News - South China Morning Post (RSS Feed)

All the latest breaking news from Hong Kong, China and around the world

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2026-10-28 03:15:19 UTC

Hong Kong to propose criminal penalties for bid-rigging after deadly Tai Po fire
Hong Kong’s leader is expected to announce reforms introducing criminal penalties for bid-rigging on Thursday, when the government will also release the final investigation report into the Tai Po inferno, the South China Morning Post has learned.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and his senior officials will announce the proposed measures and give an update on efforts to pursue “administrative accountability” at a press conference on Thursday, a government source said on Wednesday.
Senior...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3372377/hong-kong-propose-criminal-penalties-bid-rigging-after-deadly-tai-po-fire

2026-10-28 03:00:21 UTC

Will US midterm battles blind Washington to Asia? Japan isn’t taking any chances
Japan is bracing for a more unpredictable ally in Washington, as the US midterm elections threaten to deepen political gridlock and complicate Tokyo’s long-term security calculations, analysts say.
Observers warn that post-election political battles, ranging from a possible repeat of impeachment proceedings to the mounting legal battles ensnaring the administration of US President Donald Trump, risk diverting the White House’s attention from foreign policy and its long-standing commitments to...
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https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3372360/will-us-midterm-battles-blind-washington-asia-japan-isnt-taking-any-chances

2026-10-28 03:00:10 UTC

ByteDance accelerates robotics commercialisation with new recruitment drive
ByteDance is accelerating its push into embodied artificial intelligence, stepping up recruitment for robotics talent as it seeks to move cutting-edge research out of the laboratory and into physical hardware.
The Beijing-based owner of TikTok and Douyin is hiring for around a dozen robotics positions across hardware and software within its Seed team, the internal unit dedicated to AI research and large language model development, according to postings released on the company’s career website...
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https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3372295/bytedance-accelerates-robotics-commercialisation-new-recruitment-drive

2026-10-28 02:58:21 UTC

Cradle to career: Japanese parents take over dating, job hunting for children
Parents in Japan are taking an increasingly active role in their children’s lives – helping them find marriage partners, navigate job hunting and secure housing – as the line between parental support and personal decision-making continues to blur.
In a practice known as “proxy matchmaking”, parents attend social events armed with photos and profiles of their children, hoping to find suitable marriage partners through conversations with other parents.
The Association of Parents of Marriage...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3372372/cradle-career-japanese-parents-take-over-dating-job-hunting-children

2026-10-28 02:24:19 UTC

‘Chinese can actually fly’: man pilots homemade hoverboard over mountains, across Yangtze River
A Gen Z tech influencer from central China has brought science fiction to life by handcrafting a manned hoverboard and teaching himself flight control and mechanical engineering.
Song Xingyu, 26, from Enshi, Hubei province, is known online as “Amazing Ayu.” He has amassed more than 3 million social media followers by sharing videos of his aerial inventions.
On October 15, Song stunned the internet with a video of himself riding a hoverboard he had spent about two months building, soaring over...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3372367/chinese-can-actually-fly-man-pilots-homemade-hoverboard-over-mountains-across-yangtze-river

2026-10-28 02:07:13 UTC

Chinese circuit board firm Dongshan Precision plunges at Hong Kong debut
Suzhou Dongshan Precision Manufacturing Co. slumped in its Hong Kong trading debut after an underwhelming HK$9.9 billion (US$1.26 billion) initial public offering (IPO), as investor sentiment was haunted by the deepening sell-off across China’s artificial intelligence (AI) and tech hardware sectors.
Shares of the circuit-board manufacturer, a key supplier of components for AI servers, dropped as much as 6 per cent after its debut in Hong Kong market on Wednesday. It bounced back slightly with a...
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https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3372364/chinese-circuit-board-firm-dongshan-precision-plunges-hong-kong-debut

2026-10-28 02:00:08 UTC

Why has Beijing appointed a propaganda veteran to lead a border province?
Beijing has appointed veteran propaganda official Mo Gaoyi as Communist Party secretary of Yunnan province in its latest leadership reshuffle, making him a rare example this year of a provincial head with minimal local governance experience.
An analyst said that the move could reflect Beijing’s efforts to broaden the talent selection criteria for some senior roles, allowing specialists to take on important generalist positions.
Mo – director of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and a...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3372341/why-has-beijing-appointed-propaganda-veteran-lead-border-province

2026-10-28 01:58:16 UTC

100,000 evacuated in India as Cyclone Arnab makes landfall on southeast coast
Ferocious winds and torrential rain lashed India’s southeastern coast as Cyclone Arnab made landfall on Wednesday, forcing nearly 100,000 people to evacuate their homes in two states, authorities said.
Arnab hit Andhra Pradesh as a “very severe cyclonic storm”, with winds of 125-135km/h (78-84 mph) and gusts reaching 150km/h, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
A storm surge of 1.5 to 2.5 ‌metres (5-8 feet) above normal tide is very ⁠likely to ⁠inundate low-lying areas of the state...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3372365/100000-evacuated-india-cyclone-arnab-makes-landfall-southeast-coast

2026-10-28 01:30:12 UTC

Why Indian-American support for Trump is slipping before midterms
Immigration restrictions, rising living costs and strains in US-India relations are testing support for President Donald Trump among some Indian-Americans who backed the Republican Party in 2024, analysts say, ahead of November’s midterm elections.
A survey released in August by AAPI Data and Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote found that 66 per cent of Indian-American respondents favoured Democratic candidates for the US House of Representatives, compared with 18 per cent for Republicans....
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https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3372349/why-indian-american-support-trump-slipping-midterms

2026-10-28 01:30:07 UTC

Manila speaks with 2 voices on China
Manila sent two strikingly different messages to Beijing on October 13. At the Malacanang Palace, a presidential spokeswoman reaffirmed Manila’s commitment to sustaining diplomatic and economic ties with China, saying “China needs the Philippines, and the Philippines needs China”.
That same day, Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr rejected a call for military-to-military communication with China, a move that received public support from the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Teodoro...
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https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3372147/manila-speaks-2-voices-china

2026-10-28 01:00:08 UTC

How China’s ancient capital staked a claim to the nation’s fastest export growth
A booming semiconductor industry is helping drive a surge in trade in Xian, one of China’s ancient capitals, making it the country’s top performer by trade growth among provincial capitals and provincial-level cities for which data is publicly available.
The capital of western China’s Shaanxi province recorded a 115.5 per cent year-on-year surge in trade during the first nine months of 2026. Exports far outpaced imports, climbing 142.1 per cent.
Two product categories drove much of that export...
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https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3372316/how-chinas-ancient-capital-staked-claim-nations-fastest-export-growth

2026-10-28 00:56:31 UTC

Over 1,000 still in Japan shelters 3 months after Kumamoto quake: ‘exhausted all the time’
More than 1,000 people are still taking shelter in evacuation centres, awaiting temporary housing three months after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Japan’s Kumamoto prefecture, damaging their homes.
The quake occurred at 4.27pm on July 28. As of Monday, the death toll stood at 38 – 36 from confirmed disaster-related causes and two suspected to be disaster-related – bringing the number of casualties to 420.
Evacuation centres remain open at 21 locations in seven cities and towns. In...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3372363/over-1000-still-japan-shelters-3-months-after-kumamoto-quake-exhausted-all-time

2026-10-28 00:56:18 UTC

Will China travel hurt US students’ careers? FBI battles fears as talent pipeline stalls
An American student considering studying in China attended a briefing with a senior FBI official at a Washington think tank last month to address her concerns about whether such an experience could jeopardise her prospects for a career in the federal government.
The official’s message: travelling to China would not automatically disqualify her.
She welcomed the clarification but said she wasn’t “completely reassured”.
“I’m still wondering if it’s a good idea to go,” said the student, who...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372362/will-china-travel-hurt-american-students-careers-fbi-battles-fears-talent-pipeline-stalls

