8 h. ago China’s rebuilding of Micronesian airport runway raises alarm in US

The rebuilding of a World War II-era airfield in Micronesia with the help of Chinese companies has raised alarm in the United States, with US defence analysts warning about Beijing’s growing footprint in the strategic western Pacific. Cleo Paskal, a non-resident senior fellow at the Washington-based Foundation for Defence of Democracies, posted a video on social media last week showing an airport runway being rebuilt on Woleai, a remote 4.5 sq km atoll in Micronesia’s Yap state. “Chinese company...

Events

9 h. ago Malaysian cook’s toddler abuse at Singapore preschool covered up by staff who deleted CCTV

Three former members of a Singapore preschool’s senior management admitted on Friday to covering up the offences of a cook who molested toddlers at the preschool where they all worked. The cook, 61-year-old Teo Guan Huat, had molested three toddlers during naptime over seven months in 2023. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to more than nine years’ jail last month. The three members of senior management were the 59-year-old executive director, 61-year-old principal and 49-year-old...

Events

9 h. ago TikTok seals US deal but core algorithm could still rattle ties with China

TikTok may have dodged a US ban but unresolved questions about its algorithm could remain a source of tension in the broader US-China relationship, according to analysts. ByteDance, the parent company of the social media site, signed a binding agreement this week to divest its US entity into a joint venture controlled by a consortium of American investors, ending years of legal and political uncertainties. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said in an internal memo on Thursday that the deal effectively...

Technology

11 h. ago Singapore cracks down on scammers with mandatory caning as fraud cases surge

Singapore’s government said on Friday that scammers will face mandatory caning of up to 24 strokes from December 30, under changes to criminal law to deter surging fraud cases. The changes, passed by parliament last month, strengthen penalties that already include imprisonment and fines. The Home Affairs Ministry said the enhanced punishment “ensure that our criminal laws remain effective, fair, and responsive to emerging challenges”. Under the changes, scammers, including recruiters and members...

Politics

15 h. ago Hulk smash as Malaysian officer rips car door off its hinges

A Malaysian police officer’s superhero moment has gone viral after dashcam footage showed him wrenching open a suspect’s car door with his bare hands during a chase. The two-minute clip, widely shared on social media, shows a car being driven against the flow of traffic on a busy road in Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah on Malaysian Borneo, before it is intercepted by police. In the video, the suspect’s vehicle screeches to a halt as an officer repeatedly orders the driver to step out. When...

Events

15 h. ago Hulk smash? Malaysian officer rips car door off hinges while chasing suspect

A Malaysian police officer’s superhero moment has gone viral after dashcam footage showed him wrenching open a suspect’s car door with his bare hands during a chase. The two-minute clip, widely shared on social media, shows a car being driven against the flow of traffic on a busy road in Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah on Malaysian Borneo, before it is intercepted by police. In the video, the suspect’s vehicle screeches to a halt as an officer repeatedly orders the driver to step out. When...

Events

16 h. ago Russia slams ‘unfounded’ claims of citizens fighting for Cambodia in Thailand border war

Russia has dismissed reports of its nationals fighting for Cambodia in the escalating border clash with Thailand, saying the “unfounded assertions undermine” the traditionally friendly ties between Moscow and Bangkok. The Russian embassy in the Southeast Asian kingdom said in a social media post on Monday that the claims emerged from outside Thailand. Thailand and Cambodia are locked in a deadly conflict that has killed dozens and displaced hundreds of thousands of people on both sides of the...

Events

17 h. ago Chinese rookie cop resembles Taiwan actor Eddie Peng goes viral, attracts 1 million likes

A Shanghai police officer who looks uncannily like the famous Taiwan actor Eddie Peng Yu-yan has trended on social media. A video clip of the officer, who only joined the force quite recently, has racked up over one million likes. Officer Gu Chenhan, who is in his early 20s, patrols underground stations across Shanghai accompanied by a police dog nicknamed Fries, according to a report by Shanghai TV. Gu first attracted attention in September 2023 when, as a police university student, he was sent...

Events

17 h. ago Chinese rookie cop resembling Taiwan actor Eddie Peng goes viral, attracts 1 million likes

A Shanghai police officer who looks uncannily like the famous Taiwan actor Eddie Peng Yu-yan has trended on social media. A video clip of the officer, who only joined the force quite recently, has racked up over one million likes. Officer Gu Chenhan, who is in his early 20s, patrols underground stations across Shanghai accompanied by a police dog nicknamed Fries, according to a report by Shanghai TV. Gu first attracted attention in September 2023 when, as a police university student, he was sent...

Events

37 h. ago China influencer imitating Blackpink’s Rosé provokes debate about fandom

A Chinese influencer’s imitation of Rosé from the South Korean K-pop girl group Blackpink at a pop-up shop has ignited an online debate over fan culture and celebrity identity. Rosé, who is known for her unique voice and versatile singing style, has more than 80 million followers on social media. The Korean-New Zealand singer’s career skyrocketed with the success of her solo track APT, after which she signed with top agency WME. A Chinese influencer called Daisy who identifies as a “blink”, the...

