Deng Xiaoping’s legacy, Singapore PM’s National Day Rally speech: 7 highlights – Technologist

2. Laser weapon spotted on Chinese navy ship as PLA and US boost drone defences

China has installed what appears to be a laser directed-energy weapon on an amphibious ship, according to social media posts, as the People’s Liberation Army and rivals such as the US race to develop weapons that can thwart drones, satellite networks and other hi-tech systems.

3. How did Singapore PM Lawrence Wong fare in his first National Day Rally speech?

The personable style of new Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in his first National Day Rally speech was well received, but experts cautioned that the reset in social safety net policies he outlined could seem incremental rather than the radical change some had anticipated.

4. Hong Kong’s ESF school group to open kindergarten under mega project in Sai Kung

Hong Kong’s largest international school group plans to open a new kindergarten in two years as part of a major developer’s mega project in the Sai Kung area, while also announcing it will close another institution in Tung Chung.

5. World’s largest iPhone factory loses momentum amid supply chain shifts

The world’s largest iPhone factory, in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou, is offering higher bonuses to attract workers needed for its busy season ahead of the launch of new models from Apple, but it is “not what it used to be”, according to workers and labour agents at the site.

6. As China celebrates Deng Xiaoping’s legacy, the country is again at a crossroads

Deng and his “true heir” Xi Jinping differ in strategies and approaches, but closer examination reveals many core similarities. In the first of a three-part series, we look at Deng’s continuing resonance with the ruling Communist Party’s leadership.

7. Would you live in a ‘haunted’ house if the price was right?

In the high-stakes Hong Kong real estate market, where every square foot is coveted, a peculiar subset of properties defies the norm – “haunted” flats, or hongza. These homes are often shunned because of the belief that the lingering spirits of those who died an unnatural death in them – by murder, suicide, or an accident – will bring misfortune to the next residents.