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AdvertisementChina-Japan relationsChinaDiplomacyMid-air military stand-off triggers duelling protests in China-Japan row latestChina responds to ‘ill-intentioned’ Tokyo with counter-protest over ‘dangerous’ Japanese maritime behaviour
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMP1Orange WangPublished: 10:01am, 8 Dec 2025Updated: 10:35am, 8 Dec 2025Beijing has hit back with “counter-protests” against Japan’s representations over the weekend mid-air military stand-off northeast of Taiwan near the Miyako Strait, accusing Tokyo of “purely ill-intentioned” rhetoric.The escalation of the diplomatic clash showed that tensions between the two neighbours continue to heighten following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks in November over Taiwan.According to Japan’s defence ministry, there were two separate instances of radar targeting of its F-15J jets on Saturday, involving J-15 fighters launched from China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier.

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Internet sensation IShowSpeed shows surprising wrestling talent during WWE training. However, wrestling icon John Cena advises him against a career switch. Cena believes Speed's unique charisma and livestreaming success offer a more promising future. He suggests Speed maintain his digital career, occasionally surprising fans with wrestling skills for crossover stardom. IShowSpeed may be one of the internet’s most energetic entertainers, but his recent dive into WWE training has sparked a more serious conversation: could the 20-year-old streamer actually become a professional wrestler? From running drills at the WWE Performance Center to taking bumps from established stars, Speed has shown he’s not just playing for the cameras. He sells moves convincingly, engages the crowd like he’s been doing it for years, and brings a natural athletic flair that most rookies don’t have. Yet, even with that potential, John Cena, one of WWE’s biggest icons, thinks Speed’s future belongs somewhere ..

Tim Pool reports shooting at his house as podcast stirs storm over Erika Kirk divorce and Charlie Kirk gay talk (Image via Getty) Tim Pool said someone fired shots at his home in West Virginia, just hours after a podcast episode went viral for making shocking claims about Erika Kirk and Charlie Kirk. Pool shared the update on December 6, saying the incident happened the night before. He stressed that no one was hurt.Pool said the shooting happened at his property in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Writing on X, he claimed a vehicle came toward his home and opened fire. Pool said his private security team is now checking footage and plans to share a report with law enforcement. He also suggested the shooting may have been meant to scare him rather than cause harm.The post quickly spread online and led to strong reactions from political figures and commentators. Authorities in West Virginia have not yet confirmed the shooting, according to People magazine.Pool later added that his home has..

AdvertisementIndonesiaAsiaSoutheast AsiaIndonesia’s Bali arrests OnlyFans star Bonnie Blue on porn chargesThe 26-year-old British content creator is accused of flouting Indonesia’s ‘morality’ laws
Reading Time:1 minuteWhy you can trust SCMPTribune News ServicePublished: 10:08am, 7 Dec 2025OnlyFans star Bonnie Blue – famous for claiming to have slept with more than 1,000 men in 12 hours as part of a viral stunt earlier this year – has been arrested in Bali alongside over a dozen men for allegedly violating Indonesia’s “morality” laws.The 26-year-old British content creator, real name Tia Billinger, remains in custody in Kuta, as does a 28-year-old Australian male and a pair of British men, according to Australia’s 9News. Fourteen others, all from Australia, have since been released without charge.The influencer and 17 male tourists, whose ages range from 19 to 40 years old, were taken into custody on Thursday afternoon following a raid on a holiday rental studio, which they were alleged..

AdvertisementChina’s private sectorBusinessChina BusinessByteDance’s agentic AI smartphone dials up a digital backlash from China’s top appsByteDance’s new AI smartphone has run into resistance, as major Chinese platforms move to block its features citing fairness and security
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPEunice XuPublished: 10:00am, 7 Dec 2025ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, has moved to tighten controls on its artificial intelligence-powered smartphone after several of China’s most widely used apps restricted its voice-operated functions.
The company said it had scaled back the capabilities of Doubao, the agentic AI that runs on the device.In a statement issued on Friday, ByteDance said it would prevent the Nubia M153 AI phone from claiming incentives that were intended for active human users.
AdvertisementIt was also disabling the assistant’s interaction with financial apps, including banking and payment services, and suspending AI features in competitive games to pres..

