https://www.scmp.com/rss/519179/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Peruvians will choose from a bewildering array of 35 presidential candidates this Sunday, electing the next leader of an Andean nation beset by crime and a string of short-lived, scandal-tainted presidencies. “Now any old person runs for office,” said 51-year-old teacher Jane Layza, pondering the plethora of presidential hopefuls, and how she will cast her ballot. A few in the field are well known – a popular male comic, the daughter of a brutal autocrat, and a former Lima mayor who likens... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3349325/peru-set-choose-bewildering-array-35-presidential-hopefuls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3349325/peru-set-choose-bewildering-array-35-presidential-hopefuls?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 04:12:53 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Heavy social media use contributes to a stark decline in well-being among young people, with the effects particularly worrying in teenage girls in English-speaking countries and western Europe according to the World Happiness Report 2026 published on Thursday. The annual report, published by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, also found that Finland was the happiest land in the world for the ninth year in a row, with other Nordic countries such as Iceland, Denmark, Sweden... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3347092/worlds-happiest-places-revealed-social-media-weighs-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3347092/worlds-happiest-places-revealed-social-media-weighs-us?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 02:17:39 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Right-wing political scientist Laura Fernandez won Costa Rica’s presidential election on Sunday by a landslide, after promising to crack down hard on rising violence linked to the cocaine trade. Fernandez’s nearest rival, centre-right economist Alvaro Ramos, conceded defeat as results showed the ruling party far exceeding the threshold of 40 per cent needed to avoid a run-off. With 81.24 per cent of polling stations counted, the political heir of outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves had 48.94 per... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3342075/costa-rica-elects-tough-talking-right-winger-president?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3342075/costa-rica-elects-tough-talking-right-winger-president?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 07:06:50 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen China has accused the United States of showing “a lack of basic respect” for Central America following its threat to ban officials and others from the region with ties to the Communist Party from entering the country. The State Department said last month that it would “restrict US visas for Central American nationals … intentionally acting on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party” and who “knowingly direct, authorise, fund, provide significant support to, or carry out activities that undermine... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3329829/china-says-us-visa-threats-central-america-show-lack-basic-respect?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3329829/china-says-us-visa-threats-central-america-show-lack-basic-respect?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 11:11:08 +0000 Anthony Rowley Anthony Rowley The law has emerged as a powerful weapon in the war on global warming, with a series of landmark judgments seeking to make governments legally responsible for limiting greenhouse gas emissions arising from the use of fossil fuels. This move is one of the strongest yet in the fight against the existential threat of climate change, but it raises the question of who will pay for necessary remedial actions. Until now, the world’s approach to battling global warming has been largely passive. It has... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3320298/why-force-law-worlds-best-hope-beating-climate-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3320298/why-force-law-worlds-best-hope-beating-climate-change?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Aug 2025 08:30:09 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service The doctor who tried to save the late Malcolm-Jamal Warner from “rough” waters in Costa Rica last weekend has broken their silence. The Cosby Show star, 54, died by drowning last Sunday after he and his 8-year-old daughter got caught in a rip tide. His daughter was rescued by a bystander. His death was ruled accidental, and the cause was confirmed as asphyxiation by submersion. “There were very few people on the beach, and the sea was rough,” the holidaying doctor, who requested to remain... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3319661/doctor-recounts-attempt-save-malcolm-jamal-warner-drowning-no-vital-signs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3319661/doctor-recounts-attempt-save-malcolm-jamal-warner-drowning-no-vital-signs?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Jul 2025 16:12:23 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who as teenage son Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show was central to a cultural phenomenon that helped define the 1980s, died at 54 in an accidental drowning in Costa Rica, authorities there said on Monday. Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Department said Warner drowned on Sunday afternoon on a beach on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast. He was swimming at Playa Cocles in Limon province when a current pulled him deeper into the ocean. “He was rescued by people on the beach,” the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3319063/cosby-show-actor-malcolm-jamal-warner-dies-54-costa-rica-drowning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3319063/cosby-show-actor-malcolm-jamal-warner-dies-54-costa-rica-drowning?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Jul 2025 19:03:48 +0000 Former Costa Rican president and Nobel Peace laureate Oscar Arias said he was stripped of his US visa, prompting him to brand the country under Donald Trump an autocracy. The two-time president won the Nobel in 1987 for his efforts to end civil wars in Central America. The former president said he was notified via email on Tuesday morning of the cancellation of his tourist and business visa. The reason was not fully clear, but Arias has been an outspoken critic of Trump’s migrant deportation... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3304956/costa-ricas-nobel-winning-ex-president-loses-us-visa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3304956/costa-ricas-nobel-winning-ex-president-loses-us-visa?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Apr 2025 14:01:11 +0000 The Gardner family is in mourning, after the tragic death of 14-year-old Miller Gardner. He was the youngest son of former New York Yankees star Brett Gardner, 41, and his wife Jessica Gardner. They announced the heartbreaking news on Sunday, per ESPN. Statement from Brett and Jessica Gardner:  With heavy hearts we are saddened to announce the passing of our youngest son, Miller. He was 14 years old and has left us far too soon after falling ill along with several other family members while on... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3303813/who-brett-gardners-wife-jessica-clendenin-and-what-happened-their-son-miller-ex-new-york-yankees?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3303813/who-brett-gardners-wife-jessica-clendenin-and-what-happened-their-son-miller-ex-new-york-yankees?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Mar 2025 11:00:13 +0000 Few characters are more chilling than Rodney Alcala – the real-life subject of A Simple Favor 2 star Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut, Woman of the Hour. The 1970s serial killer was known to have murdered at least seven women – potentially dozens more – and died in prison in 2021. The man tasked with portraying evil Alcala in the Netflix film? Actor Daniel Zovatto, who couldn’t be sweeter in real life, according to his co-stars. “Danny is just the nicest guy on the planet,” actress Autumn... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3303104/meet-daniel-zovatto-star-netflixs-woman-hour-costa-rican-plays-serial-killer-rodney-alcala-anna?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3303104/meet-daniel-zovatto-star-netflixs-woman-hour-costa-rican-plays-serial-killer-rodney-alcala-anna?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Mar 2025 21:00:08 +0000 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will make his first international trip since taking office on Saturday, visiting five Central American countries – a first in more than a century for a top American diplomat’s inaugural tour – as Washington moves to counter China’s deepening influence in the region. Rubio will travel through Thursday to Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic and meet senior officials and business leaders to “promote regional cooperation”, according... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3296992/eyeing-china-marco-rubio-makes-central-america-his-first-trip-abroad-top-us-diplomat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3296992/eyeing-china-marco-rubio-makes-central-america-his-first-trip-abroad-top-us-diplomat?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Jan 2025 18:11:15 +0000 Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado is in hiding and fearing for her life, she wrote in an opinion article in the Wall Street Journal. “I could be captured as I write these words,” Machado wrote in the article, published Thursday. Her words come a day after President Nicolas Maduro said she and her stand-in candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, “should be behind bars”. She again emphasised that Gonzalez was the rightful winner of Sunday’s presidential election, and called on the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3272862/venezuela-opposition-leader-machado-says-she-hiding-fearing-my-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3272862/venezuela-opposition-leader-machado-says-she-hiding-fearing-my-life?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Aug 2024 21:29:35 +0000 The United States has launched a programme meant to expand semiconductor manufacturing in Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama, with plans to potentially include other countries in the Americas. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the Western Hemisphere Semiconductor Initiative on Wednesday during opening remarks at the Americas Partnership ministerial plenary meeting in Washington. US President Joe Biden began the group during the 2022 Americas Summit in Los Angeles. At the time, the strategy... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3270864/us-initiative-produce-semiconductors-latin-america-announced-antony-blinken?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3270864/us-initiative-produce-semiconductors-latin-america-announced-antony-blinken?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Jul 2024 16:49:11 +0000 Ozempic for weight loss. IV drips for hangovers. Micro-workouts for fitness. Life-extending supplements. The craze for instant health fixes has Dan Buettner, founder of the Blue Zones, shaking his head. Twenty years ago he showed that longevity is down to long-term lifestyle, with no such thing as a silver bullet. This was the message from the blue zones – five communities, in Okinawa, Japan, Sardinia, Italy, Nicoya, Costa Rica, Ikaria, Greece, and Loma Linda, in the US state of California –... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3267964/how-live-100-and-beyond-blue-zones-healthy-longevity-secrets-spread-new-places?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3267964/how-live-100-and-beyond-blue-zones-healthy-longevity-secrets-spread-new-places?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Jun 2024 10:15:09 +0000 Lionel Messi and Argentina are poised to begin the defence of their Copa America crown when they face Canada in Atlanta. The tournament is taking place across the United States, two years before it hosts the World Cup, and the opener kicks off at 8pm on Thursday local time (8am Friday, Hong Kong time). Argentina won the Covid-delayed 2021 tournament, beating hosts Brazil in the final for their first major honour since 1993. Having won the World Cup just over a year later, the Albiceleste were... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3267416/copa-america-lionel-messis-argentina-defend-title-us-uruguay-brazil-lie-wait?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3267416/copa-america-lionel-messis-argentina-defend-title-us-uruguay-brazil-lie-wait?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Jun 2024 17:00:09 +0000 More than one-third of Hong Kong employers expect to hire more workers in the next three months but economic pressures and the trend of residents heading across the border to spend their cash have made bosses more cautious about recruitment, a survey has found. Human resources firm ManpowerGroup Greater China released a quarterly survey on the city’s employment outlook on Tuesday after interviewing 525 firms earlier this month. It found 37 per cent expected an increase in staffing in the third... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3267111/third-hong-kong-firms-expect-hire-more-staff-economic-pressures-make-bosses-cautious?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3267111/third-hong-kong-firms-expect-hire-more-staff-economic-pressures-make-bosses-cautious?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Jun 2024 11:02:37 +0000 Trouble is brewing for drinkers of coffee, one of the world’s most traded commodities, as climate change affects farmers, reshaping production patterns. Amid a worsening drought in Vietnam, the world’s second-biggest coffee producer and leading supplier of the robusta bean (commonly used in instant coffee), news that its coffee exports may fall by 20 per cent this year sent prices soaring, with robusta futures hitting record highs. Coffee plays a sizeable role in Vietnam’s economy, bringing in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3263711/climate-change-threat-more-storm-vietnams-coffee-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3263711/climate-change-threat-more-storm-vietnams-coffee-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 May 2024 21:30:10 +0000 It takes a particular kind of traveller to experience Japan’s most traditional hotel: the ryokan. Luxurious as these small, typically family-run inns can be, they are often tucked away in secluded mountainous areas with natural hot springs (and communal baths), without many English-speaking staff, and with futons rather than beds to sleep on. Hyatt Hotels hopes to take the ryokan concept mainstream with Atona – a luxury boutique brand it is launching with Kyoto-based developer Kiraku. The first... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3264361/hyatt-launch-luxury-ryokan-brand-atona-japan-mixing-beds-and-futons-burgers-and-kaiseki-modern-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3264361/hyatt-launch-luxury-ryokan-brand-atona-japan-mixing-beds-and-futons-burgers-and-kaiseki-modern-and?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 May 2024 08:15:10 +0000 In 2014, Justin Lin, a prominent economist and adviser to the Chinese government, projected that the country would reach high-income status by 2022. Last month, after a decade in which that prediction did not come to pass, he made some adjustments. Lin declared it would happen in 2025 or 2026, so long as the economy maintains gross domestic product growth of 5 per cent – also Beijing’s target for this year. While authorities have rarely touched upon the topic of the middle-income trap in recent... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3260891/china-has-yet-join-rich-country-club-has-middle-income-trap-been-sprung?