2026-10-28 00:30:11 UTC

‘Don’t have the illusion’: graduate job ads down 22% as AI rewrites the rules
Fresh-graduate job postings in Hong Kong fell 22 per cent in the first nine months of this year from the same period in 2025, according to data from one of the city’s biggest job-search platforms, with an industry leader warning that advances in technology will deepen the decline.
Its data also showed more graduates chasing fewer jobs: a typical listing for graduates drew 56 per cent more applications than a year earlier.
Yet about 85 per cent of the 298 companies Jobsdb surveyed in August and...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3372346/dont-have-illusion-graduate-job-ads-down-22-ai-rewrites-rules

2026-10-28 00:00:26 UTC

China’s battery factories could be sitting right on top of vast lithium deposits
Lithium deposits formed by ancient volcanic activity may lie beneath parts of China’s battery manufacturing heartland, particularly along the southeastern coast, according to a new study.
In an interview with the South China Morning Post, geologist Duan Zheng said that “potential targets for clay-type lithium deposits in southeastern China overlap with lithium battery industrial clusters in East and South China”.
“Local supplies could significantly reduce transport costs and supply-chain risks,”...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3372325/chinas-battery-factories-could-be-sitting-right-top-vast-lithium-deposits

2026-10-28 00:00:21 UTC

Why is the US reluctant to give South Korea wartime control of its troops?
South Korea wants to take back wartime command of its troops from the United States within the next two years, but analysts say Washington is refusing to commit to a date to keep a hold on a military it sees as vital to countering China.
The dispute is over wartime operational control, known as OPCON, which the US has held since shortly after the outbreak of the Korean war in 1950.
If fighting were to break out again under the current arrangements, designated South Korean units would be assigned...
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https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3372297/why-us-reluctant-give-south-korea-wartime-control-its-troops

2026-10-27 23:59:35 UTC

Global carmakers search for new China strategy as market share slips below 30%
Global carmakers are searching for a way to survive in China’s cutthroat market, as they continue to lose ground to domestic competitors in a landscape that is increasingly tilting towards electric vehicles.
International auto brands from Volkswagen to Toyota saw their market share in the Chinese mainland slide once again in the third quarter of the year, as consumers turned away from expensive foreign cars amid an economic slowdown and the Iran war.
Foreign marques accounted for less than 30...
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https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3372359/global-carmakers-search-new-china-strategy-market-share-slips-below-30

2026-10-27 23:36:51 UTC

King Charles arrives in Bahamas, faces demands for reparations: ‘pay us what you owe us’
Britain’s King Charles arrived in the Bahamas on Tuesday as part of a nine-day trip to the Caribbean, where he faces calls for an apology and slavery reparations.
It is his first official visit to the Bahamas as king, with the archipelago’s government closing all public schools on the island of New Providence to welcome him.
The Bahamian police and armed forces strode out to greet Charles in lockstep, some wearing pith helmets. Charles stepped out in a light grey suit and donned sunglasses as he...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3372358/king-charles-arrives-bahamas-faces-demands-reparations-pay-us-what-you-owe-us

2026-10-27 22:26:07 UTC

Alexander brothers each get 30 years in prison for drugging, raping women
Three once high-flying brothers convicted of exploiting their wealth and access to luxury real estate to drug and rape dozens of women were sentenced on Tuesday to 30 years in prison.
US District Judge Valerie E. Caproni announced the punishment for Tal, Oren and Alon Alexander – known collectively as the Alexander Brothers – after 11 accusers spoke in court.
“Your conduct was monstrous,” the judge told the men as she announced the sentences, saying their insistence that they have been...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3372357/alexander-brothers-each-get-30-years-prison-drugging-raping-women

2026-10-27 22:00:15 UTC

How Hong Kong went from a yuan gateway to a complete currency ecosystem
In September, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu unveiled the city’s first five-year plan along with his policy address, highlighting Hong Kong’s strategic role in promoting the greater use of the yuan outside mainland China as a key priority. In the second part of a four-part series on the globalisation of the yuan, Daisy Wu examines Hong Kong’s evolution from an offshore reservoir into a self-sustaining yuan ecosystem.
Of the hundreds of thousands of people who cross the border between mainland...
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https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3372292/how-hong-kong-went-yuan-gateway-complete-currency-ecosystem

2026-10-27 21:30:07 UTC

For its autocratic African ally, Taiwan bites its tongue and opens its wallet
Eswatini probably does not register on most people’s mental maps. Its relatively recent name might sound unfamiliar as many people still know it as Swaziland.
That it demands attention from pundits like yours truly has much to do with it being the only African country that still formally recognises Taiwan. It is also the continent’s only absolute monarchy. The two facts are closely connected. Recognising Taipei makes little sense when every one of eSwatini’s neighbours recognises Beijing, but it...
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https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3372115/its-autocratic-african-ally-taiwan-bites-its-tongue-and-opens-its-wallet

2026-10-27 21:08:18 UTC

Alibaba wins preliminary injunction against Pentagon lobbying rule
Alibaba has won a preliminary court order blocking a US restriction that drove away its Washington lobbyists, after a federal judge found the Chinese technology giant was likely to succeed in challenging the measure on free-speech grounds.
US District Judge Eumi K. Lee ruled on Monday that the government had failed to provide sufficient evidence to justify the restriction, which effectively forces lobbying firms to choose between representing Alibaba and clients seeking Pentagon...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3372356/alibaba-wins-preliminary-injunction-against-pentagon-lobbying-rule

2026-10-27 20:58:44 UTC

5 things to watch out for in 2027 US defence bill aimed at countering China
The 2027 US defence bill, covering more than US$1 trillion in proposed defence spending, will be one of the most closely watched pieces of legislation when Congress returns after the midterm elections, with efforts to counter China running through nearly every corner of the text.
The US House of Representatives passed its version of the bill, known as the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA), in July. The bill faces a tougher path in the US Senate, where a July procedural vote to begin...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372355/5-things-watch-out-2027-us-defence-bill-aimed-countering-china

2026-10-27 20:26:06 UTC

Israel exit polls show election deadlock, with Netanyahu’s fate in balance
Israel’s election ended in an ⁠apparent deadlock on Tuesday, exit polls by major television networks showed, with neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor his main rival Gadi Eisenkot on track for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset.
The stalemate could work in ‌Netanyahu’s favour, allowing the long-serving prime minister to remain in power in a caretaker capacity while parties try to forge a governing coalition.
Final results could take days, and Israel’s fragmented political system leaves...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3372354/israel-exit-polls-show-election-deadlock-netanyahus-fate-balance

2026-10-27 19:50:51 UTC

Dino skeleton that looks like mini T. rex sells for a giant US$47 million
A dinosaur that looks like a miniature T. rex is now one of the world’s most expensive fossils.
The rare skeleton of a Nanotyrannus – recently confirmed to be a distant cousin of Tyrannosaurus rex, not just a young specimen – sold for US$47.3 million to a mystery buyer at auction in New York on Tuesday, according to Sotheby’s.
The auction house had expected it to fetch anywhere from US$6 to US$9 million.
The blockbuster price tag for “Jodi”, as the skeleton is nicknamed, makes it the...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3372353/dino-skeleton-looks-mini-t-rex-sells-giant-us47-million

