Asia Now

Afghanistan has accused Pakistan’s military of shelling the outskirts of Asadabad in Kunar Province, killing one and wounding 16, mostly women and children. Deputy government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said mortars and heavy weapons were used by Pakistan’s military yesterday to strike rural areas and civilian homes. The latest incident comes amid ongoing cross-border clashes and airstrikes between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The fighting began in February after Afghanistan laun

A BJP delegation led by senior party leaders and Union Ministers, including Piyush Goyal, Kiren Rijiju and Dr Sukanta Manjumdar, met the Election Commission of India today. Addressing the media after the meeting, Mr Rijiju said free and fair elections should be conducted in West Bengal. He alleged that the Chief Minister of West Bengal and Senior Trinamool Congress Leader Mamata Banerjee and her party have completely hijacked the electoral process in the state. Mr Rijiju adde

Australia will halve its fuel excise tax till the end of June to help ease costs for households amid a surge in fuel prices prompted by the West Asia conflict. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made the announcement today as the international benchmark for crude oil rose above dollar 116 a barrel – its highest level in nearly two weeks – as the conflict in the region escalated on multiple fronts. Mr Albanese said the government would also suspend its charge on heavy

The United States has sent Iran a sweeping 15-point proposal aimed at ending the war and dismantling its nuclear programme. President Donald Trump claimed that Tehran “would like to make a deal.” According to media reports, the proposal was delivered through intermediaries. It outlines a broad framework to halt hostilities, curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and reshape its regional role. The plan calls for Iran to dismantle its three main nuclear facilities, end uranium enrichm

Union Cabinet today approved the launch and implementation of the Regional Connectivity Scheme – Modified UDAN for a period of ten years from 2026-27 to 2035-36 with a total outlay of 28,840 crore rupees. Briefing the media after the Cabinet meeting in New Delhi, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said 100 airports will be developed from existing unserved airstrips to enhance regional connectivity. This will lead to enhanced regional air connectivity to un

A Missile struck the premises of Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant last evening, the second such incident in just over a week, amid escalating regional hostilities. According to officials, there was no damage to the nuclear reactor itself and no injuries to staff, and the plant continues to operate normally with radiation levels stable. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed it was informed by Iranian authorities of the latest strike. This follows a similar

The Rajya Sabha has paid tributes to its former member Datta Meghe, who passed away recently at the age of 89. He served as a Member of the Rajya Sabha from April. He also served as a Member of the Lok Sabha for four terms. In his obituary reference, Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan said that in the passing away of Datta Meghe, the nation has lost an able parliamentarian, a veteran legislator and a dedicated social worker. The members of the House also observed silence

Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama has said the government is ready to act “on all fronts” amid rising energy prices but did not confirm potential intervention in crude oil futures. She also noted that speculative moves in crude oil markets are affecting the currency and pledged thorough government action to protect the economy and citizens.

The Indian Embassy in Doha informed that Qatar Airways operated 25 flights to India between the 20th and 22nd of this month, carrying around 7,750 Indian nationals. As advised by Qatar Airways earlier, flight ticket bookings can be made through the Qatar Airways website, App or through travel agents. The advisory issued by the Embassy urged the Indian community to closely follow and abide by the guidelines and advisories issued by the authorities in Qatar. It said that the lo

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said India’s approach during ongoing tensions in West Asia has highlighted its strength in building relationships, taking decisive action and managing crises effectively. Addressing a summit organised by a private media group in New Delhi last evening, Prime Minister Modi noted that despite global uncertainty since February 28, India continues to move ahead with confidence and a firm commitment to development. PM Modi emphasised that the count

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today urged global leaders to join Israel and the United States in confronting Iran, saying recent missile attacks show Tehran poses a wider global threat. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s remarks came after Iran fired missiles at Arad and Dimona in southern Israel yesterday, injuring more than 100 people and damaging residential areas. No fatalities were reported in the strike. Media reports said the target of the Iranian attack was a nucl

Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has indicated that Tokyo may consider deploying its Self-Defence Forces for minesweeping operations in the Strait of Hormuz, but only if a ceasefire is reached in the ongoing conflict involving Iran, US and Israel. Speaking on a television programme, Mr Toshimitsu said Japan’s minesweeping technology is among the best in the world, adding that if a ceasefire is in place and mines become an obstacle, the country may consider its role.

The Budget Session of the Delhi Legislative Assembly will begin today. The session is scheduled to run till the 25th of this month. Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta reviewed the preparations for the second part of the fourth session of the Eighth Legislative Assembly. The session will start with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta attending the kheer ceremony and tabling Delhi’s Economic Survey report. In a statement, the Delhi Assembly said that a full rendition of the national

Keralam Chief Electoral Officer Ratan U Kelkar has said that the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee has started its work as part of the assembly elections. He informed that the certification of political advertisements given in visual and social media and monitoring of paid news in connection with the general elections will be carried out at the state level by a four-member committee headed by the Additional CEO. LDF candidate V Sivankutty filed his nomination pape

Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan has urged students that, while following a modern and progressive mindset, they should not forget the rich and diverse cultural heritage of our country. Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan was addressing the 29th National Youth Parliament at the Maharshi Vyas Auditorium in Dr. Hedgewar Smriti Mandir in Reshimbagh at Nagpur today. While stressing participation of youths in Developed India, the Vice President called upon the youth to uphold the

We are delighted to share that Krishna Prathap, hailing from the state of Keralam, has been awarded the Rabindra Ratna Puraskar 2026 by the Veyil Foundation. This esteemed recognition honors his exceptional contributions as the Chief Instructor in Martial Arts and Kalaripayattu. As the Founder and Director of the Parashurama Vallabhatta Kalari Academy, Krishna Prathap has played a pivotal role in the promotion and advancement of this traditional Indian martial art, demonstrat

Sri Lanka has approved an Indian-Sri Lankan joint venture to build a key power transmission link connecting wind energy projects in the island’s northern region. Cabinet spokesperson and Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said the government had cleared the award of a tender to Intend, which is a Joint Venture of Jyoti Structure Limited from India and Hayleys Fentons Limited of Sri Lanka. The contract, valued at 2.27 billion Sri Lankan rupees (excluding taxes), covers the constructio

US President Donald Trump has said that most NATO allies have declined to join the US military operation against Iran, criticising the alliance and asserting that Washington does not need foreign support.​ He added that despite their reluctance, almost every country strongly agreed with what we are doing and that Iran cannot, in any way, shape, or form, be allowed to have a nuclear weapon. Trump said he was not surprised by NATO members’ response. He also claimed that US forc

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, yesterday. In a telephonic conversation, both leaders discussed the current situation in West Asia. Mr Modi said in a social media post that he reiterated India’s strong condemnation of all attacks on the UAE that have resulted in loss of innocent lives and damage to civilian infrastructure. He added that both sides agreed on the importance of ensuring s

Government sources said a media report claiming that Iran has asked India to release three tankers seized in February for safe passage of Indian‑flagged vessels is baseless. Sources said there has been no discussion of this nature between Indian and Iranian authorities. They said in any case, the three vessels are not Iranian owned.