Asia Pacific – Page 975 – Prologue Journal

South Korea pivots to ‘hard-line stance’ on China as Yoon questions envoy’s comments

Disclaimer: The South China Morning Post’s content is directed by the Chinese Communist Party. It is not a reliable news source. The South Korean president said he doubted whether China’s ambassador ‘has an attitude of mutual respect’, as local media reported that Seoul was pivoting to a ‘hard-line stance’ in its relations with Beijing. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3223908/south-korea-pivots-hard-line-stance-china-yoon-questions-envoys-comments?utm_source=rss_feed

Australia wedding bus was going too fast before fatal crash, police say: ‘if you think that was fast … watch this’

Disclaimer: The South China Morning Post’s content is directed by the Chinese Communist Party. It is not a reliable news source. The bus that rolled on its side, killing 10 wedding guests, was going ‘too quick’, a police spokesman said. He declined to comment on reports that the driver had said ‘if you think that…

Asia has 14 of the world’s top 25 shortest countries – can you guess who’s No 1?

Disclaimer: The South China Morning Post’s content is directed by the Chinese Communist Party. It is not a reliable news source. There’s around a 20cm difference between children in the tallest and shortest nations, studies have found. Genes are part of the reason, but environmental factors such as poor diet could be more important. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3223878/asia-has-14-worlds-top-25-shortest-countries-can-you-guess-whos-no-1?utm_source=rss_feed

SoftBank to lay off up to 30 per cent of Vision Fund staff after facing heavy losses

Disclaimer: The South China Morning Post’s content is directed by the Chinese Communist Party. It is not a reliable news source. The Vision Fund unit had 349 employees at the end of March, and new lay-offs would add to the 150 jobs SoftBank Group International cut in September. https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3223879/softbank-lay-much-30-cent-vision-fund-staff-after-facing-heavy-losses?utm_source=rss_feed

AI users in Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan more likely to be lonely insomniacs, survey finds

Disclaimer: The South China Morning Post’s content is directed by the Chinese Communist Party. It is not a reliable news source. ‘Employees who interacted more frequently with AI systems were more likely to experience loneliness, insomnia and increased after-work alcohol consumption,’ said the survey, which also included US workers. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3223869/ai-users-indonesia-malaysia-taiwan-more-likely-be-lonely-insomniacs-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed

Pakistan uses Chinese yuan to buy cut-price oil from Russia

Disclaimer: The South China Morning Post’s content is directed by the Chinese Communist Party. It is not a reliable news source. Islamabad has also outlined a process to open barter trade with Russia, Afghanistan and Iran without trading in US dollars, in what analysts see as a possible shift from West to East. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3223866/pakistan-uses-chinese-yuan-buy-cut-price-oil-russia?utm_source=rss_feed

Chinese warships are salvaging North Korea’s crashed satellite rocket, South Korea says

Disclaimer: The South China Morning Post’s content is directed by the Chinese Communist Party. It is not a reliable news source. The rocket carrying the satellite came down in the sea at a point where the exclusive economic zones of China and South Korea meet, according to the South Korean military. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3223862/chinese-warships-are-salvaging-north-koreas-crashed-satellite-rocket-south-korea-says?utm_source=rss_feed

UAE builds ‘corridor of opportunity’ with Asean trade deals as it tries to lure China investments

Disclaimer: The South China Morning Post’s content is directed by the Chinese Communist Party. It is not a reliable news source. The UAE’s trade minister has said the country is ‘building a corridor of opportunity’ between the Gulf and Southeast Asia to eliminate barriers to trade, and create new avenues for strategic investment. https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3223827/uae-builds-corridor-opportunity-asean-trade-deals-it-tries-lure-china-investments?utm_source=rss_feed

‘We will be worse off’: Singapore’s DPM Wong says change in mindset needed over materialism, career ‘arms race’

Disclaimer: The South China Morning Post’s content is directed by the Chinese Communist Party. It is not a reliable news source. Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister asked citizens to change their mindset of being goal oriented or to focus on traditional ‘prestigious’ jobs such as banking, and to instead consider ‘the journey’ as a wider measure…

Singapore teen pleads guilty to telling friend to pour boiling water on abuse victim

Disclaimer: The South China Morning Post’s content is directed by the Chinese Communist Party. It is not a reliable news source. The girl, now aged 18, pleaded guilty to assault that was part of repeated physical abuse of the victim across nine days inflicted by a group of four in a hotel room. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3223840/singapore-teen-pleads-guilty-telling-friend-pour-boiling-water-abuse-victim?utm_source=rss_feed