https://www.scmp.com/rss/325562/feed The latest breaking news and stories on Canada, a country in North America known as a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, and world’s ninth largest economy. Also covering Canada’s relationship with the US and China, plus commentary and updates on Canada’s economy, politics, society and trade news. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ling Xin Ling Xin A Chinese boycott of the “World Cup of mathematics” this year could be decisive, according to a co-organiser of a petition calling for the event to be moved out of the United States this year. Ila Varma, a University of Toronto mathematician and boycott co-organiser, said the country was “uniquely situated” to act – both as a target of US restrictions and as a major scientific powerhouse. “The Chinese government does not apply sanctions to US universities the way the US government does to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3351934/could-chinese-mathematicians-tip-balance-us-conference-boycott?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3351934/could-chinese-mathematicians-tip-balance-us-conference-boycott?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 11:30:08 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai China’s diplomatic strategy has undergone a conspicuous shift, with Beijing conducting far fewer overseas state visits, opting instead to welcome a steady stream of foreign leaders to the capital. According to data compiled by the South China Morning Post, Beijing is placing greater emphasis on neighbourhood diplomacy and engagement with European middle powers. The changing dynamic reflects Beijing’s shift towards favouring high-level multilateralism, in a sign of growing confidence and an... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352060/see-you-beijing-big-shift-xis-travel-plans-and-what-it-means-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352060/see-you-beijing-big-shift-xis-travel-plans-and-what-it-means-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 22:00:16 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran A viral appearance in the swimsuit round by a male beauty pageant contestant in the Philippines has sparked a wider debate about male beauty standards and whether pageantry is ready to make room for people who do not fit its traditional ideals. RJ Perkins, 21, drew widespread attention after a video showed him strutting across an outdoor stage during the swimwear segment of Mister Pampanga, held in the province of Pampanga, north of Manila. Unlike the chiselled bodies typically associated with... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3351987/male-pageant-contestants-viral-swimsuit-walk-sparks-body-image-debate-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3351987/male-pageant-contestants-viral-swimsuit-walk-sparks-body-image-debate-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 07:46:29 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin Over 70 Democrats on Tuesday urged US President Donald Trump to keep Chinese carmakers out of America, warning of “irreversible” consequences, just weeks ahead of his high-stakes trip to Beijing to meet with China’s President Xi Jinping. “We must not cede the American auto industry to a strategic competitor intent on global dominance,” a letter, signed by 73 House Democrats led by US Representative Debbie Dingell, said. “The consequences for American workers, our supply chains, our national... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351765/democrats-urge-trump-keep-ban-chinese-cars-us-xi-meeting-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351765/democrats-urge-trump-keep-ban-chinese-cars-us-xi-meeting-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 22:42:13 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Canada plans to allow more flight connections to China, as it seeks to rebuild ties with Beijing and capitalise on rising demand for Canadian travel among Chinese tourists, but airlines may be reluctant to add new routes due to soaring jet fuel costs and a lack of access to Russian airspace. Steven MacKinnon, Canada’s transport minister, announced last week that Ottawa would permit an “incremental” increase in direct passenger combination flights to China and up to 20 cargo flights per week. The... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3351717/canadas-push-rebuild-ties-china-hits-snag-lack-direct-flights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3351717/canadas-push-rebuild-ties-china-hits-snag-lack-direct-flights?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:00:14 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin Yoyo Yue has spent much of her life navigating the complex US immigration system. The 31-year-old Chinese content creator moved from China to a US boarding school, went to university, secured an H-1B visa and later a “green card” – a path long considered the “gold standard” for skilled foreign workers. Now, she said, that path felt far less certain. “The H-1B path today comes with significant uncertainty, not just around job stability, but also around long-term prospects,” Yue said. US President... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3351544/why-tougher-us-visa-rules-skilled-foreign-workers-may-end-exodus-asia-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3351544/why-tougher-us-visa-rules-skilled-foreign-workers-may-end-exodus-asia-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 15:00:10 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen The long-standing rivalry between China’s two largest economic heavyweights – with each boasting a gross domestic product comparable to Group of Seven members Italy and Canada – reflects the regional dynamism and shifting economic gravity within the world’s second-biggest economy. Jiangsu has been threatening to end Guangdong’s uninterrupted reign as China’s largest provincial economy since the late 1980s, and the latest economic data reveals the gap between the two narrowed further in the first... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3351572/guangdongs-rule-chinas-gdp-king-faces-unprecedented-threat-crown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3351572/guangdongs-rule-chinas-gdp-king-faces-unprecedented-threat-crown?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 12:30:14 +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. The intensifying technological rivalry between the United States and China is often framed as a race over semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI) models and advanced computing power. Much of this conversation treats Southeast Asia as a peripheral actor – a consumer market... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3351246/us-china-ai-race-southeast-asia-no-side-act?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3351246/us-china-ai-race-southeast-asia-no-side-act?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 06:26:49 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong is known for its speed. Now it is set to move even faster, with plans to shorten stock settlement times from next year – a shift that could strengthen its standing as an international financial centre. The city’s stock market has operated on a T+2 settlement cycle for more than three decades, meaning trades are completed two days after they are executed. That may soon change. Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) is consulting the market on a proposal to move to a T+1 cycle, under... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3351417/can-faster-settlement-sharpen-hong-kongs-edge-global-financial-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3351417/can-faster-settlement-sharpen-hong-kongs-edge-global-financial-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 23:00:13 +0000 Li Xing Li Xing Geopolitics, at its core, examines how geography shapes international politics, power distribution and security dynamics. One enduring idea is geographer Halford Mackinder’s “heartland” theory, which situates Eurasia as the central arena of global power competition. In 1904, Mackinder argued that the vast land mass of Europe and Asia – what he called the “world island” – contained a pivotal core, the “heartland”, rich in resources, population and strategic depth. His dictum – “Who rules Eastern... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3351015/why-us-led-security-alliances-asia-are-losing-coherence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3351015/why-us-led-security-alliances-asia-are-losing-coherence?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Dulue Mbachu Dulue Mbachu In the face of a prolonged US energy blockade of Cuba, solar panels from China have come to the rescue and provided a model of independence from fossil fuels that is resonating globally amid what is being called the worst energy crisis in history. Within the 12 months through February, solar’s share of national power generation in Cuba increased from 6 per cent to more than 20 per cent, according to Microgrid Media, a California-based publication that tracks global renewable energy capacity. “By... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351455/china-poised-reap-rewards-energy-shock-heats-race-renewables?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351455/china-poised-reap-rewards-energy-shock-heats-race-renewables?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman has apologised to a Canadian town devastated by a February mass shooting, saying he was “deeply sorry” the company did not tell police about the killer’s troubling ChatGPT account. OpenAI had banned an account linked to Jesse Van Rootselaar in June 2025, eight months before the 18-year-old woman killed eight people at her home and a school in the tiny British Columbia mining town of Tumbler Ridge. The account was banned over concerns about usage linked to violent... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351391/openais-sam-altman-apologises-canada-town-not-reporting-mass-shooter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351391/openais-sam-altman-apologises-canada-town-not-reporting-mass-shooter?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 21:20:25 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A proposed bill to allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales to choose to end their lives failed on Friday as parliamentary time ran out, nearly a year since elected members of parliaments gave their backing. Though the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was passed by the House of Commons last June, the UK’s revising chamber, the House of Lords, effectively talked it out since then. Proponents of what has been termed “assisted dying” – sometimes referred to as “assisted suicide” –... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351381/uk-bill-allow-assisted-dying-fails-parliamentary-time-runs-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351381/uk-bill-allow-assisted-dying-fails-parliamentary-time-runs-out?