https://www.scmp.com/rss/323173/feed Ben O'Rourke worked at the Post until 2019. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com “Proudly Philippines,” says jeepney maker Don Salvaleon, nodding towards the country’s flag stuck on one of the vehicles in his workshop in Rizal province, about two hours southeast of central Manila. While the vehicles fill a gaping hole in public transport left unaddressed by the government, Filipinos have a love-hate relationship with them. A jeepney ride starts at nine pesos in cities and eight pesos in provinces, with each able to carry about 13 passengers, though the colourfully decorated... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/2184469/philippines-plans-run-jeepneys-road-drivers-say-their-livelihoods?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/2184469/philippines-plans-run-jeepneys-road-drivers-say-their-livelihoods?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Jan 2019 07:25:02 +0000 Walking along tree-lined roads past the shiny buildings of Bonifacio Global City, you could be fooled into thinking you were in Singapore, until you realise it is impossible to find a roti prata stall. The district is smack in the middle of Metro Manila but is a pedestrian-friendly oasis in the hectic Philippine capital. BGC is a business and residential district that used to be known as The Fort. It was Fort Bonifacio, headquarters of the Philippine army and before that, Fort McKinley, built in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/2183540/big-brother-huawei-watches-philippine-city-does-china-too?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/2183540/big-brother-huawei-watches-philippine-city-does-china-too?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Jan 2019 04:00:00 +0000 Hands down, new Vietnam attraction is the coolest bridge in Asia In the forested hills of central Vietnam two giant concrete hands emerge from the trees, holding up a glimmering golden bridge crowded with gleeful visitors taking photos. The country’s latest eccentric tourist attraction is designed to make visitors feel like they are strolling on a shimmering thread stretching across the hands of gods. Cau Vang, which means “Golden Bridge”, has attracted hordes of guests since it opened in the Ba... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2158224/asia-3-minutes-suicide-surge-singapore-goat-rapists-run-india?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2158224/asia-3-minutes-suicide-surge-singapore-goat-rapists-run-india?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Aug 2018 12:18:09 +0000 Elon Musk ‘apologises’ for calling Thai cave rescuer a ‘pedo’ on Twitter Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk apologised to a Briton who helped rescue a group of boys and their soccer coach from a cave in Thailand, after calling him a “pedo” on Twitter. Vernon Unsworth had said he was considering legal action and was “astonished and very angry” about the slur. Musk deleted the offending tweet, which was made after Unsworth questioned the usefulness of a mini-submarine Musk offered to help the rescue,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2156219/asia-3-minutes-elon-musks-apology-doesnt-go-far-enough-japans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2156219/asia-3-minutes-elon-musks-apology-doesnt-go-far-enough-japans?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Jul 2018 12:10:56 +0000 Blogger killed by troll after giving lecture on settling online disputes A well-known Japanese blogger has been stabbed to death by an internet user he had argued with, soon after giving a talk on “how to manage disputes online”. Kenichiro Okamoto, known as Hagex, was reportedly followed to the toilets and stabbed several times in the back after a conference in Fukuoka, southwestern Japan, according to local media. According to his blog, the 41-year-old wanted to “share his experiences about... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2153092/asia-3-minutes-dispute-expert-killed-dispute-malaysia-mosque?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2153092/asia-3-minutes-dispute-expert-killed-dispute-malaysia-mosque?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Jun 2018 10:45:46 +0000 Viral photo of bird with beak bound by plastic ring leads to its rescue A bird that had its beak sealed shut by a plastic ring, captivating social media with its plight, has been rescued in India. A photo of the male black-necked stork spread on bird forums and gained international attention. A birder named Manoj Nair took the photo in a wetland in Gurgaon, a suburb of New Delhi. After the image was posted online, birders and wildlife officials mounted a frantic search for the bird, which was... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2151076/asia-3-minutes-japan-finds-dead-man-walking-australians-dress?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2151076/asia-3-minutes-japan-finds-dead-man-walking-australians-dress?