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Tech Trends

Alipay+ announces sponsorship deal with WNBA team New York Liberty

The sponsorship follows the designation earlier this month of Liberty player Sabrina Ionescu as Ant International’s global brand ambassador.

Peng Yang (left), CEO of Ant International, with Clara Wu Tsai, governor of New York Liberty. Photo: Handout

Diplomacy

Foreign ship gets penalty for using Starlink within Chinese waters, report says

Unidentified vessel was found using ‘satellite communication device manufactured by a foreign company’ during inspection at Ningbo port.

SpaceX’s satellite-based internet service Starlink is seen as a national security threat by Beijing and does not have a licence to operate in China. Photo: SpaceX

South Asia

India overhauls controversial rural jobs scheme despite opposition walkout

The scheme increases guaranteed workdays but shifts funding to states, as opposition cries foul over the changes.

Unemployed youths fill application forms to access job openings outside an “employment van” in Hyderabad in 2021. Photo: AFP

China Economy

Secure Arctic shipping route essential for China, senior official says

Trade lanes using Strait of Malacca, Red Sea and Suez Canal could be disrupted during ‘major international crisis’, Beijing forum told.

The Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker “50 Years of Victory” on a voyage to the North Pole in August 2021. Photo: AFP

China Opinion

Opinion | Why China is cracking down on ‘involution’

Involution is a structural phenomenon with both domestic and global implications that China’s leaders are dedicated to addressing.

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An employee stands next to solar modules at a solar energy technology company in Huaian, in China’s Jiangsu province, on December 17. Photo: AFP
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Southeast Asia

Singapore cracks down on scammers with mandatory caning

The new law with tougher penalties for fraud syndicates and money mules to fight rising cybercrime takes effect December 30.

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People take pictures next to the Merlion statue at the Marina Bay waterfront in Singapore. Photo: AFP

Tech War

China eyes mastery of EUV lithography, bolstering AI chip ambitions: analysts

‘As the semiconductor dream has become a national security issue, I would not underestimate China’s ambition,’ Natixis analyst Gary Ng says.

Chinese scientists at a high-security Shenzhen laboratory earlier this year built a prototype extreme ultraviolet lithography machine. Photo: Shutterstock

Science

Landmark in-air refuelling test extends China’s drone swarm delivery range to US

Strike radius of Chinese drone programme capable of carrying deadly military weapons doubled to reach Washington, New York and Miami.

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This image shows a drone-to-drone refuel test flight with two signalling bulbs being blocked. Photo: NPU

Tech Trends

China’s video game sales reach record amid overseas expansion, AI investment

In 2025, China is expected to surpass the US as the world’s largest gaming market, with revenue of US$53.2 billion, according to Newzoo.

China’s major studios have pivoted towards international markets with the success of titles such as Delta Force. Photo: Handout

Politics

Taiwan’s opposition lawmakers vow to impeach leader William Lai

Proposal is likely to be a symbolic gesture as impeachment would require 76 legislators to agree, while opposition camp holds only 62 seats.

Tensions between Taiwan’s legislature and the Democratic Progressive Party-led government have been high since William Lai Ching-te took office as the island’s leader in May last year. Photo: EPA
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Video | Even China’s small factories are turning to robot workers

As large manufacturers turn to fully automatic “dark factories,” smaller operators are adding robots to supplement human labour.

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China Business

China Vanke’s managers have no plans to sell shares as firm fights for survival

Vanke, responding to queries from investors, says top managers have not notified it about their intentions so far.

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Vanke said it had completed 19 bulk asset transactions in the first three quarters of this year totalling 6.86 billion yuan. Photo: Reuters

Travel & Leisure

See dreamlike dunes and meet modern nomads in world’s biggest sand desert

In the Omani part of Rub’ al Khali, tourists can explore a constantly changing landscape with all the comforts of the present.

Dunes can rise up to 300 metres high in the Omani part of Rub’ al Khali, the world’s largest expanse of sand. Photo: Andreas Drouve/dpa-tmn

Video | Hong Kong mourns firefighter killed in Tai Po blaze

Ho Wai-ho died at the age of 37 battling the fire at Wang Fuk Court that claimed the lives of at least 160 in late November.

Ho Wai-ho funeral
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China Economy

China discovers Asia’s largest undersea gold deposit

Country has been steadily stepping up mineral exploration, with nearly 450 billion yuan invested since 2021.

China is on the hunt for gold, and a string of finds suggests that the nation’s reserves may be substantially larger than previously estimated. Photo: AFP
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Russia & Central Asia

Putin says West holds key to peace as Russia advances in Ukraine

Putin demands the West and Kyiv act on Ukraine peace, vows more territorial gains and warns of severe consequences over frozen assets.

