News - South China Morning Post (RSS Feed)

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

https://www.scmp.com/rss/91/feed

Public Key

npub16pdesvmcm5mk9y4wzalrrs4yaale7whle06ga7e3uvht6sl5dz0s97m23z

NIP-05 Address

scmp.com_rss_91_feed@atomstr.data.haus

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsdqkucxdud6dmzj2hpwl33c2jw7lul8tluhaywlvc7xt4ag06x38cpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduqs6amnwvaz7tmwdaejumr0ds9zc87n

Publishing to

relay.damus.io

nos.lol

Author Public Key

npub16pdesvmcm5mk9y4wzalrrs4yaale7whle06ga7e3uvht6sl5dz0s97m23z

Show more details

Last Notes

2026-03-16 12:54:18 UTC

Frenchman jailed for 10 years in Azerbaijan: ‘I’m not a spy’
Azerbaijan on Monday sentenced a Frenchman to 10 years in prison in an espionage case launched during a period of diplomatic tensions between Paris and Baku that have now eased.
Martin Ryan was arrested in December 2023 and went on trial in January last year, when relations between Azerbaijan and France had deteriorated to new lows over Paris’ support for Armenia, Baku’s long-time rival.
The court found him guilty of spying against Azerbaijan and sentenced him to 10 years.
Prosecutors had sought...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/584d780d-33f9-44b3-9df9-defdfe76579d_c3f82fb3.jpg?itok=ZXWIYrqY&v=1773665655
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346788/frenchman-jailed-10-years-azerbaijan-im-not-spy?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 12:48:53 UTC

China and the US end trade talks as doubts form over Trump visit
China and the US wrapped up their sixth round of trade talks in Paris on Monday, with the agenda ranging from a possible extension of bilateral tariff and non-tariff measures as well as bilateral investment.
“China and US conducted deep, frank and constructive consultations,” Li Chenggang, China’s top international trade negotiator, said after the meetings.
Both sides agreed to “continue to maintain the stability of tariffs”, Li said.
A day earlier US President Donald Trump told the Financial...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/c9ed3b44-047f-4423-b93e-ce744a83a450_d407aa97.jpg?itok=zXMNRKO2&v=1773665331
https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3346787/china-and-us-end-trade-talks-doubts-form-over-trump-visit?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 12:33:01 UTC

Hong Kong in new push to get young people to register as voters
Young people can opt to make self-declarations to be exempted from producing proof of address to register as electors under a new Hong Kong government drive to boost voter numbers, lawmakers have been told.
A commissioner for oaths will be stationed at each Immigration Department registration of persons office, where young people replace their juvenile identity cards with adult ones upon turning 18.
The initiative was outlined as officials presented the 2026 voter registration campaign at...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/8aaf1c13-dccd-4c4c-ad57-3467ef2af0c4_d108a3dd.jpg?itok=VfZHDEf6&v=1773664306
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346785/hong-kong-new-push-get-young-people-register-voters?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 12:32:07 UTC

Malaysia’s Petronas wins right to challenge Sarawak gas laws in court
Malaysia’s highest court on Monday allowed national energy firm Petronas to pursue a legal bid to challenge several laws passed by the state of Sarawak, amid a protracted dispute over gas distribution rights.
Sarawak, on Borneo island, is home to more than 60 per cent of Malaysia’s gas reserves and has long sought greater control over its natural resources.
In recent years, it has passed laws and appointed its own firm Petros to procure, distribute, supply and sell all natural gas in the state,...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/a3146ab2-e124-46c0-afe0-f9e6bfd745e4_201d404a.jpg?itok=KELrPAn1&v=1773663017
https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3346783/malaysias-petronas-wins-right-challenge-sarawak-gas-laws-court?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 12:30:11 UTC

Why Trump's push for China to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz may hurt trade talks
US President Donald Trump’s reported threat that he may postpone a long-awaited visit to China – unless Beijing helps unblock the Iran-controlled Strait of Hormuz – may put the current trade talks in Paris at risk by sidelining earlier priorities and potential deals, analysts say.
As the US-Israeli war in Iran enters its third week and disrupts global energy markets, Trump has reportedly urged Beijing to send warships to help reopen the strait and ease oil shipments. About 20 per cent of the...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/197017b2-0969-449c-8d63-9922de8fcf9b_d98e15bf.jpg?itok=8wFSE7Ag&v=1773664208
https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3346784/why-trumps-push-china-help-reopen-strait-hormuz-may-hurt-trade-talks?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 12:30:09 UTC

Europe says it must rearm – but to what end?
With the Middle East ablaze and war in Ukraine showing no sign of respite, a stark new consensus is hardening in Paris, London and Berlin that Europe must rearm.
Recently, French President Emmanuel Macron signalled a pivotal shift in deterrence by announcing an increase in the nation’s nuclear warheads and a “forward deterrence” plan. This follows a rare joint appeal from the British and German defence chiefs, who urged Europeans to build a moral and strategic case for a massive surge in...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/84bfc694-d53d-485e-b075-59a4c4fbcd4a_ea653ca0.jpg?itok=u8WTeDWG&v=1773655638
https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3346554/europe-says-it-must-rearm-what-end?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 12:02:37 UTC

Fix, don’t fire ‘digital employee’ OpenClaw over security risks: Paul Chan
Hong Kong’s finance chief has likened the powerful AI agent OpenClaw to an efficient “digital employee,” saying it should not be dismissed but rather improved to address security risk concerns.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po’s remarks on Monday followed the Digital Policy Office’s recent advisory urging government departments to avoid installing OpenClaw or its variants due to security concerns.
“AI agent OpenClaw has awed the world; the convenience it offers is just like having a digital...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/b10b69fd-327a-4630-8de1-04404bee7bc7_0504990e.jpg?itok=rIt_DBkO&v=1773662434
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346782/fix-dont-fire-digital-employee-openclaw-over-security-risks-paul-chan?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 12:00:09 UTC

AI poisoning: fake fitness tracker fools chatbots in China, sparking outcry
An undercover investigation by state-run China Central Television (CCTV) has cast a harsh light on a controversial practice in a nascent industry: the “poisoning” of artificial intelligence models with fabricated information.
The report showed how techniques of generative engine optimisation (GEO) – the AI version of search engine optimisation (SEO) – could be used to manipulate AI chatbots, provoking widespread public concern and debate as both industry insiders and observers anticipated...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/8a813c24-7e4a-4e82-bbc6-03fda6210e2f_f5b6f833.jpg?itok=f5nKb9QA&v=1773654301
https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3346761/ai-poisoning-fake-fitness-tracker-fools-chatbots-china-sparking-outcry?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 11:53:05 UTC

Hong Kong businessman expected to take loss on Peak properties he bought for US$255m
Luxury residential property on Hong Kong’s Peak Road owned by businessman Chan King-wai has been put up for sale by public tender, several years after he acquired it from companies linked to CK group.
Marketing agent JLL said on Monday that the adjoining sites at 86, 88 and 90 Peak Road are being offered for joint sale by tender. The residential lots have a combined area of about 28,620 sq ft.
The site could attract bids of about HK$70,000 (US$8,939) to HK$100,000 per square foot, said Joseph...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/28e847b7-ac84-4855-bbf5-3a858584f6ac_8e80cb26.jpg?itok=fJGYz1zw&v=1773661982
https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346780/hong-kong-businessman-expected-take-loss-peak-properties-he-bought-us255m?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 11:49:26 UTC

Arrest of stateless teen in Malaysia highlights plight of Sabah’s 1 million non-citizens
The arrest of a 17-year-old stateless teenager during a school outing to buy Eid clothes at a Sabah mall for allegedly failing to show valid residence papers, has returned scrutiny to Malaysia’s treatment of undocumented people.
Niko Ansboy, a student at Borneo Komrad, an alternative school for stateless children, was waiting outside a store during a school trip to the 1Borneo Hypermall when police detained him on Sunday.
He was stopped by officers patrolling after the Kota Kinabalu District...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/8483aad8-d2c8-449f-bdcf-9bddd1dcaf14_c22a6db1.jpg?itok=wBn_ucbG&v=1773661765
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346779/arrest-stateless-teen-malaysia-highlights-plight-sabahs-1-million-non-citizens?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 11:30:08 UTC

Papers please: China raises pressure on Panama amid canal row with ship inspection wave
Beijing has increased its inspections on Panama-flagged vessels entering Chinese ports, a source from the shipping industry said, an action intended to raise the Latin American country’s stress level after its courts voided the operating rights of Hong Kong-based conglomerate CK Hutchison in the Panama Canal.
Port state control (PSC) – the inspection regime countries may deploy to verify the compliance of foreign ships with various international standards – was being used as a form of leverage...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/e307d16d-e8ca-4166-991a-d76621f12995_77238276.jpg?itok=WPtHDQDE&v=1773656345
https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3346767/papers-please-china-raises-pressure-panama-amid-canal-row-ship-inspection-wave?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 10:30:11 UTC

