https://www.scmp.com/rss/519148/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Associated Press Associated Press A charity co-founded by Prince Harry in Africa to honour his late mother, Princess Diana, has sued him for defamation after he stepped down as a patron last year. Sentebale, which supports young people living with HIV in Botswana and Lesotho, filed suit last month in London’s High Court, according to court records reviewed Friday. Online filings show Harry and his friend, Mark Dyer, a trustee at the charity, are being sued for either libel or slander. No documents were available. Disagreements... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349711/prince-harry-sued-african-charity-he-set-honour-princess-diana?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349711/prince-harry-sued-african-charity-he-set-honour-princess-diana?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 17:44:09 +0000 Richard Harris Richard Harris The mighty Zambezi River has its source in northern Zambia, and flows north, west, south, then east, tracing borders for several countries including Zimbabwe. As the river enters Zimbabwe, the water molecules begin to flow faster, unknowingly energised – developing first into a rush, then eventually a torrent as they plunge down the Victoria Falls. This is an excellent analogy of the extremes of stock market price movements. In a stock market crash, prices move slowly, then very fast. My... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348698/us-hong-kong-theres-no-excuse-insider-trading?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348698/us-hong-kong-theres-no-excuse-insider-trading?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 21:30:10 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg The definition of “luxury travel” is changing. As hotels by big-name interior designers with outposts of renowned restaurants get copy-pasted all around the world, they’re coming off as overly predictable and even cookie-cutter. With demand at the top end of the luxury travel market higher than ever, hotels have to work harder to stand out. That means the most anticipated hotels for 2026 have one of two things in common: a true independent spirit or an ability to raise the bar in unquestionable... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3338293/four-seasons-aman-11-most-exciting-luxury-hotel-openings-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3338293/four-seasons-aman-11-most-exciting-luxury-hotel-openings-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2026 06:00:16 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage South Africa, China’s largest trade partner in the continent, and other Southern African Customs Union (SACU) members are suffering from an unforeseen barrier to enjoying Beijing’s zero-tariff policy. The hurdle is eSwatini’s continued diplomatic recognition of Taiwan and hence exclusion from the favourable policy. SACU customs deals are negotiated collectively among the five member states, which means none can unilaterally benefit from the preferential tariff exemption. Beijing sees Taiwan as... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335328/china-promised-zero-tariffs-africa-so-why-south-africa-missing-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335328/china-promised-zero-tariffs-africa-so-why-south-africa-missing-out?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Dec 2025 08:29:56 +0000 Divia Harilela Divia Harilela I have never been to Mars, but I imagine this is what it would look like. It’s been a long, at times arduous journey but after a somewhat terrifying one-hour flight in a cramped four-seater propeller plane, I have arrived at a private airstrip surrounded by nothing except sand and craggy, granite mountains. We are on the eastern edge of the Namib Desert. It very much lives up to its name that in the local Nama language means “an area where there is nothing”. One of the world’s oldest, dating... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3332350/exploring-africas-extremes-luxury-safari-through-namibia-and-botswana?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3332350/exploring-africas-extremes-luxury-safari-through-namibia-and-botswana?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Nov 2025 02:00:17 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo said on Tuesday he would let his “legs do the talking” in his battle with brash American Noah Lyles at the world championships in Tokyo. The softly spoken Botswanan won his country’s first Olympic gold medal in any sport in Paris last year, when Lyles finished third. Tebogo labelled his flamboyant American rival “arrogant” after the race, and Lyles’ outsize character was likely to command the global spotlight again when the world championships begin on... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3324888/tokyo-world-championships-letsile-tebogos-legs-do-talking-noah-lyles-showdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3324888/tokyo-world-championships-letsile-tebogos-legs-do-talking-noah-lyles-showdown?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2025 13:00:10 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Global gas giant Qatar has pledged to invest US$103 billion in Africa in the coming years, joining Gulf neighbours the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia as the continent’s biggest financiers amid waning interest from the West and China. Six sub-Saharan African countries are set to benefit from agreements signed during the second half of last month with Al-Mansour Holdings, a conglomerate owned by a branch of Qatar’s ruling al-Thani dynasty. Key critical metals producer the Democratic... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3324228/qatar-joins-gulf-surge-us103-billion-african-nations-wests-interest-wanes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3324228/qatar-joins-gulf-surge-us103-billion-african-nations-wests-interest-wanes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Sep 2025 04:00:10 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Lithium and cobalt may have dominated the rush for critical minerals for EV batteries, solar and defence systems, but now copper is emerging as a key element in the green energy transition. Recognising this, China is strategically positioning itself to secure copper supplies, especially from Africa, investing heavily in mining and processing facilities. While the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia have long been China’s top destinations, Botswana is now also becoming a significant... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3316539/copper-century-china-moves-shore-supplies-africa-new-energy-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3316539/copper-century-china-moves-shore-supplies-africa-new-energy-push?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jul 2025 06:00:14 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Zimbabwe will cull dozens of elephants and distribute the meat for consumption to ease the ballooning population of the animals, its wildlife authority said on Tuesday. The southern African country is home to the second-biggest elephant population in the world after Botswana. The cull at a vast private game reserve in the southeast would initially target 50 elephants, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (ZimParks) said in a statement. It did not say how many of the animals would be killed... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3312946/zimbabwe-cull-elephants-and-distribute-meat-people?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3312946/zimbabwe-cull-elephants-and-distribute-meat-people?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Jun 2025 18:43:50 +0000 China’s aggressive pursuit of critical minerals – particularly across Africa – has raised concerns in Washington and sparked a global rare earths race. But, with a two-year head start, as well as the impetus to do what it must to fuel its hi-tech electronics, renewable energy and defence systems, China is unlikely to lose its leading position, according to experts. From the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to Botswana and Zimbabwe, Chinese companies have spent more than US$10 billion acquiring... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3301506/china-still-leads-pack-africas-critical-minerals-race-us-struggles-keep?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3301506/china-still-leads-pack-africas-critical-minerals-race-us-struggles-keep?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Mar 2025 14:00:08 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue Chinese miners have accelerated their investments in critical mineral projects overseas to support electric vehicle (EV) adoption and clean energy development, as Beijing seeks to secure more minerals amid geopolitical tensions. “Our long-term strategy is focused on key technologies that promote a low-carbon future,” said Xu Jiqing, the chairman of MMG, in an interview on Wednesday. “China’s urbanisation is far from over and the global trend towards decarbonisation is growing, as well as the... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3301361/cleantech-mineral-security-demand-drive-china-miners-overseas-buying-spree-mmg-chair?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3301361/cleantech-mineral-security-demand-drive-china-miners-overseas-buying-spree-mmg-chair?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Mar 2025 13:15:34 +0000 WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is finally a free man, reuniting with his family in Australia last week after pleading guilty to violating US espionage law. He arrived by private jet at Canberra airport where his wife Stella Assange, members of the media and supporters awaited him as they cheered on in their droves, Reuters reported. Assange, who has been embroiled in a 14-year legal battle for his freedom, is considered by some a journalistic hero for exposing abuses by US armed forces in... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3268843/who-are-julian-assanges-children-daniel-gabriel-and-max-wikileaks-founder-has-finally-reunited-his?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3268843/who-are-julian-assanges-children-daniel-gabriel-and-max-wikileaks-founder-has-finally-reunited-his?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jul 2024 10:30:11 +0000 Chinese companies are ramping up their acquisition of major copper, cobalt and lithium mining projects in Africa, dominating the critical minerals market, as Beijing positions itself to lead the global green energy transition. In one of the most recent investments, Chinese firm JCHX Mining Management is close to finalising a deal to buy Zambia’s Lubambe copper mine. The deal, which is awaiting approval from the Zambian authorities, would see the Shanghai-listed mining services and contracting... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3268373/china-buy-another-african-mine-it-elbows-lead-global-green-energy-revolution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3268373/china-buy-another-african-mine-it-elbows-lead-global-green-energy-revolution?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jul 2024 08:00:18 +0000 You might not be familiar with Plaatjieskraal Ghost Town in South Africa. I wasn’t, until I read about Russ Cook, who recently became the first person known to have run the length of the African continent. The 27-year-old Englishman began his journey at Cape Agulhas, Africa’s southernmost point, and finished 16,300km (10,130 miles) away, in Tunisia. He crossed 16 countries in 352 days and, on completing the epic feat, admitted with typical British understatement that he felt “a little bit... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3262567/worlds-longest-walk-24262km-south-africa-china-what-see-and-countries-avoid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3262567/worlds-longest-walk-24262km-south-africa-china-what-see-and-countries-avoid?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 May 2024 08:15:13 +0000 A bus crash in South Africa’s northern province of Limpopo resulted in 45 deaths and one serious injury, South Africa’s Department of Transport said on Thursday. The driver lost control and collided with barriers on a bridge near Mamatlakala, causing the bus to go over the bridge and hit the ground, catching fire, according to a statement by the transport department. The bus was taking Easter pilgrims from Botswana, a landlocked country in southern Africa, to Moria, a town in Limpopo, it... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3257155/45-dead-south-africa-bus-crash-hours-after-president-ramaphosa-issued-easter-travel-warning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3257155/45-dead-south-africa-bus-crash-hours-after-president-ramaphosa-issued-easter-travel-warning?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Mar 2024 20:12:25 +0000 China’s increased appetite for metals and minerals to power its industries is fuelling a boom in Chinese investments and construction deals in Africa, after years of slowdown partly caused by the coronavirus pandemic. African countries that have a Belt and Road Initiative cooperation agreement with China saw a 47 per cent jump in Chinese construction contracts and a 114 per cent increase in investments last year compared with 2022, according to the China Belt and Road Initiative Investment... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3252032/global-green-transition-re-energising-chinas-investments-africa-after-pandemic-slowdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3252032/global-green-transition-re-energising-chinas-investments-africa-after-pandemic-slowdown?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Feb 2024 01:00:16 +0000 Namibia’s president and founding prime minister Hage Geingob died on Sunday at age 82 while receiving treatment for cancer, and the southern African nation quickly swore in his deputy to complete the term in office. Geingob played a central role in what has become one of Africa’s most stable democracies after returning from a long exile in Botswana and the United States as an anti-apartheid activist. He was the country’s third president since it gained independence in 1990 following more than a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3250915/namibia-president-and-anti-apartheid-activist-hage-geingob-dies-82?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3250915/namibia-president-and-anti-apartheid-activist-hage-geingob-dies-82?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Feb 2024 19:53:32 +0000 Hong Kong aims to increase its number of flight links with countries taking part in Beijing’s global belt and road trade network in a bid to boost business ties and tourism traffic, according to the city’s airport chief. “We’re now working hard to extend the footprint by opening more air routes to this region and, at the same time, we must stimulate business and people exchange to make sure we open up new frontiers for trade and tourism,” Airport Authority chairman Jack So Chak-kwong told an... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3245101/hong-kong-aims-increase-flight-links-more-belt-and-road-countries-open-new-trade-tourism-frontiers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3245101/hong-kong-aims-increase-flight-links-more-belt-and-road-countries-open-new-trade-tourism-frontiers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Dec 2023 12:25:01 +0000 North Korea’s alleged smuggling of luxury goods in defiance of UN sanctions has come under the spotlight, as Japanese authorities intercepted a Lexus sedan suspected to be bound for Pyongyang on the same day the North recalled its ambassador to Switzerland amid an investigation into ivory trafficking. The uncovering of the attempted smuggling cases is likely to antagonise the regime in Pyongyang, experts suggest, although they say the United Nations sanctions regime imposed on North Korea is... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3244737/north-koreas-attempts-smuggle-luxury-goods-expose-un-sanctions-regime-may-be-open-abuse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3244737/north-koreas-attempts-smuggle-luxury-goods-expose-un-sanctions-regime-may-be-open-abuse?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Dec 2023 09:00:19 +0000 North Korea may recall its ambassador to Switzerland later this month, sources familiar with the matter have said, following allegations that the envoy was involved in illicit trades of parts of African wild animals for money evading UN-imposed sanctions against Pyongyang. The suspicions have prompted a United Nations Security Council-related panel to launch a fact-finding investigation regarding involvement by the ambassador, Han Tae-song, in the trade of elephant tusks and rhino horns, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3244466/north-korea-may-recall-ambassador-switzerland-year-end?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3244466/north-korea-may-recall-ambassador-switzerland-year-end?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Dec 2023 15:00:21 +0000 China’s MMG Ltd said on Tuesday it had entered into a share purchase agreement worth US$1.88 billion to buy Canada-based Cuprous Capital, the parent company of the Khoemacau copper mine in Botswana. MMG has been hunting for copper assets for more than a year, amid a surge in demand for the metal needed in the transition to green energy. “The acquisition of Khoemacau mine is an important step in achieving our vision of creating a leading international mining company for a low carbon future and... https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3242251/chinese-metal-miner-mmg-buys-parent-botswanas-khoemacau-copper-mine-us188-billion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3242251/chinese-metal-miner-mmg-buys-parent-botswanas-khoemacau-copper-mine-us188-billion?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Nov 2023 01:42:57 +0000 Nature is an endless source of inspiration for all creatives, and for designers working in jewellery, homewares and even fragrances that’s no exception, as this selection of recent releases attests … 1. Elhanati jewellery Danish fine jeweller Elhanati has unveiled a new collection designed in collaboration with renowned Argentinian sculptor and artist Conie Vallese. Crafted by hand in Elhanati’s Copenhagen atelier, each piece celebrates the beauty of organic shapes, entwined in the dark allure... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3239925/5-new-lifestyle-finds-capture-wonder-nature-jewellery-de-beers-and-elhanati-silver-placeholders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3239925/5-new-lifestyle-finds-capture-wonder-nature-jewellery-de-beers-and-elhanati-silver-placeholders?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Nov 2023 08:00:23 +0000 Akash Raman, a 35-year-old advertising professional in Bangalore, India remembers his late teens and 20s as a time spent drinking in bars and of holidays taken in an alcoholic daze. Two years ago, feeling low, he decided to stop drinking. He then took his first trek, in the Himalayas, with some like-minded friends. He had never enjoyed a better holiday, he says. He was mindful and felt in the moment, without anything clouding his brain. “Alcohol and drinking are highly overrated and a social... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3239649/how-sober-travellers-and-alcohol-free-travel-companies-are-driving-new-tourism-trend-people-look?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3239649/how-sober-travellers-and-alcohol-free-travel-companies-are-driving-new-tourism-trend-people-look?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Oct 2023 10:15:14 +0000 LVMH, owner of natural diamond jeweller Tiffany & Co., has begun showing clients watches and jewellery featuring lab-grown diamonds, testing luxury buyers’ interest in using man-made stones at the very top end of the market. In private appointments with clients at its Paris flagship on Rue de la Paix in recent weeks, LVMH’s Fred label has been showing a new high-end jewellery set built around lab-grown diamonds in an unusual blue hue – meant to evoke the sea and reflect founder Fred Samuel’s... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3238187/lab-grown-diamonds-luxury-watches-and-jewellery-tiffany-co-owner-lvmh-tests-market-its-fred-label?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3238187/lab-grown-diamonds-luxury-watches-and-jewellery-tiffany-co-owner-lvmh-tests-market-its-fred-label?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Oct 2023 07:00:11 +0000 China is helping African countries to grow more food products and set up industries to process farm produce as part of efforts to reverse a long-time trade imbalance in its favour. It is also increasing African food imports after more than two decades of mostly buying raw materials from the continent while exporting electronics and textiles, resulting in a trade surplus that saw China accused of promoting the unhealthy imbalance. Last year, Chinese exports to Africa made up nearly 60 per cent of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3237168/why-chinas-focus-african-farm-produce-will-not-blur-outlook-infrastructure-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3237168/why-chinas-focus-african-farm-produce-will-not-blur-outlook-infrastructure-push?