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 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The US does not get to dictate the terms of coming trade talks, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Wednesday, following reports Washington wants an “entry fee” before agreeing to open negotiations. The United States and Canada are set to hold talks on revising a North American free trade agreement, a pact US President Donald Trump signed and praised during his first term but now dismisses as “irrelevant”. Quoting multiple Canadian sources, Canada’s public broadcaster CBC reported on... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351058/trump-team-demands-entry-fee-canada-talks-carney-says-us-doesnt-dictate-terms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351058/trump-team-demands-entry-fee-canada-talks-carney-says-us-doesnt-dictate-terms?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 20:03:47 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Peru’s foreign and defence ministers resigned on Wednesday in protest over the decision by the government to stall a US$3.5 billion deal for the purchase of 24 US F-16 fighter jets. The ministers said Peru’s reputation was in jeopardy after interim president Jose Maria Balcazar said on Tuesday that he would leave it up to the winner of June’s presidential run-off to finalise the agreement. Foreign Minister Hugo de Zela told RPP radio he stood down “because the political decision made by Mr... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3351057/top-peru-ministers-resign-protest-over-stalled-us-fighter-jet-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3351057/top-peru-ministers-resign-protest-over-stalled-us-fighter-jet-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 19:00:36 +0000 Reuters Reuters The United States is concerned that several African countries revoked overflight clearances for Taiwan’s leader at China’s behest, the US State Department said on Wednesday, calling the incident an abuse of the international civil aviation system. Taiwan this week said the Seychelles, Mauritius ‌and Madagascar unilaterally revoked flight permits for leader William Lai Ching-te’s aircraft to cross airspace they manage on a planned trip to eSwatini, one of Taiwan’s allies. It is the first instance... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351056/us-slams-china-after-african-countries-block-taiwan-leaders-eswatini-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351056/us-slams-china-after-african-countries-block-taiwan-leaders-eswatini-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 18:40:29 +0000 Reuters Reuters On the tourist-packed ⁠Rock of Gibraltar, one of the most common sights is monkeys ⁠begging for food – and sometimes stealing sweet and salty snacks from unsuspecting visitors. Scientists now have documented an unusual behaviour among these macaques that may help them ward off a bellyache from all this junk food. Researchers said the monkeys have been observed eating soil more frequently, a behaviour they said may help the macaques avoid stomach upset from consuming human snacks. They found that... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351054/gibraltars-monkeys-may-be-eating-soil-cope-junk-food-tourists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351054/gibraltars-monkeys-may-be-eating-soil-cope-junk-food-tourists?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:19:53 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Families of victims who died in Hong Kong’s Lamma ferry disaster 13 years ago have filed an application for a judicial review against a coroner’s findings in an inquest, saying the conclusions showed irrationality and failed to weigh contradictory evidence. Four individuals lodged the application in the High Court on Wednesday. They acted without lawyers. They want the court to quash the coroner’s findings that a missing watertight door on the ill-fated Lamma IV ferry was a deliberate design... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3351053/families-seek-review-coroners-findings-lamma-ferry-disaster-inquest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3351053/families-seek-review-coroners-findings-lamma-ferry-disaster-inquest?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 16:23:48 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou The on-again, off-again US-Iran peace talks are casting doubt on whether Donald Trump will make his planned visit to Beijing in a few weeks, though the war could raise the diplomatic stakes of the trip if it does go ahead, Chinese observers say. Hours before a two-week ceasefire was set to end, the US president announced on Tuesday that he was prolonging the fragile truce with Iran. That came after Vice-President J.D. Vance’s trip to Pakistan for a second round of peace negotiations was first... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351041/iran-talks-go-nowhere-will-donald-trump-still-go-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351041/iran-talks-go-nowhere-will-donald-trump-still-go-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:00:13 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Families of victims of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs hailed as a “vindication” on Wednesday the International Criminal Court Appeals Chamber’s refusal to throw out the crimes against humanity case against him. Duterte has been held by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague since March 2025 over killings linked to his anti-drugs campaign while he was in office. His lawyers argued that the court had no authority to try him because the Philippines... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351050/icc-chamber-rules-case-against-rodrigo-dutertes-war-drugs-killings-proceed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351050/icc-chamber-rules-case-against-rodrigo-dutertes-war-drugs-killings-proceed?