Asia News Wrap: Sri Lankan president's coalition wins election, and more

Here are a few stories from around Asia you may have missed this week.

Sri Lankan president's coalition wins general election

Sri Lankans handed President Anura Dissanayake's coalition a thumping victory in a snap general election on Thursday, giving its new president greater legislative power to pursue policies as the country recovers from a financial meltdown. 

Dissanayake comfortably won the island nation's presidential election in September. His left-leaning coalition, the National People's Power (NPP), had just three seats in the 225-member parliament before the election, prompting him to dissolve it and seek a fresh mandate. The NPP won 137 seats, receiving almost 62 percent, or 6.8 million votes, with counting continuing following Thursday's election, putting them past the majority in parliament.

Shigeru Ishiba to remain prime minister in Japan

Japanese lawmakers voted for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to stay on as leader on Monday after his coalition lost its parliamentary majority in an election last month. Ishiba, who called the snap poll after taking office on October 1, must now run a fragile minority government. 

The Japan Times reported, "After losing their combined majority in the House of Representatives in the October 27 general election, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its Komeito ally are particularly hoping to gain cooperation from the opposition Democratic Party for the People, which quadrupled its Lower House seats to 28 in the closely watched national election."

Delhi's toxic air triggers emergency measures 

India's government has banned non-essential construction and implemented emergency measures in New Delhi, urging residents to avoid burning coal for heating to combat worsening air quality that has disrupted flights and obscured the iconic Taj Mahal. New Delhi has a severe air quality level of 424 according to live rankings kept by Swiss group IQAir, the worst amongst global capitals. 

The new measures include sprinkling water with dust suppressants on roads and mechanized sweeping, which the government hopes will help settle dust. The government release also appealed to citizens to use more public transport and avoid using coal and wood for heating.

China's J-35A stealth fighter jet debuts at air show

China's new medium-sized stealth fighter jet, the J-35A, made its debut at the ongoing 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in south China's Zhuhai City on Tuesday. 

It's China's second stealth fighter jet following the J-20. The J-35A, together with the J-20, positions China as the second nation to operate two types of stealth fighter jets, following the U.S.'s F-22 and F-35.

Philippines' fourth storm in a month wrecks havoc

Typhoon Toraji has unleashed floods, knocked down trees and caused power outages in the northern Philippines, officials said on Tuesday. 

The Philippines has scrambled to deal with multiple calamities wreaked by four back-to-back typhoons and storms, including Toraji, that devastated the northern region of Luzon, including vast farmlands and communities, in less than a month. There were no immediate reports of deaths from Toraji.

(Cover: Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake greets people as he arrives to cast his vote during the parliamentary election in Colombo, Sri Lanka, November 14, 2024. /CFP)