https://www.scmp.com/rss/292944/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A state-backed Nigerian militia, operating alongside the military, killed scores of ethnic Fulani herders in a raid, local sources have told journalists. The herders were killed in an operation that also involved vigilantes from Benin, just across the border from Niger State, after the herders were accused of being informants for the jihadist group Ansaru. The Nigerian vigilantes from Bussa district raided herding Fulani settlements around Kabe, in neighbouring Borgu, in a massacre that also saw... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3352287/vigilantes-nigeria-kill-herders-amid-jihadist-tensions-kidnapping-gangs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3352287/vigilantes-nigeria-kill-herders-amid-jihadist-tensions-kidnapping-gangs?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 13:06:51 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia’s new legislation to protect domestic helpers has been hailed by rights groups as the beginning of a “new chapter” for millions – though they warn that the road to change remains long and winding. On April 21, Indonesia’s House of Representatives passed the domestic worker protection bill into law, 22 years since it was first proposed. The legislation “provides legal certainty, protects workers from various forms of unfair treatment, and encourages improvements in the skills and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3351861/rights-groups-hail-indonesias-new-chapter-domestic-workers-warn-long-road-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3351861/rights-groups-hail-indonesias-new-chapter-domestic-workers-warn-long-road-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 09:46:30 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A nine-year-old boy in rural China who relies on his 73-year-old grandfather and brings him meat from his school canteen because he fears the old man might die without it has touched millions of internet users in the country. The boy, who is nicknamed Zichen, is a primary school pupil who lives in a village in Taikang county, central Henan province. His story has been viewed 46 million times on social media, sparking the local authorities to intervene with help. According to a report by Henan... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3350266/plight-parentless-china-boy-cared-grandpa-attracts-46-million-views-prompts-government-aid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3350266/plight-parentless-china-boy-cared-grandpa-attracts-46-million-views-prompts-government-aid?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:00:08 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A single mother in China who has worked for 16 years carrying heavy bags of cement on construction sites to care for and fund her daughter’s education has moved countless people online. Wei Guiyun, 40, from Qidong County in Hengyang, Hunan province, central China, has gone viral online after sharing her story. In 2010, at the age of 24, she began the labouring job while raising two young children. At that time, her daughter was two and her son just a few months old. “With two children, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3350137/china-single-mum-works-building-sites-lifting-bags-cement-16-years-support-child?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3350137/china-single-mum-works-building-sites-lifting-bags-cement-16-years-support-child?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 10:00:11 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones The United Nations has issued a grim warning about the costs to the Asia-Pacific region of a prolonged conflict in Iran, forecasting job losses, crippling inflation and food insecurity, with the poorest nations brutally exposed to the oil shock and millions of informal workers facing the body blow of rising transport costs. More than 8 million people across the Asia-Pacific could be plunged into poverty if the crisis that closed the Strait of Hormuz drags on, according to a study published on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3350038/un-warns-8-million-asia-pacific-risk-poverty-if-iran-war-drags?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3350038/un-warns-8-million-asia-pacific-risk-poverty-if-iran-war-drags?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:00:33 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu visited one of the schools offering free after-school care for low-income families last month. After receiving positive feedback from participants, he pledged to extend the programme to benefit more families. Lee said it had helped promote family harmony, with children also reporting “positive development in both academic and social aspects”. There’s little doubt we should celebrate victories, however small, but it is equally important to examine... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3349609/education-equality-hong-kong-policymakers-must-do-their-homework?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3349609/education-equality-hong-kong-policymakers-must-do-their-homework?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Benin was voting for a new president on Sunday, with Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni a shoo-in after overseeing a decade of economic growth in the West African country despite jihadist attacks in the north. Nearly eight million voters are eligible to cast ballots to choose a successor to Patrice Talon, who is stepping down after two five-year terms and has endorsed Wadagni as his successor. Turnout will be a crucial factor after a lacklustre campaign hit by voter apathy. “We must vote to ensure... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3349796/benin-election-favours-continuity-amid-al-qaeda-attacks-poverty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3349796/benin-election-favours-continuity-amid-al-qaeda-attacks-poverty?