https://www.scmp.com/rss/91/feed All the latest breaking news from Hong Kong, China and around the world en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Reuters Reuters An Israeli air strike on Kfarhata, a village in south Lebanon, killed seven people on Sunday, including a 4-year-old child, Lebanon’s health ministry said in a statement. Another Israeli attack on the Jnah neighbourhood in Beirut killed four people and injured ‌39 others, the ministry added. The strike on Kfarhata followed an overnight evacuation order by the Israeli military instructing residents to leave the village. As Lebanese Christians, who make up roughly a third of the population, marked... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349099/israeli-strikes-kill-11-lebanon-israel-announces-security-buffer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349099/israeli-strikes-kill-11-lebanon-israel-announces-security-buffer?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 15:14:58 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin A senior Chinese scientist has outlined the potential military applications of space-based solar power technology, offering a rare glimpse into how energy beamed from orbit could also support surveillance and electronic warfare. Duan Baoyan, a leading architect of China’s “Zhuri” space solar power initiative, wrote in a paper published in Scientia Sinica Informationis last month, that his team had revamped the design of the giant orbital infrastructure. In addition to energy transmission, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348871/china-reveals-military-capabilities-new-space-solar-power-plant-design?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348871/china-reveals-military-capabilities-new-space-solar-power-plant-design?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Afghanistan aims to increase trade with Central Asian countries to US$10 billion within the next three or four years, Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said on Sunday. Trade with Central Asian countries to Afghanistan’s north came to about US$2.7 billion in 2025, itself a significant increase over previous years, Muttaqi said. He stated Afghanistan’s new trade goal with its neighbours at a “constructive dialogue” meeting in Kabul with representatives from Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3349095/afghanistan-wants-us10-billion-trade-deals-central-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3349095/afghanistan-wants-us10-billion-trade-deals-central-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 13:26:29 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng A Chinese cargo plane powered by a hydrogen-fuelled engine has successfully completed its maiden flight, marking a milestone in China’s push for green aviation. The 7.5-tonne uncrewed aircraft is powered by the world’s most powerful hydrogen turboprop of its kind, capable of generating more than 1 megawatt. The engine operated normally and remained in good condition throughout the 16-minute test flight on Saturday, state news agency Xinhua reported, citing the Aero Engine Corporation of China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349086/chinas-push-hydrogen-powered-planes-takes-step-forward-amid-iran-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349086/chinas-push-hydrogen-powered-planes-takes-step-forward-amid-iran-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hongkongers are more willing to discuss death including their own funeral wishes in the wake of the Covid pandemic, mass emigration and the deadly Tai Po fire, amid a rapidly ageing population, a death education advocate says. Pasu Ng Kwai-lun, founder of Minimal Funeral and a practitioner of “life-and-death education”, said attitudes had changed and people had grown much more open to discussing death over the past five to 10 years. “People may not go as far as fully planning their funerals, but... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349079/talk-about-death-comes-alive-ageing-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349079/talk-about-death-comes-alive-ageing-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 12:30:12 +0000 Mike Rowse Mike Rowse The HK$2 (US$0.26) transport fare scheme for the elderly is one of Hong Kong’s most socially significant success stories. But some of the recent changes, and further ones contemplated, seem to be rowing in a different direction. We need to pause and take stock before we inadvertently undo some of our good work. In the process, we should also take the chance to ensure the long-term affordability of the scheme. The subsidy scheme was introduced in 2012 after an announcement in the 2011 policy... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348958/hong-kong-must-not-undo-good-work-its-hk2-transport-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348958/hong-kong-must-not-undo-good-work-its-hk2-transport-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation extended the time needed for its in-town check-in service to 120 minutes from 90 minutes on Sunday evening, after a signalling equipment malfunction disrupted travel on the Airport Express and Tung Chung lines The rail operator said at 7.10pm that a signalling fault near a depot at Siu Ho Wan on Lantau Island had affected MTR train services on both lines and caused delays of about eight to 10 minutes. It added that engineers were working to repair the fault. At around... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349091/signal-fault-disrupts-hong-kong-mtrs-airport-express-tung-chung-line-services?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349091/signal-fault-disrupts-hong-kong-mtrs-airport-express-tung-chung-line-services?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 12:12:43 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China has miniaturised the technology used to make electromagnetic cannons to develop a handheld coil gun, according to state media. The weapon was designed for stealth, non-lethal operations and law enforcement, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Saturday, adding that it could fire between 1,000 and 2,000 projectiles a minute and penetrate wooden boards from dozens of metres away. Its power levels can also be altered, meaning that on lower settings there is less chance it will kill someone and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349089/china-unveils-handheld-coil-gun-works-less-deadly-pistol?