Ex-NBA player fights cancer in Singapore, porn star mocks Bali arrest: 7 Asia highlights

From ex-NBA player’s cancer treatment to backlash against Malaysia’s ‘moral police’, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting

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Ex-NBA player Jason Collins, who is in Singapore for an experimental brain cancer treatment, has identified the city state as the quickest way to get the treatment. Photo: Jean Iau

Published: 1:03pm, 16 Dec 2025Updated: 2:01pm, 16 Dec 2025

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. ‘It’s life’: ex-NBA star in Singapore for brain cancer treatment exudes hope

Former National Basketball Association (NBA) centre Jason Collins, who has a deadly form of brain cancer, is undergoing an experimental treatment in Singapore, with those involved in the trial hailing the city state’s reputation as a medical innovation hub.

2. Japan’s English skills crash to record low, behind Laos and Vietnam

Japan’s ability to communicate effectively in English has dropped to its lowest level in more than a decade, according to a global ranking that paints a worrying picture for a nation that prides itself on being an economic and educational powerhouse.

3. Brutal dog killing in Philippines sparks outrage, calls for tougher protections

A photo of Axle circulating on social media (left) and a screenshot from the viral video showing the moments before the dog was fatally beaten in Sadanga, Mountain Province. Photos: Handout

The killing of a pet dog in the northern Philippines has ignited widespread outrage and reopened debate on the country’s weak animal welfare protections after disturbing footage of the incident went viral online.

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