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Offbeat
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Offbeat. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Newly appointed cat stationmaster Yontama is held by Wakayama Electric Railway President Mitsunobu Kojima on Wednesday, in Kinokawa, Wakayama prefecture, Japan. Photo: Kyodo
Japan

Meow arriving: Japan railway’s newest cat stationmaster clocks in

Yontama is the third cat to become stationmaster on the Kishigawa Line in Wakayama prefecture after the death of her predecessor last year.

Animals

Rare genius dogs learn vocabulary by eavesdropping, study shows

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Cartoonist Harry Harrison’s humorous takes on Hong Kong and beyond in December

United States

‘Unusual activity detected’: US woman gives birth in Waymo self-driving taxi

The mother and child arrived safely at a San Francisco hospital, and the vehicle was taken out of service for cleaning.

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A Waymo robotaxi drives by the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco on Monday. Photo: AFP
Britain

4 arrested after protesters throw dessert at Britain’s Crown Jewels

Take Back Power, which describes itself as a new non-violent civil-resistance group, claims it was behind the act at the Tower of London.

Trending in China

Chinese girl born with blonde hair, blue eyes due to Russian great-grandfather

Parents were initially perplexed by daughter’s unusual appearance, even questioned whether hospital had given them the wrong baby at birth.

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Fame and celebrity

US actress Tara Reid seen downing wine in footage from night of alleged drugging

The ‘American Pie’ star accused a YouTuber of spiking her drink, but he denies it and authorities say the video is clear.

Tara Reid attends a benefit gala in Los Angeles in 2023. Photo: Getty Images/TNS
Australia

Australian TikTokker gives widowed US cashier, 88, gift of retirement

Ed Bambas took a cashier job at 82 to cope with grief and bills after his wife’s death, but a stranger’s kindness has changed everything.

Hong Kong

Opinion | Cartoonist Harry Harrison’s humorous takes on Hong Kong and beyond in November

Discover SCMP’s Harry’s View as our veteran cartoonist casts his satirical eye over the political, social and economic landscape.

Britain

Why social media’s favourite fuel is Oxford University Press’ word of 2025

‘Rage bait’ – online content engineered to provoke – beat out ‘aura farming’ and ‘biohack’ to win the prize, underscoring 2025’s digital division.

A woman angrily gestures at her laptop, highlighting the negativity of social media, where “rage bait” has become widespread. Photo: Shutterstock
Japan

Human washing machine goes on sale in Japan

Users lie down in the US$385,000 pod, close the lid and get cleaned like clothes – but without the spin – while music plays.

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The Mirai Human Washing Machine, which attracted attention at the Osaka Expo, is seen in April. Photo: JIJI Press via AFP
Science

How Cleopatra’s bath loofah may help PLA jets to vanish from space radars

From ancient royal baths to future stealth warfare – a humble kitchen vegetable may hold the key to defeating space-based radar hunters.

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Thailand

‘Everyone was startled’: Thai woman ‘wakes up’ in coffin before cremation

Woman wakes in coffin before cremation; organ donation attempt by her brother halted by missing death certificate.

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Italy

‘Carbonara sauce’ at EU parliament causes stir with Italy

Italy’s agriculture minister has demanded an investigation after he found jars containing pancetta at a supermarket in Brussels.

Pasta carbonara is sometimes made with pancetta, but the traditional ingredient is guanciale. Photo: Shutterstock
Australia

Murderer slathers Australian state with lawsuit over Vegemite ban in prison

Andre McKechnie argued that he had a right to eat the spread because it was ‘his culture as an Australian’.

An Australian inmate said a Vegemite ban inside Victoria’s prisons violated his human rights. Photo: AP
Japan

Japan’s ‘monster parents’ heap misery on teachers with absurd demands

Things have got so bad that Tokyo is creating guidelines recommending police and lawyers be called to handle difficult parental encounters.

Thailand

Flooded Thai restaurant lets customers dine with live fish

The riverside restaurant draws throngs of customers seeking a unique fish-feeding dining experience.

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Japan

‘Worried’ lawmakers urge Japan’s new PM to get some rest after 3am start

Before taking office, Sanae Takaichi vowed to ‘work like a horse’ and discard the idea of having a work-life balance. She wasn’t joking.

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Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attends a budget committee session in parliament on Friday. Photo: Kyodo
Viral stories

Japan bullying victim becomes ‘world’s most beautiful’ after US$650,000 plastic surgery

Wealthy ‘patrons’ shell out thousands of dollars to pay for man’s procedures; get ‘company, meals out, parties, shopping’ in return.

Japan

How to survive a bear attack in Japan: 5 tips from the country’s leading expert

A record 13 people have been killed by bears in the country since April. Find out why you must never turn your back on one.

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Thailand

Fishy food: glow-in-dark sushi in Thailand sparks alarm – ‘don’t eat it’

A Thai woman bought the egg sushi from a well-known brand recently when she spotted the ‘blue light’.

A tray of sushi pieces bought by a Thai woman including an egg sushi piece that glows with a blue light in the dark. Photo: Facebook/Mild Burusskorn
Japan

Japan’s deadliest year for bear attacks resurrects century-old nightmares

Surging bear numbers, scarce food and fewer hunters mean another disaster on the scale of the Sankebetsu massacre cannot be ruled out.

A model of “Kesagake”, the bear behind Japan’s deadliest animal attack in December 1915. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Australia

‘Nobody cares’: crocodile causes barely a ripple in Australian resort pool

Video posted on social media showed the scaly predator laying on the bottom of the pool of the luxury hotel in Port Douglas.

Food and Drinks

Culture shock: how ants can be used to turn milk into yogurt

Researchers tested a traditional fermentation method that involves dropping wood ants into milk to create new cultures. It worked.

Science

The fast and the amphibious: China electric SUV conquers Yangtze

Chery’s all-terrain Jetour G700 masters famous river in a showcase of global tech ambitions that redefine vehicle limits.

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The turbo-powered Chery Jetour G700 SUV has traversed the Yangtze River in just 22 minutes, marking another milestone for China’s auto industry. Photo: Handout
Pets

Does your dog want to play all the time? Why that could be a bad thing

Some dogs’ excessive play and attachment to their toys is similar to behaviours exhibited by human addicts, and could be just as damaging.

Some dogs exhibit behaviours that are very similar to those seen in human addicts, according to a recent study. Photo: Getty Images
Food and Drinks

Japanese wine town once celebrated climate change. Now things are turning sour

In Yoichi, on Japan’s Hokkaido island, the warming climate that once helped produce award-winning pinot noir grapes is now getting too hot.

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South Korea

South Korea’s president causes a stir with cooking show cameo amid fire crisis

Opposition critics say Lee Jae-myung’s appearance was ‘inappropriate’ while essential digital services were crippled by a huge fire.

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