Over the last two decades, Marissa Anita has made a big impact on the Indonesian film and TV industry, first as a familiar face on Metro TV as a journalist and presenter, and now as a rising star in the country’s film industry. Collecting numerous awards and nominations for her work in films such as Ali & Ratu Ratu Queens and In the Absence of the Sun, Anita is using her platform to talk about female representation in the Asian film industry. Anita speaks with Post reporter Alkira Reinfrank about what it means to bring a “feminist conscience” when choosing roles and what why more complex female characters are needed on screen.

The past few years have not been smooth sailing for Asia’s biggest bank, but HSBC now faces one of its biggest dilemmas with pressure mounting from its largest shareholder, Ping An, to break up. Effectively, China’s biggest private insurer is calling for HSBC to split its Asia and western operations. Post senior business reporter Chad Bray unpacks the situation with Alkira Reinfrank, saying that after HSBC’s decision in 2020 to scrap dividends infuriated the bank’s legion of Hong Kong shareholders, this latest development is yet another example of investor strife.

Hong Kong is one of the wettest cities in Asia. But despite the torrential rains, the city is safe from large-scale flooding that routinely paralyses other Asian cities. It’s all thanks to a massive – and expensive – network of underground stormwater drainage tunnels that safely diverts rainwater to the sea. Follow SCMP’s Alkira Reinfrank on a trip deep beneath the city’s streets into a massive tunnel system that’s hidden right beneath our feet. 
 

Researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong have identified gut bacteria patterns that may be used to predict, diagnose and help treat long Covid. Professor Siew Chien Ng, associate director of the university’s Centre for Gut Microbiota Research, says a simple stool test can tell recovered Covid-19 patients their risks of suffering the effects of long Covid with 90 per cent accuracy. The initial study involved stool samples from more than 100 patients, with researchers set to increase the sample size to between 3,000-5,000 to improve the accuracy of results, Professor Ng tells the Post’s Alkira Reinfrank. The team is also set to conduct a clinical trial of a “microbiome immunity formula” to reduce the risk of Covid patients developing long Covid in the future.

One of the richest cities in Asia, Hong Kong is in the midst of an economic downturn brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, which has pushed hundreds from their homes and taken away vital economic lifelines for the more than 1,500 already sleeping on the city’s streets, shelters and temporary housing. A recent unofficial census by local non-governmental organisations found that over 500 people have become homeless since the start of the pandemic. Volunteers working for outreach organisations such as ImpactHK have seen a rise in demand for food and other necessities, saying that the pandemic has hurt the city’s neediest in ways big and small.

In the weeks since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, India’s President Narendra Modi has been walking a diplomatic tightrope, balancing his country's ties with Moscow and the West. Michael Kugelman, Wilson Centre’s Asia programme deputy director, says India’s historical ties with Russia, and its strategic and military reliance on Moscow means New Delhi is unlikely to condemn the country for the invasion. However, Kugelman tells the Post's Alkira Reinfrank that Modi’s friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin puts the Indian leader in a strong position to be a third-party mediator. 
 

Since the Ukraine invasion, China has been caught in a tricky diplomatic situation, balancing its ties with Russia and the West. As pressure mounts from both sides, why is China trying to remain neutral in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and could Beijing play a hand in ending the war? Director of the China programme at the Stimson Centre, Yun Sun, examines Beijing’s position with the Post’s Alkira Reinfrank.

Hong Kong is in the midst of its worst Covid-19 wave to date, recording the world’s highest coronavirus death rate and pushing an overstretched health care system to the brink. As the government pledged to focus on vaccinating the elderly and bringing down the number of deaths, the Post’s Alkira Reinfrank speaks to government pandemic adviser Dr David Hui, who’s director of the Stanley Ho Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, about why Hong Kong was seemingly caught unprepared even after two years of the pandemic. 

Omicron BA.2, a sister variant of the fast-spreading Omicron BA.1 variant, is proving to be an even more infectious form of the new strain of the Covid-19 virus. In Hong Kong, Omicron BA.2 quickly overtook BA.1 to become the dominant strain, fuelling the largest wave of cases seen in the city so far during the pandemic. But is Omicron BA.2 more dangerous than previous strains of the coronavirus? And why is it called “stealth Omicron”? The SCMP’s Alkira Reinfrank explains. 

When Russian forces crossed into Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Ukrainian Dana, who asked not to use her full name because of safety concerns, watched from Hong Kong as her homeland came under attack. The Post’s Alkira Reinfrank speaks to the Hong Kong-based model who feels helpless with her family stuck in the east of the country.
 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has ordered a full military mobilisation, after Russia invaded the country on February 24, 2022. Heavy fighting has been taking place across the country, with explosions heard in the capital Kyiv and in the eastern city of Kharkiv. Ukrainian officials say that Russian forces have taken control of Chernobyl, including the nuclear power plant.

The Russian military crossed into Ukrainian territory on February 24, 2022, as Ukraine said that a full-scale invasion was under way. After months of tension and speculation, Russian President Vladimir Putin set the stage by authorising a “special military operation” in eastern Ukraine on live television. Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Russian attack “could be the beginning of a big war”.

Strict social-distancing rules, snap lockdowns and mandatory testing have defined Hong Kong's "dynamic zero-infection” strategy to curb the spread of Covid-19. City officials insist on pressing ahead as infections rise while other parts of the world move toward a "living with Covid" approach. While Hong Kong has not implemented measures as strict as some cities in mainland China, its leaders have been warned by the central government that deviating from the strategy would be disastrous.

