https://www.scmp.com/rss/265598/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Artemis II astronauts snapped a stunning shot of Earthset – the moment when the Earth dips below the moon’s horizon – on their long journey back home on Tuesday after wrapping up a historic lunar fly-by. Nasa released the photo of Earth dropping below the rugged lunar edge in a deliberate nod to the iconic Earthrise image taken by an Apollo 8 astronaut in 1968. That shot 57 years ago helped capture the public’s imagination when it was taken by US astronaut Bill Anders during the first space... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349308/nasas-artemis-crew-snaps-historic-earthset-photo-way-home-moon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349308/nasas-artemis-crew-snaps-historic-earthset-photo-way-home-moon?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 17:00:45 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A pet ostrich went for a speedy jaunt down a busy Thai highway on Tuesday, before being returned safe and sound to its enclosure at an animal-themed cafe. The six-month-old male ostrich raced along a three-lane highway in Thailand’s coastal Chonburi province as cars and trucks sped by the flightless bird, according to a video posted by a man who was driving directly behind it. “Who lost an ostrich on the road? Come get him. He runs so fast,” the motorist, Chairat Sompong, is heard saying in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349303/ostrich-escapes-animal-cafe-sprints-down-thai-highway?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349303/ostrich-escapes-animal-cafe-sprints-down-thai-highway?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:43:20 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A French high-speed train crashed into a truck carrying military equipment in northern France on Tuesday, killing the driver of the TGV and critically injuring two people, officials said. The truck driver was taken into police custody after the train, which was travelling from the northern city of Dunkirk to Paris and carrying 243 people, collided with the vehicle at a level crossing in the town of Bully-les-Mines. The impact was so strong that the military vehicle weighing several dozen tonnes... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349268/france-high-speed-rail-collides-truck-killing-train-driver?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349268/france-high-speed-rail-collides-truck-killing-train-driver?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 09:29:22 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Vietnam’s Communist Party boss To Lam was elected president by the National Assembly on Tuesday, capping his bid to centralise authority in a nation where senior cadres have traditionally governed collectively. In less than two years as party chief, the 68-year-old has swept aside rivals and transformed the country through an aggressive reform drive – literally redrawing the map as he combined provinces and slashed bureaucracy. Lam has set an ambitious target of 10 per cent annual growth for the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349235/lam-emerges-vietnams-supreme-leader-after-being-elected-president?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349235/lam-emerges-vietnams-supreme-leader-after-being-elected-president?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 06:35:20 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse One of Australia’s most-decorated soldiers was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly murdering unarmed prisoners while serving in Afghanistan, police and local media said following a sweeping war crimes investigation. The Australian Federal Police said they arrested a 47-year-old former Australian soldier, who was widely named in local media as Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith. Federal police commissioner Krissy Barrett said the soldier had been linked to a string of murders while serving... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3349228/decorated-australian-soldier-faces-5-murder-charges-afghan-war-crime-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3349228/decorated-australian-soldier-faces-5-murder-charges-afghan-war-crime-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 06:06:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A new cast of Castros is emerging in Cuba: a grandson and a great-nephew are moving up the corridors of power, while another is an eccentric Instagram influencer declaring that Cubans want capitalism. US President Donald Trump’s administration is putting pressure on Cuba, demanding change and restricting oil exports to the country, but the Castro dynasty still holds sway on the communist-run island. Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, a colonel and grandson of 94-year-old former president Raul... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3349226/new-cast-castros-emerging-cuba-where-name-holds-sway?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3349226/new-cast-castros-emerging-cuba-where-name-holds-sway?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 05:39:58 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Pongsapak Laopakdee, a 21-year-old Thai golfer better known as “Fifa”, is ready for a historic start Thursday at the 90th Masters. Fifa, a student at Arizona State University, will become the first Thai amateur to compete at Augusta National when he tees off in the opening round at the famed course. “It’s a huge honour, that’s for sure, to be the first Thai amateur to play in the Masters. It’s always nice to know that you’re playing for something that’s bigger than yourself,” he said on... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3349218/thai-amateur-golfer-fifa-ready-kick-historic-masters-debut-augusta-national?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3349218/thai-amateur-golfer-fifa-ready-kick-historic-masters-debut-augusta-national?