https://www.scmp.com/rss/325448/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Two Indian climbers have died on Mount Everest during a record-breaking period of ascents via Nepal’s southern route, as experts warn of overcrowding on the world’s highest peak. “They fell ill while descending at high altitude. We are working out how to retrieve the bodies,” Nivesh Karki, director at Pioneer Adventures, said. He named them as Sandeep Are, who he said summited on Wednesday, and Arun Kumar Tiwari, who reached the peak on Thursday. Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 10 highest... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354557/2-climbers-die-everest-record-breaker-warns-overcrowding?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354557/2-climbers-die-everest-record-breaker-warns-overcrowding?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 11:05:18 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Every dry season, the Teesta River shrinks a little more – and with it, the livelihoods of millions of Bangladeshis who depend on its waters to survive. Dhaka has been asking India to help for years. Now, it is asking Beijing instead. Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, who took office in February, formally asked China earlier this month to help with its Teesta River restoration project, Bangladeshi state media reported. The US$1 billion scheme aims to dredge and rehabilitate more than... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353738/bangladesh-tests-its-india-ties-seeking-chinas-aid-teesta-river?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353738/bangladesh-tests-its-india-ties-seeking-chinas-aid-teesta-river?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 05:30:04 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Southeast Asia must brace itself for a punishing spell of climate whiplash, with an expected El Nino threatening drought-like conditions, flash floods, crop losses and haze across the region, experts have warned. The threat is also landing at a fragile moment for emerging economies, as geopolitical tensions, higher energy costs and pressure on remittances leave governments and households with less room to absorb climate shocks. Sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific were already... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3353278/southeast-asia-warned-godzilla-el-nino-whiplash-threatening-drought-floods-haze?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3353278/southeast-asia-warned-godzilla-el-nino-whiplash-threatening-drought-floods-haze?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse An American climber has died in an avalanche on Mount Makalu, officials said on Tuesday, as fatalities mount early in Nepal’s busy spring climbing season. Shelley Johannesen, 53, was killed on Monday while descending from the summit of the world’s fifth-highest peak, expedition organisers said, marking the season’s latest death. David Roubinek, a 38-year-old Czech climber, and three Nepali guides have died in the Himalayas so far this season. Johannesen, co-founder of US-based outfitter Dash... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3353272/us-climber-dies-avalanche-nepals-mount-makalu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3353272/us-climber-dies-avalanche-nepals-mount-makalu?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 09:21:18 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China’s railway network broke passenger records during the long May Day holiday as millions hit the rails. Meanwhile, a shift towards budget-conscious destinations such as the African coast, coupled with rising fuel costs, signalled a cautious consumer landscape despite the surge in mobility. China’s Ministry of Transport said on Wednesday that “cross-regional” trips during the holiday reached nearly 1.52 billion, a 3.49 per cent increase over the 2025 break, and a record high for the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352618/chinas-may-day-travel-surges-spending-chases-value-budget-conscious-pivot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352618/chinas-may-day-travel-surges-spending-chases-value-budget-conscious-pivot?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A large ice chunk is blocking the climbing route to Everest’s summit, risking delays in the summit season at the world’s highest peak, according to officials. A team of highly skilled mountaineers, known in Nepal as “icefall doctors”, began fixing ropes and ladders on Mount Everest last month to prepare for the coming spring climbing season. But a dangerous serac – a block of glacial ice – above the already treacherous Khumbu icefall has disrupted their work for nearly two weeks. “We are waiting... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3351530/everest-climbers-left-hanging-after-giant-ice-chunk-blocks-path-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3351530/everest-climbers-left-hanging-after-giant-ice-chunk-blocks-path-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 06:05:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Nepal’s home minister stepped down on Wednesday over growing criticism of his finances after less than a month in office he won on an anti-corruption platform. Sudan Gurung, a key figure in the Gen-Z protests last September that toppled Nepal’s previous government, said he was stepping down to ensure a “fair investigation”. “I have resigned from the position of Home Minister with effect from today,” the 38-year-old posted on his social media accounts. “For me, morality is greater than a position... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3351038/nepal-minister-quits-amid-financial-scrutiny-after-just-weeks-office?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3351038/nepal-minister-quits-amid-financial-scrutiny-after-just-weeks-office?