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 15:36:51 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela The United Nations very much relied on China for its environmental protection role, including its major funding for biodiversity conservation in the Global South, the organisation’s environment chief said on Thursday. Speaking on the sidelines of the Regional Ecological Summit in Kazakhstan, Inger Andersen, executive director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), said that “China has always been an active player in multilateralism”. Andersen said that within UNEP, they “very much rely on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3351265/big-shout-out-chinas-environmental-leadership-un-agency-head?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3351265/big-shout-out-chinas-environmental-leadership-un-agency-head?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 06:07:11 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Potentially millions of Americans suddenly have a much easier path to Canadian citizenship, prompting a rush of people to explore their ancestry and file paperwork seeking dual citizenship. For people like Zack Loud of Farmington, Minnesota, it was a surprise to learn that under a new law, Canada already considered him and his siblings citizens because their grandmother is Canadian. “My wife and I were already talking about potentially looking at jobs outside the country, but citizenship pushed... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351206/millions-americans-may-now-also-be-considered-canadian-under-new-law?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351206/millions-americans-may-now-also-be-considered-canadian-under-new-law?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:57:59 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The US does not get to dictate the terms of coming trade talks, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Wednesday, following reports Washington wants an “entry fee” before agreeing to open negotiations. The United States and Canada are set to hold talks on revising a North American free trade agreement, a pact US President Donald Trump signed and praised during his first term but now dismisses as “irrelevant”. Quoting multiple Canadian sources, Canada’s public broadcaster CBC reported on... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351058/trump-team-demands-entry-fee-canada-talks-carney-says-us-doesnt-dictate-terms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351058/trump-team-demands-entry-fee-canada-talks-carney-says-us-doesnt-dictate-terms?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 20:03:47 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Mexico’s government said it was bolstering security at tourist sites after a man opened fire on tourists at pyramids outside Mexico City less than two months before the Fifa World Cup. The Monday shooting, carried out by a lone gunman on top of one of the Teotihuacan pyramids – a Unesco World Heritage Site and one of Mexico’s most frequented tourist attractions – killed one Canadian tourist and injured a dozen more. It also set off a flurry of questions the next morning by reporters to Mexican... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3350975/world-cup-co-host-mexico-ramps-security-tourist-sites-after-shooting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3350975/world-cup-co-host-mexico-ramps-security-tourist-sites-after-shooting?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:06:18 +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 Bloomberg Bloomberg A Canadian who was detained in China for nearly three years warned that Prime Minister Mark Carney’s electric vehicle deal risks creating a strategic dependency that the Asian superpower can exploit for political coercion. Michael Kovrig, a former diplomat who was imprisoned from 2018 to 2021, said on Tuesday that the agreement would lead to unfair competition and the erosion of Canada’s industrial base. Carney announced during a January trip to Beijing that Canada would accept an initial quota... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350931/canadian-who-was-detained-china-warns-against-carneys-electric-vehicle-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350931/canadian-who-was-detained-china-warns-against-carneys-electric-vehicle-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:42:21 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu The number of Hong Kong secondary school leavers pursuing higher studies outside the city fell to a 14-year low in 2025, with an expert attributing the trend to a surge in mainland Chinese students targeting local universities. Only 2,671 students, or 6.5 per cent of 40,948 Form Six graduates pursuing full-time courses, chose to study outside Hong Kong last year, a survey by the Education Bureau showed. The number was a 13 per cent drop from the 2024 figure of 3,061 and the lowest since... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3350925/number-hong-kong-school-leavers-seeking-education-elsewhere-hits-14-year-low?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3350925/number-hong-kong-school-leavers-seeking-education-elsewhere-hits-14-year-low?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:22:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A gunman killed a Canadian tourist and wounded six other people on Monday at Mexico’s famed Teotihuacan archaeological site, authorities said. The gunman killed himself after opening fire at the heavily visited destination in central Mexico, home to pre-Aztecan pyramids, according to a security official. The shooting occurred on the Pyramid of the Moon, a 45-metre-high monument visitors were allowed to climb using steep steps carved of volcanic rock. Six people were wounded by gunfire and taken... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3350790/canadian-tourist-killed-6-people-injured-shooting-mexico-archaeological-site?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3350790/canadian-tourist-killed-6-people-injured-shooting-mexico-archaeological-site?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 20:42:31 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye A Hong Kong whisky investment firm is seeking to raise up to US$50 million for its second private equity-style fund, pitching the spirit as a hedge in volatile markets despite a slump in prices across the industry. Rickesh Kishnani, co-founder and chairman of Rare Whisky Holdings, said whisky had been gaining traction among wealthy investors seeking alternatives to traditional safe havens. “This is the market where people turn to gold, but we’ve seen even gold not hold up in terms of... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350690/liquid-gold-hong-kong-fund-pitches-whisky-alternative-investment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350690/liquid-gold-hong-kong-fund-pitches-whisky-alternative-investment?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 07:30:09 +0000 Bernice Chan Bernice Chan Asparagus is the favourite vegetable of chef Hector Laguna’s two boys. “My kids love asparagus with a little olive oil, salt, and then we grill them for three to four minutes,” he explains, adding that’s how they eat the vegetable at home. “But at work, asparagus is fantastic. We use them in salads, we cook them, pickle them and ferment them,” says the executive chef of Botanist in Vancouver. Asparagus signals the arrival of spring and is known for its fibrous stalks and slightly bitter taste.... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/dining/article/3349498/how-asparagus-benefits-your-health-and-different-ways-prepare-vegetable?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/dining/article/3349498/how-asparagus-benefits-your-health-and-different-ways-prepare-vegetable?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 07:00:07 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Lesson for China? Iran’s low-cost 358 missile takes out million-dollar US assets 2. Hong Kong Sevens: Blitzboks win first title, Black Ferns go unbeaten again 3. The rupture: how Europe fell out of love with America 4. Closed? Open? Closed? Why is Iran changing course on the Strait of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3350679/irans-lesson-china-record-breaking-hong-kong-sevens-5-weekend-reads-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3350679/irans-lesson-china-record-breaking-hong-kong-sevens-5-weekend-reads-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 04:59:54 +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. Hong Kong boasts low overall unemployment, yet people from non-Chinese ethnic groups face persistent workplace barriers and, according to the 2021 census, higher joblessness. People from non-Chinese ethnic groups make up 4.1 per cent of the population (excluding foreign domestic... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3350500/hong-kong-must-be-more-proactive-diversity-civil-service?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3350500/hong-kong-must-be-more-proactive-diversity-civil-service?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 03:30:08 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has been putting her own spin on omotenashi, the Japanese concept of hospitality, to build personal rapport with foreign leaders as her diplomatic skills are put to the test about six months into office. Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister, who was not widely known for her diplomatic experience before taking office, has been adding an element of entertainment to summit talks and relying on personal gifts to win over her counterparts. Most... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350665/how-sanae-takaichi-redefining-japanese-diplomacy-personal-touches?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350665/how-sanae-takaichi-redefining-japanese-diplomacy-personal-touches?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 02:40:14 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a video address released on Sunday that Canada’s strong economic ties to the United States were once a strength but are now a weakness that must be corrected. In the 10-minute address, Carney spoke about his government’s efforts to strengthen the Canadian economy by attracting new investments and signing trade deals with other countries. “The world is more dangerous and divided,” Carney said. “The US has fundamentally changed its approach to trade,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350656/canadas-carney-says-economic-ties-us-are-weakness-must-be-corrected?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350656/canadas-carney-says-economic-ties-us-are-weakness-must-be-corrected?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 18:55:45 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang Janusz Pawliszyn, the 71-year-old recipient of the Chemical Institute of Canada’s highest honour and a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, has joined Guangzhou’s Sun Yat-sen University, the institution announced on April 9. Pawliszyn has supervised more than 110 master’s and doctoral students as well as nearly 200 postdoctoral students and visiting scholars, many of them from China. Ouyang Gangfeng was one of them. From 2004 to 2005, he was a postdoctoral fellow at Pawliszyn’s laboratory. He... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350619/canada-research-chair-chemist-janusz-pawliszyn-joins-chinese-university?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350619/canada-research-chair-chemist-janusz-pawliszyn-joins-chinese-university?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 14:00:10 +0000 Reuters Reuters A Canadian man accused of helping 14 ⁠people in the province ⁠of Ontario kill themselves by selling a ⁠legal but deadly substance online will avoid a murder trial by pleading guilty to lesser charges, his lawyer said on Saturday. Kenneth Law, 60, will plead guilty to counselling or aiding suicide under a deal with Crown prosecutors that will see more serious ‌first-degree murder charges withdrawn, Matthew Gourlay of Henein Hutchison Robitaille said in an email. Law’s case is scheduled to return... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350600/canadian-man-kenneth-law-plead-guilty-suicide-kit-case-avoid-murder-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350600/canadian-man-kenneth-law-plead-guilty-suicide-kit-case-avoid-murder-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 18:22:52 +0000 Fox Yi Hu Fox Yi Hu In Canada, fans and foes of Chinese electric vehicles are holding their breath for brands like BYD to hit the market. Whether they love them or not, they share the hope that Chinese carmakers will help to bring all EV prices down, as affordability becomes a growing concern for consumers. Companies including BYD, Geely, Nio and Xpeng are preparing to roll out sales locations in Canada, seizing the opportunity of warmer ties between the two countries. Ottawa struck a milestone trade deal with... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350483/china-trade-deal-has-canadians-looking-forward-cheaper-electric-vehicles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350483/china-trade-deal-has-canadians-looking-forward-cheaper-electric-vehicles?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) has proposed halving the cash settlement cycle for share trading as part of efforts to enhance market efficiency and liquidity. The city’s bourse operator said in a consultation paper on Friday that it aimed to implement a “T+1” system – under which trades are settled one day after the transaction – in the fourth quarter of 2027, replacing the existing “T+2” cycle. If adopted, the shortened cycle would apply to equities, exchange-traded products,... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350526/hkex-proposes-halving-share-settlement-cycle-bid-boost-hong-kongs-financial-profile?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350526/hkex-proposes-halving-share-settlement-cycle-bid-boost-hong-kongs-financial-profile?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:51:01 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Friday that the war in Iran had laid bare the urgency of long-delayed UN reforms, arguing that the world body must be strengthened if multilateral diplomacy is to help restore global peace and security. “We have been talking about that for a long time, but only talking happens,” Tokayev told the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey. “Everybody is feeling the impact of the Iran war and everybody is suffering.” At the three-day summit ending... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350505/un-reforms-cant-wait-any-longer-kazakhstans-tokayev-says-amid-fragile-iran-truce?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350505/un-reforms-cant-wait-any-longer-kazakhstans-tokayev-says-amid-fragile-iran-truce?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:43:43 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang When it comes to hotel rooms, “luxury” does not necessarily mean clean and hygienic. A number of studies have shown that light switches and television remote controls are among the objects with the highest levels of bacterial contamination, while toilets and bathroom sinks also contain high levels of microbial organisms. A 2012 survey in the United States – which is still cited by the travel industry 14 years later – found that 81 per cent of US hotel samples tested positive for surface faecal... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349626/how-shanghai-reduces-faecal-bacteria-presence-hotels-less-1?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349626/how-shanghai-reduces-faecal-bacteria-presence-hotels-less-1?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 01:00:10 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Geopolitical tensions are expected to further drive fundraising demand in the mining sector amid a commodities “supercycle”, although concerns over national security could complicate dealmaking, according to industry experts. Johnson Chui, head of global issuer services at Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX), said 2025 had been an inflection point. Mining and metals companies had become a key driver in the capital market as rising commodity prices, triggered by the energy transition and... https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3350334/geopolitics-further-fuel-hong-kong-mining-fundraising-amid-supercycle-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3350334/geopolitics-further-fuel-hong-kong-mining-fundraising-amid-supercycle-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:00:11 +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 Junjie Wang Junjie Wang Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Vietnamese leader To Lam are the latest world leaders to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping amid global trade tensions and the war in Iran. Xi also this week met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Abu Dhabi’s crown prince, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The president of Mozambique arrives in China this week as well. US President Donald Trump delayed his trip to China to May 14-15 in order to focus on the conflict in the Middle... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/article/3350157/xi-jinping-meets-foreign-leaders-tracker-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/article/3350157/xi-jinping-meets-foreign-leaders-tracker-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:45:40 +0000 Reuters,Associated Press Reuters,Associated Press Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney returns to Parliament on Tuesday with more power after he secured a majority government by sweeping three special elections. Carney’s Liberals now have 174 of the 343 seats in the House of Commons and won’t need support from opposition parties to pass legislation after winning three districts that became vacant after last year’s election. It would also likely mean Carney, who took office with no political experience and has earned global praise for his efforts... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349976/canadas-carney-secures-majority-government-special-election-wins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349976/canadas-carney-secures-majority-government-special-election-wins?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 03:03:43 +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 Associated Press Associated Press Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is on the verge of securing a majority government as special elections are held in three districts on Monday. Votes are being cast in the Toronto-area districts of Scarborough Southwest and University-Rosedale, which are considered safe seats for Carney’s Liberals, and in the Montreal-area district of Terrebonne, which is considered a toss-up. Winning just one of them would give Carney a majority. The Liberals now have 171 members of Parliament in the House of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349948/canadian-pm-carney-verge-majority-government-amid-special-elections?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349948/canadian-pm-carney-verge-majority-government-amid-special-elections?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:24:18 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Still marvelling over their moon mission, the Artemis II astronauts received a thunderous welcome home on Saturday from hundreds who took part in Nasa’s lunar comeback that set a record for deep space travel. The crew of four arrived at Ellington Field near Nasa’s Johnson Space Centre and Mission Control, flying in from San Diego where they splashed down just offshore the evening before. After a quick reunion with their spouses and children, the astronauts took the hangar stage, surrounded by... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349765/over-moon-artemis-ii-astronauts-make-emotional-homecoming-after-record-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349765/over-moon-artemis-ii-astronauts-make-emotional-homecoming-after-record-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 22:20:14 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Japan’s energy security has long hinged on Middle Eastern oil. The Iran war simply exposed how breakable that lifeline had become. While a two-week ceasefire agreed on Tuesday promises some relief by reopening the Strait of Hormuz to tanker traffic, analysts say the shock has laid bare vulnerabilities Tokyo cannot easily paper over. As an archipelago nation with no cross-border pipelines, Japan draws more than 95 per cent of its crude from the Middle East and routes the bulk of it through the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349679/japans-middle-east-oil-habit-gets-iran-war-reality-check?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349679/japans-middle-east-oil-habit-gets-iran-war-reality-check?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:00:18 +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 SCMP We have selected five Trending in China stories from the past seven days that resonated with our readers. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. How Gingle Wang went from clueless novice to one of Taiwan’s top young actresses For an actress often hailed by the Taiwanese press as the “box office guarantee” of her generation, Gingle Wang Ching began her career with a startling lack of vocabulary: she had no idea what the word “action” meant on a film... https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3349505/gingle-wangs-rise-top-apps-help-fight-jet-lag-7-lifestyle-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3349505/gingle-wangs-rise-top-apps-help-fight-jet-lag-7-lifestyle-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 07:37:01 +0000 Reuters Reuters A Canadian opposition legislator defected to the ruling Liberal Party on Wednesday, leaving Prime Minister Mark Carney on the verge of a parliamentary majority that would make it easier to push through his agenda. The centrist Liberals, ‌governing with a minority after the April 2025 election, need opposition support to pass key legislation. Carney says he needs a majority to deal with US President Donald Trump’s trade measures. The prime minister welcomed the defection by Marilyn Gladu – a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349435/canadas-carney-verge-majority-after-another-conservative-mp-jumps-ship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349435/canadas-carney-verge-majority-after-another-conservative-mp-jumps-ship?