Asia - South China Morning Post

Two suicide bombers attacked the headquarters of a security force in northwestern Pakistan on Monday morning, killing three officers and wounding 11 others, police and rescue officials said.

The attack took place in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, when security forces were preparing for the morning parade at the sprawling facility located in the heart of the city, Peshawar Police Chief Saeed Ahmad said.

He said one attacker detonated his explosives at...

North Korea’s wealth gap is reportedly widening, as luxury goods circulate among affluent border residents while ordinary citizens face growing extreme poverty.

Economic disparities in areas near the Chinese border have become more pronounced compared with the period before trade resumed, according to Daily NK on Friday.

In cities such as Hoeryong in North Hamgyong province and Hyesan in Ryanggang province, cross-border commerce through customs offices has increased, and the number of high-end...

For most of her life, 59-year-old farmer Tip Kamlue has irrigated her fields in northern Thailand with the waters of the Kok River, which flows down from neighbouring Myanmar before joining with the Mekong River that cuts through Southeast Asia.

But since April, after authorities warned residents to stop using the Kok’s water because of concerns over contamination, Tip has been using groundwater to grow pumpkins, garlic, sweetcorn and okra.

“It’s like half of me has died,” Tip said, standing by...

The Indian Navy has marked a milestone with the launch of its first locally made anti-submarine ship, but it still faces a naval capabilities gap compared with arch-rival Pakistan, which is set to acquire potent Chinese-made submarines.

The core issue is New Delhi’s long-standing failure to modernise its conventional submarine fleet, analysts say. This leaves India vulnerable to the new-generation, air-independent propulsion (AIP) equipped Hangor-class vessels that Beijing is supplying to...

Japan’s plan to sharply raise residency visa fees for foreigners to levels comparable with Western countries has split opinion among expatriates, who fear the move could worsen the nation’s persistent labour shortages.

Officials say the additional revenue will be used to “improve conditions for the rapidly growing foreign resident population” and enhance efforts to deport illegal immigrants, according to a Yomiuri Shimbun report on Thursday, citing government sources.

A bill to amend the...

Prime office rents in Hong Kong and Singapore are expected to reach parity within two years, driven by diverging dynamics in demand and supply for office properties in the rival business hubs, according to CBRE.

By the fourth quarter of 2027, tenants in premium office spaces in Hong Kong were set to pay just over US$122 per square foot per year, while those in Singapore would face slightly higher costs at about US$123 per square foot annually, said Ada Choi, head of research for Asia-Pacific at...

A former member of the South Korean rock band Boohwal has been identified as one of 69 people implicated in a Ponzi scheme that collected more than 200 billion won (US$136 million) from illegal investments and stole 19 billion won.

Police said singer Kim Jae-hee, 54, who once performed as Boohwal’s fourth vocalist, took part in promotional activities that helped recruit victims.

According to the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency on Sunday, Kim was among those sent to prosecutors on charges...

Snapchat has begun asking teenage Australians to verify their ages, the company said on Monday, just weeks before Canberra enforces sweeping laws banning under-16s from social media.

From December 10, Australia will force social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, to remove users under the age of 16 or face hefty fines.

“Starting this week, many users will be asked to verify their age to continue accessing Snapchat,” the company said.

Users will be able to do so using an...

When activist Sudirman Arshad walked into a Kota Kinabalu police station last month, the 22-year-old expected to file a routine report after a minor traffic accident. Instead, he was held for hours and questioned under Malaysia’s Sedition Act over a rally he had helped organise.

The experience left him shaken, but also confirmed a nagging suspicion: Sabah’s political establishment has finally realised that Gen Z is no longer content to sit quietly on the sidelines.

His brush with the law came as...

South Korea, under President Lee Jae-myung, has repeatedly proclaimed its desire to improve relations and re-engage in diplomacy with North Korea. Yet a landmark agreement with Washington formalised last week reveals a starkly different priority: advancing military capabilities that will almost certainly drive the two Koreas further apart.

The United States has officially approved South Korea’s pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines while supporting Seoul’s efforts to secure uranium enrichment...