https://www.scmp.com/rss/521244/feed Nicole is an intern for the Asia Desk. She has written for the Council of Europe’s editorial division in France and has contributed to The Straits Times from Singapore and the United States. She is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in journalism at Northwestern University. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Nicole Cheah Nicole Cheah A manga novel’s prediction has fuelled rumours that a mega-earthquake will hit Japan on Saturday. Social media posts claiming that disaster will strike on Saturday have attracted millions of views and even dampened tourism, according to some reports. Fans claim the same manga foretold the devastating Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in 2011, which claimed the lives of nearly 20,000 people. Why are people concerned about a prophecy from a graphic novel, and how prepared is Japan for a major... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3316900/japans-manga-megaquake-prophecy-likely-be-fulfilled?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3316900/japans-manga-megaquake-prophecy-likely-be-fulfilled?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Jul 2025 03:12:07 +0000 Nicole Cheah Nicole Cheah Pacific island nations are racing to enhance marine conservation, establishing sweeping “no-take” zones and pledging to sustainably manage vast swathes of their territorial waters despite facing limited resources and geopolitical pressure. Among them, Samoa last month unveiled a ban on fishing, mining and other extractive activities over 30 per cent of its ocean territory by 2027. The move will create 36,000 sq km (13,900 square miles) of marine protected areas (MPAs) – more than 12 times the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3315979/pacific-island-nations-tap-indigenous-know-how-safeguard-ocean-health?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3315979/pacific-island-nations-tap-indigenous-know-how-safeguard-ocean-health?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Jun 2025 01:30:16 +0000 Kimberly Lim,Nicole Cheah Kimberly Lim,Nicole Cheah In Singapore, a new kind of party is taking off – fuelled by caffeine instead of alcohol and ending before dark – in a shift observers say reflects a broader trend among Gen Z Asians seeking healthier, cheaper and more mindful ways to socialise. Across the region, from matcha-fuelled morning raves to curated mocktail events and sober bars in cities like Bangkok and Tokyo, a quiet shift is under way. While fully alcohol-free nightlife remains niche, wellness-oriented alternatives are gaining... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3314966/clubbing-without-cost-singapores-gen-z-vibes-cheaper-daytime-raves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3314966/clubbing-without-cost-singapores-gen-z-vibes-cheaper-daytime-raves?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Jun 2025 14:35:34 +0000 Kimberly Lim,Nicole Cheah,Biman Mukherji,Hadi Azmi Kimberly Lim,Nicole Cheah,Biman Mukherji,Hadi Azmi As a teenager in military-ruled Myanmar, Muang* viewed a US college degree as the ultimate escape – a passport to freedom, stability and a future unbound by the limits of a junta-run state. At 19, he made it. A full scholarship to one of America’s most prestigious universities marked the culmination of years of perseverance. But today, that hard-won dream feels precarious. “You grow up in a country where it’s a dictatorship and you don’t have any opportunities to build your own life,” Muang... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3313927/american-dream-no-more-asian-students-rethink-us-education-plans-amid-visa-clampdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3313927/american-dream-no-more-asian-students-rethink-us-education-plans-amid-visa-clampdown?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Jun 2025 04:30:08 +0000 Nicole Cheah Nicole Cheah They don’t yell or protest. They don’t hold signs or march. But in Singapore, a chorus of concern is rising on their behalf. From living rooms to parliament, the country is facing hard questions about the way animals are seen, protected and valued. In February, a 32-year-old Singaporean man was sentenced to 14 months in jail for abusing five community cats – a spree of violence that culminated in the horrific act of throwing two of them from high-rise public housing blocks in Ang Mo Kio. Just... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3313409/singapore-reckons-animal-cruelty-abuse-cases-surge-we-can-do-better?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3313409/singapore-reckons-animal-cruelty-abuse-cases-surge-we-can-do-better?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Jun 2025 09:00:07 +0000 Kimberly Lim,Nicole Cheah Kimberly Lim,Nicole Cheah Singapore’s concert boom may be cooling with reports of underwhelming resale prices for Lady Gaga’s shows, as tourism experts point to geopolitical uncertainty and softer demand putting the brakes on the city state’s runaway success as an live entertainment hub after it hosted megastars Taylor Swift and Coldplay last year. Ahead of Swift’s Singapore-only concerts in March last year, fans from around the region and beyond competed feverishly to catch the American singer during her Eras Tour, with... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3311417/do-lady-gagas-singapore-shows-signal-end-ticket-buying-mayhem-slow-demand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3311417/do-lady-gagas-singapore-shows-signal-end-ticket-buying-mayhem-slow-demand?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 May 2025 11:56:06 +0000 Jean Iau,Nicole Cheah Jean Iau,Nicole Cheah A recent survey after Singapore’s 14th general election has found that while most voters in the city state are satisfied with its outcome, less than half of Gen Z voters expressed approval of the ruling People’s Action Party’s (PAP) resounding victory. The study, conducted by market research firm YouGov and released on Sunday, polled 1,533 Singaporeans aged 21 and above between May 4 and May 9 in the wake of the PAP returning to power with 65.57 per cent of the popular vote and clinching 87 of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3310432/why-singapores-gen-z-voters-are-less-satisfied-election-results?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3310432/why-singapores-gen-z-voters-are-less-satisfied-election-results?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 May 2025 06:03:22 +0000