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World’s fastest coilgun, Korean-Chinese food, cancer drug trials: 5 weekend reads

From the tech behind the world’s fastest coilgun to why bullet trains trump planes in China, here are five stories you may have missed over the weekend

China has unveiled a powerful new electromagnetic gun believed to be powered by lithium batteries. This version (pictured) is a non-lethal weapon that fires coin-shaped bullets with electromagnetic force and would be used for riot control. Photo: CCTV

We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.

1. PLA scientists reveal tech breakthrough behind world’s fastest coilgun

The technology was originally unveiled in 2023 and developed as a non-lethal weapon to be used in riot control. Photo: CCTV

2. How India and Pakistan are preparing for the next conflict

An Indian soldier keeps watch near the Line of Control separating Pakistan and India on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

3. On this Chinese island, patients are trying latest experimental drugs for cancer

The Chinese island of Hainan attracts tourists from across the globe but here a medical revolution is unfolding, whereby patients can access medicines and therapies as part of clinical trials before they have even hit the market. Photo: Xinhua News Agency

4. ‘More convenient’: why China’s travellers are ditching planes for bullet trains

Chinese travellers are increasingly choosing high-speed trains over planes when commuting between Beijing and Shanghai, as travel times on high-speed rail continue to fall. Photo: Dickson Lee

5. Korean-Chinese food, and the 2 dishes that make it so popular

The classic Korean-Chinese dish of black bean paste noodles (jajangmyeon) is a descendant of the Chinese dish zhajiangmian. Photo: Shutterstock

About Author / Rohit Darekar