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 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Experts have warned that the HK$1 (13 US cents) increase in Hong Kong’s minimum wage, which takes effect on Labour Day, is unlikely to significantly boost low-paid workers’ incomes, but should help preserve purchasing power and ease labour tensions under a new formula. Human resources expert Alexa Chow Yee-ping, managing director of ACTS Consulting, said the latest rise broadly aligned with recent pay trends. “The actual impact is not significant, as the increase is roughly the same as last... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352069/hk1-minimum-wage-rise-unlikely-significantly-lift-low-paid-incomes-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352069/hk1-minimum-wage-rise-unlikely-significantly-lift-low-paid-incomes-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 03:01:00 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun The Hong Kong government has condemned attempts by anti-China forces and foreign media to sugarcoat the criminal acts of jailed former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, while defending the city’s press freedom after the release of a global index. Authorities issued a strongly-worded statement in the early hours of Friday, slamming the attempts to slander, smear and attack the city “by releasing a so-called press freedom index”, saying that “such despicable behaviours totally disregarded the rule... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3352096/hong-kong-slams-attempts-sugarcoat-jimmy-lais-criminal-acts-press-freedom-index?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3352096/hong-kong-slams-attempts-sugarcoat-jimmy-lais-criminal-acts-press-freedom-index?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 02:55:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Elusive street artist Banksy on Thursday confirmed he was behind a new work drawing crowds in central London: a statue of a suited man striding into the void while holding a flag that blocks his view. The monument, which has Banksy’s name scrawled on the base, first appeared on Wednesday just off the central street of Pall Mall. The man depicted is mounted on a plinth, with one leg striding off it, and appears to be blindly stepping off the platform without knowing it, thanks to the flag... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3352095/new-banksy-statue-man-blinded-flag-draws-crowds-london?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3352095/new-banksy-statue-man-blinded-flag-draws-crowds-london?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 02:54:23 +0000 CNA CNA Three Chinese nationals who travelled to Singapore to break into houses and steal expensive items after they saw multiple videos on social media about wealthy Singaporeans were sentenced to jail on Thursday. The three men, Yang Chao, Zhou Qifa and He Jiao, conspired to target vulnerable properties in Singapore, break into the houses, steal valuables and leave the country with them. Both Yang, 42, and He, 38, were sentenced to five years and three months in prison, while Zhou, 37, was sentenced... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3352093/singapore-jails-3-chinese-nationals-over-social-media-inspired-burglary-spree?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3352093/singapore-jails-3-chinese-nationals-over-social-media-inspired-burglary-spree?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 02:08:45 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela The UN’s climate science body is pressing ahead with its work despite the US government’s withdrawal from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) earlier this year, the organisation’s top official has said. According to IPCC chair Jim Skea, around 110 to 120 of the UN body’s 195 members typically show up when it meets. “So the US has not been there. It’s one country, more or less,” Skea said on the sidelines of the Regional Ecological Summit in Kazakhstan last week. “The meetings... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3351983/un-climate-body-presses-after-us-quits-while-china-leads-renewables?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3351983/un-climate-body-presses-after-us-quits-while-china-leads-renewables?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 02:00:11 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s shrinking youth population is forcing a reckoning in higher education, with the finance ministry pushing for the closure or merger of hundreds of private universities as campuses struggle to fill classrooms. University insiders broadly agree that Japan has too many small, private tertiary institutions battling enrolment shortfalls and financial pressures, but they also argue the education ministry’s own policies contributed to the problem. “The number of universities they are talking... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3352079/japans-higher-education-sector-faces-reckoning-student-pool-shrinks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3352079/japans-higher-education-sector-faces-reckoning-student-pool-shrinks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 01:30:11 +0000 Bernard Chan Bernard Chan After winning legislative backing for the Hong Kong Jockey Club to offer basketball betting – an initiative aimed at drawing punters away from illegal online bookmakers and capturing additional tax revenue – the government has now paused the roll-out. Officials say the rise of prediction markets has altered the landscape and warrants closer examination. So, what is it about prediction markets that unsettles officials? Prediction markets are online platforms where the menu stretches far beyond... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3351875/why-governments-beyond-hong-kong-are-wary-prediction-markets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3351875/why-governments-beyond-hong-kong-are-wary-prediction-markets?