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349089/china-unveils-handheld-coil-gun-works-less-deadly-pistol?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 12:00:11 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Pope Leo celebrated his first Easter Mass as pontiff with a call on Sunday to lay down arms and seek peace to global conflicts through dialogue, but he departed from a tradition of listing the world’s woes by name in the Urbi et Orbi blessing from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica. Leo, the first US-born pope, emphasised Easter’s message of hope as a celebration of Jesus’ resurrection after being crucified, in both the blessing and his homily. “Let us allow our hearts to be transformed by his... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349090/pope-leo-calls-peace-dialogue-amid-ukraine-iran-wars-easter-mass?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349090/pope-leo-calls-peace-dialogue-amid-ukraine-iran-wars-easter-mass?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 11:35:27 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen TV drama regulators in China have taken aim at beauty-obsessed and traffic-driven programming in the industry, with a call for more “quality” storytelling. The National Radio and Television Administration’s drama department sent out the call on Thursday as it brought major streaming platforms and production companies together for a conference on “healthy aesthetics”. “[Efforts should be made] to avoid the tendency to value physical beauty above everything else and reliance on traffic-driven... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349085/are-chinas-tv-dramas-obsessed-beauty-industry-regulator-thinks-so?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349085/are-chinas-tv-dramas-obsessed-beauty-industry-regulator-thinks-so?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 11:00:13 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Traditional corporate culture and hierarchies are slowing down artificial intelligence adoption in Chinese enterprises, leaving them trailing their US peers, even as China’s savvy consumers embrace AI agents at a breakneck pace, says Zack Kass, former head of go-to-market at OpenAI. China has a very “techno-centric consumer”, while the US has a very “techno-centric enterprise”, Kass told the South China Morning Post in a recent interview. Highlighting this contrast, Kass said typical Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3348956/chinese-firms-trail-us-peers-ai-adoption-due-corporate-culture-ex-openai-executive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3348956/chinese-firms-trail-us-peers-ai-adoption-due-corporate-culture-ex-openai-executive?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu Hong Kong has swapped the Easter Bunny for a festive feline, with giant cat installations and murals delighting visitors and residents citywide. A gigantic ginger cat has been greeting travellers at Hong Kong International Airport while three inflatable marmalade felines lie sprawled across a lawn at the West Kowloon Cultural District, delighting visitors to the arts hub. In Yau Ma Tei, local artist German Li and his students have reimagined Vincent van Gogh’s classic painting The Starry Night... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349088/move-over-easter-bunny-cats-are-stars-hong-kong-holiday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349088/move-over-easter-bunny-cats-are-stars-hong-kong-holiday?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 10:44:22 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Australia’s government has received guarantees from major fuel exporting nations in Asia that supplies will proceed as normal despite the disruptions caused by the war in Iran, Assistant Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Matt Thistlethwaite said. In an interview with Sky News on Sunday, Thistlethwaite said that he had sought and received pledges from Japan, South Korea and Singapore that shipments of fuel to Australia would continue, amid concerns that some countries might curb exports to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3349087/australia-receives-fuel-export-guarantees-singapore-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3349087/australia-receives-fuel-export-guarantees-singapore-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 10:31:34 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Luxury is back. Following a relatively stagnant 2025, the industry is forecast to accelerate in 2026, with China’s long-awaited recovery emerging as a pivotal factor, even as the war in Iran casts a shadow over global markets, according to analysts. Estimates vary, but HSBC, Deutsche Bank and BNP Paribas all forecast global sales growth ranging from 5.5 to 6 per cent this year. “We believe it is time to look at the sector, as we think the organic sales growth rate should further accelerate in... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3348902/chinas-luxury-spending-seen-boosting-global-sales-2026-despite-headwinds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3348902/chinas-luxury-spending-seen-boosting-global-sales-2026-despite-headwinds?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 10:00:11 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang After losing his entire family, a 90-year-old from central China took to the road on a decades-long cycling odyssey in search of solace. The sprightly Zhang Zhongyi, from Kaifeng in Henan province, remains sharp-witted, articulate and quick to smile. His story gained nationwide attention after Bai Xiaobai, a woman who encountered him in Putian, southeastern China’s Fujian province, stopped to help push his tricycle. As they spoke, Zhang recounted the tragedy that had reshaped his life. In the... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3348790/chinese-man-90-cycles-across-country-after-tragic-losses-wife-son-daughter-law-grandson?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3348790/chinese-man-90-cycles-across-country-after-tragic-losses-wife-son-daughter-law-grandson?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 10:00:08 +0000 Steven Okun Steven Okun US President Donald Trump has appointed Nick Adams, the Australian-American social media influencer and self-styled “alpha male”, as special presidential envoy for American tourism, exceptionalism and values. “I look forward to serving as America’s brand ambassador, bringing the message of America’s excellence to the entire world,” Adams wrote on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter. “With America 250, the Fifa World Cup and the Olympics coming up, the world needs to be reminded of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3348478/why-crisis-hit-asia-unlikely-embrace-trumps-america-250-party?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3348478/why-crisis-hit-asia-unlikely-embrace-trumps-america-250-party?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 09:30:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Critical infrastructure across the Gulf came under attack from Iran on Sunday with damage reported at civilian facilities in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait. Gulf countries have faced repeated drone and missile salvoes from Iran over past weeks in response to US and Israeli strikes that began at the end of February. Iran has targeted energy and other industrial infrastructure in the oil-rich Gulf nations, accusing its neighbours of allowing US forces to carry out attacks from their... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349084/uae-bahrain-and-kuwait-lose-water-energy-infrastructure-iran-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349084/uae-bahrain-and-kuwait-lose-water-energy-infrastructure-iran-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:53:41 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai When the American sitcom Growing Pains was first broadcast in China in the 1990s, it was the first window for many in the country into American middle-class life. In the series, a doctor father, a journalist mother and four children live in a spacious suburban home with room for mistakes and second chances. While the show lightly touched on serious social issues, it projected a picture of health, stability and security. However, Chinese viewers have had a chance to rethink the show since state... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349077/growing-pains-meets-kill-line-new-chinese-hot-take-american-dream?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349077/growing-pains-meets-kill-line-new-chinese-hot-take-american-dream?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:00:10 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal A proposed cap on the ground rents paid by leasehold homeowners in England and Wales is seen as favouring foreign property investors, including those from Hong Kong and mainland China, but another measure tightening rules in setting rents is dampening demand ahead of its implementation, according to analysts. An estimated 203,000 homes in England and Wales are registered to owners with an overseas address. Hongkongers hold 14 per cent, making them the largest group of foreign investors in the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3349067/how-changes-home-rental-laws-england-will-impact-hong-kong-mainland-investors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3349067/how-changes-home-rental-laws-england-will-impact-hong-kong-mainland-investors?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:00:07 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Hong Kong rescuers are searching for an 81-year-old man missing since Saturday, with authorities discovering one of his shoes nearly 20 hours into the operation. Police said on Sunday the man, surnamed He, was hiking with his wife along Section 10 of the MacLehose Trail at around 10am the day before. They had been heading in the direction of the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir in Tuen Mun, the force said. According to a social media post from the man’s adult child, he split off from his wife at the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349078/hong-kong-rescuers-search-man-81-who-went-missing-hike-tuen-mun?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349078/hong-kong-rescuers-search-man-81-who-went-missing-hike-tuen-mun?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 07:34:57 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Three Indonesian peacekeepers killed in two separate explosions in southern Lebanon last week were laid to rest in their hometowns on Sunday. Peacekeeper Farizal Rhomadhon, 28, died when a projectile exploded on March 29 in southern Lebanon, where Israel and Hezbollah have been fighting since Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war. Two other blue helmets, Zulmi Aditya Iskandar, 33, and Muhammad Nur Ichwan, 26, died a day later when an explosion struck a logistics convoy of the UN Interim... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349076/indonesia-lays-rest-peacekeepers-killed-lebanon-prabowo-condemns-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349076/indonesia-lays-rest-peacekeepers-killed-lebanon-prabowo-condemns-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 07:18:15 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Chinese ride-hailing company CaoCao, backed by Geely, is betting on a heavy-asset strategy to emerge as a leading robotaxi operator, with plans to deploy 100,000 autonomous vehicles by 2030 as competition intensifies and self-driving technology matures. In an interview with the South China Morning Post, CEO Gong Xin said the future of robotaxis hinged on an asset-management model built around a closed-loop “trinity” of vehicle manufacturing, autonomous driving technology and fleet... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348985/hong-kong-listed-caocao-hails-fleet-first-strategy-chinas-robotaxi-race-gathers-pace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348985/hong-kong-listed-caocao-hails-fleet-first-strategy-chinas-robotaxi-race-gathers-pace?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 07:00:09 +0000 Denise Tsang,Oscar Liu,Emily Hung Denise Tsang,Oscar Liu,Emily Hung Thousands of Hongkongers braved heavy rains to sweep tombs during the Ching Ming Festival on Sunday, with some Wang Fuk Court residents returning to the fire-ravaged housing estate to mourn the victims. The spring trek to graveyards around Hong Kong began under skies darkened by an approaching band of thundery showers, which prompted the Observatory to issue an amber rainstorm warning at 2.05pm. While many Chinese families cherish the chance to visit their ancestors’ tombs and pay their... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349074/thousands-brave-rain-mark-ching-ming-wang-fuk-court-residents-return-mourn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349074/thousands-brave-rain-mark-ching-ming-wang-fuk-court-residents-return-mourn?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 06:55:46 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu The independent committee investigating Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades concluded the first round of hearings last week. It is essential that we get to the bottom of the human and systemic errors that led to the Tai Po inferno. There were many, as anticipated. Fragmentation of responsibility was rampant, which is probably expected for projects of this size with so many parties involved. If the government isn’t there to make sure that things are done properly, monitor and enforce the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348966/tai-po-fire-hearings-reveal-broken-promises-hongkongers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348966/tai-po-fire-hearings-reveal-broken-promises-hongkongers?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 06:30:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed concern that a prolonged US-Israeli war on Iran could further erode America’s support for Ukraine as Washington’s global priorities shift and Kyiv braces for reduced deliveries of critically needed Patriot air-defence missiles. Ukraine desperately needed more US-made Patriot air defence systems to help it counter Russia’s daily barrages, Zelensky said, speaking to The Associated Press in an exclusive interview on Saturday in Istanbul. Russia’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3349073/ukraines-zelensky-fears-iran-war-may-lead-less-support-fight-russias-invasion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3349073/ukraines-zelensky-fears-iran-war-may-lead-less-support-fight-russias-invasion?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 06:25:11 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat Once dubbed the world’s tallest abandoned skyscraper, Goldin Finance 117 in northern China appears to be in the homestretch of a marathon construction effort – after nearly a decade of dormancy and a year of resumed work – even as the nation’s property market struggles to leg out a sustained recovery. Late last month, workers began installing a diamond-shaped crown on top of the building – designed to be 596 metres (1,955 feet) tall upon completion – in the port city of Tianjin, according to... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348901/chinas-long-delayed-skyscraper-goldin-finance-117-nears-completion-amid-property-woes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348901/chinas-long-delayed-skyscraper-goldin-finance-117-nears-completion-amid-property-woes?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 06:00:11 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang As Chinese cemeteries become increasingly expensive many people are buying flats to store the ashes of their loved ones, triggering a discussion which has divided public opinion. Chinese families have long placed great importance on burial practices, with securing a respectable grave regarded as an essential act of filial piety. However, as rapid urban development limits available land and an ageing population drives up demand, burial space has become increasingly scarce, giving rise to... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3348673/chinese-buy-flats-cremated-ashes-due-high-cemetery-costs-leading-law-against-practice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3348673/chinese-buy-flats-cremated-ashes-due-high-cemetery-costs-leading-law-against-practice?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 06:00:08 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Hong Kong’s economy showed resilience in the first quarter of the year amid volatility in the equity and oil markets brought by war in the Middle East, the city’s finance chief has said. In his review on Sunday, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said investors continued to move assets to the city, drawn by the steady growth of mainland China’s economy and the large number of initial public offerings in Hong Kong. The minister said the geopolitical landscape had proved to be complex and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349071/hong-kong-economy-showed-resilience-first-quarter-2026-paul-chan-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349071/hong-kong-economy-showed-resilience-first-quarter-2026-paul-chan-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 05:51:55 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji While the Iran war has sent shock waves through energy markets across Asia, one corner of the region has been hit especially hard. South Asia’s reliance on Middle Eastern fuel and Gulf remittances threatens to push some of its most exposed economies to the brink, analysts warn, as the conflict drives energy and food costs to multi-year highs. For Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan, whose International Monetary Fund bailout programmes and thin fiscal buffers limit their ability to shield citizens... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348974/why-war-iran-threatens-unleash-unrest-south-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348974/why-war-iran-threatens-unleash-unrest-south-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 05:30:08 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg The Iranian military said Iraq is exempt from shipping restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz that have strangled global energy flows for weeks. “Brotherly Iraq is exempt from any restrictions we have imposed on the Strait of Hormuz,” Iran’s military spokesman said in an Arabic-language video statement published by state-run Islamic Republic News Agency. The declaration has the potential to unleash as much as 3 million barrels a day of Iraqi oil cargoes. It also comes just days after a French... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349069/iran-says-brotherly-iraqs-ships-can-use-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349069/iran-says-brotherly-iraqs-ships-can-use-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 05:26:43 +0000 Ambrose Li,Wynna Wong Ambrose Li,Wynna Wong Hong Kong traveller Mr Lau is among those turning to high-speed rail trips or flights to mainland China after being deterred from international air travel by rising costs, particularly fuel surcharges, as war in the Middle East rages. The 34-year-old, who was travelling to neighbouring Guangzhou with his wife for a three-day trip on a high-speed train on Friday, said he had done some calculations since airlines’ fuel surcharges rose, noting that a return train trip between the two cities cost... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349064/hong-kong-tourists-choose-safety-affordability-trips-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349064/hong-kong-tourists-choose-safety-affordability-trips-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 04:32:30 +0000 Junaid Kathju Junaid Kathju As Russia comes to India’s aid amid the global energy crisis, a familiar mantra has resurfaced among officials and political analysts – that Moscow is New Delhi’s “all weather-friend”. Such a stance is anchored by deep strategic interests, with both countries viewing each other as vital to their balancing between China and an increasingly erratic United States, according to observers. On Friday, Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov said Moscow was well-positioned to ramp up oil and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349063/india-turns-trusted-friend-russia-oil-lng-supply-iran-war-energises-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349063/india-turns-trusted-friend-russia-oil-lng-supply-iran-war-energises-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 04:29:34 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang The second crew member of a downed US F-15E fighter jet has been rescued, US President Donald Trump said on Sunday. Trump posted on social media: “WE GOT HIM! … I am thrilled to let you know [he] is now SAFE and SOUND.” Earlier, a US government official told Al Jazeera the airman had been located following a “heavy firefight”. Trump said the US military had carried out a search and rescue operation over several hours, sending dozens of aircraft armed with “the most lethal weapons in the world”... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349062/downed-us-airman-found-after-heavy-firefight-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349062/downed-us-airman-found-after-heavy-firefight-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 04:14:16 +0000 Jane Cai,Alcott Wei Jane Cai,Alcott Wei Beijing should shift its strategy and improve ways to attract and retain top Chinese AI professionals as America’s accelerating integration of artificial intelligence into military and national security systems puts such talent in a bind. As geopolitical tensions rise, many highly skilled Chinese researchers working at US tech and research institutions are confronting a painful dilemma, according to Dai Mingjie, a researcher at the Institute of Public Policy at the Guangzhou-based South China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349047/how-can-beijing-attract-top-tier-chinese-ai-professionals-based-abroad?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349047/how-can-beijing-attract-top-tier-chinese-ai-professionals-based-abroad?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 04:00:18 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Now more than halfway to the moon, the Artemis II astronauts prepared for their historic lunar fly-around to push deeper into space than even the Apollo astronauts. On the downside, their toilet is on the blink again. The three Americans and one Canadian are set to reach their destination Monday, photographing the mysterious lunar far side as they zoom around. It is the first moon-bound crew in more than 53 years, picking up where Nasa’s Apollo programme left off. “The Earth is quite small, and... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/science-technology/article/3349061/us-artemis-iis-moon-trip-faces-challenging-toilet-mission-again-over-flushing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/science-technology/article/3349061/us-artemis-iis-moon-trip-faces-challenging-toilet-mission-again-over-flushing?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 03:49:56 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Iran launched missiles and drones at Israel and Kuwait on Sunday, a day after US President Donald Trump said the Islamic republic had 48 hours to cut a deal or face “all Hell”. Kuwait and Israel said their air defences were responding to the latest attacks from Iran, part of the war that erupted more than a month ago with US-Israeli strikes that triggered retaliation by Tehran. The war has spread conflict throughout the Middle East and convulsed the global economy. Iran’s forces maintain a tight... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349059/iran-attacks-kuwait-israel-after-trump-sets-deadline-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349059/iran-attacks-kuwait-israel-after-trump-sets-deadline-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 03:03:40 +0000 Denise Tsang Denise Tsang This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hong Kong issued an amber rainstorm warning on Sunday afternoon in response to intense thundery showers influenced by a trough of low pressure, coinciding with the city’s marking of the Ching Ming Festival. The Observatory said in the morning that a band of intense thundery showers over the seas south of the city had been gradually edging closer to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3349058/observatory-warns-thundery-showers-amid-ching-ming-festival-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3349058/observatory-warns-thundery-showers-amid-ching-ming-festival-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 02:53:44 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Among the stories Sarawak instrument craftsman Salomon Gau inherited from his elders is one that begins not with wood or strings but with spirits. He recalled being told how spirits first showed villagers how the earliest forms of the sape – a traditional carved wooden lute from Malaysian Borneo – should be made and played, at a time when the instrument was central to ceremonies, storytelling and social life. “The first one was the two-string version. The four-string one is already quite new,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348962/renewed-interest-traditional-malaysian-lutes-comes-strings-attached?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348962/renewed-interest-traditional-malaysian-lutes-comes-strings-attached?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 02:30:09 +0000 Ningrong Liu Ningrong Liu Hong Kong’s first five-year plan is expected to guide the city’s future development. Never before has the city attempted a comprehensive plan in the style of mainland China, signalling a major shift in how it approaches long‑term growth. The real question is not why a laissez‑faire economy must adopt a new model but how this transformation will unfold. This exercise is unprecedented on multiple fronts. First, it departs from Hong Kong’s long-standing reliance on market forces and incremental... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348085/how-china-transforming-hong-kong-strategic-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348085/how-china-transforming-hong-kong-strategic-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 01:30:09 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu The growing number of Hong Kong schools facing closure due to insufficient enrolment has raised concerns about the impact on students with special needs, as parents say these at-risk institutions often provide better care and instruction than more stable ones. Marcia Ng Mun-chi, co-founder and executive director of the Hong Kong Association for AD/HD, recently raised concerns following the Education Bureau’s announcement last month that 15 public primary schools were at risk of closure. These... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3349031/closing-hong-kong-schools-low-enrolment-will-hurt-special-education-kids-parents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3349031/closing-hong-kong-schools-low-enrolment-will-hurt-special-education-kids-parents?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 01:00:25 +0000 Stephen Chen Stephen Chen China’s unmanned submersibles now rank as the world’s largest, with last year’s military parade showcasing two models (HSU001 and AJX002) approaching 20 metres (66 feet) in length. Satellite imagery analysed by Western media also revealed a classified variant exceeding 40 metres at a naval installation, triggering international concern – particularly in the United States. These dimensions created a brand new class of drones known as extra-extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicles (XXLUUVs). They... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348766/china-not-targeting-us-west-coast-ultra-large-underwater-drones-lead-scientist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348766/china-not-targeting-us-west-coast-ultra-large-underwater-drones-lead-scientist?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 01:00:13 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A pet-friendly hotel in southwestern China has drawn fierce online criticism after recommending dog meat restaurants to a traveller staying with their dog. On March 27, a social media user surnamed Chen described a disturbing stay at a hotel in Guizhou province. Chen said they had booked a pet-friendly property for a trip with their puppy, but was taken aback when the hotel sent them an official message recommending local attractions, including the town’s dog meat speciality. The message, which... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3348646/public-outrage-china-traveller-pet-friendly-hotel-receives-text-recommending-dog-meat-eateries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3348646/public-outrage-china-traveller-pet-friendly-hotel-receives-text-recommending-dog-meat-eateries?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 01:00:09 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones A dawn gloom hangs over the pier in Bangsaray, eastern Thailand, as buyers arrive to wait for the first fishing boats to return. But like everyone else relying on the day’s catch they have already lost money to someone else’s war. Thailand’s multibillion-dollar fishing industry has been brought to its knees by the runaway price of diesel, a result of Iran’s throttling of the Strait of Hormuz in response to the US and Israel’s attacks. Half of the kingdom’s vast fishing fleet is already docked,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348972/thailands-us7-billion-fishing-industry-sinks-iran-war-hits-fuel-costs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348972/thailands-us7-billion-fishing-industry-sinks-iran-war-hits-fuel-costs?