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Jun 2018 11:59:09 +0000 Dessert at landmark Korean summit is hard to digest in Tokyo A mango mousse that was on the menu for Friday’s summit between the leaders of North and South Korea caused a stir in Tokyo – because it featured a map of the Korean peninsula that included islands Japan claims as its own. The mousse, subtitled “Spring of the People” in a publicity photo for the dinner between the South’s President Moon Jae-in and the North’s Kim Jong-un featured the islands known as Takeshima in Japan and Dokdo in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2143700/asia-3-minutes-korea-summit-dessert-leaves-sour-taste-japanese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2143700/asia-3-minutes-korea-summit-dessert-leaves-sour-taste-japanese?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Apr 2018 09:43:35 +0000 If American director Brian De Palma’s Scarface taught viewers anything more than a few great lines of dialogue to spice up pub chatter, it was that the illegal drugs business is a violent one and even successful careers can unexpectedly end in gruesome death – often carried out by colleagues.  If much of the world’s media is to be believed, there’s a modern version of the flawed masterpiece being played out right now in the Philippines that rivals the excessive violence of the 1983 film. But as... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/2138255/say-hello-my-little-friend-there-hollywood-ending-dutertes-drug?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/2138255/say-hello-my-little-friend-there-hollywood-ending-dutertes-drug?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Mar 2018 03:30:51 +0000 Doctors in India suspended after patient used lost leg for pillow Indian authorities have suspended two doctors and launched an investigation after a patient’s severed leg was used as a pillow to prop up his head. Administrators at the public hospital in Uttar Pradesh vowed “strict action” after images appeared online of a patient on a stretcher with his amputated limb being used as a headrest. “We have set up a four-member committee to find out who put the severed leg under the patient’s head,”... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2137529/asia-3-minutes-japan-scandalised-free-boobs-youtube-india?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2137529/asia-3-minutes-japan-scandalised-free-boobs-youtube-india?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Mar 2018 09:00:45 +0000 Land of a Thousand insults: Thailand angry at Gambia for sex tourism label Gambia has apologised to Thailand after its foreign minister said the country was a haven for sex tourists, sparking a strongly worded protest from Bangkok. Hamat Bah said on state television in January that Gambia, a sunny beach destination favoured by Western tourists especially from Scandinavia, was losing out to nearby Cabo Verde after gaining a reputation as a sex haven. “The fact is that this country’s image has... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2136386/asia-3-minutes-bad-week-genghis-khan-thailands-reputation-shape?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2136386/asia-3-minutes-bad-week-genghis-khan-thailands-reputation-shape?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Mar 2018 09:02:10 +0000 The ‘proof’ is in the Poo: Thai building tycoon pinched for animal poaching Thai officials are testing human faeces found at a campsite in a wildlife sanctuary to try to prove their case against a tycoon accused of illegal poaching. Construction magnate Premchai Karnasuta has denied poaching charges against him and three others. They were arrested this month in Thungyai Naresuan national park, where rangers stumbled upon their camp and found illegal guns and animal carcasses. The slain animals... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2134467/asia-3-minutes-tycoon-runs-afoul-law-thailand-new-law-protects?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2134467/asia-3-minutes-tycoon-runs-afoul-law-thailand-new-law-protects?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Feb 2018 15:06:37 +0000 It may seem a great spot to set up a business – on a busy road and opposite an airport. But maybe not when you are dealing shabu. The Chinese methamphetamine makers who picked the place did not live long enough to regret it. The sign on the now abandoned premises – in Cauayan, Isabela province in the far north of the Philippines – advertised plastic products and appliances. Decaying goods and old televisions littered the area outside the warehouses, which once provided cover for the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2129707/watch-inside-meth-lab-chinese-criminals-set-being-gunned?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2129707/watch-inside-meth-lab-chinese-criminals-set-being-gunned?