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 05:00:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Iran has freed a Japanese national held since January, Tokyo said on Tuesday, with Kyodo News reporting, however, that the individual is not allowed to leave the Islamic Republic. The Japanese news agency also reported, citing unnamed sources within the government in Tokyo, that the person is believed to be the Tehran bureau chief of broadcaster NHK. “The Japanese embassy in Iran has confirmed that a Japanese national who was detained by Iranian authorities on January 20 was released on April 6... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3349209/japan-confirms-release-second-citizen-held-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3349209/japan-confirms-release-second-citizen-held-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 03:02:27 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse First it was protein, now it is fibre: the “maxxing” mindset has permeated social media, as wellness influencers insist that loading up on certain nutrients is the key to vitality and a life-changing gut glow-up. These viral diet trends rooted in extreme optimisation are affecting how people eat and what companies sell – but are they actually healthy? The concept of “proteinmaxxing” insists that more is better when it comes to the macronutrient found in foods like nuts, meat and dairy, which is... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3349125/are-food-health-trends-fibermaxxing-and-proteinmaxxing-actually-healthy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3349125/are-food-health-trends-fibermaxxing-and-proteinmaxxing-actually-healthy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 23:15:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The US Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for Steve Bannon, a former adviser to US President Donald Trump, to overturn his conviction in a case linked to the January 6 attack on the Capitol. Bannon, a leading figure on the far-right, served four months in prison in 2024 for defying a subpoena to testify before a congressional panel investigating the 2021 attack. But he appealed to the Supreme Court to have the conviction overturned, a legal challenge the Trump administration joined in... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349196/supreme-court-clears-path-overturn-conviction-ex-trump-aide-steve-bannon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349196/supreme-court-clears-path-overturn-conviction-ex-trump-aide-steve-bannon?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 18:55:00 +0000 Associated Press,Agence France-Presse Associated Press,Agence France-Presse As The Super Mario Galaxy Movie crushed the competition at the North American box office on its opening weekend, with an estimated US$130.9 million in ticket sales, this screen adaptation of the wildly popular Nintendo video game may have succeeded in enticing arguably the most prized film-goers to Hollywood today: children. The five-day opening of the Super Mario sequel reached US$190.1 million domestically, and around US$372.5 million worldwide. “This is a sensational opening for the second... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3349137/how-generation-alpha-could-save-hollywood-pg-rated-films-lead-way?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3349137/how-generation-alpha-could-save-hollywood-pg-rated-films-lead-way?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 11:15:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Flooding sparked by heavy rains killed at least five people in southern Russia on Monday, while thousands of others were evacuated from their homes, authorities said. Social media videos showed flooded villages and highways engulfed by water in Russia’s Dagestan republic in the Caucasus Mountains, with overturned cars lying on the roadside. A multi-storey residential building partly collapsed in the regional capital Makhachkala. “Water levels rose after heavy rain, leading to further flooding of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3349173/floods-kill-3-russia-thousands-evacuated-after-dam-wall-breaks-dagestan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3349173/floods-kill-3-russia-thousands-evacuated-after-dam-wall-breaks-dagestan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 10:46:31 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse South Korea will send five Korean-flagged ships to the Saudi Arabian Red Sea port of Yanbu to help establish alternative oil supply routes to avoid the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, a ruling MP said on Monday. Oil prices have surged amid the US-Israeli war on Iran, raising growth and inflation risks for South Korea, which relies on Middle Eastern crude for around 70 per cent of its imports. Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz – a critical route for global crude oil and gas –... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3349167/iran-war-south-korea-aims-bypass-hormuz-send-ships-saudi-port-oil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3349167/iran-war-south-korea-aims-bypass-hormuz-send-ships-saudi-port-oil?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 10:01:03 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Southeast Asia’s largest low-cost carrier AirAsia X said on Monday it was raising ticket prices by as much as 40 per cent and cutting routes to cushion the impact of the war on Iran, but stressed demand for flights remained high. The Malaysia-based no-frills airline said about 10 per cent of its overall flights had been cut so far. It has raised fuel surcharges by about 20 per cent, while fare prices have increased between 31 per cent and 40 per cent. Average jet fuel costs have soared to about... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349143/airasia-x-hikes-ticket-prices-40-cut-capacity-10-iran-war-hits-fuel-costs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349143/airasia-x-hikes-ticket-prices-40-cut-capacity-10-iran-war-hits-fuel-costs?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 07:41:39 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Vincent Kompany’s Bayern Munich visit Real Madrid on Tuesday in the Champions League quarter-finals high on confidence and looking like Europe’s most complete side, bolstered by the likely return of superstar striker Harry Kane. Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta has urged his shell-shocked Arsenal to embrace a major test of their character as they seek to recover from a pair of devastating defeats in their quarter-final at Sporting Lisbon. Record 15-time winners Madrid have endured a difficult season,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3349132/real-madrid-hope-champions-league-magic-halts-bayern-machine-arsenal-face-character-test?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3349132/real-madrid-hope-champions-league-magic-halts-bayern-machine-arsenal-face-character-test?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 05:53:32 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse South Korean President Lee Jae Myung expressed regret to Pyongyang on Monday over drones sent into North Korea earlier this year, actions he called “irresponsible”. South Korea initially denied any official role in the January drone incursion – with authorities suggesting it was the work of civilians – but Lee said an investigation had revealed government officials had been involved. “Although this was not the intention of our government, we express our regret to the North that unnecessary... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3349113/south-koreas-lee-regrets-drones-sent-north-irresponsible-and-reckless?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3349113/south-koreas-lee-regrets-drones-sent-north-irresponsible-and-reckless?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 03:12:19 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Samira Muhammadi hopes an international investigation can “extinguish” her pain after a Pakistani bombing killed her son and hundreds of other Afghans in the capital Kabul last month. The March 16 attack hit a drug treatment centre and killed 411 people, according to Afghan officials. A United Nations source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they had verified at least 250 killed, with more still missing. “There should be investigations on this … Like me, many mothers lost their sons,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3349110/pakistani-strike-killed-her-son-rehab-now-afghan-mother-demands-answers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3349110/pakistani-strike-killed-her-son-rehab-now-afghan-mother-demands-answers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 01:14:50 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3) Britain is going to open the world’s first Minecraft roller coaster and attractions with Minecraft World in 2027, announced Mojang Studios. Mojang is a video game company from Sweden that created the bestselling video game ever. The attraction will be based on the “biomes, mobs and items” from the popular Minecraft game. It will have a roller coaster, fun play areas that look like blocks, shops and places to eat that go along with the theme. Minecraft was first... https://www.scmp.com/posties/kids/eye-news/article/3348640/worlds-first-minecraft-theme-park-set-launch-britain-2027?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/posties/kids/eye-news/article/3348640/worlds-first-minecraft-theme-park-set-launch-britain-2027?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:00:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3) Brazilian leaders unveiled a new national climate plan recently to protect the country’s forests as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Since 2008, Brazil has not updated its primary plan to fight climate change. The government has now created a new plan for 2035 and is expected to have lowered its emissions significantly by then. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has called for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 67 per cent compared with 2005... https://www.scmp.com/posties/kids/eye-news/article/3348618/brazil-unveils-ambitious-new-climate-plan-target-zero-deforestation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/posties/kids/eye-news/article/3348618/brazil-unveils-ambitious-new-climate-plan-target-zero-deforestation?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 23:45:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Difficulty: Challenger (Level 2) Antarctic sea ice coverage has likely rebounded this year. US scientists have found that the amount of ice is closer to its annual summer average after four years of extreme lows. The area covered by Antarctic sea ice likely reached its annual minimum level at 2.58 million sq km on February 26. This information is from scientists at the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC) at the University of Colorado Boulder. Every year, Antarctic sea ice reaches its... https://www.scmp.com/posties/kids/steam-studio/article/3348788/antarctic-sea-ice-improves-after-4-years-extreme-lows-and-why-matters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/posties/kids/steam-studio/article/3348788/antarctic-sea-ice-improves-after-4-years-extreme-lows-and-why-matters?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 22:45:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Drinks giants Pepsi and Diageo on Sunday pulled out of sponsoring a music festival in London headlined by US rapper Kanye West, who has a history of antisemitic outbursts. The disgraced 48-year-old hip-hop star - now known as Ye - is due to play three nights at the Wireless Festival in London in July as part of a European comeback tour. A spokesperson for Pepsi, the festival’s top sponsor, said on Sunday that the brand “has decided to withdraw its sponsorship of Wireless Festival”, without... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349102/british-pm-slams-london-music-festival-booking-kanye-west-sponsor-pepsi-quits-event?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349102/british-pm-slams-london-music-festival-booking-kanye-west-sponsor-pepsi-quits-event?