Nepal's leader makes surprising first trip choice - what it means for Asia's power game

Last summer K.P. Sharma Oli became Nepals leader and now heʼs making waves with his first foreign trip choice - a 4-day Beijing visit with 87 people delegation (instead of traditional India visit)

The visit includes some key events: meetings with Xi Jinping‚ speech at uni and business talks. Oli managed to keep his coalition happy by saying no to Chinese loans but the India-Nepal ties might get more complex

Chinese officials are pushing hard to start Belt-and-Road projects in Nepal; especially after Kathmandu got that $500-million US grant about 2 years ago. The Nepali Congress party wants only grants while Olis party thinks loans are ok too

In other South-Asian news Bangladesh-India relations got worse after police caught a Hindu activist in Dhaka. Some people attacked Bangladeshʼs office in India and Dhaka students did anti-India protests; showing how religious issues can heat-up fast

Pakistan is doing something new - theyʼre putting up an internet wall like China has. Its gonna cost them around $300-million and slow down internet speeds but officials think its worth it to control whats online (even though they dont say it publicly)

The US politics might shake-up South Asia too: Donald Trump said heʼd put big taxes on BRICS countries if they make new money system. Plus his pick for FBI boss Kash Patel likes Modi‚ which could change how US looks at some India cases

In Pakistan Bushra Bibi (wife of jailed leader Imran Khan) led street protests but left when things got rough - now party members dont know what to think about her role

• The Print says India should skip Asian trade deal
• Bangladesh paper talks about helping disabled people
• Bhutan news looks at Adani power deal plans

These events show how South-Asian countries try to work with both India and China without making anyone mad