https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/91/feed All the latest breaking news from Hong Kong, China and around the world en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Reuters Reuters Police in Albania fired what appeared to be rubber bullets at protesters on Saturday, the fifth day of mass student protests demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama step down. Reuters video footage showed police firing a shotgun towards crowds outside the education ministry during clashes with protesters. Reuters reporters found rubber pellets on the ground and pellets hit two Reuters journalists ‌and several protesters, leaving round marks. The incident marks an escalation in a confrontation between... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371273/albanian-police-fire-rubber-bullets-student-protesters-call-pm-quit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371273/albanian-police-fire-rubber-bullets-student-protesters-call-pm-quit?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 16:05:10 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Hong Kong authorities have ordered all lift contractors to review the design and construction of landing doors installed over the past 10 years, after a government investigation found missing fire-safety components in lifts in at least 78 private buildings and two public estates. The director of the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department issued the order in a letter following inspections into lift contractor Taizoom Elevator that revealed “serious deficiencies”. The company is under... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3371272/hong-kong-orders-lift-contractors-review-doors-installed-over-past-10-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3371272/hong-kong-orders-lift-contractors-review-doors-installed-over-past-10-years?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 15:57:09 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan will acquire an AI-powered satellite imagery system capable of rapidly identifying People’s Liberation Army ships, aircraft and missile launchers, as it seeks to boost early-warning capabilities in the face of growing military pressure from Beijing. The NT$46.55 million (US$1.45 million) system will use artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse satellite images covering 100 sq km (38.6 square miles) within minutes, potentially cutting the time and manpower needed to track changes in PLA... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371252/how-taiwans-new-ai-satellite-system-aims-speed-early-warning-against-pla-moves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371252/how-taiwans-new-ai-satellite-system-aims-speed-early-warning-against-pla-moves?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 14:00:07 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang China’s embassy in Thailand has warned citizens to carefully plan their trips and pay extra attention to transport security following a string of high-profile kidnappings targeting Chinese nationals. Online influencers and artists were also advised to remain vigilant against high-paying job scams operating in Thailand in the latest such warning issued on Friday. There have been a number of high-profile incidents in recent months in which online celebrities and travellers were kidnapped in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371266/chinas-embassy-issues-fresh-thailand-travel-warning-over-kidnappings-job-scams?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371266/chinas-embassy-issues-fresh-thailand-travel-warning-over-kidnappings-job-scams?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 13:00:11 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Artificial intelligence-powered glasses can act as tour guides, snap photos hands-free and translate foreign languages. The devices also sell at relatively affordable prices in China. But are they the perfect travel companion? Not yet. AI glasses were slowly catching on with travellers as the technology improved and more devices entered the market, analysts said, but technical hitches were slowing mass adoption of the smartphone-linked gear that could be worn like ordinary spectacles. “They can... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3370754/ai-glasses-travel-guides-cheaper-china-technical-hitches-slow-adoption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3370754/ai-glasses-travel-guides-cheaper-china-technical-hitches-slow-adoption?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 13:00:06 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Donald Trump was apparently captivated by the “beautiful” roses in the garden of the Communist Party’s leadership compound when he visited Beijing in May. It was a relaxed moment between the US and Chinese leaders – otherwise locked in disputes ranging from trade to technology and Taiwan – that led to a new opportunity for gift diplomacy between the rival powers. Strolling around the former imperial garden at Zhongnanhai with Xi Jinping, Trump was so taken with a China rose variety in bloom that... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371233/coming-roses-how-trump-planted-new-seed-chinese-gift-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371233/coming-roses-how-trump-planted-new-seed-chinese-gift-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 12:00:06 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Hong Kong’s legislature has for the first time used artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse lawmakers’ remarks during a three-day debate on the city’s first five-year plan and the latest annual policy address, with talent and the Northern Metropolis emerging as the most-discussed topics. Legislative Council president Starry Lee Wai-king said on Saturday that an overview of the six-session debate had been produced using AI. The session on improving livelihood protections drew the largest number... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3371265/ai-used-first-time-analyse-lawmakers-5-year-plan-policy-address-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3371265/ai-used-first-time-analyse-lawmakers-5-year-plan-policy-address-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 11:30:12 +0000 dpa dpa At least 10 tourists have been killed in a fire at a seaside resort in the southeastern Bangladeshi district of Cox’s Bazar, the country’s largest travel destination, officials said on Saturday. Dolon Acharya, an officer at the Fire Service and Civil Defence department, said the fire broke out in the morning at Tuptup Resto and Resort at Patuartek beach. The flames gutted the entire facility. The scene is located more than 320km (199 miles) southeast of the capital Dhaka. Acharya said... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3371264/bangladesh-tourist-resort-fire-kills-10?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3371264/bangladesh-tourist-resort-fire-kills-10?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 11:18:20 +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?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371260/uk-deports-romanian-convicted-arson-ex-pm-starmers-homes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 11:07:17 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang There is “no way out” for corrupt officials no matter how senior they are, China’s top anti-corruption watchdog has warned following the downfall of a former big-city mayor who survived numerous previous scandals. This week, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) announced both the probe into Huang Qifan, the former mayor of Chongqing, and the expulsion of a senior figure in Sichuan province. On Saturday, the commission said these developments showed the party’s “unwavering... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/politics/article/3371257/corrupt-officials-have-nowhere-hide-chinas-anti-graft-watchdog-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/politics/article/3371257/corrupt-officials-have-nowhere-hide-chinas-anti-graft-watchdog-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 11:00:06 +0000 Reuters Reuters Pope Leo left hospital in Rome on Saturday afternoon and returned to the Vatican four days after surgery for lung cancer, an illness that has prompted speculation about how it might affect his 17-month papacy. The 71-year-old walked unaided to his waiting car, stopping to speak to well-wishers outside Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. He was pictured smiling broadly and waving through an open window when his black SUV left the hospital. He waved again to crowds as he was driven back into the Vatican but... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371256/pope-leo-leave-hospital-saturday-after-lung-cancer-surgery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371256/pope-leo-leave-hospital-saturday-after-lung-cancer-surgery?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 10:26:27 +0000 Reuters Reuters Clashes ⁠broke out between police and protesters in cities across France on Saturday as tens of thousands of people took to the streets in some of the country’s most violent protests in years over rising costs and declining public services. Some 272 people had been arrested by mid-afternoon after violent incidents involving hooded individuals, including in Paris, Marseille in the south, Rennes in the northwest, Toulouse in the southwest ‌and Angers in the west, the Interior Ministry said. “Such... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371255/french-protesters-take-streets-over-rising-prices-social-strain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371255/french-protesters-take-streets-over-rising-prices-social-strain?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 10:12:29 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan When a couple from Xinjiang took their quintuplets home on a 36-hour train journey, the babies became favourites of both the train crew and fellow passengers, who took turns caring for them. The five babies were born on February 26 at a major hospital in Wuhan, in central China’s Hubei province. Their father, known as Abu, and their mother, Dili, are both from Hotan in northwestern China’s Xinjiang region. The 24-year-old mother conceived naturally despite having previously been diagnosed with... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3371231/strangers-and-railway-staff-help-chinese-couple-bring-quintuplets-home-train?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3371231/strangers-and-railway-staff-help-chinese-couple-bring-quintuplets-home-train?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 10:00:14 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang In Shenzhen, drones are banned, shiny new hotels have opened their doors and taxi drivers are carrying devices that can translate nearly 150 languages. Since President Xi Jinping announced last year that China’s southern tech hub would host Apec meetings in November, the city has done all it can to get ready under the watchful eyes of the local, provincial and national authorities. While every Apec summit draws the world’s attention, this year’s edition is considered to be especially high-stakes... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/politics/article/3371206/chinas-shenzhen-ready-host-xi-trump-and-putin-during-apec-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/politics/article/3371206/chinas-shenzhen-ready-host-xi-trump-and-putin-during-apec-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 10:00:12 +0000 Cannix Yau Cannix Yau Hong Kong police have arrested the husband of a 34-year-old woman for allegedly stealing luxury goods worth HK$450,000 (US$57,700) from her at home. The woman, surnamed Chan, reported the case to police at around 8.30am on Saturday morning at their home in the Ocean One residential development in Yau Tong. According to police, Chan suspected that her 40-year-old husband, surnamed Lam, had stolen goods worth HK$450,000 in total. The items involved were Chanel and Hermes bags worth HK$300,000 and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3371250/man-arrested-alleged-hk450000-theft-wifes-chanel-and-hermes-bags-rolex?