Social Media Asia

KFC Japan stops selling “Sand” and changes name to “Burgers” with new spicy and cheese versions

Smart move or wasted opportunity? Sandwiches are extremely popular in Japan, so much so that they are often casually referred to as “sando”, which is the same way a Japanese person would say the English word “sand.” Though at first that seems like an incredibly unappetizing nickname, it kind of grows on you, like: “Wanna […]

China censors anti-Xi protest before Communist Party Congress

Chinese social media censors have blocked posts, keywords, and hashtags related to the extremely rare public protest ahead of a landmark Chinese Communist Party (CCP) meeting that is scheduled to begin on October 16, at which President Xi Jinping is expected to secure a historic third term. Hong Kong media have remained largely muted on […]

We need to keep Big Tech strong – so it can keep America strong

Our great power struggle with China has intensified significantly over the past several years. Meanwhile, the war over information, particularly regarding Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine, has highlighted how our tech sector is a source of American national strength. For those reasons, among others, it’s vital that Washington maintains a legal environment that keeps Big […]

Japan may finally abolish law that bans women only from remarrying soon after divorce

Change would also revise “presumed legitimacy” child custody law for the first time since Japan created a modern legal system. Let’s imagine a hypothetical married couple living in Japan. We’ll call them Taro and Hanako. Their marriage has soured, and they decide to get divorced. They both bounce back pretty quickly, and soon after they […]

3 important questions about content moderation that remain unanswered by Meta

Meta, which owns Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram, has a history of taking controversial content-moderation decisions on its plaforms to avoid offending local governments, influential public figures, while it continues to struggle with its understanding of cultural context and over-reliance on Artificial Intelligence. | Created on Canva. On October 6, news website The Wire reported […]

Twitter Inc. claims: Elon Musk is being investigated

Twitter Inc. claims: Elon Musk is being investigated Elon Musk is being investigated by US federal authorities for his management of the Twitter deal. Tesla’s lawyers cited “investigative privilege” in refusing to turn up documents requested by Twitter. The company sued Musk in July to compel him to finish a $44 billion bid to acquire […]

Twitter Inc. claims: Elon Musk is being investigated

6 Filipina rock icons reunite for ‘Tanaw’ concert

MANILA, Philippines – Six Filipina rock icons are coming together to perform in Tanaw, a one-night concert set for Saturday, November 26, at the Theatre at Solaire. The three-hour show will feature Acel Bisa, Aia de Leon, Barbie Almalbis, Hannah Romawac-Olives, Kitchie Nadal, Lougee Basabas performing as solo artists and collaborators. Five of the six […]

Xi’s power in China grows after unforeseen rise to dominance

BEIJING – When Xi Jinping came to power in 2012, it wasn’t clear what kind of leader he would be. His low-key persona during a steady rise through the ranks of the long-ruling Communist Party gave no hint that he would evolve into one of modern China’s most dominant leaders, or that he would put […]

China censors rare protest ahead of Communist Party congress

BEIJING – China’s internet censors removed on Friday virtually all references to reports of a rare protest in Beijing that involved banners denouncing President Xi Jinping and the country’s Covid-19 policies. Beijing is on high alert against any disruption to a landmark Communist Party meeting that begins on Sunday, where Mr Xi is expected to […]

‘We need food, not Covid tests’: Banner in Beijing shows rare protest against Xi Jinping

At least one person was arrested in Beijing Thursday in a rare display of disapproval over the leadership of President Xi Jinping. It comes just days before the Communist Party’s National Congress, which only occurs every five years. A banner was unfurled on Sitong Bridge in the Chinese capital’s Haidian district, brandishing the words: “We […]

‘We all saw it’: anti-Xi Jinping protest electrifies Chinese internet

‘We all saw it’: anti-Xi Jinping protest electrifies Chinese internet Scramble to censor posts about Sitong bridge incident in Beijing where defiant banners were hung and a fire lit in lead-up to Communist party congress Chinese authorities have strictly censored discussion of a rare protest in Beijing on Thursday that saw large banners unfurled on […]

Understanding the link between air pollution and increased risk of stroke, death

That air pollution is extremely harmful to health is a well-known fact. Now, a new study has also established a link between air pollution and the heightened risk of stroke and subsequent death. The research from Sun Yat-sen University School of Public Health in Guangzhou, China, published in Neurology, focused on the negative health impacts […]

Global make up brand Laura Mercier’s SG ad grilled for lack of diversity in KOL choice

Laura Mercier Singapore has been called out on TikTok for the lack of inclusivity in the skin tones chosen for its latest ad campaign which features a collage of 25 KOLs, including Christabel Chua, Tina Yong, Munah Bagharib, and Germaine Leonora. This comes as the beauty brand celebrates its 25th anniversary with a limited edition collection […]