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3260891/china-has-yet-join-rich-country-club-has-middle-income-trap-been-sprung?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Apr 2024 22:00:32 +0000 Regulators who want to get a grip on an emerging generation of artificially intelligent killing machines may not have much time left to do so, governments were warned. As autonomous weapons systems rapidly proliferate, including across battlefields in Ukraine and Gaza, algorithms and unmanned aerial vehicles are already helping military planners decide whether or not to hit targets. Soon, that decision could be outsourced entirely to the machines. “This is the Oppenheimer Moment of our... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3260862/killer-robot-arms-race-ai-faces-its-oppenheimer-moment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3260862/killer-robot-arms-race-ai-faces-its-oppenheimer-moment?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Apr 2024 03:11:00 +0000 It was the seductive call of the wind and the waves that first lured Syasya Syahirah Nor Azmi to give up her life in the bustling capital of Malaysia’s Penang Island for the gentle sway of a sailing boat more than 18,000km (11,000 miles) away from home. Through her Instagram account, “Syasya Syahirah Adventure Life”, the 28-year-old adventurer offers followers a window into her life aboard a Beneteau 57 sailing boat, living in harmony with the rhythm of the sea off the coasts of Costa Rica,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3260553/she-left-malaysia-sail-world-seeking-freedom-adventure-and-soft-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3260553/she-left-malaysia-sail-world-seeking-freedom-adventure-and-soft-life?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Apr 2024 08:00:19 +0000 According to a succession of chief executives, tourism is vitally important to the local economy. But like much else in contemporary Hong Kong, this allegedly key industry continues to wallow in the doldrums. Presentation of local “attractions” remains problematic. Preferred tour-bus-style excursion routes were originally designed – back in the 1970s – to give readily digestible, “on the right you can see …” scenic overviews to overseas punters with a presumedly sketchy grasp of exactly where... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3260614/expert-guest-lecturers-enliven-group-tours-many-places-good-luck-finding-any-whod-dare-explain-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3260614/expert-guest-lecturers-enliven-group-tours-many-places-good-luck-finding-any-whod-dare-explain-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Apr 2024 00:17:17 +0000 China’s advances in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, 5G and quantum computing are reshaping world politics by prompting an increasing US-led effort to counter its growing influence, a new study has concluded. Describing the situation as “unprecedented” the researchers said a global “balancing coalition” had been formed in response – by the United States and it allies – which uses sanctions, export bans and controls in key industries such as semiconducting, as well as... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3260232/chinas-hi-tech-progress-reshaping-global-politics-us-and-allies-seek-build-balancing-coalition-study?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3260232/chinas-hi-tech-progress-reshaping-global-politics-us-and-allies-seek-build-balancing-coalition-study?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Apr 2024 04:00:39 +0000 It is story that is as unlikely as it is uplifting. A young woman from a landlocked region of rural China, who first saw the sea when she was nine-years-old, reaches the pinnacle of a sport based on water. Farm girl turned surfer, Yang Siqi, has attracted widespread attention and acclaim after making history by becoming the country’s first athlete compete in the surfing event in the Olympics which will be held in Paris in July. The 21-year-old, who is originally from the mountainous area of... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3256707/who-chinas-yang-siqi-mountain-surfing-2024-paris-games-farm-girl-becomes-countrys-first-olympic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3256707/who-chinas-yang-siqi-mountain-surfing-2024-paris-games-farm-girl-becomes-countrys-first-olympic?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Apr 2024 06:00:13 +0000 Tye Ruotolo sits on top of the submission grappling world. He is coming off four straight victories on ONE Championship cards that culminated in his winning the welterweight title last November. That most recent win came at the expense of Magomed Abdulkadirov at ONE Fight Night 16. As well as the title, Ruotolo earned a US$50,000 (HK$391,000) performance bonus and things seem to be happening very fast for the 21-year-old. Ruotolo defends his belt for the first time at ONE Fight Night 21 this... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/grappling/article/3257702/one-championship-submission-grappling-champion-tye-ruotolo-says-izaak-michell-will-be-his-most?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/grappling/article/3257702/one-championship-submission-grappling-champion-tye-ruotolo-says-izaak-michell-will-be-his-most?