https://www.scmp.com/rss/519115/feed Caroline joined the Post as an associate producer in 2024 after graduating from the University of Hong Kong with a master's degree in Journalism. She is a video journalist with a focus on human stories and political issues. She is passionate about visual storytelling and photography. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Caroline Qiqige Wang Caroline Qiqige Wang Hong Kong lags behind many other global cities when it comes to the adoption of digital payments. Most businesses in Hong Kong still prefer cash, the locally developed Octopus payment system or credit cards. There are digital options, such as the Faster Payment System (FPS) and PayMe, but small businesses balk at having to pay extra fees and worry about security issues like data breaches. Despite government efforts to encourage merchants to embrace cashless systems, many businesses remain... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3323620/why-isnt-hong-kong-ready-embrace-digital-payments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3323620/why-isnt-hong-kong-ready-embrace-digital-payments?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Aug 2025 00:30:08 +0000 Caroline Qiqige Wang Caroline Qiqige Wang Hong Kong has long been known as an international financial hub where fortunes are made in office towers that form the city’s iconic skyline. Its free-market economy has given rise to some of Asia’s wealthiest and most powerful families and firms. But beneath the glitz and glamour lies a sobering level of inequality. Some people are unable to pay for basic groceries due to rising inflation, while others live on the streets despite having paid jobs. Poverty alleviation is a major goal cited by... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3316208/paradise-rich-hell-poor-hong-kong-among-worlds-most-unequal-cities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3316208/paradise-rich-hell-poor-hong-kong-among-worlds-most-unequal-cities?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Jun 2025 22:30:09 +0000 Caroline Qiqige Wang Caroline Qiqige Wang Millions of workers in China fear falling for the “curse of 35”, a term that originated on social media to describe tech employees at risk of being laid off once they reach that age. The phrase has become widely used to suggest growing age discrimination amid a tight job market in the country. Many online job listings, including civil service posts, state explicitly that candidates should be no older than age 35. So, why are 35-year-olds considered too old to work in China and which sectors are... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3308921/why-turning-35-feels-career-death-sentence-some-chinese-tech-workers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3308921/why-turning-35-feels-career-death-sentence-some-chinese-tech-workers?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 May 2025 01:00:19 +0000 Japanese companies have built what they call the world’s first 3D-printed railway station. The compact, white, curved-roof structure was installed in a rural region of western Japan. The assembly process began after the last train left Arita, a station in the Wakayama region, at about midnight. The process was finished before the first scheduled train at about 5am. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3306169/how-japan-built-3d-printed-railway-station-overnight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3306169/how-japan-built-3d-printed-railway-station-overnight?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Apr 2025 09:30:15 +0000 A motorcyclist has died after plunging into a 20-metre-deep (66ft) sinkhole in the South Korean capital Seoul. The body of the 33-year-old man was found on Tuesday, about 17 hours after the accident. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3303824/motorcyclist-south-korea-dies-after-plunging-massive-sinkhole?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3303824/motorcyclist-south-korea-dies-after-plunging-massive-sinkhole?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Mar 2025 09:55:40 +0000 Chinese state broadcaster CCTV exposed the country’s latest consumer rights scandals at its 315 Gala on March 15, 2025. The annual programme highlighted abuse cases in the consumer supply chain that provides products sold online, including frozen seafood, disposable underwear and sanitary pads – with some items singled out because they were made with waste materials. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3302887/chinas-annual-315-gala-uncovers-illegal-supply-chain-sanitary-pads-made-waste?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3302887/chinas-annual-315-gala-uncovers-illegal-supply-chain-sanitary-pads-made-waste?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Mar 2025 12:54:51 +0000 Hanoi has regularly topped the list of Swiss air quality tracker IQAir’s ranking of the world’s most polluted major cities over the three months leading up to February 2025. The World Health Organization (WHO) says prolonged exposure to toxic air can have catastrophic effects on human health. The Vietnamese capital has implemented measures to limit air pollution, but residents say the moves have done little to protect them. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3300908/hanoi-residents-endure-toxic-air-vietnam-struggles-pollution-problem?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3300908/hanoi-residents-endure-toxic-air-vietnam-struggles-pollution-problem?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Mar 2025 22:05:06 +0000 Chinese gig worker Xu Bochun says he was lured to Myanmar in 2023 by a job offer that turned out to be fake. He ended up being sold to a scam centre in Laukkai, the capital of the Kokang Self-Administered Zone bordering China. In a wide-ranging interview with the Post, Xu gives a detailed account of his experience as a victim of human trafficking. He details how he was forced to work for three months in an online scam centre before he escaped. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3300624/people-are-sold-every-day-first-hand-account-life-inside-myanmar-scam-centre?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3300624/people-are-sold-every-day-first-hand-account-life-inside-myanmar-scam-centre?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Mar 2025 22:00:20 +0000 The Tokyo government is set to introduce a four-day work week for its employees starting in April 2025, following a similar move made by Singapore in December. Governments and companies in Asia have generally been slower than their Western counterparts in taking steps to adopt a healthy work-life balance. For decades, Japan’s work culture has been synonymous with gruelling hours and self-sacrifice. Is Tokyo’s introduction of a four-day work week the start of a shift away from a culture of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3300614/it-possible-people-asia-adopt-4-day-working-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3300614/it-possible-people-asia-adopt-4-day-working-week?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Feb 2025 12:30:45 +0000 Thousands of Indonesians received a free health check-up on January 10, 2025, as part of an annual screening programme launched by the government to improve preventive care and uphold a key election promise made by President Prabowo Subianto. The health ministry said the programme will aim to serve 60 million Indonesians this year and reach the nation’s entire estimated population of 280 million by 2030. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3298229/indonesia-launches-free-health-screening-programme-all-citizens-birthday-presents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3298229/indonesia-launches-free-health-screening-programme-all-citizens-birthday-presents?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Feb 2025 09:03:49 +0000 Wan Zuocheng and his wife Hong Gengxiang run a back-alley kitchen near a hospital that treats cancer patients in China’s eastern province of Jiangxi. For just 3 yuan (43 US cents), patients and their relatives can use the kitchen facilities to make home-cooked meals instead of eating hospital food. Many people who use the kitchen say it is a godsend that helps their recovery. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3282004/chinese-couple-behind-kitchen-helps-cancer-patients-and-families?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3282004/chinese-couple-behind-kitchen-helps-cancer-patients-and-families?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Oct 2024 09:15:16 +0000 In 1969, the United States landed the first human on the moon, beating the former Soviet Union in the Cold War-era space race. Today, there are 77 space agencies around the world. Of the four nations which have reached the moon, three are in Asia – Japan, China and India. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3279340/space-race-elevates-asia-new-world-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3279340/space-race-elevates-asia-new-world-order?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Sep 2024 04:00:09 +0000 Hernando Guanlao said he started Reading Club 2000 to offer free second-hand books and help youngsters develop a love of reading. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3279356/filipino-book-lover-turns-home-communal-library?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3279356/filipino-book-lover-turns-home-communal-library?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Sep 2024 10:43:15 +0000 American rapper Kanye West is set to perform in Haikou city, capital of the Chinese island Hainan province on Sunday, September 15, 2024. More than 30,000 tickets were sold out in seconds on Chinese ticketing platforms. Some netizens are expressing shock that the controversial artist has been allowed to perform despite China’s tight censorship while others are surprised he chose Haikou as his performance location. But his unusual choice of location might be just what the government wants. https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3278395/kanye-wests-upcoming-china-concert-draws-sarcastic-rebukes-social-media?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3278395/kanye-wests-upcoming-china-concert-draws-sarcastic-rebukes-social-media?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Sep 2024 09:37:29 +0000 The famous Korean dish kimchi is under threat from climate change because its main ingredient, cabbage, thrives in cooler climates. In South Korea, farmland has become less suitable for growing the vegetable amid rising temperatures. The Rural Development Administration, a state farming think tank, says climate change scenarios predict the amount of kimchi cabbage farming area will shrink dramatically to just 44 hectares in the next 25 years and that the crop will no longer be grown in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3278073/south-korea-climate-change-threatens-kimchi-cabbage-production?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3278073/south-korea-climate-change-threatens-kimchi-cabbage-production?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Sep 2024 11:00:12 +0000 Indonesian villagers have been pulling hundreds of corpses from tombs as part of a ritual to honour their ancestors. The ceremony, called the Ma’nene, has long been carried out by the Toraja, an ethnic group of around a million people on Sulawesi island. Families gather to check on their deceased loved ones, some of whose mummified bodies remain intact. The ceremony is said to be held every few years, usually beginning around late August. Warning: the video includes graphic content. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3277964/indonesian-villagers-dress-dead-family-members-corpse-ritual?