ANN/AFP/THE STAR – It might sound like an April Fool’s gimmick, but this is no joke. Famous for its crispy fried chicken, KFC is now letting fans enjoy its taste while brushing their teeth. The fast-food giant has joined forces with HiSmile to release a fried-chicken flavored toothpaste.
It’s the kind of social media post that you have to read twice to be sure that you’ve understood it correctly. Then, you’ll probably check the date to make sure it’s not April 1.
And so, it seems that this is no joke. KFC has indeed decided to market a toothpaste in the United States that doesn’t taste like mint or strawberry, but rather like fried chicken – the kind on which its reputation is built.
The US fast-food giant has joined forces with the HiSmile brand, which specialises in oral hygiene products, to create a toothpaste based on the same recipe as the famous mixture of 11 herbs and spices used in KFC dishes.
According to the fast-food giant’s announcement, the toothpaste is not cheap, costing USD13, or slightly under EUR12. The product has been a hit, and stocks have already sold out via the online store. An electric toothbrush featuring the face of the famous colonel even accompanies this rather skillfully designed marketing tactic.
And that’s exactly what it is: a great PR stunt. It was originally an April Fool’s joke, as KFC and HiSmile jointly point out. Then, in the end, the fast-food company claims that consumers were so keen to see this bold idea come to life that it went ahead and brought its toothpaste to market.
While the concept may make you laugh (or vomit), it perfectly illustrates how food brands have infiltrated the personal care and beauty shelves. In the same way that Lidl scored a hit with its blue and yellow trainers, Dunkin’ Donuts’ donuts has inspired a range of makeup at e.l.f Cosmetics, while Dove has worked with Crumbl Cookies on a line of shower gels inspired by the smell of its sweet treats.
KFC has joined forces with Hismile to release a fried-chicken flavored toothpaste. PHOTO: HiSmile via ANN/THE STAR
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) – ASEAN must “act boldly” to accelerate regional economic integration as sweeping US tariffs leave much of the world caught in the middle of a devastating trade war, the bloc’s chief said Wednesday.
The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which count on the United States as their main export market, were among those slapped with the toughest levies by President Donald Trump.
“To remain relevant and resilient in a world where economic chaos is fast becoming the new normal, we must act boldly, decisively, and together to reaffirm ASEAN’s commitment to a stable, predictable, and business-friendly environment,” ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn told an investment conference.
ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn. PHOTO: ASEAN.ORG
He was speaking on the eve of a meeting of ASEAN economic and finance ministers as well as central bank governors in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur to discuss how to respond to the US tariffs.
ASEAN governments have chosen not to the retaliate against Washington, preferring dialogue.
But their export-oriented economies risk being hurt by a global trade war after China — another key market — imposed its own tariffs on the United States.
“Without urgent and collective action to accelerate intra-ASEAN economic integration and diversify our markets and partnerships, we risk ceding our place in a fractured and fast-evolving global economy,” Kao said.
Manufacturing powerhouse and ASEAN member Vietnam was hit with a 46 percent tariff on exports to the United States, while neighbouring Cambodia — a major producer of low-cost clothing for big Western brands — was slapped with a 49 per cent duty.
Other ASEAN nations hit with hefty tariffs are Laos (48 per cent), Myanmar (44 per cent), Thailand (36 per cent), Indonesia (32 per cent).
Malaysia, Southeast Asia’s third-largest economy, was hit with lower tariff of 24 per cent.
Brunei also faces a 24 per cent tariff while the Philippines was hit with 17 per cent and Singapore 10 per cent.
The bloc has a combined population of more than 650 million but its members are at different stages of economic development, ranging from poorer countries like Laos and Cambodia to rich ones like financial centre Singapore.
SINGAPORE (ANN/THE STRAITS TIMES) – Mr Ang Bin Xiu’s job is a Pokemon fan’s dream – he opens packs of Pokemon cards for a living and live-streams himself doing so.
It started with chancing upon Pokemon cards at a convenience store in 2022, which sparked his interest in collecting Pokemon cards again in his 20s – many years after he had done so as a child – out of nostalgia.
The Covid-19 pandemic sparked a global resurgence of interest in Pokemon card collecting, as well as live streaming as a way of shopping. Riding on this wave, Mr Ang has managed to make a career out of his hobby. Now 31, he works as a full-time live streamer who opens packs of Pokemon cards daily for audiences on his TikTok channel.
He operates on what is known as a “rip and ship” business model.
