South China Morning Post
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Alibaba open-sources AI model that can detect cancer and nearly 150 conditions
Alibaba Group Holding’s research arm, Damo Academy, has open-sourced an artificial intelligence model capable of identifying nearly 150 abdominal conditions – including cancers – by reading computed tomography (CT) scans, marking the latest step in the firm’s growing medical AI efforts. The vision-language model, called Damo Radar, was designed to analyse contrast-enhanced CT scans covering 18 abdominal organs and identify a broad range of diseases and other abnormalities, such as malignant
Foreign carers for elderly to get 10 to 20% more pay than current helpers
Foreign domestic carers brought to Hong Kong to look after elderly residents under a proposed government pilot scheme would receive 10 to 20 per cent more pay than existing helpers, the labour minister has said. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han on Friday revealed additional details about the arrangement for foreign domestic carers, as the government also released a comprehensive report outlining strategies for an ageing society. The report listed 73 measures spanning 11 areas,
Are the doors to German universities closing for China’s STEM researchers?
Chinese AI researcher “Joy” waited more than seven months to hear that his visa application for Germany had been rejected. The 30-year-old had been offered a postdoctoral position at a German technical university but the rejection letter said there was an Ausweisungsinteresse, or public interest in denying him entry. Citing Section 53 of Germany’s Residence Act, the letter said that for applications involving “study, research and similar employment”, particular attention had to be paid to the
Saudi oil pipeline closure puts Asia’s economic resilience to the test
Asian economies heavily dependent on imported energy are facing an even sharper squeeze after the shutdown of Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline removed a key escape route from the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, deepening an energy shock that has already pushed crude oil above US$100 a barrel. Analysts said the loss of that bypass would hit Asian refiners first before feeding through to inflation, currencies and economic growth across the region. Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil
Singapore Airlines takes world’s best carrier crown from Qatar Airways
Singapore Airlines was awarded the title of world’s best airline in the annual rankings by Skytrax, taking the top spot from Qatar Airways in a year that saw Middle Eastern carriers come under significant pressure from the ongoing war in Iran. The award, which is based on a survey of almost 25 million travellers, was announced in London on Friday, with a list dominated by Asian carriers. Only one European airline – Air France-KLM – made the top 10, and not a single US company, despite their
Beijing, Taipei need peace deal before reunification, Taiwanese scholar says
A formal peace deal between Beijing and Taipei should be signed to build trust before discussions on post-reunification political arrangements, a prominent Taiwanese political scientist has argued at a security conference in Beijing. Chang Ya-chung, who heads the Taiwan-based Sun Yat-sen School advocacy group, said the “one country, two systems” formula, which has been applied to Hong Kong and Macau, had so far failed to resonate in Taiwanese society. “If reunification means that one side, with
Ant International launches AI overhaul to automate global financial operations
Ant International, the overseas affiliate of China’s Ant Group, is executing an artificial intelligence overhaul across its entire suite of global financial services, introducing AI agents designed to help manage payments, foreign exchange and treasury operations. Described by the company as its largest-ever product upgrade, the initiative embeds AI-native solutions across all platforms: cross-border payment network Alipay+, merchant services provider Antom, account and treasury platform
Tesla auditing Chinese suppliers ahead of Optimus roll-out: sources
Tesla officials and engineers have begun auditing part of the firm’s Chinese supply chain, as Elon Musk’s company aims to quickly ramp up production of its Optimus humanoid robot after it hits the global market later this year, according to sources with knowledge of the matter. Chinese companies set to undergo supplier audits included heat-control component manufacturer Zhejiang Sanhua Intelligent Controls, auto parts supplier Ningbo Joyson Electronic, and chassis producer Tuopu Group, two
Xi-Trump summit preview: what are the best and worst scenarios?
President Xi Jinping is scheduled to sit down with US President Donald Trump in Washington next week, and their planned summit looks to be closely watched as an indicator of the current state of ties between the world’s two largest economies. Economic issues appear poised to drive the agenda again, as they did when Trump travelled to Beijing in May with more than a dozen top American CEOs, including the heads of Tesla, Apple, Nvidia and Boeing. At stake are an extension of their current truce
Ending the nuclear arms race starts with cities doing their part
The catastrophic danger posed to cities by nuclear weapons is nothing new. Putting major urban areas at risk across generations is, in fact, the point of these weapons of terror. The practice of doing so is benignly called nuclear deterrence, but it requires holding the cities of adversaries – real and imagined – under constant threat. The use of even the smallest nuclear weapons in today’s arsenals would cause a humanitarian emergency in cities. That is why city leadership should have a voice
CUHK instructor triggers backlash over WeChat attendance registration policy
A department at Hong Kong’s second-oldest university has faced a backlash over asking students to use mainland Chinese messaging app WeChat to register their attendance and keep its location services enabled, later saying the decision was optional. The new policy was revealed after a screenshot of an email from the information engineering department at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) was posted to social media platform Threads on Friday. “Starting from the next class, attendance will
Australian man pleads not guilty to murder of Thai girl found in suitcase
An Australian accused of murdering a teenage girl in Thailand and abandoning her body in a suitcase pleaded not guilty in court on Friday, citing self-defence. Simon Peter Carman, 45, was arrested at a Bangkok airport in June as he prepared to take a flight back to Australia after the 17-year-old victim’s friend had reported her missing. The young woman’s body was found in a suitcase near a railway track in Pattaya, a seaside resort city south of the capital, Bangkok. Police said she died of
Could China’s sixth-generation fighter carry a laser to defend against missiles?
China may be aiming to equip its sixth-generation fighter jets with laser weapons that experts say could help defend them against incoming missiles. At the 14th China International Defence Electronics Exhibition, held in Beijing from September 15 to 17, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) Beijing Precision Engineering Institute for Aircraft Industry presented details of a “fighter aircraft laser-weapon tracking and aiming system”. According to social media posts, the booth display
Howard replaces his father, Warren Buffett, as Berkshire Hathaway chairman
Warren Buffett is stepping down as chairman of Berkshire Hathaway after serving in the role at the conglomerate for more than 50 years. Buffett, 96, will become chairman emeritus and will take on his new role immediately, the company said on Friday. His son, Howard, will become Berkshire Hathaway’s new chairman, part of a long-planned succession. Howard Buffett has been on the Berkshire Hathaway board since 1993. Warren Buffett will remain a director. He has served as Berkshire Hathaway’s
Hong Kong to recruit AI chief by mid-2027, with confidence in local talent pool
Hong Kong will begin recruitment for an artificial intelligence (AI) commissioner in the second quarter of next year to assist in drafting policies for the technology and risk governance, with authorities confident the city does not lack suitable talent. Tech authorities on Friday revealed details of the new post under the Digital Policy Office, which will pay between HK$262,125 and HK$278,200 (US$33,414 to US$35,436) a month. Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Kevin
Singapore minister Chan Chun Sing’s Mandarin diplomacy strikes China chord
Singapore Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing’s use of Mandarin and Chinese philosophy in his speech at a major security forum in Beijing has won him praise on Chinese social media, while shedding light on how cultural familiarity and language can be diplomatic tools for the city state. Videos of Chan at the Beijing Xiangshan Forum quoting ancient philosopher Mencius, or Mengzi in Mandarin, have gone viral on platforms such as Weixin and Baidu, with users hailing his command of the language and
Thailand makes weight-loss pens prescription-only to counter abuse
Thailand has moved to make weight-loss pens prescription-only, as a glut of the GLP-1 medicines – which mimic the hormones released once someone is full – floods the black market and influencers swarm TikTok to extol the quick wins of the simple injections. The Southeast Asian nation, which is never far behind wellness or aesthetic trends and has a notorious black market in counterfeit drugs, has seen the uptake of GLP-1 medicines skyrocket, doctors say, including the market-leading Ozempic
3 Jellycat, Labubu plushie thieves jailed for up to 2 years and 2 months
Three repeat offenders have been sentenced to up to two years and two months behind bars for stealing 83 Jellycat and Labubu plushies worth a total of HK$115,200 (US$14,770) from a Hong Kong shopping centre last year. The District Court heard on Friday that the three men had stolen the popular merchandise from two claw machine shops at Kwai Chung Plaza on the instructions of other suspects who remain at large. A waiter, Tang Lik-ming, 35, and a wood painter, Wong Wai-chun, 36, pleaded guilty to
Hong Kong’s metal storage hits 30,000 tonnes in push to become global commodity hub
Hong Kong’s push to develop into a premier gold and commodity trading hub has gained momentum, with local metal storage surpassing 30,000 tonnes, a minister has said, as the administration positions the city as the destination of choice for global capital. Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu also said on Friday the government would expand renminbi settlement of payments for mainland Chinese services, such as buying water from the Dongjiang, in a bid to
US hands over 64 artefacts to China in diplomatic push before summit
The United States has returned cultural relics to China ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s coming visit to Washington, a goodwill gesture paving the way for a positive summit and stabilising ties. At the handover ceremony at the Chinese embassy in Washington on Wednesday, China received 58 pieces of cultural relics and palaeontological fossils from the Cultural Property, Art and Antiquities programme of US Homeland Security Investigations. A further six items were returned a day later by
China teacher probed over ‘sadfishing’ sacrifice claims – 23 years away from home
A Chinese professor has ignited controversy after asserting at a university conference that her extreme commitment to research involved sleeping less than two hours a day for a decade, investing two million yuan (US$300,000) of her own money, and completely sacrificing her personal and family life for over 20 years. The public health professor, Lu Chan, from the Xiangya School of Medicine at Central South University in Hunan province, sparked widespread debate after presenting these
Collision near Sabina Shoal sparks fresh escalation between China, Philippines
China and the Philippines exchanged blame over a clash on Friday in disputed waters in the South China Sea, further fuelling tensions over the strategic waterway that has become a dangerous regional flashpoint. In a brief statement released on Friday afternoon, China’s coastguard accused a Philippine vessel of deliberately ramming a Chinese patrol vessel near the contested Sabina Shoal. “Philippine vessel No 3015 intentionally adjusted its course and suddenly accelerated to cut across the bow of
FWD Hong Kong backs HKSAR’s Five-Year Plan, Healthy Greater Bay Area healthcare, and responsible AI in insurance
[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] Ken Lau, Managing Director, Greater China, & Chief Executive Officer, Hong Kong, said: “FWD Hong Kong warmly welcomes the HKSAR Government's publication of the First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030) and the 2026 Policy Address. As a pan-Asian insurer headquartered and listed in Hong Kong, we fully support the Government's vision of further
Why Singapore’s big-box gyms are losing to niche fitness studios
Property agent Raymond Heng had suspected True Fitness was struggling, but he did not expect the gym he had visited for more than a decade to disappear overnight. The closure was not entirely surprising given the region’s fiercely competitive fitness industry, but its abruptness left Heng, 47, in disbelief after paying S$8,800 (US$6,900) for a lifetime membership in 2013. “I guessed that they might not have been doing that well since branches have been closing over the years, but I did not
Could mystery Shanghai vessel be a mothership for China’s underwater drones?
An unusual vessel taking shape at a Shanghai shipyard has been assessed as a possible mothership for China’s large uncrewed submarines – a capability that, if confirmed, could enable Beijing to operate the drones far from its own coast for sustained periods. Open-source naval analyst H.I. Sutton said satellite imagery of the roughly 200-metre (656-foot) hull at Hudong-Zhonghua showed a large internal hangar and an opening at the stern that appeared designed to launch and recover
Asia-Pacific firms divided on how AI will impact office space demand: survey
Nearly one-fifth of surveyed companies in the Asia-Pacific region believe wider adoption of artificial intelligence will reduce their real estate needs, a new study by CBRE has found. More than half – 56 per cent – held a neutral view, believing either that AI had no impact on office space demand or that it was too early to determine its effect, according to the property consultancy’s poll of corporate real estate executives in the region. The remaining 25 per cent said AI adoption would require
Why the ICC is cracking down on ‘fake news’ as Duterte trial looms
As Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes-against-humanity trial looms, an international tribunal faces the challenge of managing a sprawling prosecution case around the health of an 81-year-old former president of the Philippines, on top of shielding the proceedings from a highly charged media environment. Those pressures came into focus at an International Criminal Court (ICC) status conference on Wednesday, when Presiding Judge Joanna Korner urged prosecutors to trim their witness list and evidence ahead
Doctors urged to test for chikungunya as Hong Kong detects first local 2026 case
Doctors in Hong Kong have been urged to arrange blood tests for patients with symptoms of chikungunya fever, regardless of their travel history, after the city recorded its first local case of the mosquito-borne disease this year. The Centre for Health Protection issued a reminder to doctors on Thursday after a 55-year-old woman with no recent travel history was reported as Hong Kong’s first locally acquired chikungunya fever case in 2026. “To facilitate early diagnosis and timely public health
Xi-Trump summit, China AI at Brics, Asian Games
Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to the US for a summit next week, which is likely to include talks about artificial intelligence (AI), tariffs and a potential trade-war truce extension. Final details will be firmed up in New York on Sunday at a meeting between US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, the Financial Times reported, citing an unidentified US official. Bessent has said that talks are scheduled for this
China’s top AI models generate just 10% of OpenAI, Anthropic revenue: report
Chinese artificial intelligence models from seven major developers combined generate only about 10 per cent of the revenue reported for OpenAI and Anthropic, even as investor enthusiasm remains intense, according to US-based research firm Rhodium Group. The Chinese AI models earned an estimated US$10.7 billion in annual recurring revenue (ARR) from March to August, a fraction of the more than US$100 billion combined for OpenAI and Anthropic, according to the Rhodium report published on
North Korea’s tests awaken fault lines pointing to huge volcano at China border
North Korea’s underground nuclear tests have triggered a chain of seismic events, activating ancient fault lines that stretch towards one of the most dangerous volcanoes on Earth, about 100km (62 miles) away, according to a paper published by the journal Science. The joint Chinese and South Korean study, which appeared on Thursday, found that the five nuclear explosions conducted between 2013 and 2017 at the Punggye-ri test site beneath Mount Mantap fundamentally altered the region’s geological
Chinese paint cuts wall temperature by 25 degrees Celsius in summer test: report
China has begun mass production of a super-coating that can cut wall temperatures by 25 degrees Celsius in summer, according to the state-run Science and Technology Daily. The material, which has undergone six months of real-world testing at a petrochemical plant in the southern island province of Hainan, uses the principles of radiative cooling. It requires neither electricity nor cooling agents and its overall performance is reportedly the highest among known global competitors, according to
South Korea’s president rejects US request for Iran war support
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has drawn a clear line against any US request for Seoul to join the war against Iran, explicitly ruling out the dispatch of troops or military assets that could involve his country in the conflict. The stance comes amid mounting public opposition to any military deployment and growing pressure from Washington for Seoul to contribute to efforts to secure freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Lee’s government faces the difficult task of balancing
Biomedicine powerhouse: China targets quarter of global first-in-class drugs
China has set its sights on becoming a global biomedicine powerhouse by 2030, targeting key technological breakthroughs and at least a quarter of the world’s first-in-class drugs market under a new five-year plan for the sector. By the end of the decade, China would “firmly rank at the global forefront” in biopharmaceutical research and development and applications, with its “core competitiveness” and international influence making a significant leap, authorities said on Friday. The biomedical
Pride or practicality? Indonesia welcomes first aircraft carrier
Indonesia welcomed its first aircraft carrier on Friday, a former Italian warship that the government says will strengthen the archipelago nation’s maritime security and disaster response capabilities. The 41-year-old former ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi, with capacity for short take-off and vertical landing aircraft and helicopters, was welcomed with a military ceremony upon its arrival at a naval base in North Jakarta’s Tanjung Priok seaport. Rome in March agreed to give the carrier, which was
Philippine police report injuries at high school shooting
Philippine police confirmed a shooting at a high school in the southern Philippines on Friday, with injuries reported. “We have injuries. Not just one but we are verifying more details,” Police Chief Master Sergeant Reggie Faderon said. More to follow
From US Fed rates to China’s global export share: 4 figures shaping markets
The US Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point this week, followed by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Bank of Japan, while the 10-year US Treasury yield fell back below 5 per cent. Here are some of the figures that have drawn the most market attention this week. Fed raises interest rates for first time since 2023 The US Federal Open Market Committee voted unanimously on Thursday to raise rates by 25 basis points to a target range of 3.75 to
Double blow as top HSBC bankers lose education perk as job risks mount: sources
Senior bankers at HSBC are facing a double blow of losing a key employment benefit while also confronting potential job losses as the lender carries out a range of measures to cut costs and achieve fair treatment for all staff, according to sources. HSBC, the biggest lender in Hong Kong, will scrap an education subsidy programme for all newly hired or newly promoted senior executives from Friday, according to an internal memo seen by the South China Morning Post. Employees who were already in
Could Chinese explorers have settled New Zealand before the Maori?