2026-10-27 19:24:03 UTC

Serial killer Ted Bundy linked to death of US teen after over 50 years
DNA connects serial killer Ted Bundy to the death of a Utah teenager, authorities announced on Tuesday, exactly 52 years after her body was discovered in the woods by a hunter.
Bundy has been dead since 1989, but the tally of his confirmed victims continues to grow due to advances in DNA testing. He killed at least 30 women and girls in multiple states in the 1970s, and many more escaped or survived with injuries.
Investigators are satisfied that Bundy was responsible for killing 17-year-old...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3372352/serial-killer-ted-bundy-linked-death-us-teen-after-over-50-years

2026-10-27 18:30:57 UTC

Pope Leo’s cancer is ‘game changer’ for papacy, Vatican foreign minister says
Pope Leo’s lung cancer diagnosis and surgery has affected how Catholics view his health and papacy, the Vatican’s foreign minister said on Tuesday, in an unusual acknowledgement by one of the Church’s most senior officials.
“It’s a bit of ‌a game changer,” Archbishop Paul Gallagher told journalists at an event in Rome.
Leo, 71, had part of one lung removed in surgery on October 13. His doctors have said the cancer was localised and had not spread, and the pope will not require further...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3372351/pope-leos-cancer-game-changer-papacy-vatican-foreign-minister-says

2026-10-27 17:41:44 UTC

Flavio Bolsonaro leaves Brazil for US after shock loss to Lula
⁠Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro has ‌left the country for the US after ‌his election run-off defeat, ‌an ally of ⁠the ⁠senator ‌said ‌on Tuesday, confirming ‌a ‌previous ⁠media report.
Brazil cancelled Bolsonaro’s passports on Tuesday, ⁠after he failed to comply with ⁠a Supreme Court order to turn them ⁠in, according to two sources from the federal police, which is trying to locate the former presidential candidate.
The right-wing senator’s aides had either declined to say where he was or...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3372350/brazil-wonders-where-earth-flavio-bolsonaro

2026-10-27 16:18:20 UTC

Rubio invokes China, Russia to defend disputed Venezuela oil deal
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has defended Washington’s oil agreement in Venezuela as an alternative to Chinese and Russian involvement, pushing back against criticism from opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Rubio said most of the oilfields controlled by the company partnering with Washington had previously been held or operated by Chinese or Russian firms. He argued that the agreement would help revive production while securing US access to reserves in...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372347/rubio-invokes-china-russia-defend-disputed-venezuela-oil-deal

2026-10-27 15:40:44 UTC

The ‘Queen of the Chinese’ and a forgotten history on the US-Mexico border
At Texas’ dusty Concordia Cemetery, grass grows over graves in a 140-year-old Chinese burial ground. Some headstones have been stolen or vandalised; others have been marked by flat concrete slabs etched with names in Chinese and English. The slabs were harder to steal than traditional headstones. Still other graves have no visible markers.
“I don’t think many people go out there,” says Linda Chew, a retired judge in El Paso, the state’s sixth-largest city.
Yet interest in the history of the...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3372345/queen-chinese-and-forgotten-history-us-mexico-border

2026-10-27 15:00:14 UTC

Lula’s win in Brazil deals blow to Trump’s Latin America push: former China envoy
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s re-election marks a turning point for Latin America and US-Latin American relations, said Chile’s former top envoy to China, who predicted a slowing of Washington’s regional push.
“I do think the re-election of President Lula marks a major turning point in Latin America and in US-Latin American relations, while also having a broader significance for the Global South,” said Jorge Heine, who served as Chile’s ambassador to China from 2014 to 2017 and...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372318/lulas-win-brazil-deals-blow-trumps-latin-america-push-former-china-envoy

2026-10-27 14:48:59 UTC

Israel keeps committing genocide in Gaza after truce, UN inquiry says
Israel continued to commit genocide in Gaza after last ⁠October’s US-brokered ceasefire in the enclave, a ⁠UN commission said in a report published on Monday ⁠that Israel dismissed as part of a “misinformation campaign”.
The report by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, examined violations against Palestinian civilians, including children, since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas on October...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3372344/israel-keeps-committing-genocide-gaza-after-truce-un-inquiry-says

2026-10-27 14:17:05 UTC

German leader’s China visit latest sign of foreign diplomacy pivot beyond Beijing
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has begun his state visit to China in the eastern province of Anhui, spotlighting a growing trend among visiting foreign leaders to look well beyond Beijing.
Steinmeier arrived in the provincial capital Hefei early on Tuesday to begin a five-day state visit, marking his first trip to China in nearly eight years and confirming an exclusive report by the South China Morning Post earlier this month.
When foreign dignitaries bypass Beijing for provincial...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372340/german-leaders-china-visit-latest-sign-foreign-diplomacy-pivot-beyond-beijing

2026-10-27 14:02:48 UTC

2 men charged in UK with helping Iran over air force base incident
⁠Two men were charged ⁠on Tuesday under Britain’s National Security Act ⁠following last month’s security incident at the RAF Fairford military base, with prosecutors accusing one of them of trying to assist Iranian intelligence operations in Britain.
RAF Fairford had been used by US bombers to carry out strikes on Iran, but they were withdrawn ‌on security grounds shortly after five British men were arrested outside the base in southwest England in the early hours of September 27.
The...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3372342/2-men-charged-uk-helping-iran-over-air-force-base-incident

2026-10-27 14:00:17 UTC

Taiwan vows vigilance as Beijing releases detailed satellite imagery of island landmarks
Taiwan’s military has vowed to remain vigilant against mainland Chinese intelligence-gathering activities after Beijing released high-resolution satellite images of the island, raising concerns about its growing surveillance capabilities.
“The defence ministry will not lower its vigilance at any time regarding all such satellite imagery and related intelligence collection directed at Taiwan,” Defence Minister Wellington Koo Li-hsiung told reporters on Tuesday.
“We will also take appropriate...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3372328/taiwan-vows-vigilance-beijing-releases-detailed-satellite-imagery-island-landmarks

2026-10-27 13:34:43 UTC

Hong Kong lawmakers raise concerns about fresh HK$27 billion funding for tech hub
Hong Kong lawmakers have raised concerns about the hefty cost of developing a flagship tech hub and a neighbouring wetland park near the city’s border with mainland China, as the government seeks to secure a fresh HK$27 billion for the second round of works.
During a Legislative Council development panel meeting on Tuesday, government officials explained the HK$27.2 billion proposal, which covered forming 175 hectares (432 acres) of land at the San Tin Technopole, establishing more than...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3372338/hong-kong-lawmakers-raise-concerns-about-fresh-hk27-billion-funding-tech-hub

2026-10-27 13:11:39 UTC

Why Singapore’s PAP internal vote is the wrong place to look for signs of leadership renewal
Singapore’s ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) has retained its core executive team in what is seen as a cautious approach despite pledges of renewal, with observers pointing to ministerial promotions as a better indication of leadership plans.
The PAP emerged from an internal election on Sunday with an unchanged slate for the Central Executive Committee (CEC), its highest decision-making body, as rising ministers Jeffrey Siow and Jasmin Lau failed to secure seats, though four remaining co-opted...
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https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3372335/why-singapores-pap-internal-vote-wrong-place-look-signs-leadership-renewal

2026-10-27 13:00:23 UTC

Abby Choi’s remains found in flat reeking of disinfectant, murder trial hears
Warning: graphic content follows.
Slain Hong Kong socialite Abby Choi Tin-fung’s dismembered remains were found inside a rural village flat that reeked of disinfectant when police arrived at the scene three days after the model’s alleged murder, a court has heard.
A police detective involved in the investigation said on Tuesday that officers cordoned off the 600 square foot rental flat in Tai Po’s Lung Mei village on the evening of February 24, 2023, after he found human remains and an array of...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3372332/abby-chois-remains-found-flat-reeking-disinfectant-murder-trial-hears