Viewers, who range from students to young working adults from Singapore, can purchase packs of cards on his live stream. After they buy the cards, Mr Ang opens them on the stream. The contents of the opened pack are then shipped to buyers.
Mr Ang acquires his product from distributors and retailers both locally and overseas. Each pack contains anywhere between five and 10 cards, depending on the set, which he charges USD9 to USD12 for.
Mr Ang said that beyond the entertainment value of watching and interacting with the live stream, the appeal of his business is the accessibility it provides, especially when it comes to harder-to-find card sets from Japan or more expensive vintage sets.
Each box contains 30 to 36 packs and can cost anywhere from just over USD50 to several thousand dollars. Mr Ang said that he usually tries to fulfil requests, although some niche sets are too expensive for his business model.
Inspired by influencers with similar business models in America, Mr Ang first began live-streaming in December 2022 as a side hustle while working full-time as a trainer at Amazon.
Mr Ang Bin Xiu managed to sell USD1 million worth of products within the first nine months of starting his live stream. PHOTO: ANN/THE STRAITS TIMES
During a typical live stream, Mr Ang opens packs of Pokemon cards ordered by his customers while interacting and speaking with his viewers. He can open up to a hundred packs during each six-hour-long stream.
When he first began streaming, his intention was not to make money, but rather, to find community.
He said: “I’m a collector before I’m a seller. I wanted to find a community where I could meet (other hobbyists) and (open) packs together just for the fun of it.”
He was also motivated to give live streaming a shot due to the low overhead costs. He said: “It was something I could do from the comfort of my own home, and I really only needed to purchase the card packs.”
Mr Ang managed to sell USD1 million worth of products within the first nine months of starting his live stream. At his peak sales period of May to June that year, he took home up to USD10,000 monthly.
His business was doing so well that in September 2023, he left his job at Amazon to focus on live-streaming full time. He has since diversified to also include sports cards and cards from other trading card games such as One Piece.
Online live-streaming shopping businesses like Mr Ang’s, and other forms of social media-based shopping experiences, are expected to grow significantly over the next five years.
A market report on researchandmarkets.com estimated that the gross merchandise value of the social commerce industry in Singapore will increase from USD1.2 billion (SGD1.6 billion) in 2023 to reach USD8.47 billion by 2029.
Consumers of the social commerce industry tend to skew young too. According to a 2024 report released by New York-based data analytics firm Earnest Analytics, Gen Zs aged between 18 and 24 are more than three times as likely to spend at TikTok Shop than the average shopper.
Mr Ang’s initial sales have since cooled off but the job remains sustainable for him. PHOTO: ANN/THE STRAITS TIMES
Associate professor of marketing at the National University of Singapore Yan Zhang said that for small businesses, integrating social media into business models can be more effective than typical digital marketing strategies, such as buying online advertisements.
Mr Ang’s initial sales have since cooled off, which he attributes to the growing number of live streamers in the region with a similar business model, but the job remains sustainable for him.
Still, Mr Ang does not regret his career switch, in part because of the personal friendships that he has been able to build through his business, some of whom he has regular offline catch-ups with regularly.
He said: “I don’t like to see my viewers as customers, but as friends. (My live streams) are more about the common love of the hobby rather than just profit.”
Mr Ang said the biggest challenge he faced running his live-streaming business was fluctuating demand for his products.
He said: “(How much money I take home) is different month to month. During months when there’s a new set (of cards) released, I may take home more money, but during slow periods, it can be difficult. But, I think it’s important to be resilient. If you can power through the tough times, there’s no stopping you.”
BEIJING (AFP) – Twenty people have died in a fire at a nursing home in northern China’s Hebei province, Beijing’s state news agency Xinhua said Wednesday.
The fire broke out around 9:00 pm (1300 GMT) Tuesday at the nursing home in Longhua County, roughly 180 kilometres (112 miles) northeast of the capital Beijing.
Twenty people were confirmed dead by 3:00 am Wednesday, Xinhua reported.
“Other elderly people in the nursing home have been transferred to nearby hospitals for further observation and treatment,” the state news agency said.
The cause of the blaze is under investigation, it said.
An individual responsible for the nursing home has been detained by police, the county government said.
Deadly fires are relatively common in China due to lax building codes and an often slipshod approach to workplace safety.
In January, a fire at a vegetable market in Zhangjiakou city, northwest of Beijing, killed eight people and injured 15.
A month before that, nine people died in a fire at a construction site in eastern China’s Rongcheng city.
BEIJING (ANN/CHINA DAILY) – China said on Monday that it found no abnormality in the activity concentration of hazardous elements such as tritium, cesium-134, cesium-137 and strontium-90 in seawater and marine life samples the country independently collected from waters near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station.