Most Filipino women think a woman’s place is in the home, survey finds
The Philippines ranks among Asia’s most gender-equal societies by several international measures. Yet ask Filipino women where they truly belong and most will still tell you: at home.
A new survey has found that 83 per cent of Filipino women agree “being a housewife is just as fulfilling as working for pay”, up from 70 per cent when the same question was posed in 1994.
The findings, released by independent pollster Social Weather Stations earlier in March to coincide with National Women’s Month,...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/782d6011-8b7e-41c4-8052-b832be2cff5b_640a2d88.jpg?itok=-cFBgs-V&v=1773654265
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346760/most-filipino-women-think-womans-place-home-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 10:19:53 UTC

Iran to turn bombed girls’ school into museum commemorating US ‘crimes’
Iran plans to convert the girls’ school that was bombed on the first day of the war into a museum commemorating the nearly 200 victims of the strike.
“This school is a living document of the Americans’ willingness to commit crimes and must be registered and documented for preservation in the historical memory of the Iranian people,” the Iranian government said in a statement issued on Monday.
At least 168 pupils aged between seven and 12 years old, 26 teachers and four parents were killed in the...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/ae41485d-5805-44f8-97b6-28806acd3070_e440ec40.jpg?itok=YS0hfnac&v=1773656392
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346768/iran-turn-bombed-girls-school-museum-commemorating-us-crimes?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 10:15:52 UTC

Google to open Gemini chatbot to all Hong Kong users amid city’s AI push
Tech giant Google will gradually roll out its generative AI services to all users in Hong Kong starting with the Gemini web app before introducing a mobile version for the chatbot and virtual assistant.
The move is expected to eliminate the barriers that previously forced many residents to use virtual private networks (VPNs) or third-party platforms to access Google’s flagship artificial intelligence (AI) models or other alternatives.
“We believe expanding the Gemini experience will drive more...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/179f8d27-6f37-4366-b713-4fb339b1eabc_e54da66e.jpg?itok=Wua3UC7w&v=1773656084
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346766/google-open-gemini-chatbot-all-hong-kong-users-amid-citys-ai-push?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 10:00:09 UTC

How China ethnic minority groups use chicken bones of small roosters to predict fortunes
Ethnic minority groups in China have long relied on a gruesome method to predict their fortunes: beating a rooster to death and reading its femur bones, a practice that has lasted for centuries.
Tracing back to the Tang (618–907) and Song (960–1279) dynasties, the custom is known as “Dajibu”, meaning chicken divination.
It originated from ancient spiritual beliefs in southwestern China, where people lacking access to medicine would beat bronze drums to pray for healing.
Chicken bone divination...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/12/6efc405b-952f-4e6b-b420-d05f46bdafef_4d65147d.jpg?itok=Tc4GKQD2&v=1773304834
https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3346349/how-china-ethnic-minority-groups-use-chicken-bones-small-roosters-predict-fortunes?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 09:30:14 UTC

No ships cross Strait of Hormuz for first time since conflict began, data shows
Maritime tracking data showed that no ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, marking the first full day since the Middle East conflict began without any confirmed commercial traffic in either direction.
Crossings dropped to zero, below the previous seven-day average of 2.57 daily transits, according to maritime analytics firm Windward. Although no vessels entered the waterway that day, about 400 ships sailed in the Gulf of Oman on Friday, it said.
“The concentration suggests that...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/1af2a578-d11c-4cc5-95a0-745529d64ec5_92454cce.jpg?itok=tmTNakju&v=1773653411
https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3346755/no-ships-cross-strait-hormuz-first-time-conflict-began-data-shows?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 09:15:03 UTC

Hong Kong policeman denies molesting clerk at headquarters in indecent assault case
A senior Hong Kong police officer has denied molesting a government clerk at the force’s headquarters more than a year ago.
Ian Chow Ngai-kong, 50, on Monday stood trial at Eastern Court on three counts of indecent assault over the alleged incidents at the police headquarters in Wan Chai on June 19 and November 1, 2024.
The court heard the complainant, a senior clerical officer from the Civil Service Bureau, was seconded to the police force to provide administrative support from August 2023.
She...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/fe0cc0b6-d0db-4d7c-8791-fb0d38b6f16c_53164d62.jpg?itok=5MRZunKX&v=1773652502
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3346750/hong-kong-policeman-denies-molesting-clerk-headquarters-indecent-assault-case?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 09:14:40 UTC

Confusion over Malaysia-US trade deal as ‘null and void’ claim retracted
Malaysia’s government has been forced onto the defensive over its much-touted tariff deal with the United States, after a minister walked back an earlier claim that the agreement had been rendered “null and void” by a US Supreme Court ruling.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration signed the deal in October, promising US$240 billion in investments and purchases of American goods, including beef and aircraft, in exchange for continued access to the world’s largest consumer market at a...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/06bb093f-c94e-46cc-9547-38a9783d94e4_397f709f.jpg?itok=S3-jxugi&v=1773652478
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346749/confusion-over-malaysia-us-trade-deal-null-and-void-claim-retracted?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 09:14:17 UTC

Dubai flights disrupted after drone attack near airport; missile kills 1 in Abu Dhabi
Missiles and drone attacks hit across the UAE on Monday, with a drone-related incident sparking a fuel tank fire near Dubai airport that disrupted travel, while a missile killed a civilian in Abu Dhabi.
In the eastern emirate of Fujairah, a drone attack on oil infrastructure sparked a fire, just one day after smoke was seen rising from a major UAE energy installation in the emirate.
The attacks came a day after Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview that rockets had been...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/6a8d0c8f-0460-4435-b7e1-a1c91c246356_bad6be07.jpg?itok=LozTvAsj&v=1773652455
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346748/dubai-flights-disrupted-after-drone-attack-near-airport-missile-kills-1-abu-dhabi?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 09:11:33 UTC

2 dead after Japanese school trip boats capsize off US military base site in Okinawa
Two boats carrying 21 people capsized on Monday off Henoko, a controversial relocation site for a US military base off Japan’s southern island of Okinawa, throwing all into the water and leaving two of them dead, officials said.
The Japan Coast Guard said 18 of them were students from a Kyoto high school on two boats, 10 on Heiwa Maru and eight on the smaller Fukutsu, to observe the Henoko area as part of their peace education programme.
Rescuers pulled all 21 people out of the water, but a...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/c6b2b639-d173-4581-b25b-d36d0b443734_8e641f38.jpg?itok=YVFySOJX&v=1773652291
https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3346746/2-dead-after-japanese-school-trip-boats-capsize-us-military-base-site-okinawa?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 09:04:14 UTC

China may snub Trump plea for help in Strait of Hormuz
US President Donald Trump said he may put off a planned visit to Beijing as he sought to press China and other nations into helping reopen the Strait of Hormuz amid the war in Iran.
“We may delay” the trip, he told the Financial Times on Sunday, without saying for how long. The visit, scheduled for March 31 to April 2, includes a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Trump has “demanded” that about seven countries help to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, he told reporters on Sunday, as the...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/b1a3a4aa-3065-40a1-a3f1-dad208d5aecb_e6098930.jpg?itok=wq4ed_tX&v=1773651631
https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346744/china-may-snub-trump-plea-help-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 09:00:12 UTC

Malaysia’s US$6 billion megaport imperils Mah Meri way of life
Lingan bin Man pulls up to the fishing jetty in the early afternoon, guiding his small boat towards a narrow strip of wooden planks as waves crash against the dock.
On board are his wife and toddler. Together, the Malaysian family inspects the day’s catch: 2kg (4.4lbs) of clams after three hours at sea.
“I can sell this for US$7,” the 52-year-old said.
For fishermen in Kampung Sungai Kurau, a village on Pulau Carey, an island in Selangor state, this has become the new normal.
Members of the Mah...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/a70ebeea-6cad-431f-bc4b-fdf09f4ef329_f8d329b3.jpg?itok=Q5Zht7Zf&v=1773644128
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3346725/malaysias-us6-billion-megaport-imperils-mah-meri-way-life?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 09:00:10 UTC

Could this Chinese breakthrough pave way for global organ transplant system?
A team of scientists in China has developed a way to freeze and revive organs for transplant, extending their viability from as little as six hours to several days, according to a peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Medical Devices.
While the technology is still at the experimental stage and has not yet progressed to human trials, it could one day transform the entire field of organ transplantation, especially for hearts, the researchers say.
“If just half of the currently discarded...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/a48df0b4-c5fd-41e8-bdec-e03c71571973_e715d769.jpg?itok=FvRpHIUk&v=1773643684
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3346722/could-chinese-breakthrough-pave-way-global-organ-transplant-system?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 08:00:10 UTC

Shanghai sees massive F1 turnout, boosting city’s pitch as sporting destination
The Formula One (F1) Chinese Grand Prix drew record crowds over the weekend, another indication the wide-ranging efforts from host city Shanghai to raise its profile as a global sports and event destination are paying off.
The three-day event, which concluded on Sunday, attracted more than 230,000 cumulative spectators, the highest attendance headcount reported by the Chinese financial centre in nearly two decades.
On the opening day, the number of foreign arrivals through Shanghai’s ports...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/99fca937-bbf4-416a-af1e-771d6d18b0c1_e2746196.jpg?itok=DLOYEC-N&v=1773643167
https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346721/shanghai-sees-massive-f1-turnout-boosting-citys-pitch-sporting-destination?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 07:00:11 UTC