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Apr 2024 07:54:23 +0000 A recent democracy summit in South Korea may not hold much relevance for less open countries in the region, but they have to deal with common issues faced by all political systems, according to analysts. The event was first launched by the United States in 2021 to promote democracy and show how democratic systems could better serve the people of various countries. Last year’s summit was co-hosted by the US, Costa Rica, Zambia, the Netherlands and South Korea. During the third Summit for... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3257131/was-democracy-summit-seoul-useful-participants-say-open-countries-are-offensive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3257131/was-democracy-summit-seoul-useful-participants-say-open-countries-are-offensive?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Mar 2024 00:00:34 +0000 A 15-year-old surfer who is set to become the first athlete to represent China in the sport at the Olympics has an inspirational personal story to tell. Yang Siqi, who hails from the inland rural area of Liangshan in southwestern Sichuan province – one of the poorest areas in China – first saw the sea when she was just nine years old. Her journey began with a simple request to her uncle, a wrestler, to introduce her to a new sport. He guided her towards sailing, but after a few months, she was... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3255328/china-farm-girl-15-landlocked-rural-area-becomes-countrys-first-surfer-reach-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3255328/china-farm-girl-15-landlocked-rural-area-becomes-countrys-first-surfer-reach-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Mar 2024 06:00:19 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Finland remained the world’s happiest country for a seventh straight year in an annual UN sponsored World Happiness Report published on Wednesday. And Nordic countries kept their places among the 10 most cheerful, with Denmark, Iceland and Sweden trailing Finland. Afghanistan, plagued by a humanitarian catastrophe since the Taliban regained control in 2020, stayed at the bottom of the 143 countries surveyed. For the first time since the report was published more than a decade ago, the United... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3256027/finland-worlds-happiest-country-seventh-year-report-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3256027/finland-worlds-happiest-country-seventh-year-report-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Mar 2024 02:52:33 +0000 China’s Yang Siqi has spoken of her surprise after earning the right to become her country’s first Olympic surfer – not to mention being, at just 14 years old, the youngest person to qualify in her sport for the Paris Games. The teen claimed her spot by progressing through the repechage rounds on Friday at the World Surfing Games (WSG) in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, beating British surf-skate phenomenon Sky Brown and Costa Rica’s 2021 Olympian Brisa Hennessy. Yang was formally awarded her place when... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/article/3253948/china-has-its-first-olympic-surfer-yang-siqi-14-becomes-youngest-paris-qualifier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/article/3253948/china-has-its-first-olympic-surfer-yang-siqi-14-becomes-youngest-paris-qualifier?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Mar 2024 12:10:17 +0000 The US needs to update its political, diplomatic and economic toolkit if it wants to keep pace with China in vying for influence in Latin America, several Biden administration officials and representatives from the region said. The conclusion echoed that of a 36-page report on the subject by the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based think tank that convened an event to discuss the findings on Monday. Drawing on discussions with regional business leaders, government officials and policymakers, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3253433/us-must-update-its-latin-america-toolkit-keep-pace-china-sway-region-biden-officials-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3253433/us-must-update-its-latin-america-toolkit-keep-pace-china-sway-region-biden-officials-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Feb 2024 21:00:14 +0000 Over the past two decades, China’s presence in Latin America has been synonymous with major infrastructure projects and the exploitation of natural resources. A recently published study suggests, however, that the wind is now blowing in a different direction. Following the failure of some Belt and Road Initiative investments in the region and a slowdown in China’s economy, data analysed by the Inter-American Dialogue, a Washington think tank, indicates that Chinese money is now flowing into... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3252865/chinas-latin-american-investments-downshift-smaller-more-strategic-projects?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3252865/chinas-latin-american-investments-downshift-smaller-more-strategic-projects?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Feb 2024 14:00:12 +0000 Liam Harrison knows his ONE Championship career is coming to an end, and has undergone experimental stem cell treatment to ensure he has one fight left in him. The 38-year-old was expected to clash with John Lineker at ONE Fight Night 18, but a knee injury put an end to that, and the Englishman said he considered retirement when fight camp left him unable to walk for two days. But a trip to a clinic in Costa Rica helped with the swelling and pain, and now he’s focused on a career-defining clash... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/muay-thai/article/3248599/harrison-talks-joe-rogans-love-one-championship-retirement-and-potential-muay-thai-super-fight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/muay-thai/article/3248599/harrison-talks-joe-rogans-love-one-championship-retirement-and-potential-muay-thai-super-fight?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Jan 2024 06:22:16 +0000 Yoshimi Yamashita will become the first woman to referee a match at an AFC Asian Cup finals tournament, after being appointed to oversee Australia’s meeting with India on Saturday. The Japanese referee was the fourth official at six 2022 Fifa World Cup games, and is now poised to make history back in Qatar. She will be supported by assistant referees, and compatriots, Makoto Bozono and Naomi Teshirogi. The trio have made a habit of smashing through the glass ceiling, after becoming the first... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3248166/afc-asian-cup-female-referee-yamashita-make-finals-history-afc-renews-partnership-effort-eradicate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3248166/afc-asian-cup-female-referee-yamashita-make-finals-history-afc-renews-partnership-effort-eradicate?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Jan 2024 04:27:43 +0000 Indonesia seems desperate to join the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), regarded as a rich man’s club. President Joko Widodo is pushing for an accelerated process and announced in October that it would set up a national committee to do so. Indonesia has been a key partner of the OECD since 2007 and is familiar with its workings. Still, its target of completing accession within four years is ambitious, when the process can take five to eight years. The last two members... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3246057/why-indonesia-shouldnt-rush-join-oecd-rich-mans-club?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3246057/why-indonesia-shouldnt-rush-join-oecd-rich-mans-club?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Dec 2023 21:30:20 +0000 Carey Mulligan recently realised that she has spent much of her professional career holding back. That might be surprising to hear for an actress with two Oscar nominations, a Tony nod and a laundry list of extraordinary films and enviable roles. But that has changed, in no small part because of fellow actor Bradley Cooper and Maestro, an all-encompassing project that would push her out of that comfort zone to play Felicia Montealegre, the elegant actress and wife of American conductor Leonard... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3246244/netflixs-maestro-carey-mulligan-playing-leonard-bernsteins-wife-preparing-bradley-cooper-and-films?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3246244/netflixs-maestro-carey-mulligan-playing-leonard-bernsteins-wife-preparing-bradley-cooper-and-films?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Dec 2023 09:15:19 +0000 Kwak Yeon-soo Kwak Yeon-soo Millennials – those born between 1981 and 1996 – are more health-conscious than preceding generations but are seeing their health decline faster than that of their parents as they age. That is according to a 2020 study from medical insurer Blue Cross Blue Shield in the United States. The data shows this decline applies both to physical health – showing up in conditions such as hypertension and high cholesterol – and mental health, as seen in cases of depression and anxiety disorder, among other... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3244642/millennials-ageing-faster-their-parents-studies-and-experts-say-heres-why-and-how-they-can-slow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3244642/millennials-ageing-faster-their-parents-studies-and-experts-say-heres-why-and-how-they-can-slow?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Dec 2023 23:15:11 +0000 Is supermodel Gisele Bündchen dating her jiu-jitsu trainer Joaquim Valente? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Celebrity Fanpage HKI (@celebrityfanpagehki3) Possibly … According to US media, the Victoria’s Secret model and her rumoured beau were spotted in Costa Rica last week, splurging on a pre-Thanksgiving holiday with Bündchen’s kids, who she shares with ex-husband Tom Brady. View this post on Instagram A post... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3243085/bye-tom-brady-meet-gisele-bundchens-rumoured-new-beau-joaquim-valente-victorias-secret-model-met?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3243085/bye-tom-brady-meet-gisele-bundchens-rumoured-new-beau-joaquim-valente-victorias-secret-model-met?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Nov 2023 10:00:12 +0000 A court in Montenegro said on Friday it had approved the extradition of cryptocurrency entrepreneur Do Kwon, leaving a minister to decide if he will be handed over to South Korea or the United States, which both want him. Do Kwon, who is charged in the US with a multibillion-dollar fraud, and his ally were sentenced in June to four months in prison for using forged passports. Police said after arresting them that they had found doctored Costa Rican passports, a separate set of Belgian passports,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3242774/extradition-south-koreas-cryptocurrency-king-do-kwon-approved-montenegro-court?