The samples were collected by domestic laboratories in late February under the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency, according to a statement released by the China Atomic Energy Authority.
“As China has repeatedly pointed out, a single test result showing no abnormalities does not guarantee that future tests will also be problem-free,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Monday, noting that China’s stance against Japan’s discharge of nuclear-contaminated water has never changed.
“We will continue to work with the international community and relevant professional organisations, such as the IAEA, to urge Japan to earnestly fulfill its commitments and ensure that the ocean discharge is under international supervision,” Lin told reporters at a regular news briefing in Beijing.
According to Lin, during the sixth China-Japan High-Level Economic Dialogue held in Tokyo last month, the Japanese side reaffirmed that it will accept long-term international monitoring of its discharge of nuclear-contaminated water and Beijing’s independent sampling and monitoring.
It was based on Japan’s fulfillment of its commitment and the fact that no abnormality was found in the analysis that China’s General Administration of Customs held a technical exchange with the Japanese side in Beijing on March 12 regarding the safety of Japanese seafood, the spokesman said.
“The Chinese government always puts its people above all else and is firmly committed to safeguarding the food safety of its people,” Lin said.
China independently collected the samples in October last year and February, after the Japanese government unilaterally started discharging nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean on Aug 24, 2023.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director general Rafael Mariano Grossi (2nd L) inspects the Interim Storage Facility site where soil contaminated by the 2011 nuclear accident is being managed and treated, in Okuma town of Fukushima prefecture on February 19, 2025. PHOTO: AFP via ANN/CHINA DAILY
Police personnel from Bangar Police Station thwarted an attempt to smuggle contraband items, including fireworks and vape products, into the country, following a tip-off from a member of the public.
According to the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF), Bangar Police Station received information regarding a vehicle suspected of transporting contraband in the vicinity of the Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Bridge.
A police patrol team was immediately dispatched and managed to locate the suspicious vehicle. A pursuit ensued along the bridge, and the vehicle was eventually intercepted in the Tanah Jambu housing area.
The contraband and vehicle seized by the police. PHOTO: RBPF
The driver and passenger reportedly fled the scene, abandoning the vehicle.
Upon inspection, officers discovered several boxes containing fireworks and vape products. The seized items were handed over to the Royal Customs and Excise Department for further investigation and action.
The RBPF expressed its appreciation to the public for their cooperation and encouraged continued support in combating illegal activities that threaten the safety and well-being of the community. – James Kon
A joyous and lively celebration that brought together over 500 guests, Standard Chartered Bank hosted its corporate Hari Raya Open House event on Wednesday.
The festive celebration held at Tarindak D’Polo in Jerudong saw Standard Chartered Bank Brunei Chief Executive Officer Pengiran Aki Ismasufian bin Pengiran Haji lbrahim greeting and mingling with guests as well as all the bank’s senior managers welcoming and hosting the Bank’s guests.
Standard Chartered Bank Brunei CEO Pengiran Aki Ismasufian bin Pengiran Haji lbrahim with guests during the event. PHOTOS: MUIZ MATDANI
The event marked a gesture of appreciation and unity, celebrating the festive season and strengthening long-standing relationships. Guests included foreign envoys and officials, key stakeholders, associates, and valued clients.
The celebration also served as a platform for informal networking, allowing guests to reconnect and exchange ideas in a festive and relaxed environment where guests were treated to a delightful spread of Hari Raya dishes with lovely tunes played in the background that kept the event lively.
Guests enjoying the festive atmosphere.
“Alhamdullilah, we are honoured and delighted to be able to extend our warmest wishes and greetings for Raya with our valued clients and stakeholders. It is always a pleasure to be able to meet and reconnect during occasions such as these. On behalf of Standard Chartered Bank, I would like to wish everyone celebrating a joyous Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri dan Maaf Zahir dan Batin,” said Pengiran Aki Ismasufian.
Standard Chartered Bank has been operating in Brunei since 1958 and is the largest international bank in the country. – Lyna Mohammad
ANN/THE STAR – Starting April 10, users of billionaire Elon Musk’s social media site X – formerly known as Twitter – will have to meet stricter standards if they engage in parody, impersonation or fan page activity.
In a post from the platform’s Safety account last Friday, X said the changes are meant to “improve transparency.”
Specifically citing “Parody, Commentary, and Fan (PCF)” accounts, X said that these users must put compliant keywords at the start of their profile names and cannot use identical profile images as the accounts they are attempting to depict.