2026-10-27 13:00:08 UTC

How China ‘risk factors’ loom over Anthropic’s hotly anticipated IPO filing
Open-weight models, China-US tensions, Taiwan – just a few of the more than dozen references to China-related risks cited in Anthropic’s much-anticipated listing prospectus, which was finally released on Monday after months of speculation.
Mostly concentrated within the 93-page “risk factors” section of the filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the disclosures reveal how the Silicon Valley start-up assesses the commercial threats posed by China and its artificial intelligence...
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https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3372329/how-china-risk-factors-loom-over-anthropics-hotly-anticipated-ipo-filing

2026-10-27 12:52:04 UTC

Singapore, Indonesia plan to create haze task force, share data amid tensions
Indonesia and Singapore are looking to set up a joint task force to deal with haze from Indonesia’s wildfires, the countries’ foreign ministers said on Tuesday, as they met to reaffirm their ties after weeks of simmering tensions.
The visit to Jakarta by Singapore Foreign Minister ‌Vivian Balakrishnan came amid mounting frustrations in the city state over the transboundary haze generated by Indonesia’s most intense forest fires in 11 years.
After a two-hour meeting, Singapore and Indonesia’s top...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372331/singapore-indonesia-plan-create-haze-task-force-share-data-amid-tensions

2026-10-27 12:30:05 UTC

With diesel deal, Trump is teaching Reagan’s lesson to a larger class
In June 1982, Ronald Reagan imposed sanctions to prevent European firms from using American technology to help build a pipeline that would carry Soviet gas to western Europe. He warned that Europe was making itself a hostage to the Kremlin and contributing to the Moscow’s war chest. Then, 18 days before that November’s congressional elections, he offered to sell the Soviet Union up to 23 million tonnes of grain.
Europeans, told to tear up their own contracts while American farmers were invited...
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https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3372171/diesel-deal-trump-teaching-reagans-lesson-larger-class

2026-10-27 12:16:35 UTC

Delta Air Lines bets on premium travel to win share of Hong Kong market
US-based Delta Air Lines has expressed confidence that the quality of its service will help it win a share of Hong Kong’s fiercely competitive aviation market, saying demand for its recently relaunched route to Los Angeles has exceeded expectations, driven by corporate bookings.
Jeff Moomaw, the airline’s vice-president for Asia-Pacific, said on Tuesday that demand for premium travel was helping drive its growth in the region.
“Hong Kong is [a] highly competitive market with premium carriers,...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3372327/delta-air-lines-bets-premium-travel-win-share-hong-kong-market

2026-10-27 12:14:16 UTC

Norway, Finland leaders hold ‘frank’ talk with Putin on ending Ukraine war
Finland’s president and Norway’s prime minister held a “frank and substantive” discussion with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday about efforts to end the war in Ukraine, the Nordic leaders said.
“The outcome of this war will have a direct impact on our and the broader European security. Ending the war requires direct discussions,” President Alexander Stubb said in a joint statement with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store.
The statement noted that the phone call had been “held in...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3372326/norway-finland-leaders-hold-frank-talk-putin-ending-ukraine-war

2026-10-27 12:12:28 UTC

China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun to miss Asean defence talks as fifth plenum convenes
China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun will skip this week’s meeting of Southeast Asian defence chiefs and their dialogue partners in Cebu, with Beijing instead sending its defence attache in the Philippines.
Dong has attended the Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) for the past two years. This year’s ADMM and ADMM-Plus, scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, coincide with a major Communist Party meeting known as the fifth plenum, which is running in Beijing from Monday to...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3372323/chinas-defence-minister-dong-jun-miss-asean-defence-talks-fifth-plenum-convenes

2026-10-27 12:04:22 UTC

Hong Kong beautician gets 4 years for selling friends to Myanmar scam hub
A Hong Kong beautician has been sentenced to four years in jail for tricking two friends into forced labour and confinement in Myanmar’s notorious “KK Park” scam farm, with a judge slamming her actions as “vicious and inhumane”.
District Court Judge Adriana Noelle Tse Ching on Tuesday said the 33-year-old defendant, Poon Sum-yi, had premeditated the fraudulent scheme to lure the two victims into travelling to Thailand, before selling them to the Chinese-run scam compound in neighbouring Myanmar...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3372322/hong-kong-beautician-gets-4-years-selling-friends-myanmar-scam-hub

2026-10-27 12:00:52 UTC

Philippines’ bounty on ‘Bato’ dela Rosa exposes Marcos’ dilemma in Duterte feud
A 50-million-peso (US$780,000) bounty for information leading to the arrest of fugitive Philippine senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa has raised questions over the Marcos administration’s ability to enforce the law against high-profile political figures, with analysts warning the move risks making Manila appear weak and reactive.
Dela Rosa, who served as national police chief under former president Rodrigo Duterte, faces an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for alleged crimes...
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https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3372324/philippines-bounty-bato-dela-rosa-exposes-marcos-dilemma-duterte-feud

2026-10-27 12:00:13 UTC

US, Japan rehearse coordinated strikes to challenge PLA control of waters near Taiwan
US and Japanese forces have rehearsed coordinated anti-ship strikes and mobile missile deployments across Kyushu and Japan’s southwestern islands, testing tactics designed to challenge Beijing’s ability to control surrounding waters in a conflict over Taiwan.
Now in its second week, the 11-day Keen Sword 27 exercise has tested how the allies could threaten Chinese warships from multiple directions while keeping their own forces harder to target.
They have also practised repairing runways and...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3372314/us-japan-rehearse-coordinated-strikes-challenge-pla-control-waters-near-taiwan

2026-10-27 11:30:27 UTC

China’s Hengrui posts 89% rise in third-quarter net profit, beating estimates
Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals, one of China’s largest drug makers, reported a 20.55 per cent rise in third-quarter revenue to 8.95 billion yuan (US$1.34 billion), beating analyst estimates of 8.55 billion yuan amid stronger innovative drug sales.
Net profit reached 2.46 billion yuan for the three months ended September 30, jumping 88.92 per cent year on year and exceeding the Bloomberg analyst consensus estimate of 2.38 billion yuan.
Improving innovative drug sales and out-licensing revenue...
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https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3372319/chinas-hengrui-posts-89-rise-third-quarter-net-profit-beating-estimates

2026-10-27 11:00:24 UTC

Pop Mart reports 45 to 50% revenue decline as Labubu sales weaken across major markets
Pop Mart, the Chinese toymaker famous for Labubu collectible dolls, reported a 45 to 50 per cent year-on-year decline in third-quarter revenue, as sales weakened across its major markets, with overseas operations and online channels bearing the brunt of the slowdown.
Revenue in mainland China fell 25 to 30 per cent in the third quarter from a year earlier, while revenue in Asia-Pacific markets outside mainland China and Oceania dropped 65 to 70 per cent, according to a business update filed to...
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https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3372313/pop-mart-reports-45-50-revenue-decline-labubu-sales-weaken-across-major-markets

2026-10-27 11:00:11 UTC

ByteDance’s Zhang Yiming tops China rich list with US$99.7 billion as AI fuels fortunes
ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming has reclaimed the title of China’s richest person with a nearly US$100 billion fortune, as artificial intelligence powers a surge in wealth among China’s top entrepreneurs, according to the Hurun Research Institute.
The 43-year-old Zhang, who topped the ranking in 2024, saw his wealth rise 43 per cent to US$99.7 billion – a record for China’s richest individual – as TikTok owner ByteDance aggressively expanded into AI, according to the 28th edition of the Hurun...
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https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3372302/bytedances-zhang-yiming-tops-china-rich-list-us997-billion-ai-fuels-fortunes