For generations, the narrative of New Zealand’s human settlement has held that Polynesian voyagers – the ancestors of the Maori – arrived and settled the islands in the 13th century, followed by European explorers in the 17th century. This timeline underpins New Zealand’s history and its political model. The Treaty of Waitangi, signed in 1840 between the British Crown and about 540 Maori chiefs, served as New Zealand’s founding document, paving the way for Britain to claim sovereignty and
Hong Kong talent schemes could add 1.2% to GDP annually: John Lee
Talent attracted to Hong Kong under various admission schemes could add about 1.2 per cent to the city’s gross domestic product (GDP) each year, according to the city leader, who said more than half of those reaching the three-year mark were willing to stay. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Friday the government had attracted more than 300,000 people through its talent measures, with around 20 per cent from places outside mainland China. “These talent will create an extra GDP of probably
Torrential rain in Vietnam leaves 3 dead, 16,000 homes flooded
Heavy rains triggered flooding and landslides across northern Vietnam, killing three people and damaging thousands of homes as well as more than 22,000 hectares (54,000 acres) of crops. The northern region has experienced downpours since Monday, with some areas receiving as much as 653mm (26 inches) of rain, according to a statement on the government’s website. More than 16,000 houses have been inundated while rice and other crops have been damaged. National and provincial roads have been
Russians begin voting in parliamentary election in shadow of war
Polling stations opened Friday in Russia’s Far East, kicking off a three-day election that President Vladimir Putin’s party is all but guaranteed to win in the fifth year of war with Ukraine. It will be Russia’s first parliamentary election since Moscow sent troops to Ukraine in February 2022. The conflict has since killed hundreds of thousands. Only parties that support Putin and the Kremlin’s dragging military campaign have been registered to run. Moscow has also organised voting in occupied
Thailand’s Muslim separatists vow to fight for independence ‘until the end of time’
Two decades into an insurgency that has killed thousands in southern Thailand, a leader of the main Malay–Muslim separatist group has vowed to keep fighting until it achieves its goals. “This struggle will continue until the end of time,” Nikmatullah Seri, the spokesman for the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) peace negotiation delegation, said in a rare interview. “As long as our objectives remain unachieved, we will continue to fight.” Militants from BRN have fought for an independent Islamic
Hong Kong IT analyst charged with murdering wife at their flat
A Hong Kong IT analyst has been remanded in custody after being charged with killing his wife in a flat at a private residential estate two days ago. Wong Chi-kwong, 51, was brought to Eastern Court for the first time on Friday to face a count of murder. Police arrested him on Wednesday after his wife, 53-year-old Wong Yuk-ting, was found dead in a flat in block 2 of Heng Fa Chuen estate in Chai Wan. The defendant appeared composed in the dock when the murder charge against him was read out. He
US pivot leaves Saudi Arabia with ‘humiliating dilemma’ over Houthis
Saudi Arabia faces a “humiliating dilemma” after the United States refused to militarily intervene to prevent the Iran-aligned Houthi militia from tightening its blockade of the kingdom’s key backup maritime trade route with Asia, according to analysts. US President Donald Trump on September 12 dismissed the Houthi seizure of Yemen’s entire Red Sea coast as a problem that “only affects one country”. Iran has already blockaded the Straits of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia’s main oil and petrochemicals
China opens Pinglu Canal; Hong Kong unveils first 5-year plan: 7 highlights
We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China launches Pinglu Canal, slashing transit time to Southeast Asia China officially opened its landmark Pinglu Canal to navigation on Wednesday, creating a new maritime gateway for the country’s southwestern hinterland and providing
Malaysia’s Najib Razak granted house arrest by Pardons Board
Malaysia’s Pardons Board on Friday agreed to allow disgraced former prime minister Najib Razak to serve out the remainder of his jail term under house arrest. King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar granted Najib a “conditional pardon”, where the former leader is required to settle his 50 million ringgit (US$12.3 million) fine before he can be transferred to his home to complete his sentence. “He must abide by these conditions, and should he fail to fulfil any of these conditions, his conditional pardon
Hongkongers pay tribute to late leader Tung Chee-hwa at community halls
Some residents have started paying tribute to Hong Kong’s first chief executive Tung Chee-hwa on Friday morning, bringing flowers and writing heartfelt messages in condolence books placed at three community halls across the city. The condolence signing is arranged for the public a day ahead of Tung’s vigil on Saturday, followed by a state funeral on Sunday. “Chief Executive Tung, you devoted yourself selflessly so that Hong Kong could make a smooth transition. Hong Kong people will remember you
US to allow Iranian leaders to attend UN meeting amid wartime stand-off
The Trump administration has approved visas for top Iranian officials, including the president and foreign minister, to attend next week’s UN General Assembly high-level meeting in New York even as the two countries are locked in a stalemated war. The State Department said Thursday that it had approved visas for Iran’s “core delegation”, along with essential staffers to participate in the UN meetings. The core delegation includes President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi,
Bail out or downsize? Malaysia’s stark choice as AirAsia losses mount
Malaysia could struggle to preserve some domestic air links if low-cost carrier AirAsia is forced to scale back operations, analysts have warned, as rival airlines would have little commercial incentive to take over unprofitable routes. That reality could leave the government facing a stark choice: allow domestic flight services to shrink or step in with subsidies for essential routes, rather than assuming competitors will automatically fill any void left by the country’s largest budget
Ngong Ping 360 cable car opens in Hong Kong after typhoon delay - SCMP archive
This article was first published on September 18, 2006. Breezy launch is on the cards By Dennis Eng The Ngong Ping 360 cable car will open today in one of the windiest months of the year, according to the Hong Kong Observatory. Windy conditions with gusts reaching 90km/h occur on 5.5 days for a total of 52 hours in September on average, according to measurements taken at Ngong Ping between 2002 and last year. June, July and August are typically the windiest months. The Observatory’s forecast
ByteDance spin-off Anew Labs raises US$290m amid AI drug design fundraising boom
China is seeing a fresh fundraising boom for AI drug developers, with start-ups including a ByteDance spin-off raising hundreds of millions of dollars this week as investors rush to back domestic challengers to Anthropic and Isomorphic Labs. Anew Labs, a Shanghai-based AI drug discovery firm that was formerly a unit of Chinese tech giant ByteDance, has raised US$290 million at a valuation of US$1.5 billion, according to an informed source. Investors included prominent venture capital firms such
Can the new Pinglu Canal become China’s ‘Yangtze of the southwest’?
The opening of China’s first new river-to-sea canal since 1949 – which will boost trade links with Southeast Asia – could transform the economy of the country’s landlocked southwestern interior in ways comparable to the Yangtze’s role in Shanghai’s rise, according to its operator. The 134.2km (83.4 mile) Pinglu Canal, which opened on Wednesday, links a major tributary of the Pearl River in the southern Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region with the Gulf of Tonkin, known as the Beibu Gulf in China,
China’s ‘future Elon Musk’ solves problems with AI; vocab method draws 20 million views
A 13-year-old boy from eastern China has garnered significant attention online for his ability to leverage artificial intelligence and programming to solve everyday challenges. Yang Xizhe, a junior secondary school student from Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, stands at an impressive 1.9 metres tall and has amassed a following of over 500,000 on mainland social media platforms. Growing up in a city celebrated for its vibrant technology ecosystem, he identifies as an “AI native.” Yang believes that
Authorities aim to launch revamped Huanggang Port on October 12
Hong Kong’s redeveloped Huanggang Port could begin operations as early as October 12, allowing cross-border travellers to complete Hong Kong and mainland Chinese immigration procedures in a single inspection under a new joint clearance system. The South China Morning Post learned on Friday that authorities were targeting the date for the launch, although that would depend on the facility’s operational readiness. Launching on October 12 would meet the government’s target of starting operations in
Factsheet series: Hong Kong’s debut 5-year plan and 2026 policy address
This is a Factsheet series on Hong Kong’s debut five-year plan and the 2026 policy address. The series was produced with support from the Hong Kong SAR government.
US firm Waymo to launch robotaxi service in Singapore in 2028
Waymo plans to launch its robotaxi service in Singapore in 2028, giving the US company its first foothold in Southeast Asia. Fully electric Jaguar I-Pace vehicles were due to arrive in the city state in the coming months, ahead of preparations for a commercial launch, the company said on Friday. From 2027, trained autonomous specialists will manually drive the vehicles to help Waymo adapt its technology to Singapore’s road layouts, monsoon conditions and other local features. The service is
The need for speed as Hong Kong plugs in
[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] Hong Kong is preparing for many more electric vehicles on its roads. The city’s First Five-Year Plan, announced alongside the Policy Address, calls for the steady electrification of vehicles and safe, efficient charging networks, with around 10,000 fast chargers expected by 2035 to support about 500,000 EVs. That longer-term target follows an updated EV roadmap released in February, which calls for fast chargers to
Filipino fishers count the cost of South China Sea dispute
For fishermen like Joey Marabe in the Philippine province of Zambales, the geopolitical contest playing out in the South China Sea can be measured in dwindling catches and shrinking incomes, as the presence of Chinese vessels around a contested shoal increasingly limits where they can work. “It’s a huge drop. Before, a lot of us who could go out to Scarborough Shoal used to bring home around 15,000 pesos (US$238) a week, a comfortable amount for our families,” said Marabe, a resident of Masinloc
Australia’s Sydney Airport staff shortages prompt plan to close tower overnight
Australia’s major airlines have backed a proposal to close Sydney Airport’s control tower overnight to free up air traffic controllers, the latest step to address a persistent labour shortage that is disrupting flights and raising safety concerns. “It sounds like an opportunity we should absolutely explore,” said Stephen Beckett, chief executive officer of Airlines for Australia & New Zealand, the group that represents Qantas Airways, its low-cost carrier Jetstar, and Virgin Australia Holdings.
China publicly names officials in ‘unprecedented’ debt crackdown. Can it work?
A recently issued official circular has put China’s long-running problem with hidden local government debt back in the spotlight. Earlier this month, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) jointly outlined six typical cases spanning six provinces where local authorities had fallen short of targets to resolve unrecorded liabilities. “For hidden-debt penalty announcements, it is unprecedented to have the CCDI alongside the MoF,” said Qiao Yide,
Like Shenzhen, the Northern Metropolis is animated by the spirit of experimentation
At the heart of Hong Kong’s first five-year plan lies the Northern Metropolis – a massive tract of land spanning roughly a third of our entire city. Much ink has been spilled over what this project represents and why it matters, but if I had to summarise it in a single sentence, I would call it the “Shenzhen of Hong Kong”. To me, Shenzhen stands as the most miraculous growth story on Earth. Forty-eight years ago, it was a sleepy fishing village with a single muddy main road and just tens of
Singaporean dies on Nepal’s Mount Manaslu, first foreign casualty of season
A Singaporean climber died on Nepal’s Mount Manaslu, the world’s eighth highest peak, expedition organisers said. Lau Wee Seng, 50, felt unwell as he was descending from Camp II at around 6,000 metres after an acclimatisation rotation, according to The Himalayan Times newspaper. “He passed away this morning; arrangements have been made to airlift his body,” Pemba Sherpa of 8K Expeditions said on Thursday. The mountaineer had arrived in Samagaun on September 7 as part of a team aiming to scale
Hong Kong’s new chapter
This is the first part of a Factsheet series on Hong Kong’s debut five-year plan and the 2026 policy address, click here for part two. The series was produced with support from the Hong Kong SAR government. To see the South China Morning Post’s coverage of the five-year plan, click here. This Factsheet will be available in the SCMP print edition on September 21. You can find it at newsstands and convenience stores. For any inquiries, contact printsupport@scmp.com.
Scientists trace half the DNA in Xinjiang’s oldest tombs to Yellow River farmers
Nestled between the Tianshan Mountains and the Gobi Desert, the Hami oasis in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region is a land of little rain, battered by wind and sand year-round. It is also home to the region’s oldest known burial site, the Tianshanbeilu cemetery, located around 500km (310 miles) east of Urumqi, the regional capital. More than 700 Bronze Age tombs have been unearthed here, long assumed to belong to Eurasian nomads who migrated eastward from the steppes. But a study published on
Blanket of security planned for state funeral of Tung Chee-hwa in Hong Kong
Hong Kong police will establish a high level of security for this weekend’s state funeral of the city’s first chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa, including guarding the three top Beijing officials attending the event, the South China Morning Post has learned. However, the original public memorial service will instead be limited to invitation-only due to venue constraints, the Office of Former Chief Executives announced on Thursday. A command centre would be set up at the police headquarters in Wan
Poland eyes deeper Philippines defence ties following Black Hawk deal
Poland’s delivery of Black Hawk helicopters to the Philippines has given Warsaw a foothold in Manila’s defence market as it seeks to expand exports from its growing defence industry, with analysts saying drones, air defence and potentially co-production could pave the way for a broader partnership. Polish deputy foreign minister Wladyslaw Bartoszewski said on Tuesday that Warsaw was keen to pursue further defence partnerships with the Philippines, as Poland poured US$50 billion into
King Charles was ‘giddily elated’ after Diana’s death, her brother says
Britain’s King Charles sounded “like a lottery winner” after the death of his late first wife Diana, her brother writes in his forthcoming book, new extracts of which were published on Thursday. Diana’s brother Charles Spencer said the then-Prince Charles was “giddily elated” in the immediate aftermath of Diana’s death in 1997, possibly because he felt it meant he was freer to marry again, according to passages in the Daily Mail. Charles on Wednesday took the unusual step of responding to
White House pulls Trump nominee to head ICE
The White House on Thursday withdrew its nominee to head US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the agency tasked with carrying out President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. Lance Schroyer, a former US Marine and Oklahoma state trooper, was named by Trump earlier this year to be the next ICE director, a post subject to Senate confirmation. In a brief statement on its website, the White House said Schroyer’s nomination had been withdrawn. No reason was given but the nomination had been
How major sporting events are becoming part of Hong Kong’s mall retail playbook
Hong Kong shopping mall operators are extending a strategy used during this year’s Fifa World Cup into the Asian Games, leveraging major sporting events to draw visitors and support tenant sales as retailers face competition from Shenzhen, overseas shopping and online spending. Sino Group is among the landlords expanding the strategy beyond tournament broadcasts. It expects foot traffic across four malls to increase during its Asian Games campaign, with selected merchants forecast to record
China has gained pace in the space race by recovering rockets – but can it relaunch one?
As technological developments augur an era of renewed space exploration, China is aiming to become a major player. In the second part of this two-part series, Wency Chen and Ben Jiang examine the country’s strategy and progress on reusable rockets – a field where the US has a tremendous lead. US commercial space firm SpaceX has been eager to tout its deployment of reusable first-stage rocket boosters, claiming to have flown more than 600 missions with the cost-cutting launch components. Despite
US families ramp up efforts for loved ones’ release from China ahead of Xi’s visit
Chen Youlin, a Chinese-American scientist, travelled back to China in October 2024 for a month-long holiday, including to celebrate his mother’s 80th birthday. As he prepared to leave, authorities arrested him at the airport in Beijing. For more than 670 days, his wife, Rong Yufang, and other family members have not been able to see or speak with him. “Sometimes I realise I can no longer clearly remember the sound of his voice, and that breaks my heart,” Rong told the South China Morning Post.