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Jan 2018 07:30:15 +0000 Deep in the heart of Quezon City, there’s a barangay with some extra bounce. While the local police may be out busting criminals, traffic controllers on this busy corner are busting moves. Led by Ramon Mangalindan the team directs cars, trucks, tricycles and bicycles all day, but at 7am and 4pm, they like to put on a show, getting down on the street to banging tunes from a speaker on top of their booth. Ramon’s routine is not unique. There are Filipino traffic police famous for dancing on the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2127638/filipino-traffic-controller-ramon-brings-awesome-dance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2127638/filipino-traffic-controller-ramon-brings-awesome-dance?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Jan 2018 07:46:07 +0000 Some might say that after Donald Trump’s inauguration, world events became so bizarre in 2017 that our covfefe of the year’s offbeat yarns would pale in comparison. Not so. From the US president inspiring people to use toilets in India to snakes on trains in Indonesia and outrageous aircrew rage, there’s something to shock everyone. Many of the stories went viral, such as inter-species sexual activity in Japan and animal-to-human disease transmission. No, those last two are not related. Here we... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/2125973/twisted-tales-2017-viral-weirdness-around-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/2125973/twisted-tales-2017-viral-weirdness-around-world?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 Dec 2017 00:04:23 +0000 No day off on Kim Jong-un’s birthday – again, calendar shows North Koreans wanting to celebrate the birthday of their leader Kim Jong-un will have to do it at work next year. A North Korean calendar for 2018 does not mark Monday, January 8, his birthday, as a national holiday. North Koreans know that the date is the birthday of the current leader. But the year he was born is a state secret. It is believed he was born in 1983 or 1984. What next? Since he became leader, Kim’s birthday has never... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2122317/asia-3-minutes-no-rest-weary-north-korea-no-sympathy-us-tourists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2122317/asia-3-minutes-no-rest-weary-north-korea-no-sympathy-us-tourists?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Dec 2017 12:00:15 +0000 Mongolian sumo champions involved in brutal drunken brawl Police in Japan have launched an inquiry into claims sumo grand champion Harumafuji assaulted fellow Mongolian competitor Takanoiwa during a drunken brawl in October that left the victim with serious injuries and unable to compete. Harumafuji was drinking with about 10 other sumo wrestlers in Tottori, western Japan, when he hit Takanoiwa with a beer bottle for looking at his smartphone while he was being scolded for his behaviour.... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2120432/asia-3-minutes-dont-go-boozing-sumo-japan-or-begging-ivanka?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2120432/asia-3-minutes-dont-go-boozing-sumo-japan-or-begging-ivanka?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Nov 2017 12:30:45 +0000 If Kim Jong-un suddenly dies, don’t ask me: CIA chief Pompeo The US Central Intelligence Agency thinks North Korea’s Kim Jong-un is a rational actor who is focused on staying in power and “waking up in his own bed” each day. But if Kim should suddenly not show up for work, there is no point asking US spy chief Mike Pompeo about it. “If Kim Jong-un should vanish, given the history of the CIA, I’m just not going to talk about it,” he said at a defence forum in Washington when asked what would... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2116263/asia-3-minutes-if-kim-dies-dont-ask-cia-if-he-fires-missile-read?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2116263/asia-3-minutes-if-kim-dies-dont-ask-cia-if-he-fires-missile-read?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Oct 2017 10:12:35 +0000 Singaporean could be jailed for toothpicks in bus seats ‘prank’ Singapore has experienced what could be called a spike in crime. A 60-year-old man pleaded guilty to “mischief” after he was caught sticking toothpicks in bus seats, in a case some say highlights the tightly controlled country’s tough approach to seemingly minor offences. Lim Lye Seng admitted the offence at a district court and asked to be fined. “I am pleading for your honour’s leniency,” Lim told the court, saying he was... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2115297/asia-3-minutes-watch-where-you-sit-singapore-buses-and-did-you?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2115297/asia-3-minutes-watch-where-you-sit-singapore-buses-and-did-you?