2026-10-27 10:55:27 UTC

Indian court orders documentary on Modi, tycoon Adani removed
A court in India has ordered the ⁠takedown of an online documentary posted by Hotmail co-founder Sabeer Bhatia accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and billionaire Gautam Adani of cronyism, after Adani Enterprises sued, calling it defamatory.
Adani’s flagship firm, Adani Enterprises, told the High Court in the eastern city of Kolkata that the documentary, which garnered millions of views on social media in recent days, was riddled with false content and had prompted ‌inquiries from some...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3372312/indian-court-orders-documentary-modi-tycoon-adani-removed

2026-10-27 10:30:06 UTC

Indonesia’s 4-nation defence pact: strategic coup or paper tiger?
Indonesia could gain critical defence technology, investment and export opportunities through a new multi-nation defence pact with Turkey, Qatar and Pakistan, but analysts warn its success hinges on turning high-level ambition into concrete projects.
The four Muslim-majority nations signed the Badr Memorandum of Understanding in Doha on Wednesday. The agreement outlines a framework for defence “cooperation and integration” across joint research and development, training exchanges and industrial...
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https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3372306/indonesias-4-nation-defence-pact-strategic-coup-or-paper-tiger

2026-10-27 10:25:59 UTC

US ends Pacific visa waiver over birth tourism, people smuggling allegations
Washington has suspended visa-free entry for Chinese visitors to the Northern Mariana Islands amid allegations of birth tourism and people smuggling in the US territory.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Monday the suspension of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Economic Vitality and Security Travel Authorisation Programme.
US Senator Mike Lee hailed the move on social media, calling the programme a “Biden-era loophole for Chinese birth tourism” and praising...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372309/us-ends-pacific-visa-waiver-over-birth-tourism-people-smuggling-allegations

2026-10-27 10:20:46 UTC

Injured Hong Kong delivery rider seeks full trial on employment status question
A former Deliveroo rider who suffered severe brain injuries in a traffic accident has taken the platform to a Hong Kong court to seek compensation, arguing that resolving the legal question of his employment status at the time of the accident warrants a full trial.
In the District Court on Tuesday, Deliveroo’s Hong Kong liquidator applied to strike out the lawsuit, contending that the injured worker, Lok Sze-chu, offered only a “bare assertion” to support his claim of being entitled to...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3372308/injured-hong-kong-delivery-rider-seeks-full-trial-employment-status-question

2026-10-27 10:11:35 UTC

Fire at Hong Kong’s first incinerator prompts calls to rethink waste strategy
The abrupt suspension of Hong Kong’s first waste incinerator after a fire is a stark warning against relying too heavily on the HK$31.3 billion (US$4 billion) plant, environmentalists have said, as a former lawmaker urges the government to keep its landfill-free timetable on track.
Monday’s blaze broke out on the roof of the third incineration module at the Integrated Waste Management Facilities Phase 1, or I·PARK1, on an artificial island off Shek Kwu Chau. More than 900 people were evacuated...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3372305/fire-hong-kongs-first-incinerator-prompts-calls-rethink-waste-strategy

2026-10-27 10:08:33 UTC

Greenhouse gas levels hit record highs, climate impact will last centuries: UN
Greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere rose to record highs in 2025, locking in climate impact that will persist for centuries to come, the United Nations said on Tuesday.
Levels of the three main greenhouse gases – the climate-warming carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide – all rose to unprecedented figures in 2025, the UN’s weather and climate agency said.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said the rise would lead to more long-term temperature increases for the...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3372304/greenhouse-gas-levels-hit-record-highs-climate-impact-will-last-centuries-un

2026-10-27 10:00:17 UTC

Football star Kylian Mbappe faces huge China backlash over ‘unacceptable’ remark
French football superstar Kylian Mbappe has been dropped by a string of major Chinese brands including the dairy giant Mengniu, amid intense backlash over an alleged offensive remark about China.
“Mengniu firmly opposes and has zero tolerance for any words or actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people,” Mengniu said in a statement on Tuesday, as the firm announced it was immediately terminating “all partnerships” with Mbappe.
On the same day, China’s energy-drinks giant Eastroc...
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https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3372298/football-star-kylian-mbappe-faces-huge-china-backlash-over-unacceptable-remark

2026-10-27 10:00:14 UTC

China eatery creates egg tarts topped with ‘giant cockroaches’, drawing widespread curiosity
A restaurant in Shunde, Guangdong, is turning heads online with a bizarre new dessert: egg tarts topped with crispy water beetles that look exactly like gigantic cockroaches.
Shunde is a city known for its Cantonese cuisine and recognised as a Unesco Creative City of Gastronomy.
In early October, it introduced a new “water roach egg tart”, priced at 28 yuan (US$4) for three. Images of the dessert, with a large insect perched on each tart, quickly made it a social media sensation.
However,...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372291/china-eatery-creates-egg-tarts-topped-giant-cockroaches-drawing-widespread-curiosity

2026-10-27 09:45:50 UTC

Air Force crash revives debate on Philippine military’s modernisation limits
The collision of two Philippine Air Force training aircraft that killed four pilots has raised questions about whether the service’s training, maintenance and safety systems can keep pace with Manila’s ambitions to acquire more advanced combat aircraft.
The crash, which occurred during a fly-by rehearsal at Fernando Air Base in Lipa City, Batangas province, south of Manila, on Friday has renewed calls for a comprehensive review of the Air Force’s ageing fleet, pilot instruction, maintenance...
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https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3372299/air-force-crash-revives-debate-philippine-militarys-modernisation-limits

2026-10-27 09:25:48 UTC

Fragile India-China thaw tested by reported fresh Himalayan border face-offs
A fragile rapprochement between China and India is facing a renewed test following reports of military face-offs along the Asian neighbours’ hotly contested border.
Last week, Shatrujeet Kapur, director general of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), said “confrontations with Chinese troops were continuing at multiple locations along the Arunachal Pradesh border”.
“In the past few days, a situation arose where face-off[s] happened at several locations in Arunachal and it still continues,”...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372296/fragile-india-china-thaw-tested-reported-fresh-himalayan-border-face-offs

2026-10-27 08:30:10 UTC

EU-China hybrid car deal won’t really help European carmakers
Earlier this month, simmering trade tensions between the EU and China ease as the two sides reached an agreement in Beijing limiting hybrid car exports from China to an annual quota of 350,000 units. After the European Union imposed tariffs on fully electric cars from China in 2024, hybrid imports surged. The quota would result in more than a halving of the 800,000 hybrid cars expected to be sold this year, a figure which may soon exceed a million if unchecked.
The quota would likely shift...
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https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3372117/eu-china-hybrid-car-deal-wont-really-help-european-carmakers

2026-10-27 08:28:59 UTC

Is China’s H-6K strategic bomber getting powerful jamming capabilities?
A Chinese H-6K strategic bomber has been sighted with two new electronic warfare pods used for jamming, according to images circulating on social media, potentially indicating an expansion of the aircraft’s capabilities.
The photos – which have not been independently verified – emerged on Saturday and show an H6-K in flight with the pods on two of its six pylons. They appear to be similar to the RKZ930 pods carried by China’s J-16D electronic warfare aircraft.
The location and date of the photos...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3372255/chinas-h-6k-strategic-bomber-getting-powerful-jamming-capabilities