This means instead of putting words like “parody,” “fan,” and “fake” at the end of their account title, these words must be put at the front of the name, so as not to be potentially obscured.
“These changes are designed to help users better understand the unaffiliated nature of PCF accounts and reduce the risk of confusion or impersonation,” X said in its announcement. “We encourage all affected accounts to update their profiles before the enforcement date.”
The platform’s existing authenticity policies, last updated in January, already prohibit profiles from impersonating the identities of people, groups and organisations with the intent to mislead others.
Users are not obligated to use their real name in their profile, and X mentioned that PCF accounts are allowed for the purposes of discussion, satirisation and sharing information.
The platform once utilised an old blue check verification system designed to distinguish users of notoriety and official accounts from unofficial and inauthentic ones.
However, starting in 2022, Musk abandoned this verification method in favour of a verification system in which blue checks were given to, or kept, for users who signed up for paid monthly subscriptions.
Numerous governmental, brand and news organisation accounts were separately given grey and gold verification marks instead of blue ones to continue to verify their legitimacy.
Musk himself has been the subject of impersonations in the past by accounts that altered their names to his, setting off the policy of impersonators needing to include “parody” in their account names.
In January, X said it would start labeling parody accounts and posts to “clearly distinguish” them. – masslive.com/Tribune News Service
Users are not required to use their real name in their profile, and X stated that PCF accounts are allowed for the purposes of discussion, satirisation and sharing information. PHOTO: AP via ANN/THE STAR
BANGKOK (ANN/THE NATION) – A doctor at Nakornping Hospital in Chiang Mai successfully removed a full-sized leech from a three-year-old girl’s nostril after she suffered repeated nosebleeds over four days.
The hospital shared the case — concerning a young girl from Om Koi district — as a cautionary message to parents to monitor their children while playing in natural water sources, where leeches may inhabit.
Nakornping Hospital, located in Mae Rim district, posted on its Facebook page on Monday that the child had been referred from Om Koi District Hospital late on the night of 5 April after doctors there were unable to identify the cause of persistent bleeding from the girl’s right nostril.
According to the hospital, the child had started experiencing nosebleeds after washing her face in a nearby creek.
A doctor on duty during the night shift used an endoscope to examine the nostril and discovered the leech. A machine was used to safely extract it. The girl underwent treatment, received antibiotics, and is now discharged with no further symptoms.
The hospital advised parents to consult a doctor if their children experience repeated nosebleeds, as they could be caused by leeches, especially after playing in natural water sources.
It also warned against attempting to remove a leech at home, as improper removal could lead to further harm.
A machine was used to safely remove it. The girl received treatment, was given antibiotics, and has since been discharged with no further symptoms. PHOTO: ANN/THE NATION
JAKARTA (ANN/THE JAKARTA POST) – The number of death sentences in Indonesia continues to rise over the years, making the Southeast Asian country a significant contributor to the death sentence figure globally as recorded executions hit their highest level since 2015.
A new report titled “Death Sentences and Executions 2024”, released on Tuesday by human rights group Amnesty International, records 1,518 executions globally last year, a 32 per cent increase from the 1,153 in 2023 and the highest number the world has seen since 2015, with 1,634 executions.
Despite the rise in executions, only 15 countries executed their death row convicts last year, the lowest number on record for the second consecutive year, the group noted, adding that 113 countries are fully abolitionist and 145 in total have abolished the death penalty in law or practice.
“With just 15 countries carrying out executions in 2024 […] this signals a move away from this cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment,” said Amnesty International’s secretary-general Agnès Callamard.
While Indonesia has not proceeded with executions since 2016, new death penalties continue to be given every year.
Last year, courts across the country sentenced 85 criminals to death, 64 of whom were involved in drug-related offenses and the remaining 21 sentenced for murder. The number is part of a total of over 28,000 convicts around the world slated for execution through 2024.
Amnesty International Indonesia executive director Usman Hamid said Indonesia must quickly learn from its neighbour Malaysia, which abolished the mandatory death penalty for serious offences in 2023.
“By choosing abolition or elimination of the death penalty, Indonesia can realise a justice system that is fair, humane and in line with the global trend of ending the death penalty,” Usman said.
A protester holds placards reading ‘save MU’, one of the inmates on death row, and ‘Jokowi (Indonesia’s then-President Joko Widodo) let MU live’ during a demonstration against the death penalty in front of the presidential palace in Jakarta on July 26, 2016. PHOTO: AFP via ANN/THE JAKARTA POST
