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Asia - South China Morning Post

Breaking news, analysis and opinion from the SCMP"s Asia edition.

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Taiwanese influencer’s death: Malaysian rapper...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/05

Malaysian rapper Namewee was detained by Kuala Lumpur police on Wednesday in connection with the death of Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh, in a stunning twist to a tale that has gripped the country. Namewee, whose real name is Wee Meng Chee, took to his social media on Tuesday night to confirm his voluntary surrender to city authorities after returning from his southern home state of Johor, vowing to fully cooperate with the police investigation. “I will not run away. I voluntarily reported

South Korean bill aims to limit English education for...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/05

A bill restricting private English tuition for young children is gaining traction in South Korea, with both liberal and conservative authorities uniting to tackle excessive academic pressure on preschoolers. Representative Kang Kyung-sook of the minor liberal Rebuilding Korea Party, who is leading the legislative effort, said passage of the bill appeared likely amid rising support from superintendents of education offices across the country. “We are viewing the possibility of passing this

Student spider smuggler hit with massive fine in...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/05

An international student has been fined A$35,000 (US$22,700) after he was caught trying to smuggle 125 spiders and insects out of Australia, as the country continues to crack down on a growing illegal wildlife trade with links to organised crime. Australian Border Force officers detained Zhang Qiran, a 22-year-old Chinese national, at Sydney International Airport on January 26 after they found 34 packages hidden inside his checked-in and carry-on luggage, the Department of Climate Change,...

Road to 2026 runs through Bihar: why Indian state...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/05

India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is bracing for a fiercely contested state election in Bihar starting on Thursday, in a race analysts say could determine the stability of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s coalition and reveal the limits of his influence in key battleground states. Voting in Bihar will take place in two phases, on Thursday and next Tuesday, with results due next Friday. The outcome will not only decide Bihar’s leadership but could also set the tone for a series of key...

South Korea grapples with medicine shortage as flu...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/05

South Korea is grappling with an intense influenza season, with infections more than tripling from a year ago and showing pronounced peaks among school-aged children and adults over 50. Official data suggests a potentially severe season ahead. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), the national outpatient influenza-like illness rate for the 43rd week of the year (October 19-25) climbed to 13.6 cases per 1,000 patients, a significant leap from the previous week’s

Frenzy over Seoul eatery table used by Nvidia CEO...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/05

A fried chicken restaurant in South Korea has introduced a one-hour time limit for the table used by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang during his casual dinner with Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun last week.“The table occupied by Jensen Huang can be used for only an hour,” said a notice posted in front of the store near Samseong station in southern Seoul. Since Huang’s visit last Thursday, crowds have lined up in front of the

Why experts are sceptical about Trump’s nuclear...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/05

US President Donald Trump’s claim that Pakistan has resumed underground nuclear testing – alongside China, Russia and North Korea – has been met with scepticism by arms control experts and denials from the countries named, raising concerns about the credibility and consequences of Washington’s nuclear posture. Pakistan, which has not conducted a nuclear explosion since 1998, issued a firm rebuttal, with a senior security official telling CBS News the country “was not the first to carry out...

Investors go wild for Japan spray, rifle stocks amid...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/05

A spate of fatal bear attacks across Japan has dominated local news for weeks, prompting the government to send soldiers to one of the most affected areas. Meme traders have piled into the shares of two little-known companies whose products offer some protection for hikers and rural residents. At least 12 people have been killed by bears so far in the year starting April, exceeding the previous high of six in 2023, according to government data. Most of the victims have been elderly people in

Typhoon Kalmaegi devastates Philippines as death toll...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/05

The death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi in the Philippines climbed past 90 on Wednesday as the devastating impact on hard-hit Cebu province became clearer after the worst flooding in recent memory. Floodwaters described as unprecedented had rushed through towns and cities, sweeping away cars, trucks and even massive shipping containers. On Wednesday, Cebu spokesman Rhon Ramos said that 35 bodies had been recovered from flooded areas of Liloan, a town that is part of provincial capital Cebu

Takaichi mulls ‘any means necessary’ to bring North...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/05

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s vow to use “any means necessary” to bring home Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea has reignited a debate over how Tokyo intends to break the long-standing deadlock with Pyongyang. Takaichi has also pledged to take “proactive action” – language that analysts say marks a clear departure from the cautious tone adopted by her predecessors. Some have interpreted her remarks as a potential switch to high-pressure diplomacy targeting Pyongyang,

Cambodia resumes military drills with US to rebalance...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/05

The revival of US-Cambodia military exercises after an eight-year hiatus signals Washington’s renewed interest in Southeast Asia and offers Phnom Penh a chance to rebalance its strategic ties beyond Beijing, according to analysts. The long-frozen Angkor Sentinel drills will resume following a meeting between US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and his Cambodian counterpart on the sidelines of a regional security summit in Malaysia last week. The drills were suspended in 2017 after Washington...

