A study released this week named Afghanistan the most dangerous country for women, with Pakistan and India following closely behind. But while serious problems exist for women in these places, women’s rights activists say there is also an emerging public awareness in all three countries...

Eleven prominent Afghan women this week called on the United States to push for the inclusion of more female leaders in peace talks to end the war in Afghanistan, as administration officials prepare to announce the beginning of troop withdrawals from the war-torn South Asian nation.

For years, it was the West that engaged with India. The rest of Asia chose to ignore it - it was a country they did not really understand or want to do business with. Now, because of its rapidly growing economy and increasing opportunities, India is home to sizeable numbers of Asians, especially Koreans and Japanese.

But why is branding important for countries in the first place? To quote Anholt, “In this era of globalization, people take decisions every day as to where to go on vacations, what music to listen to, what books to read. This impacts the future of countries. In such a situation the country’s reputation is very important.

Through its provision of education, medical treatment and small-business support, India has projected considerable soft power in Afghanistan. It provides 2,000 scholarships to Afghans annually for schooling and training in India, including for 500 Afghan civil servants.

But there is more to the story than the simple lack of violence. Earlier this month, a call for a public strike by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the hard-line patriarchal separatist leader at the forefront of last year's anti-India protests, evoked a feeble response in Kashmir.

India's version of the X factor has launched with performances ranging from the amazing to the downright atrocious. What marks out the Indian version of the show is the country's rich and diverse musical heritage, which saw performers try their hand at everything from Bollywood to Bhangra.