Clear filters Clear Filters
Brazil’s rare earths will not loosen China’s magnet grip this decade, researchers say
SCMP •

Brazil’s rare earths will not loosen China’s magnet grip this decade, researchers say

Brazil will not be able to make rare earth magnets from its own raw materials before 2032, the coordinator of the country’s main magnet pilot plant said on Wednesday, leaving China’s near monopoly on the technology intact for years to come. Andre Luis Pimenta de Faria, who runs the plant for Senai, the research and training arm of Brazil’s national industry confederation, told a public policy pane...

US Patriot missile shortage in Europe ‘beyond critical’ due to Iran war, officials say
SCMP •

US Patriot missile shortage in Europe ‘beyond critical’ due to Iran war, officials say

The US military is experiencing a “beyond critical” shortage of advanced missile interceptors in Europe largely driven by US President Donald Trump’s war with Iran, an American defence official in Europe and a Nato official said, raising concerns about vulnerabilities in Nato countries to a potential Russian attack. The US defence official said the most concerning shortfall involves Patriot missil...

Foreigners jostle to secure UK residency rights before rules tighten
SCMP •

Foreigners jostle to secure UK residency rights before rules tighten

The United Kingdom has seen a spike in the number of migrants applying for citizenship and permanent settlement ahead of a planned government clampdown. Government data shows what appears to be a rush to secure residency rights in response to changes announced by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood that would force migrants to wait longer before they can gain them. The Home Office said 199,628 people w...

Hong Kong officer charged over indecent messages to suspect’s friend
SCMP •

Hong Kong officer charged over indecent messages to suspect’s friend

A Hong Kong police officer has been charged with misconduct after allegedly sending obscene messages and photos to a woman friend of a suspect in a criminal investigation. Officers from the New Territories South regional crime unit detained the 32‑year‑old man in Tuen Mun on August 20, a police spokesman said on Thursday. During an investigation into a case in May last year, the officer from Kwai ...

Officer charged after allegedly sending indecent messages to suspect’s friend

Officer charged after allegedly sending indecent messages to suspect’s friend

SCMP •

A Hong Kong police officer has been charged with misconduct after allegedly sending obscene messages and photos to a woman friend of a suspect in a criminal investigation. Officers from the New Territories South regional crime unit detained the 32‑year‑old man in Tuen Mun on August 20, a police spokesman said on Thursday. During an investigation into a case in May last year, the officer from Kwai ...

US singer Post Malone delays Hong Kong concert, sparking fan complaints

US singer Post Malone delays Hong Kong concert, sparking fan complaints

SCMP •

American singer and rapper Post Malone has postponed his coming Hong Kong show, prompting complaints from disappointed fans in mainland China who said they had already booked holiday leave and hotels. Announcing the decision on social media on Thursday, concert organiser Live Nation Hong Kong said the September 16 show at Kai Tak Stadium had been postponed. The statement, which gave no reason for ...

US singer Post Malone postpones Hong Kong concert, sparking fan complaints

US singer Post Malone postpones Hong Kong concert, sparking fan complaints

SCMP •

American singer and rapper Post Malone has postponed his coming Hong Kong show, prompting complaints from disappointed fans in mainland China who said they had already booked holiday leave and hotels. Announcing the decision on social media on Thursday, concert organiser Live Nation Hong Kong said the September 16 show at Kai Tak Stadium had been postponed. The statement, which gave no reason for ...

Why climate extremes will not stop expansion of China’s nuclear power industry

Why climate extremes will not stop expansion of China’s nuclear power industry

SCMP •

While extreme weather is disrupting nuclear power generation in some parts of the world, it is unlikely to derail China’s rapid expansion in the sector, according to an industry specialist. The unusually hot and dry summer has disrupted reactors across Europe, forcing units to shut down from France to Romania, as river levels have fallen and water temperatures risen. France – where nuclear account...

China and Iran sanctions: what US moves mean for Beijing, and its retaliation options

China and Iran sanctions: what US moves mean for Beijing, and its retaliation options

SCMP •

The United States has imposed sweeping sanctions on nearly 60 Iran-linked entities, spanning digital assets, technology, gold, aviation and shipping, as Washington seeks to “sever every economic lifeline” that sustains Tehran. Beijing denounced the measures, with the Chinese foreign ministry calling them “illegal unilateral sanctions” and vowing to “take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard ...

Bosnian Serb commander and war criminal Ratko Mladic dies in prison

Bosnian Serb commander and war criminal Ratko Mladic dies in prison

SCMP •

Ratko Mladic, the former Bosnian Serb military chief dubbed the “Butcher of Bosnia” for his role in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, has died, Serbian state broadcaster RTS reported on Thursday. Mladic, 84, who had suffered several strokes in recent months, was serving a life sentence in The Hague for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity after overseeing the Srebrenica slaughter, Europe’s...

