74 m. ago Japan survey exposes social media’s role in disaster misinformation

More than a quarter of Japanese citizens were exposed to rumours or falsehoods on social media following natural disasters, according to a new survey, with some admitting they inadvertently hampered emergency responses by sharing the misinformation. The study was conducted by the Japanese Red Cross Society in the run-up to Disaster Prevention Day on Monday. The annual event commemorates the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, a magnitude-8 tremor that struck some 60km southwest of Tokyo and caused...

Events

3 d. ago Filipinos target ‘nepo babies’, Malaysia’s electric train: 7 Asia highlights

We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. What Vietnam’s South China Sea island-building spree means for Asean Vietnam’s rapid expansion of artificial island construction in the disputed Spratly Islands has put it on track to surpass China’s land reclamation in the South China Sea, according to new satellite...

Events

4 d. ago China wife ‘depressed’ after window cleaners see her asleep naked; demands rent cut

A woman in China has developed depression after two male window cleaners saw her asleep naked in her home. The woman and her husband live in Port Apartment, a high-end housing estate in Chengdu, in southwestern Sichuan province. They pay 10,000 yuan (US$1,400) a month in rent. Her plight captivated mainland social media after her husband, surnamed Cheng, exposed the situation online in the middle of August. The couple said they were not satisfied with the manner in which the property management...

Politics

4 d. ago Flood of anger: why Filipinos are turning to social media to expose corruption

As public scrutiny intensifies over anomalous flood control projects in the Philippines, Filipinos have turned to social media spaces such as Reddit to expose the lavish lifestyles of the children of the contractors and public officials linked to the ongoing investigations. Social media accounts and online communities have emerged over the past week, reuploading and collecting videos and posts of certain individuals flaunting their lavish lifestyles, from riding private jets and expensive...

Events

4 d. ago Flood of anger: why Filipinos turn to social media to expose ‘nepo babies’

As public scrutiny intensifies over anomalous flood control projects in the Philippines, Filipinos have turned to social media spaces such as Reddit to expose the lavish lifestyles of the children of the contractors and public officials linked to the ongoing investigations. Social media accounts and online communities have emerged over the past week, reuploading and collecting videos and posts of certain individuals flaunting their lavish lifestyles, from riding private jets and expensive...

Events

2 w. ago Philippine president fumes over flood corruption, ‘economic sabotage’

President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has expressed anger over failed flood-control projects in the Philippines, as he warned of “economic sabotage” charges against “big” offenders to stem entrenched corruption in the infrastructure sector. “I’m not disappointed, I’m angry,” Marcos told local media after inspecting a barren site in Bulacan where a 55 million-peso (US$964,000) river wall was supposed to have been built. “They didn’t work for even a single day. Even if you see it for yourself, you won’t...

Events