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China Opinion

Opinion | Too few Chinese finish secondary school to sustain growth

To shift to a new growth model, China must redirect its focus from skyscrapers and infrastructure to raising educational attainment.

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Students study at a high school in Renxian county, Hebei province, on May 7, 2015. Photo: Xinhua

United States & Canada

US lawmakers propose US$2.5 billion agency to boost production of rare earths

The US is moving to reduce reliance on China after Beijing used its dominance in critical minerals to gain leverage in the trade war.

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Workers use machinery to dig at a rare earth mine in Ganxian county in central China’s Jiangxi province. Photo: Chinatopix via AP

China

China-linked hackers ‘used Venezuela-themed phishing to target US agencies’

Swiss firm says Mustang Panda leveraged US-Venezuela tensions as geopolitical lures in a malware campaign against government-related targets.

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China and the US have in recent years increasingly pointed the finger at each other for conducting or sanctioning cyberattacks. Photo: Shutterstock

Middle East

Iran halts executions as Gulf allies pull Trump back from strike, US says

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump had warned Tehran of ‘grave consequences’ if the killing of protesters continued.

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Iranians attend an anti-government protest in Tehran, Iran on January 9. Photo: UGC via AP

United States & Canada

Washington completes first sale of Venezuelan oil ‘in US$500 million deal’

The White House official, who did not identify the buyer, said additional sales could take place in the coming days or weeks.

The Nave Photon, carrying crude oil from Venezuela, is docked at Port Freeport in Freeport, Texas on Thursday. Photo: Reuters
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Europe

UK Conservative lawmaker Robert Jenrick defects to Farage’s Reform UK

Earlier, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Jenrick had been sacked after his plans to switch ⁠allegiance to Reform UK were leaked.

Robert Jenrick, left, a former British Conservative Party member, at a press conference with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage in London on Thursday. Photo: Reuters

Golf

O’Neil bullish about LIV’s future, reveals plan for International Series growth

New strategy will bring national opens around the world into Asian Tour’s elevated series of tournaments.

LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil has painted a bright picture of the league’s future. Photo: Jonathan Wong

United States & Canada

US charges 20 people with rigging university, Chinese basketball games: NBC

The ‍suspects sought to ‘fix’ Chinese Basketball Association men’s games by ‘point ‍shaving’, prosecutors said. Charges include bribery.

Authorities say fixers recruited basketball players with “bribe payments” usually ranging from US$10,000 to US$30,000 per game. Photo: AP

United States & Canada

Trump admin closer to deporting pro-Palestinian activist after court ruling

The ruling, which reversed an earlier decision to release Khalil, is a win for the Trump administration’s efforts to deport the ex-student.

Mahmoud Khalil attends a “Welcome Home” rally on the steps of the Cathedral of St John the Divine in New York in June. Photo: EPA

Law and Crime

‘Hong Kong lawyers should not aim just to compete but specialise in Greater Bay Area’

Bar Association chair Jose-Antonio Maurellet says lawyers can contribute to joint legal teams in cases with mainland and common law elements.

The Hong Kong Bar Association’s Jose-Antonio Maurellet speaks at the conference in Shenzhen. Photo: Handout
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United States & Canada

Minneapolis on edge as Trump threatens Insurrection Act to end protests

The act lets the president deploy the military or federalise the National Guard for policing, even over state governors’ objections.

US federal agents use tear gas, pepper balls and flash bangs to secure a perimeter as protests erupted after an ICE-involved shooting in Minneapolis. Photo: dpa

Society

Pledges fall short of fixing building sector after Hong Kong inferno: experts

Experts warn new building maintenance measures in the wake of the deadly fire in Tai Po only scratch the surface of deeper systemic issues.

Industry leaders say Hong Kong’s reforms in the wake of the Tai po fire are a start, but lack detail on inspections and contractor transparency. Photo: Sam Tsang

Outdoor

North Korean quintet among overseas runners invited for Hong Kong Marathon

Two runners from world’s top 100 will lead elite group in Sunday’s race, while popular Japanese athlete Yuki Kawauchi makes return.

North Korea’s Asian Games silver medallist Han Il-ryong will be running on Sunday, along with four female compatriots. Photo: AFP

United States & Canada

EU allies bolster Greenland troop presence amid Trump’s takeover bid

Initial deployments are small – including just 13 German and 15 French specialists – but aim to demonstrate united resolve.

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Danish military forces participate in an exercise with hundreds of troops from several European Nato members in the Arctic Ocean in Nuuk, Greenland in September 2025. Photo: AP

Diplomacy

The US has sent a ‘dangerous’ message and China must act, legal expert warns

Beijing think tank expert calls for legislation to protect against ‘external suppression’ and to safeguard technology and supply chains.