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A lonely cancer patient in southeastern China sparked a viral relay of love after ordering “companionship” through a food delivery platform. Little Li, a 24-year-old woman from Foshan, Guangdong province, is battling a rare blood cancer, according to Southern Daily. After undergoing four rounds of chemotherapy, her condition is stable, though she continues to receive care at the hospital. With her father working away to fund her treatment and her younger brother juggling an internship, Li often... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3351959/love-relay-lonely-china-cancer-patient-orders-company-food-delivery-platform?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3351959/love-relay-lonely-china-cancer-patient-orders-company-food-delivery-platform?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 01:00:08 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen The US-Israeli war on Iran enters a third month and efforts for Washington and Tehran to resume talks remain stalled. These are major takeaways from the events overnight. What did Trump say? US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday that Iran is “dying to make a deal”. When asked whether talks with Tehran have stalled, Trump said only a few people know the status of talks with Iran. He also pointed to uncertainty over the Iranian leadership: “We have a problem... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352092/iran-dying-make-deal-us-war-costs-soar-heres-what-happened-overnight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352092/iran-dying-make-deal-us-war-costs-soar-heres-what-happened-overnight?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 00:40:30 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu Hong Kong’s catering sector and hoteliers are expecting a business boost during the Labour Day “golden week” holiday from May 1 to 5, with industry leaders hoping the growing trend of mainland Chinese visitors hiking and sailing yachts will bring a windfall to seafood restaurants in Sai Kung and the outlying islands. The industry leaders also said on Wednesday that rising tensions in the Middle East, which have pushed up fuel surcharges, had inadvertently benefited Hong Kong, as mainland... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3352073/yacht-tourists-hikers-drive-golden-week-optimism-hong-kong-eateries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3352073/yacht-tourists-hikers-drive-golden-week-optimism-hong-kong-eateries?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 00:30:11 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall More than 15 per cent of hospitals and long-term medical care facilities across Japan have recorded cases of sexual assault or abuse of patients, according to a new government report, as concerns mount that the actual figures may be higher. The Children and Families Agency released the results of the survey – the first of its kind – on Tuesday, with 1,113 institutions of the 5,000 invited to take part providing responses. Many of the incidents involved medical staff in psychiatry and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3352003/japan-survey-finds-sexual-abuse-15-hospitals-true-scale-higher?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3352003/japan-survey-finds-sexual-abuse-15-hospitals-true-scale-higher?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:16 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump and the ⁠head of the Secret Service said on Thursday that the federal agent injured during the attack at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner had not been hit by friendly fire, as authorities released a video of the incident. Jeanine Pirro, the top federal prosecutor for Washington, posted the footage on social media, saying it showed the suspect shooting the US Secret Service officer as he ran through security towards the gala packed with journalists,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352091/trump-says-secret-service-agent-not-shot-friendly-fire-attack-video-released?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352091/trump-says-secret-service-agent-not-shot-friendly-fire-attack-video-released?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 23:18:44 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Hong Kong public hospitals will extend visiting hours at all rehabilitation and palliative wards from five to nine hours a day by the end of July, with those in central Kowloon and New Territories West expected to roll out the arrangement this month. Danny Tong Wah-kun, the Hospital Authority’s chief manager of nursing, said the authority would also enable round-the-clock visits at all paediatric wards by the end of July, adding to an existing arrangement for one carer to stay overnight in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3352044/hong-kong-public-hospitals-extend-time-daily-visits-5-9-hours-july-31?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3352044/hong-kong-public-hospitals-extend-time-daily-visits-5-9-hours-july-31?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 23:00:09 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim China has built a state-driven campaign to harvest American data and weaponise it as a strategic asset that could prove critical in a conflict with the US, including over Taiwan, a key advisory committee to the US Congress heard. Experts told the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission on Thursday that Washington was falling short in countering Beijing’s data-collection drive, one that could have far-reaching implications for American society and the economy, as well as US wartime... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352089/apps-autos-chinas-data-reach-sparks-us-espionage-and-sabotage-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352089/apps-autos-chinas-data-reach-sparks-us-espionage-and-sabotage-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 22:05:19 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai China’s diplomatic strategy has undergone a conspicuous shift, with Beijing conducting far fewer overseas state visits, opting instead to welcome a steady stream of foreign leaders to the capital. According to data compiled by the South China Morning Post, Beijing is placing greater emphasis on neighbourhood diplomacy and engagement with European middle powers. The changing dynamic reflects Beijing’s shift towards favouring high-level multilateralism, in a sign of growing confidence and an... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352060/see-you-beijing-big-shift-xis-travel-plans-and-what-it-means-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352060/see-you-beijing-big-shift-xis-travel-plans-and-what-it-means-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 22:00:16 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he was removing certain tariffs on Scotch whisky after this week’s White House visit by the UK’s King Charles and Queen Camilla. “The King and Queen got me to do something that nobody else was able to do, without hardly even asking!” Trump posted on social media. Trump said people had wanted this change, especially with regard to the wooden barrels in which the spirits of Scotch and bourbon can be aged. His post left it unclear if the tariffs were... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352087/trump-says-hes-lifting-some-tariffs-scotch-whisky-after-king-charles-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352087/trump-says-hes-lifting-some-tariffs-scotch-whisky-after-king-charles-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 20:59:21 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Brazil’s Congress on Thursday overturned President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s veto of a law dramatically reducing the prison sentence of his arch-rival Jair Bolsonaro, the second major defeat for Lula in as many days. Former president Bolsonaro, 71, was sentenced last year to 27 years behind bars for coup plotting over his attempt to cling to power after losing the 2022 elections to Lula. The left-wing Lula had attempted to block a subsequent push by the conservative-majority Congress to reduce... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3352086/brazil-mps-slash-bolsonaro-prison-term-blow-lula?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3352086/brazil-mps-slash-bolsonaro-prison-term-blow-lula?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 20:39:50 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado With Congress again failing to curb US President Donald Trump’s authority over Cuba, the centre of gravity in US policy towards the island is shifting decisively back to the White House – and to a narrower, more consequential question: what comes next? Tuesday’s 51-47 Senate vote to block a Democratic-led war powers resolution on Cuba does not change policy on its own. It was widely expected, reflecting a long-standing pattern in which Congress has struggled to assert its war powers authority... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3352085/senate-vote-leaves-cubas-uncertain-future-dangerous-crossroads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3352085/senate-vote-leaves-cubas-uncertain-future-dangerous-crossroads?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 20:39:15 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The US Congress on Thursday approved funding for most of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ending a record-breaking partial government shutdown that has disrupted critical agencies for more than two months. The House approved the measure, already passed by the Senate, sending it to US President Donald Trump, who quickly signed it. It will fund key DHS agencies through the end of the financial year on September 30. It does not include new money for immigration and border enforcement,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352084/us-congress-votes-end-record-government-shutdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352084/us-congress-votes-end-record-government-shutdown?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 18:19:36 +0000 Reuters Reuters The Federal Communications ⁠Commission on Thursday voted unanimously to advance a proposal to bar all Chinese labs from testing electronic devices such as smartphones, cameras and computers for use in the United States. The agency says about 75 per cent of ‌all US electronics are tested in China and plans to adopt a streamlined approval process for devices tested in US labs or labs from countries not posing national security risks. In a separate 3-0 vote, the commission advanced a proposal to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352083/us-telecoms-agency-votes-expand-tech-crackdown-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352083/us-telecoms-agency-votes-expand-tech-crackdown-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 17:51:32 +0000 Reuters Reuters Myanmar’s detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been moved to house arrest, state media reported on Thursday, over five years after the country’s military ousted a civilian government led by the Nobel laureate and imprisoned her. Suu Kyi, 80, has been detained by ‌the junta since and her whereabouts have been unclear amid a deadly civil war that was triggered by the February 2021 coup that has engulfed much of the impoverished Southeast Asian nation. “… the remaining portion of Daw Aung... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3352081/myanmars-aung-san-suu-kyi-moved-prison-house-arrest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3352081/myanmars-aung-san-suu-kyi-moved-prison-house-arrest?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 16:33:07 +0000 Reuters Reuters The man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at a black-tie press gala in Washington agreed on Thursday to remain in custody while his case moves forward. The suspect, Cole Allen, 31, would ‌not immediately contest prosecutors’ arguments that he was a danger to the community and should remain in jail, his lawyer, Tezira Abe, said during a court hearing. Allen allegedly stormed a security checkpoint and fired a shotgun outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352080/man-charged-trying-kill-trump-agrees-remain-custody?