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 14:37:40 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A second French soldier died on Wednesday from wounds suffered in a weekend ambush against UN peacekeepers in Lebanon blamed on Hezbollah, President Emmanuel Macron said. A first soldier, staff sergeant Florian Montorio, was shot dead in the Saturday ambush, for which Hezbollah has denied responsibility. “Corporal Anicet Girardin … brought home yesterday from Lebanon, where he was badly wounded by Hezbollah fighters, died this morning of the consequences of his wounds,” Macron posted on X. One... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351049/second-french-peacekeeper-dies-after-ambush-blamed-hezbollah?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351049/second-french-peacekeeper-dies-after-ambush-blamed-hezbollah?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 14:19:43 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Chinese battery cell manufacturers are poised to benefit from the US-Israeli war in Iran, according to Fitch Ratings, even as fierce competition, overcapacity and thin margins weigh on some downstream firms. Global demand for energy storage was set to rise, driven by high oil prices and rapidly expanding artificial intelligence (AI) data centres, said Wang Ying, a managing director at the credit rating agency. “We believe that China’s leading energy storage cell manufacturers will be the bigger... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3351035/chinas-battery-makers-stand-gain-iran-war-reshapes-energy-storage-demand-fitch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3351035/chinas-battery-makers-stand-gain-iran-war-reshapes-energy-storage-demand-fitch?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 14:00:15 +0000 Minxiao Chang Minxiao Chang As Chinese artificial intelligence companies continue to push for the adoption of their flagship models overseas, they have taken on a new role as a key source of so-called “token exports” to the global market. Chinese AI models accounted for four of the top 10 models in terms of token consumption on popular AI model marketplace OpenRouter from March 18 to April 18, highlighting their growing visibility in global developer usage of AI systems. Domestic token demand has been surging at an... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3351011/can-token-exports-give-china-edge-ai-era?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3351011/can-token-exports-give-china-edge-ai-era?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 14:00:09 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio came under fresh pressure on Wednesday after Philippine lawmakers examining complaints that could lead to her impeachment were shown evidence of bank transactions far larger than the wealth she and her husband had publicly declared. At a House hearing, the Philippines’ anti-money-laundering watchdog said the couple’s bank records from 2006 to 2024 showed 4.4 billion pesos (US$73.2 million) in inflows and 1.5 billion pesos in outflows, despite a declared net... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351047/philippine-lawmakers-examine-gap-sara-dutertes-bank-statements-declared-wealth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351047/philippine-lawmakers-examine-gap-sara-dutertes-bank-statements-declared-wealth?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:38:58 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse British Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisted on Wednesday he would not resign, claiming allegations of misleading MPs over his appointment of a party loyalist as UK envoy to Washington had been “put to bed”. Starmer’s remarks in parliament came as the beleaguered premier faced fresh calls to step down over his admitted error of judgment in appointing veteran former politician Peter Mandelson to the coveted post. The premier spoke to lawmakers a day after the foreign ministry’s most senior... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351046/uk-pm-insists-he-wont-resign-over-mandelson-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351046/uk-pm-insists-he-wont-resign-over-mandelson-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:31:37 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth Washington’s reported plan to have embassies team up with the American military’s “psyops” department to boost the US’ image could backfire and actually damage the country’s credibility, according to analysts. The strategy amounts to using “propaganda to fight the truth”, according to Tad Stoermer, a historian and former lecturer at Johns Hopkins University. Amid slipping global approval, the US is looking to employ shadowy tactics that it previously condemned. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351023/washingtons-psyop-propaganda-push-could-backfire-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351023/washingtons-psyop-propaganda-push-could-backfire-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik China has named the two Pakistani astronauts selected to train for a mission to its space station this year. After undergoing assessments, one of the men would serve as a payload specialist on a space mission alongside the Chinese crew to become the first foreign astronaut to enter the Tiangong space station, state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday. Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud will soon arrive in China for their training, according to the China Manned Space Agency. They were... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3351043/china-names-2-pakistani-astronauts-chosen-train-tiangong-space-station-mission?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3351043/china-names-2-pakistani-astronauts-chosen-train-tiangong-space-station-mission?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:41:50 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong authorities have proposed new offences with tougher punishments for fire installation contractors who fail to obtain prior approval before deactivating firefighting systems or do not report malfunctions within 24 hours, following the city’s deadliest blaze in decades, the South China Morning Post has learned. Other proposed changes included drastically increasing the maximum penalty for existing offences related to the unauthorised handling of fire equipment and the issuance of false... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3351039/tough-punishments-proposed-stop-unapproved-shutdown-firefighting-systems?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3351039/tough-punishments-proposed-stop-unapproved-shutdown-firefighting-systems?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:30:20 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi China’s electric vehicle (EV) makers could introduce a lidar sensor-based intelligent driving system in models priced as low as 60,000 yuan (US$8,795) this year, reflecting intensifying competition and falling costs, according to AI-driven tech firm Robosense. This price point is the lowest for models on sale in China’s market, excluding mini vehicles sold for less than 50,000 yuan, indicating fierce competition among Chinese carmakers amid the phasing out of policy incentives. Notably, light... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3350948/chinas-low-cost-evs-be-fitted-lidar-systems-usually-reserved-luxury-models?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3350948/chinas-low-cost-evs-be-fitted-lidar-systems-usually-reserved-luxury-models?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:30:16 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao The Iran crisis loomed large in discussions when Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu ‌Dhabi, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez met President Xi Jinping on separate visits to Beijing last week. Both meetings focused on the need for a comprehensive and sustainable security architecture for the Middle East. This week, on a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Xi reiterated China’s support for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3350462/how-chinas-patient-diplomacy-can-help-secure-peace-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3350462/how-chinas-patient-diplomacy-can-help-secure-peace-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:30:10 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei PLA warships transited sensitive international waterways off southwestern Japan twice this week, a rare move seen as a clear warning to Tokyo over its recent actions relating to Taiwan. The transits marked the start and end of exercises in the western Pacific, outbound through the Yokoate Channel on Sunday and back via the Yonaguni-Iriomote Waterway on Wednesday. In a statement on Wednesday, the Eastern Theatre Command of the People’s Liberation Army said: “[We] have organised the 133rd Fleet to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351040/warning-over-taiwan-pla-warships-make-rare-transits-southwest-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351040/warning-over-taiwan-pla-warships-make-rare-transits-southwest-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:24:14 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Nepal’s home minister stepped down on Wednesday over growing criticism of his finances after less than a month in office he won on an anti-corruption platform. Sudan Gurung, a key figure in the Gen-Z protests last September that toppled Nepal’s previous government, said he was stepping down to ensure a “fair investigation”. “I have resigned from the position of Home Minister with effect from today,” the 38-year-old posted on his social media accounts. “For me, morality is greater than a position... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3351038/nepal-minister-quits-amid-financial-scrutiny-after-just-weeks-office?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3351038/nepal-minister-quits-amid-financial-scrutiny-after-just-weeks-office?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:13:34 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu The bourse operators of Hong Kong and Malaysia are exploring a range of collaborations, from dual listings and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to Islamic finance, to forge closer ties between the city and the Southeast Asian country. Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) CEO Bonnie Chan Yiting and Boursa Malaysia CEO Dato Fad’l Mohamed unveiled their joint development plans in a media briefing in Hong Kong on Wednesday as HKEX hosted the 40th Asian and Oceanian Stock Exchanges Federation (AOSEF)... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3351005/hong-kong-malaysia-stock-exchanges-team-etfs-listings-islamic-finance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3351005/hong-kong-malaysia-stock-exchanges-team-etfs-listings-islamic-finance?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 11:30:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The United Nations voiced alarm on Wednesday at the number of people being executed in Singapore for drug-related offences, saying it was incompatible with human dignity. UN rights chief Volker Turk said there had been a general shift away from the use of capital punishment in Asia, and Singapore was one of only a few countries imposing the death penalty for drug-related crimes not involving intentional killing. The death penalty is mandatory in Singapore for drug trafficking above certain... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3351031/un-alarmed-singapore-executions-drug-related-offences?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3351031/un-alarmed-singapore-executions-drug-related-offences?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 11:21:43 +0000 Lawrence Chung,Xinlu Liang Lawrence Chung,Xinlu Liang Beijing has praised the decision by three African countries to deny overflight clearance for Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te, whose trip to eSwatini was cancelled a day before his scheduled departure. Lai had been due to leave on Wednesday for a five-day trip to eSwatini, the only African country that maintains diplomatic ties with Taiwan, to attend celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of King Mswati’s accession and his 58th birthday. But Lai’s office announced late on Tuesday that... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351028/does-william-lais-cancelled-eswatini-trip-show-beijings-reach-africa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351028/does-william-lais-cancelled-eswatini-trip-show-beijings-reach-africa?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 11:01:10 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang China is embarking on a sweeping overhaul of its industrial architecture, aiming to fuse software and steel as part of a 100-trillion-yuan (US$14.7 trillion) undertaking to modernise its service sector while pushing manufacturing into the future. The State Council’s blueprint, unveiled on Tuesday, said the valuation target for the service sector was achievable by 2030 as advanced manufacturing increasingly becomes fused with specialised technical support. Analysts say Beijing’s plan will help... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3351021/china-fuse-software-and-steel-us14tr-sector-fix-weak-links-worlds-factory?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3351021/china-fuse-software-and-steel-us14tr-sector-fix-weak-links-worlds-factory?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 11:00:15 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu More than 600 Hongkongers aged 60 and above have failed to repay their student loans under five government schemes funding tertiary and post-secondary studies, with the average amount owed standing at HK$17,400 (US$2,220). In a reply to questions from lawmakers on Wednesday, the Education Bureau said it had recorded 9,838 default cases involving 8,494 individuals under the five schemes as of January 31 this year, with outstanding amounts totalling nearly HK$126 million. The schemes provide... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3351025/611-elderly-hongkongers-default-student-loans-owe-hk17400-each-average?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3351025/611-elderly-hongkongers-default-student-loans-owe-hk17400-each-average?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:51:10 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Authorities have found the body of one of the six missing crew members from a cargo ship that overturned near the Northern Mariana Islands during a typhoon. US Air Force divers “used an underwater remotely operated drone to search the interior of the vessel” and recovered the body on Tuesday, the US Coast Guard said in a news release. Additional divers from the Japan Coast Guard further examined the ship. They did not find any additional crew members, the US Coast Guard said. “Coastguard... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351024/searchers-find-body-1-6-missing-crew-members-after-super-typhoon-overturns-ship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351024/searchers-find-body-1-6-missing-crew-members-after-super-typhoon-overturns-ship?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:48:53 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Iran fired on three ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, underscoring the ongoing threat to global energy supplies and complicating efforts to bring the United States and Iran together for talks to end the war. The attacks, which Iranian media said were carried out by Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, came after US President Donald Trump said the US would indefinitely extend the ceasefire with Iran, due to expire on Wednesday. But Trump said the US would continue to blockade... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3351022/iran-fires-3-ships-strait-hormuz-after-trump-extends-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3351022/iran-fires-3-ships-strait-hormuz-after-trump-extends-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:25:08 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu The Hollywood film The Devil Wears Prada 2 is facing accusations of racism in China after it released a clip that shows a nerdy Asian character with a name that allegedly sounds similar to the derogatory “Ching Chong”. In the clip posted by a Chinese influencer, an Asian assistant character introduces herself as “Jin Chao”, which many online observers believed to sound like “Ching Chong”, a derogatory racist slur used to mock the Chinese language and people. The character’s name, Jin Chao, was... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3350984/devil-wears-prada-2-criticised-offending-china-introducing-chin-chou-nerdy-character?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3350984/devil-wears-prada-2-criticised-offending-china-introducing-chin-chou-nerdy-character?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:10:46 +0000 Brian Wong,Leopold Chen Brian Wong,Leopold Chen A public inquiry into Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades has exposed confusion among government agencies over their roles in supervising large renovation projects, with a fire services officer insisting on Wednesday that his department was not responsible for handling complaints about flammable building materials because it lacked construction expertise. Hours after the hearing, the Fire Services Department announced it would launch a new mechanism this month for handling cases involving fire... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351019/confusion-over-government-agencies-roles-fire-oversight-tai-po-probe-reveals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351019/confusion-over-government-agencies-roles-fire-oversight-tai-po-probe-reveals?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:00:18 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A French campaign group said on Wednesday it has sued companies selling nitrous oxide – also known as laughing gas – using what the activists alleged was “deceptive” marketing targeting young people, despite the health impacts. The Antoine Alleno Association – a road safety group headed by Michelin-starred chef Yannick Alleno, whose son was killed in 2022 by a speeding driver – said it had filed the legal action against the companies behind Cream Deluxe, which markets colourful canisters of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351016/french-activists-sue-deceptive-laughing-gas-suppliers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351016/french-activists-sue-deceptive-laughing-gas-suppliers?