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 20:11:53 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji As Nasa’s Artemis II crew loops around the moon, the mission involving four astronauts from the US and Canada is set to reignite India’s ambition to grow its space sector and launch future lunar missions. The Orion spacecraft used in the Artemis II mission reached a maximum distance of 406,780km (252,760 miles) from Earth, surpassing the record set by Apollo 13 in 1970. The close approach to the moon was the climax of the mission launched on April 1, with the astronauts scheduled to return to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349387/indias-space-ambition-set-soar-after-artemis-ii-moon-missions-success?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349387/indias-space-ambition-set-soar-after-artemis-ii-moon-missions-success?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 10:00:23 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Artemis II astronauts were jetting towards Earth and sharing their lunar fly-by souvenirs on Tuesday, delighting colleagues both at home and in space with captivating tales of their historic journey. Of note was their stunning shot of an Earthset, the moment when Earth drops below the rugged lunar horizon. The image was a deliberate nod to the iconic Earthrise image taken during the Apollo 8 mission in 1968, a shot that helped capture the public’s imagination as humans travelled around the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349308/nasas-artemis-crew-snaps-historic-earthset-photo-way-home-moon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349308/nasas-artemis-crew-snaps-historic-earthset-photo-way-home-moon?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 17:00:45 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Now more than halfway to the moon, the Artemis II astronauts prepared for their historic lunar fly-around to push deeper into space than even the Apollo astronauts. On the downside, their toilet is on the blink again. The three Americans and one Canadian are set to reach their destination Monday, photographing the mysterious lunar far side as they zoom around. It is the first moon-bound crew in more than 53 years, picking up where Nasa’s Apollo programme left off. “The Earth is quite small, and... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/science-technology/article/3349061/us-artemis-iis-moon-trip-faces-challenging-toilet-mission-again-over-flushing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/science-technology/article/3349061/us-artemis-iis-moon-trip-faces-challenging-toilet-mission-again-over-flushing?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 03:49:56 +0000 Ishani Sarkar Ishani Sarkar If you think Gheorghe Mureşan and Manute Bol, both of whom are 231cm (7ft 7 inches) tall, or even Sun Mingming, who stands at a mighty 236cm (7ft 8.9 inches), are the tallest basketball players in the world, think again. College basketballer Olivier Rioux, 20, now holds the record, with a staggering height of 236cm (7ft 9 inches). He made it to the Guinness Book of World Records in 2021 as the tallest teenager when he was 226cm (7ft 5 inches) tall. View this post on... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3348748/meet-olivier-rioux-tallest-basketball-player-world-whos-nba-prospect?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3348748/meet-olivier-rioux-tallest-basketball-player-world-whos-nba-prospect?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 22:00:17 +0000 Cliff Buddle Cliff Buddle The dramatic launch of the first manned space mission to the moon for more than 50 years invokes a childlike sense of excitement and wonder, with reflections on the prospect of another giant leap for mankind. Four astronauts, three from the United States and one from Canada, are on course to travel further away from Earth than any of their predecessors, circling the moon. Some of us are old enough to remember the first lunar missions in the 1960s and ’70s. These formed the backdrop to our... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3349049/lunar-mission-gives-fresh-perspective-troubled-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3349049/lunar-mission-gives-fresh-perspective-troubled-world?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 16:00:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse They are sipping smoothies, snapping phone pics, dealing with crashed email and fixing broken toilets: astronauts, they are just like us. The four crew members zipping through space towards the moon are carrying out a mission unlike any before it, but they are also still muddling on through life’s mundanities – all while they float around together in a square footage equivalent to two minivans. Mission specialist Christina Koch, the first woman to venture into deep space, said preparing for the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349013/space-plumber-rescue-artemis-astronauts-navigate-life-aboard-orion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349013/space-plumber-rescue-artemis-astronauts-navigate-life-aboard-orion?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 02:40:03 +0000