https://www.scmp.com/rss/325306/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Associated Press Associated Press India and New Zealand on Monday signed a free-trade agreement to deepen economic ties and expand market access, as both countries navigate mounting global trade disruptions. The deal comes as New Delhi moves to diversify export markets to offset the impact of steep tariffs imposed by the United States and instability in shipping and energy routes due to the Iran war. For New Zealand, the agreement is part of a broader push to reduce reliance on China, its largest trading partner. The agreement... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3351592/india-new-zealand-sign-once-generation-free-trade-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3351592/india-new-zealand-sign-once-generation-free-trade-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 11:11:03 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Both chambers of Britain’s parliament have approved a bill that would ban children aged 17 and under from buying cigarettes during their lifetime. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill aims to stop anyone born after January 1, 2009 (now aged 17) from taking up smoking. Health minister Wes Streeting called this a “historic moment for the nation’s health” that will lead to the “first smoke-free generation, protected from a lifetime of addiction and harm”. When it gets royal assent and becomes law, it would... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350946/uk-agrees-ban-cigarette-sales-people-born-after-2008?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350946/uk-agrees-ban-cigarette-sales-people-born-after-2008?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 03:18:35 +0000 Reuters Reuters Far-flung Pacific nations ⁠are reeling from the impact of a global ⁠fuel crisis as authorities scramble to manage energy supplies while families must grapple ⁠with fuel curbs and higher costs for food and access to healthcare. Global oil supplies are running down as the US-Israeli war with Iran disrupts traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which typically carries about 20 per cent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas flows. Aid agencies have warned that the crisis has driven up prices... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3350937/pacific-islanders-skip-food-medicine-amid-global-fuel-shortage-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3350937/pacific-islanders-skip-food-medicine-amid-global-fuel-shortage-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 01:37:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A senior New Zealand minister has sparked outrage by deriding a planned free-trade deal with India as a “butter chicken tsunami”. Wellington is poised to sign a free-trade agreement with India in New Delhi next week. The New Zealand government has hailed it as a “once in a generation” deal that will give its businesses access to the world’s most populated country’s vast domestic market. But its ruling coalition partner, the right-wing populist NZ First party, has pulled support over fears it... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3350935/indians-slam-new-zealand-minister-butter-chicken-tsunami-remarks-outright-racism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3350935/indians-slam-new-zealand-minister-butter-chicken-tsunami-remarks-outright-racism?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:33:51 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang China’s next-generation “drone-carrier” amphibious assault ship is en route to the South China Sea for critical sea trials, the military announced on Tuesday, in the same waters where the US, the Philippines and Japan are conducting large-scale joint military exercises and the aircraft carrier Liaoning is apparently sailing to. “The Sichuan, our country’s first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, has set sail from Shanghai for relevant waters in the South China Sea to carry out scientific research... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350932/chinas-new-type-076-drone-carrier-take-part-south-china-sea-training-drills?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350932/chinas-new-type-076-drone-carrier-take-part-south-china-sea-training-drills?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 21:09:29 +0000 Reuters Reuters Residents in low-lying areas of New Zealand’s ⁠capital city Wellington ⁠were urged to evacuate on ⁠Monday, as heavy rain continued to drench the city, which experienced flash flooding overnight. A state of emergency was declared for the region on Monday afternoon, while weather forecaster MetService upgraded its heavy rain warning to red, the highest level, which indicates a threat to life from dangerous river conditions, significant flooding and slips. Mayor Andrew Little told state-owned Radio... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3350675/new-zealand-declares-emergency-wellington-record-rainfall-triggers-flash-floods?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3350675/new-zealand-declares-emergency-wellington-record-rainfall-triggers-flash-floods?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 04:26:50 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu The Hong Kong Sevens ended in a high-octane finale on Sunday with costume-clad rugby fans filling the stands at Kai Tak Stadium, but some nearby restaurants said they struggled to match last year’s takings, blaming an influx of new rivals for diluting profits. The atmosphere on Super Sunday was electric as a sea of excited spectators, some clad in creative and flamboyant costumes, filled the South Stand, with some experiencing the event for the first time at its 50th anniversary. Over three... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350630/hong-kong-sevens-treat-fans-local-restaurants-hungry-more-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350630/hong-kong-sevens-treat-fans-local-restaurants-hungry-more-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 11:20:28 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Sleep on a long-haul flight in economy class has always been a fantasy for many travellers. Air New Zealand will soon offer a solution that involves climbing into a triple-tier bunk bed wearing special socks. The airline will soon open bookings for four-hour stints in the Skynest sleep pods and says they will be the first lie-flat beds for budget air travellers. Fliers will get cosy with their fellow passengers, however, so crumbs, strong perfumes and bed-sharing are forbidden. The curtained... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3350551/air-new-zealand-invites-economy-passengers-join-mile-high-sleep-club-world-first?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3350551/air-new-zealand-invites-economy-passengers-join-mile-high-sleep-club-world-first?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 02:23:08 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang China has lodged a protest with New Zealand about the activities of a military aircraft near its coast, suggesting it had put commercial airlines at risk. Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Friday that a P-8A anti-submarine patrol aircraft had “conducted continuous close-in reconnaissance and harassment in the airspace and waters of the Yellow Sea and East China Sea”. He said such actions undermined China’s security interests, heightened the risks of misunderstandings and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350508/china-complains-harassment-new-zealand-aerial-patrols-close-coastline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350508/china-complains-harassment-new-zealand-aerial-patrols-close-coastline?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:50:59 +0000 Annemarie Evans Annemarie Evans I was born in Plympton, Devon (southwest England), in 1943. My family moved to London because of my father’s work and then to Glasgow, where I was in a preparatory school, Belmont House School, in Newton Mearns. That’s where I learned to play rugby. I went with the school team to Murrayfield (Stadium in Edinburgh) to watch Scotland play. My father was in the packaging business and he was the managing director of the Scotland part of the organisation. My mother was a physiotherapist. We had a... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3349401/former-hong-kong-rugby-team-captain-reflects-first-sevens-tournament-1976?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3349401/former-hong-kong-rugby-team-captain-reflects-first-sevens-tournament-1976?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:09 +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 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Jet fuel shortages and surging prices are forcing flight cancellations across the Asia-Pacific, a squeeze that could intensify after the United States began controlling oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz following failed peace talks with Iran. Tehran’s effective closure of the strait – a chokepoint for about 20 per cent of global oil supply – is hitting regional airlines, particularly in countries without strategic energy reserves, analysts said. Jet fuel reached nearly US$198 in the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349928/asia-air-travel-faces-turbulence-iran-war-exposes-jet-fuel-vulnerability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349928/asia-air-travel-faces-turbulence-iran-war-exposes-jet-fuel-vulnerability?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 02:00:31 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela Scholar and author Sheng-Wei Wang discusses how studying an ancient Chinese world map led her to conclude China explored and mapped the world before the European Age of Discovery and how the legacy of colonialism and a Eurocentric record of global history continue to affect power dynamics today. SCMP Plus readers get early access to articles in the Open Questions series. What first made you suspect that it was Chinese explorers and not Europeans who launched the true Age of Discovery? The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349808/what-ancient-chinese-map-reveals-about-global-history-and-modern-power-sheng-wei-wang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349808/what-ancient-chinese-map-reveals-about-global-history-and-modern-power-sheng-wei-wang?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 22:00:15 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of Taiwan’s biggest opposition party, the Kuomintang, highlighted the need for peace as she spoke to the media in Beijing on Friday afternoon after her historic meeting with Communist Party chief Xi Jinping. It is the first time the leaders of the KMT and the Communist Party have met in nine years and comes at a time of heightened cross-strait military tensions. Here are the main takeaways from the press conference. A ‘choice of war or peace’ In a clear reference to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349640/takeaways-cheng-li-wuns-press-conference-about-meeting-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349640/takeaways-cheng-li-wuns-press-conference-about-meeting-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 08:25:02 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk A New Zealand doctor has sent the US embassy in Wellington an invoice for his clinic’s fuel bills, saying that President Donald Trump and his administration should take responsibility for starting a war that has sent oil prices spiralling. Shane Dunphy asked the embassy to reimburse him for the NZ$2,790.95 (US$1,600) in petrol vouchers he gave staff at Onslow Medical Centre in the capital so that they could travel to work, The Guardian newspaper reported. “Because of the current fuel crisis,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3348977/new-zealand-doctor-bills-us-embassy-rising-fuel-costs-payment-expected-within-7-days?