South Asia

Flash floods have struck Nepal, and an expert says climate change is to blame. Rising temperatures are believed to intensify monsoon rainfall, making sudden floods more frequent and severe in the Himalayan region. The comments add to a wider debate about how a warming climate is driving extreme weather disasters across South Asia.

Developing nations are intensifying their demands for permanent seats on the UN Security Council, arguing the body no longer reflects the realities of the modern world. The push for reform has gained renewed momentum, with countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America calling for a council that better represents the global south. The campaign challenges a structure largely unchanged since 1945.

ASML, the Dutch chip equipment maker, says it sold 'absolutely nothing' in Europe in 2026 and is calling on the EU to help create demand for its lithography machines. The comments highlight Europe's weak semiconductor manufacturing base, as ASML's sales remain concentrated in Asia, particularly Taiwan, South Korea and China.

An opinion analysis argues that relations between the Philippines and China may be entering a softer phase, moving away from Beijing's combative 'Wolf Warrior' diplomacy toward a friendlier 'panda diplomacy' approach following the summit between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump. The piece suggests the meeting could reshape how China engages Manila, with implications for South China Sea tensions and regional alignments.

A new analysis warns that environmental threats across the Himalayan region are growing severe, affecting glaciers, water supplies and the communities that depend on them. The piece examines the pressures facing one of the world's most fragile mountain ecosystems and the risks this poses to downstream populations across South Asia.

Pakistan are playing Hong Kong in the men's cricket tournament at the Asian Games 2026 in Japan, with India taking on Afghanistan in the other fixture. The matches are being followed live by fans across South Asia and beyond, with the fixture trending in the United States, Britain, India, Australia and Canada as results come in.

South Korean retail giant Shinsegae is preparing to enter the United States beauty market with a dedicated retail platform focused on K-Beauty products. The move would bring Korean skincare and cosmetics brands to American shoppers through a Shinsegae-run channel, extending the group's retail reach beyond Asia and tapping into sustained global demand for Korean beauty products.

Sri Lankan javelin thrower Rumesh Tharanga won the gold medal in the men's javelin at the Asian Games 2026, beating India's favoured throwers in an event India had been expected to dominate. The result ended India's hopes of a one-two finish in the javelin and marked a breakout moment for Tharanga on the continental stage, sparking reaction from athletics fans across South Asia.

Balen Shah, mayor of Kathmandu, has proposed a Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism aimed at addressing the environmental threats facing Nepal's mountain region. The initiative focuses on protecting Himalayan ecosystems and communities from the impacts of climate change, and the proposal is drawing attention across South Asia, where glacial melt and extreme weather are pressing concerns.

South Korean regulators are calling for liquidity safeguards for won-backed stablecoins, while Hana Bank has issued $100 million in blockchain-based digital bonds. The moves highlight how Korea is pairing caution on stablecoin risk with active adoption of tokenized debt, cementing its role as one of Asia's most active crypto and blockchain markets this week.

The Association for Psychological Science argues that psychological research conducted outside the Global North is held to a different standard than work from wealthy Western institutions. The organization highlights how scientists in Africa, Latin America, Asia and other regions face greater scrutiny, fewer resources and biased assumptions about the quality of their research, calling for fairer treatment and greater recognition of scholarship from the Global South.

A South China Morning Post report examines whether paying people to read and using gamification can reverse declining literacy rates across Southeast Asia. The piece explores incentive-based programmes that reward reading with cash, asking whether such schemes can meaningfully improve reading habits and comprehension in a region struggling with falling literacy levels.

Seven out of ten startup employees say South Korea's 52-hour workweek should be made more flexible, according to a report carried by Asia Economy. The finding points to growing pressure within the startup sector to loosen rigid weekly hour caps, with workers and employers arguing that fixed limits do not fit project-based schedules and irregular workloads common at young companies.

The Australian national football team, the Socceroos, are preparing to face Brazil again in a rematch in Brisbane after holding the five-time world champions to a draw in Townsville. The Australian squad says it expects a strong Brazilian reaction as the South Americans look to make amends for dropping points. The fixture is drawing widespread international attention, trending across Europe, Asia and North America.

Australia are taking on Brazil, with the fixture drawing widespread search interest across Europe, Asia, South East Asia and the United States. Outlets including Sports Illustrated have published viewing guides detailing how fans can watch the match on TV and via live stream, indicating it is being broadcast internationally. The matchup is one of the most-searched sports topics in multiple countries.

The 2026 Gwangju Biennale has opened with 43 participating artists, the smallest lineup since the Biennale was founded in 1995. The exhibition runs through November 15 in Gwangju, South Korea. Art watchers are weighing the reduced roster, with some seeing it as a deliberate curatorial choice toward intimacy and others questioning what a smaller edition signals for one of Asia's leading art events.

A matchup between South Sudan and Egypt is drawing widespread search interest across multiple countries, ranking among the top trending topics globally. The fixture pits the two African nations against each other, with fans searching for lineups, scores and viewing information. The surge in attention spans regions from Europe to Asia and North America, indicating broad international interest in the contest.

The Asian Games cricket semi-final matchups are set, with Pakistan taking on Bangladesh while India face Sri Lanka. The line-up guarantees an all-Subcontinental medal round at the tournament in China, and fans across the region are weighing up which of cricket's biggest rivals will reach the final.