Asia - South China Morning Post

The last time Sugeng Widodo spoke to his wife, Indonesian domestic worker Sri Wahyuni, something did not feel right for him.

It was around 1pm Hong Kong time on November 26, just a few hours before a devastating fire would rip through Wang Fuk Court in the city’s Tai Po district, killing at least 159 people.

Wahyuni, 42, would be among the dead – her body found in a room in a fourth-floor flat at the estate, hugging her employer, a 93-year-old woman, according to Widodo, citing information...

Bali is considering a ban on Airbnb’s accommodation, its latest attempt to impose order on a resort island struggling to cope with a record surge in tourism.

Use of Airbnb-style rentals has exploded in recent years, eroding tax revenue from hotels even as foreign arrivals boom, Bali Governor I Wayan Koster told state news agency Antara. The proliferation of unregistered villas and guest houses in turn hampers the government’s ability to raise revenue to fund public services, he was quoted as...

Marife Dhoctor, 43, a domestic helper in the Philippines, is eagerly awaiting Christmas Eve, when families gather for a festive annual feast known as Noche Buena or “the good night”.

But this year, soaring prices have forced her family of five to stretch an already meagre budget to afford even a modest holiday meal.

Dhoctor and her husband, a construction worker, earn a combined daily wage of just over 1,000 pesos (US$17). Since construction work is irregular, the household often relies on her...

A story about Hotel Shilla CEO Lee Boo-jin’s son nearly acing South Korea’s national college entrance exam has already made headlines in the country, but the buzz did not stop there.

The news quickly leapt across the Pacific and began circulating among Korean mothers in the United States, where parents are reacting with equal parts envy and fascination.

Parents abroad said they were struck by how a Samsung scion managed to excel within South Korea’s intensely competitive school system.

Many...

The Pentagon said on Thursday it has endorsed the tripartite Aukus security pact with the United Kingdom and Australia, which would involve Canberra’s acquisition of at least three Virginia-class nuclear submarines within 15 years.

The administration of Donald Trump said earlier this year it was reviewing a 2021 deal for the nuclear-powered attack submarines signed under his presidential predecessor, Joe Biden.

The Department of Defence completed its five-month review, which endorsed the Aukus...

The year-end usually brings hordes of Singaporeans to Johor Bahru, but this holiday season, the city feels unusually quiet, according to business owners in the capital of the Malaysian state of Johor.

They believe this is due to the stronger Malaysian ringgit, with the drop becoming especially noticeable since last month.

Besides the ringgit’s strong performance, other factors included the unpredictable weather.

“November and December have always been the busiest period for businesses here, but...

A widely shared image on social media depicting colour sketches of men from different regions in China has stirred debate on the physical appearance of Singaporean Chinese based on their ancestry, with online users concluding they are the least attractive of the gene pool.

But psychotherapists say perceptions of beauty might be warped by media and celebrity culture, warning against the normalisation of conversations centred on physical appearance.

The discussion was prompted by drawings of male...

A widely shared image on social media depicting colour sketches of men from different regions in China has ignited debate on the physical appearance of Singaporean Chinese based on their ancestry, with online users concluding they are the least attractive of the gene pool.

But psychotherapists say perceptions of beauty might be warped by media and celebrity culture, warning against the normalisation of conversations centred on physical appearance.

The discussion was prompted by drawings of male...

A campaigner who has been calling for changes in the law to allow the prosecution of men who pay for sex in Japan has welcomed reports that the government is finally considering the proposal.

Experts warn, however, that the sex trade – often described as “the world’s oldest profession” – will inevitably adapt to new restrictions, making a more holistic approach essential.

Responding to a question from independent Diet member Rintaro Ogata on November 11, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said she...

Much has been written about China’s alleged role in the US opioid crisis. Chemicals from Chinese suppliers have supposedly been used by Mexican cartels to produce fentanyl, which is then trafficked into the United States where it has fuelled a deadly overdose crisis.

Successive US administrations have pressured Beijing to crack down on its chemical industry. China has taken repeated steps to regulate precursors, including most recently last month when it restricted 13 new chemicals at US...