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 09:35:26 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Landlords of more than 5,500 subdivided homes in Hong Kong have applied for a three-year grace period to meet size, safety and hygiene requirements following a new law on basic housing standards taking effect six weeks ago. Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho Wing-yin said on Saturday that the government had received applications for 5,557 subdivided units in 1,370 flats. That accounted for around 5 per cent of all subdivided units in Hong Kong, mostly located in Yau Tsim Mong district, followed by... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349745/landlords-5557-subdivided-homes-seek-3-year-grace-period-fix-flats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349745/landlords-5557-subdivided-homes-seek-3-year-grace-period-fix-flats?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 09:36:22 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hongkonger Chan Sai-chiu considers the 60 sq ft subdivided flat he rents to be home, going out of his way to make the cramped space in Sham Shui Po’s ageing Yee Wa Building more liveable by repainting the walls and setting up his own kitchen. The 72-year-old considers the flat’s HK$3,000 (US$383) rent to be a perfect fit for his tight budget, as he lives off about HK$5,000 from social security payments and receives a rental subsidy of HK$2,500. The building also suits the retiree, who is... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344967/are-new-hong-kong-subdivided-flat-standards-triggering-wave-evictions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344967/are-new-hong-kong-subdivided-flat-standards-triggering-wave-evictions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Some Hong Kong landlords have spent millions renovating their subdivided flats to be among the first to meet the new standards coming into effect on Sunday, but many others remain taken aback by the high costs and are unsure whether to proceed. Building experts have also warned of the challenges facing landlords seeking certification under the new law, including meeting waterproofing and fire safety requirements, which will require professional advice and supervision. Matthew Lau Chi-kwong, a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344935/hong-kong-landlords-split-over-costly-upgrades-meet-subdivided-housing-law?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344935/hong-kong-landlords-split-over-costly-upgrades-meet-subdivided-housing-law?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 00:00:15 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Living on the minimum wage can be challenging in a city known for its notoriously high cost of living. Even though the statutory wage floor is meant to be a safety net for the lowest paid workers, many of them still face financial hardship, so much so that they may have to scale back on food and other expenses or work multiple jobs to survive. Their plight is often not appreciated by people who are well above the breadline. Whether a 2.38 per cent pay rise makes a decent offer in the current... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3343980/minimum-wage-rises-must-not-leave-behind-hong-kongs-most-vulnerable?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3343980/minimum-wage-rises-must-not-leave-behind-hong-kongs-most-vulnerable?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 22:45:08 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar The deaths of three children by suspected suicide in recent weeks have shocked Indonesia, with child protection advocates saying they should serve as a “wake-up call” for the nation to pay more attention to young people’s well-being and mental health, particularly in remote and disadvantaged areas. In one case, reports that a child had asked for money for basic school supplies shortly before his death raised questions about whether state welfare programmes were reaching families most in need,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3343916/child-deaths-indonesia-spark-plea-address-mental-health-and-poverty-wake-call?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3343916/child-deaths-indonesia-spark-plea-address-mental-health-and-poverty-wake-call?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 10:30:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Poverty in Britain has deepened, according to a report released on Tuesday, with approximately 6.8 million ‌people now living in “very deep poverty”, the highest level in three ‍decades. “Very deep poverty” refers to households with an after-housing-costs income below 40 per cent of the UK median, amounting to around £16,400 (US$22,446.68) a year for a couple with two young children. The report by Joseph ⁠Rowntree Foundation (JRF), which conducts research aimed at solving poverty in Britain,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341339/very-deep-poverty-britain-hits-worst-level-30-years-report-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341339/very-deep-poverty-britain-hits-worst-level-30-years-report-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 04:06:58 +0000 Massoud Amin Massoud Amin In 1900, most people lived without electricity, antibiotics or universal education. Today, life expectancy is decades longer, literacy and access to medicine are near universal in many regions, and hundreds of millions have entered the global middle class. This progress was built through science, industry, public health, education and the hard work of ordinary people who believed tomorrow could be better. The question now is whether humanity can achieve a still more audacious goal: a world in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3340384/poverty-rates-have-plunged-can-we-all-live-swiss-2100?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3340384/poverty-rates-have-plunged-can-we-all-live-swiss-2100?