2026-10-27 08:07:45 UTC

1 in 6 Gen Z South Koreans took GLP-1 slimming drugs last year
South Korea’s embrace of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs appears particularly pronounced among younger adults, with roughly one in six Gen Z respondents reporting they had used or been prescribed the medication in 2025, according to a new report.
The 2026 Korea Wellness Report, released by KB Financial Group on Sunday and cited by The Korea Times, surveyed 2,000 men and women aged 25 to 69 between July and August. Across all age brackets, the overall uptake stood at 10.3 per cent.
Gen Z adults – defined...
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https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3372283/1-6-gen-z-south-koreans-took-glp-1-slimming-drugs-last-year

2026-10-27 07:32:10 UTC

Indonesia’s oxygen bus offers breather to residents choking on toxic haze
A bus fitted out ⁠with oxygen tanks is ⁠providing a sanctuary in a ⁠city on Indonesia’s Borneo island, where people are choking from forest-fire-induced haze and the blazes show no sign of letting up.
Indonesia regularly battles seasonal forest fires, predominantly on Sumatra and Borneo islands, but this year the infernos are the most intense in ‌more than a decade.
An intense El Nino weather phenomenon has driven up temperatures, leaving the country’s vast forests and peatlands more vulnerable...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372274/indonesias-oxygen-bus-offers-breather-residents-choking-toxic-haze

2026-10-27 07:24:02 UTC

MTR Corp reveals linked faults behind 2 Lam Tin station disruptions in 15 hours
Two service disruptions at Lam Tin station within 15 hours earlier this month were linked, with a failed rubber insulating component causing an overloaded cable connection, the MTR Corporation has said.
In a paper submitted to the Legislative Council’s transport panel on Tuesday, the rail operator said its preliminary investigation found that the component’s failure caused a short circuit and fire in the first incident. This in turn led to an overloaded cable connection, which overheated and...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3372276/mtr-corp-reveals-linked-faults-behind-2-lam-tin-station-disruptions-15-hours

2026-10-27 07:20:40 UTC

Northern Metropolis university towns built to attract ‘world’s finest’ talent: John Lee
Hong Kong’s university towns in the Northern Metropolis are designed to attract the world’s finest students and scholars, the city’s leader has said at a global education summit, with overseas institutions expressing interest and calling for incentives to enter into partnerships.
Speaking at the Global University Presidents and Leaders Summit on Tuesday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the government would invite institutions to establish basic research institutes and shared research...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3372275/northern-metropolis-university-towns-built-attract-worlds-finest-talent-john-lee

2026-10-27 07:00:49 UTC

Israelis vote in tense election testing Netanyahu’s grip on power
Israelis are voting in a pivotal election Tuesday as their country is embroiled in unresolved wars, still reeling from Hamas’ 2023 attack and deeply divided over the character of the state and the right person to lead it.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing off against an array of parties seeking to oust the long-time leader from power. Opinion polls have suggested a tight race with his main rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot. Over 7 million people are eligible to vote.
In...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3372273/israelis-vote-tense-election-testing-netanyahus-grip-power

2026-10-27 06:58:14 UTC

South Korea’s president urged to play Call of Duty as war wake-up call
South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung has been urged by critics to play the latest instalment in the blockbuster Call of Duty video game franchise to better appreciate the need for defences against an invasion by the North.
The call from opposition lawmakers follows the release on Friday of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, a first-person shooter depicting a full-scale surprise attack by North Korea on the South. Players fight North Korean troops as Park Hyun-jun, a private in the South Korean...
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https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3372272/south-koreas-president-urged-play-call-duty-war-wake-call

2026-10-27 06:22:56 UTC

Households in parts of Eastern district without water after pipe burst in Shau Kei Wan
Households in four areas of Hong Kong’s Eastern district have been left without fresh water after a pipe burst in Shau Kei Wan, with authorities expecting the water supply to resume before midnight.
A video circulating on social media on Tuesday showed water gushing from the ground at a worksite near a bus stop, with an excavator parked nearby.
The Water Supplies Department said on its website that the water supply was cut at 11am, affecting Sai Wan Ho, Shau Kei Wan, Aldrich Bay and the area...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3372267/households-parts-eastern-district-without-water-after-pipe-burst-shau-kei-wan

2026-10-27 06:15:25 UTC

Ceasefire brokered by Melania Trump begins in Russian-occupied Ukrainian town
A localised ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia took effect early Tuesday ahead of a humanitarian mission brokered by US first lady Melania Trump, as missile attacks resumed in Kyiv.
The local pause in fighting started at 3am to allow an aid mission into the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky in southern Ukraine later this week.
According to her office, Melania Trump led talks with civilian negotiators from Russia and Ukraine after meeting with UN officials who briefed her on the situation in the...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3372265/ceasefire-brokered-melania-trump-begins-russian-occupied-ukrainian-town

2026-10-27 06:14:35 UTC

Fiji islanders brave rising seas to protect their ‘US$100 million views’
As the sun sets over Fiji’s tiny Serua Island, its climate-threatened inhabitants soak in one of the reasons they have rejected attempts to relocate their village – the “US$100 million views”.
The island looks like a utopia from the mainland, two steep palm-covered knolls sandwiching its low-lying centre, flanked by coral reefs and rich fishing grounds. But it is on the island itself that the risk from rising seas becomes clearer, with a concrete sea wall providing the only defence against waves...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3372264/fiji-islanders-brave-rising-seas-protect-their-us100-million-views

2026-10-27 06:08:46 UTC

The price of romance: young Malaysian men borrow to fund dates, study finds
More than one in 10 Malaysian men have borrowed money to pay for dates, while nearly six in 10 usually pick up the entire bill, a survey has found.
The findings come as rising living costs place a financial strain on romance in Malaysia, where money worries are increasingly complicating plans for marriage and starting a family.
According to the Dating Expenditure Survey in Malaysia, released on Tuesday by independent policy research firm LEGASI Research, 13.2 per cent of male respondents...
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https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3372261/price-romance-young-malaysian-men-borrow-fund-dates-study-finds

2026-10-27 06:00:12 UTC

China trial shows gum tissue stem cells help 55% of lifetime diabetes patients
A randomised phase 1 clinical trial conducted by scientists and doctors from Shanghai and Guangzhou has achieved encouraging results in the treatment of Type 1 diabetes using stem cells extracted from the mouth’s gum tissue.
More than half of those who received the treatment showed varying degrees of improvement, while one subject was able to discontinue exogenous insulin therapy completely, the researchers said.
Results of the study, which tested a therapy based on gingival mesenchymal stem...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3372256/china-trial-shows-gum-tissue-stem-cells-help-55-lifetime-diabetes-patients

2026-10-27 05:22:48 UTC

Jordan strikes targets in Syria after deadly church attack
Jordan said on Monday its air force struck what it described as militant hideouts in southern Syria after determining that the suspects behind last week’s deadly church attack in ‌the kingdom were linked to “terrorist groups” operating there.
The armed forces said the operation was conducted in coordination with Damascus. Syria’s government gave a contradictory account, saying it had launched an investigation into the Jordanian attacks, and stressed in a statement the importance of field and...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3372253/jordan-strikes-targets-syria-after-deadly-church-attack

2026-10-27 05:11:53 UTC

‘Disgusting monster’: Meghan Markle’s dad slammed by son amid Philippine police probe
The estranged half-brother of Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, has called their father a “disgusting monster” after handing over a trove of alleged child abuse material belonging to their shared parent to police in the Philippines.
The four boxes containing mobile phones, computer equipment and other personal belongings were handed over to the Philippine National Police’s Women and Children Protection Centre last week by Thomas Markle Jnr, who was previously his father’s full-time carer.
Markle...
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https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3372251/disgusting-monster-meghan-markles-dad-slammed-son-amid-philippine-police-probe

