Weekly Update (Dec 29th, 2025 – Jan 4th, 2026)

Iran: Currency shock fuels protests and a central-bank resignation

Protests in Tehran continued for a second day after the Iran’s rial slid and inflation was reported at 42.2%, a jolt that sharpened public anger over living costs. The head of the Central Bank of Iran, Mohammad Reza Farzi, resigned, underscoring how quickly monetary stress can turn political when credibility is thin and households feel the hit immediately.

India: Contaminated water deaths highlight basic-services vulnerability

In Indore, at least 14 people died after drinking contaminated water, with several others hospitalised — a stark reminder that infrastructure failures can become headline events when they expose weak municipal capacity and public-health fragility. The episode carries wider resonance across fast-growing cities where service provision has struggled to keep pace with urbanisation.

Myanmar: Mass prisoner release signals controlled political messaging

Myanmar’s government released 6,186 prisoners, including 52 foreign nationals, while reducing sentences to mark Independence Day — a large, choreographed gesture that blends domestic signalling with external optics. The exclusions for serious crimes mattered as much as the headline number: authorities sought to project clemency without appearing to loosen control.

Pakistan: Roof collapse adds to pressure on governance and safety

A roof collapse in Charsadda District killed six and injured five, another reminder that “ordinary” structural failures can be politically corrosive when they point to weak enforcement, poor construction standards and limited emergency response — particularly in regions already facing security and economic strain.