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 Tents beneath Hong Kong bus terminuses that have drawn online complaints during mainland China’s Labour Day “golden week” holiday are being used by foreign domestic helpers, who say they have nowhere else to go on days off. Images of tents lining streets across the city, from Tai Po to Central and Tseung Kwan O, have circulated widely on social media in recent days. Some posts suggested mainland visitors were camping, as tourist numbers surged during the holiday period. However, visits by the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352271/nowhere-go-domestic-helpers-spending-days-tents-amid-lack-options?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352271/nowhere-go-domestic-helpers-spending-days-tents-amid-lack-options?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 10:30:09 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Japan’s prime minister is set to arrive in Australia to strengthen ties with one of her country’s strongest allies as she seeks to build on an updated regional strategy laid out in Vietnam. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is scheduled to touch down late on Sunday local time in Canberra for the three-day visit, which will focus on defence, critical minerals and broader economic security. The two countries have grown increasingly concerned about the changing security and economic environment in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3352272/takaichi-bound-australia-strengthen-economic-security-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3352272/takaichi-bound-australia-strengthen-economic-security-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 10:11:29 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang Two American military cargo aircraft have been spotted landing in Beijing – another apparent sign that US President Donald Trump’s trip to China will go ahead as expected this month. According to images posted on Chinese social media by several aviation photography enthusiasts, the C-17 US Air Force heavy-lifters – bearing the tail numbers 088204 and 055140 on their vertical stabilisers – arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport on Friday and Saturday. The planes’ arrival was also noted... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352263/are-us-air-force-c-17s-flying-cars-beijing-trumps-china-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352263/are-us-air-force-c-17s-flying-cars-beijing-trumps-china-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 10:00:12 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Nearly 60 per cent of homeless Hongkongers plan to make fewer medical visits due to higher fees, an NGO has found, with advocates urging authorities to introduce automatic waivers and simplify subsidy applications. Kenny Ng Kwan-lim, deputy head of programmes at Impact HK, a charity supporting the homeless, said many street sleepers faced significant hurdles in applying for waivers due to their unstable circumstances. “Even if their possessions have not been stolen, in the face of their health... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3352268/60-hong-kongs-homeless-plan-cut-medical-visits-amid-higher-fees-survey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3352268/60-hong-kongs-homeless-plan-cut-medical-visits-amid-higher-fees-survey?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 09:05:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Two foreign activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla who were brought to Israel for interrogation appeared before an Israeli court on Sunday, according to the rights group defending them. The flotilla of more than 50 vessels had set sail from France, Spain and Italy with the aim of breaking an Israeli blockade of Gaza and bringing supplies to the devastated Palestinian territory. They were intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters off Greece early on Thursday, with Israel saying it had... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3352266/gaza-flotilla-activists-detained-israel-face-extreme-brutality?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3352266/gaza-flotilla-activists-detained-israel-face-extreme-brutality?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 08:34:08 +0000 Mike Rowse Mike Rowse Hong Kong should not renew the HK$3 per litre diesel subsidy when it expires at the end of June. Instead, it should use the funds to launch a crash programme to accelerate electrification of public transport, starting with the minibus fleet. The crisis in the Middle East has had a serious impact on fuel prices. In response, a government task force has recommended a package of measures to provide temporary relief, including the diesel subsidy to be paid directly to local fuel companies and a 50... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3351844/why-hong-kong-subsidies-should-go-towards-food-not-fuel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3351844/why-hong-kong-subsidies-should-go-towards-food-not-fuel?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 08:30:08 +0000 The Star The Star A woman carrying a knife has been arrested after being tackled by the crowd during the Rain Rave Water Music Festival in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday night. In a viral video, a man can be seen attempting to disarm the woman. Several others from the crowd, along with security personnel, then joined in to restrain her until the police arrived. She was seen being arrested shortly after. Kuala Lumpur police chief Fadil Marsus reportedly confirmed the arrest of the 28-year-old woman for possession of a... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3352261/crowd-disarms-knife-wielding-woman-malaysia-water-festival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3352261/crowd-disarms-knife-wielding-woman-malaysia-water-festival?