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3371250/man-arrested-alleged-hk450000-theft-wifes-chanel-and-hermes-bags-rolex?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 09:07:59 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Water pipe smoking will contribute to about 1 million new lung cancer cases globally by 2050, with the Western Pacific region bearing the brunt, according to a study led by a World Health Organization (WHO) research agency that was recently presented in Hong Kong. The study, which is yet to be published, was headed by Dr Mahdi Sheikh, a scientist of the early detection, prevention and infections branch at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). It estimated that there would be 82... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3371189/shisha-smoking-will-cause-1-million-new-lung-cancer-cases-globally-2050-who-study?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3371189/shisha-smoking-will-cause-1-million-new-lung-cancer-cases-globally-2050-who-study?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 09:00:06 +0000 Zhisheng Wen Zhisheng Wen When Hong Kong debates how to raise its birth rate, the conversation usually revolves around money: bigger baby bonuses, tax concessions, housing support, cheaper childcare and so on. These economic measures are necessary. Lowering the cost of raising a child removes some real and immediate barriers. However, there is another, lesser-known factor that works more subtly and implicitly. It comes not from economics but from the structure of the language or languages we speak each day. Consider a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3370807/language-matters-hong-kongs-birth-rate-debate-not-just-money?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3370807/language-matters-hong-kongs-birth-rate-debate-not-just-money?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 08:30:06 +0000 Minxiao Chang Minxiao Chang China’s artificial intelligence companies have spent years persuading consumers to pay for their technology. Now, Moonshot AI, the start-up behind Kimi, is taking a different approach: offering AI computing benefits through a credit card. The company has teamed up with the Agricultural Bank of China (ABC) and American Express for what it calls “the world’s first AI native credit card”. After getting one for myself, the experience offered an intriguing way to bring AI services into everyday... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3371226/reporters-notebook-kimis-ai-credit-card-turns-spending-computing-quotas-limits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3371226/reporters-notebook-kimis-ai-credit-card-turns-spending-computing-quotas-limits?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 08:00:11 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang For patients with advanced, metastatic cancer that has progressed despite systemic therapy, options remain critically limited. Now, Chinese scientists are pointing to an unconventional therapeutic agent – the element iron. This idea originated in industrial waste water treatment: iron can react with hydrogen peroxide to generate hydroxyl radicals, which degrade various organic and toxic molecules in waste water. Chinese scientists wanted to treat malignant tumours the way they treat waste water... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3370996/landmark-china-trial-gets-84-efficacy-treating-cancer-clue-waste-water-tech?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3370996/landmark-china-trial-gets-84-efficacy-treating-cancer-clue-waste-water-tech?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 08:00:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Many delegates to ⁠the International Monetary Fund’s steering ⁠committee walked out of a meeting on ⁠Saturday when Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov addressed the group in Russian, three sources familiar with the matter said. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has roiled the International Monetary and Financial Committee, preventing it from reaching consensus statements in the years ‌since. There were deep divisions again at this week’s annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371248/european-delegates-walk-out-russian-finance-minister-imf-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371248/european-delegates-walk-out-russian-finance-minister-imf-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 07:51:33 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong police have raised concerns over Apple’s refusal to activate an additional security protocol to prevent fraud despite repeated calls, as the force received more than 110 reports of unauthorised credit card transactions following the pre-order launch of the company’s latest model. The force said on Saturday that residents began reporting suspicious credit card purchases of the foldable iPhone Duo after online pre-orders started on Friday at 8pm. The largest transaction involved... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3371245/police-receive-over-100-reports-about-credit-card-charges-iphone-duo-pre-orders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3371245/police-receive-over-100-reports-about-credit-card-charges-iphone-duo-pre-orders?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 07:31:50 +0000 Reuters Reuters Despite ⁠tens of thousands of security personnel deployed to stop them, youth protesters in India scaled barricades last ⁠week, chanted anti-government slogans and scuffled with police officers trying to drag them away. “Long live the revolution,” shouted one young man before police bundled him into a bus. Street protests in India this year are likely to be higher than at any time in the past decade, the independent Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project has said, as dissent mounts... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3371244/modi-under-pressure-indias-youth-protests-rise-highest-level-decade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3371244/modi-under-pressure-indias-youth-protests-rise-highest-level-decade?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 07:13:37 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Chinese-made cars filmed sensitive information during a Norwegian military exercise, including access codes at secure sites and officials’ comings and goings, raising concerns about the risks posed by connected vehicles. During a security exercise at Oslo airport on September 14 to 18, waiting soldiers tapping on their vehicle’s screen discovered videos recorded by the on-board cameras, the Dagens Naeringsliv newspaper revealed. The recordings showed who was getting in and out of the cars, the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371243/security-fears-norway-chinese-smart-cars-record-sensitive-military-data?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371243/security-fears-norway-chinese-smart-cars-record-sensitive-military-data?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 07:08:23 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong Slain Hong Kong socialite Abby Choi Tin-fung’s partner told a court this week she initially misled him about her former in-laws’ wealth before describing them as horrible and ungrateful after a bitter family dispute. Chris Tam Fong-chun’s testimony also shed light on his complex relationship with Choi and his former classmate Alex Kwong Kong-chi. The three remained connected through their four children, as Choi had two with each man. During the third week of the murder trial, Tam told the High... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3371242/abby-chois-partner-tells-murder-trial-she-hid-ex-laws-financial-reliance-her?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3371242/abby-chois-partner-tells-murder-trial-she-hid-ex-laws-financial-reliance-her?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 07:00:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Seeing what looked like a brown blob in a tree while driving through Siberia’s Irkutsk region, 36-year-old Daria Tyurneva pulled over, curious to get a better look. She was not expecting to find a bear cub, perched on a branch, several metres up. “We stopped, without turning off the engine or taking off the gear, because we knew the mother could be somewhere nearby,” Tyurneva said, showing a phone video she recorded of the bear. Her sighting was one of several to spook Russians in recent weeks,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3371241/over-3000-bears-culled-russia-after-wave-deadly-attacks-weve-never-had?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3371241/over-3000-bears-culled-russia-after-wave-deadly-attacks-weve-never-had?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 06:13:58 +0000 Ambrose Li,Emily Hung Ambrose Li,Emily Hung Hong Kong’s revamped Huanggang Port is expected to handle more than 100,000 passenger trips a day over the Chung Yeung Festival long weekend, although its departure hall remained quiet on Saturday morning. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said the border crossing had operated smoothly since opening on Monday, handling about 80,000 passenger trips a day, with the figure exceeding 92,000 on Friday. That represented a 1.5-fold to almost twofold increase from the 30,000 to 40,000 trips... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3371240/hong-kongs-new-huanggang-port-seemingly-quiet-ahead-expected-holiday-rush?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3371240/hong-kongs-new-huanggang-port-seemingly-quiet-ahead-expected-holiday-rush?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 05:51:54 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Ongoing fires in Indonesia that have blanketed parts of Southeast Asia with toxic haze have triggered the highest-level alert by the regional bloc’s climate and fire monitor. “Activation of Alert Level 3 for the Southern Asean region,” the Singapore Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) said on its website, seen on Saturday. Based near Singapore’s Changi Airport, the ASMC uses a four-tiered alert level system, from zero to three, with the highest triggered if there is a “high risk of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371235/asean-climate-monitor-issues-highest-alert-level-over-toxic-haze?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371235/asean-climate-monitor-issues-highest-alert-level-over-toxic-haze?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 05:26:04 +0000 Hirokazu Omatsu,Kyi Sin Hirokazu Omatsu,Kyi Sin Japan has long established itself as a pioneer of mediation in Southeast Asia. In 1990, for example, its officials helped broker talks between Cambodia’s warring factions, supplementing international efforts to end conflict in the country. Now, Tokyo is seeking to upgrade its diplomatic toolkit. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ International Peace Mediation Unit was set up in March, followed by the launch of the Parliamentary Association for Peace Mediation in May. Around the same time, the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/opinion/article/3371168/aseans-myanmar-peace-push-needs-japans-silent-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/opinion/article/3371168/aseans-myanmar-peace-push-needs-japans-silent-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 05:00:10 +0000 The Star The Star Former Malaysian minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad has confirmed that he was one of two individuals detained by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) over an alleged khalwat case. Nik Nazmi, who helms Parti Bersama Malaysia, said he was at a residence in Petaling Jaya on Thursday with a woman after they decided to continue a discussion about a project there. “We had initially started the discussion with friends at a studio in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, before moving to Petaling Jaya to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371234/ex-malaysian-minister-nik-nazmi-admits-lapse-judgment-after-khalwat-arrest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371234/ex-malaysian-minister-nik-nazmi-admits-lapse-judgment-after-khalwat-arrest?