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3348977/new-zealand-doctor-bills-us-embassy-rising-fuel-costs-payment-expected-within-7-days?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 10:25:40 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press When a hiker fell from a 55-metre (180-foot) waterfall in wild New Zealand bush, rescuers were forced to evacuate the badly hurt woman without her dog, which could not be found. After strangers raised thousands of dollars for a search, border collie Molly was flown to safety by a helicopter pilot who was determined to reunite pet and owner. A week earlier, an emergency rescue helicopter found Jessica Johnston with bruises and lacerations after a fall at a rocky spot at the waterfall on the South... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3348639/dog-lost-week-new-zealand-bush-found-after-strangers-fund-us6300-air-search?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3348639/dog-lost-week-new-zealand-bush-found-after-strangers-fund-us6300-air-search?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 07:14:46 +0000 Cliff Buddle Cliff Buddle Any parent with experience of children growing up in the social media age knows how addictive and potentially harmful the many hours they spend glued to their screens can be. We do not need a court to tell us. But the verdict delivered by a jury in Los Angeles last week, the first of its kind, has finally given legal force to concerns that have been growing for years. The landmark case against Meta and YouTube, which is being compared to the groundbreaking settlement made by major US tobacco... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3348266/verdict-finds-what-any-parent-knows-social-media-designed-be-addictive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3348266/verdict-finds-what-any-parent-knows-social-media-designed-be-addictive?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 14:49:26 +0000 SCMP SCMP This article was first published on March 29, 1976. By Jack Beattie World ‘sevens’ for HK? A seven-a-side rugby union world cup competition – and possibly staged in Hongkong! That’s the exciting prospect that emerged after yesterday’s first International “Sevens” Championships held at the Hongkong Football Club. Last night Rothmans and Cathay Pacific, the joint-sponsors of this unique event, which had 12 countries competing, were playing it a bit coy – but both agreed that a similar promotion... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3348128/first-hong-kong-sevens-rugby-tourney-held-1976-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3348128/first-hong-kong-sevens-rugby-tourney-held-1976-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 02:30:07 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow A “ChatGPT moment” for China’s humanoid robots – the tipping point at which the technology becomes widely usable – remains years away as persistent challenges in adapting to new tasks and training efficiency continue to hold back the industry, leading experts said on Wednesday at the Boao Forum for Asia in Hainan. Despite rapid advances in recent years, humanoid robots were still far from large-scale deployment, with both hardware and software limitations yet to be fully resolved, panellists... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347864/why-chinas-humanoid-robots-are-still-waiting-their-chatgpt-moment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347864/why-chinas-humanoid-robots-are-still-waiting-their-chatgpt-moment?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 01:15:07 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk A Chinese national accused of raping and strangling a woman during a violent home invasion appeared in a New Zealand court on Wednesday to face charges, seven months after he was extradited from Singapore. Zhang Xuesong reportedly fled to China following the alleged March 2024 Auckland break-in, complicating efforts to arrest him as no extradition treaty exists between the two countries. The 41-year-old subsequently visited Singapore, where he was returned to New Zealand last September. Zhang,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3347853/man-extradited-singapore-new-zealand-faces-rape-home-invasion-charges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3347853/man-extradited-singapore-new-zealand-faces-rape-home-invasion-charges?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 08:40:19 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Threats to national security around the world have become more complex and varied amid heightened geopolitical tensions and technological advances. Laws designed to guard against such threats and the rules governing their implementation need to keep pace with developments. On Monday, Hong Kong introduced a raft of changes to regulations on the enforcement of the city’s national security law, passed by Beijing in 2020. It is the first time, except for a minor technical amendment in 2023, that the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3347749/rule-changes-will-help-hong-kong-better-combat-national-security-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3347749/rule-changes-will-help-hong-kong-better-combat-national-security-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 23:15:13 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran In New Zealand, Keisha Constantino likes to start her morning at a leisurely pace. She wakes up at 7am and takes time to get ready, reading a book or making matcha before heading to work as a teaching assistant and doctoral researcher at the University of Auckland. While at work, the 32-year-old Filipino balances her time between researching, writing and grading coursework, after which she heads to the university gym to exercise before heading home. “My evenings are sacred. I don’t take home any... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347635/philippines-scores-poorly-work-life-balance-filipinos-are-not-surprised?