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 08:00:20 +0000 Dulue Mbachu Dulue Mbachu As the energy shock unleashed by tensions in the Middle East rippled through Africa, a massive oil refinery in Nigeria’s biggest city of Lagos, owned by Africa’s wealthiest man, came to the rescue. Running at its full capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, the world’s biggest single-train refinery supplied fuel to many African countries that usually relied on imports through the Strait of Hormuz, from Senegal in the west to Mozambique in the southeast. Built at a cost of about US$20 billion,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352256/fuelling-continent-how-chinas-engineering-prowess-built-africas-biggest-oil-refinery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352256/fuelling-continent-how-chinas-engineering-prowess-built-africas-biggest-oil-refinery?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 08:00:14 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A robot in a high-visibility vest carrying a loud hailer while patrolling a park in China’s northeastern Jilin province has caused much amusement online. “We have sprayed pesticides in the park. It is highly poisonous,” the robot was exclaiming through the loud hailer. The robot was also saying that when worms eat the pesticide it they instantly lie down and pretend to be dead, state media CCTV reported. An official from the park said the robotic warnings were necessary because it was a prime... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3351724/quirky-china-robot-plays-dead-pesticide-warnings-bot-hugs-girl-car-toilet-approved?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3351724/quirky-china-robot-plays-dead-pesticide-warnings-bot-hugs-girl-car-toilet-approved?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 08:00:09 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Astronomers in Japan have recently launched what they say is the country’s first organisation dedicated to the search for alien life, with radio observations planned in the summer next year. “They must exist somewhere in the universe. I’m excited to be putting this into action,” said Shinya Narusawa, an astrophysical expert at the University of Hyogo and head of the Japanese Society for SETI – the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Narusawa, a 61-year-old leading expert in the SETI field,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3352259/japan-joins-hunt-aliens-can-it-solve-wow-signal-mystery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3352259/japan-joins-hunt-aliens-can-it-solve-wow-signal-mystery?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 07:07:00 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. The Hong Kong Observatory has warned that hail may affect the city shortly, after issuing the amber rainstorm signal on Sunday afternoon. The amber signal was raised at 2.20pm, indicating heavy rain exceeding 30mm (1.2 inches) per hour had fallen or was expected to persist across the city. “Hong Kong is expected to be affected by hail in the short term,” the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3352260/hong-kong-observatory-warns-violent-gusts-it-issues-amber-rainstorm-signal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3352260/hong-kong-observatory-warns-violent-gusts-it-issues-amber-rainstorm-signal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 06:49:38 +0000 Vivian Au,Oscar Liu Vivian Au,Oscar Liu Hong Kong is set for its strongest quarterly growth in nearly five years, the finance chief has said, citing a 17 per cent rise in visitor numbers and a 5.2 per cent increase in retail and catering spending. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said in his Sunday blog that 602,000 visitors entered Hong Kong in the first two days of mainland China’s Labour Day “golden week” break, a rise of 6 per cent year on year. Despite a complex and rapidly changing external environment, Hong Kong’s economy... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3352258/finance-chief-says-hong-kong-track-strongest-quarterly-growth-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3352258/finance-chief-says-hong-kong-track-strongest-quarterly-growth-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 06:43:45 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Singapore wealth-tech firms are increasingly using Hong Kong as their first major overseas expansion market, betting that the city’s large pool of idle savings, deep wealth base and role as a regional financial hub will support the scaling of their retail investment platforms. The latest entrant, Chocolate Finance, launched in Hong Kong last month with a product targeting retail investors’ idle cash. It offers 3.8 per cent annualised returns on the first HK$100,000 (US$12,763) with no minimum... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3352176/why-singapore-wealth-tech-firms-are-choosing-hong-kong-their-first-overseas-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3352176/why-singapore-wealth-tech-firms-are-choosing-hong-kong-their-first-overseas-market?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 06:00:15 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Across Bangkok, aromas of garlic, chilli and grilled meat drift from roadside stalls and carts, but tighter controls on vendors threaten livelihoods and the street food culture that defines the Thai capital. Convenient, full of flavour and popular among locals and tourists alike, Bangkok’s street food is one of the city’s signatures, where sizzling woks and smoky charcoal grills turn boulevards and pavements into open-air kitchens from morning until late at night. But many street sellers in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3352255/bangkoks-beloved-street-food-culture-risk-vendor-crackdown-widens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3352255/bangkoks-beloved-street-food-culture-risk-vendor-crackdown-widens?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 05:57:06 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Rising youth suicides in Manila, fuelled by emotional distress and digital triggers, have spurred calls to expand support for vulnerable Filipinos, as the deeply religious country begins to confront mental health more openly. In 2018, Macy Castaneda Lee, a 16-year-old Manila high school student, thought about ending it all after grappling with past trauma, including childhood molestation. Now a journalist and founder of the mental health advocacy group Talang Dalisay, Lee has turned that ordeal... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3352252/philippines-youth-suicide-crisis-exposes-struggle-mental-health-support?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3352252/philippines-youth-suicide-crisis-exposes-struggle-mental-health-support?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 05:30:08 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg A new US drawdown of roughly 5,000 troops from Germany over the next year prompted strong questions from both Nato allies and Republicans in Congress. A Nato spokesperson said the defence alliance is looking for details on the US effort, which was announced on Friday, adding that Washington’s move underscores the need for Europe to continue to invest more in its own defence. The alliance remains confident of its ability to provide for deterrence and defence as a shift towards a stronger Europe... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352254/trumps-us-troop-removal-germany-rebuked-republicans-nato?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352254/trumps-us-troop-removal-germany-rebuked-republicans-nato?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 05:13:02 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu Perched above the streets of Tai Hang, the 91-year-old Haw Par Mansion has stood as a watchman to Hong Kong’s evolving history. The mansion and its front garden are the only remaining sections of what was once a sprawling estate and theme park built in the 1930s by the Aw family of Tiger Balm ointment fame. They are striking examples of the period’s architectural hybridity, often called the Chinese Renaissance style. From 2019 to 2022, the restored mansion was used by a music school that the Aw... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3351958/how-hong-kongs-91-year-old-haw-par-mansion-will-transform-new-cultural-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3351958/how-hong-kongs-91-year-old-haw-par-mansion-will-transform-new-cultural-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 04:15:08 +0000 Fiona Chow Fiona Chow Industry leaders from Hong Kong’s property management sector have said a security staff shortfall of up to 25 per cent persists, as they defended a major housing estate’s recruitment of one-third of its guards from across the border. The owners’ corporation of Richland Gardens in Kowloon Bay has come under fire after announcing on social media last week that 31 guards from mainland China would be hired through a government labour scheme. The scheme allows firms to import low-skilled workers if... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352251/property-management-sector-cites-25-guard-shortage-amid-imported-labour-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352251/property-management-sector-cites-25-guard-shortage-amid-imported-labour-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 04:12:43 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth In December 2010, on the final day of his three-day India visit, Chinese premier Wen Jiabao offered a metaphorical vision for bilateral ties, suggesting that “the dragon and the elephant should tango”. The analogy – dragon for China, elephant for India – had already circulated in Western academic and media circles as a comparative frame. With Wen’s remark, it formally entered China’s diplomatic lexicon. Over the past 15 years, through cycles of border tensions and uneasy resets, China’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352233/why-does-china-portray-india-elephant-decoding-politics-animal-analogy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352233/why-does-china-portray-india-elephant-decoding-politics-animal-analogy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 04:00:24 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng China’s smartphone and electronics supply chain is adapting its expertise to support the country’s fledgling but fast-growing humanoid robotics industry, as component suppliers seek new growth beyond a slowing mobile market. The sector received a glimpse of that crossover after Honor’s humanoid robot D1, a dark-horse entrant from the smartphone maker, won Beijing’s recent robot half-marathon, beating established Chinese robotics names such as Unitree. Honor entered the humanoid robotics sector... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3352212/phones-robots-chinas-supply-chain-eyes-next-growth-curve-humanoid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3352212/phones-robots-chinas-supply-chain-eyes-next-growth-curve-humanoid?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 04:00:17 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones In India, cuddly and colourful animals are paraded across Instagram, Facebook and YouTube channels, where free advice is shared on how to raise a lemur – or what to feed an iguana – in congested megacities far from forest habitats. Cuteness has become a commodity in Asia’s social media world, with Thailand’s main airport emerging as a reluctant hub for wild animal smuggling. On Wednesday, a 19-year-old passenger bound for Taipei tried to evade security at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport with... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3352169/how-thailand-transit-hub-feeds-indias-exotic-pet-craze-its-organised-crime?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3352169/how-thailand-transit-hub-feeds-indias-exotic-pet-craze-its-organised-crime?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 04:00:09 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng The eight-year-old son of Guangzhou businessman Terry Fang recently arrived at a blunt conclusion: Chinese tech is “cool”. The boy’s impression was formed not in the classroom, or even online, but through repeated exposure to real-world industrial settings. Earlier this year, Fang took his children to a local low-altitude aviation company, where they watched electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft navigate and avoid obstacles in real time. For China’s urban middle class, hi-tech... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352023/how-chinas-industrial-tourism-boom-creating-new-generation-tech-savvy-children?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352023/how-chinas-industrial-tourism-boom-creating-new-generation-tech-savvy-children?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 03:00:14 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Middle Eastern governments are dusting off decades-old proposals for overland oil and gas pipelines, and urgently drawing up plans for new rail-sea transport corridors in a belated response to the wartime disruption of major maritime trade through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. With the threats to these key shipping lanes and economic infrastructure set to linger after the multifront conflict between the US-Israel alliance and the Iran-led Axis of Resistance draws to a close, other... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3352166/middle-east-states-eye-transport-resilience-new-logistics-corridor-bypass-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3352166/middle-east-states-eye-transport-resilience-new-logistics-corridor-bypass-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 02:30:08 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal China has become one of the largest sources of investment in land parcels and other properties in Singapore, as the safe-haven status of Southeast Asia’s top financial hub continues to attract global capital, according to analysts. China-linked developers and business entities have become more active in the market, said Alan Cheong, executive director for research and consultancy at Savills Singapore. “Chinese developers who have had experience in Singapore are now familiar with the rules,... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3352046/singapores-safe-haven-status-draws-more-chinese-capital-property-sector?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3352046/singapores-safe-haven-status-draws-more-chinese-capital-property-sector?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 02:00:09 +0000 Kitty Tam,Charlie Yip Kitty Tam,Charlie Yip For decades, Hong Kong’s tourism success rested on a clear formula: shopping, dining and urban experiences. That model is losing momentum. Overnight visitor spending has fallen from around HK$193 billion (US$24.6 billion) in 2015 to HK$128 billion last year. Shopping has declined sharply as spending shifts to sightseeing and experiences. Travellers are no longer coming only to consume – they seek a connection to nature, culture and place. This transition presents a clear opportunity. Hong Kong’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3351840/its-not-ecotourism-if-it-risks-damaging-hong-kongs-natural-assets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3351840/its-not-ecotourism-if-it-risks-damaging-hong-kongs-natural-assets?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Members of unlicensed hiking tours were among the hundreds of visitors who packed into Hong Kong’s Ham Tin Wan campsite on the second day of mainland China’s Labour Day “golden week” break. The sink at the scenic Sai Kung hotspot’s only public bathroom was left clogged by food scraps after some visitors opted for hotpot, among other options. On Saturday evening, a South China Morning Post reporter estimated there were about 500 tents at the campsite. According to the Agriculture, Fisheries and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3352243/how-unlicensed-mainland-chinese-tour-groups-cash-hong-kong-campsites?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3352243/how-unlicensed-mainland-chinese-tour-groups-cash-hong-kong-campsites?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 01:00:26 +0000 Akio Takahara Akio Takahara Japan and China are Asian powerhouses that should collaborate responsibly for the peace and prosperity of the region. However, bilateral relations have experienced ups and downs since the start of the century and are now at their lowest point after normalisation in 1972. A major cause of this is the widening perception and information gap between the two nations that needs to be addressed through direct people-to-people contact. Some, perhaps many, misunderstand that Japan and China are always... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3352140/why-japan-china-ties-can-benefit-promoting-people-people-exchanges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3352140/why-japan-china-ties-can-benefit-promoting-people-people-exchanges?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 01:00:22 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan More than 40 years ago, he became the first person from his rural family to study at a university in China. Four decades on he was appointed chancellor of UC Riverside, a prestigious school in the United States. The story of S. Jack Hu, a Chinese-American who is the first individual with a bachelor’s education from mainland China to head a top US institution, has trended on social media, inspiring millions of internet users. The 62-year-old Hu, whose Chinese name is Hu Shixin, hails from a... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3351124/chinese-man-makes-history-first-educator-mainland-university-lead-top-us-institute?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3351124/chinese-man-makes-history-first-educator-mainland-university-lead-top-us-institute?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 01:00:10 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar When Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto recently visited Seoul for a state visit, one of the most memorable moments was a photo that he took with a 19-year-old Indonesian K-pop idol. Nyoman Ayu Carmenita, better known as Carmen of the girl group Hearts2Hearts, symbolises Indonesia’s ascendancy in the K-pop universe: no longer just a vast market for the genre’s stars, with the country increasingly playing a part in the industry’s global growth. Foreign Minister Sugiono said on April 22 that... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3352158/indonesias-aim-lure-more-k-pop-concerts-spurs-chorus-doubts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3352158/indonesias-aim-lure-more-k-pop-concerts-spurs-chorus-doubts?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he was reviewing a new Iranian proposal to end the war. “I’ll let you know about it later,” he said before boarding Air Force One, adding that “they’re going to give me the exact wording now”. Two semi-official Iranian news outlets, Tasnim and Fars, believed to be close to Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, said Iran has sent a 14-point proposal via Pakistan in response to a nine-point US proposal. Pakistan has hosted previous negotiations... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3352245/trump-says-hes-reviewing-new-iran-proposal-end-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3352245/trump-says-hes-reviewing-new-iran-proposal-end-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 23:02:13 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang As the closest mainland Chinese province to Taiwan, Fujian is a key site for Beijing’s messaging towards the island. In the second of a two-part series, Xinlu Liang looks at how the ancestral home village of William Lai Ching-te has become a focus for efforts to promote closer ties based on kinship and religion. The village of Xintian in Fujian province is usually a quiet rural backwater but that changed in November when popular Taiwanese YouTuber and bodybuilder Holger Chen Chih-han descended... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352228/faith-hope-and-ancestry-william-lais-clan-village-beijings-push-cross-strait-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352228/faith-hope-and-ancestry-william-lais-clan-village-beijings-push-cross-strait-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 22:00:12 +0000 Zongshuai Fan Zongshuai Fan Driven by intensifying competition in advanced manufacturing, the world is waking up to “China shock 2.0”. The first “shock”, associated with China’s accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001, focused on low-tech manufacturing. Of course, this latest “shock” isn’t framed as such by Chinese policymakers. They present it as an upgrade in export strength, often described as a shift from the “old three” of textiles, furniture and home appliances to the “new three” of electric vehicles,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3351863/beyond-subsidies-whats-really-driving-chinas-industrial-climb?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3351863/beyond-subsidies-whats-really-driving-chinas-industrial-climb?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 21:30:07 +0000 Reuters Reuters Bankrupt discount carrier Spirit Airlines ceased operations on Saturday, the industry’s first casualty linked to the Iran war, after failing to secure creditor support for a US government bailout plan. The collapse of the carrier following a doubling in jet fuel prices during the two-month-old Iran war will cost thousands of jobs. It is a blow to US President Donald Trump, who had proposed US$500 million to save Spirit despite opposition from some of his closest advisers and many Republicans in... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352244/us-carrier-spirit-airlines-shuts-down-industrys-first-iran-war-casualty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352244/us-carrier-spirit-airlines-shuts-down-industrys-first-iran-war-casualty?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 16:42:36 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A rescue team on Saturday released from a barge in the North Sea a humpback whale that had been stranded in shallow waters near Germany since March, witnesses said. Nicknamed “Timmy” by German media, the whale was spotted swimming near Germany’s Baltic Sea coast on March 3, far from its natural habitat in the Atlantic Ocean. The mammal’s health deteriorated as it became repeatedly stranded in shallow waters near the coastal city of Wismar, and unsuccessful efforts to coax it towards deeper seas... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3352242/humpback-whale-timmy-released-north-sea-after-weeks-stranded-germany?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3352242/humpback-whale-timmy-released-north-sea-after-weeks-stranded-germany?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 16:23:05 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong police have arrested two people on suspicion of burglary after one of them allegedly climbed maintenance work scaffolding at a residential building and prised open window grilles at two homes before stealing HK$6,000 (US$765) in cash. The force also warned on Saturday that it was becoming a trend for burglars to enter flats at buildings undergoing renovation to their exteriors through scaffolding, urging security guards to heighten their vigilance. Cheung Man-tik, a senior inspector... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3352241/building-scaffolding-gives-burglars-easy-access-police-say-after-2-arrested?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3352241/building-scaffolding-gives-burglars-easy-access-police-say-after-2-arrested?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 16:16:21 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen The US Democrats have pursued “selective Trumpification” since losing power in 2024, but their strategy of borrowing from the president’s agenda and mimicking his abrasive style risks undermining their branding as guardians of American institutions, according to a Chinese academic. Two years ago, the Democrats lost the presidency to Donald Trump, along with control of the Senate. That shut them out of power in Washington and left them struggling to regain momentum and political... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352230/can-us-democrats-beat-trump-becoming-more-him-chinese-academic-weighs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352230/can-us-democrats-beat-trump-becoming-more-him-chinese-academic-weighs?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 14:00:09 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung A 25-year-old Hong Kong woman was cheated out of more than HK$2.25 million (US$287,190) in one month after falling prey to a job scam, prompting calls for tighter rules requiring online employment platforms to verify employers. The victim said on Saturday at a press briefing held by the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions that she came across a posting for a “part-time helper” job offering HK$90 an hour in January. She had quit her job as a research assistant at a local university late last... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3352239/she-answered-advert-part-time-helper-then-she-lost-hk225-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3352239/she-answered-advert-part-time-helper-then-she-lost-hk225-million?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 13:37:53 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Beijing has labelled Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s surprise visit to eSwatini, the island’s sole African ally, a political “stunt”. In a Facebook post on Saturday evening, Lai said he arrived earlier in the day. The eSwatini government also confirmed his arrival on its own Facebook page. “Hello to my fellow citizens. I arrived earlier today in our diplomatic ally eSwatini,” Lai wrote, adding that his foreign affairs and security teams had spent days securing a revised route that... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352238/taiwans-william-lai-lands-eswatini-trip-beijing-calls-political-stunt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352238/taiwans-william-lai-lands-eswatini-trip-beijing-calls-political-stunt?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 13:11:49 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A senior Iranian military officer said on Saturday that renewed fighting with the US was “likely”, hours after President Donald Trump said he was not satisfied with an Iranian negotiating proposal. Iran delivered the new draft to mediator Pakistan on Thursday evening, state media reported, without detailing its contents. The war, launched by the United States and Israel in late February, has been on hold since April 8, with one failed round of peace talks having taken place in Pakistan since... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3352237/iran-will-not-accept-imposed-peace-trump-not-satisfied-negotiations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3352237/iran-will-not-accept-imposed-peace-trump-not-satisfied-negotiations?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 13:00:18 +0000 Connor Mycroft,Leopold Chen Connor Mycroft,Leopold Chen Four winning tickets took home over HK$55.7 million (US$7.1 million) each for first prize in Hong Kong’s largest Mark Six jackpot. The Hong Kong Jockey Club, the city’s sole gambling and lottery operator, also said on Saturday that 36.5 units won HK$347,110 for the second-tier prize, while 1,153.7 units each scooped the third-tier prize of HK$29,280. The winning numbers on Saturday were 2, 3, 8, 28, 30, 48, with 9 as the extra number. The total turnover reached about HK$414 million, a more than... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352236/hongkongers-queue-betting-shops-ahead-record-hk228-million-mark-six-draw?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352236/hongkongers-queue-betting-shops-ahead-record-hk228-million-mark-six-draw?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 12:54:12 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang A top US medical anthropologist believes the United States and China must transcend geopolitical tensions and spur a global revolution in “social technology” to survive the looming ageing crisis. Arthur Kleinman, a physician-anthropologist with joint appointments at Harvard University and Harvard Medical School, proposed that the US learn from China’s recent efforts to build a long-term care insurance system, while in return China can take lessons from the US nursing home model. “We have never... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352222/ageing-dilemma-why-robots-cant-save-us-china-us-cooperation-might?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352222/ageing-dilemma-why-robots-cant-save-us-china-us-cooperation-might?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Russian troops are inching towards the city of ⁠Kostiantynivka in Ukraine’s eastern ⁠Donetsk region, trying to establish ⁠a foothold close to a heavily defended area, Ukraine’s top army official said on Saturday. Kostiantynivka, along with other cities, forms a so-called fortress belt in the country’s east – an area well-fortified by the Ukrainian military. “We ‌are repelling the Russian occupiers’ persistent attempts to gain a foothold in the outskirts of Kostiantynivka using infiltration... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3352232/russias-inching-advance-ukraine-approaches-eastern-fortress-belt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3352232/russias-inching-advance-ukraine-approaches-eastern-fortress-belt?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 11:50:32 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hong Kong is expected to experience thunderstorms on Sunday, as a cold front sweeps across the coast of Guangdong and brings temperatures down to as low as about 21 degrees Celsius (69.8 Fahrenheit) a day later. The Observatory said on Saturday that the weather would turn bad late on Sunday, with a trough of low pressure over central China developing into a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3352229/hong-kong-set-thunderstorms-sunday-cold-front-approaches-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3352229/hong-kong-set-thunderstorms-sunday-cold-front-approaches-city?