What the China-Nepal floods teach us about crisis communication
The Himalayan disaster that tore through the China-Nepal border last month was a human calamity before it became a media story. A torrent of ice, rock, mud and debris swept through valleys, destroying key infrastructure, severing roads and communications, and leaving families desperate for news. In Gyirong county in the Tibet autonomous region, the disaster hit a major border crossing and created a rescue environment as physically difficult as any imaginable. The human toll extends beyond the
US trade chief pressed Brazil to review Anglo American nickel sale to China
US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer asked Brazil to review the sale of Anglo American’s nickel mines to a Chinese state-controlled miner in exchange for tariff relief, two people familiar with the negotiations told the South China Morning Post. Washington made the request during talks to lift the 50 per cent tariffs US President Donald Trump imposed on Brazilian goods last year. First reported by Brazilian newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo and CNN Brazil on Thursday, the proposal would
US approves sale of 48 F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia despite Israeli concerns
The US has approved a US$24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 stealth warplanes to Saudi Arabia, the State Department said Thursday, the kingdom’s latest major arms purchase since the start of the Iran war. Saudi Arabia has long sought to buy F-35s, but officials from Israel – currently the only country in the Middle East to operate the jets – have voiced concern about their sale to Riyadh despite a push for the kingdom to normalise relations. “The proposed sale will improve Saudi Arabia’s capability to
Trump says ‘major progress’ made towards US base in Poland
US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that there had been “major progress” towards establishing an American military base in Poland, after Warsaw said it was holding talks with Washington on the issue. “Thanks to the bold leadership of my friend, Karol Nawrocki, President of Poland, major progress is being made toward establishing a U.S. Army base in Poland,” Trump said on social media. “If this happens, the location will be announced very soon. This will be a historic step for our Great
US sanctions boost China’s science-driven innovation by over 70%, study finds
Sanctioned Chinese companies are increasingly turning to open-source research to innovate and reverse-engineer restricted foreign technology, with a 72 per cent surge in scientific literature citations in their patent applications, according to a new study. While the United States said it expanded its Entity List to safeguard national security and preserve its technological edge, an analysis of Chinese patent filings over the 12 years until 2022 showed that US restrictions on access to
New cat species identified in Bolivia, first in over a century
A diminutive wild cat that inhabits Bolivia’s cloud forest has been identified as a previously unknown species, marking the first time a new living cat species has been formally named and described in more than a century. The cat, called Tilcayo by local communities, is part of a group called tiger cats found across much of South America. It was found in Bolivia’s lush Yungas forest, a mountainous region where forests are often covered by clouds and surrounded by high humidity, according to
Hong Kong hits out at US panel over Jimmy Lai hearing and sanctions bill
Hong Kong authorities have hit out at a US congressional commission for colluding with “anti-China politicians” to hold a hearing on jailed former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and introducing a bill to “intimidate” local national security officials with sanctions. The government issued the condemnation on Thursday night after the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) held a hearing the previous day on Lai, founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper. During the hearing,
Trump seen with image of apparent Kennedy Centre demolition
A photo of Donald Trump examining a depiction of Washington’s Kennedy Centre apparently being demolished sparked widespread attention on Thursday after the US president threatened to tear down the revered arts venue because he has been blocked from renaming it after himself. In the image captured by Agence France-Presse photographer Brendan Smialowski late on Wednesday at Joint Base Andrews, the Republican leader was seen through the windows of Air Force One holding a placard with visible text
Rare honour: Trump will greet Xi at Andrews, not just the White House
US President Donald Trump will personally greet Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews when Xi lands in Washington next Wednesday, a rare airport reception, a US official confirmed on background. Trump will attend Xi’s arrival ceremony at Andrews, where the Chinese president’s aircraft is expected around 4:00 p.m. local time on September 23. The president almost never meets visiting heads of state at the airfield. He typically waits at the White House. The gesture is
Hong Kong to legislate against persistent child sexual abuse and ‘cyberflashing’
Hong Kong authorities have said they will legislate against persistent sexual abuse of children and the act of sending images of genitals to others online without consent after consulting the public. In a consultation report published on Thursday, the Security Bureau stated that with the city’s two professional legal associations expressing broad support for a dedicated law targeting persistent child sexual abuse, the government would include the crime in an amendment bill overhauling sex
100 start-ups joining Hong Kong flagship tech hub to get top mentors
Around 100 start-ups selected to join Hong Kong’s flagship border tech hub will undergo mentorship programmes ranging from five to eight years, backed by industry heavyweights, the operator has revealed. Vincent Ma, CEO of Loop Hong Kong Park Company, said in an interview on Thursday that the start-ups were chosen to join the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park (HSITP) following a months-long screening process. “We have chosen 100 start-ups to enter our park soon following a few
Self-funded campuses favoured in Hong Kong’s new university towns
Tertiary institutions seeking to establish campuses in one of three university towns planned for the Northern Metropolis megaproject will be given “favourable consideration” if they do not require a government loan to build their facilities, Hong Kong’s education minister has said. The government has expanded all three university towns – formally named in Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s annual policy address on Wednesday – and opened applications for interested institutions to submit their
China’s Wang Yi holds phone call with Rubio days before Xi visits US
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, just a week ahead of President Xi Jinping’s planned trip to the United States. Chinese state news agency Xinhua said in a brief report that the two diplomats held an in-depth discussion on “high-level exchanges” between the two countries. The call is expected to have locked down final details of Xi’s closely watched visit and expected summit with US President Donald Trump. The two top diplomats
Hong Kong 999 callers can send real-time audio, video data from 2028: Chris Tang
Callers to Hong Kong’s 999 hotline will be able to send real-time audio and visual information to emergency call centres using instant messaging apps in 2028, Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung has said. The security minister revealed the timeline for the upgrade on Thursday, a day after Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced in his latest policy address that three new functions were set to be introduced to enhance 999 call services. Alongside providing “real-time audio, image and
China, US may unveil measures to boost military ties when Xi visits Washington
China and the United States are discussing possible announcements to strengthen military-to-military ties during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Washington next week, multiple sources familiar with the discussions told the South China Morning Post. Another item that is being discussed, and a possible deliverable, is restarting the arms-control talks that were suspended in 2024 over US weapons sales to Taiwan, with the dialogue potentially including military personnel. Sources said
China edges US, EU on AI regulation trust in middle-income countries: Pew survey
Amid rising tensions over artificial intelligence (AI) competition and global concerns about the technology, China appears to have an edge over the US and European Union (EU) in trust to regulate AI among mostly middle-income countries. A new Pew Research Centre report released on Thursday found that, on a median basis across 12 countries, more people trust China than the US or the EU to regulate AI effectively. AI. China was not among the countries surveyed in the broader report. “Middle-income
Sweden’s PM resigns after left-wing wins slim majority in election
Sweden’s conservative Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced his resignation on Thursday after the left-wing opposition won a slim majority in parliament in the country’s general election. “It is now the speaker of parliament who will lead the next steps on the path towards forming a new government. In order for this work to begin immediately, I hereby request to be relieved of my duties as prime minister,” Kristersson said in a letter to the speaker which he posted to social media. The four
Hong Kong eyeing gold expansion and Northern Metropolis vaults to cement hub status
Hong Kong’s plan to raise its gold holdings will further cement the city’s status as an international financial centre, with the possibility of building vaults in the Northern Metropolis megadevelopment, according to authorities. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po also said on Thursday the city was under “no pressure” to raise interest rates following a US rate hike, but stressed authorities would “keep a close watch” on the situation. Speaking at a conference the day after the policy address
Von der Leyen’s ‘China shock’ speech aimed to send Beijing a message: analysts
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s state-of-the-union speech offered few details on new trade measures targeting China, but its sharp tone was designed to send a message to Beijing, analysts said. During her speech on Wednesday, von der Leyen warned that a “second China shock” was already affecting Europe and vowed that Brussels would use all available tools to rebalance its trade relationship with the country. Her remarks came as the European Union’s October deadline for
Malaysian woman scuba diving in Bali dies after being swept away by currents
A Malaysian woman has died while scuba diving after she was caught in strong currents in Bali, Indonesia. According to local media portal Bali News, the victim, Siti Nuraini Rusidi, 40, was on a diving trip with a divemaster, boat captain and several other divers when the incident occurred at 11.10am local time on Wednesday. The trip’s divemaster, Eugenius Franciso Ray, 33, had reportedly raised concerns over her health when he noticed her coughing when the group was at the first dive site at
‘Gone too far’: Thai PM Anutin slams foreign lawbreakers as backlash builds
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has issued a withering rebuke to foreigners behaving badly in Thailand following a wave of scandals involving illegal businesses and landholdings including a cemetery, saying the cases have “gone too far” by breaching Thai law and hospitality. Facing mounting public backlash against illegal foreign ownership of swathes of the country enabled by endemic corruption, Anutin’s government has halved the visa-free entry period to 30 days for most countries and
A new Trump-Kim summit would be a nightmare for everyone but Pyongyang
It is clear that US President Donald Trump is pushing hard for a fresh summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in the coming months. To achieve that, he appears prepared to downgrade and jeopardise the US-South Korea alliance, as seen in his recent move to scale back joint military exercises. For Trump, this will be a purely bilateral exercise, with both Seoul and Beijing totally sidelined, let alone Moscow and Tokyo. Equally, there is now a general acceptance that the issue of
3 firms fined over HK$900,000 each for role in apprentice electrician’s death
A main contractor and two subcontractors have been fined more than HK$900,000 each for their role in the death of a 38-year-old worker who was electrocuted while handling wiring for solar panels during wet weather at the Hong Kong Science Park three years ago. Magistrate Jeffrey Sze Cho-yiu said China Power International Development, the main contractor for solar panel installation works at the park, had not conducted any on-site supervision “in the slightest”. The project involved three
US strikes on Iran may amount to war crimes, UN investigators say
There are “reasonable grounds” to believe the US committed war crimes against civilians in Iran, who also face “gross human rights violations” from their own government, United Nations investigators said on Thursday. In their latest report, due to be presented to the Human Rights Council on Monday, the independent investigators urged the 47 countries in the council to press for an end to the war, hold those responsible for war crimes to account and give asylum to civilians fleeing
Warning against Japan’s military build-up surfaces at Beijing security conference
Chinese panellists and experts at the Xiangshan Forum have warned against Japan’s remilitarisation amid reports that Tokyo is considering raising its midterm defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP. Japan might raise its midterm budget to 3-3.5 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product in line with Nato and other US allies, Bloomberg reported earlier this week, as the US pushes its allies in Asia and Europe to boost their own defences. At the three-day defence gathering in Beijing on
China hits back as US Congress approves tariffs on top buyers of Russian energy
Beijing has pushed back after the US Congress passed a bill on Wednesday that would allow US President Donald Trump to sanction Russia and its largest energy importers, including China. The bill, named after the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, authorises tariffs of up to 100 per cent on the top five importers of Russian oil and natural gas. In response to a question about the bill, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Beijing had always opposed “long-arm jurisdiction”
India and Vietnam aim to turn ‘China plus one’ rivalry into trade gains
India and Vietnam could turn their competition for “China plus one” investments into a complementary partnership, analysts say, combining New Delhi’s scale and technology capabilities with Hanoi’s manufacturing agility and links to East Asian supply chains. Such a shift could deepen both nations’ roles in global production networks across high-value industries – from electronics and pharmaceuticals to renewable energy – while giving companies reliable alternatives as they diversify supply chains
Carney seizes Canada-EU associate membership plan despite Trump’s ire
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday welcomed a proposal for Canada to become the European Union’s first associate member, but said he did not mean for a closer alliance to create a new bloc that would rival the world’s great powers. The remarks came after US President Donald Trump suggested the proposed arrangement could be a “hostile act” and threatened heavy tariffs on Europe if he judged its intentions to be unfriendly. Trump also called the idea “laughable”. “We welcome this
Xi’s industrial power play sees China bet big on AI, chips and smarter factories
President Xi Jinping has reiterated calls for China to make its supply chains more resilient and self-sufficient while accelerating the creation of a modern industrial system underpinned by advanced manufacturing. Xi’s latest directives, issued at a national conference on advanced manufacturing in Beijing on Wednesday and Thursday, were said to be aimed at strengthening the Chinese economy, the state-run Xinhua reported. Xi’s push this week echoed Beijing’s previous statements and came as the
Ancient China scholars drank ink for poetic inspiration or poor handwriting penalties
While the Chinese idiom, “Having ink in their stomach”, serves as a metaphor to commend the knowledgeable, the act of ingesting ink was a common practice among ancient literati. The earliest documentation of ink drinking dates back to the Northern and Southern dynasties (420–589), where it was used as a sanctioned punishment for scholars with illegible handwriting. According to the Book of Sui, the official history of the Sui dynasty (581–618), during an exam administered by a palace attendant
Malaysia confronts complexities of schizophrenia after school killing ruling
When Cindi suffered her first severe psychotic episode a decade ago, she could no longer tell where reality ended and what her mind had created began. “My reality and fantasy [were] all distorted. I had no idea what was real, what was not,” the 38-year-old, who asked to be identified only by her first name, told This Week in Asia. “It was so severe to the point that I couldn’t even recognise my own family members. My mother was there, my brother was there, but they didn’t feel like my mother or
Hong Kong will lack 130,000 workers by 2028, fewer than projected due to policies
Hong Kong will be short of 130,000 workers by 2028, about a third less than originally projected, a reduction the city’s labour chief attributed to the development of artificial intelligence and government policies to import labour and top talent. A day after the release of the city’s first five-year plan and annual policy address, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han said on Thursday that authorities would exempt start-up founders approved under the Top Talent Pass Scheme from
‘Provocation’ could accelerate Taiwan reunification, retired PLA major general says
Progress towards reunifying with Taiwan hinges on factors like the island’s level of provocation, retired PLA major general Luo Yan told the South China Morning Post, warning that Taiwan’s leader had challenged Beijing’s red lines. Speaking on the sidelines of the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing on Wednesday, Luo said the timeline for reunification with mainland China was shaped by “the development of our national strength, our defence needs, the global security environment, as well as the degree of
Hong Kong property market gets reprieve on rates, for now
Hong Kong’s property market dodged an immediate hit from the Federal Reserve’s rate hike on Thursday as major local banks kept their prime rates unchanged, but another increase could puncture the market’s relatively fragile recovery, according to industry insiders. The Fed raised its benchmark rate by a quarter point at its latest meeting on Wednesday in the US, but HSBC and other major Hong Kong banks left their prime rates unchanged. The decision should have no immediate impact on the local
Record graduate influx pushes China’s youth unemployment rate to 18.9%
China’s urban youth unemployment rose last month, as a record influx of university graduates struggles to find work in a job market weighed down by weak domestic demand and the growing adoption of artificial intelligence. The jobless rate for those aged 16 to 24, excluding students, rose to 18.9 per cent in August from 17.9 per cent in July, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Thursday. This figure, as well as the identical number from August last year, represents
‘War without battle’: Russia tests Europe with mounting hybrid attacks
Over the course of the summer, Russian attacks have been pushing ever deeper into European territory. On August 11, military divers destroyed two drones floating off the coast of Romania near a €4 billion (US$4.7 billion) energy project. Nine days later, Bucharest scrambled two F-16s to take out a maritime drone near the same Black Sea gas platform with hundreds of workers on board. Earlier that month, German police detected an armed UAV at Leipzig airport, while this week Nato jets downed
Indonesia faces reckoning over maritime safety after deadly ferry disaster
Indonesia’s latest ferry disaster has exposed persistent weaknesses in maritime safety oversight, experts have said, with poor enforcement and inadequate supervision continuing to leave passengers vulnerable across the sprawling archipelago. The capsizing of the Virgo Transport 8 in the Java Sea on Sunday has intensified scrutiny of a system that analysts say too often comes under pressure only after deadly accidents, rather than preventing them. Six people have been confirmed dead and 129
Taipei donates coastguard vessel to Manila amid South China Sea tensions
Taiwan has quietly acknowledged donating a coastguard vessel to the Philippines, potentially adding to Manila’s maritime patrol capacity amid its long-running stand-off with Beijing in the South China Sea. Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration said on Wednesday that “this case” was being handled in line with previous transfers of vessels to the Marshall Islands, Palau and Tuvalu. Unlike those three Pacific states, which all maintain formal diplomatic ties with Taipei, the Philippines recognises
‘Depraved’ Singaporean paedophile who abused daughter, granddaughters, jailed
A diagnosed paedophile who sexually abused 11 girls over 33 years, with the acts ranging from molestation to rape, was sentenced by a Singapore court on Thursday to 21 years’ jail. The victims were as young as five, and included his daughter, granddaughters, nieces and students at an enrichment centre he ran with his wife. The judge noted that the jail term should not be crushing or amount to a life sentence for the 71-year-old man, who suffers from a rare blood cancer called myelofibrosis. At
Trump presses Xi on fentanyl precursors ahead of Washington summit
US President Donald Trump has urged Beijing to take “more aggressive action” to curb the export of drug precursor chemicals, days ahead of his planned summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. It also comes a week after security agencies from the two countries hailed progress in bilateral cooperation on counternarcotics law enforcement. On Wednesday, while releasing the latest annual list of designated major source or transit countries for illicit drugs affecting the United States, the White
Malaysia seizes Israeli-bound containers as Anwar pledges to stop war shipments
Authorities in Malaysia have seized several more Israel-bound shipments at one of the country’s biggest ports, according to people familiar with the matter, an apparently new level of scrutiny in a nation where anti-Israeli sentiment runs high. Three containers bound for Ashdod Port south of Tel Aviv were detained at Malaysia’s Tanjung Pelepas port in mid-August and to date had not been released as authorities investigate their contents, the people familiar with the matter said, asking not to be
Philippines’ Teodoro draws 2028 election buzz after China clash
Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr has won a burst of online support among Filipinos who see him as one of Manila’s most outspoken senior officials against China, with some already asking whether it could give him enough political momentum to carry him into the 2028 elections. His latest boost came after a viral moment at the Seoul Defence Dialogue on September 8, where he read out a handwritten note reiterating Beijing’s rejection of the 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruling
How will Hong Kong’s new 5-year plan court global capital?
Hong Kong is broadening its equity markets, deepening its offshore yuan business and expanding further into gold trading under its first five-year plan for economic and social development, as the city seeks to defend its standing as Asia’s top financial centre and close the gap with London. Unveiled on Wednesday by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu alongside his 2026 policy address, the blueprint outlines a package of financial plans to “consolidate and enhance Hong Kong’s status as an
Hong Kong police officer left paralysed in 2005 knife attack dies
A former police constable who was left paralysed and bedridden for 21 years after a knife attack during a stop-and-search has died, the South China Morning Post has learned. A source said Jacky Chu Chun-kwok died on Wednesday. He was in his fifties. Frankie Leung Chun-kit, chairman of the Junior Police Officers’ Association, said on Thursday that the force’s management supported burying Chu in Gallant Garden, a dedicated site at Wo Hop Shek Public Cemetery for public servants who died while
22 months’ jail for Hong Kong driver who fatally struck student at junction
A Hong Kong man has been sentenced to 22 months behind bars for driving his Tesla car dangerously and causing a 19-year-old student’s death at a pedestrian crossing two years ago. The District Court on Thursday also disqualified Ernest Au Yeung Shiu-hong from driving for five years and criticised his “extremely dangerous and irresponsible” attitude that led to Lisa Pun’s death on November 7, 2024. Au Yeung, an NGO event organiser, drove his Tesla Model Y past a box junction on On Lok Road in
Russia employs North Koreans to build drones for Ukraine war: report
Russia is increasingly mobilising North Korean workers to build military drones for use against Ukraine in defiance of international sanctions, giving Pyongyang a key source of revenue to fund its unlawful weapons programmes, according to a report by the US and its allies. Up to 25,000 North Koreans were believed to be working in Russia’s drone industry, including at facilities in Alabuga, Tatarstan, where unmanned aerial vehicles were assembled, the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team said
Hong Kong targets 240 air destinations by 2030, eyeing new Uzbekistan routes
Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) recorded a roughly 10 per cent increase in passenger traffic in the first eight months of the year, while cargo volume declined for a second consecutive month in August amid weak exports. The airport said passenger numbers rose 10.1 per cent year on year to 44.3 million between January and August, while flight movements increased 3.5 per cent to 269,900. Passenger traffic in August reached 5.86 million, up 3.5 per cent from a year earlier, while flight
Hong Kong’s ‘AI city brain’ to cost initial HK$200m, but ‘won’t catch thieves’
Hong Kong’s new “AI city brain” will not involve personal data and poses no privacy concerns, the city leader has said, adding that the system will also help improve visitor management during “golden week” holidays. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also stressed on Thursday the importance of AI education and the need to nurture young people’s AI literacy, citing overseas examples of adolescents who became socially isolated after relying too heavily on the technology. In his annual policy address
After far-right win, Germany’s embattled leader faces more election tests
Two German state elections Sunday could deal a double blow to embattled Chancellor Friedrich Merz, two weeks after his party suffered a stunning defeat at the hands of the far-right AfD. Tight races for power – each with their own unique electoral dynamics – are expected in the city state of Berlin and the northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The Alternative for Germany is expected to make strong gains in both, a fortnight after it trounced Merz’s centre-right CDU by a margin of
BYD, Xiaomi and Innolight executives likely to join Xi Jinping on US visit: sources
Figures from some of China’s most prominent firms – including electric vehicle maker BYD and smart manufacturing giant Xiaomi – are likely to accompany President Xi Jinping on his trip to the US next week, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter. The entourage would draw a parallel to the coterie of CEOs that US President Donald Trump brought to Beijing in May, and could signal greater potential for investment deals as part of the high-profile summit. According to one of the
Pop-up ad allegedly delaying fatal heart attack call sparks China debate
Intense public discussions surrounding the downsides of technology have been sparked by a Chinese man accusing a phone company’s lock screen feature of obstructing his father from calling an ambulance, which he claims contributed to his mother’s death. On September 10, a 19-year-old man named Zhang shared on social media that his mother suffered a heart attack around 4am on August 30. His father attempted to dial the 120 emergency medical number, but accidentally swiped to the phone’s magazine
IT worker, 51, allegedly kills wife with knife after financial disputes
A man believed to be millions of dollars in debt is suspected of murdering his wife in their flat after previous financial disputes, according to preliminary investigations by Hong Kong police. Superintendent Kwan Chun-ting, assistant district commander of Eastern district crime squad, said on Thursday that a 51-year-old man had turned himself in at Kowloon City Police Station at 7.30pm the previous day and confessed to killing his wife. “We believe the incident happened between the early hours
Indonesia’s Prabowo mulls labelling wildfires as ‘ecological terrorism’
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has called for stricter regulations and sanctions against those who use slash and burn methods to clear land, as the country struggles to contain wildfires that have been raging for weeks. Indonesia is battling its most intense wildfires in 11 years, with “super El Nino” weather parching the country’s forests and fields. The islands of Borneo and Sumatra have been the worst hit, with the hazardous haze causing a spike in respiratory illnesses. Transboundary
Hong Kong’s John Lee vows to review IVF support for women over 40
Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu has vowed to examine whether the government can better support women aged over 40 who are seeking assisted reproductive treatment, while acknowledging that financial incentives alone would not reverse the city’s falling birth rate. Lee made the pledge during a radio phone-in programme on Thursday, when residents described obstacles to having children, including job insecurity. Among the callers was a woman surnamed Lee, who said a medical condition and a lengthy
Hong Kong to support rocket, satellite IPOs as SpaceX-led sector takes off
Hong Kong aims to adjust listing rules to grab a share of initial public offerings (IPOs) by mainland China’s space companies as activity in the sector increases in line with Beijing’s priorities and heightened activity in the sector following the blockbuster June listing by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. That could lead to more head-to-head competition between the Hong Kong stock exchange and the Shanghai Stock Exchange, which is now drawing a majority of such listing applications, including commercial
Hong Kong’s first 5-year plan, 2026 policy address: everything you need to know
We have put together stories from our coverage of John Lee’s 2026 policy address. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. 14 key takeaways from John Lee’s policy address, Hong Kong’s first 5-year plan Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has placed deepening integration with mainland China and developing new economic engines centre stage as he unveiled the city’s first-ever five-year plan alongside the last policy address of his term. 2. Hong Kong
Casino, not bakery: Philippine e-payment firms urged to improve merchant vetting
Electronic payment providers need to be more diligent in vetting companies that use their platforms to protect people from fraud, the Philippine central bank said. The requirement came after Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas found thousands of illegal businesses on the payment platforms, including many online casinos masquerading as more ordinary companies like beauty salons and bakeries. “We want to protect consumers from online fraud, illegal activities and also from money launderers,” Deputy
US House holds billionaire Leon Black in contempt over Epstein probe
The US House of Representatives held billionaire investor Leon Black in contempt of Congress on Wednesday for defying subpoenas issued in its investigation into notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The resolution was adopted by unanimous consent, without a recorded vote, a day after the House Oversight Committee unanimously recommended the action. The matter will now be referred to the Justice Department, which will decide whether to pursue criminal charges. “No one is above the law. Leon
Indian transgender patients left in limbo following legal amendments
When transgender woman Kali Sidharth Medepalli began hormone replacement therapy in India, she expected to complete her medical transition and undergo surgery within a year. But just months after she began treatment earlier this year, India’s parliament amended the country’s transgender law, and the clinic where she was receiving care stopped her medicines. “Everything shut down,” the 23-year-old communications specialist and LGBTQ rights activist said in the southern city of Hyderabad. Kali
China airports surge in global-connectivity ranking, led by Shanghai, Guangzhou
Among the world’s most connected airports, Guangzhou’s hub has posted the fastest rise through the latest rankings, according to an annual list compiled by aviation data firm OAG. And overall, Chinese hubs stood out as carriers expanded their international networks with added flights. Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in southern China jumped to 19th place, from 36th last year, in OAG’s Megahubs 2026 report, released on Wednesday. An OAG spokeswoman called its jump the biggest of any
Is Japan’s Okinawa finally moving past anti-base politics?