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Oct 2017 12:15:00 +0000 U.S. rapper sings gay anthem to Australian rugby fans American rap artist Macklemore performed a gay anthem at a rugby league final in Sydney as Australia votes on whether to allow gay marriages. The artist sang Same Love to more than 80,000 rugby fans in Sydney as the North Queensland Cowboys took on the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League Grand Final – a sport traditionally associated with macho values. The same-sex marriage debate has divided the nation along religious and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2114252/asia-3-minutes-polygamy-dating-app-indonesia-death-selfie-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2114252/asia-3-minutes-polygamy-dating-app-indonesia-death-selfie-again?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Oct 2017 13:40:53 +0000 Web users amused by Chinese university that looks like a toilet A 12-floor block at the North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power in Zhengzhou, Henan province, has been nicknamed “the toilet” online, according to Vcg.com. Staff at the building help graduates set up their own businesses. Internet users joked that the front of the building looked like a toilet bowl and the back a cistern. Even the roof of the block at the college looked like a toilet lid, they joked. “It looks... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2113421/asia-3-minutes-university-china-looks-toilet-condoms-malaysia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2113421/asia-3-minutes-university-china-looks-toilet-condoms-malaysia?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Sep 2017 13:38:53 +0000 North Korea threatens to execute critics over book review Pyongyang has vowed to execute reporters from two South Korean newspapers, saying they insulted the country’s dignity while reviewing North Korea Confidential, a book by two British authors. State media published a court statement expressing anger over descriptions of North Korean lives as increasingly capitalist. It objected to the translated title of the South Korean edition as Capitalist People’s Republic of Korea and the book’s cover... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2109393/asia-3-minutes-death-sentence-korean-book-critics-free-rein?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2109393/asia-3-minutes-death-sentence-korean-book-critics-free-rein?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Sep 2017 13:53:50 +0000 Indians bemused by ‘racist’ Chinese video on Bhutan border stand-off Indians have reacted with bemusement and outrage at a “racist” video posted online by Chinese state media, as a border dispute between the two countries enters its third month. Xinhua published a video highlighting India’s “seven sins” in relation to the stand-off sparked by China building a road near Bhutan. The video repeatedly cuts to a Chinese man wearing a fake beard and turban, wobbling his head and feigning an Indian... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2107397/asia-3-minutes-india-bemused-racist-chinese-video-not-amused?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2107397/asia-3-minutes-india-bemused-racist-chinese-video-not-amused?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Aug 2017 10:54:55 +0000 ‘This Kim Jong-un, a fool’: Duterte on N Korea’s nuclear ambitions Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has rebuked North Korean leader Kim Jong-un over his nuclear programmes after a recent missile test showed Pyongyang may be able to strike anywhere in the US. “This Kim Jong-un, a fool ... he is playing with dangerous toys, that fool,” Duterte told officials in a speech. “That chubby face that looks kind. That son of a b****. If he commits a mistake, the Far East will become an arid land. It... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2105402/asia-3-minutes-kim-jong-un-fool-duterte-sex-slave-charity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2105402/asia-3-minutes-kim-jong-un-fool-duterte-sex-slave-charity?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Aug 2017 15:27:20 +0000 Malaysia bans world’s most popular song as it’s ‘not suitable’ for Islam Malaysia has stopped playing the sexually charged song Despacito on public radio, a senior minister said after critics labelled it un-Islamic. Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak said his ministry received numerous complaints about the steamy lyrics of the song that has won international popularity. Ruling party official Atriza Umar told The Star newspaper: “I regret that these problematic songs are... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2103590/asia-3-minutes-despacito-loses-prudes-malaysia-lipstick-under-my?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2103590/asia-3-minutes-despacito-loses-prudes-malaysia-lipstick-under-my?