and beat him.[40][41] Throughout November, numerous Armenian officials resigned from their posts, including the Armenian minister of foreign affairs,Zohrab Mnatsakanyan,[42] the minister of defence,David Tonoyan,[43] head of the same ministry's military control service,Movses Hakobyan,[44] and the spokesman of Armenia's Defense Ministry,Artsrun Hovhannisyan.[45]
Prime MinisterNikol Pashinyan accusedChief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed ForcesOnik Gasparyan and more than 40 other high-ranking military officers ofattempting a coup after they published a statement calling for Pashinyan's resignation on 25 February 2021. Two days laterArmenian PresidentArmen Sarksyan refused the order fromPrime MinisterNikol Pashinyan to dismiss Onik Gasparyan, saying parts of the decree were in violation of the constitution. Pashinyan immediately resent the motion to dismiss Gasparyan to the president.[46] On 27 February, more than 15,000 protested in the capitalYerevan calling for Pashinyan to resign.[47]
Under CCP General SecretaryXi Jinping'sadministration, China promoted "common prosperity", a series of policies designed with stated goal to increase equality, and used the term to justify a broad crackdown and major slew of regulations against the tech and tutoring sectors in 2021. Often described as anauthoritarian leader by political and academic observers, Xi's tenure has seen an increase ofcensorship andmass surveillance, a deterioration inhuman rights includingthe internment of one million Uyghurs inXinjiang, and acult of personality developing around him. Xi'spolitical thoughts have been incorporated into theparty andnational constitutions, and he has emphasized the importance of national security and the need for CCP leadership over the country. He and the CCPCentral Committee additionally passed a "historical resolution" in November 2021, the third such resolution afterMao Zedong andDeng Xiaoping, further consolidating his power.
TheHong Kong protests against theChinese government continued into 2020. A controversial newnational security law was enacted on 30 June 2020 by theStanding Committee of the National People's Congress.[48] In July, 12 politicians were banned from standing the upcoming elections.[49] The elections were then postponed by a year, officially due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[49] After the arrest of eight opposition politicians in November, 15 other opposition lawmakers resigned in protest, including the remaining opposition members of theLegislative Council of Hong Kong.[49] The democracy activistJoshua Wong was also arrested, facing up to three years in prison in his trial.[50]
TheDecision of the National People's Congress on Improving the Electoral System of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region was enacted on 11 March 2021 by theNational People's Congress (NPC), thede jure legislative body of thePeople's Republic of China (PRC), to rewrite the electoral rules, imposing a much restrictive electoral system on theHong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) for itsChief Executive (CE) and theLegislative Council (LegCo), claiming to ensure a system of "patriots governing Hong Kong."[51][52] Police later arrested five executives of theApple Daily newspaper as the newspaper warned that press freedom in the city was "hanging by a thread".[53]
TheStand News raids and arrests occurred on 29 December 2021, whenStand News, one of the few remainingpro-democracy media outlets in Hong Kong following the passage of theHong Kong national security law in 2020, was raided by theNational Security Department of theHong Kong Police Force. Media executives and journalists were arrested on the charge of "conspiring to publishseditious publications" on a large scale.[54] As a result of the raid,Stand News ceased operations, the organisation's website and social media became inactive, and all of its employees were dismissed. TheOffice of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, along with leaders in Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom and United States, condemned the raid.[55]
Narendra Modi of theBharatiya Janata Party became prime minister in the2014 Indian general election, in which the party gained a majority in thelower house of the Indian parliament theLok Sabha; it was the first time for any single party since1984. His administration has tried to raise direct foreign investment in the Indian economy, and reduced spending on healthcare, education, and social-welfare programmes. He centralised power by abolishing thePlanning Commission and replacing it with theNITI Aayog. Modi began ahigh-profile sanitation campaign, controversially initiated the2016 demonetisation of high-denomination banknotes and introduced theGoods and Services Tax (GST), and weakened or abolished environmental and labour laws. Modi oversaw India's response to theCOVID-19 pandemic. As prime minister, he has receivedconsistently high approval ratings.[56][57][58]
Under Modi's tenure, India has experienceddemocratic backsliding.[59][60][note 1] Following his party's victory in the2019 general election, his administrationrevoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, introduced theCitizenship Amendment Act and three controversialfarm laws, promptingwidespread protests andsit-ins across the country, resulting in a formal repeal of the latter. Modi has been described as engineering a political realignment towardsright-wing politics and remains a controversial figure, domestically and internationally, over his Hindu nationalist beliefs and handling of the 2002 Gujarat riots, which have been cited as evidence of a majoritarian and exclusionary social agenda.[note 2]
TheCitizenship Amendment Act protests occurred after the enactment of theCitizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) by the Indian government on 12 December 2019, which triggered widespread ongoing protests across India and abroad against the act and the associated proposals to enact aNational Register of Citizens (NRC).[72] The Amendment created a pathway to Indian citizenship for illegal migrants belonging toHindu,Sikh,Buddhist,Jain,Parsi, andChristian communities fromPakistan,Bangladesh andAfghanistan, who had entered India before 2014 fleeing religious persecution.[73] The Amendment does not provide the same pathway to Muslims and others from these countries, nor to refugeeSri Lankan Tamils in India,Rohingyas fromMyanmar, orBuddhists from Tibet.[74] The proposedNational Register of Citizens (NRC) will be an official record of all legal citizens of India; individuals would need to provide a prescribed set of documents issued before a specified cutoff date to be included in it.[75] The amendment has been widely criticised asdiscriminating on the basis of religion, in particular for excluding Muslims.[76] Protestors against the amendment demand that it be scrapped and that the nationwide NRC not be implemented.[77] Protesters inAssam and othernortheastern states do not wantIndian citizenship to be granted to any refugee or immigrant, regardless of their religion, as they fear it would alter the region's demographic balance.[78][79]
Prime MinisterNarendra Modi dismissed 12 cabinet ministers, includingHealth MinisterHarsh Vardhan, following intense criticisms over hishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic.Ravi Shankar Prasad, who held multiple concurrent positions asLaw,Information Technology, andCommunications Minister, also resigned.[80]
