https://www.scmp.com/rss/520248/feed Johnny is an intern on the City Desk. He is currently a journalism master's student at the University of Hong Kong. Previously, he has worked for Sing Tao as a reporter covering local news. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Johnny Wan Johnny Wan At a humanoid robotics lab in Beijing, China, engineers of the company X-Humanoid are putting their robots through endurance tests. The robots walk, run and dance during an eight-hour test of their coordination, agility and motor skills. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3347715/inside-beijing-lab-humanoid-robots-are-put-test?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3347715/inside-beijing-lab-humanoid-robots-are-put-test?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 09:38:13 +0000 Johnny Wan Johnny Wan Beijing says more than 470 Chinese nationals have been safely evacuated from Iran as the conflict with the US and Israel escalates. The Chinese embassy is helping citizens leave via designated land routes and border crossings. Meanwhile, Chinese officials are urging all remaining citizens in Iran to step up safety precautions, register with the embassy and leave the country “as soon as possible”. https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345482/china-evacuates-hundreds-citizens-iran-war-worsens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345482/china-evacuates-hundreds-citizens-iran-war-worsens?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 00:30:13 +0000 Johnny Wan Johnny Wan Philippine carers have described racing to bomb shelters in Israel as the US-Israeli war in Iran sends missiles across the Middle East. More than 1.1 million overseas workers from the Philippines are based in the region, with over 96 per cent concentrated in five countries closely tied to the fighting, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain. One Philippine carer has already been killed during an air strike. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3345322/more-1-million-philippine-overseas-workers-risk-amid-middle-east-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3345322/more-1-million-philippine-overseas-workers-risk-amid-middle-east-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 15:34:11 +0000 Johnny Wan Johnny Wan The situation in Iran continues to worsen, with countries throughout the region getting hit by missiles and drones. Eyewitness footage from across the Middle East shows the scene on the ground. https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345182/iran-conflict-spreads-neighbouring-countries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345182/iran-conflict-spreads-neighbouring-countries?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 15:03:13 +0000 Johnny Wan Johnny Wan A 100-metre-deep sinkhole has slowly swallowed part of a village in northwestern Indonesia. Local farmers are struggling to expand their farmland to escape the advancing crater. Staff from the state electricity company fear the sinkhole will reach a high-voltage transmission tower. Authorities say the affected area has expanded from about 27,000 square metres to 30,000 square metres (291,000 to 323,000 square feet). https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342553/indonesian-village-risk-being-swallowed-100-metre-deep-sinkhole?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342553/indonesian-village-risk-being-swallowed-100-metre-deep-sinkhole?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 13:08:21 +0000 Johnny Wan Johnny Wan Shanghai residents have been flocking to sell gold as the price of the precious metal surges to record highs. The latest jump in gold prices was fuelled by ongoing economic and geopolitical uncertainties, but prices slumped by 4 per cent on Friday, January 30. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3341854/shanghai-residents-offload-their-gold-prices-surge-record-highs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3341854/shanghai-residents-offload-their-gold-prices-surge-record-highs?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 10:11:16 +0000 Johnny Wan Johnny Wan In Taruka village in central Nepal, locals celebrated a yearly ancient bullfighting tradition on January 15. The event is held during the Hindu harvest festival of Maghe Sankranti which usually falls in January. But some animal activists warned that the activity amounted to animal cruelty. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3340453/nepali-villagers-gather-annual-bullfighting-event-during-hindu-harvest-festival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3340453/nepali-villagers-gather-annual-bullfighting-event-during-hindu-harvest-festival?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:48:29 +0000 Johnny Wan Johnny Wan In China, bookstores are the new hotspot, but not because of what’s on the shelves. Eye-catching interior designs are drawing photographers and influencers to snap photos among the bookshelves. But not everyone is happy about this new trend. China’s bookworms argue that the crowds, noise and flash photography are ruining the vibe of these once tranquil spaces. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3340011/softcovers-and-selfies-chinas-bookshops-find-fame-photogenic-backdrops?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3340011/softcovers-and-selfies-chinas-bookshops-find-fame-photogenic-backdrops?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 09:00:05 +0000 Johnny Wan Johnny Wan Three men had to be rescued after they fell into a 15-metre (50ft) deep well in India on December 5. The accident happened after the men were involved in a drunken brawl at a funeral ceremony in India’s southern state of Kerala. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3336595/men-rescued-after-drunken-quarrel-lands-them-bottom-well?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3336595/men-rescued-after-drunken-quarrel-lands-them-bottom-well?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 06:52:10 +0000 Johnny Wan Johnny Wan A woman is drawing praise online for saving her two dogs before escaping herself from a burning building in the Philippines. Viral images show the woman tossing the animals to safety and then finally climbing down a fire ladder during the December 10 incident. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3336107/watch-woman-save-dogs-escaping-flames-herself-during-fire-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3336107/watch-woman-save-dogs-escaping-flames-herself-during-fire-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Dec 2025 12:24:46 +0000 Johnny Wan Johnny Wan Aerial footage released by the Thai military shows what was described as drones striking a casino complex and a Cambodian military bunker near the nations’ shared border. Thai officials said the recent clashes have killed at least 15 people and forced more than 500,000 to evacuate from border areas, where fighting continues despite a recent truce brokered by the US and Asean. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3336105/thailand-says-its-military-drones-struck-bunker-and-casino-along-cambodian-border?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3336105/thailand-says-its-military-drones-struck-bunker-and-casino-along-cambodian-border?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Dec 2025 12:19:02 +0000 Danny Mok,Johnny Wan Danny Mok,Johnny Wan Two winning tickets split Hong Kong’s record Mark Six jackpot of more than HK$138 million (US$17.7 million) on Tuesday night, after the lottery drew nearly HK$330 million in turnover. Each winner takes home HK$69,234,020 after punters packed Hong Kong Jockey Club betting branches citywide earlier in the day for a shot at the record prize. The numbers drawn were 8, 13, 18, 23, 31 and 47. The extra number was 16. Fourteen tickets took the second prize, with each winner pocketing HK$844,560. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3293737/record-hk128-million-mark-six-jackpot-draws-hundreds-hong-kongs-central?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3293737/record-hk128-million-mark-six-jackpot-draws-hundreds-hong-kongs-central?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Jan 2025 08:33:05 +0000 Thousands of Muslims have attended the funeral for two men killed in a car crash on New Year’s Day in Hong Kong, offering prayers for the deceased and condolences to the families. The ceremony was held at the Masjid Ammar and Osman Ramju Sadick Islamic Centre in Wan Chai on Friday for Ihtsham Ali, 30, and Mohammad Faisal, 34, who died in the early hours of Wednesday, along with a third victim, Mohammad Nadeem Adalat. “For their families, every new year for the rest of their lives will just keep... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3293370/muslims-gather-hong-kong-mosque-funeral-car-crash-victims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3293370/muslims-gather-hong-kong-mosque-funeral-car-crash-victims?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Jan 2025 13:49:14 +0000 Hong Kong recorded a 7.5 per cent increase in visitor numbers over the Christmas and New Year period, immigration data shows, while local businesses grappled with lacklustre sales amid a 10.1 per cent rise in outbound trips by residents. According to official figures, the city recorded 12.41 million trips between December 21 and January 1, a 15 per cent increase over the number from the same 12-day period the year before, but still 5 per cent below the Immigration Department’s forecast. There... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3293138/hong-kong-visitor-numbers-over-holidays-75-offset-departures?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3293138/hong-kong-visitor-numbers-over-holidays-75-offset-departures?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Jan 2025 07:20:38 +0000 Hundreds of thousands of revellers packed both sides of Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour for a fireworks display on New Year’s Eve, as they expressed hopes for health and happiness in 2025. By 9pm, celebrations across the city had drawn more than 143,000 visitors, of whom 108,000, or 75 per cent, were from mainland China. The number of mainland visitors was only about half of the 195,888 for the previous New Year’s Eve, a Sunday, when 227,000 non-local arrivals were recorded. Themed “The Symphony of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3292945/crowds-gather-top-spots-ahead-hong-kongs-new-years-eve-fireworks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3292945/crowds-gather-top-spots-ahead-hong-kongs-new-years-eve-fireworks?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Dec 2024 11:48:53 +0000 More than 50 pieces of mail were damaged, with many left unidentifiable, when a postal box in Hong Kong caught fire on Friday morning. Police were alerted at 7.10am of the postbox fire at Sau Mau Ping Post Office. No evacuations were needed after firefighters were called in to extinguish the flames. “Upon inspection, a cigarette butt was found inside the postbox and the fire was then deemed as suspicious,” a spokesman for the force said. The interior of the postbox was covered in soot and the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3292511/hong-kong-postbox-blaze-damages-more-50-pieces-mail?