AI to narrow China’s rural-urban economic divide
China is counting on artificial intelligence (AI) to help the 450 million people living in rural areas left behind by the nation’s economic boom.
Farmers are already benefiting from the technology, using AI offerings such as DeepSeek or ByteDance’s Doubao for help with issues like pig rearing, pest control and government subsidies. The State Council’s “No 1 document” of 2026, extended a push for the “digital upgrading” of farming, with an emphasis on the greater integration of AI, drones, robots...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/a3f1f81d-8932-4386-8117-5c1173fc07bf_f5e3adbc.jpg?itok=-Zd1mf9n&v=1773638226
https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3346713/ai-narrow-chinas-rural-urban-economic-divide?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 06:51:29 UTC

Myanmar’s junta-proxy parliament meets for first time since 2021 coup
Five years after armoured vehicles rolled through the streets of Myanmar’s capital and the generals tore up an election result they did not like, a new parliament sat for the first time on Monday.
The legislature that convened in Naypyidaw was stacked almost entirely with allies of Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the coup leader who ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021.
In Myanmar’s recent election, held across barely a third of the country, the army-backed Union Solidarity...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/e378b4c9-80c9-4f26-80a9-8c326b165781_29fa2540.jpg?itok=VRC2g9IZ&v=1773643887
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346724/myanmars-junta-proxy-parliament-meets-first-time-2021-coup?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 06:36:21 UTC

China’s supply chain meets the wall of African resource nationalism
Resource-rich African nations are increasingly asserting control over critical minerals to maximise domestic returns, sending global prices soaring and exerting pressure on Chinese supply chains.
Zimbabwe, Africa’s largest lithium producer, last month abruptly suspended exports of raw lithium minerals and concentrates, moving its 2027 deadline forward.
Zimbabwe’s mines minister Polite Kambamura revealed in a post-cabinet briefing on March 3 that following notice of the intended ban, the industry...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/fb50dab5-291f-4e12-a641-bc07631555f6_3ab90edf.jpg?itok=CuwPRi9k&v=1773641987
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346717/chinas-supply-chain-meets-wall-african-resource-nationalism?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 06:36:13 UTC

9 injured as car mounts pavement in Hong Kong
Nine people have been injured after a car mounted the pavement on a Hong Kong street.
Police were called to Lam Hing Street in Kowloon Bay at about 12.40pm on Monday following reports of a car veering onto the walkway.
The vehicle, which has both local and mainland Chinese number plates, sustained damage to its left front door and window, as well as its rear left door.
pavement bricks were left scattered across the walkway, while several lamp posts, trees and roadside fences were damaged.
Five...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/dcb8884f-90d9-4361-af52-b3f4a4ad76d4_65cfd787.jpg?itok=DTfRcwe0&v=1773642971
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3346720/9-injured-car-mounts-pavement-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 06:24:36 UTC

20 Thai sailors return home after Iranian attack in Strait of Hormuz
Twenty Thai crew members of a cargo ship attacked in the crucial Strait of Hormuz arrived in Thailand on Monday, with three of their colleagues still stranded on the vessel in the Gulf.
The Thai-registered Mayuree Naree was hit by two projectiles on Wednesday while transiting through the Gulf waterway, after departing a port in the United Arab Emirates.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had struck the Thai ship, as well as a Liberia-flagged vessel, in the strait because they had ignored...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/58728641-cbf4-4210-ac81-cc85362bce0e_c2cc2ae1.jpg?itok=RwKQVhg-&v=1773642275
https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3346718/20-thai-sailors-return-home-after-iranian-attack-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 06:01:28 UTC

James Taylor-Foster, Para Site’s ‘wild card’ director, on ‘beautiful paradox’ of Hong Kong
With his peroxide blond hair, dark moustache and luxuriant eyebrows, London-born curator and writer James Taylor-Foster is easy to pick out among the tourists and selfie-takers in the courtyard of Yick Cheong Building, also known as the “Monster Building”, in Hong Kong’s Quarry Bay neighbourhood.
The South China Morning Post is meeting the 33-year-old here shortly after the board of the Hong Kong non-profit art space Para Site chose him to be its next executive director. That space, a few...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/13/02225cc4-5448-4a96-87ba-c856086ad8a7_5a931952.jpg?itok=lph4fZs2&v=1773381417
https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3346461/james-taylor-foster-para-sites-wild-card-director-beautiful-paradox-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 06:00:08 UTC

China woman uses AI-generated man to lecture on respecting science, rejecting superstition
Young people in China are contributing to a fake account generated by artificial intelligence (AI) to lecture their parents about healthy and scientific life values.
A social media account called “Lao Zhao jiang dao li”, or “Mr Zhao talks sense”, went viral recently, amassing over 200,000 followers in just two months.
The man surnamed Zhao, based in southwestern China’s Chongqing municipality, claimed in his profile that he is a retired professor who has specialised in parent-child relationships...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/12/871fe7ae-b4db-4133-89be-c60723e72afd_01e0c61d.jpg?itok=BzsumKUW&v=1773295415
https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3346320/china-woman-uses-ai-generated-man-lecture-respecting-science-rejecting-superstition?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 05:35:42 UTC

Couple to face child neglect charges after son swept into sea during Typhoon Ragasa
A Hong Kong couple whose five-year-old son was swept into the sea at a waterfront during Super Typhoon Ragasa last year have been charged with child neglect and are set to appear in court on Tuesday.
Police revealed on Monday that the boy’s father, a 40-year-old man surnamed Yen, and mother, a 38-year-old woman surnamed Li, were arrested in Chai Wan on January 6 and were charged last Wednesday with ill-treatment or neglect by those in charge of a child or young person.
The case will be heard at...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/d95e266f-4ef7-413e-920e-15fe7b627274_7208f22e.jpg?itok=4zjPHQ48&v=1773639339
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346714/couple-face-child-neglect-charges-after-son-swept-sea-during-typhoon-ragasa?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 04:52:23 UTC

Malaysia’s government accused of using law to silence critics
Several Malaysian civil society groups on Monday accused Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government of using a harsh criminal law provision to intimidate critics after police questioned activists, academics and political researchers over an alleged plot to topple the government.
The backlash follows an announcement in late February that police were investigating allegations of a conspiracy to “topple the government and sabotage national stability” involving “a local influential figure” and an...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/f32b3e07-b498-498c-8704-ba24571bf647_57e5a683.jpg?itok=GMkedQaJ&v=1773636736
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346706/malaysias-government-accused-using-law-silence-critics?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 04:12:09 UTC

China defence experts vanish online, Thai coconut cartel crisis: 5 weekend reads you missed
We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.
1. Top Chinese nuclear, radar and missile experts vanish from engineering body site
2. The US is shifting THAAD to the Middle East. What does that mean for China?
3. Hong Kong OpenClaw users say tool is helpful ‘family member’ who must be watched
4. Inside the coconut cartel: how Chinese money...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/558ff112-6f72-48a1-89d2-1d3c0f8fbfd7_b026ad8a.jpg?itok=YgbgE0GY&v=1773624893
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3346695/china-defence-experts-vanish-online-thai-coconut-cartel-crisis-5-weekend-reads-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 04:00:10 UTC

Things ‘I do not like’ drove me to quit US for Hong Kong: top mathematician Ngo Bao Chau
World-leading Vietnamese mathematician Ngo Bao Chau has said his decision to leave the US was not just the result of the worsening academic environment there, but also a vision to transform Asia into the next global powerhouse for maths and science.
Ngo, the first Vietnamese recipient of the prestigious Fields Medal, will join the University of Hong Kong in June.
“I want Asia to be the next America or the next Europe [as] a place where science and mathematics strive,” he said in an interview on...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/ddd84626-96f2-435b-a399-7cc3b6e06c47_7661add7.jpg?itok=-RKs9rVF&v=1773572060
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3346664/things-i-do-not-drove-me-quit-us-hong-kong-top-mathematician-ngo-bao-chau?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 04:00:08 UTC

Philippines’ Jollibee stands out as Southeast Asia’s global restaurant exception
From Singapore’s hawker stalls to Thailand’s street markets and Vietnam’s noodle shops, Southeast Asia is home to some of the world’s most celebrated food cultures.
Yet the region has produced relatively few restaurant chains with global brand recognition, even as Chinese food and beverage groups climb international rankings.
Analysts say structural factors – including smaller domestic markets, fragmented regional consumer tastes and fewer brands expanding aggressively overseas – have slowed the...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/13/72ad8fca-fd09-4714-85e7-06495117138a_68bea324.jpg?itok=O_PuqsUH&v=1773406538
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346547/philippines-jollibee-stands-out-southeast-asias-global-restaurant-exception?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 03:12:32 UTC

Guess says it will shut all mainland China stores amid retail rethink
US fashion brand Guess has told customers it will close all its stores in mainland China by the end of March, pending a new business model at a time when a growing number of international fashion retailers retreat from the market amid what analysts believe are issues including weak localisation and slow decision-making.
Other foreign brands that have withdrawn entirely from mainland China in recent years include US label Old Navy, UK brand Topshop, and several labels owned by Spanish fashion...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/14/9b864368-61e0-43a4-a659-db75a7768fbd_71131d4a.jpg?itok=j3W7xY-X&v=1773482314
https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346601/guess-says-it-will-shut-all-mainland-china-stores-amid-retail-rethink?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 03:09:20 UTC

