Viral Critic Returns to Singapore After US Deportation

0:00Today is March 20th. Here's what's making headlines worldwide. A Singaporean man known for his bold online criticisms of the country's leaders is heading back home after deportation from the United States. AMSE, now 27 years old, faces charges there for skipping mandatory military service, which all male citizens must complete for two years, starting at age 18. Earlier this decade, Yee shot to fame with videos that harshly mocked founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, right after his death in 2015. Those posts, full of strong language and drawings targeting leaders and religions, led to quick arrests and jail time in Singapore twice. Many in Singapore split on Yeesum, hailed him as a champion for free speech in a place strict on dissent, with strangers even offering bail money. Others filed reports, upset over threats to the nation's focus on harmony. Still, he won asylum in the U.S. in 2017, as judges feared he'd face more persecution back home.

1:00Things turned sour in the U.S. when Yee landed in jail in 2020 for child pornography and trying to groom a 14-year-old girl he met online. After parole, immigration officials grabbed him last November and he signed deportation papers recently. He set for a Singapore court appearance this Friday, with unclear signs of extra charges ahead. This wraps up a wild path from viral critic to international legal battles.