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Jul 2017 13:08:01 +0000 Indonesian Muslims call for Starbucks boycott over gay policy Muslims in Indonesia have been urged to boycott Starbucks by major Islamic groups that accuse the coffee chain of being pro-gay. Leaders of Muhammadiyah, Indonesia’s second-biggest mass Muslim organisation, urged the government to revoke the company’s business licence for its stance on gay issues. A Muhammadiyah leader, Yunahar Ilyas, said the group was calling on “Muslims to not drink in Starbucks so that the income is not used to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2101670/asia-3-minutes-indonesians-turn-pro-gay-starbucks-duterte-turns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2101670/asia-3-minutes-indonesians-turn-pro-gay-starbucks-duterte-turns?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Jul 2017 12:15:00 +0000 Toilet charity’s plan for Trump-named village goes down the pan A toilet-building charity’s effort to rename an Indian village after US President Donald Trump has been blocked. District officials who oversee Maroda village said the renaming effort was a fundraising stunt for the charity. But residents of the village in Haryana state worried they would not get free toilets if they abandoned the new name “Trump Sulabh Village”, the charity said. What next? None of the funding is coming from Trump... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2100745/asia-3-minutes-indias-trump-themed-village-goes-down-pan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2100745/asia-3-minutes-indias-trump-themed-village-goes-down-pan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jun 2017 12:59:19 +0000 Military to curb riots after Indian police kill protesting farmers One thousand paramilitary troops have been deployed in the Mandsaur region of Madhya Pradesh in central India to curb spreading riots after five farmers were shot dead by police officers. Video showed crowds chanting “Long live freedom” as the bodies of the farmers shrouded in Indian flags were paraded through the streets. Internet and mobile services were suspended in the region and a curfew imposed as buses and lorries were set... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2097651/asia-3-minutes-animal-sex-suspect-heads-china-and-plague-rats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2097651/asia-3-minutes-animal-sex-suspect-heads-china-and-plague-rats?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jun 2017 11:43:07 +0000 Philippines bans ‘distractions’ – including rosaries – while driving Philippine authorities have banned hanging rosaries and religious icons on car dashboards because of safety concerns, prompting an outcry from the Catholic Church, which insists they offer divine intervention. The ban is part of a wide-ranging new law aimed at eliminating distractions for drivers. These include talking or sending messages on mobile phones, putting on make-up and eating or drinking coffee while driving. What... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2095826/asia-3-minutes-gay-sauna-arrests-indonesia-philippines-bans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2095826/asia-3-minutes-gay-sauna-arrests-indonesia-philippines-bans?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 May 2017 13:15:30 +0000 No return for Islamic State’s Jedi, terror group’s Malaysian recruiter Malaysia’s police chief Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed that Islamic State member Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi was killed in Syria in April. Muhammad Wanndy, 26, was on a US list of global militants and the region’s top recruiter. Born and raised in Malacca, he first drew public attention in 2015 when he appeared in a video showing the beheading of a Syrian man. Under the name Abu Hamzah al-Fateh, he quickly made a name for... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2094148/asia-3-minutes-islamic-states-jedi-killed-new-zealands-deputy-pm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2094148/asia-3-minutes-islamic-states-jedi-killed-new-zealands-deputy-pm?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 May 2017 11:05:59 +0000 Who’s snapping who? Komodo dragon attacks tourist taking photograph A Komodo dragon attacked a tourist in Indonesia who was trying to photograph the giant creatures eating a goat. Singaporean Loh Lee Aik, 67, was rushed to hospital with leg injuries after being pounced on by the venomous creature. “He was probably very excited taking pictures of the dragon, he didn’t realise another dragon was approaching him and then he was bitten,” said local police spokesman Jules Abraham Abast. “Luckily it... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2093129/asia-3-minutes-komodo-dragon-attacks-singapore-tourist-thai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2093129/asia-3-minutes-komodo-dragon-attacks-singapore-tourist-thai?