The2019–2020 Iranian protests were a series of nationwide civil protests inIran, initially caused by a 50%–200%[81][82][83] increase in fuel prices, becoming the most violent and severe anti-government unrest since the rise ofIran's Islamic Republic in 1979.[84][85][86][87] As many as 1,500Iranian protesters were killed.[88][89] The government crackdown prompted a violent reaction from protesters who destroyed 731 government banks including Iran's central bank, nineIslamic religious centres, tore downanti-American billboards, and posters and statues of the Supreme LeaderAli Khamenei as well as former leaderKhomeini. Fifty government military bases were also attacked by protesters.[90][91]
In January2020, theUnited Statesassassinated the commander of theQuds Force of theIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, generalQasem Soleimani. This led to anIranian missile strike against bases housing US troops in Iraq five days later. As a result of expectations of a US retribution, theIranian air defence system accidentally shot downUkraine International Airlines Flight 752, killing all 176 people on board.[92] TheInternational Maritime Security Construct was set up by the US to prevent Iran from disrupting international shipping in theStrait of Hormuz.[93] Israel was suspected of being behind at least fiveexplosions and fires at Iranian nuclear sites in the summer of 2020.[94] The leading nuclear scientist of the country,Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was assassinated on 27 November 2020, with Iran blaming Israel for the attack.[95]
The sequence of protests which included the2019-2020 Iranian protests,2021 Iranian protests, and theMahsa Amini protests was met with violent responses by the Iranian authorities, including the killing of 1,500 protesters in November 2019 uprising and the violent crackdown on protests inMahshahr. The protests, which have occurred at various stages and times since the mid-2010s, increasing in both support and number each time, have found popular support amongst many Iranians. They have the intention of removing the Iranian government and addressing both economic and social issues within Iran, and are often fueled by low wages, unemployment, inflation, government corruption, anongoing water crisis, disillusion amongst Iranian youth and by theirBurnt Generation parents with the government'sIslamist, anti-Western outlook, the isolation of Iran internationally,Persian nationalist fervor and the government's handling of theCOVID-19 pandemic.[96]
Civil unrest and protests against thegovernment of the Islamic Republic of Iran associated with thedeath in police custody ofMahsa Amini (Persian:مهسا امینی) began on 16 September 2022 and carried on into 2023, but by spring 2023, the protests had largely subsided,[97][98] ultimately leaving the political leadership unchanged and firmly entrenched in power.[99] The protests were described as "unlike any the country had seen before,"[100] the "biggest challenge" to the government,[101] and "most widespread revolt,"[102] since theIslamic Revolution in 1979.
Amini was arrested by theGuidance Patrol on 13 September 2022 for allegedly violating Iran'smandatory hijab law by wearing her hijab "improperly" while visiting Tehran fromSaqqez. According to eyewitnesses, she was severely beaten by Guidance Patrol officers (this was denied by Iranian authorities).[103] She subsequently collapsed, was hospitalized and died three days later.[103] As the protests spread from Amini's hometown of Saqqez to other cities in theIranian Kurdistan and throughoutIran, the government responded with widespreadInternet blackouts, nationwide restrictions on social media usage,[104][105]tear gas and gunfire.[106][107][108]
Although the protests have not been as deadly as those in2019 (when more than 1,500 were killed),[109] they have been "nationwide, spread across social classes, universities, the streets [and] schools".[101] At least 551 people, including 68 minors, had been killed as a result of the government's intervention in the protests, as of 15 September 2023[update].[note 3] Before February 2023 when most were pardoned,[98] an estimated 19,262 were arrested[note 4] across at least 134 cities and towns and 132 universities.[note 5][111][112]
Female protesters, including schoolchildren, have played a key role in the demonstrations. In addition to demands for increased rights for women, the protests have demanded the overthrow of the Islamic Republic, setting them apart from previous major protest movements in Iran, which have focused on election results or economic woes.[113] The government's response to the protests and its "brutal and disproportionate use of force against peaceful protesters and children" was widely condemned,[114] butSupreme Leader of IranAyatollahAli Khamenei dismissed the unrest as "riots" and part of a "hybrid war" against Iran created by foreign enemy states and dissidents abroad.[115][116][117]
On March 6, 2024, the UN accused Iran of coordinating crimes against humanity, which the government rejected.[118]In 2020–21,demonstrations took place in Baghdad and other parts of Iraq, over popular discontent with government corruption, unemployment, poor government services, and foreign interference within Iraq. Reports said that 450 protesters had been fatally shot by security forces.[119] Major protests were based inNasiriyah inDhi Qar province, with hundreds of protesters arriving there from other cities.[120] New clashes erupted in Baghdad between protesters and security forces, with security forces using gunfire against protesters.[121][122][123] One march included more than 1,000 students.[124]
In March 2020,Mohammed Allawi sent a letter to thePresident of Iraq, stating that he had to decline to take office as prime minister since the Iraqi Parliament had declined to approve his cabinet.[125][126][127] Reports indicated that the crowds of protesters in Baghdad had expressed widespread opposition to Allawi.[119][128]
Mustafa Al-Kadhimi was named by PresidentBarham Salih asprime minister-designate, the third person tapped to lead the country in just 10 weeks as it struggled to replace a government that fell last year after months ofprotests.[129] Kadhimi was nominated by President Barham Salih, state television reported, shortly after the previous designated prime minister,Adnan al-Zurfi, announced he was withdrawing having failed to secure enough support to pass agovernment.[130] After nearly six months of political negotiations, Iraq'sparliament confirmed al-Kadhimi asPrime Minister of Iraq on 6 May 2020.[131] Before entering office, al-Kadhimi said his government would be a government that finds solutions to Iraq's many problems and not a crisis ridden government. He promised early elections and vowed Iraq would not be used as a battleground by other countries.[citation needed] He assumed office on the heels of major upheavals in Iraq -protests, falling oil prices, and theCOVID-19 pandemic.[132]
Parliamentary elections were held inIraq on 10 October 2021.[133] Iraqis who were supporters of the Iran-backedPMF andFatah Alliance called the results "a fraud", as most Iran-backed parties, includingFatah Alliance, lost many seats.[134] Following the election,clashes between Iraqi protesters andsecurity forces left more than 125 injured and 2 dead. The protestors were supporters ofIran-backed militias and political parties.[135] Two days later on the 7 November, anassassination attempt was made onPrime MinisterMustafa Al-Kadhimi via adrone strike. The PM survived the attack unharmed but resulted in six of his bodyguards being injured. The security forces reportedly opened fire on demonstrators, leading to at least one death. It was rumored that theassassination attempt was connected to these protests.[136][137]
