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Britain

Britain
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.
Capital
London
Head of State
King Charles III
King Charles III
Head of Government
Prime Minister Keir Starmer
People attend a rally organised by the Campaign Against Antisemitism in London on Thursday, following the stabbing of two Jewish men a day earlier in Golders Green, north London. Photo: AFP
Keir Starmer

UK PM says some pro-Palestinian marches could be banned, cites intifada chants

His comments come after two Jewish men were stabbed in the north London suburb of Golders Green by a Somalia-born British man.

Asian diaspora

Being Chinese | 3 months in China became 10 years. Here’s why I stayed

Hong Kong Football Festival

Editorial | Hot summer of football festival fever ahead for Hong Kong

US-China trade war

US sanctions China-based operator, others over alleged Iran oil trade links

State Department targets Qingdao Haiye Oil Terminal for allegedly importing ‘tens of millions of barrels of sanctioned Iranian crude oil’.

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Oil tankers and cargo ships line up in the Strait of Hormuz off Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates, on March 11. Photo: AP
King Charles III

King Charles wins praise for deft handling of Trump on US state visit

The British monarch delivered a diplomatic masterclass on the trip, mixing praise for his host with subtle criticism.

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United States

Wall Street rises towards more records as oil prices slip

The main uncertainty for the global economy is where oil prices will go because of the Iran war.

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Defence

Will Japan’s new arms export rules spark a high-end defence boom?

Updated regulations give Tokyo greater scope to sell lethal weapons overseas, prompting rebuke from China, but the industry still faces hurdles.

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A Japanese tank is displayed at a defence equipment fair in Chiba, Japan in 2019. Analysts expect the loosening of Japan’s arms export policy to drive growth in its defence industry. Photo: Kyodo via Reuters
Asean

Why Singapore, Thailand are among the world’s ‘happiest’ economies

Southeast Asian countries outdid larger economies in the 178-nation Hanke’s Annual Misery Index for 2025.

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Crime

Man jailed over attempted murder charge in stabbings of Jewish men in London

Essa Suleiman, a Somalia-born British citizen who lives in London, did not enter any plea.

Central banks

Gold loses its shimmer in Asia over rising oil prices, hawkish Fed stance

Demand for the metal is likely to remain weak, with central banks not expected to cut interest rates for some time due to high energy prices.

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Gold prices fell by 12 per cent from US$5,247.90 per troy ounce on February 27 to US$4,620 on Friday morning. Photo: Shutterstock
Hong Kong society

Online sales of e-cigarettes persist in Hong Kong despite ban

Platforms still shipping products to city despite ban, prompting authorities to boost inspections and digital surveillance.

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Posters promoting the ban on alternative smoking products as some online platforms continue to ship products to Hong Kong. Photo: Jelly Tse
Art

New Banksy statue of man blinded by flag draws crowds in London

Satirical monument appears in Waterloo Place as speculation swirls over the artist’s ‘confirmed’ identity.

Diplomacy

The big shift in Xi Jinping’s travel plans and what it means for China

Data analysis by the SCMP reveals a changing dynamic in Beijing towards high-level diplomatic meetings.

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Art

4 exhibitions to visit this summer in London, Kyoto and Venice

Explore work by Japanese designer Nigo, contemporary art from Asia-Pacific, and pieces inspired by post-Thatcher Britain and Olea Sancta, the sacred oils used in Catholic rituals.

Fall in Dopamine (2021) by Maryam Ayeen and Abbas Shahsavar, on display this summer at London’s V&A Museum. Photo: Merinda Campbell/QAGOMA
Donald Trump

Trump says he’s lifting some tariffs on Scotch whisky after King Charles visit

It was not clear if the US president meant duties on bottles of Scotch or on the materials used to produce the alcohol were being lifted.

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An employee moves a whisky barrel out of the Filling Store at The Glenturret Distillery in Crieff, Scotland, in February 2021. Photo: AFP
Pakistan

Pakistan’s IMF-backed recovery under pressure as Iran-US mediation stalls

While Islamabad continues to push for peace, the war threatens to erode its foreign exchange reserves and make financing harder to secure.

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Brics

Iran war tests India’s Brics leadership as ‘political relevance’ questions mount

With Brics members Iran and the UAE as belligerents, the bloc has failed to reach a common position on the Middle East conflict.

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Hong Kong courts

Former executive of Hong Kong’s insurance regulator acquitted of misconduct

Anti-corruption agency had alleged that Carol Hui coerced insurer Prudential into hiring her daughter-in-law.

The ICAC had alleged misconduct in public office against two defendants. Photo: Karma Lo
Hong Kong culture

On This Day | In 1946, Hong Kong’s governor Sir Mark Young returns after WWII – SCMP archive

On this day 80 years ago, Sir Mark Young returned to Hong Kong after being a prisoner of war during the Japanese occupation.

Israel

UK raises terror threat level to ‘severe’ after Jewish-targeted stabbings

UK declares an ‘antisemitism emergency’ and police probe potential Iranian proxy links to Golders Green attack.

Donald Trump

Why King Charles’ ‘Trump bell’ gift amuses Chinese internet users

The king’s present – which came just days after the third assassination attempt on Trump – is a Chinese homophone for ‘attending the dying’.

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King Charles gives a state dinner speech at the White House on April 28, with the ship’s bell bearing the inscription “Trump 1944” to his right. Photo: AP
Science

Oxford AI star Song Yuhang returns to China, but why did he leave chip start-up?

Talented young scientist’s links with Beihang University raised in recent article but questions remained unanswered.

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AI pioneer Song Yuhang has joined Nanjing University’s School of Artificial Intelligence. Photo: Handout
Australia

India overtakes England to become Australia’s largest migrant group

The third-largest cohort comprises those born in China, at 732,000, followed by 638,000 from New Zealand.

Hong Kong politics

Will top Hong Kong civil servants pay price for blunders under new system?

Former ministers, senior officials and observers point to practical challenges of attributing responsibility.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Trump may cut US troops in Germany after ‘humiliating’ Iran comment

The German chancellor has drawn the US president’s ire with his remarks about Tehran besting Washington at the negotiating table.

US President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing at the White House on Saturday. Photo: AFP
King Charles III

UK’s King Charles commemorates 9/11 victims in New York visit

The monarch has been emphasising the military and cultural ties between the UK and US, at a time of high tension between the countries.

Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla visit the 9/11 Memorial in New York on Wednesday. Photo: AP
Religion

London stabbing of 2 Jewish men is terrorist incident: police

The victims, aged 34 and 76, were hospitalised with knife wounds. A 45-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

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Donald Trump

‘You’d be speaking French’: UK king flips script on Trump at state dinner

In a sharp reply to Trump’s ‘speaking German’ jibes, King Charles uses colonial history to defend the UK’s role in the special relationship.

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