Asia - South China Morning Post

India’s capital city of New Delhi recorded more than 200,000 cases of acute respiratory illnesses at six state-run hospitals between 2022 and 2024, government numbers showed, highlighting the adverse effects of toxic air on health.

Delhi, with its sprawling metropolitan region of 30 million residents, is regularly ranked among the world’s most polluted capitals.

India’s health ministry told parliament on Tuesday that air pollution was one of the triggering factors for respiratory...

Indonesian authorities on Thursday named a Chinese executive of a metal smelting company as a suspect in a caesium-137 contamination case that resulted in the recall of some exports to the US.

Lin Jingzhang, who is a director of PT Peter Metal Technology (PMT), has been designated as a suspect, Bara Hasibuan, a spokesperson for the investigating task force, said.

“The Certain Crimes Directorate of the Indonesian National Police’s Criminal Investigation Unit has named Lin Jingzhang, a citizen of...

Malaysia said on Thursday that it would consider a proposal by Singapore to jointly develop water infrastructure in southern Johor, signalling the intention of both sides to move beyond decades of rancour over the vital resource.

The two countries have for years disagreed over various issues related to water supply, ranging from prices to the interpretation of the 1962 water agreement signed by them. Malaysia has argued that Johor’s water is sold too cheaply to Singapore.

With Johor experiencing...

India’s hard-won reputation as the world’s back office, built on trusted call-centre and IT services, is coming under pressure as increasingly sophisticated cyber scam networks emerge within the same digital ecosystem that underpins its outsourcing success.

A police raid late last month on a Hyderabad call centre that allegedly trained tele-callers to mimic Australian accents has sharpened those concerns, with analysts warning that organised fraud rings could erode confidence in India’s service...

Chaos gripped Indian airports on Thursday after the country’s largest airline IndiGo cancelled more than 1,200 flights, stranding thousands of passengers.

The company blamed the disruption on “unforeseen operational challenges” including technical glitches, adverse weather and new rules for workers.

India’s aviation watchdog ordered an investigation and demanded that IndiGo respond with plans to ease the interruptions, which have persisted since Monday.

Passengers vented their anger online, with...

December 3 was the one-year anniversary of then-President Yoon Suk-yeol’s temporary declaration of martial law in South Korea.

To mark the occasion, more than 200 people were led on a tour of the National Assembly, which was seized by troops during the political crisis that shook the country.

New Delhi, with its sprawling metropolitan region of 30 million residents, is regularly ranked among the world’s most polluted capitals. The city recorded more than 200,000 cases of acute respiratory illness at six state-run hospitals between 2022 and 2024, government numbers showed, highlighting the adverse effects of toxic air on health.

With rising tensions between Beijing and Tokyo disrupting travel plans, Chinese tourists are actively seeking alternative destinations for their winter getaways. While South Korea hopes to capitalise on this diverted tourist flow, it faces fierce competition from popular hotspots like Thailand, Russia and other destinations, according to travel industry officials.

The diplomatic spat began when Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested potential military intervention in the Taiwan Strait,...

A dating platform in Brazil that markets paid encounters with Korean men styled as K-drama “oppa” is under investigation for sexual exploitation, with the South Korean consulate in Sao Paulo appealing for potential victims to come forward.

KDramaDate advertises itself as a service that lets women “relive the magic of K-dramas”, offering curated outings with Korean men at cafes, barbecue restaurants and popular city landmarks. One package includes what the site describes as an “intimate...

Last year, Mutalib Uthman could only look on helplessly as flames consumed his home, reducing everything he owned to ashes in a wall of thick, black smoke.

The book publisher from Selangor said a faulty fuse box on the lower floor had sparked the blaze inside his home in Bandar Baru Bangi. Despite a neighbour trying to help with a fire extinguisher, the two-storey home near Putrajaya was quickly destroyed.

“The box was inside the store room, which was full of unused items,” he told This Week in...