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347635/philippines-scores-poorly-work-life-balance-filipinos-are-not-surprised?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 01:30:19 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Beneath the powder snow at internationally popular Japanese ski resort Niseko, anxiety is mounting among residents over soaring prices and a massive influx of overseas workers. At a time when Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is talking tough on immigration, upscale Niseko has never been more popular with seasonal workers, investors and skiers from across the globe. The snow “is the best in the world”, said Gideon Masters, a 29-year-old Australian tourist. “It’s just soft, powder fluff. You can pick... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347277/japans-ski-hub-deep-snow-cant-hide-gripes-inflation-and-polarisation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347277/japans-ski-hub-deep-snow-cant-hide-gripes-inflation-and-polarisation?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 06:31:06 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Heavy social media use contributes to a stark decline in well-being among young people, with the effects particularly worrying in teenage girls in English-speaking countries and western Europe according to the World Happiness Report 2026 published on Thursday. The annual report, published by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, also found that Finland was the happiest land in the world for the ninth year in a row, with other Nordic countries such as Iceland, Denmark, Sweden... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3347092/worlds-happiest-places-revealed-social-media-weighs-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3347092/worlds-happiest-places-revealed-social-media-weighs-us?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 02:17:39 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Chinese firms should prioritise regional political stability when they make overseas investment decisions, as mounting geopolitical tensions and currency fluctuations increase the risks of doing business abroad, a prominent Chinese entrepreneur has warned. “The current unrest in the Middle East, fluctuations of the US dollar and international complexities serve as a reminder for firms expanding abroad: we must go to locations that offer relative stability,” said Liu Yonghao, founder and chairman... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346370/chinese-firms-should-focus-investing-politically-stable-regions-entrepreneur?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346370/chinese-firms-should-focus-investing-politically-stable-regions-entrepreneur?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Meta disabled more than 150,000 accounts and Thai police arrested 21 people in a sweeping international crackdown on Southeast Asian criminal scam centres that targeted people around the world, the social media giant said on Wednesday. The operation was led by Thailand’s Royal Thai Police Anti-Cyber Scam Centre alongside the FBI and the US Justice Department’s Scam Centre Strike Force, with Meta investigators acting on intelligence shared in real time by law enforcement. Online scam networks –... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3346280/meta-disables-150000-accounts-global-sting-southeast-asian-scam-centres?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3346280/meta-disables-150000-accounts-global-sting-southeast-asian-scam-centres?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 01:12:19 +0000 dpa dpa Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has called for former British prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to be removed from the royal line of succession over his “deplorable” links to Jeffrey Epstein. The former duke was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office following allegations he shared sensitive information with the paedophile financier while serving as the UK’s trade envoy. Speaking to reporters in Tokyo, Carney said: “I certainly think his actions are deplorable and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345792/canadas-carney-wants-andrew-removed-uk-line-succession-over-epstein-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345792/canadas-carney-wants-andrew-removed-uk-line-succession-over-epstein-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 05:00:13 +0000 Donald Rothwell Donald Rothwell The Iranian diaspora has been celebrating and governments around the world have generally not mourned the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in last weekend’s US and Israeli air strikes on Iran. While there has been much political justification for these attacks from Washington and Israel, neither has sought to legally justify their conduct. No real effort has been made to reference the acknowledged right of self-defence, most likely because the evidence did not exist. In other words, there was no... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3345741/australia-needs-make-its-stance-iran-attacks-known?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3345741/australia-needs-make-its-stance-iran-attacks-known?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 04:00:08 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Though a Hong Kong operator has lost control of the Panama Canal, one of the world’s most pivotal waterways for merchant ships, researchers said this week that Chinese state institutions have funded hundreds of other seaports around the world. Specifically, they have invested a total of US$23.9 billion over the past quarter century in 363 ports and related activities abroad, according to AidData, a research lab at US university William & Mary. The lab called the investments a safeguard against... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345361/panama-out-study-says-china-investing-us239-billion-worlds-seaports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345361/panama-out-study-says-china-investing-us239-billion-worlds-seaports?