https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/32309/feed The latest breaking news and stories on the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK), a constitutional monarchy in northern Europe which includes England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and the world’s sixth largest economy. Also covering the UK’s relationship with the European Union (EU) post Brexit, as well as with China, plus commentary and updates on the UK’s economy, politics, society and social issues. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Kristen Cheung Kristen Cheung The number of private secondary schools in Hong Kong has risen by more than half in five years as demand for alternative curricula grows and new operators seek to attract families drawn by the city’s highly ranked universities, education authorities and principals have said. Between 2021-22 and 2025-26, the number of private secondary institutions increased from 16 to 25, a jump of 56.3 per cent, Education Bureau figures show. Leaders at schools offering alternative curriculum pathways said that... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3371974/hong-kong-private-secondary-sector-expands-local-universities-reputation-grows https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3371974/hong-kong-private-secondary-sector-expands-local-universities-reputation-grows Sat, 24 Oct 2026 01:00:21 +0000 Reuters Reuters Authorities in the Philippines are investigating Thomas Markle, father of Meghan, the ⁠wife of Britain’s Prince ⁠Harry, the Philippine justice undersecretary said ⁠on Friday, after allegations he possessed child sexual abuse images. “Our Anti-Trafficking and Anti-OSAEC (online sexual abuse and exploitation of children) task force in Cebu is currently investigating the matter,” Nicholas Ty, Philippine justice undersecretary, said. Thomas Markle could not be immediately reached for comment but he... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371976/meghan-markle-distressed-philippines-probes-father-over-child-sexual-abuse-images https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371976/meghan-markle-distressed-philippines-probes-father-over-child-sexual-abuse-images Fri, 23 Oct 2026 14:41:01 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma China and Europe should jointly introduce a system like the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), a levy on carbon-intensive imports designed to account for the carbon costs domestic producers face, which “applies against the rest of the world,” the co-chair of a global energy transition organisation says. “The biggest single thing which I would love China to do is to say, ‘We want to join with Europe in a climate club’,” said Adair Turner, co-chair of the Energy Transitions Commission,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3371917/china-europe-should-coordinate-carbon-pricing-border-tax-energy-transition-expert https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3371917/china-europe-should-coordinate-carbon-pricing-border-tax-energy-transition-expert Fri, 23 Oct 2026 12:30:15 +0000 Xiaofei Xu,Ji Siqi Xiaofei Xu,Ji Siqi As violent protests fuelled partly by the cost-of-living crisis shake parts of Europe, most notably France, analysts say the unrest could add to pressure on European policymakers to take a tougher trade stance towards China. “One could argue that the EU looks weaker, but then one could also argue that there is more of a need to show external strength at a time of such events,” said David Henig, director of the UK Trade Policy Project at the European Centre for International Political... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3371927/could-europes-cost-living-protests-sharpen-eu-china-trade-tensions https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3371927/could-europes-cost-living-protests-sharpen-eu-china-trade-tensions Fri, 23 Oct 2026 11:00:10 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Former HSBC Holdings global insurance head Edward Moncreiffe will join rival AIA Group as regional CEO from November 2, following a path taken by former HSBC Group chairman Mark Tucker, who returned to the Asia-Pacific region’s largest insurer as non-executive chairman last year. Moncreiffe will oversee AIA’s businesses in India, Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand, while serving on the group’s executive committee, according to a company statement issued on Friday. He will report to group CEO... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3371907/former-hsbc-insurance-veteran-edward-moncreiffe-joins-aia-latest-senior-talent-move https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3371907/former-hsbc-insurance-veteran-edward-moncreiffe-joins-aia-latest-senior-talent-move Fri, 23 Oct 2026 09:00:10 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Police across France are under pressure to maintain security during further protests expected in some cities, while facing scrutiny over their riot-control tactics used during previous unrest that left some teenagers seriously injured. Officers appeared outnumbered and overwhelmed during last weekend’s protests against rising living costs and poor conditions in schools. In response, France’s Interior Ministry said it would deploy 20 per cent more police this Saturday than last weekend, even as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371879/france-braces-more-unrest-police-tactics-and-weapons-face-scrutiny https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371879/france-braces-more-unrest-police-tactics-and-weapons-face-scrutiny Fri, 23 Oct 2026 05:50:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The son of Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi said she sounded “fairly healthy” after speaking to the detained ex-democratic leader on Thursday for the first time in more than five years. Suu Kyi, 81, is under house arrest in the capital, Naypyidaw, according to Myanmar authorities, where she has been sequestered since being unseated in a 2021 military coup. “She was sounding fairly healthy,” Kim Aris, who lives in the UK, said after the telephone conversation. It was the first time he had spoken to his... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371841/rare-suu-kyi-phone-call-son-signals-shift-myanmar-junta-strategy https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371841/rare-suu-kyi-phone-call-son-signals-shift-myanmar-junta-strategy Fri, 23 Oct 2026 01:33:46 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A federal judge on Thursday ordered US President Donald Trump to sit for a deposition in his US$10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC by December 11. The order from US Magistrate Judge Enjolique Lett came as lawyers for the British broadcaster complained that Trump had delayed his appearance. Charles Tobin, the lawyer for the BBC, said that with two months left in the discovery period, “we still haven’t been able to depose the plaintiff”. He noted there was an agreed-upon date of October... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3371829/judge-gives-trump-deadline-sit-deposition-bbc-defamation-suit https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3371829/judge-gives-trump-deadline-sit-deposition-bbc-defamation-suit Thu, 22 Oct 2026 16:40:56 +0000 Theodora Yu,Natalie Wong Theodora Yu,Natalie Wong Hong Kong and mainland Chinese authorities have condemned a UK report that said the city’s national security law had further eroded the openness underpinning its success as a financial hub. In a statement issued early on Friday, the Hong Kong government said it had to “refute the untruthful remarks, slanders and smears” about the city in London’s report and reject what it described as an attempt to interfere in its governance through “despicable political manoeuvres”. “The UK government smeared... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3371828/beijing-slams-uks-irresponsible-remarks-hong-kong-6-monthly-report https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3371828/beijing-slams-uks-irresponsible-remarks-hong-kong-6-monthly-report Thu, 22 Oct 2026 16:34:41 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Less than two weeks after Brussels and Beijing struck a surprise deal to avert an escalating trade dispute, their fragile rapprochement has descended into a battle over who blinked first. In Brussels and Berlin, officials are emboldened by what they consider proof that collective EU pressure can force Chinese concessions. Rather than resting on their laurels, they are cooking up a fresh batch of trade restrictions. Beijing, on the other hand, has bristled at the idea that it can be strong-armed... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371807/who-blinked-first-fragile-eu-china-trade-peace-sparks-new-war-words https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371807/who-blinked-first-fragile-eu-china-trade-peace-sparks-new-war-words Thu, 22 Oct 2026 12:00:18 +0000 Junaid Kathju Junaid Kathju India’s planned acquisition of four large amphibious warships would strengthen its ability to support naval logistics and humanitarian missions across the Indian Ocean, with security experts saying their value depends on how the navy could effectively utilise them during a crisis. The Indian Navy has invited bids for four landing platform docks (LPDs), each with a displacement of more than 30,000 tonnes. Indian Navy Vice Chief Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar said at a media briefing on Monday that a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3371775/india-seeks-expand-navys-reach-4-amphibious-warships https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3371775/india-seeks-expand-navys-reach-4-amphibious-warships Thu, 22 Oct 2026 09:00:12 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven Lifestyle stories from the past seven days that resonated with our readers. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. This ancient Chinese warrior queen led huge armies and stole a king’s heart Fu Hao is one of the earliest documented female military generals in history, yet relatively little is known about her. Most of the information gathered about her life is from her tomb. 2. How to prevent osteoporosis, from training to eating... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/arts/article/3371716/ancient-chinese-warrior-queen-how-prevent-osteoporosis-7-lifestyle-highlights https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/arts/article/3371716/ancient-chinese-warrior-queen-how-prevent-osteoporosis-7-lifestyle-highlights Thu, 22 Oct 2026 07:15:06 +0000 Simpson Cheung Simpson Cheung Hong Kong authorities have “attached great importance” to two critical flaws in a widely used web programming language that could allow hackers to execute code remotely and take control of servers. The government’s Digital Policy Office said on Thursday that it had issued a security alert to all bureaus, departments and public organisations requesting an immediate and comprehensive review to determine whether their information systems were affected. “[They must] complete all patching work as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/article/3371756/hong-kong-watchdog-warns-hacking-risks-flaws-web-programming-language https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/article/3371756/hong-kong-watchdog-warns-hacking-risks-flaws-web-programming-language Thu, 22 Oct 2026 06:37:01 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words. Student protests in France prompt me to reflect on a wider problem in Western politics: although democracy promises representation and equal citizenship, many young people feel excluded from economic security and political influence. On October 6, students, teachers and parents... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/letters/article/3371603/young-westerners-are-wondering-whether-democracy-delivers-real-change https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/letters/article/3371603/young-westerners-are-wondering-whether-democracy-delivers-real-change Thu, 22 Oct 2026 03:30:19 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times South Korean publishers are calling for stronger copyright protections and compensation as bulk book purchase requests suspected of being linked to artificial intelligence training raise concerns over intellectual property theft. Publishing groups are investigating suspicious orders and seeking a coordinated response. However, authors and publishers face a fundamental obstacle: they often cannot know for sure whether their books are being used to train AI systems. Kyobo Book Centre, a bookstore... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3371714/south-korean-publishers-raise-alarm-over-bulk-book-buys-linked-ai-training https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3371714/south-korean-publishers-raise-alarm-over-bulk-book-buys-linked-ai-training Thu, 22 Oct 2026 02:56:05 +0000 Simpson Cheung,Jess Ma Simpson Cheung,Jess Ma Hong Kong police are investigating after two local media outlets received suspicious letters containing white powder – believed to be crushed oatmeal – sent from the United Kingdom. Police said that at around 3pm on Wednesday, online media outlet HK01 received an airmail letter delivered from the UK at its Kwai Chung office. Staff at the office in Tower 1 of Ever Gain Plaza opened the letter and found suspicious white powder inside. They subsequently called police. The police force deployed... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3371676/suspicious-letters-containing-white-powder-sent-2-hong-kong-media-outlets https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3371676/suspicious-letters-containing-white-powder-sent-2-hong-kong-media-outlets Wed, 21 Oct 2026 13:34:25 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk South Korean social media posts displaying users’ running records to honour a local woman who died at a Seoul marathon have raised debate over the appropriateness of the gesture for mourning. Yoo Ji-won, a 25-year-old graduate student at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science Technology, collapsed just 500 metres (1,600 feet) from the finish line of the 2026 Seoul Race half-marathon on October 11, local media reported. The cause of her death has not been disclosed. Yoo was a running influencer,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3371629/mourning-run-or-clout-chase-south-korea-divided-over-runners-death-tributes https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3371629/mourning-run-or-clout-chase-south-korea-divided-over-runners-death-tributes Wed, 21 Oct 2026 07:50:48 +0000 SCMP SCMP This article was first published on October 22, 1986. ‘Our thoughts will always be with you’: Queen confident on HK future Hongkong gave Queen Elizabeth a warm and enthusiastic reception yesterday (October 21, 1986) when she arrived for her long-awaited visit. And in return she gave the people a message of confidence in the future. Fresh from her triumphant tour of the mainland, the Queen told a welcoming ceremony in City Hall that the Sino-British agreement over Hongkong’s future had made... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3370007/queen-elizabeth-visits-hong-kong-last-time-1986-scmp-archive https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3370007/queen-elizabeth-visits-hong-kong-last-time-1986-scmp-archive Wed, 21 Oct 2026 07:50:05 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Fresh from walking down red carpets laid out by his Southeast Asian neighbours, Myanmar’s ex-military chief Min Aung Hlaing appears to have a new diplomatic feather in his cap: re-engagement with the United States. Washington slapped sanctions on Min Aung Hlaing just 10 days after his February 1, 2021 coup and the ensuing bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters. Waves of subsequent sanctions targeted military-linked companies and cronies. Yet since last month, two rounds of talks with US... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3371605/whats-behind-quiet-us-diplomatic-thaw-myanmar https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3371605/whats-behind-quiet-us-diplomatic-thaw-myanmar Wed, 21 Oct 2026 05:58:55 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The BBC announced more than 100 job cuts and the closure of two channels Tuesday as the cash-strapped UK broadcaster aims to save £500 million (US$668 million) over the next two years. BBC News announced the “net closure of just over 100 roles”, according to an internal note by director Rachel Jupp, part of some 2,000 job cuts the broader organisation is eyeing to achieve its planned savings. The job cuts represent £5.5 million in savings, said Jupp. She was appointed BBC News’ director this... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371572/bbc-slashes-100-jobs-pulls-channels-amid-immediate-cost-pressures https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371572/bbc-slashes-100-jobs-pulls-channels-amid-immediate-cost-pressures Wed, 21 Oct 2026 01:59:53 +0000 Ruairidh J. Brown Ruairidh J. Brown Getting relations with China right is widely seen as Britain’s epoch-defining challenge. It is also one it is woefully unprepared to face. So concluded a recent audit by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), which highlighted that top negotiators lacked basic Chinese language skills. More critically, it exposed a deeper deficit: a poor grasp of China spanning political elites and the public alike. This is rooted in a desk-bound classroom sinology rather than a nuanced appreciation... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3371392/burnhams-britain-can-learn-trump-engaging-china https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3371392/burnhams-britain-can-learn-trump-engaging-china Wed, 21 Oct 2026 01:30:05 +0000 Vincent Tan Vincent Tan Singapore’s recent parliamentary debate over primary school admissions has put a familiar parental strategy in the city state under the spotlight – parents moving house to improve their children’s chances of getting into popular schools. Speaking with This Week in Asia, property agents say some families in Singapore have been approaching them with the intention of buying or renting particular residences at least two years before their children’s primary school admission. Living close to a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3371554/southeast-asian-families-tying-house-move-top-schools-spur-privilege-worries https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3371554/southeast-asian-families-tying-house-move-top-schools-spur-privilege-worries Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:00:24 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo “Actions have consequences,” British Minister of State for Skills and former home secretary Baroness Jacqui Smith said of Palestine Action, the protest group proscribed as a terrorist organisation across the United Kingdom. She was lecturing the group’s members and supporters, who are legion in Britain, on taking responsibility for their actions. From where everyone else is sitting, she might as well have been talking about her Labour Party colleagues, such as fellow former home secretary Yvette... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3371369/britains-ban-pro-palestinian-author-sally-rooney-makes-it-laughing-stock https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3371369/britains-ban-pro-palestinian-author-sally-rooney-makes-it-laughing-stock Tue, 20 Oct 2026 21:30:06 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press British police said on Tuesday that they had rearrested two men on suspicion of assisting Iran’s intelligence service in a suspected plot at a US-run airbase in England last month. Counter Terrorism Policing said the men, a 24-year-old British national and a 25-year-old dual UK-Iranian national, were arrested under the National Security Act. One of the suspects was first arrested on September 27, when the suspected plot against the US-run base at RAF Fairford took place. The airbase in western... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371559/uk-rearrests-duo-suspicion-aiding-iran-alleged-plot-us-run-airbase https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371559/uk-rearrests-duo-suspicion-aiding-iran-alleged-plot-us-run-airbase Tue, 20 Oct 2026 17:49:08 +0000 Fiona Chow Fiona Chow Average sentences for Hong Kong’s gravest child sex crimes have remained below 10 years over the past three decades, far below the maximum penalty of life imprisonment, prompting a call for a sentencing council to issue clearer judicial guidance. Citing data from 401 publicly available judgments between 1990 and 2025, University of Hong Kong law professor Puja Kapai on Tuesday said her research found six offences – including rape, buggery, and unlawful sexual intercourse – carried average prison... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3371548/hong-hong-child-sex-sentences-remain-far-below-maximum-life-report-finds https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3371548/hong-hong-child-sex-sentences-remain-far-below-maximum-life-report-finds Tue, 20 Oct 2026 14:09:50 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse British fighter planes will be deployed to help Saudi Arabia defend itself against increasing attacks from Yemen’s Houthi rebels, the UK government announced on Tuesday. The defence ministry said the deployment formed part of “additional defensive military support” to Riyadh. “The UK will fly defensive counter air missions to support the protection of Saudi cities and critical national infrastructure against aerial attack, using RAF Typhoon fighter jets,” the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371539/uk-deploy-fighter-planes-help-saudi-arabias-defence-against-houthis https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371539/uk-deploy-fighter-planes-help-saudi-arabias-defence-against-houthis Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:04:05 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li As London considers aligning with EU trade measures targeting imports of Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), Beijing has warned of “firm countermeasures” if the UK imposes restrictions. “We hope the UK will abide by World Trade Organization rules and think twice before acting, rather than blindly following the EU,” the Ministry of Commerce said on Monday. “China will closely monitor developments and take firm countermeasures if the UK insists on restricting Chinese electric vehicles.” The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3371472/beijing-warns-london-firm-countermeasures-if-it-aligns-eu-import-curbs-evs https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3371472/beijing-warns-london-firm-countermeasures-if-it-aligns-eu-import-curbs-evs Tue, 20 Oct 2026 07:00:08 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang China has lodged a formal representation with the UK after British border authorities subjected Chinese citizens to extended questioning and seizures of personal electronic devices, including mobile phones. According to a statement from China’s embassy in Britain, multiple Chinese nationals – including trade delegates, tourists and people visiting relatives – have experienced long delays, as well as questioning by Border Force officers and confiscation of phones and other devices. The embassy... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371459/china-protests-uk-border-searches-phone-seizures-amid-growing-espionage-tensions https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371459/china-protests-uk-border-searches-phone-seizures-amid-growing-espionage-tensions Tue, 20 Oct 2026 06:00:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi received a package from Britain’s King Charles on Monday, authorities said, releasing the first pictures of the detained Nobel laureate in two months and describing her as a “special female prisoner”. It is the first time Myanmar authorities have used the term to describe Suu Kyi, who was deposed in a military coup in 2021, triggering a civil war that has killed more than 100,000 people, according to monitor ACLED. The coup leader and former junta chief Min Aung Hlaing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371436/detained-suu-kyi-receives-royal-package-uks-king-charles-myanmar-government https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371436/detained-suu-kyi-receives-royal-package-uks-king-charles-myanmar-government Mon, 19 Oct 2026 23:46:39 +0000 Reuters Reuters A woman told police that British actor and comedian Russell Brand had grabbed her breasts before dragging her into a toilet at a bar and orally raping her, a London court heard on Monday. Brand, once one of Britain’s most high-profile broadcasters and the former husband of US singer Katy Perry, is on trial accused of three counts of rape, three of ‌sexual assault and one of indecent assault against six women between 1999 and 2009. The 51-year-old denies the allegations, and told police after his... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371433/woman-tells-uk-court-comedian-russell-brand-raped-her https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371433/woman-tells-uk-court-comedian-russell-brand-raped-her Mon, 19 Oct 2026 22:17:55 +0000 Cliff Buddle Cliff Buddle Irish writer Sally Rooney is a publishing sensation, often described as the “voice of a generation” and the first great millennial novelist. More than six million copies of her books have been sold globally since her debut novel in 2017. But now, these beautifully written literary bestsellers, with their youthful exploration of romance and relationships, class and technology, are being withdrawn from sale in the United Kingdom. The generation of royalties for Rooney from the book sales, the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3371199/palestine-action-sally-rooneys-books-and-absurd-fallout-uk-ban https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3371199/palestine-action-sally-rooneys-books-and-absurd-fallout-uk-ban Mon, 19 Oct 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu France and Germany have unveiled a joint position on Europe’s automotive package, with a tighter geographic definition of “Made in Europe” and a research and development requirement for cars to qualify for subsidies or public procurement, which industry insiders say would put further pressure on Chinese carmakers to invest in production within the bloc. The automotive sector’s “Made in Europe” classification would include only the 27 member states of the European Union, with an opt-in to include... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3371261/germany-france-tighten-made-europe-stance-pressuring-chinas-auto-industry https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3371261/germany-france-tighten-made-europe-stance-pressuring-chinas-auto-industry Sun, 18 Oct 2026 07:00:07 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye From Hong Kong to New York, a deep divide is opening up in office markets around the world, as tenants compete for space in prime buildings while other properties face falling rents, low occupancy and financing pressures. The divergence reflects a global flight to quality, but also a disconnect between improving leasing fundamentals and a recovery in property values, according to analysts at Morgan Stanley and JLL. The divide is being reinforced by limited new supply in prime locations,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3371225/investors-there-are-now-just-2-kinds-offices-best-and-rest https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3371225/investors-there-are-now-just-2-kinds-offices-best-and-rest Sun, 18 Oct 2026 06:00:11 +0000 Vincenzo La Torre Vincenzo La Torre British luxury house Asprey gave Brazilian designer Silvia Furmanovich access to its jadeite, from stones in the usual vibrant green to rarer shades such as pink, lavender, red, white and orange. The pieces Furmanovich created pair jadeite with unexpected materials such as Japanese bamboo, wood and woven horsehair. Here, the designer tells us more. What makes jadeite so special? Unlike stones that announce themselves through brilliance or sparkle, jadeite draws you in through its depth and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3371016/silvia-furmanovich-her-asprey-collaboration-and-redefining-jadeite-interview https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3371016/silvia-furmanovich-her-asprey-collaboration-and-redefining-jadeite-interview Sun, 18 Oct 2026 00:00:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Britain has deported a Romanian man jailed for two years in June for arson attacks on two properties linked to then British prime minister Keir Starmer, the interior ministry said Saturday. Ukraine-born Stanislav Carpiuc was found guilty of the attacks alongside Ukrainian citizen Roman Lavrynovych, who was jailed for seven years over the May 2025 attacks on two London houses and a vehicle. “This individual has now been deported from the UK,” a Home Office spokesperson said, without indicating... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371260/uk-deports-romanian-convicted-arson-ex-pm-starmers-homes https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371260/uk-deports-romanian-convicted-arson-ex-pm-starmers-homes Sat, 17 Oct 2026 11:07:17 +0000 Sherry Wang Sherry Wang China has further reduced its holdings of US Treasuries to an 18-year low in August, as it continued to diversify its foreign exchange reserves amid rising geopolitical tensions and concerns over Washington’s fiscal outlook. China’s holdings fell to US$590.7 billion in August, down US$27.3 billion from US$618 billion in July, data released by the US Treasury Department showed on Friday. That marked the lowest total recorded since August 2008, when its holdings tumbled to US$573.7 billion,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3371237/china-cuts-us-treasury-holdings-18-year-low-august-american-debt-fears-mount https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3371237/china-cuts-us-treasury-holdings-18-year-low-august-american-debt-fears-mount Sat, 17 Oct 2026 06:00:17 +0000 Lam Ka-sing,Denise Tsang Lam Ka-sing,Denise Tsang Distinctive features will set Hong Kong apart from London, a major bullion hub, as the city accelerates efforts to develop an international gold and precious metals trading ecosystem covering the entire value chain, a minister has told the South China Morning Post. In an exclusive interview on Thursday, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu said the city would officially launch a central gold clearing platform in the first quarter of next year. It would... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3371228/hong-kong-touts-distinct-features-set-it-apart-london-global-gold-hub-push https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3371228/hong-kong-touts-distinct-features-set-it-apart-london-global-gold-hub-push Sat, 17 Oct 2026 04:01:11 +0000 Stephanie Sam Stephanie Sam The dining table disappeared beneath a lavish procession of dishes. Our family took food seriously. It was sacred, even. Dinner was never merely about eating. It was the one time each day when everyone was expected to gather, regardless of schedules, moods or whatever else the world demanded outside that room. At the centre sat the pièce de résistance: a whole steamed fish, usually sea bass, topped with ribbons of ginger and spring onion in a fragrant pool of oil and soy sauce. Alongside it were... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3370657/i-grew-eating-bowls-chinese-migration-history-you https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3370657/i-grew-eating-bowls-chinese-migration-history-you Sat, 17 Oct 2026 01:30:06 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday asked European Union leaders to provide Kyiv an extra 70 billion euros (US$79 billion) in funding next year to help it keep fighting Russia. “The war will cost 155 billion euros next year. And we need at least 70 billion euros more from you – for defence, for weapons and for our resilience,” Zelensky said in a speech at an EU summit in Brussels. “This is a realistic amount. And I ask you to find this support. It will help us hold Russia back.” The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371207/zelensky-asks-eu-extra-79-billion-sustain-ukraines-war-effort https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371207/zelensky-asks-eu-extra-79-billion-sustain-ukraines-war-effort Fri, 16 Oct 2026 15:09:01 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying An elderly woman who pasted materials containing pro-independence slogans and Hong Kong’s colonial-era flag outside her flat has been sentenced to three months in a maximum-security psychiatric institution for displaying seditious publications. West Kowloon Court ordered housewife Yang Chau-ki, 62, to undergo mandatory psychiatric treatment at the Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre on Friday. She was charged with knowingly displaying publications with seditious intent under Hong Kong’s Article 23... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3371131/hong-kong-housewife-gets-3-months-psychiatric-institution-over-seditious-posters https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3371131/hong-kong-housewife-gets-3-months-psychiatric-institution-over-seditious-posters Fri, 16 Oct 2026 07:32:05 +0000 SCMP SCMP Suppose an anthropologist encountered AI as a newly discovered tribe or species. How would we study it? Imagine that we have just discovered an extraordinarily powerful new tribe. It speaks almost every language. It has absorbed an enormous proportion of recorded human knowledge. It never sleeps, reproduces extraordinarily rapidly, and is spreading through almost every institution. Yet we are uncertain whether we understand its customs, its powers — or even what sort of entity it is. Event... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/announcements/article/3371119/scmp-plus-exclusive-meet-chinas-viral-cambridge-professor-alan-macfarlane-person https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/announcements/article/3371119/scmp-plus-exclusive-meet-chinas-viral-cambridge-professor-alan-macfarlane-person Fri, 16 Oct 2026 06:25:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife on Thursday carried out their first joint engagement since their surprise move back to the UK in August, with Meghan telling well-wishers: “It’s great to be back.” King Charles’ 42-year-old younger son and Meghan, 45 – who left Britain and quit royal duties in 2020 amid a bitter royal family feud – were greeted with cheers as they arrived in the central English city of Nottingham. The couple then stopped to chat and joke with the crowd as well as pose for... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371063/prince-harry-and-meghan-first-joint-outing-uk-return-great-be-back https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371063/prince-harry-and-meghan-first-joint-outing-uk-return-great-be-back Thu, 15 Oct 2026 17:26:00 +0000 Charmaine Mok Charmaine Mok As someone who lived in London in the late 2000s, when Asian food was not as popular, accessible or unburdened by tradition as it is now, Wagamama was one of the early options for a little taste of Japan. Founded in 1992 by Hong Kong-born British restaurateur Alan Yau Tak-wai, the Tokyo ramen bar-inspired restaurant quickly ballooned into a nationwide chain – despite the liberties it would take with flavour. I had forgotten about this brand until recently, when a little storm in a teacup began... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3370951/wagamamas-fish-and-chip-ramen-stirs-storm-online-and-it-all-started-fake-news https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3370951/wagamamas-fish-and-chip-ramen-stirs-storm-online-and-it-all-started-fake-news Thu, 15 Oct 2026 05:18:02 +0000 Jimmy Chow Jimmy Chow At 17, Hong Kong secondary school student Agastya Rekhi has been teaching finance and economics to younger children for nearly three years. Meeting families struggling to understand how prices, investments and economic news impacted their daily lives during voluntary work convinced him that access to information was only part of the problem. How that information was communicated was just as important. Rekhi, a finalist for the Spirit of Youth Award in this year’s Spirit of Hong Kong Awards, has... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3370901/hong-kong-teen-makes-cents-finance-taps-ai-tackle-economic-inequality https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3370901/hong-kong-teen-makes-cents-finance-taps-ai-tackle-economic-inequality Thu, 15 Oct 2026 02:15:06 +0000 SCMP Style Reporter SCMP Style Reporter For a sporting event steeped in British tradition, the Boat Race has always been as much about ritual as competition. In 2027, that history will meet a distinctly Chanel interpretation, as the maison introduces new trophies for the winning Oxford and Cambridge crews, marking both a new chapter in its partnership with the race and the centenary of the first Women’s Boat Race. The 2027 edition will be the third year of the Chanel J12 Boat Race, with the maison serving as title sponsor and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/luxury/luxury-news/article/3370659/style-edit-chanel-unveils-2027-j12-boat-race-trophies-womens-event-turns-100 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/luxury/luxury-news/article/3370659/style-edit-chanel-unveils-2027-j12-boat-race-trophies-womens-event-turns-100 Thu, 15 Oct 2026 02:00:06 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong A stabbing rampage by a repeat violent offender wearing an electronic ankle monitor has raised questions about whether South Korea’s criminal justice system can adequately supervise those deemed high-risk and prevent attacks before they happen. The 59-year-old suspect told investigators he had become frustrated over what he perceived as mistreatment at a hospital, police said on Wednesday. Three criminal profilers were helping investigators establish the motive for Tuesday’s attack at a shopping... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3370927/south-koreas-offender-tracking-under-scrutiny-after-stabbing-spree-exposes-serious-gaps https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3370927/south-koreas-offender-tracking-under-scrutiny-after-stabbing-spree-exposes-serious-gaps Thu, 15 Oct 2026 01:30:18 +0000 Daisy Wu Daisy Wu As global capital flows towards clean energy and artificial intelligence, Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing’s business group has expanded its oil exposure in a move analysts see as a buffer against geopolitical risks and a play for steady cash flow. The first major investment move by the widely watched Hong Kong tycoon after a slew of asset sales across the world has stirred curiosity at a time when financial markets are more volatile amid rising fears of inflation, monetary tightening and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/money/wealth/article/3370567/li-ka-shing-empire-expands-oil-interests-turning-heads-market https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/money/wealth/article/3370567/li-ka-shing-empire-expands-oil-interests-turning-heads-market Thu, 15 Oct 2026 01:00:07 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japanese companies have faced a growing wave of cyberattacks in recent weeks, exposing millions of customers’ records as analysts warn that artificial intelligence is helping hackers exploit long-standing security weaknesses and overcome language barriers that once offered some protection. More than 500 breaches of corporate systems were reported in the year to this month, surpassing the total for all of 2025, the Yomiuri newspaper reported last week. On October 7, a ransomware attack on IDC... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370875/ai-armed-hackers-tear-through-corporate-japans-neglected-defences https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370875/ai-armed-hackers-tear-through-corporate-japans-neglected-defences Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Han Li Han Li The world is on the cusp of a “China shock 3.0” driven by exports of artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology and robots, which could hit harder than the current wave, a leading economist on China has said. “We are already at the starting point of the China shock 3.0,” Alicia Garcia-Herrero, a senior fellow at Brussels-based think tank Bruegel and chief economist for Asia-Pacific at investment bank Natixis, told the South China Morning Post from Taipei after a virtual panel hosted by the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370925/china-shock-30-be-driven-ai-biotech-and-robot-exports-economist-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370925/china-shock-30-be-driven-ai-biotech-and-robot-exports-economist-says Wed, 14 Oct 2026 22:00:47 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Irish author Sally Rooney can no longer sell her books in the UK because of her support for the activist group Palestine Action, her publisher Faber said on Wednesday. Rooney has previously expressed her support for the group, which was banned as a “terrorist” organisation by the UK government in July 2025. It is not banned in Ireland, where Rooney lives. The proscription, which the organisation is appealing against, puts Palestine Action on the same blacklist as militant groups Hamas and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370918/sally-rooney-books-cant-be-sold-uk-amid-palestine-action-ban-publisher-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370918/sally-rooney-books-cant-be-sold-uk-amid-palestine-action-ban-publisher-says Wed, 14 Oct 2026 16:41:07 +0000