Lockdown in Kathmandu Valley extended for a week

He highlighted India's role as a "first responder" for the Maldives, emphasising that India's support during critical periods has been fundamental to the stability and security of the island nation.

India on Thursday welcomed Nepal's successful elections, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulating Rabi Lamichhane and Balendra Shah on their victory, signalling a fresh chapter in the bilateral relationship between the two neighbouring nations.

Pakistan's fruit and vegetable supply remains dominated by traditional middlemen and the "mandi" system, with digital platforms handling only 2-3% of trade. Restrictive provincial laws and lack of infrastructure force farmers into dependency on commission agents, stalling modern technological transformation in the agricultural sector.

Residents in Balochistan's Zehri and Surab regions are facing a severe humanitarian crisis due to a four-day curfew and military operations. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee reported acute food shortages, blocked healthcare access, and alleged house raids by security forces, urging international bodies to investigate these fundamental rights violations.

North Korea is intensifying preparations for its upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for next week, including forming election committees and reviewing candidates for the Supreme People's Assembly, according to a report by Yonhap News Agency citing North Korean state media on Wednesday.

The vote counting for the March 5 election in Nepal's House of Representatives has concluded late Wednesday, with Nepal's Election Commission (EC) making final preparations for the official announcement of results.

The European Union on Wednesday moved to intensify pressure on Tehran amid the conflict in West Asia by approving new sanctions targeting 19 Iranian regime officials and entities accused of serious human rights violations.

South Korea on Wednesday said its deterrence posture against North Korea would remain unaffected even if some military assets of the United States Forces Korea (USFK) are relocated from the Korean Peninsula amid the conflict in West Asia, Yonhap News Agency reported.

In the statement addressed to "fellow compatriots," Pahlavi warned that the situation had reached a highly sensitive point and urged people to prioritise their safety while maintaining unity through peaceful means of resistance.

According to the IRGC, the latest wave "was carried out over more than three hours, with continuous, multi-layered missile strikes, including the heaviest type of missiles."