Courier SF Express imposes temporary fuel surcharges within Hong Kong and Macau
China’s largest courier, SF Express, will introduce temporary fuel surcharges for local document and parcel deliveries within Hong Kong and Macau, set at HK$1 (13 US cents) and MOP$1, respectively, starting Monday amid a surge in global oil prices.
The Shenzhen-based company said on Sunday that the surcharge was introduced in response to “the recent drastic fluctuations in global fuel prices due to the international situation,” adding that monthly credit account clients would not be subject to...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/f7ac2260-6c48-42d1-961d-dc4e7469d6ad_1c41994c.jpg?itok=mxG36hWp&v=1773630559
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346700/courier-sf-express-imposes-temporary-fuel-surcharges-within-hong-kong-and-macau?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 02:37:12 UTC

Malaysia will not intervene militarily in Middle East, Anwar says
Malaysia cannot get involved in what is happening in the Middle East, especially not via military intervention, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said.
He said that as a free country, Malaysia could voice its objections towards war and violence – but not by sending in troops.
Dialogue and engagement should be the means to resolve any form of disputes, he said.
“We do not agree when any country is attacked and colonised. We do not want any country to interfere in our national affairs,” he said on...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/6de9c8dc-cba1-4f57-bcfd-fb61f45174ed_b094ce9b.jpg?itok=aHD0fG__&v=1773628630
https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3346699/malaysia-will-not-intervene-militarily-middle-east-anwar-says?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 02:00:11 UTC

How Asean can loosen dependence on US, China amid trade war fallout
As trade tensions and new US tariff investigations rattle global supply chains, Southeast Asian economies are looking to broaden their options, but analysts say the region’s deep links with the US and China mean any shift will be gradual rather than a clean break.
The disruption could actually work in Asean’s favour, accelerating supply-chain diversification and shifting more manufacturing to the region from markets such as Europe, India and the Middle East, they say.
Economic ministers from the...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/14/af38f6f4-784e-48ab-a7bb-fc6248b30c8a_d4b215f3.jpg?itok=o6o_vQdJ&v=1773475066
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346594/how-asean-can-loosen-dependence-us-china-amid-trade-war-fallout?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 02:00:10 UTC

China’s economy starts 2026 strongly as retail sales, investment rise
China’s economy got off to a strong start in 2026, as industrial output and retail sales stayed resilient in the first two months while fixed-asset investment registered a small expansion.
The figures will offer a boost to Beijing as it strives to achieve an economic growth rate between 4.5 per cent and 5 per cent this year and ward off deflationary pressures on the economy.
China’s industrial output rose 6.3 per cent in January and February compared with the same period last year, according to...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/5cfa93b8-ddf6-4905-9eec-62a86d85044c_c5a2894f.jpg?itok=mnIrRslK&v=1773626407
https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3346697/chinas-economy-starts-2026-strongly-retail-sales-investment-rise?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 01:30:08 UTC

Mainland-style oversight system could help Legco to deliver
After the annual “two sessions” in Beijing, it’s clear that Hong Kong policymakers have their work cut out for them. It has been made abundantly clear what is expected of Hong Kong: stop messing around and get on with the national programme.
Hong Kong is part of the nation’s plans to move forward. The country knows exactly where the city fits into the big picture, how it can catapult growth in key areas and play the role of superconnector between China and the rest of the world.
The 15th...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/2e01411a-7ef4-430e-8faf-712c7d360263_52b3f6d8.jpg?itok=ufvyA5E2&v=1773544481
https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346468/mainland-style-oversight-system-could-help-legco-deliver?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 01:00:12 UTC

Hong Kong regulator sets ‘comprehensive’ review of medical insurance costs
Hong Kong’s Insurance Authority aims to increase transparency and the available range of medical insurance products to address rising costs, while also reviewing regulations with an eye towards attracting more international life-insurance buyers.
“We would like to see the insurance companies introduce more medical insurance products that are more accessible and affordable for the general public, with sales practices that are fair to consumers,” said Clement Lau Chung-kin, the authority’s...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/62bd65c0-7875-4791-aec2-61dbe3a739a2_8951ddb9.jpg?itok=QlWCdtyY&v=1773560321
https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346649/hong-kong-regulator-sets-comprehensive-review-medical-insurance-costs?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 01:00:10 UTC

China Liaoning warship’s sole female senior officer urges fellow women to prioritise professional skills
The sole female senior officer aboard China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier has urged women to put aside their gender and focus on professionalism and responsibility.
On March 7, during the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing, a poised and confident female military deputy in uniform captured nationwide attention.
Zhu Yuemeng, 36, from a modest family in Jilin province, northeastern China, is a naval lieutenant colonel and serves as a political instructor on board the Liaoning aircraft...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/11/f3431d40-f61f-4865-85f7-76966ab2801e_1fbaff83.jpg?itok=WTyTfsCm&v=1773227666
https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3346243/china-liaoning-warships-sole-female-senior-officer-urges-fellow-women-prioritise-professional-skills?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 00:30:16 UTC

30% jump in demand for regional holidays among Hongkongers amid Middle East war
Demand for some regional holiday destinations among Hong Kong travellers has jumped by as much as 30 per cent ahead of Easter, as locals seek to avoid long-haul trips amid rising airfares and disrupted routes caused by the ongoing war in Iran, according to industry players.
Travel agencies said the number of inquiries for trips to Japan, South Korea, mainland China and Australia had risen by between 10 and 30 per cent since the war escalated, while demand for destinations linked to the Middle...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/26682d34-0cf5-4df7-89f8-77b00510264b_edf410e3.jpg?itok=_Jyb76hc&v=1773587379
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346683/30-jump-demand-regional-holidays-among-hongkongers-amid-middle-east-war?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 00:00:13 UTC

Trump wants Japanese warships in Hormuz. Can Takaichi ‘dodge the bullet’?
The rapidly escalating conflict in the Middle East threatens to overshadow this week’s meeting between Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and US President Donald Trump, where the two leaders are expected to deepen economic cooperation and collaboration in shipbuilding.
Thursday’s summit at the White House puts Takaichi in a bind, caught between Trump’s call for Tokyo and others to send warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and her country’s constitutional limits on taking part in...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/ec581251-75fd-4129-94e0-4dc836b20d4c_b92b6611.jpg?itok=tK2h4ohf&v=1773567732
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346660/trump-wants-japanese-warships-hormuz-can-takaichi-dodge-bullet?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-16 00:00:09 UTC

Precision strike: China targets US, Japan stranglehold on photoresist supply
China’s push for semiconductor self-sufficiency is shifting from broad aspiration to a precision strike on chokepoint materials, with photoresist – the light-sensitive chemical essential for etching microscopic circuits onto silicon wafers – emerging as a new battlefield.
The sector, which provides the key material for lithography, was expected to enter a critical stage of “accelerated breakthroughs and large-scale application” over the coming years, according to Fu Zhiwei, chairman of Xuzhou...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/13/2d6d5352-a864-4462-9dc3-73bf761e733a_43a33600.jpg?itok=BETZ0-8Q&v=1773410817
https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3346555/precision-strike-china-targets-us-japan-stranglehold-photoresist-supply?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 22:00:10 UTC

Why Iran strikes may drive Asian nuclear race, hit China in the Middle East: Zhao Tong
Zhao Tong is a senior fellow with the Nuclear Policy Programme at Washington-based think tank the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and its East Asia-based research centre on contemporary China, Carnegie China.
His research focuses on strategic security issues, including nuclear weapons policy, deterrence, arms control, non-proliferation, missile defence, hypersonic weapons, regional security in the Asia-Pacific, and China’s security and foreign policy. This interview first appeared in...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/12/0332cbf9-d4b8-41ee-9a17-b4b1a45d6fdf_2ee22f0a.jpg?itok=Z9Aw44Mo&v=1773301594
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346215/why-iran-strikes-may-drive-asian-nuclear-race-hit-china-middle-east-zhao-tong?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 21:30:08 UTC

How US-Israel war on Iran rocks foundations of the Abraham Accords
The 2020 Abraham Accords were heralded as a transformative diplomatic breakthrough in the Middle East. The US-brokered agreements normalised relations between Israel and Arab states including the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain. They established full diplomatic relations, opening embassies, initiating direct commercial flights, expanding trade ties and encouraging people-to-people exchanges.
The accords were notable because the participating Arab states agreed to normalise relations with...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/11/6a1405d9-8c99-400f-b0ff-463f0c970944_437ca3f4.jpg?itok=E-9mmPyt&v=1773229318
https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3346247/how-us-israel-war-iran-rocks-foundations-abraham-accords?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 20:27:44 UTC

Afghan asylum seeker dies in ICE custody, US advocacy group says
An Afghan immigrant who previously worked with the US military in Afghanistan and later sought asylum in the United States died this weekend in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody less than 24 hours after ‌being detained in Texas, a US veteran-led advocacy group said on Sunday.
Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal, who was living in a Dallas suburb with his wife and six children while his asylum case remained pending, was arrested by federal agents outside his flat on Friday morning while...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/e7eae0b3-0a77-4470-a232-14cda490dc49_8e8b9a00.jpg?itok=meWzn6g3&v=1773606084
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346691/afghan-asylum-seeker-dies-ice-custody-us-advocacy-group-says?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 19:43:29 UTC