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:34:48 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela China has launched what it calls the world’s first “panoramic” carbon accounting system, a model that revises down the country’s emissions compared to other estimates and raises them for the United States. Unlike other models that assign responsibility for emissions based on total carbon output from facilities such as power plants and factories, the new model gives greater weight to the consumers of products. Developed by the Shanghai Advanced Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3351009/how-chinas-new-ai-carbon-accounting-model-points-finger-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3351009/how-chinas-new-ai-carbon-accounting-model-points-finger-us?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:21:20 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump announced a last-minute indefinite extension of a ceasefire with Iran and downplayed reports about an intercepted ship carrying a “gift from China” to Tehran. The US would avoid military action against Iran “until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal”, Trump said on social media on Tuesday. He cited a request from Pakistan as a reason for reversing earlier threats to resume bombing if no deal was reached. Prospects for new... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3351006/trump-extends-iran-war-ceasefire-strait-shutdown-drags?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3351006/trump-extends-iran-war-ceasefire-strait-shutdown-drags?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:16:45 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Asia is entering a dangerous summer for food production as scientists warn of a “super El Nino” suppressing rainfall while the war on Iran drives up energy and fertiliser costs for farmers. India’s Meteorological Department has forecast a below-average monsoon, after two successive years of above-normal rains, while in Australia – a major wheat producer and exporter – a shortage of farm inputs and persistent dryness has reportedly pushed planting acreage to a seven-year low. Farmers across South... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3350988/asia-braces-food-shortages-super-el-nino-iran-war-effects-collide?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3350988/asia-braces-food-shortages-super-el-nino-iran-war-effects-collide?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:00:38 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Flights between China and Japan faced even more cancellations in March – with further cuts expected during the coming Labour Day holiday – as political tensions between the Asian neighbours continue to simmer. A total of 2,691 China-Japan flights were scrapped last month, according to figures from the data platform DAST cited by Chinese media outlet Yicai. That brought the cancellation rate to nearly 50 per cent, 1.1 percentage points higher than February. Only 2,711 flights between the two... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350995/2700-china-japan-flights-axed-march-rift-between-asian-powers-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350995/2700-china-japan-flights-axed-march-rift-between-asian-powers-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:00:17 +0000 Advertising partner Advertising partner [The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] Octopus is moving further into Hong Kong’s transport system with the rollout of a taxi booking feature in its app, as the city steps up efforts to modernise a traditionally cash-heavy sector through regulation and fintech. The new “Easy Ride” feature allows passengers to book, ride and pay for taxis in a single interface, expanding the company’s role in transport from fare settlement to journey co-ordination. The launch... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/topics/octopus-easy-ride/article/3350940/from-tap-to-taxi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/topics/octopus-easy-ride/article/3350940/from-tap-to-taxi?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:00:16 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Eight mainland China-based companies – five of them biotech firms – passed listing hearings on the Hong Kong stock market in April, clearing the way for them to tap the city’s deep liquidity. The influx, including an AI-driven drug discovery firm, a driverless technology developer and a maker of industrial robots, comes as the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) has been pushing private firms to list in Hong Kong. The market regulator has required companies that established so-called... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3351001/biotech-led-boom-8-china-firms-flock-hong-kongs-thriving-stock-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3351001/biotech-led-boom-8-china-firms-flock-hong-kongs-thriving-stock-market?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 08:53:15 +0000 Advertising partner Advertising partner [The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] The Hong Kong Sevens concluded successfully this evening (19 April) at Kai Tak  Stadium with The Hong Kong Jockey Club having supported the tournament for the fifth consecutive year as the Official Community Partner. This year, the Club has also become  the Official Community Partner of the Hong Kong Football Club 10s for the first time. Through a series of community programmes, the Club enabled over 12,000 people to... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/topics/hkjc-backs-sevens-community-focus/article/3350810/jockey-club-supports-international-rugby-events-community-programmes-benefiting-over-12000-people?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/topics/hkjc-backs-sevens-community-focus/article/3350810/jockey-club-supports-international-rugby-events-community-programmes-benefiting-over-12000-people?