https://www.scmp.com/rss/91/feed All the latest breaking news from Hong Kong, China and around the world en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Vivian Au Vivian Au Travelling from Hong Kong’s commercial heart to the site of the San Tin Technopole, a planned innovation hub under the Northern Metropolis megaproject, is an exercise in endurance. The roughly two-hour trek from Causeway Bay requires taking trains on two lines, navigating two transit interchanges and catching a ride on a public minibus. Upon arrival, visitors are not greeted by gleaming skyscrapers or shopping centres, but by a quiet patchwork of fish ponds, villages, scattered squatter homes... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350210/are-special-laws-quick-fix-speeding-hong-kongs-northern-metropolis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350210/are-special-laws-quick-fix-speeding-hong-kongs-northern-metropolis?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:26 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s public has once again signalled strong support for a woman ascending to the Chrysanthemum Throne, but Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the country’s first female leader, is pushing in a different direction. A Mainichi newspaper poll published on Wednesday found that 61 per cent of respondents believed the law should be changed to allow a woman to become emperor, against just 9 per cent who said the throne should remain reserved for a man. The emperor is defined in the 1947 constitution as... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350203/japanese-public-backs-female-emperor-while-takaichi-pushes-conservative-succession-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350203/japanese-public-backs-female-emperor-while-takaichi-pushes-conservative-succession-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:18 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng Rising tensions in the Middle East cast a fresh shadow over the opening of China’s largest trade fair, at a time when the impact of geopolitical shocks is being reflected in the nation’s trade figures. In conversations across sprawling exhibition halls after the Canton Fair opened its doors on Wednesday in China’s manufacturing hub of Guangzhou, domestic exporters and foreign buyers sounded each other out, trying to gauge how far those shocks might ripple through global trade. The threat of US... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350200/canton-fair-under-middle-east-cloud-sets-records-high-costs-hit-chinas-exporters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350200/canton-fair-under-middle-east-cloud-sets-records-high-costs-hit-chinas-exporters?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Futu Securities is the latest non-food and beverage retailer to sell coffee and other drinks in one of its outlets in Hong Kong as the online stock brokerage adapts to its clients’ lifestyle, according to a spokesman. Futu Café was officially launched on Thursday at the Futu Store on Lee Garden Road, Causeway Bay, close to its flagship store on Russell Street. Cups of espresso, Americano and iced blue coconut water, among other drinks, are available between 7.30am and 7.30pm. The launch of the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3350205/futu-securities-opens-coffee-shop-branch-it-adapts-changing-client-lifestyles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3350205/futu-securities-opens-coffee-shop-branch-it-adapts-changing-client-lifestyles?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:30:08 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang US military leaders painted a picture of Chinese military threats, spanning Taiwan and space, as they briefed Congress on the military readiness for the financial year 2027 on Wednesday. The People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) “invasion rehearsals and live-fire exercises near Taiwan and around the region” had illustrated “the need for combat-ready naval forces in the Indo-Pacific”, according to James Kilby, vice chief of Naval Operations. “[The US Navy therefore] remains committed to partnering and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350232/china-threat-used-convince-congress-need-bolster-us-military-capabilities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350232/china-threat-used-convince-congress-need-bolster-us-military-capabilities?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:08:57 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A US jury on Wednesday found that entertainment giant Live Nation wielded monopoly power at its Ticketmaster business, violating federal and state antitrust laws, according to California’s attorney general. A verdict that could have profound repercussions in the concert world came after four days of deliberations, and remedies could include breaking up Live Nation and Ticketmaster. The jury found Live Nation and Ticketmaster liable for anticompetitive conduct that harmed the music industry and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350231/ticketmaster-owner-live-nation-ran-illegal-monopoly-us-jury-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350231/ticketmaster-owner-live-nation-ran-illegal-monopoly-us-jury-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 22:52:39 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan A stretch of awkward diplomacy is unfolding in the Indo-Pacific. After India’s 2025 term as the Quad’s rotating chair ended without a leaders’ summit, New Delhi is planning to host a foreign ministers’ meeting that could be framed as a leaders-level discussion, even if the top leaders do not attend, according to two people familiar with the matter. The move is seen as a way to ease India’s ruffled feathers on several counts. “It’s akin to putting lipstick on a pig,” said Sourabh Gupta of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3350230/quad-summit-plan-turns-uneasy-india-pushes-ahead-without-top-leaders-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3350230/quad-summit-plan-turns-uneasy-india-pushes-ahead-without-top-leaders-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 22:17:13 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik China’s largest artificial intelligence computing cluster for scientific research entered operation on Tuesday, doubling its number of domestically made AI accelerator chips in just two months, according to state broadcaster CCTV. The AI acceleration cards were produced by Chinese supercomputer developer Sugon, which is affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and are running in the core node of the national supercomputing network in Zhengzhou, Henan province. The number of chips in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350208/china-doubles-ai-science-computing-scale-2-months-using-no-us-chips?