Police arrest 12 as hundreds join banned pro-Palestinian march in London
Hundreds of people turned out in London on Sunday for a pro-Palestinian march banned by the government after police said it was organised by a group “supportive of the Iranian regime”.
Police said in a statement they had arrested 12 people and were investigating anti-Israeli chants allegedly made at the rally.
Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood said earlier this week she had agreed to the ban to “prevent serious public disorder” in the context of the continuing conflict in the Middle East, where...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/c7279a87-7743-4e26-a571-0a3fdeb81463_71b829be.jpg?itok=vm85tWi3&v=1773603739
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346690/police-arrest-12-hundreds-join-banned-pro-palestinian-march-london?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 18:49:00 UTC

Gaza’s Rafah crossing to open on Wednesday ‘for limited movement of people’, Israel says
Gaza’s ⁠main gateway, ⁠the Rafah crossing with Egypt that was closed at the start of ‌the Iran war, will open on Wednesday for limited movement of people in both directions, Israel’s COGAT, the ⁠military body in charge of humanitarian ‌matters, said on Sunday.
The crossing had reopened ‌in early February after being largely ⁠shut ⁠since May 2024, in the ‌early months of Israel’s war against Hamas ‌in ‌Gaza. Its reopening offered ‌some relief to Palestinians who ⁠want to leave Gaza for ⁠medical...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/9693dd86-3952-407a-8ad0-bcc550a0c63d_18dbf5cc.jpg?itok=dPz6uLio&v=1773600464
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346689/gazas-rafah-crossing-open-wednesday-limited-movement-people-israel-says?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 18:00:12 UTC

Iran says women’s football captain has withdrawn Australia asylum bid
The captain of the Iranian women’s football team which played in the Asian Cup in Australia has withdrawn her bid for asylum, state media said on Sunday, making her the fifth member of the delegation to change her mind.
A former player and a Persian-language television channel based outside Iran said the players had been pressured to reverse their stance through threats against families back home. But Iranian authorities have in turn accused Australia of pressuring the players to stay.
Captain...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/f6b71f51-bd7e-49f8-a9e4-8680e3ff74c2_406b1ccf.jpg?itok=9H5g_pxS&v=1773597507
https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3346688/iran-says-womens-football-captain-has-withdrawn-australia-asylum-bid?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 17:12:51 UTC

Brother of Michigan synagogue attacker was Hezbollah commander, Israeli military claims
The brother of the man who attacked a Michigan synagogue last week, who was killed earlier this month in an Israeli air strike, was a Hezbollah commander, Israel’s military claimed on Sunday.
Ibrahim Ghazali was killed in Lebanon along with three other of the attacker’s relatives on March 5 - a week before authorities allege Ayman Mohamad Ghazali drove his car into a major synagogue outside Detroit and killed himself after security fired at him.
The FBI’s Detroit office, which is investigating...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/16/d1c8a148-89da-4c93-b11f-2f653ed990c7_d1250524.jpg?itok=poSPF45p&v=1773594683
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346686/brother-michigan-synagogue-attacker-was-hezbollah-commander-israeli-military-claims?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 16:02:44 UTC

IEA says oil from emergency stocks to flow in Asia immediately
The International Energy Agency said oil from a record stockpile release will be made available in Asia immediately as buyers in the region clamour to replace barrels lost to war-related disruptions in the Middle East.
The agency released a statement after it said it received implementation plans from member states. Barrels for Europe and the Americas will only be made available from the end of March.
The IEA last week said that the oil market is seeing the biggest supply disruption in history...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/64c324ab-6373-4ba9-b5aa-65dfce87d652_7ea00d53.jpg?itok=DNnDkPVC&v=1773590561
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3346685/iea-says-oil-emergency-stocks-flow-asia-immediately?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 15:30:14 UTC

US energy chief signals Iran war could continue for several more weeks
Energy Secretary Chris Wright signalled the war with Iran may last several more weeks, with oil and petrol prices elevated as the US and Israel seek to destroy Iranian military capabilities.
In television interviews on Sunday, Wright defended the Trump administration’s argument that Americans are facing short-term pain at the pump in a midterm election year for the larger goal of eliminating Iran as a threat to the Middle East.
“I think that this conflict will certainly come to the end in the...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/a1f07067-d208-4d11-8ba4-518010988a66_e700ca8e.jpg?itok=wz8scGlX&v=1773588612
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346684/us-energy-chief-signals-iran-war-could-continue-several-more-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 14:37:00 UTC

Search under way for 68‑year‑old man missing since Friday in Hong Kong
Hong Kong authorities were searching on Sunday for a 68‑year‑old man who has been missing for two days after leaving his home in Tai Po.
Lau Kin‑pong left his residence at Wan Tau Tong Estate at around 3pm on Friday. His family became unable to contact him and filed a missing‑person report on Saturday.
He was last seen that afternoon on Shan Tong Road in Tai Po.
Lau is described as about 1.7 metres tall (5 feet, 7 inches), weighing 60kg (132lbs), of thin build with short white hair.
He was last...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/27596bde-33ff-4d46-8fbb-c5bcdb5706f4_c7ba4e08.jpg?itok=LC6cqpAl&v=1773585416
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346682/search-under-way-68-year-old-man-missing-friday-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 14:36:40 UTC

‘Cease fire’! Pope Leo demands end to Middle East war, urging ‘those responsible’ to talk
Pope Leo XIV demanded a ceasefire in the Middle East on Sunday in his strongest comments to date, directly addressing the leaders who launched the war in Iran.
“On behalf of the Christians of the Middle East and all women and men of good will, I appeal to those responsible for this conflict,” Pope Leo said. “Cease fire so that avenues for dialogue may be reopened. Violence can never lead to the justice, stability and peace that the people are waiting for.”
Pope Leo did not cite the United States...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/ef2356ed-4155-48ca-bc75-4ad6ded7f091_97a61f40.jpg?itok=hRlOgKxg&v=1773585400
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346681/cease-fire-pope-leo-demands-end-middle-east-war-urging-those-responsible-talk?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 14:33:11 UTC

Online influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate seen partying in Hong Kong
Online influencer brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate, who both face rape and human‑trafficking charges in Romania and the United Kingdom, were reported to have entered Hong Kong over the weekend, sparking heated discussion online.
Andrew posted a photo of himself on a luxury boat in Victoria Harbour on X on Sunday, while other posts showed the brothers visiting the Lan Kwai Fong nightlife district and a crab restaurant in Causeway Bay.
A video he posted a day earlier showed the brothers singing...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/7858ebef-2a20-4006-82cf-0e3e1e80c676_df6b051c.jpg?itok=B1QDvHUE&v=1773585190
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346680/online-influencers-andrew-and-tristan-tate-seen-partying-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 14:22:48 UTC

Over 300 Wang Fuk Court homeowners to petition Hong Kong’s John Lee for meeting
More than 300 homeowners from the fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po have signed a petition to be sent to Hong Kong’s leader, demanding a face-to-face meeting with government-appointed Hop On Management Company over unresolved issues.
The letter to Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, obtained by the South China Morning Post on Sunday, bore 336 signatures – or 15 per cent of homeowners – who raised concerns in seven areas. These include the use of remaining renovation funds, the handling of...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/f0c68971-1642-4869-99cc-9234f239c7c5_14548642.jpg?itok=_G35sfYr&v=1773584221
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346679/over-300-wang-fuk-court-homeowners-petition-hong-kongs-john-lee-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 14:00:10 UTC

Could the PLA’s new shipborne drone redefine naval operations in the South China Sea?
A new type of autonomous helicopter has been seen operating on the Type 075 amphibious assault ship, possibly improving the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) capabilities in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.
Mainland state broadcaster CCTV on Thursday released a video explaining the operational capabilities of China’s Type 075 amphibious assault ship. It showed a lightweight uncrewed helicopter parked on the ship with folding rotors that appeared to be slightly smaller than the PLA’s...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/7a13e252-fa47-4e67-ac66-e6ecb6a92404_2162e084.jpg?itok=VBgthW9H&v=1773566320
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346655/could-plas-new-shipborne-drone-redefine-naval-operations-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 13:54:23 UTC

Over 800,000 Lebanese – 1 in 7 of the population – displaced by war in 10 days
Fatima Nazha slept on the street for two days after she and her family fled their home in Beirut’s southern suburbs following an Israeli mass evacuation order.
All of the schools the government turned into shelters were full, and the family could not afford a hotel or a flat, so she and her husband eventually moved into a tent in the country’s biggest stadium while their kids and grandchildren found shelter near the southern coastal city of Sidon.
In just 10 days, more than 800,000 people in...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/78787a12-9088-4d10-99e8-1be2f506aeba_0612c8bb.jpg?itok=_JWC8_qC&v=1773582858
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346678/over-800000-lebanese-1-7-population-displaced-war-10-days?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 13:28:11 UTC