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 00:00:21 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service The bomb placed outside a US Air Force Base visitors centre in Florida last month was built inside two 2-litre cherry Pepsi bottles, according to federal prosecutors. Alen Zheng, 20, of Land O’Lakes, is accused of planting the bomb and lighting the fuse at the base on March 10. He drove the explosive to MacDill Air Force Base in the boot of his Mercedes SUV, according to a document filed by prosecutors Friday. The bomb did not detonate. US Attorney Gregory Kehoe has said it had the “potential to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349057/bomb-allegedly-left-us-base-alen-zheng-was-built-inside-2-pepsi-bottles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349057/bomb-allegedly-left-us-base-alen-zheng-was-built-inside-2-pepsi-bottles?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 23:32:24 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei Before autonomous driving freed up the hands of Beijing’s middle class, thousands of workers some 1,500km (930 miles) away in China’s southwestern Guizhou province clicked away at computer screens to teach AI about navigating traffic. In the mountainous city of Tongren, where incomes are less than half those in Beijing, the work of data labelling – marking residential buildings, pavements, roadways and traffic lights – shaped the artificial intelligence guiding those vehicles. The job required... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349038/what-next-struggling-rural-mothers-china-who-helped-build-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349038/what-next-struggling-rural-mothers-china-who-helped-build-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 22:00:21 +0000 Bob Savic Bob Savic China’s investments in North Africa have intensified in 2026, building on long-standing Belt and Road Initiative frameworks while accelerating amid the US-Israeli war with Iran. With 40-50 per cent of China’s seaborne oil imports traditionally passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which is now blocked to most container traffic, Beijing has sought to diversify energy sources away from Gulf Arab states. For more than a decade, Beijing has pursued deeper engagement across the Middle East and North... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3348801/chinas-growing-north-africa-presence-structural-challenge-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3348801/chinas-growing-north-africa-presence-structural-challenge-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 21:30:09 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg The next steps in the US military campaign against Iran will commit nearly its entire inventory of stealthy JASSM-ER cruise missiles, drawing them from stockpiles devoted to other regions. The order to pull the US$1.5 million weapon from Pacific stockpiles was issued at the end of March, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter. Missiles at US facilities elsewhere, including the continental US, will be moved to US Central Command bases or Fairford in the UK, said the person, who... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349056/us-commits-nearly-all-stealthy-long-range-missiles-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349056/us-commits-nearly-all-stealthy-long-range-missiles-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 17:53:38 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The Trump administration has revoked the green cards or US visas of at least four Iranian nationals connected to the current or former Iranian government, including two who have been detained by immigration authorities and are to be deported. The latest actions were taken just this week when Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined they were no longer eligible for either lawful permanent resident status, or to enter the United States. The steps follow a move late last year in which the visas of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349055/us-arrests-niece-and-grandniece-slain-iran-general-qassem-soleimani?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349055/us-arrests-niece-and-grandniece-slain-iran-general-qassem-soleimani?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 17:01:54 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen A student who featured in a controversial Hong Kong documentary has said she did not give her consent to it being shown at an Italian film festival, reiterating her objection to it being screened publicly. Ah Ling, one of six students who featured in the coming-of-age documentary To My Nineteen-Year-Old Self, said she was only notified by Ying Wa Girls’ School on Friday that the film would be screened at the Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy, this month. The school also did not address her... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349052/student-controversial-hong-kong-documentary-hits-out-planned-italian-screening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349052/student-controversial-hong-kong-documentary-hits-out-planned-italian-screening?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 15:57:43 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Russia and Ukraine traded deadly strikes overnight and on Saturday morning, killing 10 people and wounding several dozen more, officials on both sides said on Saturday. The attacks came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky travelled to Istanbul for talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He will also meet with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of Eastern Orthodox Christians. “We are working to strengthen our partnership to ensure the real protection of lives,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3349053/russia-ukraine-strikes-kill-10-zelensky-travels-turkey-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3349053/russia-ukraine-strikes-kill-10-zelensky-travels-turkey-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 15:48:49 +0000