Okinawa has handed a landslide victory to a conservative who accepts Tokyo’s plans for relocating a controversial US airbase – delivering a blow to 12 years of anti-base politics in Japan’s southernmost prefecture. Genta Koja’s victory on Sunday over two-term governor Denny Tamaki raised a question cutting to the heart of Okinawa’s post-war politics: is it finally starting to move on from the US military base issue? Koja, a 42-year-old conservative backed by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae
Risk of unrest in Asia as Iran war, El Nino threaten food supplies
Severe weather disruptions will amplify food security risks in Asia, potentially triggering civil unrest and political instability in vulnerable countries such as India, Indonesia and the Philippines, according to consultancy Verisk Maplecroft. The warning comes as the war in Iran has already disrupted fuel and fertiliser supplies, both of which are key agricultural inputs. Now, weather extremes linked to a powerful El Nino are further threatening crops across the region. Indonesia, the world’s
North Korea at Japan’s Asian Games: sports diplomacy or propaganda stunt?
North Korea’s decision to send a record delegation to the 2026 Asian Games in Japan could serve as a calculated opening for limited diplomacy with Washington and Tokyo, even as major obstacles to formal talks remain. State media reported on Wednesday that a delegation led by Kim Il-guk, North Korea’s sports minister, had left for Japan to attend the Games. The 20th Asian Games are being held in Nagoya and surrounding Aichi prefecture and run from Saturday to October 4. North Korea’s 180-strong
CityU’s response to disco night ‘misconduct’ an overreaction
In response to the August 27 case of a young man lifting up and carrying a young woman at a party, City University authorities have established a student discipline panel. The man was reportedly half-naked while the woman was clad in only shorts and a bra. Am I the only person to think that a mountain is being made out of a molehill here? We run the risk of using a sledgehammer to crack the proverbial small nut. One aspect of this case does merit further examination: the issue of consent. Who
Concert proposal in China stirs controversy as woman blocks, angers spectators
A romantic marriage proposal at a concert in northern China attracted significant backlash after the couple blocked the view of other spectators, leading to numerous complaints. On September 12, Chinese folk singer Zhao Lei performed at Beijing’s National Stadium, known as the Bird’s Nest. As tens of thousands of fans sang along, a man in the front section of the audience stood up to propose to his partner. Videos circulating online featured the woman in a white wedding dress, complete with a
India, Pakistan summon diplomats after naval ships collide in Arabian Sea
New Delhi and Islamabad summoned each other’s top diplomats to lodge strong protests after an Indian and a Pakistani naval vessel collided in international waters. India’s foreign ministry said that it had called in Pakistan’s senior envoy to formally register a strong objection over what it said was “unacceptable and unprofessional conduct” of Pakistani naval units that led to a collision with an Indian warship. Pakistan’s foreign ministry also said it had officially called upon the charge
Japan’s Natuna port proposal highlights Indonesia’s balancing act on China
Japan’s proposed port upgrades in Indonesia’s Natuna Islands reflect Tokyo’s push to bolster South China Sea security without building an overt military footprint. However, analysts stress that the move does not mean Jakarta is siding with Japan in its efforts to contain Beijing. Japan, which earlier this year eased its restrictions on lethal weapons exports, is ramping up security cooperation with Indonesia – a crucial bellwether for Southeast Asia. The expanding partnership includes joint
Only ‘idiots’ expect North Korea to give up nuclear weapons: Kim Yo-jong
The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said on Thursday that the country’s nuclear-armed status was “absolute”, calling those hoping for its denuclearisation “idiots”. North Korea has legally enshrined its status as a nuclear weapons state, with its leadership declaring the country’s nuclear arsenal permanent and irreversible. US President Donald Trump recently said Pyongyang possessed 57 “very powerful” nuclear weapons, with Seoul putting the figure at between 80 and 120. “The
Hong Kong’s 5-year plan, policy continuity offer investor stability, experts say
Longer-term vision and policies with continuity mapped out in Hong Kong’s inaugural five-year plan, along with the latest policy blueprint, offer investment opportunities and more stability for investors, according to experts and commentators. Hong Kong marked a historic milestone on Wednesday when Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu unrolled the city’s first five-year development plan with his fifth policy address to align with China’s long-term national strategy. The explicit directions Lee set
To visit or not to visit Kyiv? Japan’s Takaichi faces tough balancing act
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s invitation for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to visit Kyiv has created a diplomatic dilemma for the Japanese leader, who is under pressure to show firmer support for Ukraine without further antagonising Russia. Zelensky extended the invitation through Eisuke Mori, speaker of Japan’s House of Representatives, during his visit to the Ukrainian capital earlier this week. Mori, who helped establish the cross-party Japan-Ukraine parliamentary friendship group
Trump threatens EU over ‘hostile’ proposal to make Canada associate member
US President Donald Trump threatened on Wednesday to cut trade with the European Union after the bloc proposed to make Canada its first-ever associate member. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen raised the prospect a day before Canadian leader Mark Carney was due to address the European Parliament. Her pitch comes as both Canada and the European Union seek to pivot away from an aggressive US under Trump’s leadership. “I think it’s laughable,” Trump told reporters when asked about the plan. “If they do
‘My eyes sting, my head hurts’: health crisis grips Indonesians enduring haze
Struggling to breathe through the acrid haze emanating from wildfires on Indonesia’s Borneo Island, residents said on Wednesday they feared for their health but had little to do but wait out the foul-smelling hazard. Indonesia, which shares Borneo with Malaysia and Brunei, is grappling with forest fires that have ravaged swathes of the island, partly caused by the El Nino climate phenomenon that has also affected other countries in Southeast Asia and beyond. In Pontianak, the capital of West
US Congress passes bill targeting Russia’s leading energy buyers – China and India
The US Congress on Wednesday passed a bill to strengthen sanctions on Russia by targeting Moscow’s leading energy buyers – China and India – just days before Chinese President Xi Jinping is due to arrive in Washington for a bilateral summit with President Donald Trump. The US House of Representatives cleared the “Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026” by a 262-159 vote, making its way to the White House for Trump’s signature. The Senate passed the bill last month by an
King Charles responds to criticism from Princess Diana’s brother in rare move
Britain’s King Charles took the unusual step on Wednesday of responding to criticism by the brother of his late first wife Diana, saying via a spokesman that grief could impact reason, judgment and memory. The assertions, made in a soon-to-be published book, relate to the now-monarch’s conduct in the days after Diana’s death in 1997. Diana was killed at the age of 36 when the car carrying her and her lover Dodi Fayed crashed in Paris as it sped away from chasing paparazzi photographers on
Huawei accused of stealing robot tech to get hands on T-Mobile’s trade secrets
The criminal trial of Huawei Technologies on racketeering charges shifted this week into a slower, more laborious pace in what is expected to be a weeks-long trial as the US Government sought to establish on Wednesday that Huawei was intent on learning about a proprietary robot developed by US telecommunications carrier T-Mobile. Matthew Skurnik, assistant US attorney for the Eastern District of New York, spent hours running FBI Special Agent James Diclemis through a series of emails that
China’s rocket boom turns Hainan into space hub. Can launches fuel wider growth?
As technological developments augur an era of renewed space exploration, China is aiming to become a major player. In the first part of this two-part series, Wency Chen and Mia Nurmamat examine how Hainan province is betting on a growing aerospace cluster to rewrite its economic playbook beyond tourism. On Hainan’s northeastern coast, launch towers rise abruptly from a flat landscape of coconut palms and open sky. At Pad 1 of the commercial spaceport in Wenchang, an 83-metre (272 feet) service
US must prepare to fight around moon, top Trump military adviser says
American troops need to prepare for combat not only in Earth’s orbit but around the moon, President Donald Trump’s top military adviser said on Wednesday, looking ahead to a new frontier in warfare after the US revealed for the first time that it has deployed weapons in space. General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told service members and industry figures at the Air, Space and Cyber Conference outside Washington that the US military should adapt now so it “is prepared to
Why women in China are still at risk of abduction and forced marriage
One stormy night last month, a driver surnamed He saw two tall men get out of a car in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen and pull a young woman off the street and into the vehicle. During the struggle, her umbrella fell to the ground. She did not appear willing. Suspicious, He followed the vehicle and later reported the incident to local police, supplying them with footage he had recorded. Thanks to him and the police, the abducted 18-year-old was rescued from a forced marriage. According to
Saudis turn to Western, regional allies as missile defences run low
Saudi Arabia is running low on missile interceptors and has turned to regional and Western allies for help as its stand-off with Houthi rebels in Yemen drags on, two regional officials said on Wednesday. The officials said the Saudis have asked France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt to deploy air-defence support to the region to help defend against missiles and drones fired by Houthis and other Iran-backed groups. The outreach was initiated because Saudi Arabia’s main ally and arms supplier, the
T. rex was warm-blooded and had body temperature close to ours, study finds
Using fossilised teeth, scientists have finally taken the T. rex’s temperature – and it wasn’t too different from our own. Researchers once thought that dinosaurs were sluggish, cold-blooded creatures. Later findings challenged that, suggesting that older dinosaurs were warm-blooded and could control their body temperature. Most scientists agree that Tyrannosaurus rex was warm-blooded, but pinning down the exact core temperature of an extinct creature is difficult. “We can’t just use a
US Fed raises interest rates for first time in 3 years, irking Trump
The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point on Wednesday, its first hike in three years as the central bank battles high inflation with a move sure to anger US President Donald Trump. The Fed’s Federal Open Market Committee voted unanimously to raise rates to between 3.75 per cent and 4.00 per cent, citing “elevated” inflation. It added that the rate hike would support a “timelier return” to its 2 per cent target for the metric. More to follow
As EU cosies up to Canada, Burnham’s Brexit Britain feels sidelined
Andy Burnham was for years a staunch opponent of Brexit and a vocal supporter of rejoining the European Union. When he became Britain’s new prime minister in July, this seemed to augur well for UK-EU relations – but instead, Brussels is looking past its neighbour and cosying up to Canada. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday proposed Canada could become the first associate member of the EU, creating a tailor-made title in a bid for the trading bloc to expand its
Hong Kong targets gold trading, FPS-UnionPay link to boost yuan use
Hong Kong will expand the use of the yuan in areas including gold trading and cross-border payments, as policy blueprints call for the city’s biggest push yet to internationalise the Chinese currency. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Wednesday devoted part of the city’s first five-year plan and his annual policy address to developing a gold trading ecosystem and creating a regional intellectual property trading centre in the city. “We will consolidate and enhance Hong Kong’s status as an
Hong Kong aims to raise innovation spending to 3% of GDP by about 2030
Hong Kong will strive to raise its expenditure on innovation activities to a level equivalent to 3 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) by around 2030, nearly double the current rate, according to the city’s first five-year plan. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu unveiled the ambitious goal, together with measures to boost frontier technologies, including aerospace research, on Wednesday. Among the 22 indicators laid out in the plan, the government aims to raise the ratio of total domestic
Police arrest man after wife found dead with knife wounds in Heng Fa Chuen
Hong Kong police have arrested a man on suspicion of murder after his wife was found dead in a flat at a private residential estate. The force said the woman, 53, was discovered with knife wounds to her neck in a flat in block 2 of Heng Fa Chuen in Chai Wan at about 7.50pm on Wednesday, a police spokesman said. She was confirmed dead at the scene. Officers arrested the man, 52, and announced that an investigation was under way. Heng Fa Chuen is a major private waterfront residential estate
Hong Kong sets 5-year plan to double innovation spending, boost new industries
Hong Kong’s leader has unveiled the city’s first five-year blueprint, aligned with China’s national development strategy, setting targets to nearly double innovation spending and raise the share of manufacturing and new industries to 5.5 per cent of the economy. In a historically significant new approach, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu prefaced his annual policy address on Wednesday with a comprehensive set of binding and anticipatory or aspirational longer-term targets for Hong Kong up to the
China uses 100,000 home-grown AI chips to build leading weather forecast system
China said it can now predict weather 10 days in advance at a cutting-edge resolution of 5km (3.1 miles), finer than most major systems in routine use around the world. The advance was achieved by a Chinese-developed weather forecasting model running on Sugon 8,000, a massive home-grown computing system built entirely with domestically made AI chips. Most major global forecasting systems have resolutions of roughly 5km to 10km, according to the China Meteorological Administration and
Hong Kong leader vows support for media’s global reach, to review TV practice code
Hong Kong’s leader has expressed renewed support for the local media industry, including strengthening its global reach and reviewing the code of practice for television to ensure it keeps abreast with the times. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu made the pledges in both the city’s first five-year plan and the policy address he unveiled on Wednesday. In the section on “Develop an East-meets-West Centre for International Cultural Exchange” under the five-year plan, Lee said: “We will strengthen
Hong Kong to offer ‘attractive’ merger deals for schools beyond those struggling
Hong Kong education authorities will offer a “very attractive” proposal and policy support to encourage schools without survival issues to merge amid the shrinking student population, according to official sources. The government said it might allow aided schools and semi-private Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) schools to merge and operate across two campuses, though all arrangements remained subject to the forthcoming announcement of further details. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced that
Who is Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the elusive commander driving the Saudi blitz?
