KATHMANDU – Jhapa-5 was the most keenly-watched constituency in Nepal’s March 5 elections. In this race, the widely popular Balendra Shah, the former mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, was up against KP Sharma Oli, the former prime minister ousted by the Gen Z uprising back in September 2025. The contest held a symbolic weight, anchoring the broader old vs new narrative—a septuagenarian former prime minister was battling a 35-year-old millennial. The animosity between the two was well known and had intensified after the deadly uprising that saw 77 unarmed people killed on Oli’s watch. Ahead of elections, Shah had refused…
Author: Asia News Network
BENGALURU/NEW DELHI/JAKARTA/MANILA – Millions of Asians working in the Gulf region are trapped amid the drone and missile strikes from the US, Israel and Iran, which have so far killed at least 10 Asian migrant workers and injured dozens of others. Many say they are feeling safe but are anxious about the increasing hostilities, but others who want to leave are hesitant about losing their jobs, which allow these workers to collectively remit billions of dollars to their countries. Over 24 million people from South and South-east Asian countries work in and around the Gulf region, as medical professionals, accountants,…
JAKARTA – I like reading books. I probably should read more than I do, but what I love even more is visiting bookstores. It’s relaxing, almost meditative. There’s something about being surrounded by walls of books, perusing a collection of genres, discovering new authors. It’s not always about finishing the book. It’s about the possibility of it. Not only that, but it’s also about unplugging, reading from real pages instead of a screen. Fortunately, bookstores are increasingly accessible again in Jakarta. Over the past year, as I’ve spent my weekends gallivanting across the city, I’ve noticed a growing wave of…
ISLAMABAD – Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir on Wednesday said that peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan could only prevail if the Taliban regime “renounced their support for terrorism and terrorist organisations”. According to a statement by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), CDF Munir made the remarks as he visited Wana in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s South Waziristan to review the prevailing security situation and operational preparedness along the Western border. “He reiterated that peace could only prevail between both sides if the Afghan Taliban renounced their support for terrorism and terrorist organisations,” the statement said.…
KATHMANDU – Voting in the House of Representatives election concluded peacefully and enthusiastically across Nepal on Thursday, with only a few incidents reported, the Election Commission said. Polling began at 7 am and officially ended at 5 pm as scheduled. Election Commissioner Janaki Kumari Tuladhar said voters who had already queued at polling centres by 5 pm were still allowed to cast their ballots. The commission said no polling centre had been formally declared suspended so far. Brief disputes were reported in Dolakha, Sarlahi and Rautahat. Voting resumed after a short halt at the Malu polling centre in ward 4…
TOKYO – Japanese shipping companies are now looking for solutions to problems arising from the recent attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel. The most pressing problem they face is determining how to get Japan-linked vessels out of the Persian Gulf, but as yet there are no clear prospects of being able to do so. The worsening Middle East situation is impacting not only the transportation of crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) via the Strait of Hormuz, but also the shipping route connecting Europe and Asia via the Suez Canal. Maritime transportation is now being restricted…
MANILA – Even mistresses may be covered by the proposed law banning political dynasties in the Philippines up to the second degree of consanguinity and affinity. At Wednesday’s Senate discussion, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III noted a provision in Senate Bill No. 1901, which defines partnerships without the benefit of marriage as “common-law relationships between two persons who cohabit, declare, or present themselves to the public as a couple without marriage.” READ: 12 senators sign committee report banning political dynasties It also includes civil unions, unions without marriage under Articles 147 and 148 of the Family Code, and any…
DHAKA – As the sun dips below the skyline, the city begins its nightly transformation. The call to Maghrib echoes through streets, smells of street food and excitement of the children for iftar are passed around while the families gather to break their fast. Yet alongside the flicker of kitchen lights and mosque lanterns, another glow is just as visible, the soft light of smartphone screens. In modern Bangladesh, Ramadan no longer unfolds solely at home or in mosques. Now it extends into digital spaces, bridging distance, connecting communities, and reshaping traditions. Digital kitchens: Old recipes, new platforms For generations,…
NEW DELHI – As tensions spiral in West Asia amid the US-Israel war on Iran, the United Arab Emirates has been put in an unenviable position. It is geographically close to the conflict, strategically tied to Western allies, and demographically in a spot unlike any other country in the world. If Iran expands its retaliatory strikes across the Gulf, the UAE could quickly transform from a global aviation hub into the epicentre of the largest civilian evacuation challenge of the 21st century. Nation with highest % of foreign nationals The UAE has one of the highest proportions of foreign-born residents…
MANILA – ASEAN foreign ministers have described the escalation of conflict in the Middle East as “regrettable”, and called for an immediate ceasefire after the US and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered retaliatory attacks across that region, raising concerns over civilian safety and global stability. The joint statement on March 4 came four days after the Feb 28 attack that triggered the latest conflict, which has seen most South-east Asian governments issuing their own calls for restraint and diplomacy. “This escalation is particularly regrettable as it occurred amid ongoing diplomatic efforts, including mediation initiatives led by the Sultanate of Oman aimed…