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 04:26:46 +0000 Jimmy Chow Jimmy Chow Hong Kong’s next phase of development should make room for both butterflies and buildings, conservationist Dr Yau Wing-kwong has said, arguing that biodiversity can be incorporated into parks, schools and neighbourhoods without holding back the city’s growth. Yau, founder of Environmental Association Limited, has spent nearly three decades promoting community-based conservation. He is a finalist for the Spirit of Community Award in this year’s Spirit of Hong Kong Awards, co-organised by Sino... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3371129/butterfly-effect-one-mans-mission-help-nature-and-communities-coexist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3371129/butterfly-effect-one-mans-mission-help-nature-and-communities-coexist?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 04:15:05 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang The owner of a Chinese kindergarten has been jailed for life after more than 200 children were poisoned by lead in the country’s worst food safety scandal for almost two decades. A total of six people were jailed by the Lanzhou Intermediate People’s Court in Gansu province on Friday for making or selling harmful foodstuffs. Li Huifang, owner of the Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui, was handed a life sentence and fined 500,000 yuan (US$75,000), while Zhu Jinglin, the principal, was jailed for 15... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/politics/article/3371229/chinese-kindergarten-owner-given-life-sentence-over-lead-paint-poisoning-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/politics/article/3371229/chinese-kindergarten-owner-given-life-sentence-over-lead-paint-poisoning-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 04:10:18 +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?utm_source=rss_feed 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?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 04:01:11 +0000 Aisyah Llewellyn Aisyah Llewellyn Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga each chose Singapore as their only Southeast Asian stop on recent world tours. Fellow American singer Olivia Rodrigo played Thailand and the Philippines, but likewise skipped Indonesia. Next weekend, however, Jakarta is finally getting the big international headline act it has been craving – in the form of Ye. The controversial American rapper, formerly known as Kanye West, is set to play Indonesia’s capital next Saturday, marking the only Southeast Asian appearance on... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3371180/shunned-west-ye-hands-indonesia-rare-mega-tour-coup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3371180/shunned-west-ye-hands-indonesia-rare-mega-tour-coup?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 04:00:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A judge has sentenced three Mexican men to more than 158 years in prison each for the 2024 murders of two Australian brothers and their American friend, a case that tarnished Mexico’s image by exposing the risks foreigners face when visiting the tourism-dependent country. Friday’s sentencing, which came a week after the men were found guilty, marked the end of a lengthy legal process over the killings of Australians Callum and Jake Robinson, and American Carter Redd Rhoad. Their bodies were... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/americas/article/3371227/3-mexican-men-jailed-over-158-years-australian-us-surfer-murders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/americas/article/3371227/3-mexican-men-jailed-over-158-years-australian-us-surfer-murders?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 03:39:33 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Coconut farmer Sombat Chuekrod travelled more than 200km (120 miles) to join hundreds on the streets of Bangkok on Friday demanding that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank change how they deal with the developing world. Finance ministers, central bank governors and other top policymakers gathered this week in the Thai capital for the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings, as decision makers tackle an inflation crisis fuelled by the Iran war and other economic shocks. The message from... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371223/thai-people-already-poor-developing-nations-protest-imfs-austerity-call?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371223/thai-people-already-poor-developing-nations-protest-imfs-austerity-call?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 03:03:33 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order that puts on hold a sweeping new sanctions package targeting the Russian economy, telling Congress the pause was in the national interest. Named after late South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham, the measure had sought to clamp down more quickly on the flow of financial resources fuelling the war against Ukraine. The move comes a week after Trump stunningly said the US had agreed to purchase diesel from Russia to try to bring down... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3371222/trump-pauses-russian-sanctions-package-after-striking-diesel-deal-putin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3371222/trump-pauses-russian-sanctions-package-after-striking-diesel-deal-putin?