https://www.scmp.com/rss/91/feed All the latest breaking news from Hong Kong, China and around the world en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Matthew Cheng,Lo Hoi-ying Matthew Cheng,Lo Hoi-ying Domestic workers in Hong Kong are routinely banned from switching on air conditioning when working at home alone, union leaders have said, urging employers to allow helpers to use it during very hot weather. The issue surfaced last week after an employer drew widespread online criticism for scolding her domestic helper for switching on an air conditioner an hour earlier than household rules allowed, as an intense heatwave gripped the city. The Hong Kong Observatory said high temperatures would... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3355725/hong-kong-helpers-urge-employers-relax-air-con-ban-heatwave?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3355725/hong-kong-helpers-urge-employers-relax-air-con-ban-heatwave?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:00:18 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A Japanese lawmaker’s claim that China has its eyes on “a treasure trove” of resource wealth hidden beneath the Antarctic ice sheet has been dismissed by a polar law expert as a misreading of international obligations. But the claims made in parliament by Mitsuhiro Yokota, a member of the Japan Innovation Party, have also raised questions about what might happen to the world’s last great wilderness in future. “Beneath Antarctica lies a treasure trove of oil, natural gas, coal, iron ore, gold and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355693/japanese-mps-claim-china-eyes-antarctic-treasure-trove-dismissed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355693/japanese-mps-claim-china-eyes-antarctic-treasure-trove-dismissed?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:00:16 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Trump administration on Tuesday formally appealed against a judge’s order for refunds of the US president’s global tariffs after they were struck down by the Supreme Court earlier this year. At stake is some US$166 billion in revenue. A refunds system handled by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has already begun to process repayments. Last month, the CBP said in a court filing that it was on track to process about US$85 billion in repayments, with US$20.6 billion approved for... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3355756/us-government-appeals-against-judges-order-trump-tariff-refunds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3355756/us-government-appeals-against-judges-order-trump-tariff-refunds?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:39:25 +0000 Jeffie Lam,Wynna Wong Jeffie Lam,Wynna Wong At least one company under Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund will list on the Hong Kong stock exchange this year, the head of the city’s Trade Development Council has said. Council chairman Frederick Ma Si-hang on Tuesday also underscored the country’s huge potential, noting that Kazakhstan was seeking to privatise its state-owned companies and Hong Kong had emerged as the ideal location due to its mature capital market. A high-level delegation organised by the council and led by Chief... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3355747/least-1-firm-under-kazakh-wealth-fund-will-list-hong-kong-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3355747/least-1-firm-under-kazakh-wealth-fund-will-list-hong-kong-year?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:30:04 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Canada and Mexico on Tuesday called for a 16-year renewal of the North American free trade agreement with the United States, in hopes of binding the three countries to a pact that US President Donald Trump has openly questioned. The agreement is vital for Canada and Mexico, as the US is their main trading partner and the destination for 75 and 80 per cent of their exports, respectively. In a letter Monday, Ottawa’s minister in charge of Canada-US trade Dominic LeBlanc said: “Canada recommends... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3355755/canada-and-mexico-tell-us-they-want-free-trade-deal-renewed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3355755/canada-and-mexico-tell-us-they-want-free-trade-deal-renewed?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:21:40 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak During mainland China’s recent May Day holiday, a 2,500-year-old sword went viral on Chinese social media – but not for the reason you might think. Lasting from May 1 to 5, the May Day holiday – also known as “Golden Week” – sees large numbers of domestic tourists flocking to popular travel destinations across China, including the Hubei Provincial Museum, which houses the famous Sword of Goujian. Many of them end up buying a replica of the sword in the souvenir shop. As a result, the main... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3355704/how-chinas-excalibur-east-souvenir-swords-sparked-airport-security-warning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3355704/how-chinas-excalibur-east-souvenir-swords-sparked-airport-security-warning?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:15:10 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China’s domestically made regional jet, the C909, has struggled to compete with market leaders Airbus and Boeing since it launched a decade ago. But there is one place where it is thriving: the far-western Chinese region of Xinjiang. Chinese airlines have rolled out C909s in Xinjiang at a rapid clip over the past few years. The first C909 touched down in the region as recently as June 2023. Now, there are 30 of them being used on more than 120 routes in the remote territory, according to state... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3355699/why-chinas-c909-jet-rapidly-being-deployed-xinjiang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3355699/why-chinas-c909-jet-rapidly-being-deployed-xinjiang?