Vladimir Putin speaks during his annual live broadcast press conference with Russian federal, regional, and foreign media in Moscow on Friday. Photo: EPA

China Business

BeOne Medicines names R&D chief Wang Lai as co-president amid global expansion

BeOne generated global revenue of about US$3.8 billion last year, driven by its flagship products Brukinsa and Tevimbra.

BeOne’s manufacturing facility in Guangzhou. Photo: Handout

United States & Canada

Trump leaves war with Venezuela on the table, threatens more seizures: NBC

The comments increase pressure on Nicolas Maduro’s regime, but Trump wouldn’t say if ousting the Venezuelan leader was his ultimate goal.

US President Donald Trump (left) and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Trump told NBC News he’s keeping the possibility of war with Venezuela on the table. Photo: AFP

Politics

Labour MPs urge UK to protect Hong Kong BN(O) migrants from residency reforms

Lawmakers voice ‘significant concerns’ that tighter residency criteria could undermine efforts to safeguard Hongkongers’ settlement pathway.

Labour MPs have called on the UK government to protect Hongkongers from stricter residency rules under the proposed BN(O) visa overhaul. Photo: EPA-EFE

Video | Fallen firefighter Ho Wai-ho laid to rest

37-year-old firefighter died battling a massive inferno that engulfed several Tai Po residential blocks in late November.

Fallen Hong Kong firefighter Ho Wai-ho has officially been laid to rest in Gallant Garden, a cemetery plot reserved for civil servants who died in the line of duty. Ho was killed battling the Tai Po blaze in late November.
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Asia

Video | Protests turn violent in Bangladesh after uprising leader killed

Protesters set fire to multiple buildings in the capital, Dhaka, including the offices of newspapers accused of pro-India bias.

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Big Tech

Alibaba ramps up China instant commerce push with Cainiao and Tmall tie-up

Partnership designed to expand warehouse network and boost Taobao Shangou’s rapid service as rivals Meituan and JD.com scale up facilities.

Cainiao will launch new or expand instant commerce warehouses for Tmall Supermarket. Photo: Shutterstock

Asia

Video | Vietnam’s recyclers risk cancer in toxic villages

UN study finds ‘very high’ lead and dioxin levels in Vietnamese communities handling domestic and imported plastic waste, with residents reporting widespread illness.

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Society

Hong Kong fire: authorities seek to dissolve Wang Fuk Court owners’ committee

Home affairs minister Alice Mak says government intervening for first time on record in residential estate’s affairs.

Last month’s fire killed at least 160 people. Photo: Sam Tsang

Military

Chinese military tightens review of weapons pricing to fight corruption

CMC Equipment Development Department releases new rules amid push for quality equipment and ‘professional ethics’.

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New procurement rules for the Chinese military dictate that troops should receive weapons and equipment that are combat-oriented, high quality and offer advanced performance. Photo: Xinhua
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Icons & Influencers

Meet Trevor Ballin, fashion designer and tarot reader to the stars

Ballin has worked with brands like Gap, Calvin Klein and Proenza Schouler and has done tarot readings for stars like Sarah Paulson and Emma Corrin.

Trevor Ballin (left) has been reading Jonathan Anderson’s tarot cards for several years. Photos: @trevor.ballin/Instagram

People & Culture

Explainer | Why Chinese ‘ask rice’ divination ritual involves using 1,080 round grains

Mystifying ancient tradition uses combination of the spirit world and mathematical formulas to predict future.

We explain the traditional Chinese divination practice of “ask rice” or mun mai, which involves a woman medium believed to be possessed by spirits using 1,080 grains of round rice for rituals. Photo: RedNote

Entertainment

Review | Pass and Goal: Gigi Leung leads football-themed Hong Kong family comedy

Pass and Goal, starring Gigi Leung and newcomer Chau Tsz-yuet, defies expectations with its feel-good story, good acting and funny dialogue.

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Gigi Leung in a still from football-themed Hong Kong family comedy Pass and Goal (category IIA, Cantonese), directed by Jill Wong. Peter Chan and Ling Man-lung co-star.

Hong Kong Rugby Union

Hong Kong men start bid to join 7s elite at SVNS 3 against Samoa, Tonga, Colombia

National Games gold medallists must finish in the top two in eight-team tournament in Dubai to progress to next stage in February.

Hong Kong’s men will be in good shape, having won the National Games title at Kai Tak Stadium only last month. Photo: Sam Tsang

Diplomacy

China’s military build-up could ‘seriously’ affect Japan’s security, Tokyo warns

Release of defence ministry report comes amid soaring tensions with Beijing and a boost to Japan’s military budget and goals.

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Tokyo has indicated that nearly all of the PLA’s ballistic missiles, from short-range to intercontinental systems, are capable of reaching Japanese territory. Photo: AFP