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352080/man-charged-trying-kill-trump-agrees-remain-custody?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 15:50:34 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The first direct commercial flight between the United States and Venezuela departed a bit early on Thursday on its way to the capital of the South American country, seven years after the US Homeland Security Department ordered an indefinite suspension, citing security concerns. The resumption of a commercial flight between the two countries comes months after the US capture of then-president Nicolas Maduro in a stunning night-time raid on his residence in Caracas in early January. It also comes... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352078/first-direct-us-venezuela-commercial-flight-7-years-heads-caracas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352078/first-direct-us-venezuela-commercial-flight-7-years-heads-caracas?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 15:00:52 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong Beijing’s decision to block Meta Platforms’ proposed acquisition of artificial intelligence firm Manus should not be seen as a restriction on foreign investment, Chinese state media said, urging companies in the sector to “go global when ready” and “pursue partnerships where appropriate”. “What stands out from Meta’s Manus deal is that the AI industry is transcending simple commercial logic,” Yuyuan Tantian, the influential social media account run by state broadcaster CCTV, said on Wednesday in... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352005/chinas-manus-block-warning-other-ai-firms-global-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352005/chinas-manus-block-warning-other-ai-firms-global-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 15:00:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A Ugandan-American man was sentenced to death on Thursday over the murders of four young children he stabbed to death at a kindergarten in Uganda’s capital. Christopher Okello Onyum was arrested on April 2 as he tried to flee the day care centre in Kampala where he murdered the children aged 15 months to two-and-a-half years. Prosecutors said Onyum, who holds Ugandan and US citizenship, confessed to the crime, believing the “human sacrifice” would help him become rich, though he eventually... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3352076/uganda-kindergarten-murderer-sentenced-death?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3352076/uganda-kindergarten-murderer-sentenced-death?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:44:44 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Artificial intelligence investments by US tech giants continue to soar, dwarfing those of Chinese AI firms, but China’s rising appetite for AI applications will compel its tech companies to increase their AI spending this year, according to analysts. The largest US tech companies are on track for more than US$700 billion in AI capital expenditures this year, driven in part by rising memory costs and continuously growing demand for AI applications. Google and Microsoft on Thursday both said that... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3352068/chinese-firms-face-pressure-ai-investments-us-peers-spending-keeps-soaring?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3352068/chinese-firms-face-pressure-ai-investments-us-peers-spending-keeps-soaring?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:30:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters The Paris prosecutor’s office has opened an ⁠investigation into ⁠a 15-year-old, suspected of having ⁠hacked the country’s ID agency and trying to sell the data of millions of French people on the dark web this month, it said on Thursday. The teenager, whose identity ‌was not revealed, was detained on April 25 and held in police custody for questioning after he was suspected of hiding behind the nickname “breach3d”, a hacker who had put on sale on hacker forums between 12 million and 18 million... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3352075/france-probes-teenage-suspect-massive-id-data-breach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3352075/france-probes-teenage-suspect-massive-id-data-breach?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:27:38 +0000 Yuanyue Dang,Holly Chik Yuanyue Dang,Holly Chik Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi described Taiwan as “the biggest risk factor in China-US relations” during a phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Wang said that Beijing and Washington “must safeguard the hard-won stability and make thorough preparations for the coming high-level engagements”, CCTV reported. This appears to refer to possible multiple meetings between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in 2026,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3352074/china-voices-serious-concern-over-us-curbs-talks-bessent-greer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3352074/china-voices-serious-concern-over-us-curbs-talks-bessent-greer?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:25:17 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang The row between China and Japan has ratcheted up a notch, with Beijing issuing a strongly worded position paper warning that Tokyo would soon be able to produce nuclear weapons. In the document released on Thursday, China called on the United Nations to make Japan’s potential pursuit of nuclear arms an “important agenda item” at an ongoing convention at the organisation’s New York headquarters. China is a permanent member of the UN Security Council and will assume the monthly rotating presidency... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352062/why-china-warning-un-japanese-nuclear-breakout?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352062/why-china-warning-un-japanese-nuclear-breakout?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:00:13 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The US economy accelerated at the start of 2026, expanding at a modest 2 per cent pace from January through March after recovering from last fall’s 43-day federal government shutdown. But the outlook is clouded by the Iran war. The Commerce Department reported on Thursday that gross domestic product – the nation’s output of goods and services – rebounded from a lacklustre 0.5 per cent expansion the last three months of 2025. The federal government’s spending and investment grew at a 9.3 per cent... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352072/us-economy-grows-2-january-march-iran-war-clouds-outlook?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352072/us-economy-grows-2-january-march-iran-war-clouds-outlook?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:50:09 +0000 Brian Wong,Leopold Chen Brian Wong,Leopold Chen An official tendering system designed to curb anti-competitive conduct is powerless to combat engineering firms colluding to manipulate Hong Kong’s lucrative building maintenance market, a public inquiry into the city’s deadliest fire in decades has heard. Testifying on the 21st day of an independent committee’s hearing, three Urban Renewal Authority (URA) officials said on Thursday that the statutory body had neither the capacity nor the resources to combat bid-rigging linked to estates’... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352067/tai-po-fire-tendering-system-cant-stop-firms-manipulating-market-inquiry-hears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352067/tai-po-fire-tendering-system-cant-stop-firms-manipulating-market-inquiry-hears?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:04:14 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Roblox, a gaming platform popular with kids, announced Thursday that children under 16 in Indonesia will be required to undergo facial scans to verify their age to comply with new restrictions on minors’ use of social media and digital platforms in the country. Nicky Jackson Colaco, Roblox’s vice-president and global head of public policy, announced the changes in a press conference in Jakarta, describing them among the strictest that the company has implemented anywhere in the world. She said... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3352066/gaming-platform-roblox-require-facial-scans-users-under-16-indonesia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3352066/gaming-platform-roblox-require-facial-scans-users-under-16-indonesia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:00:28 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin China has confirmed plans to expand its space station, potentially more than doubling in size to meet growing scientific demand and expand international cooperation. The Tiangong and the International Space Station (ISS) are the only space stations operating in low Earth orbit. The ISS, led by Nasa and built with contributions from 15 countries, is the biggest structure in space and has been a laboratory for more than 3,000 experiments. Nasa plans to retire the ISS in early 2031, using a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3352049/chinas-tiangong-space-station-double-size-nasa-phases-out-iss?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3352049/chinas-tiangong-space-station-double-size-nasa-phases-out-iss?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:00:13 +0000 Karen Tian Karen Tian Chinese investment in the US is unlikely to recover meaningfully from its mid-2010s collapse even if President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump reach a bilateral deal when they meet in Beijing next month, according to a report released on Thursday. Rhodium Group, an American research firm that tracks China’s cross-border investment, said Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) in the United States had “fallen significantly from its 2016 peak, and remained at low levels for the past five... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352026/xi-trump-summit-unlikely-revive-chinese-investment-us-report-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352026/xi-trump-summit-unlikely-revive-chinese-investment-us-report-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong homebuyers snapped up most of the new flats released on Thursday, with developers beginning to ramp up new construction amid sustained housing demand. All 120 units at the One Victoria Cove I in Hung Hom, jointly developed by Henderson Land Development, Hysan Development and Empire Group, were sold by 5.20pm, according to agents. Meanwhile, New World Development (NWD) and MTR Corp’s Pavilia Farm III above Tai Wai MTR station found buyers for 19 of the 45 units as of 6.50pm. Most recent... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3352063/hong-kong-homebuyers-flock-new-launches-flats-sell-out-swiftly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3352063/hong-kong-homebuyers-flock-new-launches-flats-sell-out-swiftly?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 12:35:13 +0000 Bryan Luk,Leonard Luk Bryan Luk,Leonard Luk The international order is under mounting strain. In recent years, unilateralism, protectionism and the selective application of international law have eroded confidence in the rules-based frameworks that once underpinned global cooperation. The return of Donald Trump to the centre of American politics, along with the policy instincts the US president represents, has only reinforced concerns that the United States may continue to privilege narrow domestic calculations over international... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3351722/world-adrift-looks-china-institutional-anchors-enter-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3351722/world-adrift-looks-china-institutional-anchors-enter-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Pakistan’s bid to mediate between the US and Iran has put Islamabad near the centre of efforts to defuse the Middle East conflict, but with no lasting peace yet in sight, its fragile economy is becoming increasingly exposed to the fallout from the war. While soaring oil prices and disrupted flows through the Strait of Hormuz have led to turmoil in global energy markets, analysts said Pakistan has especially limited room to absorb the blow because of its thin foreign exchange reserves, dependence... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3352061/pakistans-imf-backed-recovery-under-pressure-us-iran-mediation-stalls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3352061/pakistans-imf-backed-recovery-under-pressure-us-iran-mediation-stalls?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 12:28:41 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Chinese scholars must sharpen their focus on the internal conflicts reshaping the United States if they are to help Beijing navigate its rivalry with Washington, according to a prominent academic. These crises include shifts in political culture, heightened racial tensions, the unsustainability of the country’s economic and fiscal model and the widespread influence of protectionism and populism, according to Ni Feng, a researcher and former director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352053/chinas-us-experts-are-falling-short-great-power-game-top-scholar-argues?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352053/chinas-us-experts-are-falling-short-great-power-game-top-scholar-argues?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 12:00:11 +0000 Junaid Kathju Junaid Kathju Brics’ inability to speak with one voice on the Middle East conflict has become a stern test of India’s leadership of the bloc, exposing the challenge of building consensus among its 10 members with divergent interests and concerns. The bloc could not agree on a common position on the war at a meeting of Brics officials to discuss Middle East and North Africa issues in New Delhi last week. Brics has long sought to present itself as a voice for the Global South as frustrations with the US-led... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352055/iran-war-tests-indias-brics-leadership-political-relevance-questions-mount?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352055/iran-war-tests-indias-brics-leadership-political-relevance-questions-mount?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:49:38 +0000 Fiona Chow Fiona Chow A former executive director of Hong Kong’s Insurance Authority has been acquitted of misconduct after she was alleged to have coerced insurer Prudential into hiring her daughter-in-law, as the magistrate ruled that her actions did not cause “actual damage” to public trust in the regulator. Magistrate Minnie Wat Lai-man on Thursday found Carol Hui Mei-ying and digital strategy consultant Chan Tsz-wai not guilty of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office. The pair previously stood trial... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3352057/former-executive-hong-kongs-insurance-regulator-acquitted-misconduct?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3352057/former-executive-hong-kongs-insurance-regulator-acquitted-misconduct?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:36:13 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu Hong Kong’s education authorities will relax rules for under-enrolled public secondary schools that merge with others in a bid to encourage consolidation amid declining student numbers. In a circular sent to all public secondary schools on Wednesday, the Education Bureau said merged schools would be exempt from submitting survival plans in the first three years after merging, even if they fail to admit 30 students or form two Form One classes. The bureau said the move aimed to “further support... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3352051/hong-kong-eases-enrolment-rules-merged-schools-amid-declining-student-numbers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3352051/hong-kong-eases-enrolment-rules-merged-schools-amid-declining-student-numbers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:07:19 +0000 Kristen Cheung Kristen Cheung Two victims of the Wang Fuk Court inferno dug through the ashes of their homes, only to each discover about HK$100,000 (US$12,800) in charred banknotes, just two of many such finds as residents returned to the fire-damaged Hong Kong estate on Thursday. On the same day, several local storage companies offered free services to affected residents as a show of compassion and solidarity. Thursday marked the second day that residents of Wang Tai House, one of the seven blocks severely damaged in last... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352050/wang-fuk-court-resident-finds-charred-hk100000-inheritance-after-opening-safe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352050/wang-fuk-court-resident-finds-charred-hk100000-inheritance-after-opening-safe?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:06:20 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Amid a high-stakes global race for technology, Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for greater efforts to boost research and innovation in the country by expanding its talent pool and fostering a culture of tolerance. “Basic research is the source of the entire scientific system and the main switch for all technical challenges,” Xi said at a symposium on strengthening the country’s basic research in Shanghai on Thursday. Xi said global tech rivalries were increasingly pivoting towards basic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352048/xi-jinping-urges-disruptive-innovation-boost-china-amid-high-stakes-us-tech-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352048/xi-jinping-urges-disruptive-innovation-boost-china-amid-high-stakes-us-tech-race?