Two suicide bombers were fatally shot and a third blew himself up on Tuesday while trying to attack a courthouse in northern Pakistan as violence continued to hit the country. – New York Times
[T]he stunning new eruption of violence, claimed by the Islamic State and its local affiliates as part of a new war on the Pakistani state, has triggered an outpouring of anguished and angry recrimination against Pakistan’s leaders for failing to acknowledge and address the ongoing threat of Islamist violence and the forces that feed it. – Washington Post
Although many of the issues galvanizing voters are local, the outcome in Uttar Pradesh is likely to be taken as a midterm report card on the national government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. – Washington Post
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said he plans to make some decisions soon on whether to recommend an increase in the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, and whether the totals should be based on military requirements rather than preset limits. – Associated Press