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350208/china-doubles-ai-science-computing-scale-2-months-using-no-us-chips?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 22:00:15 +0000 Gabriela Bernal Gabriela Bernal Having invested significant diplomatic capital into ties with Russia in recent years, North Korea now seems to be pivoting back to China. Leader Kim Jong-un said his country places “the greatest value” on improving ties with Beijing. This shift came during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s two-day visit to North Korea last week, where he met Kim and North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui. Notably, Wang’s visit marked his first to North Korea since 2019. In the intervening years of the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349984/why-north-korea-rekindling-china-relations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349984/why-north-korea-rekindling-china-relations?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 21:30:12 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Washington’s senior envoys to the United Nations took a victory lap in Senate testimony on Wednesday over the US-inspired cuts and efficiency drive at the multilateral agency, even as they slammed its inability to end the conflict in Ukraine, stem the Iran war started by the US and Israel or curb China’s growing clout. Mike Waltz, US ambassador to the UN, touted the US$570 million in UN budget cuts, 3,000 fewer jobs and the US decision to pull out of several UN agencies, even as he defended US... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3350229/us-envoy-waltz-touts-america-first-policy-budget-cuts-senate-swipe-un?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3350229/us-envoy-waltz-touts-america-first-policy-budget-cuts-senate-swipe-un?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 21:29:48 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A Ukrainian unit said on Wednesday that it has carried out more than 100 attacks on the front using ground robots, after President Volodymyr Zelensky recently hailed the capture of a Russian position thanks to this new method. “In total, there have already been over 100 such operations,” said a source within the NC-13 company, which specialises in the use of these combat machines and is part of Ukraine’s 3rd Assault Brigade. “These operations include the elimination of enemy personnel, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3350228/ukraine-unit-says-it-has-launched-over-100-robot-attacks-russias-forces?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3350228/ukraine-unit-says-it-has-launched-over-100-robot-attacks-russias-forces?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 20:40:10 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Newly released video shows a high school principal in Oklahoma tackling and disarming a former student who entered the lobby of the school and began firing a pistol. Pauls Valley High School Principal Kirk Moore was shot in the leg during the April 7 attack but managed to wrestle the suspect onto a bench, disarm him and remain on top of him until law enforcement officers arrived, according to court records. The video, released by the school district in response to an Open Records Act request,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350226/us-high-school-principal-tackles-and-disarms-gunman-students-flee-dramatic-video-shows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350226/us-high-school-principal-tackles-and-disarms-gunman-students-flee-dramatic-video-shows?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 18:21:31 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim The White House on Wednesday dismissed as untrue reports that the US had sought to extend a ceasefire with Iran, while confirming that discussions over a second round of in-person negotiations were under way after marathon talks in Islamabad last week ended without a breakthrough. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that discussions were under way about a further round of talks with Tehran but “nothing is official”, adding that the negotiations would “very likely” be held... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3350225/iran-threatens-shut-down-red-sea-shipping-unless-us-lifts-naval-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3350225/iran-threatens-shut-down-red-sea-shipping-unless-us-lifts-naval-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 17:04:31 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump posted an ⁠apparently AI-generated image of ⁠Jesus embracing him on Wednesday, two ⁠days after he deleted a post that prompted criticism that the Republican president had compared himself to Jesus. The image, reposted to Trump’s social media account, shows the president with his eyes closed, touching temple-to-temple with a similarly posed Jesus. ‌Trump is standing behind a microphone, and behind him is an American flag. The original post had the caption: “I was never a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350224/trump-posts-image-jesus-hugging-him-amid-row-pope-over-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350224/trump-posts-image-jesus-hugging-him-amid-row-pope-over-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 16:44:40 +0000 Advertising partner Advertising partner [The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] Vitiligo is often noticed before it is understood. White patches on the skin can draw attention, second glances or subtle avoidance, particularly in public settings. In Hong Kong, where awareness of the condition remains uneven, misunderstanding can influence daily life as much as the condition itself. Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune disorder in which pigment-producing cells are destroyed by immune activity. As a... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/health-environment/topics/support-vitiligo-patients/article/3350117/when-vitiligo-seen-not-understood?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/health-environment/topics/support-vitiligo-patients/article/3350117/when-vitiligo-seen-not-understood?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 16:00:10 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok A man snatched two Pokemon trading cards valued at about HK$28,000 (US$3,600) from a consignment shop in Hong Kong. The tenant of the shop at Sino Centre in Mong Kok reported the theft on Wednesday after reviewing security footage and discovering the man had taken the cards on April 5 before fleeing the scene. Police have classified the case as shop theft. The Mong Kok district criminal investigation team is handling the case. No arrests have been made so far. Officers are searching for a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3350221/hong-kong-police-hunt-man-behind-theft-2-pokemon-cards-worth-hk28000?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3350221/hong-kong-police-hunt-man-behind-theft-2-pokemon-cards-worth-hk28000?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:56:52 +0000 Reuters Reuters Israel’s security cabinet ⁠will convene on Wednesday to discuss a possible Lebanon ceasefire, a senior Israeli official has said, more than five weeks into a war with Hezbollah that spiralled out of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet would meet ‌at 8pm local time, the official said. Senior Hezbollah official Ibrahim al-Moussawi told Reuters that diplomatic efforts by Iran and other regional states could produce a ceasefire soon, saying... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3350220/israeli-security-cabinet-discuss-possible-lebanon-ceasefire-senior-official?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3350220/israeli-security-cabinet-discuss-possible-lebanon-ceasefire-senior-official?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:40:18 +0000 Reuters Reuters Pope Leo has said the world needs to hear a message of peace and coexistence, after US President Donald Trump attacked him for a second time this week on social media. Speaking on Wednesday during his flight from Algeria to Cameroon for the second leg of a whirlwind 10-day ‌Africa tour, the first US pontiff urged respect for all people and said his travels so far had shown the importance of pursuing dialogue between different communities. “Although we have different beliefs, we have different... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3350217/pope-leo-stresses-message-peace-and-unity-despite-another-trump-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3350217/pope-leo-stresses-message-peace-and-unity-despite-another-trump-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:15:08 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong A decoupling between China and the United States is something “that you don’t want to see”, says former US Treasury secretary Janet Yellen, adding that both countries have developed deep trade and investment relationships that should be preserved and encouraged to thrive. Speaking in Hong Kong at the HSBC Global Investment Summit on Wednesday, Yellen also argued that China’s reliance on exports for growth – resulting in a trade surplus with the rest of the world – has created “serious conflicts”... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350169/yellen-says-no-alternative-dollar-urges-us-china-cooperation-sake-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350169/yellen-says-no-alternative-dollar-urges-us-china-cooperation-sake-world?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:00:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday said he would not “yield” to pressure to join the Iran war after US President Donald Trump threatened to scrap a UK trade deal. “We’re not going to get dragged into this war. It is not our war,” Starmer told parliament. “I’m not going to change my mind. I’m not going to yield. It is not in our national interest to join this war,” the Labour leader added. In a phone interview with Sky News, Trump threatened to alter an agreement struck with Britain... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350216/uk-pm-starmer-says-not-going-yield-trumps-mideast-war-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350216/uk-pm-starmer-says-not-going-yield-trumps-mideast-war-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:35:07 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Donald Trump’s claim that the US war with Iran is nearing an end reflects a desire to break the conflict’s deadlock to ease political pressure at home, according to analysts. Halfway into a two-week ceasefire and with a stand-off in the Strait of Hormuz, the US president was running out of time, they said, adding that a deal was still possible. In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Trump said the United States was “not done” but the six-week-old war was nearing the finish line. “I think it’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350201/trump-says-iran-war-close-over-he-just-out-options?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350201/trump-says-iran-war-close-over-he-just-out-options?