Thepolitical crisis in Israel continued, with the fourth election within two yearsheld in 2021.[138] Therotation government established after the third elections between the competing factions ofLikud andBlue and White collapsed. In foreign relations, the country signed theAbraham Accords (also in 2020), leading to theBahrain–Israel andIsrael–United Arab Emirates normalization agreements.Sudan also announced that it would be normalizing relations with the country as didMorocco.[139] The Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu also met with Saudi Arabia's crown princeMohammed bin Salman soon after.[140]
The2021 Palestinian legislative election for thePalestinian Legislative Council, originally scheduled for 22 May 2021, according to a decree byPresidentMahmoud Abbas on 15 January 2021, was indefinitely postponed.[141] President Abbas announced the postponement on 29 April 2021, stating the following: "Facing this difficult situation, we decided to postpone the date of holding legislative elections until the participation of Jerusalem and its people is guaranteed."[142]
Mahmoud Abbas was elected President of thePalestinian National Authority on 9 January 2005 for a four-year term that ended on 9 January 2009.[143] The last elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council were held on 25 January 2006.[144] There have not been any elections either for president or for the legislature since these two elections.
The2021 Israel–Palestine crisis started on 6 May 2021, withPalestinians protesting inJerusalem over a forthcoming decision of theIsraeli Supreme Court regarding theeviction of four Palestinian families fromSheikh Jarrah, a neighbourhood ofEast Jerusalem.[145] The protests quickly escalated into violent confrontations between Israeli and Palestinian protesters. The following day, the majorIslamic holy site and theholiest to Judaism, known as theAl-Aqsa Mosque compound (the Temple Mount), was stormed[146] by theIsraeli police using tear gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades against firecrackers and stone-throwing Palestinians.[147][148][149][150] On 10 May, two Palestinian militant groups,Hamas andPalestinian Islamic Jihad, beganfiring rockets intoIsrael from theGaza Strip, hitting multiple residences and a school.[151][152][153] Israel launchedairstrikes against Gaza, including airstrikes targeting multiple apartment buildings, a refugee camp, and a news office building.[154][155][156][157][158]
As part of the crisis, widespread protests and riots occurred across Israel, particularly incities with large Arab populations. In Lod, rocks were thrown at Jewish apartments and some Jewish residents were evacuated from their homes by the police. One man was seriously injured after being struck in the head by a rock. In the nearby city ofRamle, Jewish rioters threw rocks at passing vehicles.[159] On 11 May, Mayor of Lod Yair Revivio urgedPrime Minister of IsraelBenjamin Netanyahu to deployIsrael Border Police in the city, stating that the city had "completely lost control" and warning that the country was on the brink of "civil war".[160][161] Netanyahu declared astate of emergency in Lod on 11 May, marking the first time since 1966 that Israel has used emergency powers over an Arab community.[162][163]Minister of Public SecurityAmir Ohana announced the implementation of emergency orders.[163]
Following the unrest,Yair Lapid, leader of theYesh Atid political party andthe Israeli opposition, informed outgoingPresidentReuven Rivlin that he andYamina leaderNaftali Bennett had reached a deal to form acoalition government, which would remove Netanyahu from power.[164]Mansour Abbas, leader of theUnited Arab List party, agreed to join the coalition.[165] On 2 June 2021, a coalition agreement was signed betweenYesh Atid,Blue and White,Yamina, theLabor Party,Yisrael Beiteinu,New Hope,Meretz, and theUnited Arab List, with the new government sworn in on 13 June.[166][167]
On 20 June 2022, a little over a year after the coalition government was sworn in, Bennett and Lapid announced that they would begin the process of dissolving the government, thus sending Israel to a fifth round of elections in less than four years.[168] Theelection was scheduled for 1 November, with Lapid serving as interim prime minister until then.[169] This election saw thenational camp win a majority of seats in the Knesset, likely returning Netanyahu to the post of prime minister.[170] Increases in the number of MKs forLikud and theReligious Zionist Party was attributed to a lack of support for liberal wing and Arab parties, most notably the failure of Meretz to cross the electoral threshold to qualify for parliamentary representation.[171] Following a two-month negotiation period, on 21 December, Netanyahu announced that he had succeeded in forming the new coalition.[172] Thethirty-seventh government of Israel was sworn in on 29 December.[173] Some of the government's policy proposals, including a flagship program centered aroundreforms in the judicial branch, have drawn widespread criticism, both in Israel and abroad,sparking waves of protests across the country.[174]
Protests broke out on 2 January 2022 after a sudden sharp increase in gas prices which, according to theKazakh government, was due to high demand and price fixing. The protests began inZhanaozen, a city built on an oil field, but quickly spread to other cities in the country,[175] including the largest city,Almaty. Growing discontent with the government and former presidentNursultan Nazarbayev also influenced larger demonstrations. As there were no popular opposition groups against the Kazakh government, the unrest appeared to be assembled directly by citizens. In response, PresidentKassym-Jomart Tokayev declared astate of emergency inMangystau Region and Almaty, effective from 5 January. TheMamin Cabinet resigned the same day.[176][177]
In response to the unrest, theCollective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) – a military alliance ofpost-Soviet states that includesArmenia,Belarus,Kyrgyzstan,Russia,Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan itself – agreed to deploypeacekeeping troops in Kazakhstan. The local police reported that "dozens of attackers were liquidated", while former President Nazarbayev was removed as the Chairman of theSecurity Council of Kazakhstan.[178] Tokayev later announced a series of reforms to thenational parliament, including re-establishing the Constitutional Court, reducing the membership requirement for establishingpolitical parties from 20,000 to 5,000, reducing the number of parliament deputies appointed by the president, and restoring threeregions that were merged during the 1990s. He says that the purpose of these reforms is to move the current political system from "superpresidential" rule to a presidential republic with a strong parliament.[179]
The2020 Kyrgyzstani protests began on 5 October 2020 in response to therecent parliamentary election that was perceived by protestors as unfair, with allegations of vote rigging.[180][181] The results of the election wereannulled on 6 October 2020.[182] On 12 October 2020, PresidentJeenbekov announced a state of emergency in the capital city ofBishkek,[183] which was approved by Parliament the following day.[184] Jeenbekovresigned on 15 October 2020.
