https://www.scmp.com/rss/519403/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Alex Lo Alex Lo Last month in Florida, many leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean showed up for the so-called Shield of the Americas summit. Prefacing his speech, the self-styled US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth declared, “I only speak American.” Most people there spoke Spanish and/or English. Both the northern and the southern parts of the hemisphere are called American, but there is no such language as Hegseth’s, at least linguistically. However, it was clear what he meant. The United States just... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3349098/why-beijing-now-only-true-partner-africa-and-latin-america?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3349098/why-beijing-now-only-true-partner-africa-and-latin-america?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 15:05:43 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Anyone applying to become a minister in Madagascar’s new government will be subjected to lie detector tests to root out those who are corrupt, the country’s military leader said on Thursday. President Michael Randrianirina, who took power in a coup in the Indian Ocean island in October, said Madagascar had acquired a polygraph machine and a specialist to operate it to vet new government ministers. “We will know who is corrupt and who can help us,” Randrianirina said. “We are not looking for... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3347249/madagascars-leader-orders-lie-detector-tests-prospective-ministers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3347249/madagascars-leader-orders-lie-detector-tests-prospective-ministers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 04:13:49 +0000 Amani Braa Amani Braa In 2025, youth-led protests erupted everywhere from Morocco to Nepal, Madagascar and Europe. A generation refused to remain silent in the face of economic precariousness, corruption and eroding democratic norms and institutions. Although they arose in different contexts, all the protests were met with the same playbook of responses: repression, contempt and suspicion towards youth dismissed as irresponsible. In Morocco, the #Gen212 movement, which originated on social media, denounced the high... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3339386/memes-streets-gen-zs-fight-back-against-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3339386/memes-streets-gen-zs-fight-back-against-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Jan 2026 08:00:21 +0000 Reuters Reuters Madagascar’s coup leader Colonel Michael Randrianirina was sworn in as president on Friday to cheers, blaring trumpets and raised swords, days after taking control of the island nation in the wake of youth-led protests that forced out his predecessor. Ex-leader Andry Rajoelina, whom lawmakers impeached after he fled abroad at the weekend, has condemned the takeover and refused to step down while in exile, despite widespread defections in the security forces and the High Constitutional Court... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3329405/army-officer-sworn-madagascars-president-after-military-takeover?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3329405/army-officer-sworn-madagascars-president-after-military-takeover?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Oct 2025 08:25:44 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Madagascar’s new military ruler, Colonel Michael Randrianirina, was set to be sworn in as the country’s transitional president on Friday, capping a dramatic military takeover that ousted President Andry Rajoelina. Randrianirina “will be sworn in as President of the Refoundation of the Republic of Madagascar during a solemn hearing of the High Constitutional Court” on October 17, the country’s new leadership said in a statement on Wednesday, which was published on social media by a state... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3329214/au-suspends-madagascar-military-prepares-install-colonel-president?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3329214/au-suspends-madagascar-military-prepares-install-colonel-president?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Oct 2025 06:01:43 +0000 Reuters,Associated Press Reuters,Associated Press Madagascar’s military coup leader said on Wednesday that he is “taking the position of president”. Colonel Michael Randrianirina, who led a rebellion by soldiers that ousted President Andry Rajoelina, said he expected to be sworn in as the Indian Ocean country’s new leader in the next few days. Randrianirina announced on Tuesday that the armed forces were taking power in Madagascar, capping weeks of protests against Rajoelina and his government by mainly youth groups. He said he was taking the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3328988/madagascars-exiled-president-dissolves-parliament-amid-coup-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3328988/madagascars-exiled-president-dissolves-parliament-amid-coup-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Oct 2025 10:55:11 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Madagascar’s embattled President Andry Rajoelina said on Monday he was sheltering in a “safe place” following an attempt on his life, ignoring calls to resign after spiralling unrest that has forced him into hiding. The twice-delayed speech marked his first public address since a mutinous army unit backed anti-government protests, and followed reports that the 51-year-old leader had fled the country. “Since September 25, there have been attempts on my life and coup attempts. A group of military... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3328873/address-nation-madagascar-president-says-safe-place-after-attempt-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3328873/address-nation-madagascar-president-says-safe-place-after-attempt-life?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Oct 2025 20:55:42 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A mutinied army unit declared on Sunday that it was taking control of all Madagascar military forces as President Andry Rajoelina said an “attempt to seize power illegally” was under way. The elite contingent of administrative and technical officers – known as Capsat – joined thousands of protesters in the capital city, Antananarivo, on Saturday in a major shift in a more than two-week anti-government protest movement, sparked by anger over power and water shortages. The movement is driven by... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3328701/madagascars-president-says-coup-under-way-army-unit-declares-control-military?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3328701/madagascars-president-says-coup-under-way-army-unit-declares-control-military?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Oct 2025 10:14:55 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage The apparent collapse of a 25-year tariff-free trade pact between the United States and Africa symbolises an American retreat, according to observers, who say the shift is paving the way for China to deepen its influence across the continent. The Clinton-era African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) expired on September 30 after Congress failed to pass a renewal bill, leaving more than 6,000 African exports, such as apparel and textiles, subject to higher US tariffs. The resulting economic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3327837/how-dead-us-trade-deal-pushing-africa-further-chinas-orbit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3327837/how-dead-us-trade-deal-pushing-africa-further-chinas-orbit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Oct 2025 02:00:07 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong Scientists in Singapore have industrialised the production of remote-controlled cyborg cockroaches that one day could form a tiny army suitable for disaster search missions. Last month, researchers led by Hirotaka Sato at Nanyang Technological University published their previously preprinted study describing a system for the mass production of mechanical cockroaches. The July 28 article in Nature Communications said the team had continued with their pioneering concept of an “insect robot... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3322924/singapore-teams-68-second-feat-opens-door-cyborg-cockroaches-disaster-relief?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3322924/singapore-teams-68-second-feat-opens-door-cyborg-cockroaches-disaster-relief?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Aug 2025 02:00:13 +0000 Ng Kang-chung,Cannix Yau Ng Kang-chung,Cannix Yau Hong Kong’s No 2 official has urged the public not to panic over a possible outbreak of chikungunya fever, expressing confidence that infections can be contained with government workers stepping up mosquito control efforts. Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki made the appeal as Hong Kong reported five imported cases in a week, while Tuen Mun recorded high mosquito index levels that prompted authorities to speed up implementing pest control measures. “The public does not need to panic as all the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3321323/hong-kongs-no-2-official-urges-calm-over-fears-chikungunya-fever-outbreak?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3321323/hong-kongs-no-2-official-urges-calm-over-fears-chikungunya-fever-outbreak?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Aug 2025 11:43:21 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Hong Kong reported a new imported chikungunya fever case and another probable patient on Friday, bringing the number of confirmed cases to five in a week. Health authorities said the latest confirmed case involved a 66-year-old woman with a chronic illness who lived in Kwai Tsing district. A preliminary investigation by the Centre for Health Protection found that the woman travelled alone to visit relatives in Foshan, Guangdong province, from July 24 to Tuesday this week. The patient could not... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3321280/hong-kong-reports-new-imported-chikungunya-fever-case-bringing-tally-5?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3321280/hong-kong-reports-new-imported-chikungunya-fever-case-bringing-tally-5?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Aug 2025 16:00:37 +0000 June Xia June Xia Big city lights? Too dull, say bright-eyed Chinese travellers who prefer to dream of far-flung locales – areas more likely to drain their life alongside their bank account. And oh, what a thrill. Chinese tourists eyeing overseas excursions are increasingly turning their gaze to remote areas – generally away from urban settings and run-of-the-mill tourist destinations that comprise the photo posts of more traditional travellers, and towards off-the-beaten-path locations that, in many cases, wowed... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3315249/chinas-thrill-seekers-splash-out-adventure-tourism-social-media-lures-them-grid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3315249/chinas-thrill-seekers-splash-out-adventure-tourism-social-media-lures-them-grid?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Jun 2025 03:00:11 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage As tariffs, foreign aid cuts and the closure of foreign missions dent the US’ image in Africa, China is positioning itself as a more reliable development ally on the continent, particularly as a counter to what it calls American “bullying”. In mainstream media, online and in meetings with senior officials, Chinese diplomats are campaigning to rally opposition against US trade policies under US President Donald Trump. In the messaging, Beijing is framing Trump’s tariffs as a threat to developing... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3309235/china-african-charm-offensive-rally-opposition-bullying-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3309235/china-african-charm-offensive-rally-opposition-bullying-us?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 May 2025 11:00:16 +0000 China’s trade with Africa grew by a moderate 2.7 per cent year on year in the first quarter to reach US$72.6 billion despite rising trade uncertainties from US President Donald Trump’s tariffs. The latest customs data shows a mixed picture, with Chinese exports to Africa climbing 11.3 per cent to US$45.92 billion, while imports from the continent fell 9.4 per cent to US$26.69 billion. The marginal increase comes amid growing trade uncertainties following Trump’s return to protectionist policies,... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3307305/moderate-china-africa-trade-growth-seen-win-given-us-tariffs-currency-weakness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3307305/moderate-china-africa-trade-growth-seen-win-given-us-tariffs-currency-weakness?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Apr 2025 09:00:14 +0000 Barefoot in the dust, their hands wrapped in thin fabric, a handful of athletes practised Moraingy, a traditional Madagascan martial art, ahead of a fight in Antananarivo stadium. The competition in the capital of the Indian Ocean island was aimed at promoting the age-old combat sport. Moraingy dates back to the 17th century. It originated on the west coast of Madagascar, where it was practised as training for war and as an initiation rite marking the passage to adulthood. It spread as people... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3305482/martial-art-youve-probably-never-heard-madagascars-moraingy-seeks-recognition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3305482/martial-art-youve-probably-never-heard-madagascars-moraingy-seeks-recognition?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Apr 2025 07:17:12 +0000 At 9.20am on February 15, 2013, a meteorite exploded above the city of Chelyabinsk, in Western Russia. Burning a streak of light across the morning sky, the superbolide, or fireball, about 18 metres in diameter, weighing roughly 12,000 tonnes and travelling at 19km per second, produced on impact a seismic wave recorded at magnitude 2.7, making it an estimated 30 times stronger than that of the first atomic bomb. Though buildings were damaged by the blast and more than 1,600 people injured, no... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3270884/christian-pilards-little-museum-world-hong-kong-pet-prehistoric-mammoth-or-marvel-meteorite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3270884/christian-pilards-little-museum-world-hong-kong-pet-prehistoric-mammoth-or-marvel-meteorite?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Jul 2024 09:00:09 +0000 Hong Kong’s route to the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup has been mapped out following the draw for this year’s WXV3 tournament in Dubai. Head coach Royce Chan’s team qualified for the competition after claiming second place in the 2024 Asia Rugby Championship (ARC) with victory over Kazakhstan last month. The importance of that result was underlined by Jo Hull, the local governing body’s general manager of rugby performance, who said Hong Kong had to reach WXV3 to keep pace with the fast... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3270767/hong-kong-urged-seize-opportunity-after-learning-route-womens-2025-rugby-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3270767/hong-kong-urged-seize-opportunity-after-learning-route-womens-2025-rugby-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Jul 2024 07:00:09 +0000 Hong Kong chocolate makers Gavin Chan and Whitney Yip are digging deep into an industry they have grown to love since founding Gamma Craft Chocolate in 2018. On a plot of land in Tai Po, in Hong Kong’s New Territories, the couple are growing cacao trees, the evergreens whose seeds, also known as cocoa beans, are used to make chocolate. “We have about 30 cacao trees on a 3,000 sq ft [280 square metre] piece of land that range in age from three to nine months,” Chan says. It is a long-term... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3269261/hong-kong-craft-chocolate-makers-feeling-bitter-cocoa-prices-surge-amid-climate-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3269261/hong-kong-craft-chocolate-makers-feeling-bitter-cocoa-prices-surge-amid-climate-change?