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:00:06 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The US Justice Department on Tuesday dropped a contentious plan to create a US$1.8 billion compensation programme that critics had denounced as a “slush fund” for President Donald Trump’s political allies. “We are not moving forward with the fund,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said during testimony before a House committee. The about-face is a setback for one of Trump’s most divisive second term initiatives, which had drawn criticism from Democrats, legal experts and numerous Republicans... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3355754/trump-team-abandons-us18-billion-slush-fund-compensate-supporters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3355754/trump-team-abandons-us18-billion-slush-fund-compensate-supporters?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 22:11:05 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Vanuatu had a clear goal at last month’s annual assembly of the World Health Organization in Geneva – securing new international aid for the Pacific island nation. “I’m here to lobby for support,” said Jenny Stephens, Vanuatu’s director of public health. “We are experiencing the global funding cuts – it’s affecting our programmes like malaria, TB and HIV. We’re already struggling.” Vanuatu’s health programmes are among thousands in the Global South that have been halted or cancelled since the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355737/can-china-fill-funding-and-leadership-gaps-after-america-quit-who?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355737/can-china-fill-funding-and-leadership-gaps-after-america-quit-who?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 22:00:06 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse They went to war together against Iran, but Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu’s relationship is under strain after the US president reportedly called the Israeli premier “crazy”. Trump unleashed a profane tirade over the phone at Netanyahu over Israel’s threats to bomb the Lebanese capital Beirut, fearing it would undermine talks with Tehran, the Axios news outlet and ABC News reported. It underscored the increasingly shaky ties between two right-wing allies with lots to lose politically from... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3355753/trump-netanyahu-relationship-under-growing-strain-over-iran-youre-crazy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3355753/trump-netanyahu-relationship-under-growing-strain-over-iran-youre-crazy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:41:11 +0000 Genevieve Donnellon-May Genevieve Donnellon-May In a move that could rattle global grain markets, China and neighbouring Kazakhstan – Central Asia’s largest grain producer and a key Belt and Road Initiative partner – agreed last week to establish a joint grain-trading platform during talks in Astana. The two sides also discussed long-term supply contracts, logistics hubs, dry ports and technology cooperation in storage and processing. Although full details remain limited, reports indicate the platform will be modelled on China’s state-managed... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3355557/china-kazakhstan-grain-trading-deal-shows-shifting-asian-food-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3355557/china-kazakhstan-grain-trading-deal-shows-shifting-asian-food-order?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:30:06 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Brazil has won wider access to the world’s biggest beef market after China recognised the entire country as free of foot-and-mouth disease, though a new quota will still cap prices. The decision was announced on Tuesday by China’s General Administration of Customs and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and was communicated during Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira’s visit to Beijing. After a risk analysis, Beijing lifted the restriction on northern Brazil and recognised the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355752/china-clears-brazilian-beef-foot-and-mouth-disease-quota-limits-profits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355752/china-clears-brazilian-beef-foot-and-mouth-disease-quota-limits-profits?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:03:09 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin US President Donald Trump signed a long-awaited executive order on artificial intelligence (AI) on Tuesday, which asked technology companies to voluntarily share advanced models before they are released, signalling a shift in the administration’s largely laissez-faire approach to the industry. The voluntary framework allows the government to vet powerful new AI systems up to 30 days before their public release, but stops short of mandating review regulations, which were reportedly considered. It... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3355751/trumps-ai-order-seeks-security-safeguards-without-slowing-race-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3355751/trumps-ai-order-seeks-security-safeguards-without-slowing-race-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 20:06:12 +0000 Dewey Sim,Mark Magnier Dewey Sim,Mark Magnier US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said “significant irritants” remained in the US-China relationship but that Washington and Beijing needed to keep talking to stop flashpoints from erupting. At a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Tuesday, Rubio said both countries – the world’s two largest economies and most powerful militaries – must communicate to “de-escalate potential points of conflict that could lead to something broader”. “The Chinese government and the US government have to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3355750/rubio-says-us-and-china-must-keep-talking-despite-deep-differences?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3355750/rubio-says-us-and-china-must-keep-talking-despite-deep-differences?