South China Morning Post - Australasia

Australia said on Friday it had sanctioned two North Korean individuals and companies over the use of “fraudulent” IT workers and cybercrime to earn cash for the isolated nuclear-armed state. The two men are alleged to be key operators in Pyongyang’s cybercriminal activities overseas, estimated by analysts to bring in billions for the country’s weapons programme. “The North Kore...

A man has been charged with threatening an Australian lawmaker’s staff with nunchucks, police said on Thursday, days after another legislator was critically injured when a man repeatedly hit her with a car. The incidents are heightening concerns about female politicians’ safety and raising concerns about security in a country where lawmakers are highly accessible to the public. ...

Australia and East Timor signed a defence deal on Thursday to boost cyber and maritime security as Canberra seeks to curb China’s influence among its island neighbours. Australia is East Timor’s largest defence and security partner and the agreement will significantly increase defence exercises, Defence Minister Richard Marles told reporters. “This is a time to double down on fr...

Australian barber Ricky Jefferies has been hailed as a hero ⁠for running out of ⁠his store to detain a man who ⁠authorities allege deliberately drove a car into lawmaker Helen Haines in the small town of Wangaratta, an incident that has shocked the country. Jefferies had just finished haircuts for a young family on Monday when he said he heard a “loud bang” outside his shop and ...

Australian ⁠lawmaker Helen Haines was in a critical condition on Monday after being deliberately struck by a ‌car outside her office in Wangaratta, northeast of Melbourne, police and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. “All of our thoughts are with Helen, ⁠her family, her friends, her team, and ‌her community at this extremely difficult time. We are praying ‌for her full recov...