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 23:00:10 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg New Zealand’s tourism industry still needs to do more if it is to regain its title as the nation’s biggest earner of overseas revenue. While foreign visitor spending gained 7 per cent to a record NZ$18.1 billion (US$11 billion) in the 12 months through March 2025, it still lags behind the dairy industry’s NZ$23.1 billion of exports in the same period, according to government data released on Tuesday in Wellington. Tourism overtook dairy as the nation’s top overseas earner in 2016 and remained... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3345202/tourism-once-new-zealands-top-overseas-earner-lags-behind-dairy-post-pandemic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3345202/tourism-once-new-zealands-top-overseas-earner-lags-behind-dairy-post-pandemic?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 01:31:18 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu The escalating conflict in the Middle East is set to drive up travel costs for Hong Kong passengers as many are forced to opt for more expensive direct routes to Europe, according to analysts. They said on Monday that the suspension of major transit hubs in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Doha in Qatar had left travellers scrambling for seats on direct flights or “conflict-free” paths to Europe, with surging demand set to trigger a spike in airfares. A check of Hong Kong flag carrier... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3345146/middle-east-conflict-drive-airfares-hong-kong-travellers-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3345146/middle-east-conflict-drive-airfares-hong-kong-travellers-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 12:00:15 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar A confrontation between a foreign tourist and residents on a popular Indonesian holiday island has reignited debate over the regulation of mosque loudspeakers in the Muslim-majority country. The dispute, involving a New Zealand national on Gili Trawangan, has drawn fresh attention to whether related government guidelines on the use of such speakers should instead become a binding law. On February 18, the woman disrupted a Koran recitation night session at a musalla – a small prayer room – near... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344616/row-over-speakers-indonesian-island-1000-mosques-sparks-debate-compromise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344616/row-over-speakers-indonesian-island-1000-mosques-sparks-debate-compromise?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 10:31:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The mayor of New Zealand’s capital city took an afternoon dip on Wednesday hoping to assuage public fears after a breakdown at a local waste water treatment plant pumped raw sewage into the ocean and sprayed faecal matter on coastal homes. Millions of litres of raw sewage have flowed into the waters off Wellington’s picturesque south coast beaches since the breakdown of the Moa Point facility on February 4. Sporting swimming trunks and a rash guard shirt, Mayor Andrew Little dived face first... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3344537/wellington-mayor-takes-dip-prove-sea-safe-after-sewage-leak-new-zealand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3344537/wellington-mayor-takes-dip-prove-sea-safe-after-sewage-leak-new-zealand?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 03:41:27 +0000 Reuters Reuters Heavy rain and strong winds disrupted flights, trains and ferries, forcing the closure of roads across large parts of New Zealand’s North Island on Monday, while snapping power links to tens of thousands. Domestic media reported a few flights had resumed operating by afternoon from the airport in Wellington, the capital, although cancellations were still widespread after authorities said most morning flights were disrupted. Air New Zealand said it hoped to resume services when conditions ease... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3343699/absolutely-terrifying-new-zealand-storm-leaves-30000-homes-without-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3343699/absolutely-terrifying-new-zealand-storm-leaves-30000-homes-without-power?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 05:26:05 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow New Zealand’s government has come under fire for keeping its talks with the United States over critical minerals under wraps, as opposition parties level accusations of secrecy amid mounting concern about environmental damage and foreign influence. Analysts say Wellington is reluctant to promote any formal agreement with Washington or invite public debate on the issue, even as both governments have confirmed that they are “exploring further opportunities” on critical minerals cooperation. In a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3343516/new-zealand-catches-flak-secret-us-critical-minerals-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3343516/new-zealand-catches-flak-secret-us-critical-minerals-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 03:00:08 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China’s travel industry is expecting a sharp increase in visitors to Australia during this month’s extended Lunar New Year holiday, as millions of tourists fan out across the world for a nine-day break. Industry insiders said the lure of wine, seafood, nature and flexible small-group itineraries was driving interest in the island country. Australia is projected to attract “the most travellers from China” during the break, with bookings likely to more than double over last year’s total, according... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343560/great-barrier-reef-calling-chinese-tourists-make-australia-lunar-new-year-hotspot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343560/great-barrier-reef-calling-chinese-tourists-make-australia-lunar-new-year-hotspot?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 08:00:17 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain The United Arab Emirates is rapidly eclipsing Hong Kong and emerging as a credible rival to Singapore as Asia’s most dynamic trading hub, thanks to an ambitious post-pandemic campaign of economic diplomacy. Defying global headwinds from war and instability across its own region, the UAE’s non-oil trade almost doubled between 2021 and 2025 to reach 3.8 trillion dirhams (US$1.03 trillion), Prime Minister Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum announced on January 31. That surge – powered by an aggressive... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343514/uae-surpassing-hong-kong-challenging-singapore-global-trade-crown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343514/uae-surpassing-hong-kong-challenging-singapore-global-trade-crown?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 06:00:22 +0000 Mark Footer Mark Footer The Year of the Fire Horse is associated with intense energy, bold movement and pioneering spirit, making it, perhaps, a fitting time for a transformative travel experience. And what better way to channel a steed’s spirit of adventure than through some of the world’s most memorable equestrian experiences, from the Sandalwood ponies of Sumba, Indonesia, to the thoroughbreds that “dare to confront fire” in Marrakech, Morocco. Mongolia and the Naadam Festival “A Mongol without a horse is like a... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3342612/world-seen-saddle-6-equestrian-adventures-mark-year-horse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3342612/world-seen-saddle-6-equestrian-adventures-mark-year-horse?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 03:00:10 +0000 Reuters Reuters China on Thursday reduced tariffs on European Union dairy imports worth over US$500 million, in the final ruling of an 18-month anti-dumping investigation started in response to the bloc’s duties on Chinese electric vehicles. The new tariffs ranging from 7.4 per cent to 11.7 per cent on dairy imports from the EU will ‌apply for a five-year period from February 13, replacing the 21.9 per cent to 42.7 per cent range imposed in a preliminary decision in December, as stated by China’s Ministry of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343370/china-cuts-eu-dairy-tariffs-easing-trade-tensions-after-ev-dispute?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343370/china-cuts-eu-dairy-tariffs-easing-trade-tensions-after-ev-dispute?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 14:54:38 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The presidents of Argentina and Romania said on Sunday they have been invited to attend the inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump’s controversial “Board of Peace” in Washington on February 19. Originally designed by Trump as a mechanism to oversee the Gaza truce and post-war reconstruction, the board’s mandate has since expanded, prompting concerns among critics that it could evolve into a rival to the United Nations. Writing on his Facebook page, Romania’s President Nicusor Dan said... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3342854/romania-argentina-leaders-invited-trumps-board-peace-meeting-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3342854/romania-argentina-leaders-invited-trumps-board-peace-meeting-us?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 19:29:27 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji When India sealed a landmark free-trade pact with the European Union last month, Brussels’ top bureaucrat saw more than an economic deal taking shape. “India has risen and Europe is truly glad about it,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared. “Because when India succeeds, the world is more stable, more prosperous and more secure.” Her words were more than just a diplomatic nicety; they reflected a growing consensus in European capitals that India has become an... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3342704/indias-trade-blitz-seeks-keep-sinking-global-order-afloat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3342704/indias-trade-blitz-seeks-keep-sinking-global-order-afloat?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s call for middle powers to band together amid a fragmenting world order is a vision analysts say appeals to many Asian nations, but lacks a blueprint to bring them all together. Speaking in Switzerland last month, Carney urged mid-sized and smaller countries to unite against the economic coercion of great powers, warning that nations failing to act collectively risked being “on the menu” rather than “at the table”, in a thinly veiled rebuke of the United... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342400/canada-wants-middle-power-alliance-will-asia-pacific-sign?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342400/canada-wants-middle-power-alliance-will-asia-pacific-sign?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 01:31:42 +0000 Lucio Blanco Pitlo III Lucio Blanco Pitlo III Escalating clashes in the South China Sea between the Philippines and China have not only raised the urgency of a regional Code of Conduct but have created a volatile environment where the threshold for war is lowering and red lines are vanishing. As diplomatic efforts stall, the fraught ties between Manila and Beijing are creating a complex crisis defined by six key risks, ranging from the normalisation of violent skirmishes to a dangerous entanglement with cross-strait tensions. First, there... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3341871/south-china-sea-6-risks-facing-philippines-and-china-conflict-threshold-lowers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3341871/south-china-sea-6-risks-facing-philippines-and-china-conflict-threshold-lowers?