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:00:10 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang A fully laden Chinese tanker has twice turned back from the US blockade of traffic leaving Iranian ports, despite setting off from the United Arab Emirates. The incident highlights how Chinese commercial vessels are weighing up the risks posed by the naval blockade, with analysts saying no country’s ships are receiving “special treatment”. The Rich Starry sailed east through the Strait of Hormuz into the Gulf of Oman around 2am local time on Tuesday, according to data from Mingkun Technology, a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350214/chinese-tanker-retreats-twice-us-hormuz-blockade-48-hours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350214/chinese-tanker-retreats-twice-us-hormuz-blockade-48-hours?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:53:28 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL), China’s electric vehicle (EV) battery king, plans to earmark 30 billion yuan (US$4.4 billion) to establish a subsidiary to manage and expand mining assets, after the global energy shock paved the way for a quicker entry into the world’s automotive and energy storage system (ESS) markets. The investment arm, in line with CATL’s long-term growth strategy, would integrate existing mining assets, pursue high-quality mineral projects at home and abroad, and... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350213/chinas-catl-invest-us44-billion-mining-arm-secure-ev-battery-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350213/chinas-catl-invest-us44-billion-mining-arm-secure-ev-battery-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:50:49 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg US President Donald Trump has said he will fire Jerome Powell if the Federal Reserve chair does not step down “in time”, adding that he will not drop the Justice Department investigation into the central bank leader. “I’ll have to fire him, OK, if he’s not leaving on time. I’ve held back firing him. I’ve wanted to fire him, but I hate to be controversial,” Trump said in an interview with Fox Business. “I want to be uncontroversial. But he will be fired,” he said in the interview taped on... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350211/trump-threatens-fire-fed-chair-powell-if-he-doesnt-step-down-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350211/trump-threatens-fire-fed-chair-powell-if-he-doesnt-step-down-time?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:45:08 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Though high-level officials in Washington have accused China of undermining global energy security by “hoarding” oil during the US-Israeli war on Iran, import and inventory data suggest Beijing is facing its own supply pressures as the conflict drags on. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday labelled China an “unreliable global partner,” alleging that Beijing has prioritised stockpiling crude over easing global shortages triggered by the war, according to a Reuters report. He also... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350180/us-officials-claim-china-hoarding-oil-what-does-data-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350180/us-officials-claim-china-hoarding-oil-what-does-data-say?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:30:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters North Korea has made “very serious” advances in its abilities to turn out nuclear weapons, with the probable addition of a new uranium enrichment facility, as it steps up activity at a key complex, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi has said. Enriching uranium can provide an alternative, and experts say, a more effective, path to acquiring weapons-grade material in addition to ‌reprocessing spent plutonium extracted from a nuclear reactor. Speaking in Seoul on Wednesday, the head of the International... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350206/un-watchdog-warns-north-korea-boosting-nuclear-weapons-capacity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350206/un-watchdog-warns-north-korea-boosting-nuclear-weapons-capacity?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:15:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters A 14-year-old student shot at least nine people dead, including eight of his fellow pupils, and wounded 13 others at a middle school in southeastern Turkey on Wednesday, ‌officials said, in the country’s second school shooting in two days. Eight students and one teacher died in the attack in the province of Kahramanmaras, Turkey’s Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci told reporters, adding that six of the wounded were in critical condition. “This was solely a personal attack carried out by one of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3350209/least-4-dead-turkeys-second-school-shooting-2-days?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3350209/least-4-dead-turkeys-second-school-shooting-2-days?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:06:53 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Hong Kong police intercepted a Maserati on a busy street in Mong Kok on Wednesday and arrested two people in connection with a suspected money laundering case, the South China Morning Post has learned. A man and a woman in their twenties, their faces concealed by black hoods, were seen standing beside the luxury sports car as officers from the New Territories North regional headquarters searched the vehicle on Sai Yeung Choi Street South outside the Pakpolee Commercial Centre in the afternoon,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3350207/hong-kong-police-intercept-maserati-arrest-2-over-suspected-money-laundering?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3350207/hong-kong-police-intercept-maserati-arrest-2-over-suspected-money-laundering?