In January 2021 areferendum on the form of government was held alongsidepresidential elections (won bySadyr Japarov), with voters asked whether they would prefer apresidential system, aparliamentary system, or opposed both. Just over 84% voted in favour of a presidential system.
Work began on drafting a new constitution, which was debated in theSupreme Council in February 2021. The draft new constitution replaces the parliamentary system with a presidential one, with presidents limited to two five years terms instead of a single six-year term. It also reduces the number of seats in the Supreme Council from 120 to 90 and establishes a constitutional court.[185]
In March 2021 members of the Supreme Council passed a bill, scheduling a referendum on the new constitution for 11 April, the same day aslocal elections.[185] The result was 79.31% in favour.[186]
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The 17 October Protests, commonly referred to as the17 October Revolution or Hirak or Thawrah[187] (Arabic:ثورة 17 تشرين الأول,romanized: thawrat 17 tishrīn al-ʾawwal,lit. '17 October revolution'),[188] were a series of civil protests inLebanon that began after the Lebanese cabinet announced financial measures on 17 October 2019.[189] These national protests were triggered by plannedtaxes ongasoline,tobacco, andVoIP calls on applications such asWhatsApp,[190][191][192] but quickly expanded into a country-wide condemnation ofsectarian rule,[193] thestagnation of the economy,unemployment (which reached 46% in 2018[194]), endemiccorruption in thepublic sector,[193] legislation that was perceived to shield the ruling class from accountability (such asbanking secrecy)[195][196] and failures of the government to provide basic services such as electricity, water, and sanitation.[197]
The protests created a political crisis in Lebanon, with Prime MinisterSaad Hariri tendering his resignation, not demanding any new governmental needs of being the prime minister and echoing protesters' demands for a government ofindependent specialists.[198] Acabinet headed byHassan Diab was formed in 2020 but also resigned in the wake of the2020 Beirut explosion.
Calling for a complete regime change, it was known by its most famous slogan; (Arabic:كلن يعني كلن,lit. 'all of them [the elites] means all of them').[199]TheLebanese liquidity crisis is an ongoingfinancial crisis affectingLebanon, that became fully apparent in August 2019, and was further exacerbated by theCOVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon (which began in February 2020), the2020 Beirut port explosion and theRussian invasion of Ukraine. The country experiencedliquidity shortages in the years prior to 2019 but the full extent of the fragility of the economy was concealed throughfinancial engineering by the governor of thecentral bank.[200][201] Lebanon's crisis was worsened bysanctions targeting Syria's former government andIran-backed Hezbollah, which intensified underDonald Trump.[202][203]
Thecurrency wasdevalued by over 98% between January 2023 and March 2024, with an annualinflation rate of 221.3% in 2023.[204]Public services have collapsed; without using a private generator, households can expect only an hour or so of power a day.Shortages of drinking water have contributed todisease outbreaks, including the firstcholera cases in decades. Parents are sending their children to orphanages because they cannot feed them. A growing number of citizens have resorted to armed robbery as the only way to extract their owndeposits (now vastly reduced in real terms) frombanks when they desperately need to pay for basic services such as healthcare. The collapse of Lebanon, formerly known as the "Paris of the Middle East", has been described by Western media as one of the most devastating and worst financialrecessions since at least the 19th century.[205]In early 2020, officials from the Malaysia's Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said that Malaysia has recovered US$322 million stolen from the sovereign wealth fund1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal, a fraction of the more than US$4.5 billion US prosecutors say was looted.[206] In April, the US Department of Justice returned US$300 million in funds stolen during the 1MDB scandal to Malaysia.[207][208] Former prime ministerNajib Razak was found guilty of one count of abuse of power, three counts of criminal breach of trust, three counts of money laundering, a total of seven charges for the SRC International trial.[209][210]
On 24 February 2020,Malaysia entered the2020 Malaysian political crisis for almost a week after the resignation of the 7thPrime Minister of Malaysia,Mahathir Mohamad. Immediately that afternoon, theKing of Malaysia re-appointedMahathir Mohamad as theInterim Prime Minister to solve the political crisis. On 29 February 2020,Yang Dipertuan Agong, KingAbdullah of Pahang agreed to appoint Tan SriMuhyiddin Yassin as the 8thPrime Minister of Malaysia, and he was sworn in at theIstana Negara on 1 March 2020.