China and the United States are locked in a geopolitical struggle that shows no sign of easing. American political science professor and leading China scholar David Shambaugh has been analysing China’s moves for the last four decades. In the latest episode of Talking Post, the author of new book, China’s Leaders: From Mao to Now, speaks to SCMP chief news editor Yonden Lhatoo about the threat of war, China’s Communist Party and more.

The late Taiwanese singer Teresa Teng has been brought back to life as an interactive character you can talk to in a video call. Twenty-seven years after her death, digital production and visual effects company Digital Domain has made use of some of the latest technology to create a virtual reality (VR) version of the famous singer. Digital Domain Chief Executive Daniel Seah spoke with the SCMP’s Holly Chik about what he sees as future applications for virtual humans like the ones his company has created.

While many may know him for singing David Bowie’s Space Oddity in orbit, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield is a man of many more accomplishments. A former International Space Station (ISS) commander, fighter pilot and engineer, Hadfield has made space accessible to millions on Earth through his videos. In the latest episode of Talking Post, the astronaut and author of The Apollo Murders joins SCMP chief news editor Yonden Lhatoo to discuss the final frontier, aliens, the ISS and China’s space programme.

In a world dominated by an anti-China narrative, telling China’s side of the story can be a losing battle. On the front line of the struggle is Dr Wang Huiyao, founder of Beijing-based non-governmental think tank Centre for China and Globalisation. In the seventh episode of Talking Post, the Beijing government adviser speaks to SCMP chief news editor Yonden Lhatoo about China's credibility problem, human rights and more.

Hong Kong’s iconic Cross Harbour swim has returned, after a two-year hiatus because of the 2019 protests and the pandemic. About 1,200 entrants set off from the city’s Wan Chai district on Sunday December 12, 2021, swimming 1km (0.6 miles) across to Tsim Sha Tsui. The pandemic meant entries for this year’s swim were slashed by more than 60 per cent. All competitors were fully vaccinated and had taken a Covid-19 test beforehand. 
(Photo: SCMP / Sam Tsang)

Pioneering designer Vera Wang is arguably the biggest Asian-American name in high fashion. From bridal wear to red carpet gowns, the child of Chinese immigrants has stamped her mark on fashion. In the sixth episode of Talking Post with SCMP chief news editor Yonden Lhatoo, Wang opens up about her personal journey, discusses the current state of haute couture, and even critiques the host’s clothing.    

As the World Health Organization races to better understand the new coronavirus variant Omicron amid growing concern around the globe about this new Covid-19 mutation, how concerned should we be about Omicron? It's still unclear whether the latest strain of the coronavirus is more infectious or causes more severe disease than previous mutations, says Dr Siddharth Sridhar, University of Hong Kong virologist. He spoke with the Post’s Alkira Reinfrank about the effectiveness of existing vaccines and how Hong Kong would cope if Omicron entered the community. 
 
(Photo: Xinhua)

After bearing the brunt of public anger and international criticism over the 2019 protests, Chief Executive Carrie Lam now says she is “steeled” to meet any challenges as she spearheads sweeping changes in Hong Kong. In the fifth episode of Talking Post with SCMP chief news editor Yonden Lhatoo, Lam addresses concerns about where she is taking Hong Kong and defends her contentious legacy. Lam also won’t reveal whether she will seek a second term, though she does not sound like someone who is bowing out.

A leading microbiologist in Hong Kong has labelled a face mask as “selfish” because its design contains a valve that filters air being breathed in, but not out. The city's health officials have blamed the mask for a cross infection of Covid-19 at a quarantine hotel, after two guests staying on the same floor tested positive for the disease within a week of each other.
 

From UFOs to hypersonic weapons and China in space, American theoretical physicist and futurist Michio Kaku covers it all in the fourth episode of Talking Post with SCMP chief news editor Yonden Lhatoo. Nothing is off limits for the co-founder of string field theory and author of the new book The God Equation: The Quest for a Theory of Everything.

China’s top Communist Party leaders are meeting in Beijing for the sixth plenary session of the 19th Central Committee, a key meeting ahead of an expected leadership shuffle at the 20th national congress in 2022. During past “sixth plenums”, the party has come up with major decisions, including the establishment of Mao Zedong as paramount leader and the issuance of an official party verdict on the Cultural Revolution. Observers are watching to see how this latest sixth plenum will shape how the party plans to move forward and how it will try to convince the Chinese public to continue trusting in its leadership.

The coronavirus pandemic has brought the fine-dining world to its knees, and top chef Gaggan Anand was one of the high-profile casualties, but he’s raring to make a comeback. In the third episode of Talking Post, SCMP chief news editor Yonden Lhatoo chats with the star Indian chef about what he’s cooking up next, who makes the best Tibetan dumplings, and his contempt for the Michelin guide, among other reflections on food.

15,650 runners took part in the Hong Kong Marathon on October 24, 2021, with measures in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The number of participants allowed to take part in the three races – the full marathon, half marathon and 10km race – was reduced from 74,000 to 18,500 as part of pandemic precautions. All runners also had to be fully vaccinated two weeks before the event.

Australia’s relations with China are at a new low after the formation of Aukus, a new security pact Canberra has made with the US and the UK – widely seen as an alliance to confront Beijing. In the second episode of Talking Post, SCMP chief news editor Yonden Lhatoo speaks with Kevin Rudd, former Australian prime minister and now head of the Asia Society global think tank. They discuss what Aukus means for the region and how it factors into the risk of war between China and a US-led Western alliance. 

As more countries move towards a “living with Covid” strategy, China, which pioneered controlling Covid-19 with lockdown orders and tight border rules, will remain in a “wait and see” mode when it comes to adjusting its zero-tolerance policy. South China Morning Post reporter Simone McCarthy, who has been covering China’s response to the pandemic since early 2020, unpacks China’s strategy with the Post's Alkira Reinfrank.