Hong Kong arts figures, fans pay tribute to Yayoi Kusama after her death at 97

Hong Kong arts figures, fans pay tribute to Yayoi Kusama after her death at 97

SCMP •

Hong Kong fans and cultural figures have paid tribute to Japanese avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama following her death at 97, saying her legacy will inspire generations to come. Among those expressing sadness on Thursday were West Kowloon Cultural District Authority board chairman Bernard Chan and local design studio AllRightsReserved. Adrian Cheng Chi-kong, former CEO of developer New World Develo...

Hong Kong arts figures, fans pay tribute to Yayoi Kusama after artist’s death at 97

Hong Kong arts figures, fans pay tribute to Yayoi Kusama after artist’s death at 97

SCMP •

Hong Kong fans and cultural figures have paid tribute to Japanese avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama following her death at 97, saying her legacy will inspire generations to come. Among those expressing sadness on Thursday were West Kowloon Cultural District Authority board chairman Bernard Chan and local design studio AllRightsReserved. Adrian Cheng Chi-kong, former CEO of developer New World Develo...

India’s missile tech transfer to firms signals defence self-reliance on track

India’s missile tech transfer to firms signals defence self-reliance on track

SCMP •

India is turning to its private industry to help produce missiles, hoping a wider manufacturing base can cut its import dependence while boosting its defence export capacity and deterrence against Pakistan and China. But India’s push towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing is still a distant goal, according to analysts, citing its missile supply chain’s dependence on imported components, wh...

Alibaba pushes into South America’s AI market with launch of Brazil data centres

Alibaba pushes into South America’s AI market with launch of Brazil data centres

SCMP •

Alibaba Group Holding has launched its first data centres in South America, as the Chinese technology giant ramps up its artificial intelligence infrastructure buildout in emerging markets amid an intensifying US-China AI rivalry. The Hangzhou-based company announced on Thursday that its new Brazilian venture would operate two data centres offering local enterprises secure cloud infrastructure and...

US lawmakers condemn right-wing podcast’s calls for Chinese-American internment

US lawmakers condemn right-wing podcast’s calls for Chinese-American internment

SCMP •

Asian-American lawmakers in the US Congress have condemned a right-wing podcast that called for the forced internment of Chinese-Americans during a hypothetical war with Beijing, warning that such rhetoric fuelled hate against the community. The joint statement was released by congresswomen Grace Meng, chairwoman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (Capac), and Judy Chu, Capac’s cha...

China and Nepal built an early warning system for melting glaciers in Himalayas. Does it work?

China and Nepal built an early warning system for melting glaciers in Himalayas. Does it work?

SCMP •

Chinese scientists have developed a cross-border early warning system with counterparts in Nepal to monitor Himalayan glacial lake outburst floods. The system has issued timely alerts over the past several years, effectively preventing casualties. But on Wednesday, a high-altitude ice-rock avalanche took everyone by surprise. The debris flow hit a river in Nepal, generating a devastating flash flo...

Hong Kong parents to get alerts over teens’ self-harm searches on Instagram

Hong Kong parents to get alerts over teens’ self-harm searches on Instagram

SCMP •

Meta Platforms is rolling out new Instagram alerts in Hong Kong to notify parents when their teenagers repeatedly search for suicide- or self-harm-related terms within a short period, as part of broader efforts to strengthen parental controls and online safety for young users. The global technology conglomerate said the alerts, which began rolling out to users this month, would be triggered by rep...

Bond market revolt signals fading confidence in US economic leadership

Bond market revolt signals fading confidence in US economic leadership

SCMP •

Two years ago, the prospect of a trade war between the United States and Canada, two of the world’s most closely integrated economies, would have been unthinkable. However, US President Donald Trump’s recklessness and capriciousness know no bounds. Last week’s breakdown in negotiations between the North American neighbours, which triggered the imposition of US tariffs of 50 per cent on a wide rang...

Himalayan glacier collapse hits crucial China-Nepal trade route as casualties mount

Himalayan glacier collapse hits crucial China-Nepal trade route as casualties mount

SCMP •

The catastrophic flash floods and mudslide that devastated the Gyirong Port crossing along the China-Nepal border on Wednesday have dealt a heavy blow to China-Nepal trade and imperilled Kathmandu’s push to cut reliance on Indian transit routes. However, if Beijing and Kathmandu are to proceed with ambitious infrastructure projects, they are expected to take environmental factors into consideratio...

Iran endures 6 months of US strikes as Trump’s war goals hit ‘dangerous impasse’

Iran endures 6 months of US strikes as Trump’s war goals hit ‘dangerous impasse’

SCMP •

The Iran war has reached its endgame: a costly stalemate. Six months after US and Israeli ⁠forces attacked Iran, killing its supreme leader and maiming his son and successor, the Iranian government is under economic siege, but it still holds power and believes it has time on its side. A threat by US President Donald Trump to impose crippling new sanctions on Iran faces a fundamental problem: Tehra...