Malaysia declared aState of Emergency in January 2021 amid the worseningCOVID-19 pandemic, suspending parliament and all elections until August.[211] The declaration attracted political controversy;[212] a number of MPs from major coalition partyUMNO withdrew support for the government in disapproval,[213] temporarily leading to aminority government and destabilising the coalition. On 8 July 2021, the President ofUMNO announced that the party had withdrawn support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin over the government's handling of theCOVID-19 pandemic[214] although others in UMNO later affirmed their support, splitting the party and putting the government's status into question.[215][216] After losing majority support and attempts to regain it were unsuccessful,[217] Prime MinisterMuhyiddin andhis cabinet resigned on 16 August 2021 with Muhyiddin remaining as caretaker prime minister. Four days later, UMNO's Vice PresidentIsmail Sabri Yaakob was appointed prime minister by theYang di-Pertuan Agong after receiving support from most of the MPs.[218][219]
General elections were held inMyanmar on 8 November 2020, in which theNational League for Democracy won 396 out of 476 seats in parliament, while the military's proxy party, theUnion Solidarity and Development Party, won only 33 seats.[220] In the2021 Myanmar coup d'état, democratically elected members of the rulingNational League for Democracy were detained and/or deposed from their offices by theTatmadaw; Myanmar's military. The Tatmadaw declared a year-longstate of emergency and declared power had been vested in the commander-in-chief of the armed forces,Min Aung Hlaing. The coup d'état occurred the day before theParliament of Myanmar was due to swear in the members elected at the November 2020 general election, preventing this from occurring.[221]PresidentWin Myint andState CounsellorAung San Suu Kyi were detained, along withministers and their deputies andmembers of Parliament.[220] Domestic civil resistance efforts inMyanmar, known locally as theSpring Revolution (Burmese:နွေဦးတော်လှန်ရေး),[222][223] began in opposition to the coup d'état on 1 February.[224] As of 2 April 2021[update], at least 550 civilians, including children, have been killed by military or police forces and at least 2,574 peopledetained.[225]
TheNational Unity Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar was formed by theCommittee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, a group of electedlawmakers ousted in the coup d'état. It included representatives of theNational League for Democracy (the deposed ruling party of formerstate counsellorAung San Suu Kyi),ethnic minority insurgent groups, and variousminor parties.[226] The NUG has sought international recognition as the government of Myanmar.[227] On 5 May 2021, the NUG announced the formation of "People's Defense Force" as its armed wing to launch an armed revolution against the military junta.[228][229]
Parliamentary elections in June 2020[230][231] resulted in a victory for the rulingMongolian People's Party. The Prime MinisterUkhnaagiin Khürelsükh resigned on 27 January 2021 following a minor protest against the mistreatment of a hospital patient.[232]
In July 2021, theNepalese Supreme Court declared that the dissolution of theFederal Parliament of Nepal byPrime MinisterKP Sharma Oli in May was unconstitutional, reinstating the Parliament and removing the duties of Oli.[233] The Supreme Court also designated leader of the oppositionSher Bahadur Deuba as the new prime minister.[233]
Apolitical andconstitutional crisis emerged in Pakistan when, on 3 April 2022,National AssemblyDeputy SpeakerQasim Khan Suri dismissed ano-confidence motion againstprime ministerImran Khan during a session in which it was expected to be taken up for a vote. Moments later, thepresident dissolved theNational Assembly on the advice of prime minister Imran Khan.[234][235] This created a constitutional crisis, as effectively, Imran Khan led aconstitutional coup to remain in power.[236][237]
Four days later, theSupreme Court of Pakistan ruled that the dismissal of the no-confidence motion and subsequent dissolution of the National Assembly were unconstitutional, and overturned these actions. The Supreme Court further held that the National Assembly had not been prorogued and had to be reconvened by theSpeaker immediately.[238][239] Shortly after midnight on 10 April, the National Assembly voted and passed the No Confidence motion removing prime minister Khan from office immediately upon passing of the resolution[240] and making him the first prime minister in Pakistan to be so removed from office.[241]
Imran Khan was arrested by the police from Islamabad High Court on 9 May 2023. Khan's arrest led to anationwide protest by his supporters. PTI supporters had reportedly indulged into violence to stage their protest against this arrest. Social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook and others were blocked in the country.[242] but was later released bySupreme Court two days later. On 5 August 2023, Imran Khan was again arrested on the charges of selling state gifts and was sentenced to three years jail and five years of disqualification by the trial court Judge.
The2024 Pakistani general election wasaccused of being rigged in favour of the PML-N's leaderNawaz Sharif.[243][244][245][246] The US, UK, and European Union have spoken up about the concern of fairness of elections, as well as groups and members of the international community,[247][248] while media outlets around the world denounced the election as "fraudulent".[249] On 13 February 2024, leaders of PPP and PML-N, along withShehbaz Sharif as prime minister, announced at a press conference that a coalition government would be started.[250]
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On 14 December 2024,Yoon Suk Yeol, thepresident of South Korea, wasimpeached by theNational Assembly following the passage of an impeachment bill with 204 of the 300 members voting in favor.[251] This action came in response to Yoon'sdeclaration of martial law on 3 December 2024.
Prime MinisterHan Duck-soo assumed the role ofacting president pending theConstitutional Court's decision on whether to accept the impeachment. Hanwas himself impeached on 27 December 2024, andfirst deputy prime ministerChoi Sang-mok became acting president. On 24 March 2025, Han was acquitted by the Constitutional Court and returned to the role of acting president.
The court upheld the impeachment of Yoon in a unanimous 8–0 decision on 4 April 2025, removing Yoon from office. Thus, Han continued as acting president until resigning, along with Choi, on 1 May 2025, which left second deputy prime ministerLee Ju-ho as acting president. The court determined that Yoon's five major illegal acts, including orderingthe military and police to block lawmakers from entering the National Assembly, ordering the arrest ofjudges andSupreme Court justices, and illegallydeclaring martial law, were serious violations of the Constitution.[252] Per the Constitution, asnap election was held on 3 June 2025, 60 days after Yoon's removal, withLee Jae Myung being elected to succeed Yoon as president.