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A legal expert in Beijing said tighter national security legislation was needed to make China more “resilient”. Photo: Shutterstock
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Asia

Video | Police find village-sized meth labs in Myanmar jungle

Junta authorities said they made the discovery after regaining control of land previously run by rebel groups.

A Myanmar police officer stands in the smoldering ruins of a captured methamphetamine lab near Namlan in Shan State on January 14, 2026. (Photo by Joe STENSON / AFP)
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United States & Canada

US seizes Venezuela-linked tanker in Caribbean ahead of Trump-Machado meeting

The ‍seizure marks the sixth vessel ‌targeted in recent weeks that was ‍either carrying Venezuelan oil or had done so ‌in the past.

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Marines and sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear seize the tanker Veronica in the Caribbean on Thursday. Photo: Handout

Politics

Exclusive | 3 new Hong Kong lawmakers fail to declare company shareholdings

Newcomers blame omissions on heavy workloads or misunderstandings.

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Legco held the first meeting of its new term on Wednesday. Photo: Eugene Lee

Diplomacy

China warns against ‘law of the jungle’ amid anti-government protests in Iran

Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi that Beijing was willing to mediate.

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The wave of protests in Iran may be the most significant since the 1979 Islamic revolution. Photo: AP

Video | Hong Kong police shoot man wielding meat cleaver in Tuen Mun

Officer responding to the scene opened fire near a convenience store at Tuen Mun Town Plaza.

Hong Kong police shoot man wielding meat cleaver in Tuen Mun
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Tech War

Chinese firms to incur higher costs for deploying AI chips from US: analysts

‘Beijing has made it politically unpalatable for private firms to rely too much on imported AI chips,’ EIU senior analyst Chim Lee says.

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The new import duties on advanced AI chips cover Nvidia’s H200 and Advanced Micro Devices’ MI325X graphics processing units. Photo: Shutterstock

Diplomacy

China and Canada at ‘new starting point’ as Mark Carney makes state visit

Chinese Premier Li Qiang says the two countries have worked together to achieve a turnaround in relations.

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Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney review an honour guard at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday. Photo: Reuters

Health & Environment

Hong Kong employee insurance costs to jump 15% amid surge in day procedures: study

Firms warned of rising costs as increasing number of minor day-surgery claims under inpatient plans drive up group insurance premiums.

The Hong Kong Employee Medical Insurance Index report findings have been released by Polytechnic University in collaboration with corporate employee benefits and MPF consultancy GUM. Photo: Theodora Yu

Russia & Central Asia

Kremlin warns Ukraine running out of time to accept peace terms

The Kremlin insists Ukraine is running out of options as US-led talks stall, warning that the ‘situation is deteriorating’ for Kyiv daily.

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Firefighters work at a private delivery company’s logistics hub hit by a Russian missile strike in Kharkiv, Ukraine on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters

China Business

China’s subsidy change adds to EV makers’ stress, while petrol cars gain

Typical subsidy on an EV drops by around US$1,150, changing buyer calculations and exacerbating the sector’s profitability woes.

Customers check out an EV at a shopping center in Wuhan, in central China’s Hubei province, on January 14, 2026. Photo: Xinhua
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World Opinion

Opinion | An internally split Europe can never fully engage China and Asia

The Brussels effect is real but so is Europe’s strategic subordination to the US. For China, and Asia, this means proceeding with pragmatism.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens

Law and Crime

Hong Kong police shoot and kill man wielding meat cleaver in Tuen Mun

Police say officers on scene at Tuen Mun Town Plaza shopping centre had no choice but to shoot man to save passer-by.

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Police officers point their weapons at the man in Tuen Mun Town Plaza. Photo: handout

Southeast Asia

FMT apologises for racial query tying Malaysia’s ‘Chinese problem’ to Palestine

During a George Galloway lecture, a Free Malaysia Today reporter asked if the ‘Palestine problem’ parallels Malaysia’s ‘Chinese problem’.

Free Malaysia Today apologises after a reporter’s question at a Gaza lecture drew criticism for insensitive racial overtones. Photo: Shutterstock

Society

Stalled work to resume as Hong Kong distributes 3,000 fire-tested scaffold nets

Construction Industry Council receives 12,000 centrally procured nets from Guangdong province, with another 38,000 expected to arrive by early February.

The first batch of fire-retardant safety nets at the warehouse in San Tin. Photo: Karma Lo

Tech Trends

Uber’s WeChat tie-up pays off as demand from Chinese tourists rises overseas

Uber will offer a discount of at least 40 per cent during Lunar New Year for new mainland users who join via its WeChat mini-program.

New York-listed Uber operates in 70 markets globally. Photo: Shutterstock