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Middle East

UK allows US to use its bases to strike Iran missile sites targeting Hormuz

Trump has repeatedly attacked British PM Starmer since the conflict started, complaining ⁠he was not doing enough to help.

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A USAF B-1 bomber takes off at RAF Fairford airbase in Gloucestershire, Britain, on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters

US

How American Jesse Appell learned to land the punchline in Mandarin

US comedian spent 8 years mastering Chinese comedy, navigating culture, language and fame before Covid forced a return home.

American comedian Jesse Appell performed on China’s version of “Last Comic Standing” in 2020 before leaving the country amid the pandemic. Photo: Handout

Europe

IRA bomb victims drop civil court claim against Gerry Adams

The case was discontinued on the last day of a two-week trial, after what the claimants’ lawyers called an ‘extraordinary series of events’.

Former Irish republican leader Gerry Adams arrives for a press conference in Belfast on Friday. Photo: AFP

Law and Crime

Hong Kong police hunt 3 suspects over US$12 million gold theft

Source says 73kg of gold bars taken after shop manager tricked into handing them over.

The shop is located in Peninsula Square in Hung Hom. Photo: Google Maps

Europe

Pregnant woman and 5 kids die in container fire in Turkey

The 27-year-old mother was seven months pregnant, with her husband fighting for his life after the blaze.

Burned containers housing agricultural workers following a fire in Kepez district, north of Antalya, southwestern Turkey. Photo: AFP/DHA
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United States & Canada

Action movie star Chuck Norris dies at 86

His epic fight with kung fu superstar Bruce Lee in ‘The Way of The Dragon’ helped turn Norris into an icon.

Chuck Norris’ epic fight with the kung fu superstar Bruce Lee in “The Way of The Dragon” helped turn him into an icon on big and small screens alike. Photo: AFP

China Economy

China adds 12 banks to digital yuan system, expanding e-CNY’s economic presence

More than doubling the number of institutions using digital yuan in day-to-day operations, China is deepening the currency's role in its financial system.

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A security guard drinks from a bottle near an ad for e-CNY, or digital yuan, in Beijing on August 31, 2022. Photo: AP

Science

From years to a week: China’s superfast software for hypersonic weapon design

China’s new software simulates scramjet physics in one week versus years, marking high-fidelity leap in hypersonic engine research.

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Long-range CJ-1000 cruise missiles are displayed during a military parade in Beijing on September 3, 2025. Photo: AFP

Society

Residents of Tai Po blaze building misled over renovation project, inquiry told

Ties among companies bidding for work at Wang Fuk Court also suggest possible under-the-table relationships, independent committee hears.

The fire that broke out at Wang Fuk Court on November 26 last year killed 168 people. Photo: Sam Tsang

United States & Canada

Trump calls Nato ‘cowards’ over lack of support in Iran war, sends more troops

Iran is threatening tourist sites worldwide, renewing fears that Tehran could resort to militant attacks beyond the Middle East.

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US President Donald Trump complained Nato countries did not ‌want to join the fight against Iran, yet still complain about high oil prices. Photo: AFP
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Military

How did Iran manage to detect and damage a US F-35? Chinese experts map out ways

US Central Command says stealth fighter was forced to make an emergency landing during a combat mission over Iran.

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An F-35A Lightning II takes off from an undisclosed location in support of Operation Epic Fury, the US-Israeli military campaign against Iraq. Photo: AFP

Europe

Norway crown princess says she was ‘manipulated’ by Epstein

Recent polls show most Norwegians oppose the idea of Mette-Marit ever becoming queen.

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Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s name appears in new Epstein documents released by the US Department of Justice earlier in 2026. Photo: AFP

Asia

Video | Tokyo’s cherry blossom season kicks off early

This year’s sakura season is 5 days earlier than usual.

A foreign tourist tries to touch the early-flowering cherry blossoms at Ueno Park in Tokyo, Japan, March 17, 2026. REUTERS/Issei Kato
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Other Sport

Hong Kong’s Haughey wins gold, silver at China Open, McEvoy breaks world record

Olympic medallist wins again by narrowest of margins but is herself pipped in her second race of the night.

Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey won the 50m freestyle by a whisker at the China Open Swimming Championships, ahead of China’s Cheng Yujie. Photo: Handout

China Economy

How China plans to use new law to further its financial superpower ambitions

The draft finance law, released by the Ministry of Justice, central bank and three other regulators, will solicit feedback until April 19.

A draft of China’s finance law was released by the People’s Bank of China and four other regulators on Friday. Photo: AFP
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Society

Swire Coca-Cola wins HK$32 million government deal after bottled water scandal

Company to supply Bonaqua drinking water to government offices on Hong Kong Island and parts of outlying islands.