An earlier impeachment motion was put to a parliamentary vote on 7 December 2024, but failed because the number of attending legislators did not meet the quorum required for its passage, as members of the rulingPeople Power Party boycotted the vote.[253]
Opinion polling on the Yoon Suk Yeol presidency throughout 2024 was increasingly negative. The declaration of martial law hardened these views, with many surveyed in South Korea believing Yoon should resign voluntarily, or that he should be formally removed from office.[254][255]
| This article needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(February 2025) |
| Part ofa series on the |
| Aragalaya |
|---|
 |
| Background |
| Economic crisis (2019–2024) |
| Political crisis (2022–2024) |
Opponents & demands
1. Resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa2. Accountability for corruption3. Economic reforms4. Access to essential services5. Political reforms6. Youth participation |
| Legacy |
Legacy |
TheSri Lankan economic crisis[256] is an economic crisis inSri Lanka that started in 2019.[257] It is the country's worst economic crisis since itsindependence in 1948.[257] It has led to unprecedented levels ofinflation, near-depletion offoreign exchange reserves, shortages of medical supplies, and an increase in prices of basic commodities.[258] The crisis is said to have begun due to multiple compounding factors liketax cuts,money creation, a nationwide policy to shift to organic or biological farming, the2019 Sri Lanka Easter bombings, and the impact of theCOVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka. The subsequent economic hardships resulted in the2022 Sri Lankan protests. Sri Lanka received a lifeline in the form of an Indian line of credit amounting to $4 billion. This substantial credit infusion served to cover the costs of importing essential goods and fuel. As a result, the foreign currency reserves of debt-ridden Sri Lanka experienced a notable improvement, reaching $2.69 billion.[259]
Sri Lanka had been earmarked forsovereign default, as the remaining foreign exchange reserves of US$1.9 billion as of March 2022 would not be sufficient to pay the country's foreign debt obligations for 2022, with $4 billion to be repaid.[260] An International Sovereign Bond repayment of $1 billion was due to be paid by the government in July 2022.Bloomberg reported that Sri Lanka had a total of $8.6 billion in repayments due in 2022, including both local debt and foreign debt.[261][262] In April 2022, the Sri Lankan government announced that it was defaulting, making it the first sovereign default in Sri Lankan history since its independence in 1948 and the first state in the Asia-Pacific region to enter sovereign default in the 21st century.[263][264]
In June 2022, then Prime MinisterRanil Wickremesinghe said in parliament that the economy had collapsed, leaving it unable to pay for essentials.[265]
In September 2022, aUnited Nations report said that the economic crisis is a result of officials' impunity for human rights abuses and economic crimes.[266] According to the Sri Lankan finance ministry, the country's foreign reserves had grown by 23.5% from US$1.7 billion in September 2022 to US$2.1 billion in February 2023, representing a US$400 million increase.[267]Sri Lanka teeters on the edge of financial insolvency and has halted repayments on its international debts.[268]The2022 Sri Lankan political crisis was apolitical crisis inSri Lanka due to the power struggle betweenPresidentGotabaya Rajapaksa and the people of Sri Lanka. It was fueled by theanti-government protests and demonstrations by the public due to theeconomic crisis in the country. The anti-government sentiment across various parts of Sri Lanka has triggered significant political instability in the nation.[269]
The political crisis began on 3 April 2022, after all 26 members of theSecond Gotabaya Rajapaksa cabinet with the exception of Prime Minister Rajapaksa resigned en masse overnight. Some critics argued that the resignation did not follow constitutional protocol, questioning its validity,[270][271][272] and several were reinstated in different ministries the next day.[273] There were even growing calls on forming a caretaker government to run the country or for snap elections, but the latter option was deemed unviable due to paper shortages and concerns over election expenditure, which would often cost in billions.[274]
Protestors have taken to streets to show their anger and displeasure over the mismanagement of the economy by the government and the protestors urged the President Gotabaya to immediately step down for a political change;[275] he refused to do so,[276][277][278] later eventually fleeing toSingapore and resigning on 14 July.[279] Main oppositionSamagi Jana Balawegaya had determined to abolish the 20th amendment by bringing a private members Bill in order to scrap the executive powers of Executive Presidency.[280]TheAragalaya (Sinhala:අරගලය,lit. 'The Struggle') was a series of mass protests that began in March 2022 against thegovernment of Sri Lanka. The government was heavily criticized for mismanaging theSri Lankan economy, which led toa subsequent economic crisis involving severe inflation, daily blackouts, and a shortage of fuel, domestic gas, and other essential goods. The protesters' main demand was the resignation of PresidentGotabaya Rajapaksa and key officials from theRajapaksa family. Despite the involvement of several opposition parties, most protesters considered themselves to beapolitical, with many expressing discontent with the parliamentary opposition.[281] Protesters chanted slogans such as "Go Home Gota", "Go Home Rajapaksas",[282][283] and "AragalayataJaya Wewa" ("Victory to the struggle").[284] Most protests were organized by the general public,[285][286] with youths playing a major part by carrying out protests atGalle Face Green.[287][288][289][290]
The government reacted to the protests with authoritarian methods, such as declaring astate of emergency, allowing the military to arrest civilians, imposingcurfews, andrestricting access to social media. The government violated the law and theSri Lankan constitution by attempting to suppress the protests.[291][292][293] TheSri Lankan diaspora also began demonstrations against the suppression of basichuman rights in the country.[294][295] In April, the government's ban on social media was perceived to have backfired;hashtags such as #GoHomeGota, which is believed to have been coined by an activist called Pathum Kerner in December 2021, had beguntrending on Twitter internationally. The government's ban was lifted later that day. The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka condemned the government's actions and summoned officials responsible for the blocking and abuse of protesters.[296][297]
On 3 April, all 26 members of theSecond Gotabaya Rajapaksa cabinet resigned with the exception of Prime MinisterMahinda Rajapaksa. Critics said that the resignation was not valid as they did not follow constitutional protocol[298][299][300] and several of the ministers who "resigned" were reinstated in different ministries the next day.[301] Chief government whipJohnston Fernando insisted that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa would not resign under any circumstances.[302] The protests, however, led to the removal of officials and ministers, including members of the Rajapaksa family and their close associates, and to the appointment of more qualified and veteran officials and the creation of the Advisory Group on Multilateral Engagement and Debt Sustainability.[303]
In July 2022, protesters occupied thePresident's House inColombo, causing Rajapaksa to flee and Prime MinisterRanil Wickremesinghe to announce his own willingness to resign.[304] About a week later, on 20 July, Parliamentelected Wickremesinghe as President.[305] By November 2022, the protests had largely cooled off due to improvement in economic conditions. While the protests were mostly over, it was noted that it would take until 2026 for full economic recovery to be achieved.[306][307]Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow stepped down as president on 19 March 2022, after a non-democraticsnap presidential election, in which his sonSerdar Berdimuhamedow won, becoming the next president and establishing apolitical dynasty.[317]
An Indonesian general was killed byWest Papuan separatists in April 2021.[318]
On 8 July 2022,Shinzo Abe, a formerprime minister of Japan and a serving member of theHouse of Representatives, wasassassinated while speaking at a political event outsideYamato-Saidaiji Station inNara,Nara Prefecture, Japan.[319][320][321] While delivering a campaign speech for aLiberal Democratic Party (LDP) candidate, Abe was shot from behind at close range by a man with ahomemade firearm.[322] He was transported bymedical helicopter toNara Medical University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.[323]
The2021 Jordanian coup d'état attempt was a failedmilitary coup attempt againstKingAbdullah II ofJordan. The formerCrown PrincePrince Hamzah bin Hussein was placed under house arrest.
