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SCMP

We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.
1. Chinese military says it is developing over 10 quantum warfare weapons
The People’s Liberation Army said more than 10 experimental quantum cyber warfare tools were “under development”, many of which were being “tested in front-line missions”, according to the official newspaper Science and Technology Daily.
2. China’s solar firms, once deemed too competitive, now face monopoly accusations

China’s efforts to rein in cutthroat price wars in the solar industry have had the unintended result of creating risks of alleged price rigging, highlighting what analysts describe as an “uneasy balance” between the government’s anti-involution campaign and anti-monopoly policies.
3. ‘No oil here’: Malaysians turn US embassy space post into foreign-policy satire
A well-intentioned US embassy post featuring a satellite image of Malaysia has sparked a distinctly local burst of self-deprecating humour, with social media users quipping in response to the picture: “Sorry, we don’t have oil.”
4. Hong Kong corporate governance activist David Webb dies at 60

David Webb, the corporate governance activist renowned for his free public database and his explosive “Enigma Network” exposé that rocked the Hong Kong stock exchange, has died aged 60 of metastatic prostate cancer.
4. Zheng Yu, ‘rising star’ in chemical engineering from MIT, quits US for China
Zheng Yu, a leading young Chinese chemical engineer has left the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to return home to Peking University. Her research focuses on special materials that allow electronic devices to understand the biological signals sent by the body.
6. Foreign, Hong Kong retailers shut mainland China stores amid fierce competition
Mainland China’s retail and retail property sectors have suffered another blow amid a fresh wave of store closures by foreign and Hong Kong brands. High-profile store closures included those of Lane Crawford, Ikea, Triumph and Zara.
7. Filipino woman worships green statue for 4 years, finds out it is animated character Shrek

A woman in the Philippines spent four years worshipping a green Buddha statue before discovering that it was actually a 3D-printed figure of the cartoon character Shrek.


Cheaper durians for China, Hong Kong helpers camp in tents: 5 weekend reads you missed

King Charles’ gift amuses Chinese, anti-spy agency makes allegation: SCMP’s 7 highlights

A 60-year-old Singaporean pole dancer, Guizhou’s spicy food: 7 Lifestyle highlights

China’s EV makers to cut charging times; Tesla rival Li Auto’s expansion: 7 EV reads

SCMP Highlights

China’s quantum warfare weapons; ‘rising star’ quits US: SCMP’s 7 highlights

A woman in the Philippines spent four years worshipping the animated character Shrek. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/IG@thetropixs

The PLA said the technology was being tested on the front lines. Photo: Xinhua


A vast solar farm is under construction at a coastal area in China’s eastern Jiangsu province. Photo: AFP

Corporate governance activist David Webb has died at the age of 60. Photo: May Tse

China’s bid for 200,000 satellites; 2,000-year-old ‘computer’: 7 science highlights

The ancient Chinese loom may well be recognised as the world’s earliest computer, according to the China Association for Science and Technology. Photo: China Silk Museum

Several Chinese firms have applied to the International Telecommunication Union to put internet satellites in space as China and the US in a race to build megaconstellations. Illustration: Shutterstock

Wang Kejian’s team says its breakthrough could end the need for farmers to buy expensive new hybrid seeds every season. Photo: Handout

China’s advanced grid protection technology enables power grid faults to be isolated and restored within a split second, and also solves the problem of identifying micro-current faults at the hundred milliampere level. Photo: Xinhua

India overtakes Japan, Bali mulls bank check requirement: 7 Asia highlights

Screenshot from Philippine Airlines’ new soap opera-styled safety video. Photo: Philippine Airlines

Shoppers walk along a street illuminated with decorative lights ahead of New Year celebrations in Bengaluru, India, last month. Photo: AFP

A view from Singapore towards Johor Bahru in southern Malaysia, a key crossing point for Malaysians working in the city state. Photo: AFP

Tourists walk through a shopping area in Seminyak, Bali, on August 1, 2025. The island has seen a surge in foreign arrivals as officials push for “quality tourism” measures. Photo: EPA

China’s ‘sweep and kill’ weapon, Malaysians opting for Singapore: SCMP’s 7 highlights

The high-power microwave system was showcased during the September 3 Victory Day parade in Beijing. Photo: Xinhua

A pro-government, armed civilian in Caracas, Venezuela, attends a protest demanding the release of President Nicolas Maduro. Photo: AP

A view of Greenland’s capital, Nuuk. The United States aims to acquire Greenland, which is a self-governing Danish territory. Photo: AFP

Eric Tsang says he has “somewhat run out of ideas” and is ready to pass on the baton to the younger generation of TVB staff. Photo: Edmond So

Record-breaking Hong Kong powerlifter Jaclyn Hei Tsang is pictured at a private gym in Quarry Bay, Hong Kong, on December 29, 2025. Also a dietitian, personal trainer, author and PhD candidate, she tackles online health myths and bad advice on her Instagram page, @fitness_dietitian_hk. Photo: Jonathan Wong

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From Chinese solar makers facing monopoly probe to woman praying to Shrek for four years, here are highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting


From Chinese solar makers facing monopoly probe to woman praying to Shrek for four years, here are highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting.


China’s quantum warfare weapons; ‘rising star’ quits US: SCMP’s 7 highlights

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}From Chinese solar makers facing monopoly probe to woman praying to Shrek for four years, here are highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting

1. Chinese military says it is developing over 10 quantum warfare weapons

From Chinese solar makers facing monopoly probe to woman praying to Shrek for four years, here are highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting