A flash mob of hundreds took to Bangkok's streets Saturday to protest against the arrest of two pro-democracy activists – the latest outburst of anger in a movement increasingly vocal in its demand for reforms in Thailand. The kingdom has seen near-daily rallies in recent weeks with mainly young protesters denouncing the government of former military leader Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. Two protest leaders were arrested Friday evening on eight charges, including sedition and breaking coronavirus rules about gatherings at a rally held at Bangkok's Democracy Monument on 18 July. Human

Malaysia's ex-finance minister, now a key opposition figure, was charged with corruption Friday over a US$1.5 billion construction project, the latest government critic to be targeted since a scandal-plagued party returned to power. Lim Guan Eng is the highest-profile figure yet to face a criminal probe in a sweeping crackdown on dissent launched by the new administration, and says the case against him is politically motivated. A crowd of journalists and supporters, including fellow MPs, were waiting for him as he arrived at a Kuala Lumpur court Friday morning, following his arrest by anti-

The United States (US) has fired a new salvo in its rivalry with China, ordering sweeping restrictions against Chinese-owned social media stars TikTok and WeChat. Here are some key facts about the platforms: What Is WeChat? WeChat, known as "weixin" or micro-message in Chinese, belongs to tech giant Tencent and has grown to become ubiquitous in daily life across China since its 2011 launch. It has more than a billion monthly users and is a "super app" used for everything from messaging to ride-hailing and mobile payments, while also serving as a social media platform. Tencent surpassed