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 02:26:19 +0000 Jimmy Chow Jimmy Chow For cancer patients in Hong Kong, emotional distress can persist beyond the clinic, with a large combined analysis of multiple studies linking depression and anxiety to lower chances of survival. Claudia Chan Shu-ying, a medical student at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), is developing CancerCompanion, a digital companion designed to offer emotional support between appointments, including late at night when professional help may not be immediately available. The system uses AI-powered... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3371128/companion-between-appointments-hong-kong-students-ai-tool-cancer-patients?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3371128/companion-between-appointments-hong-kong-students-ai-tool-cancer-patients?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 02:15:05 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A man in southwestern China has sparked widespread criticism after holding a wedding with one woman and a celebration for his baby with another at the same venue on the same day. According to The Beijing News, Wu Linfeng, from Liupanshui, Guizhou province, held a wedding ceremony with Kong Sihan on the first floor of a restaurant while hosting a 100-day celebration for his son with his former girlfriend, Lin Si, on the second floor. One poster at the venue showed Wu and Kong in wedding attire... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3371221/chinese-man-celebrates-wedding-one-woman-baby-ex-lover-same-venue-same-day?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3371221/chinese-man-celebrates-wedding-one-woman-baby-ex-lover-same-venue-same-day?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 02:00:15 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Airline employees in Japan are experiencing a surge in abuse incidents from customers linked to delays or cancellations of flights or from being refused boarding due to late check-in, according to a survey. Some 30 per cent of ground staff or cabin crew reported bearing the brunt of passengers’ anger over such matters in the past year, according to the survey by the Japan Federation of Aviation Industry Unions released last month, rising from 7 per cent in its previous survey in 2023. In... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3371187/air-rage-incidents-japan-surge-led-late-check-flashpoint?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3371187/air-rage-incidents-japan-surge-led-late-check-flashpoint?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 02:00:13 +0000 Tim Yuen Lingk Tim Yuen Lingk Almost two decades after gaining permission to conduct yuan business for local clients, foreign-funded banks are still refining their strategy in China, where the financial sector is dominated by state-owned lenders. While Citi exited its China retail banking business, other foreign banks have continued to close branches and sub-branches, focusing instead on digitalisation, wealth management and core clients to strengthen their foothold in the market. Deutsche Bank (China) announced the closure... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3370953/foreign-banks-trim-china-branch-networks-low-returns-test-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3370953/foreign-banks-trim-china-branch-networks-low-returns-test-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 02:00:10 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian China and the Philippines recently traded accusations over the medical evacuation of a Philippine serviceman from a grounded naval vessel in the hotly disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. The incident has sparked renewed worries about potential armed skirmishes in a global artery of trade. But Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr was also quick to emphasise the economic dimensions of a major conflict. After a decade of rapid economic growth, the Philippines is facing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3370775/philippines-china-free-manufacturing-strategy-high-risk-bet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3370775/philippines-china-free-manufacturing-strategy-high-risk-bet?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng A growing number of former senior government officials have joined the race for seats on Hong Kong’s Election Committee, a trend observers say will enhance the prestige and legitimacy of the body tasked with choosing the city’s next leader. As the two-week nomination period draws to a close next Tuesday, the Registration and Electoral Office had received 1,115 nominations for 982 elected seats on the Election Committee as of Friday. The poll will be held on November 22 and the elected members... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3371204/growing-number-ex-officials-enter-race-hong-kong-election-committee-seats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3371204/growing-number-ex-officials-enter-race-hong-kong-election-committee-seats?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 01:00:10 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Beijing’s decision to allow a bigger Japanese business delegation to go to China next month may be cause for some optimism but “hot economics and cold politics” will continue to dominate the strained relationship between the two countries, observers say. Kyodo news agency reported this week that Beijing had agreed to allow the Japanese Business Federation – the country’s most influential business lobby, also known as Keidanren – to expand its delegation coming to China next month. The group will... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371192/hot-economics-cold-politics-why-china-gave-nod-expanded-japanese-trade-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371192/hot-economics-cold-politics-why-china-gave-nod-expanded-japanese-trade-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 01:00:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters US ⁠President Donald Trump made a ⁠joke about the popularity of ⁠the name Mohammad in the Muslim world as he mocked Iran’s presidency during a campaign speech on Friday. “You know, if you’re in doubt about somebody’s name from the Middle East, just say ‘Mohammad’,” Trump told a ‌crowd in Dalton, Georgia. “You have about a 65 per cent chance. ‘Hello, Mohammad.’ I’ve done it for years now. I’ve never been wrong.” Mohammad is one of the most common male names among Muslims, who often name their... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3371220/trump-mocks-popularity-mohammad-muslim-name-during-campaign-speech?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3371220/trump-mocks-popularity-mohammad-muslim-name-during-campaign-speech?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:58:46 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Saturday sent a ritual offering to Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, regarded by Japan’s neighbours as a symbol of the country’s past militarism, at the start of its three-day autumn festival. Takaichi, known as a conservative who routinely visited the Shinto shrine before becoming prime minister a year ago, was unlikely to visit the shrine during the festival, a source close to her said, amid strained relations with China and relatively stable ties with South Korea. The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3371219/japans-takaichi-sends-offering-controversial-yasukuni-war-shrine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3371219/japans-takaichi-sends-offering-controversial-yasukuni-war-shrine?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:33:20 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof In hindsight, it was only a matter of time before Esha Yusof joined the growing ranks of Malaysian shoppers being drawn to Chinese e-commerce giant Pinduoduo. Esha is a relative newcomer. She signed up in July, more than half a year after the platform launched in Malaysia – and has been smitten with it ever since. Rock-bottom prices, a vast range of products and seamless payments through a popular local e-wallet make it easy for the 32-year-old to spend an average of 500 ringgit (US$122) a month... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371173/malaysias-shoppers-love-chinese-e-commerce-its-factories-pay-price?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371173/malaysias-shoppers-love-chinese-e-commerce-its-factories-pay-price?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters ⁠North Korea conducted an underwater ⁠test of a new torpedo weapon system on Thursday to verify technological upgrades, state news agency KCNA reported on Saturday, describing the test as a success and a significant step in ‌the country’s naval development. The test verified propulsion technology developed through more than 180 tests over the past five years, KCNA said, adding that artificial intelligence was used for target detection and guidance in the new high-speed precision-guided... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3371218/north-korea-says-it-tested-new-torpedo-ai-tech?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3371218/north-korea-says-it-tested-new-torpedo-ai-tech?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Oct 2026 23:37:18 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Beijing warned Brussels not to “fantasise” that taking a hard line will force it into concessions, as the bloc confirmed plans for a gung-ho new kill switch that will allow Brussels to “immediately” kick China out of the single market. Exactly a week after the two sides struck a surprise deal to restrict the volume of hybrid cars China ships to Europe, the flare-up suggests the threat of a trade war between two of the world’s three biggest economies has far from subsided. “The EU should not... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371217/china-warns-eu-not-fantasise-trade-approach-brussels-confirms-new-kill-switch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371217/china-warns-eu-not-fantasise-trade-approach-brussels-confirms-new-kill-switch?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Oct 2026 22:30:02 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A teacher threw her phone at the teenage gunman who killed four people at an Oregon junior school, then tackled and fought with him – probably saving lives before he was shot by a father who followed him into the building, police said Friday. Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz called the teacher’s actions “heroic” during a news conference and said she was not injured. He identified the attacker as 16-year-old Griffin J. John II and said all of the victims were shot in the same classroom. Authorities... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3371216/oregon-teen-gunman-was-tackled-heroic-teacher-then-shot-parent-students?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3371216/oregon-teen-gunman-was-tackled-heroic-teacher-then-shot-parent-students?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Oct 2026 22:22:36 +0000 Han Li,Ling Xin,Zhang Tong Han Li,Ling Xin,Zhang Tong A US congressional committee has released details of investigations into dozens of researchers, many of them Chinese-American, revealing the scale of government scrutiny sweeping academia over alleged links to China. The documents – running to hundreds of pages – were released alongside a separate report by the House Select Committee on China. Titled “How to Stop China’s Theft of Taxpayer-Funded Research”, the report pushes back against arguments by universities and academic groups that tighter... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/science-technology/article/3371154/new-details-emerge-us-investigations-chinese-american-scientists-over-china-links?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/science-technology/article/3371154/new-details-emerge-us-investigations-chinese-american-scientists-over-china-links?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Oct 2026 22:00:16 +0000