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 May 2017 12:01:57 +0000 Killing of baby on Facebook sparks Thai police review of social media Two videos available for nearly a day that were broadcast on Facebook Live showed Wuttisan Wongtalay killing his 11-month-old daughter by hanging her by the neck from a building on Phuket island. He then killed himself in what police said was murder-suicide fuelled by jealousy, as Wuttisan believed his wife was going to leave him. The videos drew nearly half a million views before they were taken down and sparked outrage among... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2091513/asia-3-minutes-facebook-killing-thailand-facebook-literature?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2091513/asia-3-minutes-facebook-killing-thailand-facebook-literature?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Apr 2017 16:02:00 +0000 Thailand kicks off watered down songkran Thailand began its annual water festival or Songkran holiday amid warnings from the military government to rein in the festival’s usual exuberance as the country mourns its late king. Thailand is in a year of mourning for widely revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej who died in October aged 88. Many entertainment events since his death have been scaled back or cancelled as a sign of respect. The government has warned revellers not to wear skimpy clothing and to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/article/2087776/asia-3-minutes-dutertes-south-china-sea-damp-squib-dampener-thailands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/article/2087776/asia-3-minutes-dutertes-south-china-sea-damp-squib-dampener-thailands?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Apr 2017 12:35:43 +0000 Park Geun-hye, South Korea’s former president, jailed for corruption South Korea’s disgraced former president Park Geun-hye was arrested and jailed on Friday over the corruption allegations that ended her troubled four-year rule. A convoy of vehicles, including a black sedan carrying Park, entered a detention facility near Seoul after a court granted a prosecutors’ request to arrest her. Park’s supporters waved flags and shouted “president” as her car drove in. A day earlier, Park was questioned... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2083756/asia-3-minutes-cambodia-bans-breast-milk-exports-1mdb-settles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2083756/asia-3-minutes-cambodia-bans-breast-milk-exports-1mdb-settles?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Mar 2017 11:33:22 +0000 Japan’s oldest porn star, former opera singer Maori Tezuka, 80, retires After a decade in X-rated films, a Japanese porn actress famous for being the country’s oldest has called it quits at the ripe old age of 80. Maori Tezuka, a former opera singer who made her debut in Japan’s flourishing “silver porn” industry at a sprightly 71, blamed her decision partly on a lack of red-blooded lotharios able to keep up with her. “Once the lights go on, you just do your best,” she told local media. “I have... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/article/2081798/asia-3-minutes-japans-80-year-old-porn-star-quits-indian-rivers-get-human?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/article/2081798/asia-3-minutes-japans-80-year-old-porn-star-quits-indian-rivers-get-human?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Mar 2017 10:52:44 +0000 Chan’s ‘Kung Fu Yoga’ stereotypes have critics all bent out of shape Jackie Chan’s new film Kung Fu Yoga – a high-profile product of a 2014 co-production deal between China and India – has come under a barrage of criticism for perpetuating outdated and offensive stereotypes. The film, which features Chan as a professor of archaeology who teams up with an Indian counterpart to search for lost treasure in Tibet, appears to have gone down well on the mainland, but Indian critics have been hostile.... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2069867/asia-3-minutes-bad-reviews-jackie-chan-movie-india-philippine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2069867/asia-3-minutes-bad-reviews-jackie-chan-movie-india-philippine?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Feb 2017 13:47:27 +0000 Beef over Australian army land grab prompts new site search Malcolm Turnbull has ordered the Department of Defence to find alternative sites for foreign military training in Queensland after outrage over plans to take over as many as 60 grazing properties in prime cattle country – part of a US$2.2 billion deal with Singapore. The state agriculture minister Bill Byrne, a former military commander at one of the areas in question, Shoalwater Bay, said: “This has been a shemozzle from the beginning... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2067886/asia-3-minutes-shemozzle-over-queensland-cattle-flap-about?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2067886/asia-3-minutes-shemozzle-over-queensland-cattle-flap-about?