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Zoey Zhang

It can be a weird and wonderful world, full of delights, disappointments and surprising developments.
Here, the Post highlights some strange goings on in the news around Asia.
Feline pain
A Japanese AI-powered app can detect cat pain through the facial expressions of the animal.
CatsMe! was developed by the tech startup Carelogy and researchers at Nihon University, who trained the artificial intelligence (AI) model using 6,000 pictures of cats.
The developers say it is more than 95 per cent accurate and expect that to improve as more feline faces are added.

Studies show that cats are very adept at hiding pain.
Only subtle changes to their behaviour occur when they feel pain, making it difficult for owners to notice.
CatsMe! aims to help fix that and allow them to take timely action.
An ageing population and declining birth rate have seen pets become more important in Japanese households.
Last year, there were nearly 16 million pet cats and dogs in the country, according to the Japan Pet Food Association, outnumbering children under the age of 15.
Since its launch in 2023, CatsMe! has been used by more than 230,000 customers.
Maotai mind-change
A robbery gang from the southwestern city of Chongqing in China smashed the windows of a Porsche sportscar in a garage in a high-end residential community and stole 18 bottles of Maotai liquor.

However, an online search revealed that their loot was super expensive and the lightweight thieves returned the alcohol to the garage, fearing the punishment they would face, according to The Paper.
Maotai is a type of baijiu, a Chinese liquor, produced in Guizhou province in southwest China. It is renowned for its unique salty aroma and high brand value.
Older vintages have a collectible and investment value, with a 30-year-old bottle typically worth as much as 20,000 yuan (US$2,800).
Police said the gang targeted high-end residential areas, searching cars in garages for valuables. A total of seven suspects have been detained.
Wage-slave voyeurs
A café in Japan has set up a vantage point so that customers can observe one of the country’s best known, so called salarymen or “wage slaves” on their way to and from work.
Also known as shachiku, they are employees who obediently work for their company, never complain about overwork and are exploited like livestock.
The Blue Bottle Coffee outlet is on the third floor of Shinagawa Station in southern Tokyo, a well-known hub for office workers, with a daily traffic volume of up to one million.

Through its floor-to-ceiling windows, customers can enjoy their coffee while overlooking the bustling crowd of commuters.
Many foreign visitors claimed on social media that watching people commute is more enjoyable than drinking coffee.
However, some view the activity as disrespectful.
An online observer on X described the pastime as “misery tourism”, a form of behaviour by which people derive pleasure from the suffering of others.
The café has now posted a notice that reads, “No photography. We know this view is irresistible, but out of respect for our fellow travellers, please refrain from photographing the commute below.”


Brazilian woman killed after being thrown off bridge without rope is buried in Sao Paulo

In Malaysia, video of cuddling couple renews debate over public displays of affection

Hundreds join protest led by India’s viral ‘cockroach’ youth movement

FamilyMart Malaysia apologises, suspends worker filmed throwing hot soup at Grab rider

Viral stories

Quirky world news: cat pain app, China robbers’ booze rethink, Japan ‘wage slave’ voyeurs

The Post gives a snapshot of some of the weird and wonderful stories in the news around Asia. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/YouTube/Weixin/Weibo

Developers in Japan have come up with an app that can detect pain in cats by their facial expressions. Photo: taiwanplus.com

Three members of the scared gang of robbers who have been detained by police in China. Photo: Chongqing police

The café in Japan has been criticised online for being “disrespectful” to commuters. Photo: QQ.com

China KOL who claims to be champion of working classes in videos exposed as ‘heartless boss’ in real life

An online influencer in China who plays the role of a worker’s champion in her videos has has been exposed as a heartless boss in real life. Photo: Shutterstock

The influencer plays a character who fights injustice and promotes equality. Photo: The Paper

The KOL’s company has admitted wrongdoing and says it will change its ways. Photo: ifeng.com

Singapore boy, 14, develops bodybuilding passion which helps him cope with dyslexia, boosts confidence

A 14-year-old dyslexic boy in Singapore has impressed social media with his impressive workout regime, and his physique. Photo: SCMP composite/Instagram

Teenager Lee says his intense workout regime has helped him with his studies. Photo: Instagram

The youngster with his coach who says social media influence is driving young men to the gym. Photo: Instagram

Date my cat: China youth host matchmaking events for pets to relieve stress, pressure to get married

Young adults in China are staging online matchmaking events for their pets in a bid to relieve the stresses and strains of modern life. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock

Online matchmaking advertisments showcase cats and outline their “personality traits”. Photo: Weibo

Online observers of the pet matchmaking trend suggest that it is an antidote to stress. Photo: Shutterstock

‘Ghost marriage’ for Malaysian couple killed in car accident symbolises union in afterlife

The grieving families of an about-to-be-married Chinese couple killed in a car accident in Malaysia are to hold a “ghost marriage” for the pair so they can be together in the afterlife. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/chinapress.com

The couple perished when their car overturned on a road in northwestern Malaysia. Photo: Chinapress.com

“Ghost marriages” are banned in China but the practice persists in remote regions. Photo: Shutterstock

‘No aunties allowed’: South Korea gym only wants elegant ladies, bans the loud and unruly

A South Korean gym has stoked controversy by banning so-called “aunties” from their facility. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock

The gym says so-called aunties abuse both its younger members and its facilities. Photo: Getty Images

 The fitness facility’s owner claims groups of “aunties” turn the gym into “their own world”. Photo: AFP

News

People & Culture

Trending in China

Strange new round-up finds app to detect cat pain, pricey liquor-returning robbers in China, and ‘wage slave’ voyeurs in Japan


The Post’s round-up of quirky world news details an app that detects pain in cats, a robbery gang in China who returned their expensive loot, and “disrespectful” voyeurism in Japan.


Japan

Quirky world news: cat pain app, China robbers’ booze rethink, Japan ‘wage slave’ voyeurs

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Strange new round-up finds app to detect cat pain, pricey liquor-returning robbers in China, and ‘wage slave’ voyeurs in Japan

Feline pain

Strange new round-up finds app to detect cat pain, pricey liquor-returning robbers in China, and ‘wage slave’ voyeurs in Japan