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 21:30:10 +0000 Emily Hung,Ambrose Li Emily Hung,Ambrose Li Hong Kong’s public hospitals will raise a range of charges from January 1, while anxious lower-income patients who face higher bills but do not qualify under new fee waiver thresholds are calling for more government help. From Thursday, patients will need to pay more in general, but the safety net will also be widened to support the neediest, with an annual HK$10,000 cap on medical fees introduced and the current fee waiver scheme expanded to cover an extra 1.1 million people. However, some... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3338208/low-income-patients-call-more-help-steeper-hong-kong-hospital-fees-loom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3338208/low-income-patients-call-more-help-steeper-hong-kong-hospital-fees-loom?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:30:14 +0000 Bibek Bhandari Bibek Bhandari Late one night in southern Nepal last month, whispers spread of an unusual wedding taking place. Inside a modest home, an 18-year-old girl was about to be wed to a Chinese national nearly twice her age. The match was illegal. Nepal’s minimum age for marriage is 20, and the bride’s youth alarmed onlookers. Police were called and the ceremony in Bara district was swiftly brought to a halt. But the episode shone a spotlight on the trafficking of young Nepali women into marriage with Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3335584/chinese-marriage-brokers-find-new-hunting-ground-nepal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3335584/chinese-marriage-brokers-find-new-hunting-ground-nepal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 09:00:10 +0000 Karin Costa Vazquez Karin Costa Vazquez As South Africa hands over the Group of 20 presidency, something more consequential than a routine rotation is taking place. The moment marks the end of an unprecedented cycle: four consecutive presidencies led by major economies of the Global South – Indonesia, India, Brazil and South Africa. For four years, the G20 was steered by countries whose development priorities, demographic structures and geopolitical positions diverged from those of the Group of Seven. In 2026, the gavel will pass to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3333956/us-must-build-global-souths-g20-momentum-not-undermine-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3333956/us-must-build-global-souths-g20-momentum-not-undermine-it?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Nov 2025 21:30:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Gunmen have kidnapped more than 300 students and teachers in one of the largest mass kidnappings in Nigeria, a Christian group said on Saturday, as security fears mounted in Africa’s most populous nation. The early Friday raid on St Mary’s co-education school in Niger state in central Nigeria came after gunmen on Monday stormed a secondary school in neighbouring Kebbi state, abducting 25 girls. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) had earlier reported 227 people seized, but the new number... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3333804/gunmen-seize-315-latest-nigerian-mass-school-kidnapping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3333804/gunmen-seize-315-latest-nigerian-mass-school-kidnapping?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Nov 2025 12:56:59 +0000 Ushar Daniele,Joseph Sipalan Ushar Daniele,Joseph Sipalan A gentle breeze stirs the wooden houses of Sarang, a sleepy fishing village on Sabah’s northern coast, its tranquillity seemingly at odds with the mounting troubles facing the resource-rich yet persistently impoverished Malaysian state. For years, Sabahans have endured water shortages, power cuts and some of the lowest wages in the country. Each time the taps run dry or the lights flicker out, local fisherman Johan Toikin is reminded of the central government’s failure to fulfil the commitments... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3333731/malaysias-poorest-state-prepares-poll-shock-pm-anwar-sabahs-right?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3333731/malaysias-poorest-state-prepares-poll-shock-pm-anwar-sabahs-right?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Nov 2025 00:00:20 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press One of 25 schoolgirls abducted from a school dormitory in northwestern Nigeria’s Kebbi state has escaped captivity and returned home, the school principal said on Tuesday. The girls were abducted when gunmen attacked a high school in northwestern Nigeria before dawn on Monday, taking the 25 girls and killing a staff member at the school. The student who escaped through forests and arrived home late on Monday, hours after the kidnapping at the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, said... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3333290/1-girl-escapes-nigeria-mass-kidnapping-25-students-high-school?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3333290/1-girl-escapes-nigeria-mass-kidnapping-25-students-high-school?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 11:50:37 +0000 Aidan Jones,Ushar Daniele,Hai Dang Aidan Jones,Ushar Daniele,Hai Dang For four long months and counting, the residents of Bang Ban, a low-lying district in Thailand’s ancient city of Ayutthaya, have lived their lives under water. Elderly residents must be ferried to safety by raft, schools stand closed and under the muddy surface, ruined rice fields rot. Even Ayutthaya’s 700-year-old stupas have been submerged, their crumbling towers jutting through a murky brown deluge that shows no sign of retreat. Annual floods are not unusual here. Each monsoon season, the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3332855/climate-collapse-southeast-asias-new-normal-everybody-will-be-giving?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3332855/climate-collapse-southeast-asias-new-normal-everybody-will-be-giving?