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:13:34 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Asia is entering a dangerous summer for food production as scientists warn of a “super El Nino” suppressing rainfall while the war on Iran drives up energy and fertiliser costs for farmers. India’s Meteorological Department has forecast a below-average monsoon, after two successive years of above-normal rains, while in Australia – a major wheat producer and exporter – a shortage of farm inputs and persistent dryness has reportedly pushed planting acreage to a seven-year low. Farmers across South... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3350988/asia-braces-food-shortages-super-el-nino-iran-war-effects-collide?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3350988/asia-braces-food-shortages-super-el-nino-iran-war-effects-collide?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:00:38 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Across Asia, a revolution in how people move was already gathering speed. War in Iran just hit the accelerator. Prashant Tiwari was among the first people at his company to go electric when he swapped his petrol car for a Hyundai Kona five years ago. Now, his colleagues at Fusemachines Nepal – an AI firm in Kathmandu – are calling him a prophet. “They say you don’t have any problem,” the 36-year-old product manager said. “I think it is foolish to buy a petrol-run car now, and everyone generally... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3350481/asias-ev-revolution-shifts-overdrive-iran-war-oil-shock?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3350481/asias-ev-revolution-shifts-overdrive-iran-war-oil-shock?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones The United Nations has issued a grim warning about the costs to the Asia-Pacific region of a prolonged conflict in Iran, forecasting job losses, crippling inflation and food insecurity, with the poorest nations brutally exposed to the oil shock and millions of informal workers facing the body blow of rising transport costs. More than 8 million people across the Asia-Pacific could be plunged into poverty if the crisis that closed the Strait of Hormuz drags on, according to a study published on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3350038/un-warns-8-million-asia-pacific-risk-poverty-if-iran-war-drags?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3350038/un-warns-8-million-asia-pacific-risk-poverty-if-iran-war-drags?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:00:33 +0000 Bibek Bhandari Bibek Bhandari Nepal’s tourism industry is scrambling to offset a sharp fall in Western visitors during the peak spring trekking season, with operators and officials turning their attention to Asia-Pacific markets as conflict-linked travel disruptions ripple through the Middle East. Arrivals from the Americas and Europe, which account for a sizeable share of Nepal’s higher-spending long-haul tourism business, dropped by nearly 25 per cent and 19 per cent, respectively, during March compared with the same... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349945/nepals-trekking-trade-looks-east-iran-war-disrupts-western-tourist-flow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349945/nepals-trekking-trade-looks-east-iran-war-disrupts-western-tourist-flow?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Hong Kong and Singapore routinely top global rankings of unaffordable cities. Yet it is the residents of Manila, Colombo and Yangon who are far more likely to tell pollsters they cannot afford shelter. The Philippines recorded the world’s highest share of people reporting difficulty affording housing in a new survey from US-based firm Gallup, with 55 per cent saying they had struggled to pay for shelter in the past 12 months. Sri Lanka followed at 54 per cent, Myanmar at 49 per cent and Thailand... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349725/forget-hong-kong-and-singapore-philippines-housing-least-affordable-survey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349725/forget-hong-kong-and-singapore-philippines-housing-least-affordable-survey?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 08:00:21 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Nepal has ordered private schools to stop double-charging fees, repay illegally collected ones and clearly publish their pricing structures, reopening a debate about education costs that runs across South Asia. From Dhaka to Delhi, parents have long complained that private schools charge too much and operate with too little oversight, inviting questions about whether governments should try to rein them in, improve state schools, or do both. Nepal’s Ministry of Education issued directives this... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349666/nepals-school-fee-crackdown-upends-south-asian-private-education-norms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349666/nepals-school-fee-crackdown-upends-south-asian-private-education-norms?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 09:00:08 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. UAE squeezes Iranian economic lifeline in retaliation for attacks 2. Untouchable no more: Nepal to apologise to Dalits for first time 3. Bali rocked by spate of murder cases – is Indonesian island more dangerous now? 4. Australia receives fuel export guarantees from... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3349208/uae-retaliates-against-iran-balis-spate-murders-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3349208/uae-retaliates-against-iran-balis-spate-murders-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 04:30:08 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji While the Iran war has sent shock waves through energy markets across Asia, one corner of the region has been hit especially hard. South Asia’s reliance on Middle Eastern fuel and Gulf remittances threatens to push some of its most exposed economies to the brink, analysts warn, as the conflict drives energy and food costs to multi-year highs. For Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan, whose International Monetary Fund bailout programmes and thin fiscal buffers limit their ability to shield citizens... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348974/why-war-iran-threatens-unleash-unrest-south-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348974/why-war-iran-threatens-unleash-unrest-south-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 05:30:08 +0000 Bibek Bhandari Bibek Bhandari As a child, Saraswati Nepali was not allowed to drink from the same water jar as her classmates. When she was thirsty, she had to walk the 20 minutes home and back: the cost of being born a Dalit in a society that deemed her “untouchable”. Now, Nepal’s new government says it is finally ready to acknowledge that injustice. Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s administration announced on Sunday that the state would, for the first time, offer a formal apology to the Dalit community. It also pledged to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348535/nepal-apologise-untouchable-dalits-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348535/nepal-apologise-untouchable-dalits-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Nepal’s former prime minister K.P. Sharma Oli and ex-home minister Ramesh Lekhak were arrested on Saturday over their alleged involvement in a deadly crackdown on protesters in September, police said. The detentions came a day after Prime Minister Balendra Shah and his cabinet were sworn in after the first election since the 2025 uprising that toppled 74-year-old Oli’s government. “They were arrested this morning and the process will move forward according to the law,” said Kathmandu Valley... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3348224/nepals-ex-pm-kp-sharma-oli-arrested-over-alleged-role-crackdown-protesters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3348224/nepals-ex-pm-kp-sharma-oli-arrested-over-alleged-role-crackdown-protesters?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 02:55:27 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Nepal’s rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah was sworn in as prime minister on Friday after sweeping the first election since deadly anti-corruption protests toppled the government last year. The 35-year-old reformist and his Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) dominated polls this month on a platform of youth-driven political change. “I, Balendra Shah, in the name of the country and people, pledge that I will be loyal to the constitution,” Shah said, dressed all in black, including his trademark... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3348119/balendra-shah-sworn-nepals-prime-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3348119/balendra-shah-sworn-nepals-prime-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 07:29:03 +0000 Bibek Bhandari Bibek Bhandari A high-level inquiry in Nepal has held former prime minister K.P. Sharma Oli and other senior government officials responsible for criminal negligence over the shootings in last year’s deadly youth uprising that killed 76 people, as the leak of the crucial report to a local publication triggered criticisms due to its sensitive nature. The committee, led by former judge Gauri Bahadur Karki, has recommended investigation and prosecution of Oli, his home minister Ramesh Lekhak, and former Inspector... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348012/nepals-probe-deadly-uprising-finds-ex-prime-minister-officials-reckless?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348012/nepals-probe-deadly-uprising-finds-ex-prime-minister-officials-reckless?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 11:00:10 +0000 Josiah Ng Josiah Ng When Peel Street – one of Hong Kong’s best streets for a quality tipple – is nestled between a small traditional temple and retro Hong Kong lifestyle brand Goods of Desire on Hollywood Road, bars focusing on nostalgia like Friday After Class are sure to do well. This is especially the case with Friday After Class’ upcoming menu, The Third Culture Sip. Launching on March 30, the programme explores unlikely pairings of countries and flavours across seven drinks, – much like the colourful... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3348000/drink-focus-tropical-spicy-brew-friday-after-class?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3348000/drink-focus-tropical-spicy-brew-friday-after-class?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 10:00:44 +0000 Chietigj Bajpaee Chietigj Bajpaee When the late Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe gave his landmark speech in the Indian parliament in August 2007 referring to the “confluence of the two seas”, he gave birth to the concept of the Indo-Pacific as a strategic space connecting East and South Asia. But the latest conflict in the Middle East illustrates how South Asia’s interconnectedness increasingly lies to its west. Some of these connections are deeply rooted in history: South Asia is home to the world’s largest Muslim population... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3346933/why-middle-east-volatility-presents-enhanced-risk-south-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3346933/why-middle-east-volatility-presents-enhanced-risk-south-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 21:30:07 +0000 Bibek Bhandari Bibek Bhandari Accelerating glacial retreat in the Himalayas over the past decades is threatening over 2 billion people in the region who depend on meltwater from the “water tower of Asia” for their daily needs, according to climate scientists. Glaciers in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region have been losing ice at twice the rate since 2000, with smaller glaciers under 0.5 sq km shrinking more rapidly than larger ones, according to two landmark reports published on Saturday to coincide with the World Day for... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3347298/himalayas-glacier-loss-threatens-2-billion-people-greatest-problem-climate-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3347298/himalayas-glacier-loss-threatens-2-billion-people-greatest-problem-climate-change?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 07:00:10 +0000 Bibek Bhandari Bibek Bhandari Nepal’s prime minister-in-waiting came to power on a promise of change. Now he faces the monumental challenge of taking on a system weighed down by corruption and poor governance while meeting the towering expectations of the millions who backed him and his anti-establishment party. Balendra Shah – a rapper, engineer and former mayor of Kathmandu popularly known as Balen – handily defeated former prime minister K.P. Sharma Oli in the election on March 5, with his Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP)... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346981/nepal-voted-change-can-its-rapper-engineer-pm-deliver?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346981/nepal-voted-change-can-its-rapper-engineer-pm-deliver?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 05:40:30 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. As US missiles leave South Korea, the Philippines asks: are we next? 2. Nepal just elected a rapper for PM. His foreign policy has a new beat 3. Why has the US-Israeli war on Iran left Brics speechless? 4. ‘He’s so handsome’: Japan’s youngest governor, 36, sets social... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3346822/philippines-missile-question-nepals-new-pm-rapper-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3346822/philippines-missile-question-nepals-new-pm-rapper-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 04:30:08 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words The Hong Kong Initiative for Diversity recently hosted a forum, “Building Bridges: Challenges and Solutions for Nepali Residents in Hong Kong”, bringing together educators, academics, entrepreneurs, Nepali community members and local Chinese residents for an honest discussion... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3346740/how-hong-kong-can-better-support-its-nepali-youth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3346740/how-hong-kong-can-better-support-its-nepali-youth?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 03:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Draped in garlands, Bhumika Shrestha on Monday became Nepal’s first transgender woman lawmaker, marking a proud milestone for the marginalised community in the Himalayan nation. Nepal’s Election Commission confirmed the 37-year-old as a proportional representation MP from the centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), which won a majority in parliament with 182 seats last week. “I am very excited but also feel the responsibility on my shoulders,” said Shrestha, an LGBTQ rights advocate. “Our... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3346797/nepals-lgbtq-community-celebrates-first-transgender-woman-lawmaker?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3346797/nepals-lgbtq-community-celebrates-first-transgender-woman-lawmaker?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 15:00:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A passenger bus carrying Indian pilgrims slipped off a mountain road and rolled down its slopes in central Nepal, killing seven people and leaving nine more injured, police said Sunday. All seven killed were Indian pilgrims, and seven other Indian pilgrims on board were injured and taken to nearby hospitals to get medical treatment. The other two injured in the crash, which happened on Saturday night, were the Nepali bus driver and his assistant. The bus was returning after the pilgrims visited... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3346670/7-die-nepal-bus-carrying-indian-pilgrims-plunges-mountain-road-ravine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3346670/7-die-nepal-bus-carrying-indian-pilgrims-plunges-mountain-road-ravine?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 12:26:50 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji When the alert arrives on his phone, Yashwant Deshmukh knows exactly what to do. The Dubai-based political analyst moves away from the windows, waits for the second message confirming the missile has been intercepted, and then goes back to work. “It has become a drill,” he said. For the roughly 9 million Indians living and working across the Gulf, the war on Iran has shattered one of the region’s most durable illusions: that cities like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Manama would remain apart from... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346524/iran-war-fallout-puts-9-million-indian-workers-line-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346524/iran-war-fallout-puts-9-million-indian-workers-line-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 08:00:12 +0000 Bibek Bhandari Bibek Bhandari Nepal’s incoming government has signalled it will pursue a more pragmatic foreign policy centred on national interests, as the newly victorious Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) seeks to recalibrate relations with both China and India after years of shifting political alignments. In its election manifesto, RSP pledged to pursue “balanced and dynamic diplomacy” with both neighbours, emphasising economic cooperation, cross-border connectivity and trade while transforming Nepal from a “buffer state... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346179/nepals-new-government-signals-shift-india-china-relations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346179/nepals-new-government-signals-shift-india-china-relations?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 06:03:07 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A Nepali political party led by an ex-rapper is set for a landslide victory in the country’s first parliamentary election since Gen Z protests ousted the old leadership that has ruled the Himalayan nation for decades. The Rastriya Swatantra, or the National Independent Party (RSP), formed only four years ago, had already won 117 of 165 directly elected seats and led in eight other constituencies in the results published on Sunday morning by Nepal’s Election Commission. Other political parties... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3345883/nepali-ex-rapper-will-form-government-after-landslide-election-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3345883/nepali-ex-rapper-will-form-government-after-landslide-election-win?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 11:00:26 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu A Hong Kong charity has abruptly cancelled its signature annual trail-running fundraiser just two weeks before the event, leaving hundreds of participants in the dark on the reasons behind the decision. The 11th edition of the “Race for Water”, organised by A Drop of Life, was scheduled to take place on March 22 but would no longer proceed, according to the organiser, which did not provide reasons for the cancellation. “After careful consideration, A Drop of Life has decided to cancel the ‘Race... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3345874/hong-kong-charity-abruptly-cancels-race-water-fundraiser-weeks-event?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3345874/hong-kong-charity-abruptly-cancels-race-water-fundraiser-weeks-event?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 09:08:02 +0000 Bibek Bhandari Bibek Bhandari A 35-year-old rapper and engineer who entered politics just four years ago has beaten a former prime minister in Nepal’s crucial parliamentary election, in a contest widely seen as a referendum on a generational shift in leadership after last year’s youth uprising. Balendra Shah – the former Kathmandu mayor widely known as Balen – surged ahead of 74-year-old communist leader K.P. Sharma Oli in a race for a seat in Nepal’s House of Representatives in the eastern district of Jhapa, election... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345808/nepal-election-rapper-turned-politician-balen-shah-poised-become-next-prime-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345808/nepal-election-rapper-turned-politician-balen-shah-poised-become-next-prime-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 09:18:21 +0000 Bibek Bhandari Bibek Bhandari Sangharsh Bhusal returned to the spot outside Nepal’s parliament building where police shot him last year. The 28-year-old still bears scars on his head, hand and abdomen from the violence that engulfed Kathmandu during Nepal’s Gen Z uprising, when thousands took to the streets demanding good governance and an end to corruption. It was here, in front of the seat of power, where many young protesters believed their voices should have been heard when gunfire rang out. At least 77 people –... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345168/young-nepalis-hope-post-uprising-election-candidates-shun-same-old-patterns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345168/young-nepalis-hope-post-uprising-election-candidates-shun-same-old-patterns?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Millions of migrant workers, who support some of the Middle East’s most crucial sectors, are in the line of fire as Iran retaliates against the US-Israeli strikes that killed the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader. Southeast and South Asian nations supply a large share of the labour in the Gulf, including medical practitioners, construction workers and household help that make up a migrant workforce the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates at over 24 million. The Philippines,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3345171/millions-asian-migrant-workers-gulf-danger-war-iran-rages?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3345171/millions-asian-migrant-workers-gulf-danger-war-iran-rages?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 12:25:39 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. South Korea’s ex-president Yoon sentenced to life in prison for insurrection A South Korean court on Thursday found former president Yoon Suk-yeol guilty of insurrection and sentenced him to life in prison over his short-lived martial law decree that plunged the country... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3344403/south-korean-ex-president-sentenced-buddhas-early-life-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3344403/south-korean-ex-president-sentenced-buddhas-early-life-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 04:30:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A packed bus on its way to Nepal’s capital drove off a mountain highway in Nepal early on Monday, killing 19 people including Chinese and British nationals and leaving another 25 wounded. There were dozens of people on board the bus, which was heading from the resort city of Pokhara to Kathmandu when it drove off the Prithvi highway after midnight, police said. The bus rolled down a mountain slope and landed on the banks of the Trishuli River near Benighat, about 80km (50 miles) west of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3344305/bus-plunges-nepal-mountain-highway-17-dead-chinese-national-missing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3344305/bus-plunges-nepal-mountain-highway-17-dead-chinese-national-missing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 05:56:01 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Date set for US President Donald Trump’s trip to China 2. EU bans Chinese organisations from critical tech programmes, including AI, chips 3. Trump says raising US global tariff rate from 10 per cent to 15 per cent 4. As high-speed railways saturate China, how far can their global reach... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3344290/trumps-trip-china-scheduled-archeologists-unearth-temple-5-weekend-reads-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3344290/trumps-trip-china-scheduled-archeologists-unearth-temple-5-weekend-reads-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 04:30:07 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Sanju*, a foreign domestic helper of Nepalese ethnicity, never imagined her Hong Kong dream would turn into a nightmare. The 34-year-old arrived in Hong Kong in 2023, driven by a simple wish to work in the city of her dreams. But she said her first employer paid her 30 per cent below the statutory minimum wage, allowed her only two hours of sleep a day, and gave her just three rest days over six months, during which she was only paid two months’ salary. After six months, she was dismissed and... https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3344257/silent-suffering-how-domestic-helpers-hong-kong-dream-became-nightmare?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3344257/silent-suffering-how-domestic-helpers-hong-kong-dream-became-nightmare?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 10:04:53 +0000 Bibek Bhandari Bibek Bhandari Nepal’s Lumbini has long anchored the Buddhist pilgrimage map as the Buddha’s birthplace. Nearby, however, stand the fortified ruins of Tilaurakot – believed to be the ancient capital where Siddhartha Gautam spent his princely years – a site of profound historical weight that draws only a fraction of the visitors. A newly unearthed temple could change that, archaeologists say, offering fresh evidence that Tilaurakot once held far greater religious significance to Buddhists than its quiet present... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344160/unearthed-temple-nepal-sheds-new-light-buddhas-early-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344160/unearthed-temple-nepal-sheds-new-light-buddhas-early-life?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 07:00:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Nepalese candidates launched their campaigns on Monday for next month’s parliamentary election, the first since deadly anti-corruption protests toppled the previous government last year. “This election will draw the future of the country,” Sushila Karki, who is serving as interim prime minister until the March 5 vote, said ahead of the launch. The youth-led protests were triggered by a brief social media ban but were fuelled by anger at economic stagnation and an ageing elite seen as out of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3343687/campaigning-starts-nepals-first-election-deadly-anti-corruption-protests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3343687/campaigning-starts-nepals-first-election-deadly-anti-corruption-protests?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 04:16:56 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun The Li Ka Shing Foundation and the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort are arranging free visits to the theme park for 5,000 domestic helpers under an expanded programme this year. The charitable foundation, established by tycoon Li Ka-shing, said on Tuesday the number of helpers receiving the free visits would increase from 4,000 last year to 5,000. The initiative will also include more nationalities, extending beyond the Philippines to workers from Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Thailand. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3343037/hong-kongs-li-ka-shing-foundation-gifts-5000-disneyland-tickets-domestic-helpers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3343037/hong-kongs-li-ka-shing-foundation-gifts-5000-disneyland-tickets-domestic-helpers?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 07:47:07 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft In 1994, Deepmala Kharel Dhakal’s mother competed in the first Miss Nepal beauty pageant. Thirty-two years later, the Nepali-Hongkonger is preparing to follow in her footsteps. The 23-year-old was crowned Miss Nepal Hong Kong International on Thursday. Victory at the event guarantees entrance into the national competition later this year. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Kharel Dhakal has an impressive resume. She landed a job as an investment strategist with BlackRock after graduating from the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3342770/hong-kongs-miss-nepal-hopeful-follows-mothers-pageant-footsteps-32-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3342770/hong-kongs-miss-nepal-hopeful-follows-mothers-pageant-footsteps-32-years?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 04:00:09 +0000 Bibek Bhandari Bibek Bhandari Many tourism entrepreneurs in Nepal have welcomed the arrest of executives accused of orchestrating fake rescue operations on the country’s Himalayan trekking trails and swindling millions of dollars from insurers. The arrests follow a nearly three-month investigation by Nepal Police’s Central Investigation Bureau into a long-running insurance fraud scheme where travel and rescue companies allegedly staged helicopter evacuations from the mountains to pocket insurance money from foreign travel... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3342688/nepals-tourism-sector-welcomes-arrests-fake-mountain-rescues-urges-tough-sanctions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3342688/nepals-tourism-sector-welcomes-arrests-fake-mountain-rescues-urges-tough-sanctions?