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3242774/extradition-south-koreas-cryptocurrency-king-do-kwon-approved-montenegro-court?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Nov 2023 13:18:22 +0000 In February, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley announced her White House bid, saying that it is “time for a new generation of leadership” in Washington DC. Her campaign has pushed for stronger border measures, lower taxes and anti-abortion policies. She is a Republican Party candidate along with former US president Donald Trump, former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. But it was Nikki’s daughter Rena who grabbed headlines after her mum rushed to her... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3241737/who-rena-haley-her-mum-nikki-haley-leapt-her-defence-third-republican-presidential-primary-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3241737/who-rena-haley-her-mum-nikki-haley-leapt-her-defence-third-republican-presidential-primary-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Nov 2023 22:00:10 +0000 In a world where travel is not just a journey but an enchanting experience, Airbnb has redefined how we explore the globe. No longer wanting to be confined to cookie-cutter hotel rooms, travellers today instead seek unique and opulent escapes that redefine the very notion of luxury. From a secluded glass house in the middle of the desert to an enchanting castle in the heart of Scotland, these are some of the most luxurious and unique Airbnb properties you can book for your upcoming holidays. 1.... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3241357/7-unique-luxury-airbnbs-book-your-next-holiday-bali-and-koh-samui-costa-rica-mexico-italy-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3241357/7-unique-luxury-airbnbs-book-your-next-holiday-bali-and-koh-samui-costa-rica-mexico-italy-and?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Nov 2023 02:00:36 +0000 US President Joe Biden announced a new investment programme on Friday to channel “billions of dollars” to Latin American and Caribbean nations, as an alternative to China’s “debt trap” deals in the region. The US, Biden said, wanted to make sure those nations had “a real choice between debt-trap diplomacy and high-quality transparent approaches to infrastructure and to development”. While not naming China, Biden was seen as referring to the Belt and Road Initiative, Beijing’s global... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3240317/biden-announces-infrastructure-plan-latin-america-counter-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3240317/biden-announces-infrastructure-plan-latin-america-counter-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Nov 2023 21:17:00 +0000 Hollywood star Harry Shum Jr has captivated audiences around the world with his performances in the hit film Crazy Rich Asians, the sci-fi comedy Everything Everywhere All at Once, and his breakout role as Mike Chang in the beloved TV series Glee. When he’s in Hong Kong, he often seeks out the comfort of a hot bowl of wonton soup – a classic local dish. The actor is gearing up for a new chapter in his career as he prepares to take on the highly anticipated sequel to Crazy Rich Asians. Shum’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3239073/crazy-rich-asians-actor-harry-shum-jr-speaking-cantonese-and-spanish-growing-still-getting-star?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3239073/crazy-rich-asians-actor-harry-shum-jr-speaking-cantonese-and-spanish-growing-still-getting-star?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Oct 2023 10:15:15 +0000 Wanderlust is part of my family inheritance – many of my forebears went to India and other foreign parts – but I was born in not terribly exotic Macclesfield, just south of Manchester, in England, in 1960. My father was a test pilot involved in the development of the Royal Air Force’s Vulcan bomber. By the time I was 10, I was focused on discovering what was going on in the wider world. I was not so interested in toys per se, but I loved hunting for fossils on family holidays along the Jurassic... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3238473/i-had-eat-dog-explorer-benedict-allen-his-adventures-scars-his-chest-and-being-lost-jungle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3238473/i-had-eat-dog-explorer-benedict-allen-his-adventures-scars-his-chest-and-being-lost-jungle?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Oct 2023 08:00:10 +0000 Matt Haldane Matt Haldane An enthusiastic group of pro bono programmers strewn across the globe, including in Hong Kong, are building the open source, crypto-focused super app of Elon Musk’s dreams – but without the app. For the past year, a dedicated group of developers have been working on a decentralised social media protocol, with new features rolling out at a pace that makes it hard to keep track. Updates made this year to the protocol, which was started in late 2020, and to related apps encompass everything from a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3236382/decentralised-social-media-super-app-elon-musks-dreams-already-exists-growing-interest-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3236382/decentralised-social-media-super-app-elon-musks-dreams-already-exists-growing-interest-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Oct 2023 03:00:14 +0000 When Qatar hosted the 2022 Fifa World Cup, the Japanese fans who stayed behind after matches to collect rubbish left in the stadiums caught the eye of the media and won the admiration of the onlooking world. It was the same when Japan took part in the Women’s World Cup in Australasia this year. Interviewed about why they were picking up other people’s trash, Japan fans said it was a question of respect for their hosts and simply the right thing to do. While fans of the national team are winning... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3234768/japanese-football-faces-english-style-hooliganism-issue-violence-contrasts-world-cup-litter-pickers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3234768/japanese-football-faces-english-style-hooliganism-issue-violence-contrasts-world-cup-litter-pickers?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Sep 2023 04:30:12 +0000 Roberto Mancini has set his sights on transferring his European success to Asia as he takes charge of his first match as Saudi Arabia boss at St James’ Park on Friday. The friendly against Costa Rica, followed by another against South Korea next week – both at the home of the Saudi-backed Newcastle United – begins a tilt at January’s AFC Asian Cup for the newly appointed Italian, who won Euro 2020 with his native country. After last week becoming the latest big overseas name to join the Gulf... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3233732/roberto-mancini-aiming-repeat-italy-glory-saudi-arabia-he-makes-debut-boss-newcastle-friendly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3233732/roberto-mancini-aiming-repeat-italy-glory-saudi-arabia-he-makes-debut-boss-newcastle-friendly?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Sep 2023 14:00:16 +0000 Roberto Mancini said he hoped to lead Saudi Arabia to AFC Asian Cup victory within months after signing a multimillion dollar deal on Monday, just a fortnight after quitting as Italy coach. The former Inter Milan and Manchester City boss held up a green shirt that read “Mancini 2027” after inking a contract to stay with the Green Falcons beyond the next World Cup. Mancini, who said the oil-rich monarchy had “nothing to do” with his shock Italy exit, was reportedly offered more than US$25 million... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3232685/new-saudi-arabia-boss-roberto-mancini-targets-afc-asian-cup-2-weeks-after-quitting-italy-team?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3232685/new-saudi-arabia-boss-roberto-mancini-targets-afc-asian-cup-2-weeks-after-quitting-italy-team?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Aug 2023 08:40:24 +0000 Robert Mancini was named as the new boss of the Saudi Arabia national team on Monday, just weeks after quitting as Italy’s head coach. The 58-year-old, who has signed a four-year deal reported to be worth more than US$25 million a year, replaces Herve Renard, who left to take charge of France’s women’s team. Mancini led Italy to the Euro 2020 title, but failed to qualify for last year’s World Cup in Qatar, where his new charges beat eventual champions Argentina in the group stages. “I am... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3232496/roberto-mancini-immensely-honoured-be-named-new-saudi-arabia-boss-signs-4-year-deal-worth-us100?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3232496/roberto-mancini-immensely-honoured-be-named-new-saudi-arabia-boss-signs-4-year-deal-worth-us100?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Aug 2023 01:40:29 +0000 Taiwan has withdrawn from the Central American Parliament after the six-member body voted to oust Taipei so that Beijing can take its place as a permanent observer. The parliament, known as Parlacen, voted on the proposal to revoke Taiwan’s observer status – which it had held since 1999 – during a meeting in the Nicaraguan capital Managua on Monday. There were 73 in favour, 32 against and nine abstained from the vote. Parlacen comprises Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, the Dominican... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3231933/taiwan-withdraws-central-american-parliament-after-vote-favour-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3231933/taiwan-withdraws-central-american-parliament-after-vote-favour-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Aug 2023 13:00:14 +0000 Guatemalans voted on Sunday in a presidential run-off marked by the harassment of a surprise front runner, who has fired up voters with his promises to end the rot of corruption. The race pits reformist outsider Bernardo Arevalo against former first lady Sandra Torres, both social democrats, meaning Guatemala will have its first leftist leader in over a decade. Polling stations opened at 7am local time and voting was to end at 6pm with first results expected later in the evening. The Central... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3231727/polls-open-tense-guatemala-presidential-run-fears-interference-amid-promises-end-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3231727/polls-open-tense-guatemala-presidential-run-fears-interference-amid-promises-end-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Aug 2023 18:52:28 +0000