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:01:27 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat The US-Israeli war on Iran and the current Iranian and American blockades of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz are likely to overshadow China’s first-quarter economic performance, analysts said, with questions looming large about how the world’s second-largest economy will handle their impact. Many observers said they expect the leadership in Beijing will adopt a wait-and-see approach, with little likelihood of an immediate stimulus to guarantee the country’s annual economic target is... https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3350181/analysts-doubt-iran-war-will-prompt-china-stimulus-tip-solid-first-quarter-gdp-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3350181/analysts-doubt-iran-war-will-prompt-china-stimulus-tip-solid-first-quarter-gdp-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:00:24 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft The European Union will remain open to capital from mainland China and Hong Kong even as the bloc pursues a “de-risking” strategy in certain key sectors, its budget chief has said on his first visit to the city. Piotr Serafin, the European commissioner for budget, anti-fraud and public administration, also said that the EU was keen to explore opportunities for financial collaboration with Hong Kong in areas such as green bonds, describing the city as a “bridge” to Asia. It is understood that... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350173/eu-budget-chief-pitches-collaboration-and-bonds-hong-kong-leg-asia-tour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350173/eu-budget-chief-pitches-collaboration-and-bonds-hong-kong-leg-asia-tour?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:00:17 +0000 James David Spellman James David Spellman The fraying of the ceasefire in the US-Israel war against Iran reflects grim patterns of history. Truces are often doomed because they focus on stopping battle-related violence and rarely begin to address the underlying struggles that ignited hostilities. A pause without a shared common endgame often resets the battlefield as reasons harden for prolonging warfare. Viable political solutions seldom follow and take hold for peace to endure. Over the past decade, we’ve seen the perils. The Minsk... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349904/given-history-ceasefires-its-no-surprise-us-iran-truce-fraying?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349904/given-history-ceasefires-its-no-surprise-us-iran-truce-fraying?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday that an EU-developed age-verification app was ready to go, as the bloc pushes to better protect children from online harm. Brussels has been under pressure to come up with more stringent measures to safeguard children online as several EU capitals move ahead with plans to ban social media under a certain age. To that end, five EU countries including France and Italy last year started testing an age-check app that von der Leyen said on... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350202/eu-unveils-age-check-app-amid-efforts-better-protect-children-online?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350202/eu-unveils-age-check-app-amid-efforts-better-protect-children-online?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:15:08 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei Iran’s small vessels may be able to challenge US blockade operations, Chinese analysts suggest, despite the heavy losses suffered by the Iranian navy during the opening weeks of the US-Israeli offensive. The United States launched a naval blockade on Monday targeting Iranian maritime trade, after peace talks in Pakistan failed over the weekend. US Central Command (Centcom) issued a formal notice on Sunday announcing that its forces would block “all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350198/can-irans-small-fast-attack-boats-challenge-us-navy-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350198/can-irans-small-fast-attack-boats-challenge-us-navy-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:01:22 +0000 Brian Wong,Leopold Chen Brian Wong,Leopold Chen A Hong Kong fire services official has defended a decision to decline mainland Chinese firefighters’ help in combating the city’s deadliest inferno in decades, citing concerns that they might have been unable to immediately adapt to the new environment and effectively communicate with their local counterparts. On the 12th day of a public evidential hearing on Wednesday, Deputy Chief Fire Officer Sunny Wong Sze-lut also justified the firefighting strategies during the blaze that raged for around... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350191/hong-kong-official-defends-decision-decline-mainland-firefighters-help-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350191/hong-kong-official-defends-decision-decline-mainland-firefighters-help-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:00:16 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Balikatan, the flagship annual military exercise between Manila and Washington, begins in the Philippines this month without a single neighbouring Southeast Asian member taking part, despite the drills’ growing scale and multinational reach. Analysts say that hesitation helps explain Balikatan’s place in the region: for some Asean members, it is a reassuring sign of US commitment, but joining it risks looking like a strategic choice in the sharpening rivalry between Washington and Beijing. “To... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350190/why-southeast-asian-nations-are-hesitant-join-major-us-philippine-balikatan-drills?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350190/why-southeast-asian-nations-are-hesitant-join-major-us-philippine-balikatan-drills?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:00:12 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Famine. Massacres. And now badly needed food and other supplies are under strain. Sudan on Wednesday enters a fourth year of war that is being called an “abandoned crisis” as a new conflict in the Middle East throws into shadow the fighting that has forced 13 million people to flee their homes. Sudan has been described as the world’s largest humanitarian challenge, notably in terms of displacement and hunger. There is no end in sight to the fighting between the military and the paramilitary... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3350197/sudan-enters-4th-year-war-abandoned-crisis-grows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3350197/sudan-enters-4th-year-war-abandoned-crisis-grows?