The17 October Revolution continued, leading to the resignation of Prime MinisterSaad Hariri, and then his successorHassan Diab following the2020 Beirut explosion. These events have also happened against the ongoingLebanese liquidity crisis. Following being an interim prime minister,Saad Hariri resigned in July 2021 after both failing to form a new government in the past eight months and reaching an impasse withPresidentMichel Aoun on adopting some constitutional amendments.[324]
General elections were held inQatar for the first time on 2 October 2021, following an announcement by theEmir of Qatar on 22 August 2021.[325] The elections for theConsultative Assembly were originally scheduled to be held in the second half of 2013,[326] but were postponed in June 2013 until at least 2016.[327] In 2016 they were postponed again.[328] Finally in November 2020EmirTamim bin Hamad Al Thani pledged to hold the election in October 2021.[329] The voter turnout during the election was 63.5%.[330]
In early 2020, there was some evidence of new positive ties between theSyrian government and the Kurdish leaders in the autonomous region ofRojava, as the Kurds asked the Syrian government for help and protection against Turkish forces who invaded that region of Syria.[331]
In June 2020, the Syrian pound underwent a dramatic collapse. The US Government stated via US EnvoyJames Jeffrey that the collapse would be exacerbated due tosanctions, and offered to help Assad if he agreed to meet certain conditions for political reform.[332] On 10 June, hundreds of protesters returned to the streets of Sweida for the fourth consecutive day, rallying against the collapse of thecountry's economy, as the Syrian pound plummeted to 3,000 to the dollar within the past week.[333] On 11 June, Prime MinisterImad Khamis was dismissed by President Bashar al-Assad, amid anti-government protests over deteriorating economic conditions.[334] The new lows for the Syrian currency, and the dramatic increase in sanctions, began to appear to raise new threats to the survival of the Assad government.[335][336][337] Analysts noted that a resolution to the currentbanking crisis in Lebanon might be crucial to restoring stability in Syria.[338]
As of early 2022, Syria was still facing a major economic crisis due to sanctions and other economic pressures. there was some doubt of the Syrian government's ability to pay for subsidies for the population and for basic services and programs.[339][340][341] The UN reported there were massive problems looming for Syria's ability to feed its population in the near future.[342]
In one possibly positive sign for the well-being of Syria's population, several Arab countries began an effort to normalize relations with Syria, and to conclude a deal to provide energy supplies to Syria. This effort was led by Jordan, and included several other Arab countries.[343]
InThailand,protests began in early 2020. Beginning first as demonstrations against the government of Prime MinisterPrayut Chan-o-cha, it later included the unprecedented demands for reform of theThai monarchy. The protests were initially triggered by the dissolution of theFuture Forward Party (FFP) in late February 2020 which was critical of Prayut, the changes to theThai constitution in 2017 and the country's political landscape that it gave rise to.
In January 2020, Turkey announced it had sent troops toLibya in order to support theNational Transitional Council in theLibyan Civil War, but that they would be in non-combat duties.[344] In March 2020, Turkey started a military offensive against theSyrian Armed Forces as part of itsintervention in the Syrian Civil War.[345] That same month Turkey also declared that it would no longer stop migrants from entering theEuropean Union.[346] Turkey also supported the Azerbaijani side in the2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war by supplying it with Syrian mercenaries and drones.[347]
Protests broke out in theautonomous region ofKarakalpakstan inUzbekistan on 1 July 2022 over proposed amendments byShavkat Mirziyoyev, theUzbek President, to theConstitution of Uzbekistan, which would have ended Karakalpakstan's status as an autonomous region of Uzbekistan and right to secede from Uzbekistan via referendum. A day after protests had begun in the Karakalpak capital ofNukus, President Mirziyoyev withdrew the constitutional amendments. The Karakalpak government said that protesters had attempted to storm government buildings.[348]
Despite concessions given by theUzbek government in preserving Karakalpakstan's autonomy, protests continued growing, resulting in internet blockage throughout Karakalpakstan on 2 July,[349] and President Mirziyoyev declaring astate of emergency in the region.[350] The protests were quelled by the morning of 3 July.[351] The state of emergency was lifted on 21 July.[352]The Yemeni Civil War is an ongoing conflict that began in 2015 between two factions: theAbdrabbuh Mansur Hadi led Yemeni government and theHouthi armed movement, along with their supporters and allies. Both claim to constitute the official government ofYemen.[353]
During theRed Sea crisis the Houthi movement within Yemen launched a barrage of missiles and armed drones atIsrael. The Houthis staged multiple seizures of civilian-operated cargo ships sailing near the Yemeni coast, and claimed any Israel-linked shipping as a target,[354][355][356] although multiple vessels with no apparent link to Israel have also been attacked.[357] Houthis said they would not stop until Israel ceases its war on Hamas.[358][359] Houthi militants also fired on various countries' merchant vessels in the Red Sea, and particularly in theBab-el-Mandeb—a chokepoint of the global economy as it serves as the southern maritime gateway to theSuez Canal ofEgypt. To avoid Houthi attacks, hundreds of commercial vessels rerouted to sail aroundSouth Africa.[360] The Houthis' militant activities in the Red Sea have incurred a military response from a number of countries; theUnited States, which assembledOperation Prosperity Guardian to protect the Red Sea shipping route, has bombed theHouthi-controlled parts of Yemen and attacked Houthi vessels in the Red Sea.