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Nov 2025 00:00:13 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The US Supreme Court on Tuesday extended an order blocking full Snap payments, amid signals that the government shutdown could soon end and food aid payments resume. The order keeps in place at least for a few more days a chaotic situation. People who depend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme to feed their families in some states have received their full monthly allocations, while others have received nothing. The order will expire just before midnight on Thursday. The Senate has... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3332404/us-supreme-court-lets-trump-continue-cuts-snap-food-aid-even-shutdown-nears-end?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3332404/us-supreme-court-lets-trump-continue-cuts-snap-food-aid-even-shutdown-nears-end?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Nov 2025 23:49:26 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Indonesia’s move to name Suharto a national hero has revived debate over the country’s uneasy relationship with authoritarianism and whether the legacy of a brutal yet transformative ruler should be celebrated. President Prabowo Subianto, Suharto’s former son-in-law, conferred the honour on Monday, drawing sharp criticism from historians, academics and human rights organisations, who argue the move sanitises one of Southeast Asia’s most repressive regimes. But the muted public reaction also... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3332351/why-indonesias-hero-status-successful-autocrat-suharto-splits-opinion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3332351/why-indonesias-hero-status-successful-autocrat-suharto-splits-opinion?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Nov 2025 10:00:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters A federal appeal court late on Sunday allowed a judge’s order to stand that directs US President Donald Trump’s administration to fully fund this month’s food aid benefits for 42 million low-income Americans during the ongoing US government shutdown. The Boston-based 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals declined to halt Thursday’s decision by a Rhode Island judge requiring the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to spend US$4 billion set aside for other purposes to ensure Americans receive full... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3332205/us-court-rules-trump-cannot-withhold-us4-billion-food-aid-42-million-americans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3332205/us-court-rules-trump-cannot-withhold-us4-billion-food-aid-42-million-americans?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 09:38:09 +0000 SCMP SCMP The South China Morning Post published a photo essay on November 23 last year, headlined “Still living a subdivided life”. The text accompanying it read: “The administration of Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu plans to enact new laws for subdivided flats next year, permitting only registered dwellings that meet specific criteria to remain in the market as “basic housing units”. The regulations will require a minimum size of 86 sq ft, a ceiling height of two metres, proper windows, at least one... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3331725/life-hong-kongs-cramped-subdivided-flats-revisit-scmps-award-winning-photo-essay?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3331725/life-hong-kongs-cramped-subdivided-flats-revisit-scmps-award-winning-photo-essay?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Nov 2025 05:30:22 +0000 Agence France-Presse,Reuters Agence France-Presse,Reuters US President Donald Trump accused “kamikaze” Democrats of being prepared to destroy the country as the government shutdown became the longest in history on Wednesday, eclipsing the 35-day record set during the Republican leader’s first term. Federal agencies have been grinding to a halt since Congress failed to approve funding past September 30, and the pain has been mounting as welfare programmes – including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or Snap, that helps millions of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3331679/trump-blames-kamikaze-democrats-longest-ever-us-government-shutdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3331679/trump-blames-kamikaze-democrats-longest-ever-us-government-shutdown?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Nov 2025 14:47:18 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg US President Donald Trump further muddied the fate of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme with a social media post on Tuesday suggesting he would not provide benefits until after the government reopened. The aid, which reaches 42 million Americans, “will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do, and not before”, Trump posted. For the past two days, the administration has said in public statements and court filings that it will at... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3331541/trump-threatens-withhold-snap-food-aid-until-us-shutdown-ends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3331541/trump-threatens-withhold-snap-food-aid-until-us-shutdown-ends?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Nov 2025 18:30:46 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words Asia’s economic success has lifted millions from poverty, but we should be honest: that promise is now slipping through the fingers of millions across the continent. Inequality isn’t just an abstract number on a spreadsheet. It’s felt in the pockets of a farmer in Pakistan’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3331302/rising-inequality-will-erode-asias-gains-poverty-reduction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3331302/rising-inequality-will-erode-asias-gains-poverty-reduction?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Nov 2025 03:30:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The US government shutdown was poised to become the longest ever this week as the impasse between Democrats and Republicans dragged into a new month. Millions of people could lose food aid benefits, healthcare subsidies were set to expire and there were few real talks between the parties over how to end it. US President Donald Trump said in an interview aired on Sunday that he “won’t be extorted” by Democrats who were demanding negotiations to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies that expire... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3331259/us-shutdown-set-drag-6th-week-trump-pushes-republicans-change-senate-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3331259/us-shutdown-set-drag-6th-week-trump-pushes-republicans-change-senate-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Nov 2025 22:12:23 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press People across the US formed long lines for free meals and groceries at food pantries and drive-through giveaways on Saturday, after monthly benefits through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme, or Snap, were suddenly cut off because of the ongoing government shutdown. In the New York borough of the Bronx, about 200 more people than usual showed up at the World of Life Christian Fellowship International pantry, many bundled in winter hats and coats and pushing collapsible... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3331202/snap-benefits-cut-during-us-shutdown-driving-long-lines-food-pantries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3331202/snap-benefits-cut-during-us-shutdown-driving-long-lines-food-pantries?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Nov 2025 22:26:00 +0000 Dennis Lee Dennis Lee With over 12,000 registered yachts but only around 4,300 berths, Hong Kong plans to boost its yacht tourism by adding about 1,100 berths at several locations: the proposed Airport Bay Marina, the Hung Hom harbourfront, the former Lamma Quarry and the expanded Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter. The projects are part of the city’s waterfront developments. Airport Bay Marina, for instance, was revealed in the Skytopia master plan, which includes an expanded AsiaWorld-Expo, a “jet fresh market” designed to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3330818/hong-kongs-superyacht-economy-must-not-leave-citys-poor-its-wake?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3330818/hong-kongs-superyacht-economy-must-not-leave-citys-poor-its-wake?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Nov 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he did not want Americans to “go hungry” and was ready to maintain funding for food aid a day before some 42 million people would lose their monthly assistance. In a lengthy social media post, Trump said “Government lawyers do not think we have the legal authority to pay” the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits once funding expires on November 1 during the ongoing government shutdown, but added that he has instructed them to “clarify... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3331136/us-judges-order-trump-administration-continue-snap-food-aid-despite-shutdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3331136/us-judges-order-trump-administration-continue-snap-food-aid-despite-shutdown?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Oct 2025 18:37:22 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg With the US government shutdown stumbling towards the one-month mark, the effects of the stand-off between Republicans and Democrats were being felt further away from the Capitol, as flights began to back up and food aid was drying up. US Transport Secretary Sean Duffy warned that travellers would face more flight delays and cancellations in the coming weeks as the continuing shutdown exacerbates the air traffic controller staffing crunch. “What I see coming forward, as we get to Monday,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3330405/food-benefits-millions-americans-be-paused-government-shutdown-continues?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3330405/food-benefits-millions-americans-be-paused-government-shutdown-continues?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 21:49:24 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Hong Kong’s health authorities will set aside 30 per cent of public family medicine clinics’ quota spots for low-income and elderly patients under a pilot scheme starting next month, with the policy expected to benefit more than 200,000 people. The Health Bureau said on Friday that the Hospital Authority’s Family Medicine Outpatient Services Priority Groups Pilot Scheme would launch on November 4, improving access to affordable primary healthcare among underprivileged residents. Intended... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3330266/30-hong-kong-family-medicine-clinics-quota-spots-go-poor-elderly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3330266/30-hong-kong-family-medicine-clinics-quota-spots-go-poor-elderly?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Oct 2025 12:21:34 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The passage of new legislation targeting the notoriously shameful subdivided flats marks an important step in outlawing substandard living spaces in Hong Kong. It also signals the beginning of an even more challenging stage to get the registration scheme in place. The government must ensure the rules can be effectively enforced and that the housing conundrum that gives our affluent city such a bad name can be truly resolved. The law requires all subdivided flats to meet new standards to be... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3326995/first-step-difficult-journey-end-substandard-housing-good?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3326995/first-step-difficult-journey-end-substandard-housing-good?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Sep 2025 22:45:12 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Lawmakers have passed legislation regulating Hong Kong’s notorious subdivided flats, with enforcement efforts set to begin in 2027 and landlords able to register their properties from as early as next March. The Legislative Council on Friday morning approved the Basic Housing Units Bill, which requires all subdivided flats to meet new standards for “basic housing units”. These include a minimum size of 86 sq ft, a ceiling height of 2.3 metres (7.5 feet), proper windows and at least one toilet... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3326914/hong-kong-passes-new-legislation-regulate-notorious-subdivided-flats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3326914/hong-kong-passes-new-legislation-regulate-notorious-subdivided-flats?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Sep 2025 01:33:40 +0000 Janelle Ling,Taryn Ng Janelle Ling,Taryn Ng On the first day of every month, refugees in camps along the Thailand-Myanmar border would usually receive a top-up of credits to their digital food cards before making a beeline for food-card shops to stock up on groceries. On August 1, however, the shops stood quiet. Not a single queue formed outside. In Mae La camp – the largest of nine along the Thai border – Naw Wah Nay Paw, a worried storekeeper, stands among unsold bottles of cooking oil and cans of fish neatly arranged in rows. Most... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3321686/myanmar-refugees-brink-funding-cuts-bite-i-feel-so-anxious?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3321686/myanmar-refugees-brink-funding-cuts-bite-i-feel-so-anxious?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Aug 2025 06:36:32 +0000 Dennis Lee Dennis Lee Does globalisation have a future, given US President Donald Trump’s protectionist policies and the rise of the far-right in Europe? According to US economist and political analyst Jeffrey Sachs, globalisation did not occur only in recent decades, but began as early as when humans started migrating out of Africa tens of thousands of years ago. Like it or not, globalisation will soldier on unfazed and is merely entering a new phase. As history has shown, its reach and character will evolve with... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3319290/are-we-globalising-ourselves-out-community?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3319290/are-we-globalising-ourselves-out-community?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Jul 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A woman from central China who started doing chores at the age of five and left school at 15 to support her disabled parents has gone viral for selling vegetables in her village. Li Yayun, 27, from Henan province, is known online as Li Fugui. Her videos of rural life and heartfelt interactions with elderly villagers have earned her over 7 million followers on mainland social media. Admired for her beauty and warm personality, fans have nicknamed her the “Vegetable Xi Shi” in reference to one of... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3316694/china-woman-left-school-15-support-her-family-gets-7-million-fans-selling-produce-online?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3316694/china-woman-left-school-15-support-her-family-gets-7-million-fans-selling-produce-online?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jul 2025 06:00:09 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The misery inflicted on desperate debtors by Hong Kong’s predatory loan sharks is well known and has persisted despite laws intended to combat the problem. Victims face crippling rates of interest, exceeding the legal limit, and are often sucked into a spiral of debt. Those who fall behind with payments are often intimidated and their family members and employers harassed. There is a need to do more to prevent such abuses. The public consultation, launched last month, on strengthening regulation... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3317849/hong-kong-must-stop-loan-sharks-preying-vulnerable?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3317849/hong-kong-must-stop-loan-sharks-preying-vulnerable?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Jul 2025 22:45:08 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Around 4,200 transitional homes will be sufficient to meet the temporary housing needs of tenants displaced under new rules that could require 33,000 subpar subdivided flats to undergo major renovations, Hong Kong officials have said. Undersecretary for Housing Victor Tai Sheung-shing told lawmakers on Monday that the government would set aside up to 20 per cent of its 21,000 transitional homes for tenants affected by coming subdivided flat regulations. Under the regulations, only subdivided... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3317278/4200-transitional-flats-earmarked-hong-kongs-displaced-subdivided-tenants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3317278/4200-transitional-flats-earmarked-hong-kongs-displaced-subdivided-tenants?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jul 2025 12:53:21 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The world is facing complex global challenges in acute need of solutions, from forging peace where there is war, to tackling climate change and combating poverty. Urgent solutions are needed, but they will only be possible if nations overcome their differences and work together for the common good. Former UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon, speaking in Hong Kong recently, made a timely call for solidarity in what he aptly described as “an unprecedented era of new, interconnected crises and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3316944/more-ever-we-need-un-can-tackle-global-challenges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3316944/more-ever-we-need-un-can-tackle-global-challenges?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Jul 2025 15:15:40 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times A South Korean man in his fifties has been arrested in the Philippines on charges of child abuse, trafficking and sexual exploitation involving a 14-year-old girl who later gave birth to his child. The suspect is believed to have used a YouTube channel under the pretence of helping impoverished Filipino children to solicit donations – a revelation that has outraged both the South Korean and international public. According to Philippine media outlet GMA Network and the Philippine National Police... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3317072/south-korean-poverty-porn-youtuber-arrested-philippines-over-child-abuse-claims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3317072/south-korean-poverty-porn-youtuber-arrested-philippines-over-child-abuse-claims?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Jul 2025 05:54:24 +0000 Andrew Sheng Andrew Sheng Coming back from an extended conference on “Gross National Happiness” in Bhutan, one of the world’s first carbon-negative countries, I became aware that intergenerational justice may be one of the most important moral questions we face today. The world is drowning in debt. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), global debt amounted to US$250 trillion in 2023, or 237 per cent of GDP, with global private debt at more than US$150 trillion. Meanwhile, worldwide net private wealth stood... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3316913/fallen-world-must-ensure-justice-future-generations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3316913/fallen-world-must-ensure-justice-future-generations?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Jul 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Renee Ho Renee Ho Hong Kong’s inaugural Digital Education Week is a landmark effort to accelerate a digital transformation in education and cultivate students’ digital literacy. More than a tech showcase, it is a call to action for educators, policymakers and communities to engage deeply with the discussion on what a quality technical education means in the artificial intelligence (AI) era. This is an opportunity for Hong Kong to reaffirm its commitment to setting a global example of responsible AI integration in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3316235/hong-kong-must-ensure-quality-ai-education-available-all?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3316235/hong-kong-must-ensure-quality-ai-education-available-all?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jul 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Filipinos who once worked for offshore gaming operators are turning to online scams, law enforcement officials have warned, amid signs that the industry’s shutdown has given way to a more fragmented and harder-to-police criminal landscape. Many of those recently arrested for cybercrime offences had “branched out on their own”, using skills they had gained while working at Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos), according to Brigadier General Bernard Yang, head of the Philippine National... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3316075/ex-pogo-workers-fuel-rise-philippine-online-scams-police-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3316075/ex-pogo-workers-fuel-rise-philippine-online-scams-police-say?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Jun 2025 09:29:35 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au About 50,000 elderly Hong Kong residents will receive coupons in July and October, enabling them to purchase breakfast or afternoon tea for HK$15 (US$2) as part of a government-funded initiative. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han announced on Friday that participants would receive six coupons next month, which could be used to buy breakfast at a discounted price of HK$15 at branches of six restaurant groups: Fairwood, Cafe de Coral, Tai Hing, Maxim’s, McDonald’s and Ngan Lung... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3316063/hk15-meals-50000-elderly-hong-kong-residents-coupon-initiative?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3316063/hk15-meals-50000-elderly-hong-kong-residents-coupon-initiative?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Jun 2025 06:11:52 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification The core strength of a global city like Hong Kong lies in multiculturalism. However, the challenges faced by the Pakistani community, highlighted at a forum on May 27, are stark and deeply... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3315202/tackle-discrimination-against-pakistanis-hong-kong-roots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3315202/tackle-discrimination-against-pakistanis-hong-kong-roots?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Jun 2025 03:30:08 +0000 Harvey Kong Harvey Kong Owners of shoebox homes may pass on the extra costs of meeting proposed minimum standards to tenants or consider pulling out of the market, a trade group has said, with Hong Kong authorities pressing ahead with a regulatory regime to oversee the city’s notorious subdivided flats. Hayson Chan Hin-hay, chairman of the Hong Kong Basic Housing Units Operators Association, told a radio programme on Friday that certification costs alone for a flat subdivided into four units could be as high as... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3315185/hong-kong-shoebox-home-landlords-may-pass-costs-tenants-under-new-rules-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3315185/hong-kong-shoebox-home-landlords-may-pass-costs-tenants-under-new-rules-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Jun 2025 06:26:30 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong is pressing ahead with legislation to regulate the city’s notorious subdivided flats, with authorities planning to enforce proposed new laws from 2027 and landlords able to register their properties as early as March next year. The Housing Bureau submitted its regulatory proposals to the legislature on Thursday, with the bill to be tabled on July 9. It is expected to pass before the current Legislative Council term ends in October, paving the way for the city to finally eradicate... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3315101/hong-kong-landlords-urged-register-subdivided-flats-ahead-2027-deadline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3315101/hong-kong-landlords-urged-register-subdivided-flats-ahead-2027-deadline?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Jun 2025 11:24:46 +0000