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Jul 2024 03:15:08 +0000 A new Chinese fishing port on Tanzania’s Indian Ocean coastline that is expected to create thousands of jobs is on track to be completed next year. The US$111 million port in Kilwa Masoko is being built by state-owned China Harbour Engineering Company under the Belt and Road Initiative, a transcontinental infrastructure project, with the aim of helping China meet its huge domestic demand for seafood. But the means by which it meets this demand have come under scrutiny with critics warning that... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3266796/china-looks-africa-meet-rising-demand-seafood-can-it-balance-local-interests-its-own-needs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3266796/china-looks-africa-meet-rising-demand-seafood-can-it-balance-local-interests-its-own-needs?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Jun 2024 07:13:58 +0000 Chinese diplomats are delivering invitation letters to leaders across Africa for the next key diplomatic event between Beijing and the continent, which will take place in September against a backdrop of economic uncertainty. In a departure from tradition – which dictates that details of major summits are released a few weeks or days in advance – Uganda’s foreign ministry said the ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will open in Beijing on September 3. According to the ministry, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3265778/china-envoys-deliver-xis-invite-african-leaders-september-focac-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3265778/china-envoys-deliver-xis-invite-african-leaders-september-focac-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Jun 2024 10:00:19 +0000 Hong Kong women scored three unanswered tries to end their Asia Rugby Championship with victory over Kazakhstan on Saturday, one of the most significant wins in the Test team’s 26-year history. A 22-0 triumph helped head coach Royce Chan Leong-sze’s side finish second behind Japan, earning them a spot at the global WXV3 tournament and keeping their hopes of reaching the 2025 Rugby World Cup in England alive. Chan had arranged a surprise visit from families and friends to the team hotel for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3265026/hong-kong-women-keep-world-cup-dream-alive-prove-too-powerful-kazakhstan-asia-rugby-championship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3265026/hong-kong-women-keep-world-cup-dream-alive-prove-too-powerful-kazakhstan-asia-rugby-championship?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Jun 2024 13:51:26 +0000 China’s central Hunan province is moving to invest millions of dollars to boost agricultural and industrial modernisation in Africa. Chinese companies, mostly from Hunan, will build industrial estates, train more people in Africa and supply agricultural machinery and quality seeds to improve Africa’s food production, part of which will be exported to China, according to a plan revealed at the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE) in Africa (Kenya) 2024 in the capital Nairobi on Friday. It... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3262744/central-chinese-province-hunan-play-big-role-helping-boost-african-farming-and-industrial-gains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3262744/central-chinese-province-hunan-play-big-role-helping-boost-african-farming-and-industrial-gains?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 May 2024 10:00:29 +0000 India’s election authority is facing mounting criticism over its handling of the country’s national polls, even as foreign delegates are set to arrive to observe the fourth phase of the two-month election. The election commission of India is facing accusations from political parties and civil groups for showing bias towards the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by refusing to reign in its divisive campaign rhetoric and for not providing voter turnout data quickly enough, resulting in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3261924/critics-opposition-slam-indias-election-body-bias-towards-modis-ruling-bjp-extremely-compromised?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3261924/critics-opposition-slam-indias-election-body-bias-towards-modis-ruling-bjp-extremely-compromised?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 May 2024 15:12:22 +0000 Japan has dispatched its top diplomat on a whirlwind tour of Global South countries in recent days, as Tokyo seeks to showcase its commitment to the emerging economies of Asia and Africa – where it continues to jostle with China for influence. Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa began her 10-day tour last Saturday in the Indian Ocean island nation of Madagascar, off Africa’s east coast, where she discussed economic cooperation and Japan’s “free and open Indo-Pacific” strategy – a vision it shares... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3261373/japan-sells-itself-global-souths-china-counterweight-whistle-stop-tour-africa-south-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3261373/japan-sells-itself-global-souths-china-counterweight-whistle-stop-tour-africa-south-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 May 2024 04:00:10 +0000 Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor’s daughter just turned 22 this month! The trio had a public family outing in January attending Broadway’s Harmony, as reported by People. The three posed with members of the cast backstage. View this post on Instagram A post shared by LifeMinute.tv (@lifeminutetv) But it’s not the first time Ella has joined her parents for special events. In June last year, she was seen at her mum’s Let Liv premiere at the Tribeca Film... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3260284/who-ben-stiller-and-christine-taylors-22-year-old-daughter-ella-aspiring-actress-studies-juilliard?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3260284/who-ben-stiller-and-christine-taylors-22-year-old-daughter-ella-aspiring-actress-studies-juilliard?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Apr 2024 10:00:22 +0000 The Chinese navy has stepped up its port calls around Africa as part of Beijing’s growing military diplomacy with the continent. After the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) paused many of its African port visits during the pandemic, it is getting back to full strength again in a bid to cement diplomatic ties as well as show off military hardware, according to observers. Earlier this week, China’s 45th naval fleet, including guided-missile destroyer Urumqi, missile frigate Linyi and comprehensive... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3258645/chinese-navy-steers-course-african-ports-beijings-renewed-diplomatic-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3258645/chinese-navy-steers-course-african-ports-beijings-renewed-diplomatic-push?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Apr 2024 10:00:23 +0000 Zimbabwe declared a state of disaster over a devastating drought that’s sweeping across much of southern Africa, with the country’s president saying it needs US$2 billion for humanitarian assistance. Wednesday’s declaration was widely expected following similar actions by neighbouring Zambia and Malawi, where drought linked to the El Nino weather phenomenon has scorched crops, leaving millions of people in need of food assistance. “Due to the El Nino-induced drought … more than 80 per cent of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3257796/zimbabwe-declares-drought-disaster-el-nino-leaves-millions-hungry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3257796/zimbabwe-declares-drought-disaster-el-nino-leaves-millions-hungry?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Apr 2024 03:56:30 +0000 Global Impact is a weekly curated newsletter featuring a news topic originating in China with a significant macro impact for our newsreaders around the world. Sign up now! In the 10 years since Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappeared, Jiang Hui, son of a passenger on the plane, has never stopped searching. He has visited search teams in Australia, searched the beaches of Mauritius, Madagascar and Réunion to scour for debris and to implore governments not to give up. During his many... https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3254892/global-impact-10-years-questions-remain-over-fate-malaysia-airlines-flight-mh370-amid-hopes-new?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3254892/global-impact-10-years-questions-remain-over-fate-malaysia-airlines-flight-mh370-amid-hopes-new?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Mar 2024 06:00:17 +0000 It has been 10 years since Malaysia Airlines passenger flight MH370 disappeared on March 8, 2014. To this day, it remains one of the biggest aviation mysteries globally. It’s unthinkable that a modern Boeing 777-200ER aircraft with 239 people on board can simply vanish without any explanation. Yet multiple searches in the past decade have still not yielded the main wreckage or the bodies of the victims. At a remembrance event held earlier this week, the Malaysian transport minister announced a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3254716/can-malaysias-mh370-aircraft-still-be-found-10-years-after-it-disappeared?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3254716/can-malaysias-mh370-aircraft-still-be-found-10-years-after-it-disappeared?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Mar 2024 03:00:16 +0000 Jiang Hui has had many brushes with death in his various expeditions to the African coast to scour for debris from missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. Once, when searching a beach on Réunion, a French island in the Indian Ocean, Jiang narrowly avoided treading on a venomous snake. Another time, he was swamped and battered by huge waves as he tried to wade through chest-high water to board a boat. But that all faded when he found a piece of honeycomb-shaped debris in Madagascar. It was... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3254323/bringing-them-home-why-chinas-mh370-families-are-still-searching-missing-decade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3254323/bringing-them-home-why-chinas-mh370-families-are-still-searching-missing-decade?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Mar 2024 05:00:14 +0000 The first passengers on a cruise ship which has been stranded off the East African island of Mauritius due to a suspected cholera outbreak have left the ship after the authorities gave the all-clear. They were originally expected to leave the ship on Sunday. “The immigration authorities came on board on Monday evening so that the first people could disembark if they wanted to,” Clyde Bastienne, 49, from Mauritius, told dpa. He had travelled with his daughter from South Africa via Madagascar to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3253404/passengers-start-exit-cholera-suspected-norwegian-dawn-cruise-ship-near-mauritius-many-remain-board?