Artificial intelligence’s practical uses, not race to AGI, is what counts, Jeffrey Ding says

US President Donald Trump’s renewed focus on Greenland has taken an unusual turn, with the White House sharing an AI-generated image featuring the President walking alongside a penguin toward the Arctic island. The post, captioned “Embrace the penguin,” quickly drew attention online, not least because penguins do not live in Greenland or anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere.The image is now going viral on social media, triggering criticism and mockery from users who pointed out the geographical error, and others who were simply livid over Trump’s repeated assertion. The post came amid Trump’s continued rhetoric around Greenland, even as he has paused tariff-related tensions with Europe, and was seen by many as another symbolic assertion linked to his long-standing interest in the strategically located territory. However, the White House post was not the starting point of the internet’s sudden fascination with penguins. Even before Trump’s image went viral, penguins were already trending..

AdvertisementJapanThis Week in AsiaHealth & EnvironmentJapan caught in web of woe as over 3,500 venomous spiders found at US baseThe record number of spiders – including redbacks, black and grey widows – highlights Japan’s struggle in containing invasive species
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPJulian RyallPublished: 8:00am, 12 Nov 2025More than 3,500 venomous spiders – including black widows and redbacks – have been exterminated at a US military base in western Japan, alarming residents and officials already struggling with a rise in invasive species across the country.AdvertisementThe record number of spiders, found between July and October at the US Marine Corps Air Station in Iwakuni, included three known venomous species and prompted local authorities to demand urgent action to prevent the infestation from spreading beyond the base’s perimeter.
Experts believe the arachnids likely arrived aboard aircraft operated by the US Marines or Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force,..

AdvertisementNepalThis Week in AsiaPeopleNepal probes illegal matchmaking as China cautions citizens over ‘bride buying’Officials say online brokers are promoting Nepali women to Chinese men, prompting detentions and official warnings
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPBibek BhandariPublished: 12:25pm, 29 Dec 2025Nepal is stepping up scrutiny of illegal cross-border matchmaking after authorities uncovered cases in which brokers and online intermediaries were marketing Nepali women as prospective brides for Chinese nationals, prompting increased enforcement and official warnings.The Chinese Embassy in Nepal issued a New Year’s travel advisory cautioning its citizens against what it described as “bride buying” in the country, urging them not to trust matchmaking agencies and brokers blindly and stressing that deceptive or profit-driven cross-border matchmaking is illegal under Chinese law.
“Fully understand the legal, cultural, property division and child custody risks involved ..