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 11:09:45 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik China Eastern Airlines apologised to passengers on Saturday after one of its aircraft struck a boarding bridge on arrival at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. The Shanghai-based airline said “a mechanical malfunction occurred” as the flight from Chengdu was taxiing slowly towards its gate and the aircraft hit the bridge. The collision was minor and all passengers on board the aircraft were safe, it said. “The flight crew immediately handled it according to established procedures,” China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352227/china-eastern-says-sorry-boarding-bridge-collision-shanghai-airport?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352227/china-eastern-says-sorry-boarding-bridge-collision-shanghai-airport?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 10:52:08 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Hong Kong authorities issued 300 verbal warnings to people visiting Sharp Island on the first day of mainland China’s Labour Day “golden week” holiday, when thousands flocked to see attractions in the city’s Unesco Global Geopark. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said on Saturday that the 3,000 visitors to Sharp Island a day earlier had “exceeded expectations”, prompting the deployment of additional frontline staff. Sai Kung district has become a popular tourist destination... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3352225/300-verbal-warnings-issued-sharp-island-visitors-labour-day?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3352225/300-verbal-warnings-issued-sharp-island-visitors-labour-day?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 10:40:00 +0000 Reuters Reuters A trial beginning ⁠in New Mexico on Monday could prompt a judge to order sweeping changes ⁠to how Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp operate – a move Meta Platforms has warned could force it to withdraw from the state. The case, which will be tried before a judge in Santa Fe, stems from a lawsuit filed by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, a Democrat, accusing the social media giant of designing its products to addict young users and failing to protect children from sexual exploitation on... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352224/new-mexico-trial-citing-public-nuisance-laws-against-meta-social-platforms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352224/new-mexico-trial-citing-public-nuisance-laws-against-meta-social-platforms?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 10:31:24 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong authorities are searching for a 28-year-old man who went hiking and lost contact with his family after a dispute with his girlfriend, with a helicopter deployed to aid in the operation. Police said on Saturday that they received a report at 11.30am from a man who said his younger brother had lost contact with his family after arguing with his girlfriend the evening before. The caller added his brother last posted on social media that he was hiking along the fourth section of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352223/rescuers-search-man-who-went-missing-while-hiking-after-row-girlfriend?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352223/rescuers-search-man-who-went-missing-while-hiking-after-row-girlfriend?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 10:30:30 +0000 Holly Chik,Alyssa Chen Holly Chik,Alyssa Chen US President Donald Trump said he is still planning to travel to China as scheduled this month despite the stalemate in the negotiations with Iran. When asked about the trip to Beijing, Trump told reporters on Friday: “It is going to be amazing. The visit with China and Chairman Xi [Jinping] – that’s going to be great. “We have the trip with China coming up. And I think it will be an amazing event.” Trump had initially planned to visit Beijing in late March, but put the trip back to May 14 and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352220/china-trip-will-go-ahead-planned-and-it-will-be-amazing-trump-insists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352220/china-trip-will-go-ahead-planned-and-it-will-be-amazing-trump-insists?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 10:02:17 +0000 Ng Kang-chung,Natalie Wong Ng Kang-chung,Natalie Wong Hong Kong authorities expect the eastern section of the HK$7 billion (US$893 million) Fanling Bypass, which opens to traffic on Sunday, will prevent congestion ahead of residents moving into a nearby new development area later this year. At the opening ceremony on Saturday, Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho said the 4km (2.49 miles) dual two-lane carriageway was completed just in time to support the Fanling North New Development Area, which is set to welcome its first public... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3352219/new-fanling-bypass-section-prevent-road-congestion-ahead-public-housing-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3352219/new-fanling-bypass-section-prevent-road-congestion-ahead-public-housing-push?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 09:49:56 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung A home in the upscale Shouson Hill area in Hong Kong’s Southern district has been burgled, with luxury watches and foreign currency worth more than HK$1.1 million (US$140,400) stolen. Police are looking into whether the burglars scaled the wall of a vacant neighbouring detached house at Orchid Hill to enter 26 Shouson Hill Road in Deep Water Bay, the South China Morning Post learned. The force responded to a call from a domestic helper at 10.11am on Saturday, after she discovered signs of forced... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3352218/upscale-shouson-hill-house-burgled-hk11-million-watches-foreign-currency-stolen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3352218/upscale-shouson-hill-house-burgled-hk11-million-watches-foreign-currency-stolen?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 09:49:52 +0000