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 19:03:42 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump will attend ⁠the rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on July 24, he said in a social media post on Tuesday, after the annual event was postponed following a shooting. The black-tie gathering of journalists and politicians in Washington was postponed after a ‌suspect stormed a security checkpoint and fired a shotgun outside the event on April 25, with Trump present. Trump and first lady Melania Trump were safely rushed out of the dinner. In a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3355749/white-house-correspondents-dinner-gets-new-date-wake-shooting-incident?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3355749/white-house-correspondents-dinner-gets-new-date-wake-shooting-incident?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 17:26:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse There is an 80 per cent chance of the warming El Nino phenomenon developing between June and August, increasing the risk of extreme weather events, the World Meteorological Organization said on Tuesday. “Fuelled by unusually warm ocean waters in the tropical Pacific, El Nino conditions are developing and are set to influence global temperature and rainfall patterns,” the United Nations’ WMO weather and climate agency said. Forecasts from the WMO global network “indicate a pronounced shift... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3355748/un-warns-world-prepare-el-nino-extreme-weather?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3355748/un-warns-world-prepare-el-nino-extreme-weather?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 17:07:08 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado US President Donald Trump has named federal housing regulator Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence, entrusting oversight of America’s intelligence agencies to a close political ally whose career has been rooted in housing finance rather than national security. Trump announced the appointment on Tuesday, saying Pulte would replace Tulsi Gabbard, who stepped down last month after citing her husband’s cancer diagnosis. The move places the 38-year-old director of the Federal... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3355746/trump-taps-housing-regulator-bill-pulte-acting-intelligence-chief?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3355746/trump-taps-housing-regulator-bill-pulte-acting-intelligence-chief?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 15:43:35 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong authorities have vowed to develop a long-term road map for the city’s struggling self-financing postal operator and keep an “open-mind” on all options, including privatisation or turning it into a traditional department. Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Bernard Chan Pak-li revealed the move at the Legislative Council’s economic development panel meeting on Tuesday, saying the proposed HK$4.6 billion (US$587 million) cash injection to Hongkong Post was intended to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3355744/hong-kong-keep-open-mind-options-struggling-postal-service?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3355744/hong-kong-keep-open-mind-options-struggling-postal-service?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 14:29:05 +0000 Reuters Reuters The Trump administration has proposed a new punitive tariff of 25 per cent on many imports from Brazil, after deciding its practices were unfair on a range of issues from digital trade to illegal deforestation, top trade official Jamieson Greer said late on Monday. The measures, under the Section 301 trade statute, cover areas such as electronic payment services, preferential tariffs, intellectual property protection and ethanol market access as well, the Office of the United States Trade... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3355743/us-proposes-25-tariff-punish-brazil-over-trade-practices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3355743/us-proposes-25-tariff-punish-brazil-over-trade-practices?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 14:13:00 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji The measles outbreak in Bangladesh is one of its deadliest health crises in decades, and experts are warning that the lack of measures to increase vaccinations and enhance immunisation across the country could lead to a further spike in cases. There have been over 60,000 suspected cases of measles, and nearly 600 people have died from the disease since mid-March, according to media reports. The outbreak has been particularly severe among malnourished children and communities with limited access... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3355742/bangladesh-faces-further-measles-risk-due-lack-vaccinations-travel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3355742/bangladesh-faces-further-measles-risk-due-lack-vaccinations-travel?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 14:10:22 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong Chinese researchers have developed an environmentally friendly method to extract caesium from brine, a process they say could boost China’s supply of the strategic resource. Caesium, a rare metal, is a critical strategic resource used in satellite atomic clocks, missile thermal imaging sensors and advanced speciality glass. China and the United States are the top consumers of caesium, yet both rely heavily on imports. It is primarily found in the Earth’s crustal ores as well as salt lake brines... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3355685/can-chinas-caesium-brine-tech-cut-reliance-canadian-australian-ores?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3355685/can-chinas-caesium-brine-tech-cut-reliance-canadian-australian-ores?