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Feb 2017 12:56:47 +0000 Escapees still at large after Philippines’ biggest ever jailbreak Philippine authorities captured dozens of inmates who escaped in the nation’s biggest ever jailbreak, but most were still on the run on Friday. Muslim guerrillas stormed a jail in the southern city of Kidapawan, freeing 158 inmates and killing a guard. Warden Peter Bongat said the attackers were believed to be militants who had broken away from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a Muslim rebel organisation which is in peace... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2059994/asia-3-minutes-milf-jailbreak-philippines-apples-block-new-york?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2059994/asia-3-minutes-milf-jailbreak-philippines-apples-block-new-york?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Jan 2017 11:23:44 +0000 A Japanese pop group looks to shake off the stigma of being ‘chubby’ A unique concept is winning fame in the cutthroat Japanese music industry – a band of “chubby” girls deploying their cheeky cuteness to combat prejudices against obesity. Pottya is a pop group named after a slang word for chubby and consisting of four young women who are well above average weight in Japan. “People assume that being chubby is a sign of laziness or lack of self-discipline,” said Michiko Ohashi, the group’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2055249/asia-3-minutes-dutertes-instructional-murders-chubby-japanese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2055249/asia-3-minutes-dutertes-instructional-murders-chubby-japanese?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Dec 2016 12:00:30 +0000 U.N. says Rohingya crackdown may be ‘crime against humanity’ The United Nations suggests Myanmar’s crackdown on Rohingya Muslims may be crimes against humanity. The army carried out a bloody crackdown in the western state and thousands of the Muslim minority flooded over the border into Bangladesh last month, making claims of gang rape, torture and murder at the hands of security forces. Some 30,000 fled their homes and Human Rights Watch says hundreds of homes in Rohingya villages have been... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2051278/asia-3-minutes-thais-get-their-new-king-muslims-take-streets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2051278/asia-3-minutes-thais-get-their-new-king-muslims-take-streets?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Dec 2016 14:56:15 +0000 Facebook ‘trialling censorship tools to satisfy Chinese government’ Facebook has reportedly built a tool for geographically censoring posts on the leading social network as it seeks a path back into China. The New York Times cited three current and former Facebook employees, who asked for anonymity, as saying that the tool could filter users’ news feeds in specific places. “We have long said that we are interested in China, and are spending time understanding and learning more about the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2049304/asia-3-minutes-facebooks-censorship-plan-china-park-geun-hyes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2049304/asia-3-minutes-facebooks-censorship-plan-china-park-geun-hyes?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Nov 2016 14:10:57 +0000 INDIANS DECRY EXTRAVAGANT WEDDING FOLLOWING MODI’S CASH CRUNCH An Indian mining tycoon took over a royal palace and flew in Brazilian dancers at a reported cost of US$75 million to celebrate his daughter’s wedding. Up to 50,000 guests were expected at Bangalore Palace to celebrate the marriage of Gali Janardhan Reddy’s daughter on Wednesday. Indian media criticised the extravagance at a time when many are struggling to find the cash to buy food following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2047292/asia-3-minutes-indian-tycoon-who-splashed-us75m-daughters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2047292/asia-3-minutes-indian-tycoon-who-splashed-us75m-daughters?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Nov 2016 00:15:00 +0000 Modi sparks panic and long queues by suddenly pulling banknotes Indian banks had to call in thousands of police officers to handle queues outside branches as people tried to exchange banknotes that Prime Minister Narendra Modi abruptly pulled from circulation. Modi announced the move to ditch all 500 and 1,000 rupee notes – worth a combined US$256 billion – on Monday. He said they fuelled corruption, were often forged and even paid for attacks by Islamist militants against India. Lines formed... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/article/2045205/asia-3-minutes-desperation-mounts-india-loose-change-china-splashes-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/article/2045205/asia-3-minutes-desperation-mounts-india-loose-change-china-splashes-out?