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:45:07 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof In Malaysia, artificial intelligence is already causing harm to content creators through deepfake nudes, cloned voices, scam advertisements and stolen likenesses, experts have warned. They shared the view at the Freedom Film Network’s second International Conference on Film & Society in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, where creators, researchers and advocates from across Southeast Asia gathered under the theme “Cultivating Artistic Freedom in a Volatile World”. Melissa Lim Shi Hui, a lawyer and legal... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3350193/malaysias-content-creators-battle-ai-abuse-deepfakes-scam-ads-spread-online?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3350193/malaysias-content-creators-battle-ai-abuse-deepfakes-scam-ads-spread-online?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:30:10 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong’s sole legal betting operator had earmarked HK$1 billion (US$127.7 million) and hired 180 people to develop a basketball wagering system, but will now take a financial hit after the government announced this week it was halting plans for its roll-out, a source has said. The source close to the Hong Kong Jockey Club told the South China Morning Post on Wednesday that it had already invested HK$400 million for preparatory work, including setting up a dedicated basketball betting system,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350187/jockey-club-invested-hk1-billion-basketball-betting-will-use-it-football-now?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350187/jockey-club-invested-hk1-billion-basketball-betting-will-use-it-football-now?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:22:12 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen China and Vietnam should stand together against unilateralism and protectionism and jointly counter global challenges, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Vietnam’s top leader on Wednesday, as energy concerns continued to spill over from the Iran conflict. “Both sides should uphold the banner of peace, development, cooperation and win-win outcomes, jointly oppose unilateralism and protectionism, safeguard the global free trade system and keep the industrial and supply chains stable and unimpeded,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350195/chinas-xi-jinping-tells-vietnamese-counterpart-they-should-jointly-oppose-unilateralism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350195/chinas-xi-jinping-tells-vietnamese-counterpart-they-should-jointly-oppose-unilateralism?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:09:33 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong’s leader has pledged to enhance the city’s governance in public security and safety, and carry out systemic reform following the deadly Tai Po fire, describing it as a key task in safeguarding national security. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s remarks came after Xia Baolong, Beijing’s top official overseeing Hong Kong affairs, said people with “ulterior motives” had exploited the city’s deadliest blaze in decades to stir up social unrest and called for vigilance against national... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350192/hong-kong-leader-vows-reforms-boost-safety-national-security-after-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350192/hong-kong-leader-vows-reforms-boost-safety-national-security-after-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:00:55 +0000 Minxiao Chang Minxiao Chang Silicon photonic computing chips – long overlooked in the artificial intelligence hardware stack – are emerging as a new focal point in mainland China’s semiconductor push, as domestic companies move towards public listings amid intensifying US-China competition and surging demand for next-generation computing infrastructure. Shanghai-based Lightelligence, the first company globally to achieve large-scale deployment of hybrid optical-electronic computing, passed its Hong Kong listing hearing on... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3350183/lightelligence-track-ipo-plans-chinas-ai-photonics-race-gathers-pace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3350183/lightelligence-track-ipo-plans-chinas-ai-photonics-race-gathers-pace?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:00:31 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar President Prabowo Subianto’s heavy overseas travel schedule is drawing scrutiny at home as Indonesians are asked to curb fuel use and officials have had to cut back on foreign trips. The attention reflects a growing debate over the value and timing of the president’s diplomacy as higher global oil prices put fresh pressure on Indonesia’s fuel subsidy bill – even as Prabowo defended some of his recent travel as being aimed at securing energy supplies and economic opportunities for his... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3350189/uproar-prabowo-tours-world-while-indonesians-told-work-home-save-fuel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3350189/uproar-prabowo-tours-world-while-indonesians-told-work-home-save-fuel?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang US President Donald Trump has dismissed concerns that the ongoing war on Iran and its effect on global oil supplies will derail his planned visit to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. In an interview with Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo that aired on Wednesday, Trump said he did not think the war would “change the dynamic” of his coming visit to China. Asked whether the impact on the oil price from recent US actions in Iran and Venezuela and Trump’s comments on Cuba would affect his... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350188/trump-tells-letter-exchange-xi-jinping-over-chinas-role-iran-war-interview?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350188/trump-tells-letter-exchange-xi-jinping-over-chinas-role-iran-war-interview?