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Middle East

Israel objects to composition of Trump-led Gaza ‘board of peace’

PM Netanyahu says the unveiling of the board was not coordinated with Israel and contradicted his government’s policy.

Palestinian girls walk past the rubble of residential buildings destroyed during the war in Gaza City on Friday. Photo: Reuters

United States & Canada

Breaking | Trump hits 8 Nato allies with tariffs to force Greenland sale

The duties will start at 10 per cent in February and go up to 25 per cent in June if no deal is reached for the US to buy the island.

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Protesters take part in a demonstration to show support for Greenland in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Saturday. Photo: Reuters

Africa

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni wins in election marred by fraud claims

Museveni’s main rival, Bobi Wine, claimed there was ‘massive ballot stuffing’ and that his party’s polling agents were abducted.

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni leaves after casting his ballot in Rwakitura on Thursday. Photo: AFP

Education

2 Hong Kong pupils win top prizes in first global youth storytelling competition

Vanessa Jane Wong and Wan Ruixi impress judges in STANCE Storytelling Competition 2025 organised by the Post.

Wan Ruixi (second left) receives her award from judges Esther Cheung (left), deputy editor of SCMP’s Young Post, Spark and Posties, and Gary Lo, storytelling coach and managing director of Glo Consulting. They are joined by the Post’s Ang Jin (right). Photo: SCMP

Opinion

My Take | Hong Kong marathon provides winning formula with no finishing line in sight

Flagship running event that grows more popular by the year not only showcases Hong Kong, but also brings multiple rewards such as healthier lifestyles and community spirit.

Youngsters participate in the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon youth run held at Kai Tak Sports Park on January 17. Photo: Elson Li
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Southeast Asia

Indonesian plane with 11 people missing, search and rescue under way

Hikers on Mount Bulusaraung have reported finding scattered debris, a logo consistent with Indonesia Air Transport markings.

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An aircraft operated by Indonesia Air Transport. A turboprop ATR 42-500 operated by the company was on the way from Yogyakarta to the capital city of South Sulawesi when it vanished from radar on Saturday. Photo: Indonesia Air Transport’s website

Politics

Beijing slams US senators for ‘malicious’ bill targeting Hong Kong trade offices

Foreign affairs office in Hong Kong says bid to strip offices’ privileges or force their closure reflects ‘Cold War mentality’ and ‘prejudice’.

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Hong Kong’s trade office in San Francisco. Photo: Frank Chen

Politics

Before Maduro’s capture in Venezuela, US spoke with hardline interior minister

Some politicians in Washington have questioned why the US did not grab Diosdado Cabello during its operation to seize Maduro.

Venezuela’s Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello attends a ceremony last week honouring military and security personnel who died during a US raid to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores in Caracas. Photo: Reuters

HK Sevens

Hong Kong 7s team battle to keep season alive with win-or-bust Colombia clash

City side beat Tonga in encouraging start but have wings clipped by Samoa, as season hangs in balance ahead of crunch Colombia date.

Max Denmark wriggles free of attention during Hong Kong’s victory over Tonga. Photo: World Rugby

Diplomacy

How US actions in Venezuela and beyond could spell opportunity for China

Beijing is trying to present itself as a more responsible power, but analysts say concrete actions will be needed to win over its neighbours.

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US actions are fuelling fears that the Donald Trump administration is dismantling the rules-based global order. Photo: Getty Images via AFP
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Fifteens

Hong Kong rugby star Tsang feels ‘alive’ after winning return from cancer ordeal

Lock forward inspires Kowloon to comeback win in her first match back, 18 months after being diagnosed with aggressive form of the disease.

Tsang Sin-yan and her Kowloon teammates enjoy their fairytale win in her first match back after being diagnosed with cancer. Photo: Edmond So

Society

Hong Kong flags 1,600 at-risk elderly households, but experts say more unaccounted

Social welfare lawmaker says the number identified fails to reflect risk status of over 500,000 elderly people living alone or in pairs.

Experts have urged the government to speed up efforts to locate more at-risk elderly residents. Photo: Sam Tsang

Racing

SCMP Best Bets: Divine Devas can deliver for punters at Sha Tin

SCMP Best Bets: Divine Devas can deliver for punters at Sha Tin

Europe

Thousands in Denmark join anti-Trump ‘Hands off Greenland’ protests

A US congressional delegation in Copenhagen says there is no security threat to Greenland to justify Trump’s demand to control the territory.

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People protesting in Copenhagen on Saturday to show solidarity with Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark. Photo: EPA

Diplomacy

China-led SCO warns against Iran ‘interference’ in veiled swipe at US

Security bloc expresses ‘grave concern’ over ‘tragic events’ as Iran is rocked by protests, calls for ‘political and diplomatic’ resolution.

