SCMP Asia·Tuesday, January 6, 2026

SCMP Asia - Tuesday, January 6, 2026

10 stories~15 min

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Stories Covered

Singer Henry Lau calls out Singapore concert venue over blocked views

A Singapore-based event organiser has come under criticism after Canadian singer-songwriter Henry Lau warned fellow performers against using the venue where he appeared, following complaints from concertgoers that their views were blocked by pillars. Lau made the remarks during his set at the Singland Festival at the Marina Bay Sands convention centre on Saturday, saying he was speaking out “for the sake of future artistes” after struggling to connect with fans in the audience. “There’s a big...

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Thailand tightens cannabis sales as dispensaries face closure ahead of election

Thailand’s government is planning to further rein in thousands of cannabis dispensaries that have sprung up in the wake of decriminalisation by limiting sales of the plant mostly to licensed medical facilities. Thailand became the first country in Asia to decriminalise cannabis in 2022, but has since tightened its regulation in a series of policy changes. According to a draft of an amended Health Ministry regulation on “controlled herbs”, sales of cannabis will only be allowed at medical...

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Indonesian beauty doctor under police probe as row with influencer turns ugly

Indonesian beauty doctor and social media influencer Richard Lee has been named a suspect in a criminal case following a complaint by a fellow content creator, as their long-running feud moved from online platforms into a police station. Jakarta police confirmed on Tuesday that Lee was designated a suspect in a case involving alleged violations of health regulations and consumer protection laws, stemming from a report lodged by Samira Farahnaz – known online as “Dokter Detektif” or Doktif – in..

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Indonesia’s ‘humane’ new criminal code sparks warnings about civil liberties curbs

Indonesia’s long-delayed overhaul of its criminal justice system took effect last week, with the government hailing the “historic” change that would usher in a “more humane” era of law enforcement, even as rights groups warn they could further narrow space for dissent and private life. The new Criminal Code and revised Criminal Procedure Code came into force on Friday, ending decades of debate over how to replace Dutch-era statutes that officials said no longer reflected Indonesian society. It..

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India’s Tata Steel, JSW, and SAIL accused of price-fixing in collusion probe

India’s competition watchdog has found market leaders Tata Steel, JSW Steel, state-run SAIL and 25 other firms breached antitrust law by colluding on steel selling prices, ‍a confidential document shows, putting the companies and their executives at risk of hefty fines. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has also held 56 top executives, including JSW’s billionaire Managing Director Sajjan Jindal, Tata Steel CEO T.V. Narendran and four former SAIL chairpersons, liable for price collusion..

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Japan’s fix for a shrinking workforce? Corporate dating apps

As Japanese employers search for new ways to retain workers amid the country’s labour shortages and declining birth rate, some are embracing an unconventional addition to their benefits packages: corporate-only dating apps. The services, which allow employees to meet partners from other vetted companies, are being presented less as lifestyle perks than as tools to address long-standing imbalances in the workplace, where single staff often shoulder heavier and less visible burdens. “Single...

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China bans exports of military-related goods to Japan as dispute intensifies

China has banned the export of products with both commercial and military applications to end users linked to the Japanese military amid a protracted diplomatic row between Beijing and Tokyo. Effective immediately, the export of these items – known as “dual-use” goods – to those entities for military purposes, or for any other purpose that would “contribute to enhancing Japan’s military capabilities,” is prohibited, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced on Tuesday. While dual-use items are...

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Thailand says Cambodia ‘violated’ border ceasefire after strike wounds soldier

Thailand’s army said on Tuesday its Cambodian counterpart claimed fresh cross-border fire was an accident, after Bangkok accused Cambodian forces of violating a 10-day-old truce with a strike that wounded a soldier. The decades-old dispute between the Southeast Asian neighbours erupted into military clashes several times last year, with fighting in December killing dozens of people and displacing around 1 million on both sides. The two countries agreed a truce on December 27, ending three weeks.

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Malaysia’s ex-PM Mahathir in hospital after a fall at home – ‘he was conscious’

Two-time former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad was admitted to hospital on Tuesday to treat a fracture in his right hip after suffering from a fall in his home in Kuala Lumpur, his aide said. The centenarian fell around 7.30am while walking from the balcony to his living room, after which he was rushed to the National Heart Institute. “Tun is expected to be admitted for the next few weeks for treatment and observation,” Mahathir’s long-time press secretary Sufi Yusoff told the media,.

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US’ Asian allies reluctant to slam Trump over Venezuela despite his ‘cowboy tactics’

The mild responses by America’s Asian allies over the US military strike on Venezuela stem from a desire not to “bite the hand that feeds” them, analysts have said, noting that some countries were buying time by claiming to monitor the situation. Following the raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday to face narcoterrorism charges on US soil, US President Donald Trump declared on Sunday that Washington was “in charge” of the South American nation, including its oil...

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