Murder hornet swarm kills US father and son ziplining...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/04

The American director of an elite private school was stung to death by a swarm of murder hornets alongside his teenage son while they were ziplining in Southeast Asia, local officials confirmed. Daniel Owen and his 15-year-old son, Cooper, were visiting Green Jungle Park – an eco-adventure resort near the city of Luang Prabang – when the incident occurred, the according to The Times of London. The pair were suddenly bombarded by hundreds of Asian giant hornets as they were descending from a

How China and Asean can ensure their upgraded pact is...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/04

At last month’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit, China and the bloc upgraded their free trade pact in the areas of environmental protection, product quality and support for small businesses. Premier Li Qiang contextualised the agreement in light of “greater development challenges” facing Asean nations, as they are “unfairly subjected to steep tariffs”, an indirect criticism of the erratic measures unleashed across the region by US President Donald Trump. Another

US targets Chinese in North Korea-related sanctions...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/04

The US Treasury Department on Tuesday sanctioned eight individuals and two entities who it said were involved in a variety of North Korean cyber-related money-laundering schemes. The Treasury said the move was aimed at cutting off funding for North Korea’s weapons programmes. “By generating revenue for Pyongyang’s weapons development, these actors directly threaten US and global security,” John Hurley, Treasury’s undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a...

Singapore’s caning of scammers reaffirms ‘moral’...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/04

Singapore’s parliament on Tuesday passed a law that introduced caning as a punishment for scammers and money mules, as the country battles a scourge of fraud cases. Under the Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill, scammers as well as members and recruiters of scam syndicates will be punished with six to 24 strokes of the cane. The harsher penalties aim to enhance deterrence against scams, which are the most prevalent form of crime in Singapore, according to Senior Minister of State for...

Deadly collision on India’s rail network kills 7

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/04

A passenger train crashed into a cargo train in central India on Tuesday, killing at least seven people and injuring several others, a senior government official said. The incident happened near Bilaspur, about 116km (72 miles) from Chhattisgarh’s state capital, Raipur. Television channels showed images of one train colliding with another near the accident site. Rescuers are searching through the debris for survivors. The local passenger train hit the goods train from behind, senior

Hegseth confirms Trump support for Seoul’s nuclear...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/04

US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday that the United States will fully support Korea’s plan to develop nuclear-powered submarines, reaffirming US President Donald Trump’s prior approval of the initiative. “President Trump has approved this historic step, and I want to reaffirm that decision. As defence authorities, we will, of course, do our best to actively and fully support it,” Hegseth said during a joint press conference with South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back

Australia offers free solar power to households in...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/04

Australian households will be able to access three hours a day of free solar power under an energy-saving programme that the government unveiled on Tuesday and will begin next year. “We want to see the benefits of renewable energy flow to all,” Energy Minister Chris Bowen told national broadcaster ABC. In a statement, he said that the Solar Sharer scheme will be rolled out from next year in some jurisdictions, including New South Wales and South Australia, before a possible expansion. “It’s

Indonesia’s China-funded ‘Whoosh’ railway faces...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/04

Indonesia’s anti-corruption watchdog has launched a preliminary investigation into the construction of the US$7.3 billion Jakarta–Bandung High-speed Railway that analysts say could implicate senior figures in the administration of former president Joko Widodo. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) confirmed last week that it was gathering evidence related to alleged irregularities in how the China-funded project, popularly known as “Whoosh”, was awarded and managed. “The investigation

India begins controversial voter revision in 12...

Asia - South China Morning Post ·

2025/11/04

India launched a revision of its voter rolls on Tuesday, expanding a contentious exercise that activists warn could fuel disenfranchisement in the world’s largest democracy. The three-month voter registration overhaul – known as the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) – kicked off in 12 states and territories, many of which are slated to hold local elections next year. Tens of thousands of election officials and nearly half a million volunteers will go door-to-door to help residents complete

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