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 08:48:25 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma US Federal Reserve chair nominee Kevin Warsh’s policy vision – outlined during his Senate confirmation hearing – signals an extension of “America First” into monetary policy, Chinese analysts said. “Warsh’s policy proposals … mark a shift from acting as a ‘global central bank’ supplying unlimited liquidity worldwide to a new approach focused on tightly controlling the overall monetary spigot, prioritising domestic productivity and emphasising monetary sovereignty,” analysts at China... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350993/america-first-fed-trump-nominee-kevin-warsh-signals-monetary-sovereignty-push-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350993/america-first-fed-trump-nominee-kevin-warsh-signals-monetary-sovereignty-push-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 08:30:14 +0000 Warwick Powell Warwick Powell In the spring of 2026, amid a fragile ceasefire in the Strait of Hormuz, President Donald Trump continues to insist that the United States is untouched by disruptions in the Persian Gulf. “We don’t use it”, he has claimed, echoing years of “energy dominance” rhetoric. The numbers tell a different story. The United States remains a net importer of crude oil. Its refineries are engineered for the medium sour barrels that flow through the Hormuz Strait. And the global price shock triggered by the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3350726/iran-war-reflects-false-promise-us-energy-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3350726/iran-war-reflects-false-promise-us-energy-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 08:30:09 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk The magnitude 7.7 earthquake that hit Japan on Monday has renewed worries on Indonesia’s holiday island of Bali, which sits on the same Pacific Ring of Fire. Hours after the quake, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a special advisory warning of a slightly elevated risk of a temblor with a magnitude of 8 or stronger in the coming days. It said there was a 1 per cent chance of a megaquake, compared with 0.1 per cent at other times. Monday’s temblor came just days after the Bali Meteorology,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3350994/why-japans-earthquake-has-bali-edge-over-magnitude-9-megathrust-risk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3350994/why-japans-earthquake-has-bali-edge-over-magnitude-9-megathrust-risk?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 08:15:53 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow In the first of a three-part series on Anthropic’s new powerful Mythos AI model, we look at its impact on Chinese AI, cybersecurity and competition with the US. US start-up Anthropic announced its latest artificial intelligence model Claude Mythos Preview on April 7, sparking an unprecedented global response among policymakers and regulators due to its powerful ability to identify and exploit cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Instead of a public release, Anthropic released Mythos to a consortium of... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3350987/anthropics-mythos-stoking-cybersecurity-fears-what-does-it-mean-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3350987/anthropics-mythos-stoking-cybersecurity-fears-what-does-it-mean-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 08:00:08 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau The geopolitical fallout from the Strait of Hormuz chokehold in the Middle East is just a “dry run”, with the Pacific being where the real action will occur if superpowers were to clash, Singapore’s top diplomat has warned. Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan also revealed on Wednesday that Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia shared an interest in keeping the Strait of Malacca open, even under the spectre of tolls being imposed on the strategic Southeast Asian waterway. His stance however... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350983/singapores-balakrishnan-warns-hormuz-just-dry-run-if-us-china-clash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350983/singapores-balakrishnan-warns-hormuz-just-dry-run-if-us-china-clash?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:45:45 +0000 Kristen Cheung Kristen Cheung Hong Kong residents, from housewives to stay-at-home mothers and couples, have rushed to theatres to secure HK$30 (US$4) tickets for Cinema Day, with many calling for even more discounts and family-friendly perks on other occasions. Before sales opened at noon on Wednesday, some customers started queuing up from as early as 10.30am at Star Cinema in Tseung Kwan O to get discounted tickets for screenings this Saturday. A housewife surnamed Ho was the first in line and hoped to get discounted... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350982/hong-kong-residents-flock-theatres-buy-advanced-hk30-cinema-day-tickets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350982/hong-kong-residents-flock-theatres-buy-advanced-hk30-cinema-day-tickets?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:41:48 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China is backing Namibia’s bid to move beyond raw material exports by supporting the domestic processing of critical minerals and uranium. In a joint communique issued on Friday following talks in Beijing between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his counterpart, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, China pledged to help transform Namibia’s natural resources into higher-value products through domestic processing and downstream cooperation. Namibia has exported unprocessed minerals for decades. It is now seeking... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350979/why-china-backs-namibias-nuclear-fuel-rod-production?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350979/why-china-backs-namibias-nuclear-fuel-rod-production?