It's been years since Haji and his wife have had a good night's sleep.

In less than a week, the Taliban has overrun one-quarter of Afghanistan's provincial capitals in a huge swathe of territory across the north of the country. The security situation here is unravelling faster than almost anyone expected -- with the possible exception of the Taliban themselves.

• Besieged on a 'Taliban-made island,' Kandahar's residents see no way out • Watch: This is what the frontline of the Taliban's brutal advance looks like

India's 1.38 billion-strong population is beaming with pride.

A year and a half since the first Covid-19 cases were identified, many countries in Asia-Pacific feel right back where they started.