Singapore catches PMD rider in viral ‘Superman’ stunt video

Singapore authorities have caught a rider seen in a viral video striking a “Superman” pose while riding a personal mobility device (PMD) in the latest of a series of crackdowns.

In the video, taken in the early hours of May 23 outside Keppel MRT station, the rider is caught on camera going faster than cars on his PMD. At one point, he even lies on his tummy with his legs extended as if he is flying. Based on the 170 metres he covered in about 8 seconds


Border security stepped up after 2 Malaysians hurt in roadside bomb in Thai south

A Thai border patrol policeman inspects a villager’s vehicle on June 19. Photo: EPA

Security around the Malaysia-Thailand border has been tightened after two Malaysian men were wounded in a roadside bomb blast in Narathiwat province, an area riven by a deadly insurgency against Bangkok.

While police say the men – Abdullah Syarapi Abd Rahman, 45, and Muhammad Yusri Udin, 38, both from Kelantan – are not believed to have been the target of the improvised explosive device (IED), the incident highlights the dangers of the

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Why a light plane crash in Beijing created a security dilemma for authorities

The pilot was killed when he flew the two-seater plane into the building near the East Third Ring Road, injuring 13 people, the Chaoyang district government said in a statement on Saturday. There were no passengers on board the plane.

It comes as the “low-altitude economy” has been identified as an emerging sector by the Chinese government – referring to activities, businesses and services conducted in airspace below 1km (3,280 feet) such as drone flights.

Li Wei, director of


Nepal’s bird flu outbreak spreads, breeding pandemic mutation fears

A farmer works at his poultry farm in Tokha village on the outskirts of Kathmandu, Nepal, on Friday. Photo: EPA

Nepal has culled more than 600,000 birds and destroyed around 1 million eggs as an H5N1 bird flu outbreak spreads across the Kathmandu Valley, shutting the capital’s only zoo and raising fears among scientists over the virus’ potential to mutate into a form transmissible between humans.

The outbreak began in eastern Nepal in March before reaching the densely populated valley around mid-June – a development that health experts say

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Ex-opposition lawmaker Wu Chi-wai released after serving time for subversion

Former Democratic Party chairman Wu Chi-wai was briefly released on bail so he could attend his father’s funeral in 2021. Photo: May Tse

A former Hong Kong lawmaker who previously headed the city’s largest, now-defunct opposition party has been released from prison after completing his sentence in a landmark subversion case.

He boarded a seven-seater car which took him to Fung Tak Estate in Diamond Hill. Dressed in a white shirt, he alighted with two bags of belongings and did not take questions from waiting journalists.

“Thank you, everyone,” he said,


Chinese tourists high on Malaysia, why Europe is praising Lee Kuan Yew: 7 Asia highlights

From Pakistan rattling India with a new submarine to Bangkok’s ‘Hulk’ governor, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting

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Hot air balloons float near Putra Mosque (left) in Putrajaya, Malaysia. Photo: EPA-EFE

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

Passenger jet reports striking drone approaching JFK airport to land

A passenger jet reported striking a drone while approaching JFK International Airport on Monday, and just hours later, a helicopter pilot alerted a close call with a remote-control plane near the same airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the first incident that happened as a JetBlue plane passed through 3,000 feet (914 metres) Monday morning while it was crossing the coastline. The plane landed safely in New York without any additional help, and no damage was found when the plane was inspected afterwards.

A JetBlue Airbus A321 plane. Photo: AP

No plans on handover day? SCMP breaks down Hong Kong’s biggest July 1 deals

This July 1 will mark the 29th anniversary of the city’s return to Chinese sovereignty. Photo: Jelly Tse
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How Chinese forensics team ruled out murder in mystery of a dismembered woman

When a villager in the southern province of Guangdong was walking near his home on a mild day shortly after Christmas in 2019, he noticed a yellow suitcase beneath an expressway embankment.

Inside was the headless body of a woman. When police arrived and searched the area, they found the head inside a red travel bag alongside the highway, about 1km south of the villager’s discovery.

Nearly seven years later, details of the forensic investigation have been revealed in a peer-reviewed paper that has some


Japan’s family firms turn to M&A when heirs are not so apparent

Diners at a sleek teppanyaki restaurant in Tokyo ’s Asakusa district wait happily as chefs sear marbled Kobe beef over open grills. Expectations are high at Kisshokichi, one of the world’s largest Kobe beef chains. But behind the brand’s success lies a dilemma shared by businesses across Japan .

Founder Kiyomi Akagi, now in his mid-sixties, faced a question confronting a growing number of ageing owners: who would take over?

With no successor prepared to manage the company’s 50 restaurants, Akagi chose

Kisshokichi founder Kiyomi Akagi speaks during an interview at a Kobe Beef Daia restaurant in Tokyo’s Asakusa district on June 5. Photo: Kyodo