2026-10-27 04:48:40 UTC

2,000 customers of Hong Kong Airlines, 2 appliance shops, get scam calls after data breach
Almost 2,000 customers of Hong Kong Airlines and two electronic appliance retailers received fraudulent calls after their personal information was leaked by the companies, the city’s privacy watchdog has found.
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) said on Monday that it had received more than 40 inquiries and complaints linked to the suspected data leaks involving Hong Kong Airlines and the electronic appliance retailers Yoho and Broadway.
“We have initiated an...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3372248/2000-customers-hong-kong-airlines-2-appliance-shops-get-scam-calls-after-data-breach

2026-10-27 04:30:07 UTC

Why paper straws are worse than plastic; Japan’s ‘silver divorce’ rise: 7 Asia highlights
We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week 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. Filipinos split on Marcos’ sea handling amid row over Chinese envoy’s remarks
Filipinos are almost evenly divided over the Marcos administration’s handling of the maritime dispute with China, even as nearly three in four favour diplomacy over confrontation, according to...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3372227/why-paper-straws-are-worse-plastic-japans-silver-divorce-rise-7-asia-highlights

2026-10-27 04:27:29 UTC

HSBC reports 32% increase in third quarter pre-tax profits, announces US$1b share buy-back
HSBC, Hong Kong’s biggest lender, reported a 32 per cent rise in third quarter pre-tax profits while announcing a US$1 billion share buy-back on Tuesday.
The bank said its third quarter pre-tax profit increased to US$9.6 billion, in-line with US$9.7 billion estimated by analysts, compared with US$7.3 billion a year earlier.
The buy-back amount for the third quarter was in line with analysts’ estimates.
More to follow …
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https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3372244/hsbc-reports-32-increase-third-quarter-pre-tax-profits-announces-us1b-share-buy-back

2026-10-27 04:02:07 UTC

South Korean drama ‘Doctor X’ triggers fresh row over Gwangju Uprising depiction
South Korean medical drama Doctor X: Mafia in White has become the latest target of political controversy over how fictional works portray history, after a National Assembly petition demanded a halt to its airing over its depiction of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising.
The petition, posted on Saturday on the National Assembly’s petition website, calls for a review of the drama’s production and a halt to its broadcast. It has gathered the 100 supporters required to be made public. The petitioner said...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3372238/south-korean-drama-doctor-x-triggers-fresh-row-over-gwangju-uprising-depiction

2026-10-27 04:00:34 UTC

Chinese scientists create powerful catalyst to turn air on Mars into rocket fuel
Chinese space scientists are working out how future astronauts on Mars could make their own fuel out of thin air, a sign that Beijing is serious about one day sending people to the red planet.
A team at the state-funded Deep Space Exploration Laboratory in Hefei has developed a catalyst that turns carbon dioxide – which makes up more than 95 per cent of the Martian atmosphere – into a liquid fuel called methanol.
“Methanol can serve as fuel to generate electricity, provide heating and power Mars...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3372123/chinese-scientists-create-powerful-catalyst-turn-air-mars-rocket-fuel

2026-10-27 03:30:22 UTC

Princess Anne begins her official visit to Hong Kong in 1971 – from the SCMP archive
This article was first published on October 27, 1971.
Hongkong’s royal welcome for Princess Anne
Princess Anne, radiant in a stylish knee-length beige suit and a matching wide-brimmed hat, flew in yesterday (October 26, 1971) to a warm welcome from the people of Hong Kong.
She begins her official visits today (October 27, 1971) – a public holiday – when thousands of people will be able to see her during her calls at places like the Tung Wah Hospital, the Po Leung Kuk and the ancient Man Mo...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3372229/princess-anne-begins-her-official-visit-hong-kong-1971-scmp-archive

2026-10-27 03:17:11 UTC

ZTE up 7% after AI pivot, computing surge drive fivefold increase in third quarter profit
Shares in ZTE rose as much as 7 per cent in Hong Kong on Tuesday morning after the Chinese telecommunications equipment maker posted a nearly fivefold jump in third-quarter profit, driven by rapid expansion in its computing infrastructure and overseas operations.
Net profit attributable to shareholders reached 1.31 billion yuan (US$196.3 million) for the three months ended September 30, up 395 per cent from a year earlier, according to an exchange filing released on Monday evening. Revenue...
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https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3372231/zte-7-after-ai-pivot-computing-surge-drive-fivefold-increase-third-quarter-profit

2026-10-27 03:03:05 UTC

Myanmar refugee in Denmark demands justice over junta war crimes
A Myanmar citizen living in Denmark on Monday filed a complaint with Danish authorities against the country’s ruling military junta for alleged war crimes committed against minorities.
The complainant, Ngun Siang Dim, who is from the Chin minority, claims she saw 40 houses burn down in her village in Chin State, in western Myanmar, and that several members of her family and friends were killed or left permanently disabled by landmines laid by the junta.
The military junta “has done so many...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372230/myanmar-refugee-denmark-demands-justice-over-junta-war-crimes

2026-10-27 02:23:17 UTC

Why are Turkey, Pakistan, Qatar and Indonesia joining forces?
A decision by Turkey, Pakistan, Qatar and Indonesia to jointly develop and produce weapons systems marks a major push to reduce reliance on Western armaments that come with political strings attached, observers say.
Following the signing of the Badr memorandum of understanding in Doha on Wednesday, the four governments separately said they would work towards integrating their defence industries and supply chains to meet military needs.
“By leveraging the capabilities of each country in the field...
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https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3372228/why-are-turkey-pakistan-qatar-and-indonesia-joining-forces

2026-10-27 02:00:11 UTC

AI boy avatars go viral in China, using sob stories to trick elderly out of money
AI-generated “sob-story boys” have recently taken Chinese short-video platforms by storm, allegedly using emotional manipulation to cheat elderly viewers out of their savings.
Known collectively as “Xiaohai”, these digital avatars typically appear as teenage boys in school uniforms or plain white shirts, tearfully describing their poverty-stricken lives on camera.
In one video, a Xiaohai avatar holds a steamed bun and laments to viewers, whom he addresses as “aunties and mothers”: “All my...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372223/ai-boy-avatars-go-viral-china-using-sob-stories-trick-elderly-out-money

2026-10-27 01:30:08 UTC

Hong Kong wants to be a regional hub for Halloween. Why not?
Hong Kong’s determination to become a hub for everything – innovation, finance, trade, culture and sport – appears to know no bounds. Now, Halloween has been added to the list. The city is aiming to become Asia’s premier destination for the annual spookfest.
Of all the regional hubs Hong Kong wishes to become, this is one of the more unlikely. But with Beijing urging the city to ensure “tourism is everywhere” and draw ever more visitors, Halloween, falling between the National Day “golden week”...
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https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3372109/hong-kong-wants-be-regional-hub-halloween-why-not

2026-10-27 01:25:06 UTC

Australia to host USS Colorado as first US nuclear submarine under Aukus pact
The Pentagon has assigned the USS Colorado as the first US nuclear-powered attack submarine to join a rotating force to be based in Western Australia.
The 115-metre (380-foot) Virginia-class submarine, armed with land-attack missiles and sophisticated torpedoes, would sail to the new Australian base in late 2027, officials said on Tuesday.
The deployment was a “significant milestone” in building up a joint US-Australia-UK deterrence in the Pacific under their Aukus defence pact, the allies said...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3372225/australia-host-uss-colorado-first-us-nuclear-submarine-under-aukus-pact