Swire Coca-Cola will supply Bonaqua drinking water to government offices on Hong Kong Island and parts of outlying islands. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Hong Kong Economy

Hong Kong should use ‘safe haven’ status to draw capital from Gulf: agency chief

InvestHK director general says more firms using Dubai as a hub have shifted to the city to diversify risk because of conflict.

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Businesses that traditionally used Dubai as a hub are moving, InvestHK’s chief says. Photo: Reuters

Global Economy

US loses, Europe gains: what’s happening with China’s rare earth magnet exports?

Latest data shows a persistent drop in US-bound shipments and rising European imports.

Blocks with symbols and atomic numbers of rare earth elements in this illustration taken on February 6. Photo: Reuters

United States & Canada

Trump releases AI policy to pre-empt state rules

The policy aims to increase the federal government’s ability to ⁠fight AI-generated scams and national security concerns.

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The ​Trump administration has been pushing for a single AI policy legislative framework that can be applied uniformly across the country. Photo: EPA

Politics

Former Shaolin Temple abbot indicted for bribery and embezzlement

Prosecutors formally charge ‘CEO monk’ Shi Yongxin four months after his arrest following financial and sexual scandals.

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Beyond embezzlement and bribery allegations, Shi Yongxin has also been accused of violating Buddhist principles, maintaining “improper relations” with multiple women and fathering at least one child. Photo: SCMP
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Military

Can the US reopen the Strait of Hormuz? Many military analysts are sceptical

Chinese observers question whether air strikes, and even a limited ground presence, will be enough to remove the threat to shipping.

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Tankers have come under attack in the Strait of Hormuz. Photo: AFP

China

Ma Long feted by Hong Kong crowd as China great attracts thrilled audience

Six-time Olympic champion table tennis player appears at Polytechnic University panel event and then trades shots with university players.

Fans capture the moment as Ma Long plays table tennis at Polytechnic University. Photo: Elson Li

Tech Trends

Huawei challenges Nvidia with powerful new AI accelerator card

The Atlas 350 can deliver 1.56 petaflops of FP4 computing power, a 2.8-times improvement over Nvidia’s H20 chip, an executive says.

Huawei is accelerating its computing hardware strategy amid the rapid rise of agentic AI. Photo: dpa

Banking & Finance

China’s Unitree Robotics rides humanoid tide as it targets US$610m IPO

Prospectus reveals that company’s revenue jumped 335 per cent last year, while net profit surged nearly eight times.

Unitree’s G1 robot is displayed during the World AI Cannes Festival 2026, in Cannes, France, on February 12, 2026. Photo: EPA

China Economy

China’s Russian oil imports spike in early 2026, but Iran war changes outlook

China’s need to bolster crude stockpiles amid rising geopolitical risks likely to have been a factor behind pre-war import surge, analyst says.

An attendant holds a petrol nozzle after refuelling a car at a petrol station in Beijing last week. China imported 159.79 million barrels of Russian crude in the first two months of the year. Photo: Reuters
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Economics

India steps up regional energy diplomacy, supplies Bangladesh with diesel

Being a ‘first responder’ in the current energy crisis is in line with India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.

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Fuel nozzles at a Bharat Petroleum gas station in New Delhi. Photo: AFP

World Opinion

As I see it | Why the world may now need an Iranian nuclear bomb

To restore peace and stability in the Middle East, Israel and the US – the real destabilisers of the region – need to be countered.

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US President Donald Trump (right) greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on arrival at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, on December 29, 2025. The two met again at the White House in February 2026. Photo: AFP/Getty Images/TNS

Economics

Why Philippines struggles to tap its US$1 trillion mineral wealth

Without a proper road map to grow its mining sector, the country remains a ‘second-tier mineral economy’.

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Nickel mining in southern Philippines. Analysts say a lack of a proper road map to realise the country’s mining potential is hindering its ambitions to grow the industry. Photo: Jeoffrey Maitem

Diplomacy

China offers US olive branch with fentanyl raids ahead of possible Trump visit

Beijing has a long history of on-off cooperation over exports of precursor chemicals, often tied to the general state of relations with Washington.

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China is a major source of the chemicals used to make fentanyl. Photo: Reuters

Politics

Taiwan opposition parties join forces for local polls with eye on 2028 race

Main opposition Kuomintang and smaller Taiwan People’s Party approve cooperation agreement to contest local elections in November.

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Alliance for coming local elections marks a further effort by the KMT and TPP to challenge the ruling DPP and avoid splitting the vote. Photo: Elson Li