Hong Kong researcher sounds alarm after toxic electronic waste found in dolphins
A Hong Kong researcher has called for stricter regulations and urged the public to use electronics more responsibly after a study found toxic pollutants from laptops, televisions and smartphones in the bodies and brains of endangered dolphins and porpoises that washed up on the city’s beaches.
Yuhe He, an associate professor at City University of Hong Kong and one of the study’s authors, said he was alarmed to find that liquid crystal monomers (LCMs) – the pollutants identified in the research –...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/34c413e6-262d-449c-8cbf-60d728e62524_56134c80.jpg?itok=a3bwsCh-&v=1773581124
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3346676/hong-kong-researcher-sounds-alarm-after-toxic-electronic-waste-found-dolphins?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 13:00:07 UTC

Why is Andy Lau’s name carved on a 600-year-old brick from the Ming dynasty?
A 600-year-old brick bearing Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau Tak-wah’s name has gone viral on social media in mainland China.
Three characters, identical to the actor and singer’s Chinese name, were carved into the city wall of Nanjing, the ancient capital of the early Ming dynasty (1368-1644).
The inscriptions, carved into a brick now preserved at the Nanjing City Wall Museum, offer clues about the identity of the ancient namesake – whose name is pronounced “Liu Dehua” in Mandarin.
The Ming-era...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/5d28fc58-5f67-484b-9de4-acc9b04db3ec_d4508fbe.jpg?itok=ZCbFbagf&v=1773566662
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3346658/why-andy-laus-name-carved-600-year-old-brick-ming-dynasty?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 12:58:48 UTC

Panama urges Chinese shipping giant Cosco to resume operations at Canal
The Panamanian government has asked Chinese shipping giant Cosco to reconsider its decision to suspend operations at the Balboa port amid geopolitical tensions surrounding the strategic gateway and Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison Holdings.
Panama’s Minister for Canal Affairs Jose Ramon Icaza told reporters on Friday that Cosco’s decision had caught the government off guard.
“The Cosco issue has actually taken us a bit by surprise. All cargo is important, and certainly, Cosco cargo is important for us,...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/2a123369-e25a-4b5d-9508-36208876d762_998fd2fa.jpg?itok=rJfGtxmU&v=1773579397
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346674/panama-urges-chinese-shipping-giant-cosco-resume-operations-canal?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 12:44:43 UTC

Top nuclear, radar and missile experts vanish from Chinese Academy of Engineering site
The profile of one of China’s top nuclear weapons scientists has been scrubbed from the website of the nation’s engineering brains trust.
Zhao Xiangeng, 72, was a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), the nation’s highest academic body for engineering science and technology, but his profile page has disappeared from the CAE’s site.
It is not known when the page was removed, but Chinese media reports noted the change on Saturday.
Similar online references to other CAE academicians,...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/b6d72746-5ab0-4ecc-ac4e-a5c516433638_4317b609.jpg?itok=CXuYx4tO&v=1773578682
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3346672/top-nuclear-radar-and-missile-experts-vanish-chinese-academy-engineering-site?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 12:30:07 UTC

‘Two sessions’ signals China-US tech contest is entering a new era
With the conclusion of China’s annual parliamentary “two sessions” meetings, emerging policy priorities suggest its relationship with the United States is entering a new technological era.
This year’s government work report set an economic growth target of 4.5 to 5 per cent and announced increased fiscal support for science and technology, including a 10 per cent funding rise for research and development and over 16 per cent for basic research. More than routine budget adjustments, these figures...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/14/06bc6f34-9e38-4190-85bb-876ab4f7b453_e599a416.jpg?itok=Me6RwHTM&v=1773480090
https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3346402/two-sessions-signals-china-us-tech-contest-entering-new-era?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 12:26:50 UTC

7 die in Nepal as bus carrying Indian pilgrims plunges off mountain road into ravine
A passenger bus carrying Indian pilgrims slipped off a mountain road and rolled down its slopes in central Nepal, killing seven people and leaving nine more injured, police said Sunday.
All seven killed were Indian pilgrims, and seven other Indian pilgrims on board were injured and taken to nearby hospitals to get medical treatment. The other two injured in the crash, which happened on Saturday night, were the Nepali bus driver and his assistant.
The bus was returning after the pilgrims visited...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/8a7897cf-c4b3-4e06-a085-e9a44d78b7ea_d4c463ea.jpg?itok=bWzRYPKk&v=1773577608
https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3346670/7-die-nepal-bus-carrying-indian-pilgrims-plunges-mountain-road-ravine?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 12:00:07 UTC

Carpool: Chinese giants use idled foreign plants to fuel global expansion
Chinese carmakers, saddled with excess capacity and weak demand at home, are taking a new approach to global expansion: utilising idled facilities abandoned by international marques.
By adopting an asset-light strategy, companies from Geely Auto to Great Wall Motor (GWM) can assemble their cars overseas at lower costs, broadening their influence on the global automotive sector, according to analysts.
“Mindful of profitability as well as geopolitical and operating risks, Chinese carmakers are...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/13/f700035d-3c6d-4d96-8beb-6a456537035a_1f03e0cd.jpg?itok=MEVpfEAJ&v=1773384654
https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3346472/carpool-chinese-giants-use-idled-foreign-plants-fuel-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 11:36:25 UTC

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards issue death threat for Israel’s Netanyahu
Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has threatened Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with death, in a statement published on Sunday by Iran’s Fars and IRNA news agencies.
Netanyahu would be pursued and killed, the IRGC statement said.
The announcement followed mutual overnight attacks in the war between Iran, Israel and the United States.
The current round of hostilities began when Israel and the US launched a large-scale offensive against Iran on February 28.
Tehran...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/e06990a3-39c6-4291-9ec0-43ea89152d4c_4aabe324.jpg?itok=OhyHTQuu&v=1773574583
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346667/irans-revolutionary-guards-issue-death-threat-israels-netanyahu?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 10:35:44 UTC

Hong Kong to replace, not punish, underperforming Medical Council members
Hong Kong authorities have proposed replacing, rather than punishing, Medical Council members who underperform, after public outcry over a 15-year delay in an alleged medical blunder inquiry.
Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau also said the government had no plans to impose rigid deadlines for each stage of complaint handling by the quasi-judicial body, saying the requirement was “asking the impossible” and the council would “be required to” set time frames on their own.
The ombudsman previously...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/9a31987a-65f0-443c-a9b0-c3092f3a9322_7a598249.jpg?itok=Z2xQ6gn2&v=1773569914
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346661/hong-kong-replace-not-punish-underperforming-medical-council-members?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 10:34:52 UTC

Body tied to bags of bricks found off Hong Kong pier in ‘suspicious’ case
Hong Kong police have launched an investigation after the body of a 60-year-old woman tied to bags of bricks was found floating off the public pier in Sai Kung, with officers describing the circumstances as “suspicious”.
At about 6am on Sunday, a passer-by reported seeing what appeared to be a human figure floating about five metres (16.4 feet) off the New Public Pier.
Firefighters and marine police retrieved the body. It had been bound with nylon rope and attached to three plastic bags...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/22dd2ced-7564-4748-b3f6-db0b61fe5af1_fbc00eb6.jpg?itok=QKyjr7mx&v=1773570891
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346663/body-tied-bags-bricks-found-hong-kong-pier-suspicious-case?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 10:25:31 UTC

‘Black rain’: Iran war’s toxic pollution will spread and last for decades
News of black rain falling on Tehran felt all too familiar to Nejat Rahmanian as he scrolled through alerts on social media feeds and tried to contact relatives on March 8.
Israeli drone strikes hit giant oil depots and refineries on the outskirts of the Iranian capital a few hours earlier, setting fuel on fire and releasing columns of black smoke, which mixed with rain clouds that poured toxic chemicals onto the city later in the day.
The descriptions reminded the Iranian researcher of a...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/374b01b8-cf56-4711-a7d6-e66b8c0573a1_1571ce95.jpg?itok=qOyju5qI&v=1773570327
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346662/black-rain-iran-wars-toxic-pollution-will-spread-and-last-decades?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 10:00:25 UTC

China AI start-up Moonshot snags funds at US$18 billion valuation
Moonshot AI is seeking to raise as much as US$1 billion in an expanded funding round that would value the start-up at about US$18 billion, more than quadrupling its valuation in just three months and underscoring growing interest in Chinese artificial intelligence developers racing to rival Silicon Valley leaders.
The company behind the Kimi chatbot kicked off discussions for the latest round, people familiar with the matter said, after securing more than US$700 million earlier this year, which...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/823ac011-d20e-44ad-87a9-a21c1681e390_122b44ed.jpg?itok=kqzvJM1p&v=1773567314
https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3346659/china-ai-start-moonshot-snags-funds-us18-billion-valuation?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 10:00:13 UTC

Could China build an ‘army of centaurs’ with this non-invasive cyborg tech?
Chinese researchers have developed a wearable human-robot hybrid device that could transform soldiers into mighty “centaurs”, enabling them to push beyond their physical limits while walking and hauling loads in brutal environments.
The People’s Liberation Army has already rolled out exoskeleton robot systems to boost soldiers’ stamina and mobility. But this new device, dubbed the “centaur robot”, promises to give an even greater extra push.
The system, developed by a group at the Southern...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/12/e3d9ff94-94ba-4dce-89fb-a068c81cfeab_8e5ce8a4.jpg?itok=LiZo16p3&v=1773282316
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3346287/could-china-build-army-centaurs-non-invasive-cyborg-tech?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 10:00:09 UTC

