SCMP Asia·Sunday, December 21, 2025

SCMP Asia - Sunday, December 21, 2025

10 stories~15 min

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Stories Covered

Japan announces US$6 billion support for home-grown AI development

The Japanese government will provide roughly 1 trillion yen (US$6.34 billion) in support over five years to help a planned new company develop home-grown artificial intelligence, a source close to the matter said on Sunday. The company will be established by around 10 firms including SoftBank Group Corp, aiming to develop the country’s largest base AI model through public-private cooperation, the source said. The five-year support scheme is set to begin in fiscal 2026, which starts next April,..

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Cambodia: Thai border clashes displace half a million ahead of peace talks

More than half a million people in Cambodia have been displaced by two weeks of deadly border clashes with Thailand, Phnom Penh said on Sunday, ahead of regional talks aimed at easing tensions. The renewed fighting between the Southeast Asian neighbours this month, including with tanks, drones and artillery, has killed at least 22 people in Thailand and 19 in Cambodia, officials said. The conflict stems from a territorial dispute over the colonial-era demarcation of their 800 kilometre (500...

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Why India to Europe trade corridor is stalling even as talks continue

Discussions on the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) are being revived by some of its founders even as questions persist over the political will to implement the ambitious project, with analysts saying the Gaza situation is a key hurdle in hampering progress. Unveiled in 2023, IMEC is positioned as a single economic artery connecting South Asia, the Middle East and Europe through shipping lanes, railways, energy pipelines and high-speed data cables running via the Gulf. Planners.

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How the Bondi Beach attack became a flashpoint for global disinformation and AI-driven hate

Divisive rhetoric and AI-driven misinformation are undermining international cooperation in the wake of the deadly Bondi Beach attack, a leading counterterrorism expert has warned. Adam Hadley, the founder and executive director of Tech Against Terrorism, an advisory organisation supported by the United Nations, said a “dangerous convergence” of interests between hostile states and terrorist groups like Islamic State was being fuelled by populist agendas and commercial interests, with artificial

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Thailand strikes Cambodia casino, bridge as Asean seeks to de-escalate crisis

Thailand bombed a casino and a bridge in Cambodia, according to reports, as clashes between the two sides continued unabated ahead of a special Asean foreign ministers’ meeting on Monday to discuss the conflict. Thai F-16 fighter jets struck O’Chik Bridge in Oddar Meanchey province on Friday night, The Nation Thailand paper reported, citing the Thai army. The bridge is located on a road about 62km (39 miles) from the Thai border and is said to be an ammunition supply route for Cambodian...

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Singapore’s unforgiving food scene can go hot and cold on brands. What keeps them coming?

Singapore has long been a proven test bed for international food and beverage chains as a wealthy, brand-savvy market where new entrants can generate instant buzz – and just as quickly disappear for those who fail to cook up a storm. The first part of that pattern was on display this month, with long queues forming outside the first Asia outlet of US fast-food chain Chick-fil-A more than a week after it opened in the city state. The crowds reflect the initial pull of a well-known American brand,

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Malaysia’s LGBTQ community lives in fear as raids drive them underground

In Chow Kit, a crowded district of Kuala Lumpur forever caught between progress and prejudice, Amy* moves quietly through narrow alleys – a transgender outreach worker tending to lives the city prefers not to see. Her evenings begin with small rituals: a backpack filled with condoms, test kits and pamphlets; a quick text to let her friends know that she is safe. Then, when she steps out, much of her work happens in passing conversations – careful not to draw too much attention. “The girls know..

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North Korea warns ‘mankind will face great disaster’ if Japan gets nuclear arms

North Korea said on Sunday that Japan’s nuclear ambitions “must be prevented at any cost” after a Tokyo official reportedly suggested the country should possess atomic weapons. Pyongyang’s reaction came after the unnamed official in the prime minister’s office was quoted by Kyodo News on Thursday as saying: “I think we should possess nuclear weapons.” The official was reported to have been involved in devising Japan’s security policy. The Kyodo report also quoted the source as saying: “In the...

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China eases visa rules for India, tapping into US$21.6 billion travel market

Beijing and New Delhi have taken another step towards normalising economic ties after a five-year rift, as China moves to introduce a simplified visa process for Indian nationals that could help it tap India’s fast-growing travel market. The Chinese embassy in New Delhi said earlier this month that Indian citizens would be able to apply for visas online from December 22, sparing them time-consuming initial in-person visits to the embassy or other consular offices in the country. The move follows

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Japan imposes new ground rules as concerns grow over foreign-owned land

Japan is expressing renewed concerns about foreign nationals buying land and property across the country, with growing alarm over the acquisition of property close to “sensitive sites” as well as overseas investors causing prices to spike beyond the reach of many Japanese. A survey conducted by the Cabinet Office identified 113,827 property transactions in the year that started on April 1, 2024, in areas within 1km (0.6 miles) of a designated “critical facility”, such as a military base for...

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