Asia is home to remarkable artisans who are redefining modern luxury. We met with some of them, witnessing their mastery firsthand, and got an inside look at one of Patek Philippe's four global training institutes in Singapore. 00:00 Introduction 00:11 Cheng Tsung Feng, bamboo artisan in Taiwan 08:14 Gijs Terhorst, technical trainer at Patek Philippe Institute in Singapore 16:01 Goh Lai Chan, cheongsam maker in Singapore 23:41 Greg Shand, architect who designed 21 luxury homes in Singapore's Sentosa island 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

When Lawrence Wong became Singapore's fourth prime minister earlier this year, he vowed to lead in what he described as "our own way" through a more uncertain world. He also outlined a bold, long-term vision for the nation. Jeraldine Yap explores how his leadership brings a renewed vision of the Singapore Dream, where individuals thrive on their own terms.

Some charities in Singapore continue to struggle with fewer donations and volunteers. The Boys' Brigade said around half of its donation targets remain unmet. Other social organisations have called for more volunteers to spread the festive cheer to vulnerable groups.

For many, the festive season is a time for spring cleaning and clearing away unwanted items. Some local organisations have seen a substantial jump in donation of second-hand items this year. They've put it down to better corporate outreach and greater public awareness around sustainability. Muhammad Bahajjaj reports.

The waiting list for liver transplants in Singapore ballooned to 57 patients in the first half of this year, eclipsing the 55 throughout the whole of 2023. Average wait times for a liver from a deceased donor stand at over 22 months. For patients with rare, life-threatening conditions, a gift of life from living donors might be their only chance for survival. Professor Brian Goh from the Singapore General Hospital explained how a patient's chance of recovery is affected by longer wait times.

Two commercial interior construction firms in Singapore have been hit with a S$10-million fine for rigging bids since August 2016. Over five years, Flex Connect and Tarkus Interiors rigged a dozen tenders — valued at over S$34 million — to secure interior renovation contracts across retail spaces, food outlets and offices. Both firms have until Feb 20 to pay the penalty or file an appeal. Singapore's competition watchdog, the Competition and Consumer Commission, stated that both firms violated Section 34 of the Competition Act, in which companies involved in tenders are prohibited from discussing prices. Nadirah Zaidi reports.

Also on East Asia Tonight, Australia to boost policing in Solomon Islands to counter China's encroachment; Xi Jinping tells gambling hub Macau to diversify its economy; China's Comac C919 flies one million passengers; and how Taiwan deploys sniffer dogs to detect diseased trees. 00:00 Headlines 19:29: China's homegrown C919 plane carries its one millionth passenger 32:31: Malaysia to restart search for flight MH370 a decade after disappearance 35:41: Australia unveils US$120-million security pact with Solomon Islands 38:34: US prosecutor arrest Chinese national accused of acting as an agent for Beijing 43:23: Taiwanese lawmakers tackle and douse one another with water in parliament 45:22: Taiwan's sniffer dogs help to detect trees with brown root rot disease

In Taipei, authorities are pre-empting falling trees with a team of sniffer dogs. Some sniffer dogs specialise in detecting brown root rot disease, which attacks tree roots and causes decay. The fungal infection is particularly challenging to detect because it starts underground from the tree roots. By the time symptoms become apparent, it's often too late. Every year, Taipei finds about 300 to 400 sick trees and around 30% are detected by sniffer dogs, which inspect around 8,000 trees annually. Victoria Jen reports.

Malaysia will resume the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, more than 10 years after it vanished in the Southern Indian Ocean. The Boeing 777 departed Kuala Lumpur for Beijing on 8 March 2014, but air traffic control lost contact with the plane just 40 minutes after take-off. Exploration firm Ocean Infinity is seeking US$70 million if the wreckage is found. Mr Richard Godfrey, a former aerospace engineer and founder of the 'The Search for MH370' website, shared what could have sparked the fresh search and how it could be different from previous attempts.

India's Parliament has adjourned for the year, ending a month-long session that saw repeated disruption, protests and even a scuffle between parliamentarians. Despite a few crucial Bills being introduced in the House, very little business was transacted this time. All eyes are now on the budget session, which will be held in February. It will be crucial to see if the political logjam continues into the new year. Ishan Garg reports from New Delhi.

The newly elected Prime Minister of Mauritius said this week that the deal his predecessor negotiated with the United Kingdom over the future of the Chagos Islands is not good enough. Britain agreed to hand over sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius in order to end a decades-long dispute at the United Nations. This latest development is a major setback for Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is also facing extreme pushback from Chagossian islanders living in the UK. CNA’s Stuart Smith has more. 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 mass rape trial that sent shockwaves through France and the world concluded on Thursday (Dec 19), with Dominique Pelicot sentenced to 20 years in prison. He admitted to drugging his then-wife, Gisele Pelicot, for nearly a decade, allowing him and strangers he recruited online to rape her. The convictions bring to a close a three-month trial that has made Gisele a symbol of female courage. More on the verdict: https://cna.asia/4gh9BNQ

In 2014, a car crash in New Zealand left the then 31-year-old Jean Ling with a serious spinal cord injury. When she woke up, she was forced to rebuild her life. Now married with two children and expecting a third, she shares how she found the mindset to triumph over despair. See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

Gisèle Pelicot has been praised for waiving her right to anonymity and allowing court proceedings to be made public. In a statement, she said she had "no regrets" and shared her battle with countless other victims who remain in the shadows. Ross Cullen reports from Paris.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has lauded Moscow's deepening ties with Beijing, saying that bilateral relations have reached a "level never seen before". At his annual end-of-year press conference, the Russian leader also assessed the situation in Ukraine. Dasha Chernyshova has more from Moscow.

South Korea's political upheaval over President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived martial law declaration is putting a damper on year-end festivities. Businesses in the food and hospitality sectors are seeing a drop in takings during what is usually one of the busiest periods, capping off a disappointing year for the economy. The central bank governor expects gross domestic product growth this year to drop to 2.1 per cent, down from an earlier forecast of 2.2 per cent. CNA’s Lim Yun Suk reports. 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

Spanish police cracked a year-long missing persons case after discovering a Google Maps Street View image showing a person placing a suspected corpse into a car trunk. The victim’s girlfriend and her ex-partner were arrested last month on suspicion of kidnapping. Police later found a human torso, believed to be that of the missing man, in a shallow grave on Dec 11.

Two men will be charged on Friday (Dec 20) for housebreaking and allegedly stealing more than S$17,000 in cash and valuables. Singapore police are looking into whether the men are linked to a criminal syndicate in China that's believed to be behind a number of cases earlier this year. #sgnews #singapore

Countries around the world are becoming increasingly concerned over the use of social media by children. Australia took some of the strictest moves last month as it passed a landmark law, banning children under 16 from social media. The law only kicks in later next year, but it already has many other nations thinking along the same lines. They include Norway, France, Sweden and Indonesia. But what about Singapore? Are its young people equally at risk? CNA speaks to Dr Daniel Fung, CEO of the Institute of Mental Health, and Nicole Pang, Head of Services at Impart SG, a charity that works with youth and children.

Resale flat price growth could slow down with the building of yet-to-launch Build-to-Order (BTO) projects. Market watchers also say such projects could also help to ease demand for resale public housing flats. Construction of hundreds of new BTO flats are in full swing well ahead of the official sales launch. The projects are located in Clementi, Toa Payoh and Bukit Merah. Industry watchers say the move to "build before order" could help to allay concerns over supply shortages, induced by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is especially as resale prices in some of these locations have hit the million-dollar mark. Alexandra Anand reports.