Iraqi reporter raised in China, famous for viral dance, gets engaged to Xinjiang woman
An Iraqi journalist, who is also an online celebrity in China and was once praised by China’s foreign minister Wang Yi, has become engaged to a woman from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.
Ameen Muneer Mohammed Al-Obaidi, who is better known by his Chinese name, Fang Haoming, boasts about 5 million followers on social media.
He works as a China correspondent for the Dubai-based China-Arab TV.
Fang, 26, joined other foreign journalists to perform the popular Subject Three street dance at a...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/11/11c2b14a-56fc-4d0a-8703-4fbe45c70cdc_e0389b89.jpg?itok=xqpcWClW&v=1773225781
https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3346237/iraqi-reporter-raised-china-famous-viral-dance-gets-engaged-xinjiang-woman?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 09:22:19 UTC

Ukraine wants cash, technology in return for helping Middle East nations fight drones
Ukraine wants money and technology in return for helping Middle Eastern nations defend against Iranian kamikaze drones, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, after Kyiv ‌sent specialists to four countries in the region.
Zelensky told reporters in comments cleared for release on Sunday that each of the three teams sent to the Middle East consisted of dozens of people who will conduct expert assessments and demonstrate how drone defences should operate.
Gulf states have ⁠expended large quantities of...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/714b5af8-da1a-4e99-af3d-28bae80c0bb5_9f4929df.jpg?itok=-Yd91Lpp&v=1773566538
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3346657/ukraine-wants-cash-technology-return-helping-middle-east-nations-fight-drones?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 09:10:52 UTC

ByteDance reportedly suspends launch of Seedance video AI model after copyright disputes
TikTok’s ⁠Chinese parent, ByteDance, has put ⁠on hold the global ⁠launch of its latest video-generation model, Seedance 2.0, after copyright disputes with major Hollywood studios and streaming platforms, The Information reported on Saturday, citing two people with direct knowledge of the situation.
Reuters could not ‌immediately verify the report. ByteDance did not immediately respond to a request for comment. ByteDance said last month it would take steps to prevent the unauthorised use of...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/d1b1aac4-a965-4903-be8d-f6dc81d4048c_dc3e940b.jpg?itok=vMgIhSyT&v=1773565850
https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3346654/bytedance-reportedly-suspends-launch-seedance-video-ai-model-after-copyright-disputes?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 09:00:09 UTC

Tariffs, stockpiles, distrust: the EU’s messy bid to ditch China hits capacity problems
Ambassadors from the EU’s 27 member states will huddle in Brussels this week to thrash out a memorandum on critical minerals with the United States.
Underpinning the debate will be a tension that girds many elements of the bloc’s dealings in 2026: capacity versus trust.
Envoys will negotiate in the shadow of a new trade threat from US President Donald Trump, who last week shocked Brussels with a tariff investigation linked to overcapacity and forced labour of 60 economies including China, the EU...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/71b28e18-8725-4f21-af71-8ac0acde87e7_326740c7.jpg?itok=RhR_Z5mq&v=1773551239
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346639/tariffs-stockpiles-distrust-eus-messy-bid-ditch-china-hits-capacity-problems?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 08:53:39 UTC

China and US begin fresh round of trade talks in Paris
Senior officials from China and the United States have started a new round of trade talks in Paris, as the two sides seek to pave the way for US President Donald Trump’s expected visit to Beijing later this month.
The delegations – led by Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent – arrived at the headquarters of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on Sunday local time.
Tucked deep inside the residential and quiet 16th arrondissement of...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/7f847afc-6d22-417c-9ba6-717a09f800e1_83058ab9.jpg?itok=sAvmVKET&v=1773564812
https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346652/china-and-us-begin-fresh-round-trade-talks-paris?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 08:44:18 UTC

Damp days ahead in Hong Kong, with 95% humidity expected in midweek
This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing.
Hong Kong faces a damp week ahead as humidity is expected to peak at 95 per cent with the arrival of a seasonal coastal mist from Wednesday, according to the city’s weather forecaster.
The Observatory said on Sunday daytime temperatures would climb to 26 degrees Celsius (79 Fahrenheit) in the middle of the week, with significantly more humid air arriving in...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/6419988c-82af-4830-b580-fb4069b695be_229a1cdc.jpg?itok=IDWHpTB8&v=1773564257
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3346651/damp-days-ahead-hong-kong-95-humidity-expected-midweek?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 08:38:17 UTC

Hongkonger, 28, held as HK$20 million of suspected cocaine seized in village house
Hong Kong police seized HK$20 million (US$2.55 million) worth of suspected cocaine in a village house in Sha Tin and arrested a 28-year-old man in an anti-drug trafficking operation on Saturday.
Senior Inspector Conrad Chan Yuen-fun, of the police narcotics bureau’s operation division, said on Sunday that the raid stopped the drugs from reaching the market.
The operation followed an investigation revealing the house in Sha Tin was being used to store illicit drugs, Chan said at a briefing on...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/47c32f70-aaae-4fb5-8337-2acb7df336d4_ea88251a.jpg?itok=1eqAC-o-&v=1773563581
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3346650/hongkonger-28-held-hk20-million-suspected-cocaine-seized-village-house?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 08:00:12 UTC

Top of the world: why Indonesian workers are happiest in Asia Pacific
A survey showing workers in Indonesia as the happiest in Asia-Pacific has prompted discussions about the factors underpinning their positive attitudes relative to their regional peers.
A workplace report published this month by employment marketplace Jobstreet by SEEK found 82 per cent of Indonesian respondents said they felt somewhat or extremely happy at work, the highest level among eight regional markets surveyed.
The headline figure inevitably begs the question: does the result reflect...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/13/a61c9492-d99a-4dec-96b8-5dc08fe3f5a9_7c729fc1.jpg?itok=A_qBBp61&v=1773406096
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346545/top-world-why-indonesian-workers-are-happiest-asia-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 07:26:04 UTC

Couple arrested after their 1-year-old son falls to his death from Hong Kong flat
A Hong Kong couple have been arrested after their one-year-old son fell to his death from a high-rise residential building in Tsuen Wan on Sunday morning, the South China Morning Post has learned.
Preliminary investigations showed that the living room windows in the family’s fifth-floor unit were neither locked nor fitted with grilles, according to a source.
The parents, including the boy’s 47-year-old father, were arrested on suspicion of ill-treatment or neglect of a child.
The case is being...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/0a93b5a9-b55b-489e-9602-6c466aeb649a_1a072578.jpg?itok=Crs5jnta&v=1773559562
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346648/couple-arrested-after-their-1-year-old-son-falls-his-death-hong-kong-flat?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 07:25:24 UTC

Terrorism threat in Hong Kong ‘moderate’ amid Middle East war: security chief
Hong Kong’s terrorism threat level remains moderate amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East, the city’s security chief has said, urging residents to stay vigilant in the globally connected city.
Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said on Sunday there was no intelligence suggesting an imminent attack, but Hong Kong needed to “be prepared”, urging the public to report anything suspicious to police.
“The Russia-Ukraine war is not over, and there is conflict in the Middle East,”...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/3a6472a8-4e3d-4112-9d41-b68dc37d5b8a_5890805d.jpg?itok=XngSC9LC&v=1773554712
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3346643/terrorism-threat-hong-kong-moderate-amid-middle-east-war-security-chief?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 06:49:36 UTC

Indonesia’s Prabowo ‘surprised’ by Iran war, says US bombing won’t spark regime change
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said he was “pretty surprised” by the US-Israel war on Iran, adding that he did not see any “rationality” in the military campaign.
Prabowo, a retired general who now heads the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, said in an interview that Iran recently told him they were wary of entering into negotiations with the US to stop the war because they felt “basically they have been tricked” twice. In an asymmetrical war, he added, “they really just have to...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/906dc5ea-ce6d-41e3-af57-5df6c0b23ff8_c1ce5342.jpg?itok=pwLeSGF2&v=1773557370
https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3346646/indonesias-prabowo-surprised-iran-war-says-us-bombing-wont-spark-regime-change?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 06:12:21 UTC

New signalling system launches smoothly despite minor glitches on MTR’s Tsuen Wan line
Some trains were misaligned with the platform screen doors on the MTR’s Tsuen Wan line on the first day a new signalling system in Hong Kong was implemented, but such teething problems were rare in a launch that went largely according to plan.
The MTR Corporation said on Sunday overall operations had been “smooth” following the departure of the first train at 6am, despite some “isolated” glitches. Some 200 staff were deployed to ensure that the line ran normally.
“This morning we saw a few...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/4e42e193-72e5-4d0a-b3cc-98d9cfb1d335_70d2cd2c.jpg?itok=Gka5Em46&v=1773555140
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3346644/new-signalling-system-launches-smoothly-despite-minor-glitches-mtrs-tsuen-wan-line?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 06:00:16 UTC

Iran war exposes fragility of Gulf-Asia supply chains
Since the Iran war began late last month, it has threatened shipping across the Middle East’s two most important maritime chokepoints – the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb – through which much of Asia’s energy imports and manufactured exports flow.
For Gulf states and their major trading partners in Asia, the conflict is forcing a hard question: what, if anything, can protect supply chains if US security guarantees can no longer be taken for granted?
Analysts say the usual answers –...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/e5da2d07-943c-4ac8-95d3-11e4e46e7e20_7cd5627b.jpg?itok=dqQzFD88&v=1773505017
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346627/iran-war-exposes-fragility-gulf-asia-supply-chains?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 06:00:14 UTC