Abdul Malik al-Houthi, an elusive figure who commands a battle-hardened force, scored his biggest military victory in years when his Iran-aligned Houthi militant group swept through Yemen’s Red Sea coastline and tightened their grip on a vital shipping waterway, rattling oil superpower Saudi Arabia. The offensive, which has been accompanied by attacks on Saudi Arabia, has put the Houthis in a strong position to call the shots in the Bab el-Mandeb strait by potentially halting global trade in
Hong Kong’s new training visa could be available in first quarter of 2027
A new visa intended to attract international talent to participate in short-term training programmes in Hong Kong could become available as early as the first quarter of next year, the South China Morning Post has learned. The final policy address of Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s current term also put the spotlight on five existing or soon-to-launch academies that would seek to train overseas professionals and organise international events. They and the new visa category were among a spate
Malaysia to invite Myanmar’s Min Aung Hlaing for Rohingya repatriation talks
Malaysia will formally invite Myanmar leader Minh Aung Hlaing to visit Kuala Lumpur to discuss efforts to repatriate nearly 200,000 refugees from the war-torn nation that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says have placed a heavy social and economic burden on his country. Refugees from Myanmar, particularly ethnic Rohingya, have faced worsening hostility in recent months in Malaysia, where they are accused of causing social problems and taking over small local businesses in areas where they have set
China affirms support for Iran, but warns against Yemen spillover
In talks with his Iranian counterpart in Beijing on Wednesday, China’s foreign minister reaffirmed Beijing’s support for Tehran, called for a political settlement to the country’s conflict with the US and warned that regional tensions must not further spill over into Yemen. Wang Yi also urged the earliest possible reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Abbas Araghchi’s trip to China, his second since the US launched large-scale strikes on Iran in late February, came as Washington expanded sanctions
Hong Kong targets film tourism boom and higher-level tennis tournaments
Hong Kong will introduce themed tourism routes showcasing the city’s most recognisable filming locations and explore upgrading Victoria Park’s Centre Court to host higher-level tennis tournaments, as authorities seek to significantly increase the sector’s economic contribution under the city’s first five-year development plan. The 2026-30 blueprint aims to raise the tourism industry’s value added from HK$86.2 billion (US$10.9 billion) in 2024 to HK$126 billion by 2030 – an increase of about 40
First building in Hong Kong’s university town project to be ready in months
The first building in the 1,000-hectare (2,472-acre) university town project in the Northern Metropolis will be completed by the end of this year, Hong Kong’s leader has said, revealing that the flagship tower is called Loop Academy One. Announcing Hong Kong’s first five-year plan on Wednesday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also revealed the official names of the three Northern Metropolis developments: San Tin University Town, Hung Shui Kiu University Town and Ta Kwu Ling University Town. The
Iranian and Saudi panellists spar at Xiangshan Forum over Middle East attacks
A plenary session at a Beijing security conference turned into a heated exchange on Wednesday, when a senior Iranian defence official and a Saudi think tank chief traded accusations over the conflict in the Middle East. In the city where just a few years ago Iran and Saudi Arabia signed a peace deal, Prince Turki al-Faisal, chairman of the Saudi think tank the King Faisal Centre for Research and Islamic Studies, accused Iran of not respecting “the sovereignty of the Arab states”. In a clear
Hong Kong to woo finance and tech firms with new tax breaks
Hong Kong will introduce various tax incentives for new finance and technology industries to attract businesses and reinforce the city’s role as a leading financial hub, the city leader has announced in his policy address. Tax concessions to draw intellectual property (IP) businesses and selected industries to the city were among the new measures Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced on Wednesday, while the halving of the profits tax rate for gold traders would be sped up. To speed up the
10 AI, biotech firms in Northern Metropolis to get early cross-border data access
About 10 artificial intelligence (AI) and biotech companies will be the first to access cross-border data flows under a new pilot scheme, securing an early edge over roughly 100 other firms set up in Hong Kong’s flagship tech hub at the border. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu revealed on Wednesday during the final policy address of his current term that more than 100 innovation and technology firms had moved into the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park, while a “white list” to
China’s Z.ai raises revenue target 25% after US$5 billion cash injection
Chinese artificial intelligence developer Z.ai has raised its year-end annual recurring revenue (ARR) outlook by 25 per cent to US$3 billion, as the firm indicated its fresh US$5 billion war chest had helped clear its computing capacity bottlenecks for the time being. The updated ARR projection, up from a previous estimate of about US$2.4 billion, was disclosed during an investor call on Wednesday, according to a transcript seen by the South China Morning Post. The revised guidance comes days
China mulls bid for Apec free-trade area to taunt US, tantalise Asia
China is increasingly expected to push for a trade agreement binding a wide swathe of the Pacific Rim, including the US, when it hosts a forum of major Asia-Pacific economies in November, but a real deal may be hard to secure as Washington is likely to resist, according to analysts. The anticipated push for the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), covering all 21 members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum, would – even if unsuccessful – earn Beijing goodwill from other
Former director of leading Chinese museum jailed 3 years after art-sale scandal
A former director of a state-owned museum at the centre of a rare high-profile art scandal was sentenced to three years in prison, Chinese state media said on Wednesday. Xu Huping was found to have abused his position at the Nanjing Museum in eastern Jiangsu province and taken bribes, including money and property, for helping others secure projects and business collaborations. He was sentenced to prison for three years and fined 200,000 yuan (US$29,800), according to state news agency
Australia to ban student dependants as Labor fends off far-right pressure
Australia is set to introduce sweeping changes to its immigration policy by barring international students from bringing dependants, in a bid to ease housing pressures and fend off a growing political challenge from the far-right. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke will announce the measures at the National Press Club in Canberra on Thursday, outlining plans to trim net overseas migration from 300,000 to 225,000 by 2028. The issuance of temporary residence permits would also be reduced to curb
Hong Kong leader pledges building maintenance reforms after fatal Tai Po fire
Hong Kong’s leader has pledged to overhaul the city’s building maintenance regime and improve emergency response as part of the government’s response to last year’s fatal Tai Po fire, while authorities study criminalising bid-rigging and plan to submit a proposal later this year. The measures were outlined in Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s policy address on Wednesday, amid pressure on the government to strengthen oversight of renovation works after the city’s deadliest fire in decades at
Why Russia’s AI-powered economic future lies in its Far East
I attended this year’s Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok and took part in a dialogue on technological development. There, I had a deep discussion with Maxim Oreshkin, Russia’s deputy chief of the presidential executive office, who co-chairs the country’s national AI headquarters. I left Vladivostok with a broader impression: Russia increasingly sees its Far East as a place to build a new version of its economy. For decades, Russia’s Far East has been understood through geography. It is vast,
Hong Kong to set up ‘AI city brain’ to boost disaster response and public safety
Hong Kong will create an “AI city brain” system to strengthen its response to extreme weather events, major incidents and public order management, while creating the role of artificial intelligence commissioner to tackle emerging challenges. While the city’s first five-year plan set out a vision to advance technology development, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu outlined seven key areas of AI risk governance in Wednesday’s policy address, including efforts to combat the use of AI in crime and
China’s AI chip stocks face crucial test as MetaX lock-up period expires
China is bracing for a potential massive sell-off of a high-profile artificial intelligence chip stock on Thursday, when a lock-up period affecting 14 million shares in MetaX Integrated Circuits is set to expire. Analysts expect MetaX to face “significant selling pressure” when the restricted shares are released for trading, after the expiry of a similar lock-up period for shares in fellow AI chip firm Moore Threads last week sparked an avalanche of sales that wiped nearly 49 billion yuan
Hong Kong’s HK$30,000 bonus for second child among 11 new measures to boost births
Hong Kong authorities have rolled out 11 new initiatives to encourage residents to have children, including an expanded cash bonus scheme and a reduced down payment for subsidised housing for parents with newborns. In the latest policy address delivered on Wednesday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced that the HK$20,000 (US$2,550) newborn bonus scheme, expiring on October 24, would be extended for another three years. He added that the cash bonus for second and subsequent children would
Hong Kong launching pilot scheme to bring in foreign carers for the elderly
Hong Kong will introduce a pilot scheme next year to bring in foreign domestic carers to look after older residents as part of a broader package of measures announced in the policy address to deal with an ageing population. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said in his address on Wednesday that the government would admit carers under a scheme modelled on the city’s existing foreign domestic helper regime. “With reference to the existing regime for admitting foreign domestic helpers, the
Hong Kong aims to raise zero-carbon energy share of fuel mix to 30% by 2030
Hong Kong aims to boost the share of zero-carbon energy in its electricity generation fuel mix to 30 per cent by 2030, up from the current 28 per cent – one of four binding environmental protection targets set out in the city’s first five-year plan on Wednesday. The binding goal aligns with existing climate protection strategies that target a zero-carbon energy share of between 60 and 70 per cent by 2035, as part of the city’s broader push towards carbon neutrality by 2050. “With these efforts,
Trump taking notes from India? US$5,000 cash pitch draws ‘freebie’ comparisons
Donald Trump’s proposal to give adult Americans US$5,000 if Republicans win November’s midterm elections has drawn an unusual accusation from India: that the US president is borrowing from the country’s welfare-heavy political playbook. Speaking days after Trump floated the US$5,000 proposal on September 9, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar told an event held by India’s main opposition Congress party: “Trump is copying us.” Shivakumar argued that the pledge reflected the wider
Chinese defence chief skirts flashpoints at Xiangshan Forum ahead of Xi-Trump summit
With just a week to go until Chinese President Xi Jinping heads to Washington for his first state visit in more than a decade, Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun opted for the diplomatic path in his address to China’s premier security conference on Wednesday. Speaking at the annual Xiangshan Forum in Beijing, Dong took veiled swipes at Washington and its allies but – unlike last year – appeared to pull his punches, skipping mentions of contentious issues such as Taiwan and the South China Sea. He
Jockey Club to plough HK$3b into new research facility in Northern Metropolis
The Hong Kong Jockey Club has said it will funnel HK$3 billion to support the construction of a Life and Health Academic Research Building at the city’s new Northern Metropolis University Town. During his policy address on Wednesday, Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu announced the creation of an integrated teaching and scientific research building in the Northern Metropolis. In a statement issued soon after the chief executive’s speech, the club said its Charities Trust had made a donation that
China’s Trip.com offers most ambitious travel deal yet: a trip to space
Chinese online travel platform Trip.com has turned heads by launching its most expensive offering to date: a space flight package costing at least 5.1 million yuan (US$759,900). The six-day trip includes several days of preflight training followed by a 90-minute suborbital flight operated by US-based provider Virgin Galactic, which takes off from Las Cruces, New Mexico. The first four days are devoted to preparation and training, with the air-launched space flight taking place on the fifth day,
As US slashes funding, UN peacekeeping head says global body can rely on China
The United Nations can count on China’s support, the UN’s peacekeeping chief said in Beijing as he flagged the body’s financial strains – due in large part to Washington’s funding squeeze. Speaking at the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing on Wednesday, UN undersecretary general for peace operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix said the international system was under severe strain and the UN urgently needed to adapt its tools to modern realities. Lacroix warned that the global body’s financial situation “is
Hong Kong to invest in primary care to cut premature death risk to 6.9%
Hong Kong aims to reduce the risk of premature deaths from some major chronic diseases to 6.9 per cent by 2030 by investing heavily in primary healthcare and prevention, authorities have said. Delivering his annual policy address and the city’s first five-year plan, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Wednesday also unveiled plans to develop the city’s first integrated ambulatory care hospital at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital site in King’s Park after its relocation to Kai Tak. The facility will
How wildfires are threatening Indonesia’s economy and carbon market
Forest and peatland fires raging across Indonesia are threatening to become more than an environmental emergency, with analysts warning that the thickening haze could weigh on economic activity, strain public health and test confidence in the nation’s fledgling carbon market. Indonesia is no stranger to forest and peat fires, but this year’s super El Nino has helped make it the country’s most intense wildfire season in 11 years. Toxic haze and smoke have also drifted to neighbouring countries
Former Kosovo president Thaci gets 25 years in prison for war crimes
Former Kosovo president Hashim Thaci was found guilty of war crimes including murder, torture and illegal detention by the Kosovo war crimes tribunal on Wednesday. Thaci, 58, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for crimes committed as top commander of the ethnic Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) during the territory’s violent break from Serbia in the 1990s. The tribunal said he was guilty of the murder of 96 political opponents and perceived collaborators with Serbian security forces by
US military prepares ceremonial welcome for Xi Jinping at the White House
A US military honour guard held a rehearsal at the White House as Washington fine-tuned diplomatic protocols and preparations for Chinese President Xi Jinping’s expected visit to the United States next week. A video clip posted on social media by Fox News correspondent Lucas Tomlinson on Tuesday afternoon Washington time showed service members from various military branches dressed in ceremonial uniform and standing in formation. The drill mirrored the welcome extended to US President Donald
Developer family’s deals signal capital shift across Hong Kong property sectors
A third-generation member of a long-established Hong Kong developer family has bought a HK$98.8 million (US$12.6 million) luxury flat in Mid-Levels, weeks after the family sold a long-held North Point property, highlighting a broader market trend of capital shifting across real estate sectors. John Lai Sung-ziang agreed to buy a high-floor unit at Estoril Court on August 31, Land Registry records showed. The price for the four-bedroom flat, which has a saleable area of 2,888 square feet,
New ‘wall-hanging’ trend sees jobless Chinese youth working 1 day, idling for 3
In the early hours of the morning, 29-year-old Guo Zihao awoke in a 24-hour billiards hall in Shenzhen, southern China. For months, such places had served as his makeshift shelter. At his lowest point, he found himself with merely 20 yuan (US$3) left in his pocket. “That period was more than a financial struggle,” Guo told the SCMP. “Every minute, every second, felt like torture.” Just a few years earlier, Guo was far removed from the image of a young man living on society’s fringes. Raised in a
Geologists find unexpectedly large water sources beneath China’s largest desert
Geologists have discovered two large water sources beneath China’s largest desert, potentially offering the northwestern region a vital new tap for sand-control projects and agriculture. The desert region has drawn attention for extensive afforestation and anti-desertification efforts taking place around its edges under the Great Green Wall initiative, alongside a rainfall trend that is transforming arid western China. The groundwater discoveries were made as part of a water-finding project in
14 key takeaways from John Lee’s policy address, Hong Kong’s first 5-year plan
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has placed deepening integration with mainland China and developing new economic engines centre stage as he unveiled the city’s first-ever five-year plan alongside the last policy address of his term. During his landmark speech on Wednesday, which ran just one minute shy of three hours, Lee laid out how the city’s first five-year plan would align the city more closely with the national development blueprint, while the policy address would serve as the
Chinese state media rejects US AI-distillation claims, warns of countermeasures
China’s ruling Communist Party mouthpiece has rejected US allegations that Chinese artificial intelligence companies conducted “industrial-scale” distillation of American frontier models, warning that Beijing would respond if Washington continued to suppress China’s AI industry. In a commentary published on Wednesday, People’s Daily said the US claims were “without factual or legal basis” and accused Washington of “politicising” a normal technical and commercial practice. The strong stance came
Hong Kong’s first five-year plan seeks to boost innovation
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu presented the city’s first ever five-year plan, including steps to bolster innovation, birth rates and financial activity. The city aims to raise spending on innovation to 3 per cent of gross domestic product after 2030 from 1.63 per cent in 2024, Lee said as he announced the plan on Wednesday alongside the traditional annual policy address. There were also steps to accelerate construction of the tech-focused Northern Metropolis megaproject on the
Chinese research ship completes month-long mission near Scarborough Shoal
China confirmed on Wednesday that a research vessel conducted a month-long, wide-ranging geological survey in the waters near Scarborough Shoal, a South China Sea flashpoint between Beijing and Manila. The Haiyang Dizhi Shihao, or Marine Geology No 10, carried out the survey from August 11 to September 8, with the aim of “gaining a comprehensive understanding of the basic geological features and ecological environment” of waters under its jurisdiction, the Ministry of Natural Resources said on
Sweden’s long election night leaves few certainties – except caution on China
Sweden found itself in political uncertainty this week, as its parliamentary election on Sunday turned out to be extremely tight. With 95 per cent of the votes counted, the opposition left-wing bloc holds a three-seat lead over the governing right-wing bloc, with final results expected on Thursday. I’ve been to multiple election night parties across Europe as a journalist. The one on Sunday night with the Social Democrats, the main centre-left party seeking to regain power, was definitely on the
Hong Kong must prepare for the impact of heat-related work stoppages
At the beginning of August, when temperatures in Hong Kong hit highs not seen for at least 140 years, the Labour Department’s Heat Stress at Work Warning system remained at the amber level, the lowest of three tiers. The controversy that followed raised a broader question: are our heat warnings adequately protecting people who work outdoors? The Labour Department has since announced changes that will lead to earlier heat-stress warnings. These improvements to worker protection are welcome. But
Can Hong Kong use US crypto bill failure to boost its digital asset hub role?
The US Senate’s rejection of the Clarity Act – a landmark bill meant to regulate cryptocurrency market structure – has opened a window for Hong Kong to accelerate its digital asset ambitions, industry insiders say, even as the sector remains mired in a slump after a brief rally last month. Beijing’s ban on crypto remains in force in mainland China, but Hong Kong has received approval to develop itself as a digital asset hub, with the stalled push in Washington presenting the city with what
Hong Kong court winds up Wang Fuk Court renovation consultant over debt
A Hong Kong court has ordered the winding-up of an engineering consultant behind a HK$336 million (US$42.8 million) renovation project at the fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court over an unspecified debt. The High Court on Wednesday granted Tong Yiu-kwok’s application to wind up Will Power Architects after the company neither filed a statement in opposition nor sent a representative to explain its position at the hearing. The court did not disclose Tong’s relationship with the firm or the amount of debt
Singapore court rejects 90-year-old’s spousal support claim against ex-wife, 89
A Singapore family court rejected a 90-year-old man’s claim for spousal maintenance from his 89-year-old wife, noting that both of them are in the twilight of their lives. The court also noted that the man would receive more than S$2 million (US$1.6 million) from the matrimonial pool, comprising the couple’s assets to be divided in the divorce, and his wife was a retiree living on a pension. The former couple were married for more than 64 years and have three children, all aged above 60, a
Tesla’s China discounts; Iran war drives shift to electric cars: 7 EV reads
We have put together stories from our coverage on electric and new energy vehicles from the past two weeks to help you stay informed. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Market squeeze: Tesla revives China price cuts to stem slumping deliveries Tesla China has launched discounts on its Shanghai-made cars for the first time since the end of 2024, responding to falling deliveries in the world’s largest market for electric vehicles (EVs). 2. ‘Key pillar’:
ISO 9001 update for first time in a decade, with China shaping AI, cybersecurity
China’s contributions and leadership were of considerable value to the revision of new International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards for artificial intelligence, intelligent transport systems and cybersecurity, according to the global body. The ISO made the comments as it released ISO 9001:2026 on Wednesday, which is the first major revision to ISO 9001 – an international benchmark for quality management – in a decade, it added. ISO Secretary-General Sergio Mujica told the South
Hong Kong court ends trial after suspect in deadly 1991 hold-up dies of cancer
A Hong Kong court has terminated a trial arising from a deadly shooting during a botched robbery three decades ago after the defendant died in custody earlier this week. The High Court on Wednesday discharged a seven-member jury presiding over the trial of Wen Wenye, who allegedly took part in the murder and attempted robbery at Shun Fat Company, a second-hand goods shop in Sham Shui Po, on June 9, 1991. A government statement on Monday said Wen, 62, died in hospital that afternoon after he was
Viral ‘baby boss’ in China wins hearts courting customers outside eatery
A Chinese boy with a remarkable talent for engaging customers at his family’s restaurant in central China has gone viral, drawing entertaining reactions from both domestic and international netizens. The four-and-a-half-year-old child gained overnight fame after a Serbian expat in China posted a video of him being approached in front of a diner in Huangshan, Anhui province, on his account @saitie, on September 12. In the video, the young boy skilfully attracted customers in front of his family’s
Hong Kong rated Asia’s top financial hub for 4th straight year: report
Hong Kong has retained its status as Asia’s top financial hub for a fourth consecutive edition of the Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI), even as many of the world’s leading centres saw their scores slip slightly amid rising geopolitical headwinds. The city also ranked third globally in the 40th edition of the twice-yearly report, released on Wednesday amid a remarkably tight race at the top of global finance. Hong Kong scored 756, just one point behind London on 757 and a point ahead of
Malaysian councillor resigns after DAP remarks at Umno assembly
A Malaysian city councillor has resigned over remarks he made about the Democratic Action Party (DAP) at the recent Umno general assembly. Permatang Pauh Umno division chief Mohd Zaidi Mohd Said’s resignation as a Seberang Perai city councillor took effect on Monday, according to a letter made public by state local government committee chairman Jason H’ng Mooi Lye on Wednesday. In the letter, Zaidi apologised for his remarks during the assembly in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, where he represented
South Korean killer’s drone escape from Philippine prison foiled by test footage
A South Korean crime lord convicted of murder in the Philippines reportedly planned to escape prison by strapping himself to a drone – until his own accomplice’s rehearsal footage gave the game away. Park Wang-yeol, 47, was sentenced in 2022 to 60 years behind bars for the killing of three South Koreans in a sugar cane field outside Bacolod City in 2016, a crime that earned him the nickname “sugar cane field killer”. The drone-assisted escape plot was planned for earlier this year, in the weeks
Japanese monks embrace material world to raise cash as donations shrink
Koukyo Yoneta, a fifth-generation Buddhist priest in a small town in Japan’s Hokkaido, was struggling to keep up with the maintenance needs of his century-old temple, so he chose a path that would have been unthinkable for his predecessors – rather than wait for his congregation to give money they do not have, he invested what they had already donated. The move paid off. Within two years, his portfolio of US treasuries, Japanese real estate investment trusts and stocks including BYD and Hyundai
‘Red line’: Saudi coalition accuses Houthis of targeting Mecca with drone
The Saudi-led coalition battling Yemen’s Houthis accused the rebels on Wednesday of targeting Islam’s holy city Mecca, sparking outrage across the Muslim world and deepening the conflict roiling the region. Fresh fighting between the Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government has dragged in Riyadh, with the Houthis declaring a maritime blockade on the kingdom and targeting its ships in the Red Sea. Last week’s lightning offensive saw the group seize control of the entirety of Yemen’s
How will the Okinawa governor’s race result reshape China’s local messaging?
