BEIJING – Chinese lawmakers are championing more support for people to start businesses using artificial intelligence, a move that comes as the widening application of the technology stokes anxieties about jobs. One-person companies, or OPCs, emerged as a talking point at China’s top parliamentary meetings in Beijing in 2026, where delegates called for more resources and better legal frameworks to boost the growing model of AI-enabled entrepreneurship. The term refers to entire businesses run by single founders without any employees, who instead outsource tasks to AI agents that can work 24/7 and with little supervision. For example, app creators are…
Author: Asia News Network
MANILA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will declare as urgent a bill granting him emergency powers to lower excise taxes on fuel amid rising prices driven by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. However, both the Senate and the House must first complete their committee reports and begin plenary debates on the proposal, Marcos told reporters in New York City on Wednesday (Manila time). “That is what I told them, both Houses. And I said, the minute that you have completed your committee reports… when you declare a bill as urgent… the shortcuts, if we say, only begin on…
WASHINGTON – During a heated debate on Afghanistan at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday, Pakistan lambasted India’s criticism of cross-border strikes, accusing Delhi of complicity in the terror threat at the western border. Pakistan’s Permanent Representative Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad exchanged strong words with his Indian and Afghan counterparts after the former accused Islamabad of “flagrant violations of international law” during the Pak-Afghan conflict. During the session, India’s Permanent Representative Parvathaneni Harish said his country “reiterates UNSG’s deep concern at civilian casualties caused by cross-border violence and strongly condemns airstrikes which are flagrant violations of international law,…
DHAKA – The government has formed a high-level committee to formulate a crisis management plan aimed at maintaining economic stability amid the ongoing Israel-US war against Iran. According to a gazette notification issued by the Cabinet Division on Monday, the committee will review policy and administrative measures and recommend steps to safeguard Bangladesh’s economy from potential global disruptions arising from the war. The adviser to the finance ministry will chair the committee, with members including representatives from the ministries of local government, rural development and cooperatives; foreign affairs; industries; commerce; power, energy and mineral resources; and food, the notification said.…
KUALA LUMPUR – With children under the age of 16 soon to be barred from creating social media accounts alone, Meta has stepped up efforts to protect teens using its online services. The parent company of Instagram and Facebook said that since 2024, all accounts registered to users aged 13 to 17 are automatically classified as teen accounts. Meta Asia-Pacific Products public policy director Philip Chua said these accounts are automatically locked to private status and require parental approval to be changed. “Under private accounts, teens must approve new followers, and non-followers cannot view or interact with their content,” he…
KOLKATA/MANILA – The bombs have been falling in the Middle East for over a week, but a nondescript tea stall in Kolkata is among those feeling the aftershocks rippling through Asia since the war began. The stall’s owner, Mr Abhijit Chakraborty, 45, is worried that rising cooking gas prices could hurt his earnings. Indian state-run oil marketing companies raised the price of domestic cooking gas by 60 rupees (83 Singapore cents) for a 14.2kg liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder from March 7, pushing rates to their highest level in over two years. The country imports roughly two-thirds of its LPG…
SEOUL – BTS’ return this month will be the most closely watched K-pop comeback in recent memory. But the spotlight surrounding the comeback is not focused only on the artists. It is also turning to Army, the worldwide fandom that has played a central role in BTS’ rise and stands as one of the largest and most organized communities in pop music today. By the numbers alone, Army is formidable. More than 44.7 million users follow the group on X, while 33.5 million users are registered on Weverse, the global fan platform used by BTS and other artists. BTS is…
DHAKA – The decision was taken following an instruction from the Cabinet Division. In a letter signed by Assistant Secretary Md Sultan Ahmed today, the ministry asked the authorities concerned to inform all universities to implement the decision. According to the directive, universities will remain closed from March 9 until the dates specified in their respective academic calendars for the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays. The ministry also issued several instructions to ensure the responsible use of electricity and fuel by officials and staff. Universities have been asked to avoid using electric lights during the daytime when sufficient natural light is available and…
KATHMANDU – The newly elected House of Representatives is set to witness a significant generational shift, with a commanding presence of young lawmakers emerging from the latest parliamentary polls. The election results from 159 constituencies released by Sunday evening show that 59 candidates—or around 38 percent—aged below 40 have been elected to the federal legislature, signalling a transformation in the age profile of the country’s political leadership. The country’s average is just 26 yet the parliament has long been dominated by much older politicians. For instance, in the last parliament elected in 2022, the largest representation came from the 51–60…
ISLAMABAD – Tehran has confirmed the selection of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new Supreme Leader, a decision that has drawn contrasting reactions from Washington and Jerusalem, reflecting differing strategies in responding to Iran’s evolving leadership. US response: calculated and cautious So far, President Donald Trump has avoided direct criticism of Mojtaba Khamenei’s succession, instead framing the development in terms of energy markets and US strategic influence. In a post on Truth Social, an hour after the announcement, he highlighted that temporary oil price increases were a minor cost compared with global stability and security. But in an interview with ABC…