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Nov 2016 11:35:24 +0000 Malaysia PM Najib rapped for taking 1MDB-linked stepson on China trip Malaysia’s opposition politicians have lashed out at Prime Minister Najib Razak after pictures showed his stepson, who is implicated in a massive embezzlement scam, accompanied him on an official trip to China. Images posted on Twitter showed Riza Aziz leaving Najib’s official aeroplane after it arrived in Beijing. The US Justice Department said in lawsuits filed in July that more than US$200 million was funnelled to Riza from... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/article/2043117/asia-3-minutes-more-malaysian-anger-najib-razak-over-1mdb-another-major-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/article/2043117/asia-3-minutes-more-malaysian-anger-najib-razak-over-1mdb-another-major-us?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Nov 2016 13:49:45 +0000 Duterte divorces US, hitches his wagon to Beijing Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he wants to cut the cord with the US and pivot to China and Russia, words that signal a deepening split with his country’s biggest military ally. Duterte made the pronouncement during a state visit to Beijing, several weeks after he told President Barack Obama to “go to hell”. Since taking office in June, the brash 71-year-old leader has repeatedly questioned his nation’s links with the US, echoing the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/article/2039069/asia-3-minutes-power-realignment-over-south-china-sea-powerlessness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/article/2039069/asia-3-minutes-power-realignment-over-south-china-sea-powerlessness?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Oct 2016 13:25:25 +0000 Japanese eel ad canned after comparison to ‘sexist horror film’ An advert meant to show how Shibushi’s eel industry is sustainable and its creatures pampered until they’re sold and barbecued has been pulled after complaints it is sexist and like a horror film. The ad shows a teenage girl in a swimsuit asking a man to feed her and help her grow. A male narrator describes how Shibushi farms are “growing eels carefully”, before the girl jumps in the pool and transforms into one. The picture then... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2024076/asia-3-minutes-horror-cannibalism-japanese-eel-girl-china-probes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2024076/asia-3-minutes-horror-cannibalism-japanese-eel-girl-china-probes?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Sep 2016 12:30:00 +0000 Wing flap found in Tanzania confirmed to be part of MH370 A wing flap that washed ashore on an island off Tanzania has been identified as belonging to missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, Australian officials said Thursday. The flap was found in June by residents on Pemba Island, off the coast of Tanzania. Officials had previously said it was highly likely to have come from the missing Boeing 777. An analysis by experts at the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which is heading up the search... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/2020071/asia-3-minutes-new-evidence-search-mh370-shocking-revelations-ex?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/2020071/asia-3-minutes-new-evidence-search-mh370-shocking-revelations-ex?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Sep 2016 11:15:15 +0000 Avoid sex attacks by not wearing skirts, Indian minister tells tourists India’s tourism minister Mahesh Sharma faced an intense backlash after suggesting female visitors to the country should not wear skirts. Sharma told reporters tourists would be given a list of ‘dos and don’ts’ upon arrival, which would include advice not to wear skirts or go out alone at night. “For their own safety, women foreign tourists should not wear short dresses and skirts,” he said. “Indian culture is different from... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/2013054/asia-three-minutes-indian-minister-puts-foot-mouth-sex-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/2013054/asia-three-minutes-indian-minister-puts-foot-mouth-sex-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Sep 2016 10:45:30 +0000 Vietnam puts rocket launchers on disputed land Vietnam has discreetly armed several of its islands in the disputed South China Sea with new mobile rocket launchers capable of striking China’s runways and military installations across the vital trade route, according to Western officials. Diplomats and military officers said intelligence showed Hanoi had shipped the launchers from the Vietnamese mainland into position on five bases on the Spratly Islands in recent months. The launchers are hidden... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/2002992/asia-3-minutes-no-room-gays-indonesia-vietnam-fortifies-islands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/2002992/asia-3-minutes-no-room-gays-indonesia-vietnam-fortifies-islands?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Aug 2016 04:00:15 +0000