Asia - South China Morning Post

Allies of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte lost their grip in the Senate on Monday after 15 lawmakers backed a leadership change that could alter the balance of power over corruption probes and Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s scuttled impeachment trial.

The process took just 24 minutes – from a motion to declare the post of Senate president vacant to the swearing-in of Vicente Sotto III, a veteran lawmaker who is allied with President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, for the role. Sotto’s...

Police arrested 260 people and deployed tear gas in Pakistan’s poorest province during a strike on Monday, as protesters demanded accountability over a suicide attack claimed by Islamic State (Isis).

Businesses shut and demonstrators took to the streets across more than a dozen cities in Balochistan in response to a September 2 bombing at a political rally that killed 15 people.

In the provincial capital Quetta, police arrested protesters blocking a road and fired tear gas to disperse...

Malaysians from the highest income group are increasingly turning to public hospitals for treatment as surging private healthcare costs drive up insurance premiums, with lawmakers and industry professionals warning of more pressure on the national healthcare system.

The cost of private healthcare in Malaysia rose by nearly 12 per cent in 2024, well above the global average of about 6 per cent, according to a report on medical trends around the world by professional services firm Aon.

A separate...

South Korea has recorded a surge in reports of stalking within a few years of the enactment of tougher laws that were introduced following a high-profile murder case.

A total of 13,269 stalking cases were reported nationwide in 2024, up from 7,626 in 2022, according to data released on Sunday by the Ministry of Justice. In the first seven months of this year, 7,981 cases were filed, suggesting the total for 2025 could surpass that of last year, figures submitted to lawmakers show.

In October...

A former Japanese mayor who resigned over 99 sexual harassment allegations has been elected as a town councillor, officials said on Monday, sparking anger and shock online.

Hideo Kojima stepped down in March last year after an official investigation accused him of incidents of harassment in the town in central Gifu region, including touching a colleague’s breasts and buttocks.

An official in the town said Kojima had been elected, with the town website showing he came in second among the 10...

A woman accused of killing her two young children and hiding their bodies in suitcases stood trial in New Zealand on Monday, in a case that has transfixed the country since the remains were discovered in 2022.

Lee Hak-yung, 44, appeared at the Auckland High Court. A Korean-born New Zealander, she is accused of killing her children – six-year-old Minu Jo and eight-year-old Yuna Jo – in 2018, shortly after the death of her husband from cancer.

The children’s remains lay undiscovered for years...

Less than 24 hours after Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation as prime minister, Japan’s ruling party faces a leadership contest that few seem eager to win and even fewer to survive, as it lays bare internal rivalries.

Few within Japanese politics were truly taken aback when Ishiba confirmed his decision to step down as leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in a televised address on Sunday evening.

On Monday, former LDP secretary general Toshimitsu Motegi became the first to throw his...

As Mount Fuji looms tranquilly over Tokyo’s skyline, city officials are racing to prepare for a disaster that has not struck in more than three centuries – but could happen “at any time”.

For the first time, authorities in Japan’s capital have mapped out exactly how they would evacuate millions if the dormant volcano awakens, in an overhaul of the city’s disaster playbook.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s new volcano disaster prevention plan outlines which roads will be cleared first and...

A 41-year-old woman has been charged with assault in Malaysia after she attempted to embrace the Sultan of Perak last month.

The incident, which took place in front of the Ipoh Town Hall at 8.20am on August 31 during Independence Day celebrations, has prompted scrutiny of security arrangements surrounding Malaysia’s royalty.

Nurhaswani Afni Mohamad Zorki from Kampung Manjoi appeared before Magistrate Mohd Harith Mohd Mazlan on Monday, where she was formally charged under Section 352 of the Penal...

Thailand’s influential former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra arrived back in the country on Monday, his political party said, a day before a Supreme Court verdict that could potentially send the tycoon to prison.

Thaksin left Thailand unannounced on Thursday, prompting frenzied speculation he had fled into exile to avoid possible jail amid a scramble for power. On Friday, the government led by the Pheu Thai party he backs fell after it lost a vote in parliament to a rival party.

“He has...