The leadership change in Okinawa could deal a quiet blow to Beijing’s attempts to leverage local opposition to remilitarisation and the US-Japan military alliance, according to analysts. They added that the shift would compel Chinese academics and state media to recalibrate their messaging and approach towards the strategically vital Japanese prefecture. Genta Koja, the 42-year-old backed by Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party to become Okinawa’s new governor, defeated incumbent Denny Tamaki
Defence chief Dong Jun omits Taiwan in milder Xiangshan Forum address
Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun’s address to a defence gathering in Beijing on Wednesday carried a message for Washington but it was delivered in a notably softer, less critical tone, according to a retired senior colonel in the People’s Liberation Army. Zhou Bo, now a senior fellow at the Centre for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University, said Dong’s tone was “relatively mild”, even as the Chinese defence minister made veiled references to the US and its actions in the
South Korean court orders Pyongyang to pay US$32.5m for destroying border office
A Seoul court ordered Pyongyang on Wednesday to pay roughly US$32.5 million for blowing up in 2020 an office in North Korea that was intended to foster relations between the two Koreas, Yonhap news agency reported. The lawsuit over the destruction of the Inter-Korean Liaison Office marks the first time the South Korean government has sought damages directly from the North, according to media reports. South Korea’s previous conservative government, led by former president Yoon Suk-yeol, filed
GSK licenses Chinese firm’s cancer drug in US$750 million deal
British pharmaceutical giant GSK has agreed to acquire a cancer drug from Chinese firm Chimagen Biosciences in a deal worth up to US$750 million, underscoring China’s emergence as a global player in biotechnology. GSK announced plans on Tuesday to buy full global rights to a “potential best-in-class” T-cell engager (TCE) from Chengdu-based Chimagen, targeting treatment for multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. TCEs work by binding T cells, a kind of white blood cell, directly to cancer
Opinion | Why more export controls won’t stop China’s industrial engine
The first “China shock” was fairly easy to understand. Beginning in the 1990s, cheap Chinese goods poured into global markets, displacing large parts of lower-end manufacturing across the world. Now, China shock 2.0 seems to be under way, with China taking the lead in electric vehicles (EVs), batteries, solar panels, semiconductors and other more technologically sophisticated industries. This is often perceived as a trade problem, with Chinese manufacturers producing too much, selling too
Viral ‘then and now’ photos of reunited Chinese woman spark trafficking debate
A woman from northern China has been reunited with her biological family after 26 years, with striking before-and-after images from her disappearance renewing public attention on the plight of human trafficking survivors. Sun Meihua, from Shandong province, was located after an online user known as Chuxin shared her story. During a visit to a village captured on video, Chuxin encountered Sun, who had greying hair, a frail demeanour and signs of cognitive difficulties. Chuxin soon learned that
Japan’s Takaichi opts for stability in first reshuffle since taking over LDP
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is expected to retain many of her Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) executives on Wednesday, in her first reshuffle since taking the helm of the ruling party about a year ago. Takaichi is likely to keep the influential former prime minister Taro Aso as vice-president and his brother-in-law, Shunichi Suzuki, as secretary general, sources familiar with the matter have said, as she seeks to maintain continuity ahead of what is likely to be a packed legislative
Singapore ministers earn millions. What do other Asian leaders make?
Singapore’s ministers are among the world’s highest paid, a system its leaders have defended as necessary to attract capable people into public service and reduce the temptation of corruption. Its latest salary review has once again put the spotlight on that approach, while highlighting a wider regional divide over how Asian governments value political leadership and public service. Under the city state’s formula, the prime minister’s salary is pegged at twice the benchmark for an entry-level
Singapore-led Southeast Asian buyers expand Hong Kong commercial property assets
Southeast Asian investors have emerged as the largest non-local buyers of Hong Kong commercial property, led by Singapore-based capital, according to Savills. As of Tuesday, local and non-local investors – including those from mainland China – were behind an estimated HK$30.36 billion (US$3.87 billion) in transactions involving commercial property deals above HK$50 million in Hong Kong so far this year, data compiled by the property consultancy showed. Southeast Asian investors contributed
Carney sells Canada to global investors but says US ties still key
Prime Minister Mark Carney pitched Canada as an investment haven on Tuesday at a gathering of global financial elite but conceded ties with the US remained crucial despite an escalating trade war. Carney convened the Canada Investment Summit as part of his push to diversify an economy he insists had grown too reliant on an increasingly protectionist US. The guest list for the event in Toronto included representatives of Gulf sovereign wealth funds, European banks, the China Investment
Top Chinese official leads 87-member committee for Tung Chee-hwa state funeral
The first vice-chairman of the nation’s top political advisory body is overseeing an 87-member committee of political and business heavyweights to arrange the state funeral for Hong Kong’s first chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa. A vigil will be held from 3pm to 10pm on Saturday at the Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point and a public memorial service will start at 9am on Sunday, according to an obituary placed by Tung’s family in the South China Morning Post on Tuesday. “In lieu of flowers,
Ed Sheeran tour in trouble after 4 acts quit in support of Macklemore
Ed Sheeran’s tour of North and South America was plunged into chaos Tuesday when four of his supporting acts abruptly quit in solidarity with the rapper Macklemore, who was dropped for making pro-Palestinian comments on stage. Hours after Sheeran posted on social media about Macklemore’s ousting and attributed the decision to the tour’s promoters, Irish acts Aaron Rowe and Beoga, the Danish band Lukas Graham, and Finneas posted on social media that they were leaving the tour. Rowe and Lukas
Will ‘transactional’ America assist India in a future border crisis with China?
When Chinese President Xi Jinping met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi last week on the sidelines of the Brics summit, another country loomed large in the background, even in its absence: the United States. After the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to maintain peace at the disputed border and strengthen economic ties. Beijing’s readout, however, offered a pointed reminder of the US factor in India-China ties. The official Chinese statement claimed that Modi
Why I am grateful for Asean’s endless meetings
I remember 2011 well. Indonesia was chairing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and I was serving as deputy foreign minister for Asean cooperation. I learned a great deal, although if I had to summarise the experience in one word, I would say: meetings. Asean members meet. They talk. They disagree. They issue statements. Then, quite remarkably, they meet again. We meet in conference rooms, coffee shops and restaurants. We speak by telephone and online. And when matters become
Trump says Kennedy Centre to close after judge bars name change
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the Kennedy Centre will close down – possibly for good – after a judge ruled his name cannot be added to the famed arts institution’s exterior. Trump said the Washington cultural venue’s trustees voted to shut down for what it says are vital emergency renovations, and that it will not reopen unless the judgment is overruled. “The Board of The Kennedy Center today agreed, almost unanimously, to close the Building for Safety reasons, and so that it
Kim Kardashian awarded €1 over 2016 Paris armed robbery
A Paris court on Tuesday awarded €1 (US$1.15) to Kim Kardashian for having been the victim of an armed robbery in the French capital in 2016, the amount of compensation she had asked for, according to a lawyer involved in the case. Kardashian has sought to move on since the court last year found eight people guilty for their roles in what the US celebrity described as “the most terrifying experience of my life”. The court awarded a former receptionist at the Hotel de Pourtales €109,516
Scott Bessent confirms weekend meeting with He Lifeng days before Xi’s US visit
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday confirmed that he will meet Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng this weekend for the final preparatory talks between the two sides, less than a week before Chinese President Xi Jinping travels to Washington for a bilateral summit with US President Donald Trump. “With China, we have had some very good private discussions, and I look forward to those continuing this weekend when I meet my Chinese counterpart Vice [Premier] He Lifeng,” Bessent said during a
Paris court convicts school aide for sex abuse, orders ankle tag
A Paris court on Tuesday sentenced a man to one year under house arrest with an ankle tag for sexually assaulting primary schoolchildren in his care. The sentence is the heaviest imposed since multiple allegations of sexual or physical violence emerged in recent months against monitors the city employs to look after children at school outside the classroom. Michael M., 38, admitted during his trial to having sexually assaulted the nine children aged five to 10 between September 2022 and January
How Canada’s Trump headache is fuelling a China trade boom
Canada’s exports to China jumped by 30.1 per cent in the first half of 2026, led by crude oil, copper and other energy and mineral products, as Ottawa stepped up efforts to diversify trade ties amid growing tensions with its largest trading partner, the United States. Exports to China reached C$21.74 billion (US$15.63 billion) over the period, marking the highest first-half value since 1997, according to a trade report released by the Canada China Business Council and the China Institute at the
US-China ties haunted by lack of mutual trust
A lack of mutual trust and confidence haunts Sino-US relations, a major security conference in Beijing heard, just a week before Xi Jinping travels to America for his first state visit in over a decade. “When we have the agreement on this constructive strategic stability, we don’t have the illusion that things will be easy going ahead. There are always problems, sometimes very big problems,” said Cui Tiankai, a former Chinese ambassador to Washington, at a panel of the Xiangshan Forum on
South Africa on alert after seventh woman’s body found near capital
A woman’s body was found on Tuesday in the same area east of Johannesburg in South Africa where the discovery of several other victims in the past two months has sparked fear of a potential serial killer at large and led to a public warning by the police. According to South African authorities, the cases appear to be linked, though they did not confirm whether they are the work of the same killer. The South African Police Services (SAPS) has issued a public warning for women to be cautious when
Tighter scrutiny of Hong Kong IPOs could slow deal flow, analysts say
Securities regulators in Hong Kong and mainland China are doubling down on efforts to raise the quality of Hong Kong initial public offerings (IPOs), which could slow the flow of new listings but would not reduce underlying demand, according to analysts. In an unusual move, the China Securities Regulatory Commission recently asked nine mainland companies, which had already been pre-approved for listings, to provide supplementary materials detailing fund usage, shareholding structures and pending
DeepSeek AI engineer slams Anthropic, OpenAI over ‘pacing’ calls, invokes Hitler
A DeepSeek engineer has issued a stark warning about the potential concentration of advanced artificial intelligence and resources in proprietary US developers Anthropic and OpenAI, intensifying a growing debate in China over calls by US industry leaders to “pace” AI development amid safety concerns. The comments preceded an expected meeting between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump on September 24, where AI safety may emerge as a key point of dialogue as the two countries race
The world is not so much embracing China as recoiling from Trump’s US
Global surveys show China is now more popular than the United States in most countries. The reality is China hasn’t become more popular, only that Uncle Sam has become odious. Two recent major summits demonstrate precisely why this erosion has occurred. At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and the Group of 20 (G20) gathering in the US, the Trump administration faced withering criticism for policies that have destabilised global commerce, violated
As AI race with US heats up, China targets US$4.5b tech goal in new 5-year plan
An intensifying tech race with the United States, along with Beijing’s drive for technological self-reliance, has led China’s leaders to place greater significance and urgency on breakthroughs in sectors ranging from artificial intelligence to integrated circuits and chips in its latest five-year plan for electronics and information technology. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the National Development and Reform Commission, China’s top economic planning agency, on Tuesday
Denmark says Russian frigate fired flares at helicopter
Denmark and Russia were at a war of words on Tuesday after Danish authorities accused a Russian frigate of firing flares at a Danish military helicopter. The armed forces said in a statement late on Monday that “one of the air force’s Fennec helicopters was today fired at with flares during a routine photographic operation of a Russian frigate, which was located in international waters off Gedser”, Denmark’s southernmost town. The frigate had fired “two flares towards the helicopter. One of the
Iran’s top diplomat heads to China for talks as Mideast diplomacy falters
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will meet with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in China on Wednesday, amid stalled diplomatic efforts to de-escalate conflicts in the Middle East. The meeting comes during the countdown to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the United States for a summit next week with his US counterpart Donald Trump, when the war on Iran and disruption of energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are expected to be high on the agenda. Fighting has also erupted
EU to propose curbing social media, online games for under 15s
The European Union is set to propose curbing access to social media, video-sharing platforms, chatbots and online games to children under the age of 15, according to a draft legal document seen by AFP. A proposed new law – to be formally presented on Thursday – would mean banning minors under 15 from opening their own accounts, with a tiered system of access under parental supervision for younger children. As well as age limits, the new “EU KIDS Act” would force digital giants to make their
Man arrested after HK$1 million in gems stolen from hotel guest asleep in lobby
Hong Kong police have arrested a man and recovered uncut gemstones worth nearly HK$1 million (US$127,500) that were allegedly snatched from an overseas businessman as he slept in a hotel lobby. The force said on Monday that the suspected theft happened a day earlier while the businessman, a 29-year-old jeweller from Sri Lanka, was in the city for the “Jewellery & Gem World Hong Kong September” trade fair. The jewellery was allegedly taken from the victim as he slept in the lobby, where he was
Taiwan tests US-made MQ-9B drones to counter PLA ‘grey-zone’ operations
Taiwan has begun flight testing its newly acquired MQ-9B drones, giving the island a long-range reconnaissance platform capable of monitoring People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and grey-zone activities across vast stretches of surrounding waters. The first two of four MQ-9B SeaGuardians ordered from the United States took off from Hualien Air Base in eastern Taiwan on Monday, according to military sources. It was their first test flight since arriving in Taiwan by sea in June, following nearly three
Clues in the Blood: Solving the Mystery of Cancer of Unknown Origin
[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] Imagine a detective who finds clear clues at a crime scene but has no idea where the crime actually took place. Medicine faces this exact mystery: patients can actually be diagnosed with a specific condition called Cancer of Unknown Primary (CUP)—when standard procedures like medical imaging and tissue biopsies fail to identify where a tumor started. Far more common and aggressive than most people realize, CUP accounts
85% of Wang Fuk Court owners sign sale deals as flat selection moves ahead
More than 85 per cent of owners at the blaze-hit Wang Fuk Court have signed agreements to sell their flats to the Hong Kong government as authorities move ahead with flat selection under a special rehousing scheme. Authorities said on Tuesday that 1,702 households – 85.8 per cent of flat owners across blocks A to H at the estate – had signed sale and purchase agreements as of Monday. On the same day, the bureau held computerised draws to determine the selection sequence for subsidised flats
‘Lazy economy’: US$15 monthly rubbish services in China gain popularity
A new business trend has emerged in China where young people get paid to throw out rubbish for others at a small fee – and it is proving to be a surprising success. While many people consider taking out the rubbish merely an incidental chore, it has evolved into a paid service in China. On social media platforms, some entrepreneurs promote their rubbish disposal services. Their fees range from three to five yuan (45 to 75 US cents) per pickup, with an option for a monthly package priced at
‘Doing a North Korea’? Why the Middle East could be entering a new nuclear age
The Middle East stands on the precipice of a new nuclear age, with Saudi Arabia set to acquire American uranium enrichment technology and Turkey eager to follow suit, as Iran weighs withdrawal from the treaty that bars it from making atomic bombs. Momentum is building: last week, the United States and Israel both threatened further air strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities, claiming it was attempting to resurrect the programme. The country’s three main complexes were buried deep underground
Forget AI KPIs: how China’s tech giants are rationing tokens for employees
When generative artificial intelligence first swept through China’s technology sector, workers faced a clear directive from management: use AI and use it often. Consuming vast numbers of AI tokens – the basic unit of computing power needed to process text or write code – became a badge of honour, with companies often viewing a high token count as a sign that employees were productive and taking initiative. But those computing allowances are now being sharply rolled back as China’s leading
US judge blocks Trump’s ‘absurd’ visa caps for students, journalists
A US federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked a new visa cap for international students, visiting scholars and foreign journalists, saying the Trump administration’s national security justification “borders on the absurd”. Judge F. Dennis Saylor in Boston said the rationale for the restriction was “exceptionally weak”, and the connection between the rule and the problems it purported to address was “exceptionally attenuated”. He wrote that the US Department of Homeland Security had built the
Cambodia, Thailand take US$300 billion seabed dispute to UN
Months after deadly clashes that cost dozens of lives along their shared border, the foreign ministers of Cambodia and Thailand laid out opening arguments on Tuesday over a different kind of territory: 27,000 sq km (10,400 square miles) of seabed thought to hold a fortune in gas and oil. The venue was the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s Singapore office, where the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea’s conciliation commission is being asked to settle who controls a stretch of the
Indonesian finance minister notified of his firing in mid-meeting call
Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, who was sacked as Indonesia’s finance minister this week, said on Tuesday he was upset to be removed from his job, but was half expecting the decision. President Prabowo Subianto abruptly removed Purbaya as finance minister on Monday and named his deputy, Suahasil Nazara, to the top finance job, in a move that surprised markets but was also seen as an attempt to restore trust in financial policies. After a terse handover ceremony at the finance ministry, Purbaya told
Hong Kong’s employment outlook rebounds sharply to 14% in fourth quarter
Hong Kong employers’ hiring sentiment rebounded sharply for the fourth quarter, with far fewer companies expecting to cut jobs as confidence improved alongside stronger economic growth, according to a ManpowerGroup survey. The international human resources company said the city’s seasonally adjusted net employment outlook rose to 14 per cent, up 23 percentage points from minus 9 per cent in the previous quarter. The outlook is calculated by subtracting the percentage of employers expecting to
China woman’s search for kind former foreign tutor sparks flood of shared memories
A Chinese woman’s quest to reconnect with a former foreign teacher who profoundly influenced her outlook on life has sparked a collective online effort to locate him. Wang Yu, a community worker in Shanghai, graduated from East China Normal University in 2005 with a degree in tourism management. Wang informed the SCMP that the teacher, known only as Evans, was an American who taught her an elective English course during her university years. For three years, he selflessly supported her academic
Newsom won’t run for US president in 2028 if Harris does
California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who is widely considered a contender for the 2028 presidential election, will not enter the race if former US vice-president Kamala Harris runs again, he told CNN in a clip shared on Monday. Newsom made the comment in an interview with CNN anchor Jake Tapper, during which the two men are standing knee-deep in a body of water while fishing. “I wouldn’t run if she ran,” Newsom said. He explained that both campaigning would split Democratic votes, which
Roche Experience Days 2026: Shaping the global dialogue on healthcare innovation
[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] Healthcare professionals and technology innovators are transforming how diseases are detected, managed, and treated—shifting the focus from simply treating illnesses after they appear to focus on early detection, high-precision diagnostics, and sustainable healthcare systems that put patients first. At the center of this transformation are four major forces reshaping how care is delivered: AI-Driven Innovations &
Price of Fury: Iran war’s toll on US bases, weapons and more