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:37:16 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Schools in India’s capital must ring regular bells to remind schoolchildren to drink water as the megacity gears up to face heatwave conditions, a new city order has said. Summer heat in the world’s most populous nation can be brutal – putting millions of people at risk, with nearly 11,000 people dying due to heatstroke between 2012 and 2021, according to government data. A heatwave in May 2024 in New Delhi saw temperatures match the capital’s previous record high: 49.2 degrees Celsius (120... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3350972/delhi-schools-sound-alarm-and-water-bell-india-sizzles-brutal-heatwave?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3350972/delhi-schools-sound-alarm-and-water-bell-india-sizzles-brutal-heatwave?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:14:07 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Mexico’s government said it was bolstering security at tourist sites after a man opened fire on tourists at pyramids outside Mexico City less than two months before the Fifa World Cup. The Monday shooting, carried out by a lone gunman on top of one of the Teotihuacan pyramids – a Unesco World Heritage Site and one of Mexico’s most frequented tourist attractions – killed one Canadian tourist and injured a dozen more. It also set off a flurry of questions the next morning by reporters to Mexican... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3350975/world-cup-co-host-mexico-ramps-security-tourist-sites-after-shooting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3350975/world-cup-co-host-mexico-ramps-security-tourist-sites-after-shooting?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:06:18 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A Chinese woman who tried to copy a recently viral lamp post climbing challenge got herself stuck and had to call the police to rescue her. The woman, surnamed Song, from eastern China’s Jiangsu province, was out for an after-dinner walk when she decided to take on the challenge. The self-rescue challenge requires people to cross their legs around a lamp post, remain in a sitting position then try to free themselves. As easy as this may sound, many people have been shocked to discover that they... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3350294/climbing-lamp-posts-cross-legged-challenge-goes-viral-china-players-often-needing-rescue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3350294/climbing-lamp-posts-cross-legged-challenge-goes-viral-china-players-often-needing-rescue?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:08 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li The first locally recorded case of dengue fever in Hong Kong in more than a year indicates that undiagnosed imported cases may lead to an outbreak in the coming months, a health official has warned, while stressing that the risk is preventable. The warning by Albert Au Ka-wing, head of the Centre for Health Protection’s communicable disease branch, came after the dengue fever case – involving a patient with no travel history – was recorded in Tai Po last Thursday. “The first local dengue fever... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3350971/first-local-dengue-case-could-lead-outbreak-coming-months-health-official-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3350971/first-local-dengue-case-could-lead-outbreak-coming-months-health-official-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 05:41:47 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Myanmar’s military-backed rulers have shaved time off Aung San Suu Kyi’s prison sentence and freed thousands of detainees, but analysts say the apparent goodwill gestures tell a story of a regime growing bolder, not more merciful. The government last week announced an amnesty for 4,335 prisoners, its third in six months, and reduced by a sixth the 27-year sentence of the 80-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate Suu Kyi, who has not been seen in public since her criminal trials ended in December... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350967/why-myanmars-token-amnesties-are-no-cause-celebration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350967/why-myanmars-token-amnesties-are-no-cause-celebration?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 05:25:30 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Florida on Tuesday announced a criminal probe into whether artificial intelligence played a role in a deadly mass shooting at a university in the US state. The decision to launch an investigation came after prosecutors reviewed exchanges between OpenAI chatbot ChatGPT and the suspected gunman, who opened fire at Florida State University last year, according to state Attorney General James Uthmeier. “If ChatGPT were a person, it would be facing charges for murder,” Uthmeier said. Florida law... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350966/florida-investigating-chatgpt-role-mass-shooting-university?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350966/florida-investigating-chatgpt-role-mass-shooting-university?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 05:22:14 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing The MTR Corporation has sold HK$18.8 billion (US$2.4 billion) in green bonds, setting a Hong Kong dollar-denominated issuance record and marking its first publicly offered bond in the local currency market, as it seeks to diversify funding for a raft of projects. The rail giant said on Wednesday that it sold five-, 10- and 30-year bonds, with the size of each tranche also representing the largest for their respective tenors to date. Together with its inaugural Australian dollar-denominated green... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350965/hong-kongs-mtr-corp-sells-record-hk188-billion-green-bonds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350965/hong-kongs-mtr-corp-sells-record-hk188-billion-green-bonds?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 05:19:23 +0000