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 14:00:26 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering global relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Brussels agrees on tougher China trade policy, as Beijing vows retaliation The European Commission agreed on a tough new approach to trade relations with China in May, at a rare Beijing-focused debate among Brussels’ leadership. The trade-focused orientation debate is seen internally as the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3355389/putin-beijing-china-shock-eu-7-global-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3355389/putin-beijing-china-shock-eu-7-global-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 14:00:15 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering Latin American relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. US casts Cuba as China-linked security threat while still pushing for talks One day after the United States brought criminal charges against former Cuban leader Raul Castro over the 1996 shooting down of two civilian aircraft, President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355387/china-cuba-us-security-threat-brazils-rare-earths-latin-america-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355387/china-cuba-us-security-threat-brazils-rare-earths-latin-america-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 14:00:07 +0000 Kristen Cheung Kristen Cheung The Hong Kong Tourism Board will launch a summer campaign featuring citywide discounts and events to mark the 50th anniversary of the international dragon boat races at the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, in a bid to attract more overnight visitors. To welcome the summer travel season, the board announced on Tuesday that its “Hong Kong Summer Fun” campaign would open with the Sun Life Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races, running from June 19 to July 1. The board’s chairman, Peter Lam Kin-ngok,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3355739/summer-campaign-mark-50th-anniversary-international-dragon-boat-races?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3355739/summer-campaign-mark-50th-anniversary-international-dragon-boat-races?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 13:41:26 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen China and Britain have pledged to enhance high-level exchanges and deepen cooperation amid a turbulent global landscape, following a meeting of their top diplomats in Beijing. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told visiting British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on Tuesday that their countries needed to further communicate and align their positions. “We need to … anchor ourselves to the positioning of a long-term and stable China-UK comprehensive strategic partnership, strengthen high-level... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355732/china-uk-ties-thaw-wang-yi-urges-they-further-communicate-and-align-our-positions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355732/china-uk-ties-thaw-wang-yi-urges-they-further-communicate-and-align-our-positions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 13:00:26 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Tiger Brokers reported a 17.5 per cent year-on-year jump in first-quarter operating profit in an announcement on Tuesday, without any mention of the looming punishment from China’s securities regulator over alleged unlicensed cross-border trading services. Tiger Brokers said its operating profit rose to US$47.6 million in the three months ended March 31, while revenue climbed 26.3 per cent from a year earlier to US$154.9 million. The growth was driven by a 536 per cent surge in Hong Kong trading... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3355729/chinas-tiger-brokers-reports-strong-results-no-mention-trading-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3355729/chinas-tiger-brokers-reports-strong-results-no-mention-trading-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 13:00:18 +0000 Brian Wong,Lo Hoi-ying Brian Wong,Lo Hoi-ying The Lands Tribunal has dismissed a government-appointed administrator’s request to postpone an extraordinary general meeting of owners at Hong Kong’s fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court, ruling it lacks the authority to do so. Presiding officer Gary Lam Chin-ching on Tuesday urged Hop On Management Company to convene the meeting immediately so it could be held on June 13, in line with the requirements of the Building Management Ordinance. In a written judgment, Lam ruled that the ordinance did not... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3355734/hong-kong-tribunal-rejects-request-postpone-wang-fuk-court-owners-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3355734/hong-kong-tribunal-rejects-request-postpone-wang-fuk-court-owners-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 12:48:18 +0000 Reuters Reuters A surge in gang-related shootings and bombings over the last decade, dozens of which were carried out by minors, has set Sweden apart from its European peers and left authorities an urgent problem: what to do with children who kill. The government, in power since 2022 and heading into a tight election in September where crime is a key issue, says the softly-softly approach of the past has failed and it is time to get ‌tough by sending children aged under 15 to prison rather than into social... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3355733/sweden-prepares-prisons-13-year-old-gang-killers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3355733/sweden-prepares-prisons-13-year-old-gang-killers?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 12:45:45 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Places well-endowed with natural resources don’t usually become great powers or world-conquering empires. If anything, many suffer from the “resource curse”, which corrupts the domestic elite and invites foreign intervention, exploitation or outright colonisation. Like people, communities or nations that have fought to overcome adversity and disadvantages often become the most successful. Challenges – whether natural, geographical, social or military – make them fighters and winners. New... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3355507/how-adversity-has-guided-path-chinese-civilisation-through-ages?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3355507/how-adversity-has-guided-path-chinese-civilisation-through-ages?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 12:30:05 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi If South Korea and Japan sign a military logistics support agreement, their ties with the US would deepen as they act in concert to deter China and North Korea, analysts said. However, they noted that several “hurdles” must be cleared before the deal could be sealed, including domestic opposition in South Korea to expanding security ties with Japan due to concerns it could sour relations with China, as well as unease stemming from Tokyo’s wartime history. During the Shangri-La Dialogue in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3355726/south-korea-and-japan-eye-military-logistics-pact-should-china-be-wary?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3355726/south-korea-and-japan-eye-military-logistics-pact-should-china-be-wary?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 12:00:11 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Alibaba Group Holding chief technology officer (CTO) Wu Zeming has joined the company’s elite steering committee, joining co-founders Jack Ma and Joe Tsai in playing a central role in formulating the tech empire’s strategy. According to Alibaba’s website, the other members of the committee of the Alibaba Partnership are group CEO Eddie Wu Yongming and Jiang Fan, CEO of the e-commerce business unit. Born in 1982, the CTO represents a younger generation of tech executives climbing Alibaba’s... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3355716/alibaba-elevates-tech-chief-wu-zeming-elite-committee-ai-push-ramps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3355716/alibaba-elevates-tech-chief-wu-zeming-elite-committee-ai-push-ramps?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 11:00:11 +0000 Yeon Woo Lee Yeon Woo Lee The wide-ranging geopolitical rivalry between Beijing and Washington could soon expand into biotechnology, raising the prospect of fresh tensions even as American pharmaceutical firms have turned to China’s fast-growing industry for new drug candidates. Biotech in the world’s second-largest economy has long been viewed as a predominantly low-cost manufacturing base with opportunities arising from its vast domestic market. But years of sustained investment, cost advantages and faster development... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3355700/next-tech-war-why-biotech-may-become-new-us-china-battleground?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3355700/next-tech-war-why-biotech-may-become-new-us-china-battleground?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 11:00:05 +0000 Jeffie Lam,Leopold Chen Jeffie Lam,Leopold Chen Two Hong Kong media organisations have joined forces with one of Kazakhstan’s largest state-owned conglomerates to strengthen collaboration in journalism and information exchange. The South China Morning Post also signed a partnership with Kazakhstan’s special financial zone to boost ties between Central Asia, Hong Kong and mainland China. The agreements are among memorandums of understanding (MOUs) signed on Tuesday between Hong Kong sectors and their counterparts in Kazakhstan, as Chief... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3355722/hong-kong-media-groups-sign-kazakhstan-deals-deepen-journalism-business-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3355722/hong-kong-media-groups-sign-kazakhstan-deals-deepen-journalism-business-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:59:29 +0000 Fiona Chow Fiona Chow Two Hongkongers have been found guilty of murdering a man after a financial dispute and then blackmailing his wife for a HK$3.6 million (US$459,331) ransom for his “release” even though he was already dead. A High Court jury on Tuesday also found that the defendants – Chan Wah-hing, 67, and Chan Yiu-lung, 33 – disposed of the victim’s body in grass near Ping Yeung Village before sealing the site with cement in September 2022. The village is in Ta Kwu Ling in the city’s North district, where both... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3355721/hong-kong-pair-convicted-murder-and-hk36-million-ransom-blackmail-plot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3355721/hong-kong-pair-convicted-murder-and-hk36-million-ransom-blackmail-plot?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:40:07 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia’s deepening ties with France have given President Prabowo Subianto a chance to advance Jakarta’s defence modernisation, strengthen relations with Europe and expand its international footprint. But analysts say the Paris visit has also fuelled a debate at home on whether deals and diplomatic goodwill arising from Prabowo’s frequent foreign trips can translate into benefits for ordinary Indonesians. Prabowo, who has visited France four times as president, met his French counterpart... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355720/prabowos-overseas-visits-spark-debate-indonesia-over-benefits-citizens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355720/prabowos-overseas-visits-spark-debate-indonesia-over-benefits-citizens?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:37:42 +0000 Reuters Reuters A Kenyan court blocked on Tuesday for another three weeks a proposed US Ebola quarantine facility that has triggered protests killing two people and ordered the government to disclose its agreement with Washington. The proposed 50-bed unit on an air force base in central Kenya for Americans exposed to the virus in Democratic Republic of Congo or Uganda ‌has angered many Kenyans. They accuse the US of offloading the health risk of caring for patients. A Kenyan court last week temporarily... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3355719/protests-over-us-ebola-centre-kenya-kill-2-court-keeps-block-site?