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3253404/passengers-start-exit-cholera-suspected-norwegian-dawn-cruise-ship-near-mauritius-many-remain-board?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Feb 2024 11:06:10 +0000 More than 3,000 people are stranded on board a cruise ship off the East African island of Mauritius because of a health risk. Following a series of gastrointestinal illnesses on board the Norwegian Dawn, the authorities in Mauritius refused to allow the ship to dock in the harbour of the capital Port Louis on Sunday, after the French island of La Reunion had already turned the ship away. “The decision not to allow the cruise ship access to the quay was taken in order to avoid any health risks,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3253191/norwegian-dawn-cruise-ship-quarantine-mauritius-3000-people-aboard?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3253191/norwegian-dawn-cruise-ship-quarantine-mauritius-3000-people-aboard?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Feb 2024 04:49:36 +0000 Long gone are the days when heaps of green vanilla pods were drawn into town by mules and laid out on woven mats to dry in the sun, perfuming the streets before being packed up and sold abroad. In this corner of eastern Mexico, known as “the city that perfumed the world”, the aromatic spice once dominated daily life and contributed to Mexico becoming the world’s leading supplier of vanilla more than a century ago. Markets have long since shifted and artificial vanilla is now the global norm. But... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3252641/being-vanilla-no-bad-thing-mexican-city-once-perfumed-world-pushing-revival-sweet-spice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3252641/being-vanilla-no-bad-thing-mexican-city-once-perfumed-world-pushing-revival-sweet-spice?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Feb 2024 09:15:11 +0000 Hunan province, the birthplace of Mao Zedong, has never been a front runner in China’s economic development, but it may soon find a niche as a hub for trade with Africa thanks to a plan approved last month by the State Council, the country’s cabinet. With support from Beijing, Hunan will build a hub with six trade and logistics centres as part of a “pioneering zone for in-depth China-Africa economic and trade cooperation”, said Jiang Wei, director of West Asian and North African Affairs at... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3252281/how-hunans-new-african-trade-hub-could-help-landlocked-chinese-province-catch-coastal-powerhouses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3252281/how-hunans-new-african-trade-hub-could-help-landlocked-chinese-province-catch-coastal-powerhouses?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Feb 2024 10:02:08 +0000 Chinese investors have begun shining a spotlight on a tiny island nation in East Africa known for a “special type of sugar”, but it’s not the vast plantations of Mauritius that have caught their eye. Instead, they are sweet on cashing in on the country’s “ambitious target” of deriving at least 60 per cent of its energy from “green” sources by 2030, according to Mahen Kumar Seeruttun, minister of financial services and good governance for the island of 1.3 million people located around 1,000km... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3250171/china-investors-eye-africas-tiny-island-mauritius-it-goes-green-and-tries-sweeten-trade-deals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3250171/china-investors-eye-africas-tiny-island-mauritius-it-goes-green-and-tries-sweeten-trade-deals?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Jan 2024 11:30:21 +0000 As China flexes its muscles in the region, European powers have increasingly made their presence felt through defence arrangements and naval port calls, prompting questions on whether their presence is helpful or a hindrance to safety in contested waters. But experts do agree that common interests in ensuring access to secure maritime routes mean that European powers will continue to extend their outreach into what is now known by many as the Indo-Pacific. In 2021, a German warship sailed into... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3247451/likely-agitate-china-european-powers-step-their-indo-pacific-presence-mixed-southeast-asian-reaction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3247451/likely-agitate-china-european-powers-step-their-indo-pacific-presence-mixed-southeast-asian-reaction?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Jan 2024 04:00:13 +0000 Relatives of Chinese passengers on the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 refreshed their call to resume the search for the aircraft after two French experts claimed renewed efforts could find the plane “within days”. Earlier this week, aerospace expert Jean-Luc Marchand and pilot Patrick Blelly said the mystery of the missing plane could be solved in a matter of days if there was a new search, based on their research. The pair said the plane’s transponder was turned off and that the U-turn... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3246418/chinese-families-malaysian-flight-mh370-victims-urge-new-search-after-experts-say-plane-could-be?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3246418/chinese-families-malaysian-flight-mh370-victims-urge-new-search-after-experts-say-plane-could-be?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Dec 2023 12:43:32 +0000 Russia’s recent flurry of activity in the Indian Ocean reflects its desire to be seen as an equal and not a “fading power”, analysts say, though its outreach to Global South countries in “close strategic partner” India’s own backyard may pose a challenge to New Delhi’s regional ambitions – and security interests. Last month, Russia held its first joint naval exercises with Myanmar and docked warships in Bangladesh for the first time in five decades, in moves widely seen as attempts to bolster... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3245230/russia-projects-its-great-power-ambitions-indias-backyard-will-it-irritate-us-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3245230/russia-projects-its-great-power-ambitions-indias-backyard-will-it-irritate-us-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Dec 2023 00:30:16 +0000 Regent Hong Kong’s first Christmas is poised to be a festive affair with an array of culinary happenings on offer across its dining venues. The hotel, which last month celebrated its grand opening on the site of the former InterContinental Hotel, offers stunning views of Victoria Harbour and its evening panorama of holiday lights. Headlining the list of glamorous events is the festive eight-course omakase dinner menu on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at Nobu Hong Kong. Following a three-year... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/dining/article/3244954/top-tables-edit-regent-hong-kong-gets-festive-chic-christmas-menus-overlooking-hong-kong-island?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/dining/article/3244954/top-tables-edit-regent-hong-kong-gets-festive-chic-christmas-menus-overlooking-hong-kong-island?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Dec 2023 03:00:15 +0000 Beijing has granted six African countries zero-tariff treatment on 98 per cent of products entering the massive Chinese market, joining dozens of others granted tariff relief as part of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s plan to boost agricultural imports from the continent. Starting on December 25, 98 per cent of taxable products from Angola, Gambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Madagascar, Mali and Mauritania will be exempt from tariffs when entering China, according to the Customs... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3244274/china-grants-tariff-free-access-6-african-countries-bid-boost-food-imports-and-rebalance-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3244274/china-grants-tariff-free-access-6-african-countries-bid-boost-food-imports-and-rebalance-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Dec 2023 02:00:37 +0000 Are big musicals and West End-type productions finally coming back to Hong Kong? The Covid-19 pandemic nearly killed all live performances in the city, but on December 14, a touring production of Madagascar The Musical opens at the Academy for Performing Arts’ Lyric Theatre. And last week, it was announced a revival of The Sound of Music will run at the Xiqu Centre in West Kowloon, beginning next April. Producer Matthew Gregory, whose ABA Productions is bringing the musical version of the hit... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3243447/madagascar-musical-feelgood-production-coming-hong-kong-producer-betting-he-can-rebuild-audience?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3243447/madagascar-musical-feelgood-production-coming-hong-kong-producer-betting-he-can-rebuild-audience?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Dec 2023 09:15:10 +0000 Anyone who has watched one of the countless reality-TV cooking shows aired in the past decade would attest that, in popular culture, kitchens are portrayed as testosterone-filled, ego-driven environments. Restaurant kitchens are depicted as high-pressure and aggressive places to work, driven by alpha male chefs – an image made popular by memes from one such show, Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen. The reality is often somewhat different; take French culinary star Anne-Sophie Pic, a quiet, calm and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3241640/10-michelin-star-french-chef-anne-sophie-pic-cristal-room-her-new-restaurant-hong-kong-feels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3241640/10-michelin-star-french-chef-anne-sophie-pic-cristal-room-her-new-restaurant-hong-kong-feels?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Nov 2023 04:45:17 +0000 Serious, even alarming, levels of hunger are eating away at the Global South, particularly in Africa and South Asia, according to the latest Global Hunger Index, as the undernourished masses grow to 735 million, up from an already worrying 572 million in 2017. Although the triple whammy of Covid-19, climate change and Russia’s war on Ukraine has intensified food insecurities worldwide, the impact has been most deeply felt in sub-Saharan Africa. The nine countries defined as having an “alarming”... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3237976/rich-are-getting-richer-more-people-are-going-hungry-global-south-why?