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:03:10 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng A former head of China’s equities market regulator will face trial on allegations that he took vast sums in bribes in return for approving company listings and loans, according to the Communist Party’s top anti-graft watchdog. Yi Huiman, former chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), allegedly used “his position to seek benefits for others in job promotions, listing approvals and obtaining loans, and illegally accepted huge amounts of bribes”, the Central Commission for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352047/former-csrc-chairman-yi-huiman-face-trial-taking-bribes-abusing-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352047/former-csrc-chairman-yi-huiman-face-trial-taking-bribes-abusing-power?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:02:45 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Beijing has pledged to expand vocational training for young jobseekers this year, as it looks to help millions of unemployed graduates find work in emerging industries such as robotics and AI. But the policy drive – which includes plans to encourage university graduates to return to technical school – has drawn mixed reactions from a generation already hit hard by China’s youth unemployment crunch. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security vowed on Tuesday to upskill 1 million young... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352006/china-sparks-backlash-plan-send-jobless-graduates-vocational-school?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352006/china-sparks-backlash-plan-send-jobless-graduates-vocational-school?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:00:09 +0000 SCMP SCMP Sir Mark Young returns This article was first published on May 1, 1946 Sir Mark Young, Governor of Hongkong, returned to the Colony yesterday (April 30, 1946). Sir Mark was Governor when the Japanese attacked on December 8, 1941 and was a prisoner of war until the capitulation. An official welcome took place when Sir Mark stepped ashore from Queen’s Pier. Broadcasting from Government House in the evening, Sir Mark paid a tribute to the memory of those who fell in the defence of the Colony and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3352042/1946-hong-kongs-governor-sir-mark-young-returns-after-wwii-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3352042/1946-hong-kongs-governor-sir-mark-young-returns-after-wwii-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 10:45:07 +0000 Reuters Reuters Global oil prices jumped to a four-year high of more than US$126 a barrel on Thursday, on concerns that the US-Iran war could worsen and lead to a protracted Middle East oil supply disruption that could hurt global economic growth. The market moved higher after Axios, citing unidentified sources, reported late on Wednesday that US President Donald Trump was slated to receive a briefing on Thursday on plans for a series of military strikes on Iran in hopes it would return ‌to negotiations on its... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3352041/global-oil-price-hits-4-year-high-concerns-iran-war-could-worsen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3352041/global-oil-price-hits-4-year-high-concerns-iran-war-could-worsen?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 10:09:56 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou The Trump administration’s strategic interest in rare earths is pushing the US towards more pragmatic diplomacy as it seeks to rebuild critical mineral supply chains without China, according to observers. As a result, there had been cooperation with other countries on resource projects even when broader political ties were strained, they said, adding that Beijing’s dominance in the resources appeared too strong to break soon. One example is the Phalaborwa Rare Earths Project in South Africa,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352009/minerals-over-ideology-us-embraces-pragmatic-diplomacy-break-chinas-rare-earth-grip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352009/minerals-over-ideology-us-embraces-pragmatic-diplomacy-break-chinas-rare-earth-grip?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 10:00:22 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A 107-year-old woman, dubbed the “age-defying granny,” has trended on mainland social media for her sound health and sharpness of mind. Centenarian Ding Guijuan lives in Cixi, a small city in the eastern province of Zhejiang. The local media outlet, Love Cixi, which is operated by the municipal propaganda authority, reported her story. In the coverage in mid-April Ding shared her longevity tips and sent good wishes to her fans. According to Ding’s daughter, Chen Xingchao, 84, physical... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3351793/china-vegetarian-woman-107-captivates-internet-robust-health-and-sharp-memory?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3351793/china-vegetarian-woman-107-captivates-internet-robust-health-and-sharp-memory?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 10:00:10 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung The Hong Kong government plans to implement legislation on July 31 allowing terminally ill patients to refuse life-sustaining treatment. In a paper submitted to the Legislative Council, authorities said that the Advance Decision on Life-sustaining Treatment Ordinance, passed in November 2024, would provide legal status to patients’ advance care planning while offering protection to healthcare and rescue personnel. The two instruments covered under advance care planning – advance medical... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3352038/law-terminally-ill-refuse-life-sustaining-care-planned-july-31-start?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3352038/law-terminally-ill-refuse-life-sustaining-care-planned-july-31-start?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 09:56:44 +0000