asia

With a prize pool of INR 10,00,000, the tournament aims to create more competitive opportunities for South asia’s League of Legends players, with a spot at the LCP Wildcard at stake.

The World Bank has lowered India's GDP growth forecast for FY 2025-26 to 6.3%, citing global economic headwinds and domestic policy uncertainties. The IMF also revised its projection downward to 6.2%. Across South asia, growth projections have been broadly reduced, with the region expected to grow at 5.8% in 2025.

The Himalayas, asia's crucial water source, face a severe crisis as snowfall hits a 23-year low, impacting nearly two billion people. Declining snow persistence threatens agriculture, water supplies, and hydroelectric power across major asian river systems. Urgent action is needed, including regional cooperation, improved water management, and reduced emissions, to mitigate the far-reaching consequences of this climate emergency.

Shigeru Ishiba, the Prime Minister of Japan, plans to visit Vietnam and the Philippines next week. This trip aims to strengthen regional ties after tariff actions. China's President Xi Jinping also toured Southeast asia recently. Japan views Southeast asia as strategically important. Ishiba's visit will focus on economic, defense, and people-to-people cooperation.

China's Xi Jinping is currently visiting Southeast asia. He is advocating for free trade in his visit. He is portraying China as stable. He met with Vietnamese leaders in Hanoi. They discussed strengthening ties. Agreements were signed on supply chains and railway projects. Xi will also visit Malaysia and Cambodia. Discussions on a free trade agreement with ASEAN are expected.

The UNODC warns of the rapid global expansion of the billion-dollar cyberscam industry, likening it to a spreading "cancer." Criminal syndicates are relocating from Southeast asia to regions with weak governance, exploiting trafficked workers. The US alone reported billions in losses, highlighting the urgent need for international cooperation to disrupt these networks and protect vulnerable populations.

Xi Jinping is currently touring Southeast asia, advocating for free trade and positioning China as a source of stability. During his visit to Vietnam, he emphasized the need to uphold the global free trade system. He is expected to discuss a free trade agreement between China and ASEAN in Malaysia, despite ongoing tensions over South China Sea claims.

During his Southeast asia tour, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged collaboration with Malaysia and regional neighbors amidst global economic uncertainties. He criticized protectionism, advocating for stronger China-ASEAN ties and a free trade agreement. Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim echoed these sentiments, praising China's stability. Agreements were signed on trade, industrial parks, and agricultural exports.

President Xi Jinping's Southeast asia tour, including a visit to Malaysia, aims to strengthen China's position as a reliable partner amid global trade tensions. Xi's visit emphasizes regional solidarity and economic cooperation, particularly in light of US tariffs impacting ASEAN nations. China seeks to promote stability and development, positioning itself as an alternative to protectionist measures.

asian crime networks running multi-billion-dollar cyber scam centres are expanding their operations across the world as they seek new victims and new ways to launder money, the UN said on Monday. Chinese and Southeast asian gangs are raking in tens of billions of dollars a year targeting victims through investment, cryptocurrency, romance and other scams -- using an army of workers often trafficked and forced to toil in squalid compounds.

America's tourism sector faces challenges. International visitors are declining. This dip could cost the US tourism industry billions. Trade tensions and visa issues contribute to this trend. Cities like New York and Los Angeles are feeling the impact. The US Travel Association seeks solutions. The country needs to rebuild its global image. Otherwise, recovery could take years.

PM Modi's Saudi Arabia visit prioritizes energy, trade, investment, and defense, alongside addressing global issues like the West asia conflict and the Russia-Ukraine war. Discussions will include the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC) and Saudi Arabia's proposed $100 billion investment in India. Both nations aim to strengthen defense ties and explore increased military exercises, fostering a deeper strategic partnership.

President Xi Jinping's visit to Cambodia underscores strengthening ties amid global economic uncertainties and trade tensions with the US Discussions will focus on trade, investment, and regional issues, with several cooperation agreements expected. China's role as a key economic partner is highlighted, alongside concerns about its growing influence, including the Ream Naval Base expansion.

Komodo dragons and King cobras, apex predators of Southeast asia, evoke fear and respect. Dragons boast immense size and strength, while cobras wield deadly venom. Though encounters are rare, both pose threats to humans. Cobras are more immediately lethal with their venom, but dragons possess superior power and survival instincts, making them both formidable in their own right.