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3355719/protests-over-us-ebola-centre-kenya-kill-2-court-keeps-block-site?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:34:51 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng Australian beef will soon be subject to an additional 55 per cent import duty in China, with shipments of the meat about to surpass an annual quota set by Beijing, China’s Ministry of Commerce confirmed on Tuesday. Imports of Australian beef have already reached 90 per cent of this year’s quota, meaning that a tariff adjustment will soon be triggered, the ministry announced via an alert. Until recently, most imports of Australian beef were subject to low or even zero tariffs in China under a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3355698/australian-beef-will-soon-be-hit-55-tariff-china-ministry-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3355698/australian-beef-will-soon-be-hit-55-tariff-china-ministry-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:30:05 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng China’s leading cartographic scientist Zhou Chenghu – the former deputy director of the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) – is under investigation for corruption, the country’s top watchdog has confirmed. Zhou is being investigated by central and local anti-corruption bodies for “suspected serious violations of duty”, according to a notice posted on Monday by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the Communist... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3355712/top-chinese-map-making-scientist-detained-anti-corruption-sweep?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3355712/top-chinese-map-making-scientist-detained-anti-corruption-sweep?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:03:16 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A young man in rural China has gained tens of thousands of online followers in two weeks by impersonating Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. Yang Yang, 28, who lives in a village in Dandong in northeastern Liaoning province, has gone viral on social media for his videos showing him imitating the artificial intelligence (AI) titan. He released the clips using an account called @huangyinxun, which is how Huang’s Chinese name is pronounced in the northeastern China dialect. Yang has shared over 20 clips... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3355681/terrified-chinese-man-spends-us28-look-jensen-huang-garners-large-following?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3355681/terrified-chinese-man-spends-us28-look-jensen-huang-garners-large-following?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:00:21 +0000 Reuters Reuters Cambodia said on Tuesday it had launched a compulsory conciliation process under international law aimed at resolving a long-running maritime boundary dispute with Thailand and had informed the United Nations and Bangkok. The move follows a Thai government decision last month to unilaterally terminate a 2001 agreement with Cambodia that provided ‌a framework for negotiations over the disputed area in the Gulf of Thailand where the two countries’ maritime claims overlap. “We have taken this step... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3355696/cambodia-starts-un-backed-process-settle-maritime-dispute-thailand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3355696/cambodia-starts-un-backed-process-settle-maritime-dispute-thailand?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 09:03:11 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof For decades, Umno was the party that defined power in Malaysia. Now, after years of scandal, defeat and uneasy coalition politics, it is turning to its birthplace of Johor to prove it can still win on its own terms. The southern state’s snap election will test whether the United Malays National Organisation (Umno) can still attract Malay voters, defend its strongest remaining state government and hold off both Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s allies and the Malay-Muslim opposition, analysts... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355690/malaysias-umno-hedges-johor-state-election-lure-malay-votes-stronghold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355690/malaysias-umno-hedges-johor-state-election-lure-malay-votes-stronghold?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Chinese authorities have praised the return of Tianya – which was one of the country’s most popular internet forums in the pre-algorithm, pre-short-video era – while cautioning that freedom of speech must be balanced with responsibility. The pioneering web portal was launched by Tianya Community Network Technology Co in 1999, when the internet was in its infancy in China, but suddenly closed in April 2023 due to financial problems. On Sunday, the company announced that the forum would come back... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3355684/pioneering-chinese-web-forum-returns-authorities-warn-free-speech-has-limits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3355684/pioneering-chinese-web-forum-returns-authorities-warn-free-speech-has-limits?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 09:00:06 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong Legislative Council president Starry Lee Wai-king has urged officials to respect lawmakers’ dissenting views amid a recent rise in government pushback, stressing that public policies “always have pros and cons”. Speaking at a media gathering on Tuesday, Lee said she had relayed lawmakers’ concerns to the government regarding officials’ recent rebuttals. She described the relationship between the executive and legislative branches as an ongoing process requiring mutual respect from both... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3355692/starry-lee-urges-hong-kong-officials-respect-lawmakers-dissent-amid-pushback?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3355692/starry-lee-urges-hong-kong-officials-respect-lawmakers-dissent-amid-pushback?