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:33:22 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng China’s leading steelmakers are stepping up coordinated efforts to adjust export strategies, compliance systems and pricing models in response to this year’s full implementation of the EU’s tariff-like Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which imposes direct carbon-linked costs on imports. “China’s indirect steel exports to the EU are substantial, and a significant portion consists of high value-added products,” said Jiang Wei, vice-chairman and secretary general of the China Iron and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350177/chinese-steelmakers-coordinate-response-eus-carbon-linked-import-imposts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350177/chinese-steelmakers-coordinate-response-eus-carbon-linked-import-imposts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:30:10 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li Film buffs will be able to enjoy HK$30 (US$3.8) discounted tickets at 53 theatres across Hong Kong on April 25 as part of this year’s Cinema Day celebrations. A spokesman for the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau said that it was the fourth year the government’s Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency had sponsored the event, “consistently attracting over three times more admissions than usual each year”. “In the past three years, Cinema Day recorded over 600,000 admissions and box... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350184/reel-deals-hong-kong-celebrate-cinema-day-april-25-hk30-tickets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350184/reel-deals-hong-kong-celebrate-cinema-day-april-25-hk30-tickets?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:18:31 +0000 Reuters Reuters Japan has said it will establish a financial framework worth about US$10 billion to help Asian countries procure energy resources and bolster their stockpiles ‌as Middle East tensions drive prices higher and disrupt supply chains. The support, aimed at preventing knock-on effects on Japan’s own supply chains, would be channelled mainly through state-backed financial institutions such as Japan Bank for International Cooperation and Nippon Export and Investment Insurance. Announcing the plan on... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350182/japan-plans-us10-billion-support-help-asia-secure-oil-we-are-mutually-dependent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350182/japan-plans-us10-billion-support-help-asia-secure-oil-we-are-mutually-dependent?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:15:28 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong A Chinese deep-sea mission has successfully tested an advanced device capable of cutting through underwater structures such as submarine cable at a depth of thousands of metres. The “Haiyang Dizhi 2” research vessel completed its first deep-sea scientific mission of 2026 on Saturday, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources. The expedition included a cutting test of a deep-sea electro-hydrostatic actuator at a depth of 3,500 metres (11,483 feet), using technology that has drawn attention... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350174/china-tests-submarine-cable-cutter-3500-metre-depth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350174/china-tests-submarine-cable-cutter-3500-metre-depth?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:01:06 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu The premium ice cream brand Magnum has taken down its Chinese advertisements that visually link its product to women’s feet wearing ballet pumps after they triggered an online backlash. The brand from the Netherlands posted a controversial advertisement for its new pistachio ice cream in January 2026. The advert suggests the ice cream looks like a woman’s feet wearing a pair of half chocolate, half light green-coloured ballet pumps. The slogan that goes with the visual says that the product is... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3350043/premium-ice-cream-brand-trouble-over-soft-porn-vibes-after-comparing-desserts-ballet-shoes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3350043/premium-ice-cream-brand-trouble-over-soft-porn-vibes-after-comparing-desserts-ballet-shoes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:00:14 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain As Islamabad prepares to host a second round of negotiations between the United States and Iran, Pakistani mediators are seeking ways to extricate the Gulf monarchies from the conflict, according to a well-placed diplomatic source. While the success of those efforts depends largely on the outcome of talks that US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday could resume by the end of the week, Pakistan’s mediation has produced a second confidence-building phone call in a week between the Iranian and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350175/pakistan-seeks-shield-gulf-states-us-iran-talks-set-resume?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350175/pakistan-seeks-shield-gulf-states-us-iran-talks-set-resume?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:00:04 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Russia can help China and other nations weather energy supply disruptions stemming from the war in Iran, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. “Russia can, without a doubt, compensate for the shortfall in resources that has arisen”, Lavrov told reporters in response to a question about the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. He also said that Chinese-Russian ties are “unshakeable in the face of any storms”. Lavrov confirmed that Russian... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3350178/china-cements-russia-ties-both-win-us-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3350178/china-cements-russia-ties-both-win-us-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:49:50 +0000