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 17:00:19 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Afghanistan aims to increase trade with Central Asian countries to US$10 billion within the next three or four years, Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said on Sunday. Trade with Central Asian countries to Afghanistan’s north came to about US$2.7 billion in 2025, itself a significant increase over previous years, Muttaqi said. He stated Afghanistan’s new trade goal with its neighbours at a “constructive dialogue” meeting in Kabul with representatives from Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3349095/afghanistan-wants-us10-billion-trade-deals-central-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3349095/afghanistan-wants-us10-billion-trade-deals-central-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 13:26:29 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Critical infrastructure across the Gulf came under attack from Iran on Sunday with damage reported at civilian facilities in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait. Gulf countries have faced repeated drone and missile salvoes from Iran over past weeks in response to US and Israeli strikes that began at the end of February. Iran has targeted energy and other industrial infrastructure in the oil-rich Gulf nations, accusing its neighbours of allowing US forces to carry out attacks from their... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349084/uae-bahrain-and-kuwait-lose-water-energy-infrastructure-iran-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349084/uae-bahrain-and-kuwait-lose-water-energy-infrastructure-iran-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:53:41 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Three Indonesian peacekeepers killed in two separate explosions in southern Lebanon last week were laid to rest in their hometowns on Sunday. Peacekeeper Farizal Rhomadhon, 28, died when a projectile exploded on March 29 in southern Lebanon, where Israel and Hezbollah have been fighting since Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war. Two other blue helmets, Zulmi Aditya Iskandar, 33, and Muhammad Nur Ichwan, 26, died a day later when an explosion struck a logistics convoy of the UN Interim... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349076/indonesia-lays-rest-peacekeepers-killed-lebanon-prabowo-condemns-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349076/indonesia-lays-rest-peacekeepers-killed-lebanon-prabowo-condemns-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 07:18:15 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Rory McIlroy, whose emotional 2025 Masters victory completed an incredible career grand slam, chases an even rarer feat this year – repeating as champion at Augusta National. The 36-year-old from Northern Ireland hopes to join Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo as the only golfers to capture back-to-back green jackets when the 90th Masters tees off Thursday. “I know defending the Masters tournament is a pretty rare feat, and it’s something I’d love to do,” McIlroy said. “I’ve won it once... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3349065/rory-mcilroy-aims-join-illustrious-group-rare-masters-repeat-augusta?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3349065/rory-mcilroy-aims-join-illustrious-group-rare-masters-repeat-augusta?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 05:54:24 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse In a corner of suburban Singapore, Betty Boon vaults a guardrail, crawls underneath a slide, executes forward shoulder rolls and scales a steep slope, finishing the course to applause. “Good job!” the 69-year-old’s coach cheers. This is “geriatric parkour”, where around 20 retirees learn to tackle a series of relatively demanding exercises, building their agility and enjoying a sense of camaraderie. Boon, an upbeat grandmother, says learning parkour has aided her confidence and independence as... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3348892/why-singaporeans-aged-60-plus-are-learning-parkour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3348892/why-singaporeans-aged-60-plus-are-learning-parkour?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 04:15:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Iran launched missiles and drones at Israel and Kuwait on Sunday, a day after US President Donald Trump said the Islamic republic had 48 hours to cut a deal or face “all Hell”. Kuwait and Israel said their air defences were responding to the latest attacks from Iran, part of the war that erupted more than a month ago with US-Israeli strikes that triggered retaliation by Tehran. The war has spread conflict throughout the Middle East and convulsed the global economy. Iran’s forces maintain a tight... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349059/iran-attacks-kuwait-israel-after-trump-sets-deadline-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349059/iran-attacks-kuwait-israel-after-trump-sets-deadline-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 03:03:40 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Tehran had 48 hours left to cut a deal or face “all Hell”, as US and Iranian forces scrambled to find a downed American airman. Trump’s latest threat came after a strike near an Iranian nuclear power plant prompted evacuations, and as Tehran announced fresh attacks and the Israeli military said it had detected another missile launch from Yemen. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they hit a commercial ship in Bahrain, as they maintained their tight... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349050/iran-has-48-hours-make-deal-says-trump-or-us-will-unleash-hell?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349050/iran-has-48-hours-make-deal-says-trump-or-us-will-unleash-hell?