A US government watchdog released its first report on Monday on the impact of the Iran war, acknowledging the military’s advanced weapons shortfalls and offering the first public look at the damage to American aircraft, bases and diplomatic outposts in the Middle East. Much of the information has been previously reported over the past six months, but the Pentagon inspector general’s report offered the fullest official accounting so far of the conflict’s costs in American lives, taxpayer dollars
Top Singaporean chemist Lu Yixin to join Chinese university EIT next year
Singapore’s most decorated chemist has confirmed he will leave his current position to join the fledgling Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, eastern China. Lu Yixin, a professor with the National University of Singapore (NUS), told the South China Morning Post that he plans to move to the private research institute in early 2027, in a full-time role. Lu is a fellow of the Singapore National Academy of Science and president of the Singapore National Institute of
Citigroup hires veteran banker Sophia Wang to lead China institutional sales
Citigroup has appointed veteran banker Sophia Wang as a managing director and head of China financial-institutional sales and senior relationship management (SRM), marking the latest move by the Wall Street lender to deepen its footprint in mainland capital markets despite ongoing geopolitical friction. Wang joined the bank on Tuesday, according to an internal staff memo. Based in Shanghai, she will oversee institutional sales coverage across rates, spread products, foreign exchange, commodities
‘World first’: Chinese plant extracts critical rare metals from lithium waste
China has launched a 500-tonne production line to extract rubidium and caesium from lithium waste. A demonstration line in Jiangxi province – the world’s first with an annual capacity of 500 tonnes for continuous tower extraction and separation of low-grade rubidium and caesium – has achieved stable production, according to the Institute of Process Engineering under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Rubidium and caesium are critical to aerospace, quantum computing, biomedicine, new energy
Toxic haze shrouds Singapore as air quality hits unhealthy levels
Singapore was shrouded in haze on Tuesday, with smoke from wildfires in neighbouring Indonesia raising island-wide pollution to levels that pose a health risk. All five regions of the city state recorded unhealthy air quality levels, the first time that has happened since September 2019, according to the National Environment Agency. Singapore’s air currently ranks among the 10 most polluted cities in the world, according to IQAir data, with the capitals of Malaysia and Indonesia also among the
‘I just need an answer’: widow haunted by husband’s shooting seeks inquest
Two years after her armed, mentally ill husband was fatally shot by a Hong Kong police officer, Mrs Li is still waiting to learn whether a death inquest will be held. On September 15, 2024, she called police when her 38-year-old husband, who had a history of mental illness, attacked his elderly mother and her at their North Point home. Officers wielding shields arrived and found the man holding a 30cm (11.8-inch) knife and a pair of scissors. Little did Mrs Li, who preferred to be identified by
Why Hong Kong’s economic future still hinges on national security
In any conversation about Hong Kong’s future, one question often emerges: when will the city pivot away from national security and back to economic development? To most, Hong Kong is fundamentally a commercial hub. After the turmoil of 2019, most reasonable people agreed that restoring public order was imperative. Today, the orchestrators of that unrest and the radicals are largely imprisoned or have fled. While occasional flare-ups and various forms of “soft resistance” persist, society at
Chinese students ‘eating homework’ to relieve exam stress sparks amusement
Children in China are embracing the trend of consuming “homework” made from rice paper as a way to alleviate their heavy study burdens, raising concerns regarding food safety. Recently, a snack called “homework” has gained viral popularity among primary and secondary school students. These snacks resemble miniature versions of Chinese textbooks and workbooks, but they are marketed as entirely edible. On China’s e-commerce platforms, these edible workbooks are priced at less than 0.50 yuan (7.5
Hong Kong’s next policy address is just around the corner. Here’s what to expect
Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu’s coming policy address will introduce measures to remove hurdles for businesses setting up shop in the Northern Metropolis and include proactive initiatives to strengthen innovation hubs, research efforts and tech applications, the South China Morning Post has learned. Government sources said measures supporting the megaproject in the northern New Territories and backing innovation were expected to be major highlights of the chief executive’s policy address on
US Supreme Court deals blow to Trump before this year’s midterms
The US Supreme Court on Monday rejected President Donald Trump’s bid to restrict mail ballots for the midterm elections, capping a flurry of last-minute legal action with voting already under way. The decision allows states to continue sending out mail ballots under the same processes they’ve used for years. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas publicly dissented from the brief order. The Trump administration had asked the court, once again at the centre of a roiling political controversy,
Iceland whaling ban plan threatens to leave Japan alone in defending industry
Iceland’s move towards a whaling ban could leave Japan more exposed than ever as it defends an industry critics say relies on public money, political symbolism and a shrinking domestic appetite for whale meat. The Icelandic government has announced plans to submit a bill early next year to end whaling – a step that would leave Japan and Norway as the world’s only two nations still carrying out commercial hunts. For environmental campaigners, the move has renewed hopes that Japan will no longer
Ukraine says ready for ‘de-escalatory steps’ if Russia does same
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday that Ukraine was ready to de-escalate the war with Russia if its rival did the same, after US President Donald Trump announced that the foes had agreed to end strikes on energy targets. With international oil prices climbing again, Trump had at the weekend berated Ukraine’s attacks on Russian refineries, blaming them for causing a shortage in diesel fuel. In one of his surprise social media posts, the US leader announced on Monday that “Ukraine has
Huawei’s US trial puts jury to the test amid China, Iran links
The unique circumstances surrounding Huawei Technologies’ landmark trial in a US court made jury selection especially important to ensuring a fair trial for the Chinese tech giant, according to US litigation experts. Known as voir dire, the process allows the presiding judge and two legal teams to question prospective jurors before the trial begins to identify possible bias and conflicts that could impede their ability to adjudicate the case in a “fair and impartial” way. Richard Gabriel,
Beijing threatens ‘serious consequences’ after Panama lawmakers support Taiwan
China has warned Panama of “serious consequences” after most of the country’s lawmakers set up a parliamentary exchange group with Taiwan, defying pressure from Beijing’s embassy and a public disavowal by their own president. The warning came from foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun, who said on Monday that the group seriously violated the one-China principle upheld by Panama and urged what he called “those few politicians” to “see the real picture”. Beijing had noted the Panamanian
The classic Chinese parenting playbook won’t survive the AI age
Like many Hong Kong parents, Ms Ng spends her weekend shuttling her eight-year-old son from one tutoring class to another across the city, hoping to strengthen his academic performance. Across Chinese communities worldwide, parents travel the same journey, investing time, money and energy. But as we enter the age of artificial intelligence, we must ask if such striving is still worthwhile. Industry leaders predict that AI will replace swathes of white-collar work in finance, law, accounting and
US has weapons deployed in orbit, Space Force says
The United States has weapons deployed in space, the US Space Force said on Monday, confirming the presence of such capabilities in orbit for the first time. “The US has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action,” a US Space Force spokesperson said in a statement that did not provide specifics on the weapons. “Space control encapsulates the mission areas required to contest and control the space domain – employing kinetic and non-kinetic
UN Security Council to hold meeting on AI amid international concern
The UN Security Council will hold a meeting on artificial intelligence next week amid growing international concern over the threat from the fast-moving technology, a French diplomatic source said on Monday. The meeting would be held during the United Nations General Assembly when a host of world leaders are at the UN headquarters in New York and France holds the rotating presidency of the security council. No details were given on the exact day. “In terms of global affairs, the issue of AI will
Famed ‘Designer to the Stars’ Bob Mackie dead at 87
Bob Mackie, the fashion designer whose visually provocative Hollywood style defined glamour for the 1970s – including putting Carol Burnett in some of her kookiest get-ups and Cher in her raciest ones – died on Monday. He was 87. “He lived his 87 years to the fullest, fulfilling his dream of being a Fashion and Costume Designer, which is all he ever wanted to do,” read a statement on his social media accounts. Mackie died in Palm Springs, California, from pneumonia, his publicist said. Dubbed
British man admits drugging, raping wife over more than 2 decades
A British man on Monday admitted repeatedly drugging and raping his wife at their home over more than two decades, just before his trial was about to begin. The man - from northern England who is in his 60s but cannot be named as it would identify his wife who is entitled to lifelong anonymity – pleaded guilty at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court to 45 charges, having previously admitted 15 offences. The man has now admitted charges including 21 counts of rape, 15 counts of assault by
Trump dismisses AI concerns, says US has tools to keep it safe
President Donald Trump said on Monday that the US already has guardrails in place to regulate and prosecute AI companies, appearing to play down concerns expressed by industry leaders over the weekend about misuse of artificial intelligence. “The only control or ‘guardrails’ that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT, and the U.S.A. has that, in spades!” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that China would benefit from the doubt being cast on artificial intelligence
Brics leaders act to hedge – not revolt – against US dollar dominance
The family photograph did the political work the summit’s final declaration could not. Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stood shoulder to shoulder as the Brics summit closed in New Delhi on Sunday – a single frame capturing an 11-nation bloc that now spans four continents and nearly half the world’s population. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres attended the gathering of emerging economies
Hong Kong district councillor remanded in custody after underage sex conviction
A Hong Kong court has remanded a district councillor in custody pending sentence after convicting him of unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl 15 years ago, rejecting his claim that the allegation was politically motivated. Yuen Long District Council member Sei Chun-hing, 39, is set to become the first elected officer to face imprisonment for a criminal offence since a Beijing-led electoral overhaul in 2021, which ensured only those endorsed by authorities as “patriotic” can assume public
Foundation collects tributes to Hong Kong’s Tung Chee-hwa for online memorial
The China-United States Exchange Foundation has launched a permanent tribute webpage to Tung Chee-hwa, Hong Kong’s first chief executive, and collected more than 100 reflections from political and business heavyweights around the world. The foundation, established by Tung in 2008, said the webpage, which launched on Monday, included tributes from Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus and Max Baucus, former United States ambassador to China. “This permanent tribute not only placemarks his remarkable
South Africa road accident kills at least 21 people
Two minibus taxis collided head-on, and an SUV crashed into them on one of South Africa’s main highways, killing at least 21 people and leaving four others seriously injured, authorities said on Monday. The crash on Sunday night in the Western Cape Province took place between the small towns of Prince Albert and Leeu-Gamka, around 380km (235 miles) east of Cape Town, according to the Road Traffic Management Corporation, or RTMC, the national traffic agency. The collision involved two Toyota
Can Trump’s White House ballroom top China’s vast Great Hall of the People?
President Donald Trump’s claim that the new White House ballroom will top China’s Great Hall of the People has thrust the Beijing landmark back into the spotlight just as Chinese President Xi Jinping prepares for his US visit later this month. Speaking at a Republican midterm convention in Dallas last week, Trump described the Great Hall of the People – China’s most prestigious venue for legislative and ceremonial events – as “a serious hall”. “This is a very large hall, but we’re going to top
Southeast Asia weighs energy transition amid LNG supply crunch
Energy ministers and executives met in Bangkok on Monday to discuss the prolonged price increase for liquefied natural gas (LNG) triggered by the Iran war, with Southeast Asia’s growth ambitions and climate goals on the line as the cost of powering economies shifting to artificial intelligence soars. On the first day of Gastech 2026, one of the world’s largest energy conferences, policymakers implored pragmatism over net-zero targets and closer cooperation to ensure affordable LNG supplies,
US blocks Iran nuclear chief from Vienna meeting
Iran’s nuclear chief was blocked from attending an annual conference on Monday at the headquarters of the UN’s nuclear agency in Vienna after US pressure, both Washington and Tehran said. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright confirmed to reporters that Washington had applied pressure to stop Mohammad Eslami from entering Austria, saying “he’s a sanctioned individual and we don’t want sanctioned individuals evading their sanctions”. “He asked for a waiver of the sanctions and it was denied.” Iranian
Finders keepers or theft? The legal fight over HK$30 million Mark Six prize
A group of 14 government employees can only recover their shares of a HK$30 million (US$3.8 million) Mark Six windfall through civil legal proceedings after a colleague allegedly refused to split the prize and disappeared, a lawyer has said. Vitus Lawyers principal partner Vitus Leung Wing-hang told the South China Morning Post on Monday that retrieving the money would not be easy for the victims, who work at the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department office. Leung added that the 36-year-old
Finland to join France’s forward nuclear deterrent
Finland has decided to join France’s forward nuclear deterrence initiative, extending the measure to a country sharing a long border with Russia, the two countries said in a joint statement on Monday. France is extending its nuclear deterrent to European allies as the continent reassesses its security in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s shake-up of Nato. “Finland has decided to join forward deterrence,” the two countries said. “A nuclear steering group will be set up in the coming months
A ploy to entrench US lead? China pushes back on calls for slowdown in AI
Calls by US tech leaders for a voluntary slowdown in artificial intelligence development have run into sharp pushback from Chinese researchers and state media, who question whether the proposal is a genuine push for responsibility or an effort to entrench America’s technological lead. The debate intensified on Monday when OpenAI CEO Sam Altman joined a growing chorus of Silicon Valley leaders demanding industry-wide “pacing”, warning that competitive pressure must not override safety as AI
Malaysian teenager acquitted of killing schoolmate
A Malaysian teenager was on Monday found not guilty of murdering his 16-year-old schoolmate last year, after a high court ruled that he had been of unsound mind when he attacked the victim in their school, in a case that left the country reeling in shock and horror. The boy, who was 15 at the time of the attack last October, was arrested at his high school in Selangor state on the same morning that he had repeatedly stabbed Yap Shing Xuen in the school’s toilet. The victim, who was a year from
Indonesia’s Prabowo replaces finance minister with deputy
Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto has sacked the finance minister and appointed the deputy finance minister as his replacement, the president’s office said on Monday. Deputy Finance Minister Suahasil Nazara was among the senior officials who arrived at the state palace for a swearing-in ceremony. Earlier on Monday, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa had left in the middle of a parliamentary hearing. Suahasil Nazara had been deputy finance minister since 2019. He said on Monday
Beijing hails Taiwanese scholar’s rare proposal on reunification
Beijing has hailed a “one country, two systems” proposal by a Taiwanese scholar in a rare official statement on an issue regarded as politically sensitive on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. “We are pleased to see that more and more Taiwan compatriots are facing up to reunification, beginning to understand and discuss the specific content of a one country, two systems plan for Taiwan, and offering suggestions and proposals for such a plan through various means,” Chen Binhua, a spokesman for
China’s self-powered neural device helps stroke survivors walk naturally
Scientists have developed a lightweight, battery-free device that could help improve the mobility of people with difficulty walking, such as stroke survivors. Developed by researchers in Hong Kong and mainland China, the neural prosthesis uses energy generated by the wearer’s own movements to electrically stimulate their muscles, helping to flex their ankle and restore their natural walking pattern. This could prevent falls for stroke survivors, elderly individuals, and others living with
Probe launched after 2 brothers found dead in Hong Kong public flat
Hong Kong police are investigating the discovery of the bodies of two men at a public housing estate flat in Ap Lei Chau. The force said a security guard alerted authorities after detecting a foul smell coming from the flat at Lei Tung Estate’s Tung Yip House at around 2pm on Monday. Rescue personnel forced their way into the flat and discovered the bodies of the two men. Paramedics confirmed their deaths at the scene. One of the men was believed to be in his fifties. Police have sealed off the
Himalayan ‘glacier bankruptcy’ threatens water security for 2 billion in Asia
The Himalayas are approaching a tipping point as glaciers melt faster than a decade ago, threatening water security as the region approaches “peak water” by mid-century, according to a study released this month. The findings come after the collapse of a Himalayan glacier in late August along the Nepal-Tibet border, which caused cascading landslides and flash floods in the valleys below. At least 1,300 people have been confirmed dead and more than 5,300 are missing across Nepal and China’s Tibet
Woman spared jail over forging PhD reference letter for Education University
A woman convicted of using a forged reference letter to gain admission to a Hong Kong doctoral programme has been spared jail and ordered to perform 160 hours of community service. Fanling Magistrate Kenneth Chan Ping-chau said on Monday that he had decided to “make an exception” for 31-year-old Li Zuer, who earlier admitted falsely claiming that a former teaching staff member at the Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) had written a reference letter for her in March 2024. The letter
High pay, high peril: Indian Kashmir still attracts migrant workers
Every spring, mason Mohammad Ghulam Sarwar boards a train to Indian Kashmir, seeking higher wages despite the risk of being targeted by militants in the disputed Himalayan region. Sarwar, 25, is one of an estimated half a million migrant workers who stream into the Himalayan region each year, forming the backbone of an economy increasingly reliant on labour from some of India’s poorest states. The dependence has endured despite decades of insurgency and a series of militant attacks that have
Japan’s Chubu Electric bosses resign over quake data-tampering scandal
Two top executives at Japanese nuclear plant operator Chubu Electric Power would step down following a quake data-tampering scandal, the company said in a statement on Monday. President Kingo Hayashi and Chairman Satoru Katsuno would be replaced, the statement said, and the firm would withdraw applications to restart the Nos 3 and 4 reactors at Chubu’s Hamaoka nuclear plant. Japan is moving to revive nuclear power 15 years after an enormous earthquake and tsunami sent reactors at the Fukushima
‘Conscious unbossing’: China youth reject promotions to avoid intense work stress
A growing number of young Chinese employees are increasingly turning down promotions, challenging the traditional notion that career advancement is the ultimate marker of success. This trend has gained significant traction on mainland social media, where related posts have attracted over 40 million views. Workers have shared scripts online that highlight their decisions to decline promotions, often expressing gratitude, citing feelings of insufficient readiness, and seeking better compensation
Data from Greater Bay Area residents to help improve healthcare policy: GSK
British pharmaceutical company GSK is turning to patient data gathered from the 88 million residents of the Greater Bay Area’s 11 cities to speed up drug development in vaccines and cancer care, as officials push for closer cross-border medical cooperation. GSK Hong Kong and Macau general manager Nicholas Teo said patient data was very important because it could form “supplementary evidence” to support regulatory filings and potential label expansions, and also help to “discover benefits other
Lee’s cabinet overhaul unravels as South Korea gender minister nominee quits
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s 36-year-old gender minister nominee stepped down before gaining confirmation of her position amid a public backlash over her suitability for the job in the latest negative fallout from the president’s cabinet reshuffle. Yong Hye-in, a lawmaker of the minor Basic Income Party, pulled out of consideration for the position on Sunday after controversy erupted over her insistence that she would not give up her parliamentary seat while serving in the
Malaysia haj fund scandal: ex-minister denies ordering US$211 million transfer
A former Malaysian religious affairs minister pleaded not guilty on Monday to three charges involving more than 860 million ringgit (US$211 million) in transactions linked to the country’s state-run haj savings fund and a Saudi property group. Jamil Khir Baharom, 65, served as minister in the Prime Minister’s Department overseeing religious affairs from 2009 until 2018, when the government of former prime minister Najib Razak lost power. His prosecution is the latest legal action to follow a
Are Chinese students learning English just to ‘tell China’s story’?
