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1. ‘Half of me has died’: toxic mines threaten Southeast Asia’s rivers

   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...

2. India’s submarine deficit persists as China bolsters Pakistan’s undersea power

   The Indian Navy marks a milestone on Monday 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 the Indian Navy’s long-standing failure to modernise its conventional submarine fleet, analysts say. This leaves India vulnerable to the...

3. Hongkongers happy with their weight, stressed about finances and jobs: Cigna

   Hongkongers are happy with their current weight and want to stay fit, but are dissatisfied with their finances and jobs, according to a Cigna Healthcare International survey released on Monday. Only 36 per cent of respondents in the city aimed to lose weight, below the global average of 46 per cent and 41 per cent in Asia-Pacific, according to the survey of over 11,000 respondents in 13 markets,...

4. Dozens kidnapped from Catholic school in Nigeria escape captors

   Fifty of the more than 300 students kidnapped from a Nigerian Catholic school last week have escaped and have been reunited with their parents, the Catholic Church and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) said on Sunday. But around 253 of the kidnapped children, along with 12 staff members and teachers, are still with the kidnappers, said CAN Chairman Bulus Yohanna, a Catholic Bishop who is...

5. Standard X-rays to stay free despite fee overhaul at Hong Kong public hospitals

   Standard X-ray services at Hong Kong’s public hospitals will remain free under a medical fee reform that will introduce charges for radiology procedures from next year, the Hospital Authority has announced. But about 40 per cent of patients using computed tomography (CT) scans will be charged HK$500 (US$64) per examination. Patients using non-urgent radiology services will also have to settle...

6. China’s new tech war warriors: PhD graduates without a thesis

   China’s top defence university is piloting a scheme that allows PhD students to graduate with a product or design instead of a thesis in an effort to solve “bottleneck” engineering problems amid the tech race with the United States. Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) – dubbed one of China’s “Seven Sons of National Defence” because of its contributions to defence research and technology – is...

7. Japan’s visa fees are set to jump. Will it worsen foreign labour shortages?

   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,...

8. Hong Kong and Singapore prime office rents set to equalise by 2027: CBRE

   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...

9. Hong Kong can take inspiration from its athletes’ winning spirit

   The National Games have been a nice distraction, bringing a reprieve from the daily grind and demands of life. Watching competitive sports and sharing in the anticipation, and the highs and the lows, temporarily transports us to another realm. Whether we’re on the edge of our seats in the stands or in the comfort of our homes, we experience something together. There is a sense of community and a...

10. Former South Korean rock star implicated in US$136 million fraud scheme

    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...