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“Iran is our Homeland”, reads a billboard in Persian at a shop in Tehran. Photo: EPA-EFE
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Law and Crime

Hong Kong’s rare cases of police officers opening fire on duty

The Post revisits notable incidents when the city’s officers drew their guns, ranging from knife attacks to protest clashes.

Officers draw their guns on a man who had taken a woman hostage while brandishing a 30cm knife at a shopping centre in Tuen Mun. Photo: Handout

Diplomacy

Japan urged to ‘correct historical errors’, return Tang dynasty stele to China

9.5-tonne stone slab shipped to Japan as ‘war trophy’ in 1908 is described as one of China’s most significant ‘lost national treasures’.

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The Tang Honglu Well Stele pictured at its original site in Lushun in the early 20th century. Photo: Handout

Middle East

Iran’s leader says ‘thousands’ killed in protests, Trump a ‘criminal’

The comments by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are the first admission by Tehran on the death toll from the unrest.

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Protesters gather as vehicles burn, amid anti-government protests in Tehran, Iran, in this screen grab from a social media video released on January 9. Photo: Social media via Reuters

Politics

Taiwan faces possible Beijing squeeze after US quits WHO and other agencies

Opposition lawmakers fear the island’s international space will shrink still further without Washington’s voice in dozens of global bodies.

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President Donald Trump’s order to withdraw the United States from multiple UN and other international organisations has caused consternation in Taiwan. Illustration: Reuters

Health & Environment

Hong Kong public hospital pricing reform slashes less urgent A&E visits by 24%

Health minister says new system, in place since January 1, offers ‘guiding role’ steering patients with mild conditions to alternatives.

Hospital staff wheel a patient into Kwong Wah Hospital’s accident and emergency department. Photo: Sun Yeung
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Arts

Hong Kong composer’s unusual journey from finance to writing Cantonese musicals

Lora Chow’s musical Dr Clown will feature at the coming Fringe Festival in Hong Kong. We look at her eclectic career path, driven by passion.

Composer Lora Chow, at the Fringe Club. 13JAN26 SCMP / Jonathan Wong

China Business

China’s AI and EV boom drives record power demand, widening energy gap with US

The main drivers of the growth are the tertiary sector – covering services including AI cloud services – and residential use.

A drone photo taken on December 16, 2025 shows workers on a power transmission line in east China’s Anhui Province. Photo: Xinhua

China Economy

In wake of Trump post, calls mount for China to impose rate cap on online loans

Beijing tightened oversight of China’s online lending market last year, but many are still borrowing, especially those of younger generations.

The number of credit cards in China has dropped by about 100 million since September 2022. Photo: SCMP

Law and Crime

Murder suspect who fled to mainland China handed over to Hong Kong police

Man, 28, was wanted in Hong Kong in connection with the murder of his girlfriend, whose body was found hidden in his flat.

Police officers carry out investigations at Lok Wah South Estate last month following the murder case coming to light. Photo: Handout

East Asia

Japanese tattoo artists still face stigma despite landmark legal victory

The practice of tattooing has long been associated with the yakuza and many places in Japan still bar people bearing the body art.

Tattoo artist Horisho works on a foreign tourist at Good Times Ink tattoo studio in Osaka. Photo: Kyodo
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Society

Hong Kong to fast-track safety guideline updates after 3 construction site deaths

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun vows swift action and tighter regulation of construction site safety in wake of fatal incidents.

Hong Kong authorities will fast-track updates to safety guidelines for elevated work after the recent deaths of three workers. Photo: Eugene Lee

Basketball

EuroLeague boss slams NBA’s ambitious European plan as ‘bit of a broken record’

‘We know how Europe functions,’ says league CEO as US body starts pitch to investors, clubs with a target start of October next year.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver was in Berlin on Thursday to watch the Orlando Magic (blue) beat the Memphis Grizzlies 118-111 at Uber Arena. Photo: dpa

Politics

‘Love yourself’ – young China’s new wellness mantra to cope with the rat race

Stagnant job markets and long gruelling hours at work have led to widespread burnout and disillusionment when effort fails to yield rewards.

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Ai ni lao ji, a Chinese expression meaning “love yourself first”, has become a popular mantra for prioritising one’s own happiness. Photo: AP

Celebrities

Meet Sepideh Moafi, who plays Dr Baran Al-Hashimi in season 2 of The Pitt

The Iranian-American actress started life as a refugee; she was in The Deuce before joining the Emmy-winning medical drama starring Noah Wyle.

Iranian-American actress Sepideh Moafi has joined season two of The Pitt. Photo: @sepidehmoafi/Instagram

Trending in China

Chinese man earns US$39,000 in 2 years teaching adults to ride bicycles amid big demand

Set to graduate with his sports education master’s in June, Li plans to refine his teaching methods and expand into nearby provinces.

A man who is studying a master’s in sport education in Shanghai earned 270,000 yuan (US$39,000) in two years teaching hundreds of people to ride bicycles. Photo: RedNote