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 15:08:45 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse An earthquake that struck Afghanistan overnight killed 12 people, including eight members of the same family, a government official and the Afghan Red Crescent Society said on Saturday. A neighbour who helped in rescue efforts said that the eight who died, on the outskirts of Kabul, were a refugee family recently returned from neighbouring Iran. The 5.8-magnitude quake struck at 8.42pm (1612 GMT) on Friday at a depth of 186km (115 miles) at the epicentre in northeastern Badakhshan province,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3349043/afghanistan-quake-kills-12-including-8-family-who-had-just-left-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3349043/afghanistan-quake-kills-12-including-8-family-who-had-just-left-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 12:09:19 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto never imagined that the “little character I drew would become so big”, bouncing through the decades from pixelated New York sewers to a silver-screen space epic. There were more technical constraints when the red-capped plumber made his 1980s debut, says Miyamoto, the design mastermind of Japan’s Nintendo, as The Super Mario Galaxy Movie hits the cinemas this week. In the earliest Mario arcade games, the character was only 16 pixels tall, a far cry from the rich... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3348737/tough-choices-mario-creator-shigeru-miyamoto-made-new-movie?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3348737/tough-choices-mario-creator-shigeru-miyamoto-made-new-movie?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 09:15:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Iran on Saturday executed two men convicted of membership in a banned opposition group and carrying out disruptive actions aimed at overthrowing the Islamic Republic, the judiciary said. The executions were the latest in a series targeting members of the banned People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (MEK), after four other convicted members of the group were put to death earlier in the week. They also come against the backdrop of Iran’s war with the United States and Israel, sparked by... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349026/rights-groups-raise-alarm-after-iran-executes-2-more-opposition-group-members?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349026/rights-groups-raise-alarm-after-iran-executes-2-more-opposition-group-members?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 06:31:17 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Israeli military said on Saturday it had begun striking “Hezbollah infrastructure” in Beirut after it destroyed a bridge in eastern Lebanon to prevent the Iran-backed group’s reinforcements from crossing. Two loud explosions were heard in the capital within half an hour early on Saturday, with smoke billowing from one of them. Local media reported two strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, a locality that has been a target of Israeli strikes in recent days as the military presses on with its... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349021/israel-targets-iran-backed-hezbollah-sites-lebanon-fresh-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349021/israel-targets-iran-backed-hezbollah-sites-lebanon-fresh-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 05:16:02 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Hong Kong’s beloved kapok trees are not blooming as they once did, raising concern among conservationists who see it as a sign that nature is falling out of sync as the climate warms. Locally known as “hero trees” for their majestic appearance, kapoks attract large numbers of photographers every spring when their bright red flowers bloom on otherwise bare branches. But that contrast has been fading in recent years as leaves that should have been shed during winter stay put as the seasons change,... https://www.scmp.com/yp/news/hong-kong/environment/article/3348917/hong-kongs-kapok-hero-trees-lose-their-glory-climate-warms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/news/hong-kong/environment/article/3348917/hong-kongs-kapok-hero-trees-lose-their-glory-climate-warms?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 04:00:12 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse They are sipping smoothies, snapping phone pics, dealing with crashed email and fixing broken toilets: astronauts, they are just like us. The four crew members zipping through space towards the moon are carrying out a mission unlike any before it, but they are also still muddling on through life’s mundanities – all while they float around together in a square footage equivalent to two minivans. Mission specialist Christina Koch, the first woman to venture into deep space, said preparing for the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349013/space-plumber-rescue-artemis-astronauts-navigate-life-aboard-orion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349013/space-plumber-rescue-artemis-astronauts-navigate-life-aboard-orion?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 02:40:03 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse State-run public transport in Pakistan’s capital and most populous province will be free for the coming month, officials said, after the government drastically raised fuel prices due to the Iran war. The announcement came after street protests and long queues of motorcycles at fuel stations triggered by a late-night decision on Thursday to impose a 42.7 per cent rise in the price of petrol to 485 rupees (US$1.70) per litre. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif back-pedalled late on Friday, saying he... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3349010/pakistan-offers-30-days-free-public-transport-following-40-petrol-hike?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3349010/pakistan-offers-30-days-free-public-transport-following-40-petrol-hike?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 01:46:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Police in Sri Lanka arrested 152 foreign nationals, mostly Chinese, on Friday for allegedly running a cyberscam operation out of a hotel in the island’s northwest, officials said. The raid took place in the coastal town of Chilaw, 80km (50 miles) north of Colombo, following a tip-off, said police spokesman Frederick Wootler. “Those involved in scamming will be dealt with under our criminal law, while others could be deported,” Wootler said. Local police sources said two Chinese men who tried to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3349001/sri-lanka-arrests-152-alleged-chinese-run-cyberscam?