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 08:53:00 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hong Kong’s retail sales rose by 8.6 per cent year on year in April, extending the upturn for a 12th consecutive month, although industry leaders warned that a broad-based recovery had yet to take hold, with gains driven by specific factors rather than a general rebound in consumer spending. Provisional figures released by the Census and Statistics Department on Tuesday showed retail sales reached HK$31.4 billion (US$4.3 billion) in April, compared with HK$28.9 billion a year earlier. Retail... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3355689/hong-kong-retail-sales-rise-86-april-back-higher-visitor-arrivals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3355689/hong-kong-retail-sales-rise-86-april-back-higher-visitor-arrivals?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 08:48:30 +0000 Jun Yan Jun Yan The surge of interest in Chinese humanoid robotics has raised a practical question for investors, corporate strategists and supply chain executives: who makes the parts? Reduction gears. Torque sensors. Precision bearings. Industrial software. The further one traces the supply chain, the more often the answer leads to companies that are not household names or well understood by foreign investors. Many carry a designation that deserves closer attention: “little giant”. China began cultivating... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3355376/how-foreign-investors-should-view-chinas-little-giants-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3355376/how-foreign-investors-should-view-chinas-little-giants-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 08:30:05 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The arrest of Philippine Senator Jinggoy Estrada has deepened a stand-off in the Senate, leaving the chamber split between two 11-member blocs and raising the risk of a wider political crisis, analysts told This Week in Asia. They warned the stalemate could stall legislation, delay military appointments and complicate Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s impeachment trial, leaving the Senate’s basic ability to do business hostage to a factional power struggle. Estrada, chairman of the Senate... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355679/philippine-senate-deadlock-deepens-after-estrada-arrest-complicating-sara-dutertes-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355679/philippine-senate-deadlock-deepens-after-estrada-arrest-complicating-sara-dutertes-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 08:09:38 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow A renowned artificial intelligence researcher who spearheaded foundational AI research for TikTok owner ByteDance has announced his departure from the company. The unexpected development comes as the firm is increasingly looking to monetise its core AI offerings, including subscription plans for its flagship consumer AI app Doubao. Gu Quanquan, also an associate professor of computer science at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), announced his departure from ByteDance on social... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3355677/bytedance-loses-key-ai-research-leader-behind-seed-models-amid-monetisation-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3355677/bytedance-loses-key-ai-research-leader-behind-seed-models-amid-monetisation-push?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 08:01:21 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu A prominent Hong Kong basketball coach has apologised after a viral video showed him forcing a pupil to slap himself in front of others in a school playground. The clip – involving basketball veteran Yung Kam-wah – also sparked concern from a child protection group, which warned that such acts could cause physical injury and emotional harm. In the video circulating on social media platform Threads on Tuesday, three men in white T-shirts are seen standing around a boy in a school playground in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3355672/humiliation-video-shows-basketball-coach-slapping-boy-ordering-self-harm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3355672/humiliation-video-shows-basketball-coach-slapping-boy-ordering-self-harm?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 07:41:51 +0000 The Star The Star Malaysia has urged Norway to help expedite a refund for the cancelled missile procurement deal, with Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin insisting that Oslo cannot absolve itself of responsibility. Khaled said he had recently met Norway’s defence minister and conveyed Malaysia’s position that the Norwegian government’s refusal to approve an export licence was the cause of the issue. “The source of everything is Norway’s decision not to approve the export licence to Malaysia. Therefore, Norway... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3355656/malaysia-tells-norway-hasten-scrapped-missile-deal-refund?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3355656/malaysia-tells-norway-hasten-scrapped-missile-deal-refund?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 07:00:06 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s net satisfaction rating has hit an all-time low, with observers citing deep-seated economic anxieties as the main driver behind the slump – even as expanded media exposure has helped boost awareness of his foreign policy initiatives. The latest Social Weather Stations survey put Marcos’ net satisfaction rating at minus 15 in March: a 12-point drop from minus 3 in November 2025 and the worst figure of his presidency, eclipsing the previous nadir of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355665/philippine-president-marcos-ratings-hit-record-low-inflation-bites?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355665/philippine-president-marcos-ratings-hit-record-low-inflation-bites?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 06:55:44 +0000