For generations of Chinese schoolchildren, English textbooks offered a glimpse of an unfamiliar world, from London’s Tower Bridge and Big Ben to American school life and Halloween traditions. Today, students opening an English textbook are more likely to encounter passages on late Qing dynasty (1644-1912) thinker Liang Qichao, the Dragon Boat Festival and China’s overseas aid projects. These changes are part of a nationwide overhaul of China’s primary and middle-school textbooks, which have
Apple should bear responsibility for Hong Kong iPhone card fraud, lawmaker says
Apple should ultimately bear responsibility for more than 700 unauthorised credit card transactions in Hong Kong, a lawmaker has said, while estimating that the actual loss would not be significant. Speaking on a radio programme on Monday, Election Committee sector legislator Johnny Ng Kit-chong described the incident as “rare”, given the large number of victims and the involvement of a platform operated by a major company such as Apple. Over the weekend, many Hong Kong social media users
3 killed, 15 wounded in gunfire ahead of historic Philippine regional election
Three people were killed and 15 others wounded as gunfire erupted hours before the polls opened on Monday in a semi-autonomous Muslim region of the Philippines set to choose its first elected parliament. The vote is the culmination of an on-off peace process that began in the late 1990s and established the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in the country’s far south. Cotabato police chief Jibin Bongcayao said the shooting took place just before midnight as members of rival
How the five-year plan can serve the nation and deliver for Hong Kong
This year marks the opening year of the national 15th five-year plan. Faced with accelerating change globally and significant opportunities brought by national development, Hong Kong must better integrate into and serve the overall national development, enabling our economic progress to reach new heights while enhancing people’s livelihood and well-being. This February, I announced that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government would formulate the city’s first five-year plan. I led
China grandma drains life savings on US$450,000 beauty fraud before daughter finds out
A 75-year-old woman from Shanghai spent three million yuan (US$450,000) on beauty treatments in a salon, completely depleting her retirement savings before her daughter uncovered the situation. The elderly woman’s daughter recently sought assistance from a Shanghai television programme after discovering that her mother had exhausted all her savings on beauty services. The woman, surnamed Yu, had spent her savings at a branch of Yongqi Beauty and Hairdressing Company, as well as a medical beauty
China’s intelligence chief warns of risks from AI in hands of ‘hostile forces’
China’s top intelligence official has warned of rising national security risks posed by artificial intelligence (AI), calling for robust risk prevention frameworks and stronger global governance of the emerging technology. The call from Chen Yixin, China’s state security minister, comes as Beijing seeks to play a leading role in global AI governance while criticising US restrictions. At the Brics summit in India over the weekend, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed an AI-powered initiative to
Man up, break down: unpacking the Philippines’ male suicide crisis
Richardson Mojica is no stranger to thoughts of ending it all. The 40-year-old university professor and mental health advocate was diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder and depression in his early 20s. He finds fulfilment in his job, yet suicidal ideation has always lingered. “We call it passively suicidal – you don’t want to live, but you don’t want to stop everything,” he said, revealing that he had survived a self-inflicted attempt on his life months ago. Survival is a
Veteran investor Fang Fenglei on why the China ‘investibility’ debate is no debate at all
Over the past three decades, investor Fang Fenglei has had a major role in shaping China’s capital markets. He worked with Morgan Stanley in the early 1990s to help create the country’s first joint venture investment bank – China International Capital Corp. Then, at the start of the millennium, he spearheaded the listing of state-owned giants in Hong Kong as CEO of Bank of China International, later chairing a China joint venture with Goldman Sachs. Now the chairman of Hopu Investments, Fang
Will Hong Kong’s educators learn from sliding Pisa results?
The latest Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) results are out and unfortunately for the Education Bureau, Hong Kong’s performance looks bad. Is this the outcome of not learning from the last assessment? In the 2022 Pisa assessment, a metric for creative thinking was introduced to measure the ability to generate, evaluate, improve and communicate ideas, as well as social and scientific problem-solving. Hong Kong scored below the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and
Trump to consider releasing 9/11 records after families’ request
US President Donald Trump on Sunday said he will look into requests from families of September 11 victims to release records that could shed light on Saudi Arabia’s alleged role in the attacks 25 years ago. Several families have long alleged that a group of extremist religious leaders in Saudi Arabia gained influence in the Saudi government and aided the hijackers. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were Saudis but the Saudi government has long denied any involvement in the attacks. The families have
Middle East diplomacy stalls as war spreads, Hormuz talks postponed
Iran plans to formally unveil an agreement on a temporary shipping lane through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, after a flurry of diplomatic activity including a rare meeting between senior officials from Tehran and Abu Dhabi. The Islamic Republic is set to reveal to Gulf nations its agreement with Oman on a temporary new shipping lane, according to a person familiar with the matter. Negotiations on details such as the fees ships may be charged will continue between the two countries later, they
Carney explores EU ‘associate member’ status for Canada as US ties fray
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney wants a closer relationship with the European Union and is exploring whether his country could become an “associate member” of the bloc, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday. The EU, which has not been flexible about membership rules in the past, is open to the idea of granting Canada a yet-to-be-created status of associate membership, the newspaper reported, citing unnamed officials both from the EU and Canada. Canada’s embassy in Brussels and
French must come first, Le Pen declares at 2027 campaign launch
Far-right leader Marine Le Pen, a front runner in the French presidency race, signalled on Sunday that she would favour French citizens over foreigners, defending her long-held principle of “national priority”. Speaking seven months before France’s presidential polls, Le Pen, 58, said that under her presidency French people would “have priority in their own country”, regardless of their skin colour, religion, or origin. “We will guarantee all French citizens a natural and fair right, as is done
Top-level online schooling offers route to leading universities
[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] For families who are regularly on the move or simply looking for a high-quality alternative to traditional modes of teaching, an easy-to-access option is now available offering flexibility, rigour and a proven track record. Operating since 2019, the Crimson Global Academy (CGA) conducts small live group classes alongside one-to-one classes where a more personalised pace is helpful. Everything follows a
For China, H-6N bomber enhances nuclear deterrence and second-strike capability
Last month, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) released footage showing its H-6N bomber flying with a nuclear-capable Jing Lei-1 (JL-1) air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM), offering a rare look at China’s airborne nuclear strike capability. The H-6N is one of the latest modernised variants of the H-6, the country’s only strategic bomber. Its flight carrying the ALBM during a joint anti-ship exercise was featured in a documentary by state broadcaster CCTV for the PLA’s 99th anniversary. The
Hong Kong teen with rare disease creates AI avatar to ensure his story lives on
A Hong Kong teenager with a rare muscle-wasting disease has created an AI version of himself, hoping the digital twin can continue sharing his life story and message of perseverance even after he is gone. Chen Tsz-kin, 17, unveiled “AI Tsz-kin” at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) on Sunday, weeks before his 18th birthday – an age the student said he had long feared reaching because he was once told it was the average life expectancy for people with his disease, Duchenne muscular
US-Israeli failure to bomb Iran into submission was preordained
Winston Churchill famously praised the resilience of the British people during the Blitz, describing the nightly bombings of London as a “cruel, wanton, indiscriminate” attempt by Adolf Hitler to break the spirit of a tough “island race”. He was not wrong about the toughness and courage of his fellow citizens. But as one of the United Kingdom’s greatest leaders and historical writers, he created a false impression of the uniqueness of the British wartime experience. Strategic bombing alone,
China’s FAST telescope maps neutral hydrogen, the cosmic gas for making stars
China’s FAST telescope has compiled the world’s largest catalogue of neutral hydrogen beyond the Milky Way, replacing a long-dominant US survey as the main reference for mapping the gas that fuels the formation of stars and galaxies. The FAST All-Sky H I Survey (FASHI), conducted with the 500-metre (1,640-foot) radio dish in southwest China’s Guizhou province, released its second batch of data this week. It contains 156,411 extragalactic sources – nearly five times the number detected by the
China Porsche owner covers car with 90 missing-child flyers, helps reunite family
A Chinese Porsche owner covered his luxury sports car with 90 flyers of missing children, garnering significant attention online. Recently, a Porsche 718 from Kunming, in southwestern China’s Yunnan province, went viral on Chinese social media, with many residents posting about their encounters with the eye-catching vehicle. They filmed the car not for its luxury appeal, but for the striking sight of the flyers featuring missing children that adorned it from bumper to bumper. The owner, Du Lin,
Chinese scientists develop oil refining method that may cut energy use by 90%
Chinese scientists say they have devised a new technique for refining oil that cuts the amount of energy consumed during the process by roughly 90 per cent. If the technology used in the study could be scaled up for industry, it would not only greatly reduce production costs and emissions, but also make the process more precise and boost product value. Crude oil cannot be turned directly into petrol or plastics. Instead, refineries must separate it into different parts before each one can be put
Bangladesh draws closer to China in ‘political chessboard’ to balance India ties
Bangladesh’s tilt towards China has added a new dimension to security and trade in South Asia, signalling what observers see as Dhaka’s desire to be a strategic actor in the region and ease its overreliance on India. The hedging policy comes after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government in 2024 amid a student-led uprising. Under an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, and then the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) after it came to power in February, the country’s
Russia says Ukraine attacked trucks supplying fuel to Zaporizhzhia plant
The head of Russia’s state nuclear energy corporation accused Ukraine on Sunday of attacking diesel fuel trucks, killing two Russian servicemen and deliberately jeopardising safety at the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine. Alexei Likhachev said the attack took place on Friday and also resulted in injuries to other Russian soldiers. The Zaporizhzhia plant, Europe’s largest with six reactors, was seized by Russian forces in the early weeks of the Ukraine war that broke
Brics summit ends with Xi’s AI offer, Modi’s warning on critical minerals
Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged on Sunday to help Brics countries develop and apply open-source large language models and build smart manufacturing factories. Speaking at the second day of the Brics summit in New Delhi, he identified these as two key initiatives to promote economic growth and technological development in the Global South. Xi also said Beijing would offer to train young talent from other member states in advanced technology and innovation, according to state news agency
Tung Chee-hwa remembered for foresight in developing Hong Kong’s tech sector
Hong Kong’s first leader Tung Chee-hwa, who died last week, has been remembered by former colleagues for his foresight in developing technology and actively engaging with mainland China to boost the city’s economic development during his tenure. Political heavyweights praised the former chief executive for being able to foresee developmental trends before others could, citing Tung’s decisions to establish Cyberport and the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park. “He proposed developing Cyberport
Forget low-calorie food, China youth turn to tasteless, chewy snacks to lose weight
Young dieters in China are increasingly turning away from low-calorie foods in favour of a new trend: chewy snacks. On social media, they are sharing their new-found favourites, including beef jerky, frozen buns, and even baby teething biscuits – each characterised by their toughness and chewiness. Many prefer chewy foods as a way to keep their mouths busy and trick their brains into feeling satisfied, reducing the urge to eat more. For these dieters, taste is not the top priority; instead, the
France apologises for criticising US’ human rights record after backlash
The French UN mission said it regretted an online post criticising how the United States voted during a UN General Assembly meeting, with US officials saying on Saturday that Washington appreciated the statement. France’s permanent mission to the UN published the apology on Friday, saying it regretted a social media post criticising the US’ commitment to human rights. “France and the United States recently took different positions on a vote at the United Nations General Assembly. This difference
India-Pakistan water row deepens after Hague court ruling
For 65 years, even as India and Pakistan fought wars, severed diplomatic ties and traded nuclear threats, one agreement held: the Indus Waters Treaty, which governs the river system sustaining roughly 300 million people across the subcontinent. That was until April last year, when New Delhi suspended the pact in the aftermath of a deadly militant attack on tourists in Kashmir that it blamed on Islamabad. Now, an international tribunal has ruled that it should have done no such thing – handing
Shun US goods, buy local: Canadians ‘mad with America’ reshape grocery shelves
A growing consumer push to buy Canadian and boycott US products is reshaping supermarket shelves in Canada, forcing grocers to improve country-of-origin labelling and secure new sources of supply. In Ontario, the president of independent grocer Vince’s Market, Giancarlo Trimarchi, turned to social media to show customers that most produce on the shelves of his stores is Canadian after receiving angry emails and comments about the grocer stocking US produce. A bitter trade war between the United
Denisovan fossils in China reveal ancient ‘hunting paradise’
Denisovan remains discovered in southwestern China reveal that Yunnan province’s warm, biodiverse plateau was a “hunting paradise” for the hominins during a global glacial period, according to new research published in the journal Nature. Within the region’s coniferous forests and forest-steppe environments, this archaic human group established a stable subsistence pattern highly adapted to local resources through specialised hunting and the intensive exploitation of animals. The extinct
Warming cities can’t afford to sacrifice their urban parks
Some of my earliest memories of Bengaluru, where I spent my summer holidays, are of looking up in wonder at the towering canopy of trees in Cubbon Park. Even in the height of summer, Bengaluru could be cool enough to require a light jacket. Today, the iconic Cubbon Park, the pride of the city I now call home, is under threat. So is Lalbagh Botanical Garden, another of the city’s iconic green spaces, with roots stretching back more than 250 years. On a Sunday morning in Bengaluru last month,
China’s anti-corruption law is going global. What does it mean for overseas firms?
China’s new draft law on combating cross-border corruption is as much a weapon against foreign interference as it is a tool against illicit financial flows, analysts say. The draft sets out ways to block extraterritorial investigations and to retaliate against foreign anti-corruption enforcement, drawing a firm legal boundary against foreign jurisdictions while establishing its own mechanism to police overseas assets. In doing so, legal specialists warn, Beijing is also creating a double-edged
Houthis hit Saudi base amid renewed fighting with Yemen government forces
Houthi fighters on Sunday said they used drones and missiles to attack a military base in southern Saudi Arabia as renewed fighting with Yemen’s government forces forced growing numbers of civilians to flee. The attack at the southern Sharurah base targeted “weapons depots and command and control centres that are managing the aggression against our nation and people”, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said on social media. The date of the operation was not specified. Clashes have increased
J.D. Vance group courted Brazil opposition candidate for anti-China deal: report
A campaign document belonging to Flavio Bolsonaro, the right-wing front-runner in the presidential election to be held in Brazil next month, offered Washington a rare earths supply chain designed to weaken China’s grip, local news site Amado Mundo reported on Saturday. Written in English and dated March 19, the 22-page presentation was drafted by Andre Marinho, a close Bolsonaro ally who presented the plan to the Rockbridge Network, a group of wealthy conservative donors founded by J.D. Vance in
‘Woman Unknown’ wins Gold Lion at Venice Film Festival
Danish filmmaker May el-Toukhy’s post-war drama Woman Unknown won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday, with its star Mathilde Arcel also taking best actress honours in a rare double victory. El-Toukhy was the only woman directing a feature film in the main, 21-strong film line-up, a disparity that drew criticism during the festival and prompted renewed scrutiny of the barriers facing women in cinema. Set in the aftermath of World War II, Woman Unknown follows a housemaid
Farage’s Reform UK gets second record £36 million donation in 48 hours
Cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne said on Saturday he had donated £36 million (US$49 million) to Britain’s anti-immigration Reform UK, matching an already record contribution to Nigel Farage’s party a day earlier as it prepares for the next election. The donation gives the veteran Brexit campaigner’s party £72 million from two donors in less than 48 hours at a time when it is confronting allegations about irregularities in its funding, which it denies. The figure exceeds what
Quality concerns prompt further tests on concrete used in 3 housing blocks
The quality of concrete used in three blocks of a public housing estate under construction in Tung Chung requires further testing and review, Hong Kong’s Housing Authority has revealed. According to official documents, the main contractor on the project is Able Engineering. The same company is also involved in a scandal over defective lift installation work at an expansion project at Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam. The authority said on Saturday that regular checks had uncovered issues with