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3349001/sri-lanka-arrests-152-alleged-chinese-run-cyberscam?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 15:23:02 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Human remains have been found aboard a cargo ship struck by Iran while transiting the Strait of Hormuz last month, the vessel’s owner said on Friday, after three crew members were reported missing following the attack. US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February prompted Tehran to respond by effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial artery for global oil supplies. The Thai-flagged Mayuree Naree was struck in March while travelling through the strait after departing Khalifa port in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3348975/human-remains-found-thai-ship-attacked-iran-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3348975/human-remains-found-thai-ship-attacked-iran-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 10:22:56 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Israeli military said Friday it had struck more than 3,500 targets across Lebanon in the month since fighting with the Hezbollah militant group began. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 after Iran-backed Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel to avenge the US-Israeli attack that killed Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel has responded with massive strikes across Lebanon and a ground offensive. The Israeli military said on Friday it had killed about 1,000... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348961/israel-strikes-over-3500-lebanon-targets-month-says-military?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348961/israel-strikes-over-3500-lebanon-targets-month-says-military?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:26:29 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Threatening to destroy Iran’s electricity grid and to reduce the country of 90 million to destitution, US President Donald Trump is shattering precedent by not just accepting but gloating about acts seen as potential war crimes. The consequences for Trump, at least in the near term, are probably none, experts say, as his administration works hard to undermine international institutions tasked with keeping norms. The Geneva Conventions governing the laws of war, agreed following World War II,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348912/trumps-stone-age-threats-against-iran-spark-war-crimes-alarm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348912/trumps-stone-age-threats-against-iran-spark-war-crimes-alarm?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 06:26:47 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Cuba’s government announced on Thursday that it was pardoning 2,010 prisoners as a “humanitarian” gesture during Holy Week, after pledging in March to release dozens amid heightened US pressure on Havana. The major announcement comes days after US President Donald Trump eased a de facto oil blockade of Cuba by allowing a Russian tanker to deliver crude to the fuel-starved island. The Trump administration has called for change in communist-run Cuba’s system of government and the US president has... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3348888/cuba-pardons-2010-prisoners-humanitarian-gesture-amid-us-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3348888/cuba-pardons-2010-prisoners-humanitarian-gesture-amid-us-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 04:50:12 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Japan abruptly axed Nils Nielsen as coach on Thursday just 12 days after taking them to Women’s Asian Cup glory, with football chiefs accusing him of being “lax” and “lacking passion”. Greenlander Nielsen led a rampant Japan to their third Asian title in four tournaments, beating hosts Australia 1-0 in the final in Sydney on March 21. The 54-year-old had been in the job since December 2024 and was the first foreign-born coach of the Japan women’s team. The Japan Football Association (JFA) said... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3348880/japan-axe-coach-nils-nielsen-12-days-after-winning-womens-asian-cup-lacking-passion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3348880/japan-axe-coach-nils-nielsen-12-days-after-winning-womens-asian-cup-lacking-passion?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 04:30:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Mothers wearing medical masks sat next to children who were sitting or lying in dim rooms at William Soler Paediatric Hospital, with the sun providing the only light through the windows. The doctors here at Cuba’s main paediatric heart hospital face tough decisions: which children receive life-saving treatment first, and which must wait longer. Universal healthcare is one of the proud achievements of the Cuban revolution, but the island’s hospitals have struggled with shortages and ageing... https://www.scmp.com/yp/news/world/article/3348827/amid-us-blockade-cuban-childrens-heart-hospital-makes-tough-choices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/news/world/article/3348827/amid-us-blockade-cuban-childrens-heart-hospital-makes-tough-choices?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 04:00:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Women’s Asian Cup finalists Japan and Australia renewed calls on Thursday for equal prize money with the men’s tournament in a direct challenge to the Asian Football Confederation and accused the governing body of “ignoring” previous requests. Japan beat hosts Australia 1-0 in the final in Sydney on March 21 in front of more than 74,000 fans, the biggest crowd in the competition’s history. It concluded a tournament that made global headlines after seven members of the Iran squad sought asylum... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3348850/womens-asian-cup-finalists-accuse-governing-body-ignoring-pleas-equal-prize-money?