US singer marries sultan, Singaporean Chinese ‘least attractive’: 8 viral stories in 2025

Catch up on some of SCMP’s trendiest stories this year. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing . 1. 79-year-old influencer lost 30kg and has bone density of a 20-year-old. How? Joan MacDonald is an unlikely influencer. At nearly 80 years of age, she has garnered 2 million followers on Instagram since she began posting on the platform almost a decade ago. During that time, she has transformed her life and her health. Now she helps others to embrace ageing with strength and grace. 2. US singer unknowingly marries Malaysian sultan: ‘I deserve a proper divorce’ Brittany Porter poses with Sultan Muhammad V. Photo: Instagram/its.brook.lynn When American recording artist Brittany Porter met Sultan Muhammad V, ruler of the Malaysian state of Kelantan, she thought their fairy tale romance led to an engagement. A year later, she discovered that the Islamic nikah ceremony was in fact a religious marriage, a revelation that came only after the country’s former monarch had cut off contact. 3. From best actress to banned in mainland China, Hong Kong star Deanie Ip For an acclaimed movie star whose accolades include best actress at the Venice Film Festival, Deanie Ip Tak-han
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