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 08:00:29 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji When India sealed a landmark free-trade pact with the European Union last month, Brussels’ top bureaucrat saw more than an economic deal taking shape. “India has risen and Europe is truly glad about it,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared. “Because when India succeeds, the world is more stable, more prosperous and more secure.” Her words were more than just a diplomatic nicety; they reflected a growing consensus in European capitals that India has become an... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3342704/indias-trade-blitz-seeks-keep-sinking-global-order-afloat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3342704/indias-trade-blitz-seeks-keep-sinking-global-order-afloat?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China has plans to increase its investments in Nepal to take advantage of the country’s rich hydropower resources, according to a Nepalese official. Nepal’s hydropower sector is particularly attractive to Chinese investors because there is potential to sell some of the power generated to India, said Hong Kong-based Consul General Bindeswar Prasad Lekhak. The Himalayan nation, which borders China and India, has vast untapped hydropower resources and it is keen to attract more foreign investment... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3341838/china-step-investment-nepals-hydropower-sector-nepalese-official?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3341838/china-step-investment-nepals-hydropower-sector-nepalese-official?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 02:30:12 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji A small cluster of Nipah virus infections reported in eastern India has sparked regional anxiety because of the disease’s high fatality rate, prompting countries across Asia to tighten health screening ahead of the Lunar New Year travel rush, even as experts say the outbreak is likely to remain contained. That assessment follows confirmation by Indian authorities of two Nipah cases in West Bengal, but analysts have said the limited numbers, combined with the time that has passed since the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3341520/nipah-cases-india-raise-regional-anxiety-experts-say-wider-spread-unlikely?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3341520/nipah-cases-india-raise-regional-anxiety-experts-say-wider-spread-unlikely?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 07:14:01 +0000 Bibek Bhandari Bibek Bhandari A video showing three of Nepal’s most recognisable political figures walking side by side set social media abuzz late last year, stirring widespread speculation that a new political alliance was taking shape ahead of a looming national election. But there was a catch: the meeting depicted never took place. The clip, depicting Rastriya Swatantra Party leader Rabi Lamichhane, Kathmandu’s former mayor Balendra Shah and ex-power sector chief Kulman Ghising, was a fabrication – one of a growing... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341037/viral-lies-ai-deepfakes-hijack-reality-nepals-election-run?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341037/viral-lies-ai-deepfakes-hijack-reality-nepals-election-run?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 08:00:16 +0000 Johnny Wan Johnny Wan In Taruka village in central Nepal, locals celebrated a yearly ancient bullfighting tradition on January 15. The event is held during the Hindu harvest festival of Maghe Sankranti which usually falls in January. But some animal activists warned that the activity amounted to animal cruelty. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3340453/nepali-villagers-gather-annual-bullfighting-event-during-hindu-harvest-festival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3340453/nepali-villagers-gather-annual-bullfighting-event-during-hindu-harvest-festival?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:48:29 +0000 Annemarie Evans Annemarie Evans I GREW UP IN A theatrical family. My mother was also on the stage and had just begun to really make a name for herself when she married my father (Leslie Sarony). Then we saw a little bit of his true character because he said, “There’s only one star in this family,” and she was told she couldn’t work any more. We used to go to wherever my father was playing summer seasons. He was half of The Two Leslies, which was the partnership that he began in, I think, 1937. I grew up watching them on stage.... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3339357/meet-neville-sarony-hong-kong-barrister-who-also-writes-acts-and-sings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3339357/meet-neville-sarony-hong-kong-barrister-who-also-writes-acts-and-sings?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 07:00:12 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Hong Kong police have arrested a man who brandished a knife in an apparently disoriented state near a McDonald’s outlet in Tsuen Wan, just two days after officers shot dead another blade-wielding attacker elsewhere in the city. Police said they received a report at 8.42am on Saturday from a passer-by that a man was seen holding a knife in the area near a McDonald’s on Tai Ho Road in Tsuen Wan. On arriving at the scene, officers immediately subdued the man, with no injuries reported. The man... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340242/hong-kong-police-arrest-another-man-knife-days-after-earlier-case-tuen-mun?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340242/hong-kong-police-arrest-another-man-knife-days-after-earlier-case-tuen-mun?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jan 2026 04:23:32 +0000