Beyond a ‘buffer zone’: how the Iran war is recalibrating Central Asian ties
Central Asian governments are leveraging the diplomatic fallout from the US-Israel war on Iran to assert their autonomy and reinforce their long-standing strategy of balancing major powers, according to analysts.
For decades, the five former Soviet republics have been seen as Russia’s “backyard”. However, as the conflict in Iran deepens, these nations are moving to recalibrate their geopolitical ties, signalling a shift away from their role as a passive buffer zone for great powers.
The shift...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/14/6bc43024-1bc5-4447-9d2f-b08e7dd64f09_22898f79.jpg?itok=ZKLktMmq&v=1773488412
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346611/beyond-buffer-zone-how-iran-war-recalibrating-central-asian-ties?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 06:00:09 UTC

China pet shop owner finds dumped cat with touching note and cash from elderly facing surgery
A pet shop owner from southwestern China discovered an abandoned cat with a note and cash, uncovering an elderly person’s final, loving gesture for their pet.
On March 7, the woman surnamed Sun, who runs a pet shop in Chuxiong, Yunnan province, found a grey pet carrier outside her shop.
Hearing a kitten meowing, she opened it to find a tabby cat surrounded by cat food.
“I was furious, thinking an irresponsible owner had abandoned it,” Sun said.
But as she looked closer, she found a crumpled...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/11/507e013e-8f42-4ec1-bdf0-b2fbcbcda33e_2e23852d.jpg?itok=BRQMl8Q6&v=1773216764
https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3346210/china-pet-shop-owner-finds-dumped-cat-touching-note-and-cash-elderly-facing-surgery?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 05:21:17 UTC

Middle East conflict could divert new capital to Hong Kong: treasury chief
The conflict in the Middle East could divert new capital to Hong Kong due to the city’s stability and regulatory certainty, the treasury minister has said, while pledging to keep markets operating smoothly amid energy price shocks caused by the war in Iran.
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu said on Sunday that the government would step up efforts to attract family offices and become a commodity trading hub as investors increasingly factored in political...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/d9a11d02-0d64-457b-9998-80212c94e03d_1c918c8d.jpg?itok=OwL_aoTX&v=1773552076
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346640/middle-east-conflict-could-divert-new-capital-hong-kong-treasury-chief?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 05:00:09 UTC

Blackpink’s Jennie, Art Basel, Cj Hendry: the top Hong Kong events to catch in March
With two weeks of Hong Kong arts month remaining, the city will continue to host a rich array of events, from a pop culture convention to a slew of art exhibitions.
The South China Morning Post highlights some of the best shows taking place in the rest of March.
From ComplexCon to classical concerts
Pop culture festival ComplexCon will return to Hong Kong for its third edition on March 21 and 22, with headliners including Jennie from K-pop powerhouse Blackpink and American rapper Yeat, making...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/a0414e02-0ec6-4646-9ec3-aeb75598914c_b37bb5c2.jpg?itok=haKMwU0e&v=1773540578
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346632/blackpinks-jennie-art-basel-cj-hendry-top-hong-kong-events-catch-march?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 04:00:12 UTC

China mall shuffle: as EVs exit, who’s filling the ground-floor showrooms?
Several years ago, prime ground-floor spaces in major shopping malls across Beijing and Shanghai’s business districts were commonly occupied by electric vehicle (EV) showrooms, with staff often escorting customers to car parks for test drives.
Many of these stores have now closed amid sluggish EV sales – yet mall owners have not been left disappointed. Instead, a new retail landscape is emerging, filled with tenants who are proving to be even more effective at drawing crowds and boosting rental...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/13/f361958e-4d02-4025-a92a-ffbb46875151_9adcab92.jpg?itok=c5YGvumC&v=1773403091
https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346537/china-mall-shuffle-evs-exit-whos-filling-ground-floor-showrooms?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 04:00:08 UTC

Underwater and unprotected: why Asean and the EU must secure subsea lifelines
What does the world’s digital economy rest on? Thousands of kilometres of fibre-optic cable lying on the ocean floor and, increasingly, in the crosshairs of great-power rivalry.
The confluence of recent subsea cable disruptions, gaps in the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) and intensifying great-power competition has elevated this underwater infrastructure from a technical and commercial concern to a security issue – characterised as “this century’s hidden battleground”. It has...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/13/3e53e22f-d8d2-4bbb-973d-6a80b81aa033_bd702d5d.jpg?itok=26z9R43m&v=1773399854
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3346525/underwater-and-unprotected-why-asean-and-eu-must-secure-subsea-lifelines?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 03:15:17 UTC

Turkey says Iran feels ‘betrayed’ by US attacks during nuclear talks
Turkey’s powerful foreign minister said on Saturday that there is no serious initiative to resume negotiations between the United States and Iran but that he believes Iran is open to backchannel talks.
The comments by Hakan Fidan came as Ankara is striving to stay out of the widening war in the Middle East.
Ankara, which has good relations with both Washington and Tehran, had attempted to mediate a solution between them before the US and Israel attacked Iran two weeks ago, triggering the...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/a5570b0b-9dd4-4386-b1eb-e60c6ca3a0ae_b60cdb76.jpg?itok=o9SUwO64&v=1773544516
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346637/turkey-says-iran-feels-betrayed-us-attacks-during-nuclear-talks?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 03:00:13 UTC

Playing the harp amid sirens: why a Hongkonger refuses to flee the Middle East
While hundreds of Hongkongers stranded in the Middle East have scrambled for flights home after the US-Israel war on Iran broke out, a devoted Christian from the city has chosen to stay, saying she has experienced far worse before.
The outbreak of war was unsettling, but Gloria Mok Chong-ngar said she found a way to maintain her inner peace in Jerusalem’s bomb shelters.
“The sirens kept ringing last week, sometimes as frequently as every few minutes, but I would play the harp in the bomb shelter...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/15/298ced89-dc15-4767-8497-4176b35a4295_f949bbfc.jpg?itok=fgRVP1KK&v=1773542649
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346634/playing-harp-amid-sirens-why-hongkonger-refuses-flee-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 03:00:10 UTC

Japan hotels keep luring Hong Kong families, global investors despite geopolitical strains
For Hong Kong’s Topaz Family Office, investing in hotels in Japan holds up as a sound decision even as a Middle East war clouds the macroeconomic environment.
The wealth manager has made Japan a central plank of its pivot into hospitality and real estate over the past two years, driven by a sharp post-pandemic tourism rebound. The investment thesis now looks increasingly robust thanks to multiple structural tailwinds and a growing pool of institutional capital flowing into the same trade.
“Japan...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/13/4da4847f-ee43-4f62-932e-31e55a81d576_68a86c7d.jpg?itok=SyOCKeS-&v=1773401633
https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3346535/japan-hotels-keep-luring-hong-kong-families-global-investors-despite-geopolitical-strains?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 02:30:08 UTC

Inside the coconut cartel: how Chinese money squeezes Thai farmers
Hands knotted by a lifetime of hard work, Supon Haochareon says Thai farmers in his position do not get to retire.
Instead, the 81-year-old and his wife Lamduan, 74, must tend more than 300 trees in Samut Sakhon, an hour west of Bangkok, agonising each year as prices slump and their coconuts grow smaller in the withering heat.
This month brought the lowest prices on record: two baht (six US cents) per coconut – less than a stick of chewing gum – virtually wiping out all profit from their...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/13/f8b3855c-15aa-432f-ab36-624ed96d06bf_aa522e6a.jpg?itok=fTFa7AkB&v=1773400199
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346531/inside-coconut-cartel-how-chinese-money-squeezes-thai-farmers?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 02:00:13 UTC

Why Japan’s Type-12 missile deployment may complicate China’s regional strategy
Japan has deployed its domestically produced long-range missiles near the East China Sea – a move that could be interpreted by Beijing as crossing a “strategic threshold”, analysts said.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said on Monday that the upgraded Type-12 surface-to-ship missiles would be deployed at Camp Kengun in the southwestern Japanese prefecture of Kumamoto by the end of this month.
Army vehicles carrying the first batch of missile launchers were reportedly spotted...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/14/941c8bad-893f-4c75-9e69-376c233ba669_e3173094.jpg?itok=KIL33yGn&v=1773499209
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346610/why-japans-type-12-missile-deployment-may-complicate-chinas-regional-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed

2026-03-15 02:00:07 UTC

Chinese bubble tea chain Mixue straps in for theme park project
A budget bubble tea chain from China best known for its cheap ice creams and drinks may soon be adding roller coasters and immersive shows to its menu.
Mixue, boasting more stores than McDonald’s and growing rapidly outside China, is planning to build a theme park at its headquarters in Zhengzhou, the capital of central China’s Henan province.
The park will be based on its Snow King mascot, a singing snowman that has become one of Chinese retailing’s most recognisable intellectual properties...
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/03/13/cc67107f-c541-43ac-bad5-7be2d4f02c00_b6040d58.jpg?itok=OkwiDMm2&v=1773393400
https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346502/chinese-bubble-tea-chain-mixue-straps-theme-park-project?utm_source=rss_feed