AP file photo Vice President JD Vance on Friday dismissed a wave of online speculation about his marriage, saying his relationship with Second Lady Usha Vance is “as strong as it’s ever been.”He said the couple has taken the growing swirl of social media rumors in stride, opting to laugh off the speculation about their personal lives.This comes after a recent rash of tabloid-style headlines that surfaced when the second lady was photographed without her wedding ring.“I think that we kind of get a kick out of it,” Vance said in an interview with NBC News, when asked whether the recent controversy had frustrated him.“With anything in life, you take the good with the bad,” Vance said, adding that “there are some sacrifices and there are some very good things that come along with it, too. But our marriage is as strong as it’s ever been, and I think Usha’s really taken to it, and it’s been kind of cool to see how she’s developed and evolved in this new role.”The couple’s marriage drew onlin..

AP file photo US President Donald Trump on Friday stole the spotlight at the FIFA 2026 World Cup draw when he rose from his seat at the Kennedy Center and performed his signature “YMCA” dance. The moment came as organizers brought the Village People on stage to perform the hit number, a staple at Trump campaign rallies alongside “Nessun dorma.”Trump attended the event alongside Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The ceremony was co-hosted by actor-comedian Kevin Hart and supermodel Heidi Klum, and featured appearances by sports icons including Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal, Wayne Gretzky, Eli Manning and Aaron Judge.FIFA Raises Trump Speculations After Announcing ‘YMCA’ Performance For 2026 World Cup DrawThe US president also received the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize from the sport’s global governing body.”Mr President, this is your prize. This is your peace prize,” said Gianni Infantino, the president of the international football association as p..

AdvertisementTaiwanChinaPoliticsUpdated Taiwan safety guide sparks fierce debate amid Beijing’s mounting military pressure‘Little orange book’ sent to nearly 10 million households advises on survival response, but many question its cost and value
Reading Time:5 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPLawrence Chungin TaipeiPublished: 10:00am, 6 Dec 2025Taiwan’s updated crisis and war survival guide has ignited fierce political debate, hailed by officials as a lifeline amid Beijing’s mounting military pressure but blasted by critics as costly propaganda prompting fear rather than readiness.Mass distribution of In Case of Crisis: Taiwan’s National Public Safety Guide – quickly dubbed the “little orange book” – began late last month, targeting 9.83 million households.
The 29-page comic-style publication explains how to stockpile food and water, locate shelters and identify signs of escalating threats to the public, ranging from cyberattacks to a full-scale military assault.
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AdvertisementChina’s Communist PartyChinaPoliticsChina’s official media calls for end to name-and-shame campaign against grass-roots cadresSeries of commentaries says insulting officials will backfire and more effort must be made to tackle reasons for perceived poor performance
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPWilliam ZhengPublished: 10:00am, 6 Dec 2025China’s official media has called on disciplinary watchdogs to stop giving low-level officials insulting nicknames that imply they are not doing their jobs properly.The provincial publicity department of the eastern province of Zhejiang became the latest to weigh in on this issue. In a commentary posted on its official social media on Tuesday, it warned that this approach was likely to backfire.
It criticised the use of labels such as “refrigerator” officials to describe those who “don’t speak up, stay cold and don’t change”; “treadmill” types who “look busy and sweaty but who make no progress in their work”; or “lipstick” cad..

The US military said four people were killed on Thursday in a strike on a suspected drug-trafficking vessel in the eastern Pacific, the latest action in a counter-narcotics campaign that has drawn intensifying scrutiny. According to a post by US Southern Command on X, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted the strike on the orders of Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth after intelligence indicated the boat, operated by a “designated terrorist organization,” was carrying illicit narcotics along a known trafficking route. The post said “four male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel were killed,” releasing a short video that showed the craft speeding across the water before being hit by an explosion.US defense secretary Pete Hegseth in a post on X reacted to the strike. He posted, “Your wish is our command, Andrew. Just sunk another narco boat,” while responding to an request for downing another alleged narco-boat.The development came hours after lawmakers viewed classified footage of a sepa..