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 03:00:32 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim In the first few weeks of this year alone, the leaders of two of the five “eyes” in the world’s oldest intelligence-sharing alliance signalled they were ready to rethink their relationship with China. First came Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and then this week it was the turn of his British counterpart, Keir Starmer. And in both cases, the visits have prompted warnings from US President Donald Trump. As Western economies grapple with the unpredictability and at times hostility of the White... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341885/canada-and-uk-hit-refresh-china-ties-end-five-eyes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341885/canada-and-uk-hit-refresh-china-ties-end-five-eyes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 01:00:13 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo Subdued Chinese demand was a key contributor to a decline in Australia’s wine exports last year, according to the Australian government agency that promotes the industry. With consumer sentiment and evolving tastes reshaping the Chinese market, shipments to mainland China fell 17 per cent year on year to A$755 million (US$532.10 million) – the biggest single factor in an 8 per cent fall in Australia’s total wine exports last year – Wine Australia said in a report released on Wednesday. The weak... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341760/how-changing-tastes-china-are-hitting-australias-wine-exports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341760/how-changing-tastes-china-are-hitting-australias-wine-exports?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 03:17:00 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse New Zealand police have found human remains beneath mud and debris from a landslide that struck a campsite in the popular holiday spot of Mount Maunganui, and are now moving to recover more victims. Efforts to rescue at least six people buried alive at the park ended on Saturday. Police Superintendent Tim Anderson said it could take several days to locate all of the bodies, after a mountain of dirt and debris tumbled onto a campsite in Mount Maunganui on Thursday. Anderson said it was... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3341081/new-zealand-landslide-human-remains-found-operations-move-rescue-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3341081/new-zealand-landslide-human-remains-found-operations-move-rescue-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 01:44:21 +0000 Reuters Reuters Rescuers in New Zealand searched on Thursday for several people missing, including children, following a landslide at a campsite ‍as heavy rains caused widespread damage and left thousands without power. Homes were evacuated and roads closed as the heavy rain hit almost the entire eastern seaboard of the North Island. The landslide happened at 9.30am local time, sending rubble barrelling down on the campsite in Mount Maunganui, a popular tourist ⁠spot on the northern coast of New Zealand. One... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3340791/several-people-feared-buried-landslide-hit-new-zealand-campsite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3340791/several-people-feared-buried-landslide-hit-new-zealand-campsite?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 05:34:58 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong’s justice minister has refuted “unfounded” accusations against the judiciary regarding several highly charged national security cases, stating that none of the judges had failed to fulfil their duties and that their independence remains strong. In his address at a ceremony on Monday to mark the start of the legal year, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok also slammed the threat of sanctions against the city’s judges and “illegitimate pressures” placed on overseas judges to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340469/hong-kong-justice-minister-slams-accusations-sanctions-threat-against-judges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340469/hong-kong-justice-minister-slams-accusations-sanctions-threat-against-judges?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 15:07:59 +0000 SCMP SCMP This article was first published on December 15, 1969 Drama in HK’s first international marathon by Neil Perera Unheralded Kim Cha Hwan of South Korea yesterday (December 14, 1969) pulverised an international field of long distance runners to win the first Tin Tin international marathon in the New Territories. Kim, a 21-year-old electrician, overcame a determined challenge from Australia’s John Farrington to cover the gruelling 26 miles course in two hours 20 minutes 39 seconds. He immediately... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3339688/drama-hong-kongs-first-international-marathon-1969-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3339688/drama-hong-kongs-first-international-marathon-1969-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jan 2026 07:30:08 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters rebuked the country’s new Reserve Bank governor, Anna Breman, for wading into US domestic politics after she signed a statement with other global central bankers backing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. “The RBNZ has no role, nor should it involve itself, in US domestic politics. We remind the governor to stay in her New Zealand lane and stick to domestic monetary policy,” Peters said on social media. He added that the Ministry of Foreign... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3339810/new-zealand-central-bank-chief-told-stay-her-lane-after-backing-us-feds-powell?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3339810/new-zealand-central-bank-chief-told-stay-her-lane-after-backing-us-feds-powell?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 03:37:08 +0000