After the disastrous withdrawal, which left 13 U.S. service members and more than 170 Afghans dead
the disastrous U.S. evacuation operation in August 2021
the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal
Around 1,000 people, including dozens of American citizens and Afghans holding visas to the United States or other countries, remained stuck in Afghanistan for the fifth day on Sunday as they awaited clearance for the departure from the Taliban
...keeping him consistently popular with his voters and supporters. Modi's personal approval ratings have been consistently high...
(p.7) Our diagram ... reveals that India's score in comprehensive democracy is at best half the Western level, which conflicts with the standard democracy measures by Polity and Freedom House where India scores much higher. On the other hand, India's modest democracy performance in the V-Dem data fully confirms Alexander, Welzel, and Inglehart (2012) who argue that India's state of democracy is overestimated by standard measures and needs to take account of serious deficiencies in rule of law and human rights enforcement (cf. Inglehart and Welzel 2005; Welzel and Inglehart 2006; Alexander and Welzel 2011).' The recent considerable drop of the 'Indic East' mainly reflects India's democratic backsliding under the Hindu-nationalist administration of Modi. (p.4 The 'Indic East' comprises those nations in South Asia whose history was shaped by Indian culture.)
(T)he electoral success of populist parties has also coincided with a decline of democracy across the globe (Giinther and Liihrmann, 2018). The focal point in this regard is the rise of populist demagogues and authoritarian strongmen who have caused democratic decline by cracking down on political dissent and curbing the autonomy of the judiciary and the free press, thus creating the conditions for democratic backsliding and decline (Levitsky and Ziblatt, 2018). The path of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in India since 2014 seems to fit this description. The BJP's hegemonic control of Indian politics has been coterminous with aggressive cultural nationalist rhetoric manifesting itself as routinized intimidation and killing of journalists and political critics, vigilante lynching of Muslims, and a general clampdown on dissent (Kesavan, 2017). Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister and leader of the BJP epitomizes the populist strongman with his charismatic appeal, centralization of power (Vaishnav, 2019), and ability to connect with the masses through clever use of media (Martelli and Jaffrelot, 2017; Vaishnav, 2021). Not surprisingly, scholars and commentators looking at contemporary Indian politics converge on the idea that Modi's populist leadership of the BJP is the reason for the havoc being wreaked on democratic institutions in the country (Kinnvall, 2019; Chatterji et al., 2019; Basu, 2018; Chacko, 2018; Nilsen, 2018)
While India is a multiparty democracy, the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has presided over discriminatory policies and increased violence affecting the Muslim population. The constitution guarantees civil liberties including freedom of expression and freedom of religion, but harassment of journalists, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and other government critics has increased significantly under Modi.
The chief minister of Gujarat, a young up-and-coming leader of the Hindu nationalists called Narendra Modi, quoted Isaac Newton to explain the killings of Muslims. "Every action", he said, "has an equal and opposite reaction."
He said Tamil Hindus from Sri Lanka had been persecuted and questioned why they had not been brought under the ambit of the CAA
Protests against a new citizenship law favoring non-Muslim immigrants erupted in violence in a Muslim-dominated part of the Indian capital [...] "People are opposing this law because it discriminates against Muslims [...]
Protesters have expressed fears that the prospect of citizenship will encourage migration from Bangladesh. They have cited several grounds for opposing this. Demography: This will change across Northeastern states, protesters say, as has already been happening in Assam and Tripura over decades of migration (see graphs). "Assamese could become the second language. Then there is also the question of loss of political rights and culture of the indigenous people," said former Chief Minister Prafulla Mahanta, who was the face of the Assam Movement (1979-85) against illegal immigration, and one of the signatories to the Assam Accord at the culmination of the movement. (...) Protesters say the Bill goes against the Assam Accord and negates the ongoing update of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The bill will take away our rights, language and culture with millions of Bangladeshis getting citizenship (...) people in Assam and surrounding states fear that arriving settlers could increase competition for land and upset the region's demographic balance
the price of a liter of regular gasoline was increased to 15,000 rials (12.7 U.S. cents) from 10,000 rials and the monthly ration for each private car was set at 60 litres. Additional purchases would cost 30,000 rials per liter.
The changes increased the price of gas to 15,000 rials per liter (approximately 13 cents) from 10,000 rials, while limiting private cars to 60 liters per month with a price of 30,000 rials per liter for additional purchases.
According to the report, the price of one liter of regular gasoline jumped to Rials 15,000 from Rials 10,000, while the monthly ration for each private car has been set at 60 liters per month. Additional purchases would cost Rials 30,000 per liter.
Israeli police stormed the compound, which is sacred to both religions, at least three times in the past week, using rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades. At least 600 Palestinians were injured.
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{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)The latest offensive has been led by an Islamist militant group known at Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied factions backed by Turkey.
With Assad backed by Russia and Iran, and Turkey supporting some of the rebels in the northwest where it maintains troops, the offensive has brought into focus the conflict's knotted geopolitics.
The insurgents, led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al Sham and including Turkey-backed fighters, also claim to be in control of all of Idlib province after launching their offensive on Wednesday.