2026-10-27 01:00:10 UTC

Taiwan looks to autonomous swarms to counter Beijing’s grey-zone pressure
Taiwan is developing an AI-powered system to coordinate drone fleets for maritime surveillance and countering “grey-zone” activities, with researchers completing a simulation involving 20 aircraft, according to the island’s Ocean Affairs Council.
The system, which is funded by the council, would allow different types of drones to autonomously divide tasks, plan routes and coordinate their movements while providing wide-area, persistent surveillance for coastguard operations.
The council said on...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3372189/taiwan-looks-autonomous-swarms-counter-beijings-grey-zone-pressure

2026-10-27 00:30:06 UTC

Can Hong Kong deliver in trying to build its yuan credentials?
In September, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu unveiled the city’s first five-year plan along with his policy address, highlighting Hong Kong’s strategic role in promoting the greater use of the yuan outside mainland China as a key priority.
In the first of a four-part series on the internationalisation of the yuan, Lam Ka-sing and Denise Tsang examine Hong Kong’s efforts as an international financial centre to reform its market infrastructure, including building a larger offshore renminbi...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3372184/can-hong-kong-deliver-trying-build-its-yuan-credentials

2026-10-27 00:00:24 UTC

Southeast Asia’s housing paradox: too many homes, too few buyers
In parts of Southeast Asia, unsold homes are piling up as developers struggle to clear housing stock – yet young buyers hoping to land their first property still cannot find an affordable home.
The paradox reflects a growing mismatch between the homes being built and what aspiring buyers can afford, according to analysts, who point to speculative investment, financing hurdles and poor locations as factors leaving properties empty even amid demand for affordable housing.
In Vietnam, the problem...
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https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3372208/southeast-asias-housing-paradox-too-many-homes-too-few-buyers

2026-10-27 00:00:19 UTC

What message is China sending with latest footage of ‘no-notice’ DF rocket drill?
China has released footage of its troops carrying out a “no-notice” rocket launch as part of an ongoing effort by state media to showcase the People’s Liberation Army’s rapid-response capabilities.
State broadcaster CCTV on Monday released a brief video showing the exercise in mountainous terrain and said it had been carried out with no advance notice given to the troops involved.
No other details were provided.
The footage – which is believed to show a missile from the Dongfeng (east wind)...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3372206/what-message-china-sending-latest-footage-no-notice-df-rocket-drill

2026-10-27 00:00:14 UTC

China grants permits to VW joint venture, Xpeng as autonomous driving race intensifies
China has granted new autonomous-driving permission to electric vehicle (EV) maker Xpeng and a mainland joint venture of Volkswagen, intensifying the commercialisation race between China’s autonomous driving firms and US company Tesla.
Xpeng would now be allowed to conduct “demonstration operations” of its Yoyo driverless taxis in the capital city of southern China’s Guangdong province under a licence officially granted recently, the company said on social media on Monday.
The licence, which...
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https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3372153/china-grants-permits-vw-joint-venture-xpeng-autonomous-driving-race-intensifies

2026-10-26 23:00:08 UTC

Evening sessions urged as fraud, money-laundering cases pack Hong Kong courts
The long wait for criminal cases to be heard in Hong Kong’s courts could persist because of a surge in fraud and money laundering litigation, the judiciary has warned, as the Law Society suggested extending sitting hours into the evening.
In a paper submitted to the Legislative Council’s panel on administration of justice and legal services, the judiciary said that the total caseload in 2025 reached about 537,000, around 4 per cent higher than the annual average over the previous five years.
As...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3372211/evening-sessions-urged-fraud-money-laundering-cases-pack-hong-kong-courts

2026-10-26 23:00:05 UTC

How Shimao’s sale of 2 hotels reveals the growing complexity of Hong Kong debt workouts
The HK$2.7 billion (US$344 million) sale of two Shimao Group hotels in Hong Kong leaves an estimated HK$1.8 billion shortfall against their secured loans.
Still, receivers managed to squeeze out improved bids in the final stages, with all shortlisted parties improving their offers, said Una Ge, a managing director at AlixPartners who oversaw the sale as a joint receiver.
The deal offers a glimpse into how mainland China’s developer debt crisis is reshaping Hong Kong’s restructuring industry,...
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https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3372067/how-shimaos-sale-2-hotels-reveals-growing-complexity-hong-kong-debt-workouts

2026-10-26 22:29:05 UTC

Netanyahu touts Trump endorsement on eve of vote, suggests they may restart war on Iran
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu boasted of ⁠his endorsement from Donald Trump on the eve of Israel’s election, suggesting the two leaders could restart their war against Iran if he wins, after Trump said they should “finish the job”.
“US President Donald Trump has come with a friendship that has never existed before between an Israeli prime minister and an American president. And it is doubtful we will ever have such a friendly president again,” Netanyahu said in a televised appearance...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3372222/netanyahu-touts-trump-endorsement-eve-vote-suggests-they-may-restart-war-iran

2026-10-26 22:00:02 UTC

US rapper Macklemore launches Free Palestine Tour in Ireland after Ed Sheeran rift
US rapper Macklemore on Monday launched his new “Free Palestine Tour” in Dublin after being dropped as a supporting act by British pop star Ed Sheeran over pro-Palestinian comments.
Standing in queues outside the venue for the first show in the Irish capital, which promoters said had sold out, excited fans praised the 43-year-old’s stance.
“Macklemore’s support for Palestine is huge. He’s stood up and he’s put himself on the line instead of taking the easy way out,” said Michael Keating, a...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3372221/us-rapper-macklemore-launches-free-palestine-tour-ireland-after-ed-sheeran-rift

2026-10-26 21:34:03 UTC

Brazil’s Flavio Bolsonaro says he will lead opposition to Lula government
Flavio Bolsonaro said on Monday he would lead the opposition to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s government, one day after he refused to concede electoral defeat to the incumbent.
“To withstand the chaos, I’m going to organise the opposition,” the right-wing senator and son of ex-leader Jair Bolsonaro said.
Flavio received 48.2 per cent of the vote compared with 51.8 per cent for incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Also on Monday, Flavio said a Supreme Court justice had banned...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3372220/brazils-flavio-bolsonaro-says-he-will-lead-opposition-lula-government

2026-10-26 21:30:06 UTC

How Hong Kong’s 5-year plan can fuel its financial clout
Finance ministers from 21 Asia-Pacific economies recently met in Hong Kong, the first time the city has hosted them. A practical question sits one level down.
Picture the treasury team of a company running its regional business from Hong Kong. It arranges funding in several currencies, pays across markets and manages the risks that follow. Its question is: how can Hong Kong’s services help it operate more efficiently and at lower cost?
Those needs are a practical lens for reading the five-year...
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https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3371934/how-hong-kongs-5-year-plan-can-fuel-its-financial-clout

2026-10-26 20:39:47 UTC

New levy on non-EU parcels kicks in on Sunday in a bid to curb the influx from China
The European Union will from Sunday slap a €2 (US$2.25) handling fee on packages from outside the 27-nation bloc in a bid to curb the influx from China.
The new levy – coming just weeks before the Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas season shopping rushes – will be on top of the EU’s €3 fee on small parcels.
The fee will apply to each type of item in a package sent directly to consumers from outside the EU regardless of the parcel’s value.
For example, if there are 10 T-shirts in a package,...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3372219/new-levy-non-eu-parcels-kicks-sunday-bid-curb-influx-china

2026-10-26 19:47:10 UTC

Mecca pact countries in Iran in bid to stop war restarting
Senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan held talks with Iran in Tehran on Monday in an attempt to stop the Middle East war from reigniting.
Officials from the three Mecca pact countries flew to Iran as part of efforts to “de-escalate between the parties to the current crisis”, a Saudi foreign ministry statement said.
The talks, which included heavyweight Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, followed warnings by the United States, Iran and Israel that hostilities could...
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https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3372218/mecca-pact-countries-iran-bid-stop-war-restarting