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3292511/hong-kong-postbox-blaze-damages-more-50-pieces-mail?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:18:06 +0000 Johnny Wan Johnny Wan Visitors to a newly opened nature park created from abandoned farmlands in Hong Kong will be able to capture photos of birds in paddy fields and the shallow water habitat acting as a “mirror” of the sky during summertime. The Long Valley Nature Park is part of the Long Valley freshwater wetlands, the largest man-made freshwater wetland remaining in the city, located between the Sheung Yue and Shek Sheung rivers in Sheung Shui. After five years of work starting in 2019, the park opened its doors... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3292273/hong-kongs-long-valley-nature-park-opens-public-after-habitat-restoration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3292273/hong-kongs-long-valley-nature-park-opens-public-after-habitat-restoration?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Dec 2024 23:30:11 +0000 Hong Kong authorities have launched a facial recognition pilot scheme to allow permit holders to enter part of a restricted town on the border with mainland China without showing any documents. No 2 official Eric Chan Kwok-ki, who officiated the opening ceremony of the revamped Chung Ying Street checkpoint in Sha Tau Kok on Monday, said authorities hoped to improve efficiency for those living and working there. “Through this [facial recognition] pilot scheme, we hope to use innovative technology... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3292062/hong-kong-launches-facial-recognition-tech-entry-street-border-town?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3292062/hong-kong-launches-facial-recognition-tech-entry-street-border-town?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:51:52 +0000 Johnny Wan Johnny Wan A 44-year-old Hongkonger has been arrested after his car struck an elderly passer-by and police confiscated e-cigarette cartridges allegedly containing “space oil” in the vehicle. The force said on Monday the 68-year-old victim, surnamed Li, was transported to Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung with injuries to his head. The crash took place at 12.10am near the Tai Nan Street Refuse Collection Point. “The man was trapped under the vehicle and had to be freed by firefighters,” police... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3291948/hongkonger-arrested-after-car-hits-man-police-seize-alleged-space-oil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3291948/hongkonger-arrested-after-car-hits-man-police-seize-alleged-space-oil?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Dec 2024 04:23:46 +0000 A concert featuring more than a half-dozen artists held to test Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Sports Park was cut short on Friday after the show started late and ran about 50 minutes longer than scheduled, prompting officials to vow to look into the matter. Speaking at the end of the four-hour concert attended by 5,500 people, Commissioner for Sports George Tsoi Kin-pan said: “When the show opened, our understanding was that the time for the audience to enter was different from the original... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3291732/hong-kongs-mirror-headline-kai-tak-sports-parks-first-concert-testing-venues-readiness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3291732/hong-kongs-mirror-headline-kai-tak-sports-parks-first-concert-testing-venues-readiness?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Dec 2024 09:52:32 +0000 Johnny Wan Johnny Wan A 700,000 sq ft shopping centre in Hong Kong’s soon-to-open Kai Tak Sports Park began operating on Wednesday, with hundreds of people queuing for cash coupons. Scores of stores in the Kai Tak Mall opened their doors, with occupancy at about 80 per cent. The mall is a key part of the park, located in the heart of East Kowloon and about a five-minute walk from Kai Tak MTR station. The park is due to open in March next year. “We definitely encourage people coming for shows, or sport events, to come... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3291424/shoppers-look-score-mall-hong-kongs-kai-tak-sports-park-opens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3291424/shoppers-look-score-mall-hong-kongs-kai-tak-sports-park-opens?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Dec 2024 14:30:41 +0000 More than 13,000 complaints related to public transport services in Hong Kong were recorded in the third quarter this year, mostly involving bus and taxi operators. The Transport Advisory Committee revealed on Tuesday that it had received 13,160 such complaints in the July to September period, marking a 16 per cent increase from the previous quarter, and a 26.1 per cent rise year on year. Bus firms, franchised buses in particular, including operators such as KMB, Citybus, Long Win Bus and New... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3291266/13000-complaints-about-hong-kong-public-transport-logged-over-3-months?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3291266/13000-complaints-about-hong-kong-public-transport-logged-over-3-months?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Dec 2024 15:13:15 +0000 Johnny Wan Johnny Wan High blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes weakens their immune response to respiratory viral infections, as the functionality of immunity cells can be reduced by as much as 40 per cent compared with healthy individuals, research by the University of Hong Kong (HKU) has found. Researchers from the LKS Faculty of Medicine at HKU, examined 40 blood samples from type 2 diabetes patients at Queen Mary Hospital in 2022 and 2023. The samples were divided into two groups: patients with poor... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3291052/hku-study-finds-high-blood-sugar-diabetics-weakens-immunity-40?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3291052/hku-study-finds-high-blood-sugar-diabetics-weakens-immunity-40?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Dec 2024 11:39:58 +0000 Hong Kong residents will be able to apply for identity cards and passports via self-service kiosks from Friday, with the collection time shortened by two days to five – and applicants getting six chances to take their best photo. The fully automated process was made possible after the law was amended in October, allowing eligible applicants to apply for the two documents at the kiosks without the need for an in-person interview with an immigration officer, a previous requirement. According to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3290563/hong-kong-opening-self-service-id-card-kiosks-6-chances-photo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3290563/hong-kong-opening-self-service-id-card-kiosks-6-chances-photo?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Dec 2024 13:50:10 +0000 Hong Kong authorities should limit the use of recorded videos taken from taxis and make it an offence for drivers to upload the footage online, lawmakers have said, after the government announced it would require the installation of surveillance cameras inside the commercial vehicles. Legislator Doreen Kong Yuk-foon also said on Monday the videos should be sent directly to a secure, central storage cloud that would not be easily accessible by even the drivers themselves. “There is a level of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3290058/hong-kong-lawmakers-taxi-trade-figures-back-camera-systems-cabs-caveats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3290058/hong-kong-lawmakers-taxi-trade-figures-back-camera-systems-cabs-caveats?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Dec 2024 00:30:15 +0000 Johnny Wan Johnny Wan A Hong Kong driver has died after he reportedly passed out behind the steering wheel of his van and slammed into a kerb. Police on Monday said the victim, a 48-year-old man surnamed Kwok, was believed to have collapsed as he drove towards the entrance of the Tsuen Wan-bound section of Shing Mun Tunnel at 7.08pm the day before. The van struck a kerb before continuing into the tunnel. It slowed down after colliding with a wall. The man was unconscious as he was taken to Yan Chai Hospital in Tsuen... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3289977/hong-kong-van-driver-dies-after-passing-out-behind-wheel-and-striking-kerb?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3289977/hong-kong-van-driver-dies-after-passing-out-behind-wheel-and-striking-kerb?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Dec 2024 07:19:56 +0000 Edith Lin,Johnny Wan Edith Lin,Johnny Wan Hundreds of early birds queued outside Ocean Park’s giant panda enclosure on Sunday morning to meet the two bears gifted to Hong Kong by Beijing, with the pair’s public debut even attracting fans from around the world. Male bear An An and his female counterpart, Ke Ke, enjoyed a warm reception from visitors stopping by their home at the park’s Hong Kong Jockey Club Sichuan Treasures enclosure. The crowd waved at the duo and used their phones and cameras to capture the bears’ every move, as Ke Ke... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3289855/ocean-park-debut-hong-kong-pandas-ke-ke-draws-fans-around-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3289855/ocean-park-debut-hong-kong-pandas-ke-ke-draws-fans-around-world?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Dec 2024 04:20:03 +0000 Hong Kong’s public secondary schools can breathe a sigh of relief for survival with a net increase of 10 Form One classes recorded this academic year, thanks to a baby boom in the Year of the Dragon in 2012 and an influx of children whose parents arrived from mainland China under talent schemes. But the schools sector said on Thursday that it expected the number of Form One classes was at its “final peak” and the student population would decline in coming years. Only 49,300 students were... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3289561/baby-boom-2012-talent-influx-help-hong-kong-schools-add-10-form-one-classes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3289561/baby-boom-2012-talent-influx-help-hong-kong-schools-add-10-form-one-classes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Dec 2024 12:22:40 +0000 Insurers have warned Hongkongers heading to South Korea that they will not be protected against losses arising from the country’s short-lived declaration of martial law, with many travellers going ahead with their trips amid the political chaos. The Hong Kong Federation of Insurers said on Wednesday industry operators could not provide coverage for changes to travel plans linked to the declaration made on Tuesday by South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, who reversed his shock decision six hours... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3289241/hongkongers-south-korea-urged-be-cautious-avoid-gatherings-after-martial-law-chaos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3289241/hongkongers-south-korea-urged-be-cautious-avoid-gatherings-after-martial-law-chaos?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Dec 2024 02:04:30 +0000