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3237976/rich-are-getting-richer-more-people-are-going-hungry-global-south-why?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Oct 2023 12:30:08 +0000 A new global assessment of more than 8,000 species has added to mounting evidence that many of the world’s amphibians are being driven to extinction, with central and southern China identified as one of the higher risk regions where large concentrations of threatened species live. Two out of every five amphibians are threatened with extinction, a team of more than 100 international researchers has found, with climate change now a major driver of the decline of the cold-blooded vertebrates, such... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3236802/earths-amphibians-are-sliding-towards-extinction-chinese-populations-remain-threatened-major-study?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3236802/earths-amphibians-are-sliding-towards-extinction-chinese-populations-remain-threatened-major-study?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Oct 2023 15:00:26 +0000 The Chinese-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is financing a major project to upgrade thousands of kilometres of roads in the northern Ivory Coast in hope of opening up the predominantly agricultural region to trade with Asia. The region is a major producer of cotton and cashew nuts but the poor quality of the roads means that it is difficult to transport the goods to major processing centres and trade hubs, including the country’s largest city, the coastal port of Abidjan. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3236478/chinese-backed-asian-infrastructure-investment-bank-seeks-boost-ivory-coasts-trade-links-asia-road?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3236478/chinese-backed-asian-infrastructure-investment-bank-seeks-boost-ivory-coasts-trade-links-asia-road?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Oct 2023 06:00:13 +0000 French President Emmanuel Macron made a brief but historic stopover in Sri Lanka last month, in a show of France’s desire to offer an “alternative” to the big-power tussle between China, India and the West for influence in the Indo-Pacific region. Macron’s visit comes as France and Sri Lanka mark 75 years of relations, and as both countries aim to boost cooperation in areas such as development aid, maritime security and trade. Analysts say their growing friendship is driven by mutual interests,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3232364/france-offers-third-way-sri-lanka-balances-china-india-ties-it-late-party?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3232364/france-offers-third-way-sri-lanka-balances-china-india-ties-it-late-party?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Aug 2023 03:30:21 +0000 At least 13 people, including seven children, were killed on Friday in a crowd stampede at a stadium in Madagascar’s capital Antananarivo, according to the Red Cross and a local member of parliament. “So far 13 people have been killed and 107 injured,” said opposition MP Hanitra Razafimanantsoa on a local radio station. The Red Cross, who were on the scene, added: “We don’t yet have the final list. Seven minors died.” The prime minister of the Indian Ocean nation Christian Ntsay had initially... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3232386/seven-children-among-13-killed-madagascar-stadium-crush-more-100-injured?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3232386/seven-children-among-13-killed-madagascar-stadium-crush-more-100-injured?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Aug 2023 23:23:08 +0000 Roughly three-quarters of the way into Joanna Lumley’s Spice Trail Adventure (BBC Earth, now streaming), our ever-effervescent explorer lands on an unsuspected patch of the new Chinese empire. Lumley – who has quietly stacked up a host of travel-show-presenter credits alongside her more established acting bona fides – is following the old trade route along which spice dealing and spice-race politics shaped today’s world. And she has just chanced upon a startlingly smooth Madagascan mountain road... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/arts-music/article/3231402/what-stream-weekend-joanna-lumleys-spice-trail-adventure-bbc-sees-actress-find-some-surprises?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/arts-music/article/3231402/what-stream-weekend-joanna-lumleys-spice-trail-adventure-bbc-sees-actress-find-some-surprises?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Aug 2023 23:45:17 +0000 The World Health Organization opened its first summit on traditional medicine on Thursday, with the group saying it was seeking to collect evidence and data to allow for the safe use of such treatments. Traditional medicines are a “first port of call for millions of people worldwide”, the UN health agency said, with the talks in India bringing together policymakers and academics aiming to “mobilise political commitment and evidence-based action” towards them. “WHO is working to build the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3231416/who-holds-worlds-first-traditional-medicine-summit-india-aims-make-it-safer-and-science-based?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3231416/who-holds-worlds-first-traditional-medicine-summit-india-aims-make-it-safer-and-science-based?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Aug 2023 09:26:31 +0000