China has vowed to defend its "national sovereignty" and "territorial integrity", as Taiwanese President William Lai sets foot on the Marshall Islands on the second stop of his Pacific tour. In a speech to the Marshallese parliament, Mr Lai announced the provision of a "preferential loan" for state-owned Air Marshall Islands to buy new aircraft. The Marshall Islands is among a dozen nations that have retained relations with Taipei, which has lost a string of diplomatic allies to China in the last few years. Victoria Jen reports from Taipei.

A court in Vietnam has upheld the death sentence for property tycoon Truong My Lan in the country's largest ever case of financial fraud and what could also be one of the world's biggest cases of bank fraud. Judges rejected her appeal against a conviction for embezzlement and bribery. Lan now has two options to escape death row. According to Vietnamese law, she can petition to Vietnam's president for leniency within seven days. She also can repay at least 75% of the US$12 billion that was deemed to have embezzled, and her death sentence would be commuted to life imprisonment. Tung Ngo reports.

South Korean actor Park Min-jae died at age 32, reportedly from a cardiac arrest while travelling in China. Park, who is known for his roles in dramas such as Little Women and Snap And Spark, had no major health issues prior to the trip, according to his agency. Read on: https://cna.asia/3VmtOcy

"We were...sitting there as if we were in the middle of the sea," said a resident from Kelantan. Malaysians returned to devastated homes on Monday (Dec 2) as one of the worst floods in decades began receding in some areas in the country. #malaysia #malaysianews

Malaysia was hit by one of its worst floods in decades over the weekend, which have claimed at least 6 lives and displaced over 150,000 people. Some residents of Tumpat, a town in north Kelantan, returned to submerged homes and battered infrastructure on Monday (Dec 2) after floodwaters began to recede. https://cna.asia/3OCgxsH Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

United States President Joe Biden on Sunday (Dec 1) signed an unconditional pardon for his son Hunter, saying he believed the younger Biden had been selectively prosecuted and targeted unfairly by political opponents. Karen Hult, a political science professor at Virginia Tech, tells CNA’s Asia First that Biden’s move – which came less than two months before he leaves office – is likely to overshadow his accomplishments and taint his legacy. Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

Singapore police used thermal-imaging drones in a series of anti-vice raids at various locations, including entertainment hotspots. 194 arrests were made over the six-day operation for offences including illegal work, drug use, and weapons possession. CNA’s Nadirah Zaidi reports on one of the raids in Little India.

A 30-year-old woman was found dead in a flat along Dover Road on Monday (Dec 2). Preliminary investigations reveal that a 34-year-old man, who is believed to be able to assist with investigations, had left Singapore before the police received a call for assistance. Investigations are ongoing. https://cna.asia/4iicqj2 Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

A 30-year-old woman was found dead in a flat along Dover Road on Monday (Dec 2). Preliminary investigations reveal that a 34-year-old man, who is believed to be able to assist with investigations, had left Singapore before the police received a call for assistance. #sgnews #singapore (Video: CNA/Marcus Mark Ramos)

While we see yurts and horses as romanticised advertisements to court visitors, over in Almaty, it is as real as visiting Grandma on weekends and to hang with your cousins. CNA Lifestyle was invited to explore Kazakhstan to find out why it should be your next holiday destination: https://cna.asia/4hvRapy

From next year, private eateries can serve patrons who bring along their pets in outdoor settings without needing a pet cafe licence. The move is part of the Singapore Food Agency's regular review of food safety laws. SFA said it has assessed that the risk of diseases transmitted from pets to humans at outdoor dining environments is low. Those intending to serve pet food will still need to apply for a pet cafe licence. Pets will not be allowed at hawker centres, which are communal spaces. Halal establishments will also remain closed to all pets, except guide dogs.

Thermal-imaging drones have helped police in recent anti-vice raids at various locations, including several entertainment hotspots. The six-day operation led to 194 arrests for offences including illegal work, drug use and weapons possession. Four others are under investigation for forgery and cheating. Nadirah Zaidi reports from a raid in Little India.

According to a new report card on inclusive hiring, positive attitudes towards persons with disabilities (PWDs) has declined in the workplace. This, even as PWDs experienced a rise in employment and income. The Disability Trends Report also found the overall quality of life scores of caregivers of PWDs have fallen by over two percentage points between 2022 and 2024. Ms Farah Juwita, the main caregiver to her youngest son — who is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder — shared more about the challenges of caregiving as well as support for caregivers.

Analysts said next year's Budget is likely to be generous and offer support to boost social safety nets. The Finance Ministry has invited Singaporeans to share their views over the next six weeks on what they would like to see. These are in areas like strengthening collective identity, skills upgrading and reflections on shared values. The Finance Ministry is also seeking feedback on how to support Singaporeans across different life stages — from helping young families through their parenthood journey, to seniors ageing well in their homes and community. Nasyrah Rohim reports.

Some 120 bottlenose dolphins live off the coast of Jeju Island in South Korea. But concerns are growing that excessive tourism and pollution are killing these dolphins, which the government designated as an endangered species more than a decade ago. A research team documented the deaths of about 10 Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin calves this year alone, up from one death last year. Studies showed most of them died right after birth. Lim Yun Suk reports.

Thailand has protested an incident early Saturday, where Myanmar's navy fired on a group of Thai fishing vessels. One crew member drowned after he leapt overboard. Myanmar detained four Thai nationals and 31 Myanmar crew members, including their trawler. Bangkok is in negotiations to release the Thai nationals and the return of the boat. Since the Myanmar military coup in 2021, there have been several border incidents with Thailand, mainly stemming from armed conflict between the military government and ethnic armed rebels. Saksith Saiyasombut reports.

Hundreds of Indian farmers are marching towards New Delhi, despite heightened security as they broke police barricades at border areas. They are pushing for several demands, including the expansion of minimum support prices, a waiver of farm loans and the withdrawal of police cases filed during past protests. The march began near the Mahamaya flyover in Noida, Uttar Pradesh around noon local time. Demonstrators are heading towards the parliament complex by tractor and on foot. More than 4,000 police personnel have been deployed, with barricades set up along the Noida-Delhi border. Ishan Garg reports.

US President Joe Biden made no further comments over his decision to sign a pardon for his son, Hunter, as he left for an official trip to Angola. Hunter Biden was facing two criminal cases and was due to be sentenced later this month for his conviction on federal gun charges. Mr Biden justified the move, claiming Hunter was singled out because he's his son. Nick Harper reports from Washington DC.

An alliance of civil society groups in the Philippines has filed an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte, on grounds of grave misconduct and constitutional violations. This latest twist comes a week after Ms Duterte made a controversial remark of contracting someone to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, the first lady and House Speaker Martin Romualdez, if an alleged plot against her life succeeds. Cherrie Regalado reports.

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak began his defence today for several counts of abuse of power and money laundering. These differ from the previous corruption charges for which he is currently serving a six-year jail term. What they all have in common is 1MDB — the sovereign wealth fund Najib and his allies are accused of plundering. The latest charges have to do with around $510 million in alleged bribes involving Tanore Finance Corporation, which American authorities said had siphoned funds from 1MDB. Melissa Goh reports.