Global make up brand Laura Mercier’s SG ad grilled for lack of diversity in KOL choice

Dissidents in China detained and harassed as Beijing prepares for party congress

Dissidents in China detained and harassed as Beijing prepares for party congress Government critics and activists intimidated by police ahead of Sunday’s Communist party meeting, where Xi Jinping is expected to gain third term Everything you need to know about China’s Communist party congress Chinese authorities have stepped up surveillance and harassment of government critics […]

Shanghai Covid restrictions fuel fears of another lockdown

Shanghai Covid restrictions fuel fears of another lockdown Localised curbs in authorities’ bid to contain outbreaks before Chinese Communist party congress A rollout of Covid restrictions across Shanghai has fuelled fears the city is heading towards another lockdown, as Chinese authorities seek to contain outbreaks while maintaining a sense of stability before a major political […]

Thane man held ‘captive, tortured’ in Thailand by company that wants $ 3,000 to release him, alleges his brother

A man based in Maharashtra’s Thane city has lodged a police complaint alleging that his younger brother has been held captive in Thailand by his employer company since the last one month, which is demanding USD 3,000 for his release, an official said on Thursday. The victim, Ashish Dubey (31), also a resident of Thane, […]

‘Rebuild the habit of truth seeking’ to address fake news crisis

MANILA, Philippines – A handful of lawmakers reacted to a September Pulse Asia survey which said 86% of Filipino adults saw false or fake news as a problem in the Philippines and that a majority say they consume false political information on the internet or social media, or on television. According to the survey, a […]

China’s Xi gets chance to tighten hold on economy at meeting

BEIJING: President Xi Jinping, China’s most influential figure in decades, gets a chance to install more allies who share his vision of an even more dominant role in the economy for the ruling Communist Party and tighter control over entrepreneurs at a party meeting that starts this weekend. The only question, economists and political analysts […]

Chinese President Xi Jinping gets chance to tighten hold on economy at Communist party meeting

Beijing: At the Communist Party congress that begins on Sunday, President Xi Jinping, China’s most influential figure in decades, will get a chance to install more allies who share his vision of an even more dominant party role in the economy and tighter control over entrepreneurs. The only question, economists and political analysts say, is […]

SHEIN plans to cut emissions by 25% by 2030

SHEIN plans to reduce overall emissions across its entire value chain by 25% by 2030. The company also plans to commit up to US$7.6 million in programmatic funding to Apparel Impact Institute, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to decarbonising and modernising the fashion industry supply chain, to build the roadmap for emissions reduction within SHEIN’s supply chain. […]

PayPal HK reportedly halts services for pro-democracy group due to “excessive risks”

PayPal Hong Kong has reportedly suspended services for a local pro-democracy group, the League of Social Democrats (LSD) due to “excessive risks”. According to a statement on the group’s Facebook page on 12 October, the group stated that PayPal HK has sent an anonymous email claiming that “upon review of your account we have determined […]

India abstains on UNGA resolution that condemns Russia’s ‘illegal’ referenda, attempts to annex parts of Ukraine

United Nations: India abstained in the UN General Assembly on a draft resolution on Wednesday that condemned Russia’s “illegal” referenda and attempts to annex parts of Ukraine, saying New Delhi’s decision is “consistent” with its “well thought out national position” and the country stands ready to support all efforts aimed at de-escalation while underlining the […]

North Korea’s Kim Jong Un changes up wardrobe and dons white tunic, safari hat

North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un has recently made headlines for his overtly aggressive behavior following a series of unplanned missiles tests, but social media users this week were intrigued for another reason — his attire. Kim strayed from his usual black attire and donned a white tunic and a safari style hat while watching military […]

Meet the app that helps gig workers know how much they really make

Uber says its drivers average $30 an hour. The delivery service DoorDash says its drivers make at least $25. In reality, many of their drivers aren’t sure how much they make when taking all their costs into account. David Pickerell discovered this while working as an operations manager at Uber from 2015 to 2017. It […]

Chinese Communist Party 20th Congress: What Xi Jinping’s re-election may mean for the world

As China prepares to begin the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on 16 October 2022, the world awaits deliberations and outcomes with a mix of concerns and future challenges. It is reasonably clear that Xi Jinping would further consolidate his power, with the CCP Congress clearing the way for him to […]

Office of Civil Defense probes hacking of NDRRMC Facebook page

THE Office of Civil Defense on Wednesday said it was looking into the hacking of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Facebook page. The OCD also said it was conducting measures to prevent a repeat of the incident on Tuesday. The OCD confirmed that the NDRRMC’s official Facebook page has been hacked at […]

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