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3348850/womens-asian-cup-finalists-accuse-governing-body-ignoring-pleas-equal-prize-money?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 02:00:24 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump said on Thursday the tallest bridge in Iran had been destroyed, hours after threatening to bomb the country “back to the Stone Ages”. Ghodratollah Seif, the deputy governor of Alborz province, where the B1 bridge is located, said the strike had killed eight people and wounded 95 others, according to state TV and Fars news agency. Due to reporting restrictions, Agence France-Presse is not able to access the sites of strikes nor to independently verify tolls in... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348868/trump-hails-destruction-irans-tallest-bridge-warns-much-more-follow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348868/trump-hails-destruction-irans-tallest-bridge-warns-much-more-follow?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 01:52:34 +0000 Agence France-Presse,Associated Press,Reuters Agence France-Presse,Associated Press,Reuters Fear for her son’s fate kept Maisoun Shawamreh awake through the night in the occupied West Bank following the Israeli parliament’s approval of a law permitting the execution of Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks classified as “terrorism”. The legislation orders West Bank military courts – which try only Palestinians – to make the death penalty the default sentence for those convicted, except in special circumstances. “The mothers of prisoners – none of us slept last night,” Shawamreh said... https://www.scmp.com/yp/news/world/article/3348822/palestinians-horrified-israels-new-law-fear-death-hanging-without-due-process?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/news/world/article/3348822/palestinians-horrified-israels-new-law-fear-death-hanging-without-due-process?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 01:00:11 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Manny Pacquiao’s planned September fight with Floyd Mayweather will not be an exhibition, the Philippine boxing legend said on Thursday, days after his fellow hall of famer said their bout would be strictly entertainment. Netflix last month announced a long-awaited rematch of the highest-grossing clash in boxing history, with Pacquiao and Mayweather – now both in their late forties – set to clash at the Sphere in Las Vegas on September 19. But Mayweather this week stunned the boxing world by... https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3348848/philippines-manny-pacquiao-says-fight-against-floyd-mayweather-not-exhibition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3348848/philippines-manny-pacquiao-says-fight-against-floyd-mayweather-not-exhibition?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Four Artemis astronauts were zooming towards the moon on Thursday after a major engine firing, a milestone that commits Nasa to the first crewed lunar fly-by in more than half a century. With enough thrust to accelerate a stationary car to highway driving speed in less than three seconds, the Orion capsule engine blasted the astronauts on their trajectory towards the moon, which they now will loop as part of the 10-day Artemis II mission. “Human beings have left Earth orbit” for the first time... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348862/nasas-artemis-crew-gets-green-light-make-big-push-moon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348862/nasas-artemis-crew-gets-green-light-make-big-push-moon?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 21:52:18 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse In a leafy Tehran park on Thursday, Iranians gathered for picnics on the final day of the Persian new year holidays, shrugging off US President Donald Trump’s threats to bomb Iran “back to the Stone Ages”. The country has been at war for more than a month and Trump – who launched the conflict alongside Israel on February 28 – has vowed to strike Iran hard for another “two or three weeks”. Powerful blasts shook the Iranian capital on Thursday. Still, hundreds of families sat out under mild,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348860/iran-war-music-and-barbecues-tehran-despite-trump-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348860/iran-war-music-and-barbecues-tehran-despite-trump-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 20:11:46 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Four children were stabbed to death on Thursday at a kindergarten in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, police said. The male suspect, in his thirties, gained access by posing as a parent before attacking children aged around two and three with a knife, police said. “We confirm a tragic incident at the Ggaba Early Childhood Development Program school in Makindye Division, Kampala City, where a male suspect brutally stabbed and killed four juveniles,” police spokeswoman Racheal Kawala said. The suspect... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3348855/man-stabs-4-children-death-uganda-kindergarten?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3348855/man-stabs-4-children-death-uganda-kindergarten?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 15:14:57 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A UK-led meeting of some 40 countries on the Strait of Hormuz crisis wrapped up on Thursday with a demand for the “immediate and unconditional” reopening of the vital shipping route but no immediate breakthrough. “Iran is trying to hold the global economy hostage in the Strait of Hormuz. They must not prevail,” British foreign minister Yvette Cooper said in a statement. “To that effect, partners today called for the immediate and unconditional reopening of the Strait and respect for the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348854/britain-says-40-countries-discuss-reopening-strait-hormuz-after-iran-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348854/britain-says-40-countries-discuss-reopening-strait-hormuz-after-iran-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 15:09:08 +0000