Politics

39 h. ago China's Momenta teams up with Grab on autonomous driving in Southeast Asia

China's Momenta teams up with Grab on autonomous driving in Southeast Asia  Reuters

Politics

41 h. ago China delivery rider saves US$160,000 in 5 years to pay off debts, is dubbed ‘Order King’

A frugal food-delivery worker in China who has saved 1.12 million yuan (US$160,000) over the past five years has won admiration online. Zhang Xueqiang, 25, came to Shanghai to take up the delivery job with a major platform in 2020. His move came after a breakfast shop operated by him and his friend in his hometown of Zhangzhou, Fujian province, southeastern China, closed down, leaving him 50,000 yuan (US$7,000) in debt. At the end of November, Zhang released a video on social media showing that...

Economics

43 h. ago Singapore fines man US$9,300 over vaping videos in deepening crackdown

A 25-year-old man was fined S$12,000 (US$9,300) on Wednesday for posting social media videos and photos of himself holding or using e-vaporisers in Singapore. The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said this is the first time it has prosecuted someone for posting images of himself vaping on social media. Krish Khalifa, who uses the account name “Rapperboya”, had posted several of these videos and photos on his YouTube, Instagram and TikTok channels between November 2023 and September 2024. He was...

Politics

45 h. ago US forces strike another alleged drug boat in eastern Pacific, killing 4

The US military said on Wednesday that it attacked a boat accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing four people on the same day the US House rejected efforts to limit President Donald Trump’s power to use military force against drug cartels. US Southern Command stated on social media that the vessel was operated by narco-terrorists along a known trafficking route. The military didn’t provide evidence behind the allegations but posted a video of a boat moving through water...

Events

46 h. ago How young Chinese learned to stop worrying and love themselves

After a pandemic that swept through the world, an economic slump and record-breaking unemployment rate, young Chinese have finally learned to love themselves. The hottest recent trend on Chinese social media has got to be “love you, good old self”. At first glance, it might seem a little schizophrenic – all of a sudden, the internet appears to be full of people answering their own questions. One post says, “Old self, I needed to save money, why did you spend it all?” Underneath it, the same...

Politics

46 h. ago Bondi Beach attack: Philippines rejects ‘outdated’ violent extremism portrayal

There is no evidence indicating that the two suspects involved in the Bondi Beach attack received any form of military training while in the Philippines, the Philippines’ National Security Adviser said on Wednesday. In a statement, Eduardo Ano said that a mere visit to the country does not substantiate allegations of terrorist training, and the duration of their stay would not have permitted any meaningful or structured training. The alleged father-and-son gunmen opened fire on a Hanukkah...

Events

47 h. ago Southeast Asia follows Australia in tightening social media rules: safety or censorship?

As Australia’s new restrictions on social media use by children under 16 take effect this month, governments across Southeast Asia are rolling out or weighing their own measures aimed at protecting young users online. From platform licensing rules in Malaysia to age-based access limits in Indonesia, the moves reflect a broader global push to rein in tech companies over child safety, cyberbullying and harmful content. But analysts say such policies can also open the door to wider regulatory...

Politics

49 h. ago Dan Bongino stepping down as FBI deputy director after less than a year

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino will step down from his post next month, he said on Wednesday, ending a short and at times tumultuous tenure as the bureau’s second highest-ranking official. Bongino announced the move on social media hours after President Donald Trump said he thought Bongino wanted to “go back to his show”. He hosted a prominent right-wing podcast prior to joining the FBI. “Dan did a great job. I think he wants to go back to his show,” Trump told reporters. Bongino, a former New...

Events

58 h. ago Miss Finland scandal: Finnish PM apologises to East Asia for MPs’ ‘racist’ gestures

Finland’s prime minister apologised on Wednesday to citizens of Japan, China and South Korea after MPs sparked outrage by posting pictures of themselves making derogatory squinting gestures. The parliamentarians from the populist Finns Party, which is part of the right-wing coalition government, posted images on social media where they pulled back the corners of their eyes – widely seen as a racist gesture targeting East Asian people. They claimed to have shared the pictures in support of the...

Politics

60 h. ago Are these the first pictures of China’s new military transport plane taking to the skies?

China’s newest transport aircraft has conducted its maiden flight, images circulating on social media suggested, as the People’s Liberation Army moves to update its tactical transport fleet. Photographs and videos circulating online on Tuesday showed a four-engine turboprop aircraft. The most detailed images showed it had six-blade propellers, a T-tail, a blended winglet configuration and possibly an aerial refuelling probe positioned above the cockpit – a structure found on the Airbus A400M. A...

Events