‘Strong signal’: South Korea raises rates again to fight inflation, rising home prices

‘Strong signal’: South Korea raises rates again to fight inflation, rising home prices

SCMP •

South Korea’s central bank has raised interest rates for a second straight month, with analysts saying its semiconductor boom has given policymakers room to confront inflation, a weak won and rising home prices, but at the cost of a deeper squeeze on indebted households and small businesses. The Bank of Korea (BOK) lifted its benchmark rate by 0.25 percentage point to 3.0 per cent on Thursday, a m...

3 women charged over Hong Kong play-area brawl, police say grandmother was hit first

3 women charged over Hong Kong play-area brawl, police say grandmother was hit first

SCMP •

Three women have been charged after a brawl broke out in a children’s play area at a Hong Kong shopping centre, igniting heated debate across the city. Police released new details of their investigation on Thursday, saying the 68‑year‑old woman seen in a viral video slapping a young girl was struck first. Footage widely circulated online shows the elderly woman, who was visiting the play zone with...

Hong Kong to launch free AI courses with tech giants Google, Microsoft for SMEs

Hong Kong to launch free AI courses with tech giants Google, Microsoft for SMEs

SCMP •

Free courses coordinated by the Hong Kong government will leverage the expertise of tech giants such as Google and Microsoft to help boost the adoption of AI by businesses for content creation, data analysis and workflow efficiency. The Hong Kong Productivity Council on Thursday announced the launch of the programme targeting industries such as education, healthcare, manufacturing, retail and logi...

Russia lashes out at UK, France over Ukraine missile technology transfer

Russia lashes out at UK, France over Ukraine missile technology transfer

SCMP •

Russian ⁠foreign ⁠ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova ⁠said on Thursday that Russia could strike British military targets inside and outside Ukraine ‌in response to Ukrainian strikes on Russia using British missiles. Zakharova called on Britain to back off what she called London’s hostile ⁠stance on Ukraine, which she said ‌risked taking the conflict to an entirely new level. She ‌had told the sa...

Flights, ferries cancelled in Shanghai and Shenzhen as Typhoon Saudel closes in

Flights, ferries cancelled in Shanghai and Shenzhen as Typhoon Saudel closes in

SCMP •

The coastal Chinese province of Zhejiang is battening down for the approach of Typhoon Saudel, with flights cancelled across the area. The eastern province is home to a number of major commercial centres, including the industrial hub of Ningbo, the port city of Zhoushan, and Wenzhou. Ningbo Lishe International Airport said flights in and out of the facility would be suspended from 11.30pm on Thurs...

Viral China maths genius’ new workbook sells 26,000 copies in 4 days, sparking mixed reactions

Viral China maths genius’ new workbook sells 26,000 copies in 4 days, sparking mixed reactions

SCMP •

A famous Chinese mathematician known for his dishevelled genius image recently began selling workbooks for primary and secondary school students, which were quickly sold out within days. Wei Dongyi, 35, is an associate professor in the Mathematics Department at Peking University. He gained instant fame in 2021 after a vox pop on the Peking University campus. In the video, he appears dressed simply...

Viral China maths genius new workbook sells 26,000 copies in 4 days, sparking mixed reactions

Viral China maths genius new workbook sells 26,000 copies in 4 days, sparking mixed reactions

SCMP •

A famous Chinese mathematician known for his dishevelled genius image recently began selling workbooks for primary and secondary school students, which were quickly sold out within days. Wei Dongyi, 35, is an associate professor in the Mathematics Department at Peking University. He gained instant fame in 2021 after a vox pop on the Peking University campus. In the video, he appears dressed simply...

Singapore MP opposes Temasek funding for Air India amid US$1.5 billion plea

Singapore MP opposes Temasek funding for Air India amid US$1.5 billion plea

SCMP •

A Singapore opposition lawmaker has urged that state investor Temasek’s money not be used to shore up Air India, after the Indian carrier had asked owners Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, which Temasek majority-owns, for US$1.5 billion. Kenneth Tiong, a member of parliament for the opposition Workers’ Party, said ‌in a social media post on Wednesday that because Singapore Airlines owns about 25 p...

Unitree’s stock slump since IPO stokes fears of a bubble in Chinese humanoid robotics

Unitree’s stock slump since IPO stokes fears of a bubble in Chinese humanoid robotics

SCMP •

Shares in Chinese robotics star Unitree Robotics rebounded on Thursday following five straight days of losses that erased nearly half of its market value, although it did little to cool fears of a Chinese humanoid robot bubble. The stock rose nearly 4 per cent to close at 615 yuan on Thursday, giving the company a market capitalisation of 248.8 billion yuan (US$37 billion), after touching a record...