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Oct 2023 08:00:07 +0000 Former US president Donald Trump appeared in a Washington courtroom last week on his third set of criminal charges since leaving office, an unprecedented event in the US but one that brings the nation in line with the rest of the world. Despite protests from Trump allies that prosecutions of politicians are a hallmark of underdeveloped “banana republics”, they’ve also happened in advanced democracies such as France and Germany. Here’s a look. Europe Former French president Nicolas... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3230202/not-just-trump-these-leaders-also-got-legal-trouble?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3230202/not-just-trump-these-leaders-also-got-legal-trouble?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Aug 2023 04:52:01 +0000 If you want to know where the richest one per cent is travelling this summer, forget Instagram – they’re surely too smart to tag freely and give away their go-to getaways. (Well, not until they’ve gotten home, at least.) Instead, look to the elite group of agents who help wrangle those jaunts and cater to the wealthiest, most demanding holidaymakers. Jules Maury, who runs Scott Dunn Private, the firm within global travel agency Scott Dunn, is available to clients willing to spend at least... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3229107/where-are-worlds-richest-travelling-summer-2023-1-cent-avoiding-masses-private-retreats-booking-surf?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3229107/where-are-worlds-richest-travelling-summer-2023-1-cent-avoiding-masses-private-retreats-booking-surf?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Jul 2023 07:50:08 +0000 Clad in a blue jumpsuit and dangling from the side of a skyscraper 360 metres above New York, billionaire Richard Branson urged viewers on Twitter last week to live life to the fullest and try new things. As the founder of space tourism company Virgin Galactic, Branson is among a handful of ultra-wealthy entrepreneurs pushing the limits of exploration and experiences. Some billionaires, including Branson and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, have rocketed into space, while other rich travellers have... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3226083/blue-origin-offers-space-tourism-and-doomed-oceangate-titan-went-titanic-most-rich-travellers-want?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3226083/blue-origin-offers-space-tourism-and-doomed-oceangate-titan-went-titanic-most-rich-travellers-want?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Jul 2023 09:15:12 +0000 To grasp the scale of Botswana’s Okavango Delta, you need to arrive by air. In addition to being quick and convenient, flying provides an un­beatable perspective of this marvel of nature where, for half the year, nearly 20,000 sq km (7,700 square miles) of southern Africa’s Kalahari Desert is transformed into a spectacular inland lagoon that swirls with life … and death. Taking off from the dusty township of Maun, parched earth and tin roofs give way to a carpet of green that meets the blue... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3224151/african-wild-dogs-brief-encounter-botswana-elusive-apex-predators-under-threat-humans-and-their?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3224151/african-wild-dogs-brief-encounter-botswana-elusive-apex-predators-under-threat-humans-and-their?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jun 2023 05:15:12 +0000 Zimbabwe’s citrus farmers can now have access to the massive Chinese market after Chinese customs authorities approved a list of orchards and packing houses permitted to export fresh fruit to China. The Chinese embassy in Harare announced that on June 1 the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) listed 11 registered Zimbabwean citrus orchards and six citrus packing houses chosen by Chinese authorities to export citrus to China. “Zimbabwean fresh citrus can now be exported to China,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3223417/zimbabwe-citrus-firms-gain-access-chinas-massive-food-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3223417/zimbabwe-citrus-firms-gain-access-chinas-massive-food-market?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Jun 2023 10:00:21 +0000 A proposal that would leave cricket’s cash-starved minnows without sufficient funding could stall the growth of the game, according to several associate nations. While the game’s 12 fat cats gorge themselves on the commercial riches generated by the IPL and other high-profile tournaments, the 94 smaller countries and territories face having to split a meagre 11 per cent of the pie among themselves. A new revenue sharing model for the 2024-27 cycle proposed by the International Cricket Council,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3222327/new-cricket-revenue-sharing-plan-icc-threatens-growth-game-say-associate-members?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3222327/new-cricket-revenue-sharing-plan-icc-threatens-growth-game-say-associate-members?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 May 2023 23:30:08 +0000 Absa Group, the South Africa-based lender, is poised to set up its first office in China by the end of this year, betting on the expansion of Chinese companies doing business on the continent, according to a senior executive. The office in Beijing is currently awaiting approval from authorities in South Africa. It is expected to be first launched as an advisory office with fewer than 10 people, connecting the decision makers of Chinese companies doing business in Africa with the bank. “We are... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3220624/absa-group-plans-open-office-beijing-serve-chinese-firms-operations-africa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3220624/absa-group-plans-open-office-beijing-serve-chinese-firms-operations-africa?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 May 2023 13:00:13 +0000 It takes an early evening flight low over the Iberá Wetlands to fully appreciate their scale and splendour. With the sun hugging the horizon, the golden-hued lagoons and creeks of this boundless watery labyrinth glint and sparkle, as the last flocks of egret and ibis return home to roost in the marshes below. If Botswana’s Okavango Delta and the sweeping Serengeti had a child together, it might look a bit like this wondrous and watery corner of northeast Argentina. Located in remote Corrientes... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3218394/apex-predators-their-prey-and-myriad-bird-species-rewilding-wetlands-argentina-best-seen-horseback?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3218394/apex-predators-their-prey-and-myriad-bird-species-rewilding-wetlands-argentina-best-seen-horseback?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Apr 2023 10:15:08 +0000 Children of US presidents are in the public eye almost as much as their parents. Some first kids follow their parents into politics, while others steer clear of the limelight. Many remain involved with their parents’ foundations and presidential libraries too. So where are some of the most famous first kids of the United States today? 1. Chelsea Clinton Chelsea Clinton was 12 years old when Bill Clinton entered the White House. The Clintons asked the media to give Chelsea privacy outside of... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3217017/where-are-us-first-kids-2023-donald-trumps-children-ivanka-barron-don-jr-tiffany-and-eric-barack-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3217017/where-are-us-first-kids-2023-donald-trumps-children-ivanka-barron-don-jr-tiffany-and-eric-barack-and?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Apr 2023 17:00:18 +0000 An extremely rare diamond called The Eternal Pink is expected to fetch more than US$35 million at a Sotheby’s auction, potentially breaking records as the most expensive price per carat ever to come to market. The 10.57 carat rock will go on show in Hong Kong this week and later will be exhibited in Dubai, Singapore, Shanghai, Taiwan and Geneva. It will be up for sale on June 8 in New York as the showpiece lot in a Sotheby’s jewels auction. The cushion-cut diamond, which is mounted on a ring,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3215810/will-eternal-pink-diamond-set-new-auction-sales-record-display-hong-kong-rare-jewel-set-fetch-over?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3215810/will-eternal-pink-diamond-set-new-auction-sales-record-display-hong-kong-rare-jewel-set-fetch-over?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Apr 2023 06:31:06 +0000 It’s a dog’s life – all over the planet, as it happens. On almost every continent and in the most varied of habitats can be found at least one species of untamed dog – the world’s most widespread carnivore and star of three-part series Dogs in the Wild: Meet the Family (BBC Earth). Another extraordinary addition to the canon of the BBC’s Natural History Unit, the series proves that ravenous marine monsters and big cats in colourful coats don’t have exclusive rights to the most spectacular... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/arts-music/article/3214567/wild-dogs-cute-foxes-wolves-and-jackals-star-new-bbc-earth-series-worlds-most-widespread-carnivore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/arts-music/article/3214567/wild-dogs-cute-foxes-wolves-and-jackals-star-new-bbc-earth-series-worlds-most-widespread-carnivore?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Mar 2023 23:45:17 +0000 Japanese LGBTQ activists and rights groups have launched a civil “engagement group” to make policy proposals ahead of the Group of Seven summit in Japan and announced plans to hold an inaugural Pride 7 summit in Tokyo later this month, seeking to accelerate their efforts to get the Japanese government to adopt an anti-discrimination law. Japan is the only member of the Group of Seven advanced industrialised nations that lacks a law protecting the rights of LGBTQ people. “Other G7 members are... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3214482/japan-lgbtq-activists-launch-engagement-group-ahead-g7?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3214482/japan-lgbtq-activists-launch-engagement-group-ahead-g7?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Mar 2023 14:20:10 +0000 If you’re eyeing up a luxury safari in Africa, expect to find more than just the traditional jeep-led experience now on offer in the likes of Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, Zambia and Botswana. When high-spending foreigners vanished in 2020, safari lodges were left struggling to fund wildlife conservation as well as hosting community projects. This has led some to a rethink about the kind of tourism Africa needs long-term and how visitors can better support environmental and civic... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3211957/how-africas-luxury-safaris-are-becoming-more-sustainable-operators-kenya-south-africa-now-offer-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3211957/how-africas-luxury-safaris-are-becoming-more-sustainable-operators-kenya-south-africa-now-offer-more?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Mar 2023 08:00:13 +0000 Britain’s Princess Diana was known for her stylish and daring fashion looks that were as bright and beautiful as herself and her charming personality. From elegant plaid coats to puffer jackets, it’s clear that she had a keen eye for style as many of her looks are still on trend today. Here, we look back at the late beloved royal’s most fashionable cold-weather outfits. 1. Balmoral Estate, May 1981 A 19-year-old Lady Diana Spencer was photographed wearing a colourful yet casual winter jumper, a... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3210978/15-princess-dianas-most-chic-winter-fashion-outfits-her-tan-coat-london-style-later-rocked-meghan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3210978/15-princess-dianas-most-chic-winter-fashion-outfits-her-tan-coat-london-style-later-rocked-meghan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Feb 2023 10:00:32 +0000 China’s explosive demand for a gelatin from donkey skins used for making a traditional medicine called ejiao is fuelling an illegal trade that is threatening the livelihoods of African farmers, a report has warned. China needs more than 5 million donkeys annually – roughly 10 per cent of the global donkey population – to meet the demand for ejiao, according to the study by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA). Only about 2 million hides come from China’s domestic donkey... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3208440/demand-traditional-chinese-medicine-ejiao-fuelling-illicit-trade-donkey-skins-risks-sending-african?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3208440/demand-traditional-chinese-medicine-ejiao-fuelling-illicit-trade-donkey-skins-risks-sending-african?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Jan 2023 01:00:16 +0000 In their bombshell Netflix documentary, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle revealed that back in 2018 they had planned to move to South Africa to continue their charity work and avoid the British media. A country close to both of their hearts, it seemed the perfect place to escape to. However, after the story was leaked to the press, the couple were forced to scrap the idea. Prince Harry’s long-standing love affair with Africa – and in particular with South Africa – is well known. Even his uncle,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3208223/escape-african-bush-prince-harry-5-luxury-getaways-try-duke-sussexs-beloved-kruger-national-park?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3208223/escape-african-bush-prince-harry-5-luxury-getaways-try-duke-sussexs-beloved-kruger-national-park?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Jan 2023 10:00:14 +0000 It’s fair to say that every time the Duchess of Sussex appears in public, the world takes note. And while her critics may scrutinise her behaviour, her fans are more likely to be scrutinising her fashion choices. From the brands she’s wearing to her carefully chosen accessories for every occasion, Markle knows how to dress – and if you’ve been paying attention you’ll have noticed that her jewellery is often the highlight of her ensemble. From necklaces to bangles, earrings to rings, Markle... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3207528/7-meghan-markles-most-expensive-jewellery-pieces-princess-dianas-asprey-ring-and-us155000-cartier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3207528/7-meghan-markles-most-expensive-jewellery-pieces-princess-dianas-asprey-ring-and-us155000-cartier?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Jan 2023 16:10:09 +0000 Trade between China and Africa surged last year to a record US$282 billion – an 11 per cent year-on-year increase bolstered by soaring commodity prices, China’s reopening and Beijing’s recent push to boost imports from Africa. According to Chinese customs authorities, exports to Africa totalled US$164.49 billion for the 12 months to December, an increase of 11.2 per cent year on year. Imports from the continent rose at a similar rate to reach US$117.51 billion in the same period. It was the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3207403/china-africa-trade-hits-record-us282-billion-boost-beijing-and-soaring-commodity-prices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3207403/china-africa-trade-hits-record-us282-billion-boost-beijing-and-soaring-commodity-prices?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Jan 2023 12:00:11 +0000 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s hotly anticipated docuseries about their love story is now streaming on Netflix – and it covers a lot. The first half of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s six-episode Netflix docuseries was released on December 8, with the second part set to release on December 15. Each episode provided an intimate glimpse into the couple’s love story as well as details about their decision to step back from royal life in January 2020. Amid all the revelations, here are nine... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3203001/9-details-you-might-have-missed-netflixs-harry-meghan-meghan-markles-delayed-proposal-and-prince?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3203001/9-details-you-might-have-missed-netflixs-harry-meghan-meghan-markles-delayed-proposal-and-prince?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Dec 2022 09:30:23 +0000 The world is confronting multiple, compounding crises, from Covid-19, energy, inflation, debt and climate shocks to unaffordable living costs and political instability. The need for ambitious action cannot be greater. However, the return of failed policies such as austerity, now called “fiscal restraint” or “fiscal consolidation”, and a lack of effective taxation and debt-reduction initiatives threaten to exacerbate the macroeconomic instability and daily hardships that billions of people are... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3202657/pandemic-austerity-plans-benefit-few-expense-many-must-go?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3202657/pandemic-austerity-plans-benefit-few-expense-many-must-go?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Dec 2022 04:23:22 +0000 Nearly a year ago, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda requested that the East African country be allowed to export more products tariff-free to the lucrative Chinese market. China’s trade restrictions made it impossible to export some items, he explained. “[Chinese] companies are very active. They [see opportunity] … and they come and invest. So I think that is going very well,” Museveni told Bloomberg in November, ahead of the 8th Forum on China-Africa Cooperation ministerial conference. “The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3199961/china-course-africa-trade-boost-it-offers-duty-free-access-nine-more-countries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3199961/china-course-africa-trade-boost-it-offers-duty-free-access-nine-more-countries?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Nov 2022 22:00:13 +0000 Spain’s former king, Juan Carlos I, on Tuesday resumed a UK court battle to win immunity over harassment claims by his former lover, just as a new podcast featuring her claims is released. Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, 58, is seeking personal injury damages from the 84-year-old former monarch, who ruled Spain from 1975 until his abdication in 2014. The British resident has accused Juan Carlos, who now lives in the United Arab Emirates, of spying on and harassing her after their relationship... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3198934/spains-former-king-appeals-immunity-over-uk-harassment-case-involving-his-ex-lover?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3198934/spains-former-king-appeals-immunity-over-uk-harassment-case-involving-his-ex-lover?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Nov 2022 15:25:37 +0000 You could spend all weekend chasing ghosts around this joint, if that’s your thing. I mean, it would have certainly been easy to be a slave to nostalgia at Hong Kong Stadium because it was, after all, Saturday at the Sevens. This was still the single most festive day on the calendar in this town, and it’s been that way for well over forty years. In fact, the old barn has never looked better; a strikingly scenic and bucolic gem nestled in a massive pile of clover and all of it framed by the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3198584/no-need-nostalgia-hong-kong-sevens-where-its-onward-and-upward?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3198584/no-need-nostalgia-hong-kong-sevens-where-its-onward-and-upward?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Nov 2022 00:00:19 +0000 Luxury travel planners say their clients are seeking more extreme experiences than pre-pandemic times, with hard-to-access places like the Arctic Circle and Galapagos Islands topping bucket-list travel hotspots. This pent-up demand and newly acquired wealth are pushing some travellers to go all out, even as the economy sours. The pandemic was a boon for the already well-off, with the top one per cent of Americans adding around US$4 trillion to their wealth in 2020. It’s no wonder, then, that... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3197449/why-ultra-rich-travellers-are-splurging-extreme-experiences-exotic-trips-arctic-circle-or-african?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3197449/why-ultra-rich-travellers-are-splurging-extreme-experiences-exotic-trips-arctic-circle-or-african?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Oct 2022 09:01:04 +0000 When US President Joe Biden released his national security strategy on Wednesday, the report did not mention Africa much – one brief discussion near the end on building “US-Africa partnerships” and a handful of other mentions scattered across the document’s 48 pages. However, military analysts say the continent is not only on the US radar but is a major arena of competition with China and Russia. The main thrust of the strategy continues a theme Biden has sounded since taking office last year:... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3196070/it-may-not-say-so-us-sees-africa-growing-military-competition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3196070/it-may-not-say-so-us-sees-africa-growing-military-competition?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Oct 2022 04:00:18 +0000