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3277964/indonesian-villagers-dress-dead-family-members-corpse-ritual?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Sep 2024 11:00:20 +0000 A series of wolf attacks in India’s northern state of Uttar Pradesh has left around 10 people dead and dozens more injured since July 2024. The pack of wolves seem to be targeting young children since only one of the victims killed was an adult. Panic has spread through more than 30 villages in and around the locations of the attacks. Local officials have organised an armed team to hunt for the wolves and at least four of the animals have been captured. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3277780/indian-authorities-hunt-down-wolves-killed-10-people-including-children?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3277780/indian-authorities-hunt-down-wolves-killed-10-people-including-children?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Sep 2024 09:30:08 +0000 Cathay Pacific Airways has hit several rough patches in recent years, leading to some of the biggest challenges the Hong Kong flagship carrier has faced since the company’s soaring start in the 20th century. Cathay was among the hardest-hit airlines as Covid-19 spread around the world and the airline had to delay until the first quarter of 2025 a return to full capacity it had initially planned for the end of 2024. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3277541/headwinds-holding-back-cathay-pacifics-post-pandemic-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3277541/headwinds-holding-back-cathay-pacifics-post-pandemic-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Sep 2024 01:00:17 +0000 At just 18-years-old, Nima Rinji Sherpa has already scaled 13 of the world’s highest peaks. Now, he’s just one summit away from becoming the youngest person to conquer all 14 mountains above 8,000 metres (26,247 ft). https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3277519/nepali-teen-staring-down-worlds-tallest-peaks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3277519/nepali-teen-staring-down-worlds-tallest-peaks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Sep 2024 10:15:15 +0000 Growing up on Taiwan’s west coast, Eddie Wang saw discarded oyster shells everywhere. Instead of viewing it as waste, some of his neighbours burned oyster shells and pasted them onto the wall. The house then became warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The idea inspired Wang as he worked with a research institute to experiment making fabric out of the oyster shell residue. Today, he turns nearly 100 tonnes of shells annually into a new kind of fabric called “seawool”. https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/environment/article/3275642/waste-fabric-taiwanese-manufacturer-turns-discarded-oyster-shells-clothes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/environment/article/3275642/waste-fabric-taiwanese-manufacturer-turns-discarded-oyster-shells-clothes?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Aug 2024 09:15:19 +0000 At least seven people died after a fire broke out in a hotel in the South Korean city of Bucheon on August 22, 2024. Twelve others were injured in the blaze. Officials said the cause of the fire is still under investigation. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3275607/hotel-fire-south-korea-kills-least-7-people-and-injures-dozens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3275607/hotel-fire-south-korea-kills-least-7-people-and-injures-dozens?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Aug 2024 06:36:56 +0000 Indonesian speed climber Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi starts training at 8am every day in hopes of winning gold for the country at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Speed climbing was first included as an Olympic event during the Tokyo Games in 2021 as part of the climbing competition. In Paris, it will be featured as a separate event. Indonesia has won only eight Olympic gold medals, all in badminton. https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/article/3272295/paris-olympics-indonesian-athletes-race-speed-climbing-gold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/article/3272295/paris-olympics-indonesian-athletes-race-speed-climbing-gold?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Jul 2024 08:00:16 +0000 Japanese scientists have attached living skin to robot faces to make them “smile”. The University of Tokyo published its findings in late June, along with a video of the material being stretched into an unsettling grin. The biohybrid robot specialists hope the technology will one day play a role in the invention of androids with humanlike appearances and abilities. Researchers also hope to add more elements to the lab-grown skin for use in cosmetics and drug testing that are absorbed through the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3271028/japanese-scientists-graft-living-skin-robot-faces-make-them-smile?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3271028/japanese-scientists-graft-living-skin-robot-faces-make-them-smile?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Jul 2024 01:33:29 +0000 A powerful tornado hit the city of Heze in China’s eastern province of Shandong on Friday, killing at least five people and injuring 88. Dramatic videos circulating on social media showed homes and cars destroyed by the twister, which followed another tornado that struck the province just one day earlier. Back in April, a tornado struck the southern city of Guangzhou, killing at least five and injuring 33, according to Chinese state media. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3269561/deadly-tornado-kills-5-injures-88-chinas-eastern-shandong-province?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3269561/deadly-tornado-kills-5-injures-88-chinas-eastern-shandong-province?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Jul 2024 06:40:27 +0000