Clear filters Clear Filters
Malaysia’s 10% US tariff beats regional rivals, but for how long?
SCMP

Malaysia’s 10% US tariff beats regional rivals, but for how long?

Malaysia has won a small victory in Washington’s tariff wars, securing a 10 per cent rate that leaves it better placed than four of its Southeast Asian neighbours in the scramble for US orders. Economists warn the narrow advantage may prove fleeting, however, as it hinges on Kuala Lumpur fulfilling its promised trade reforms. The new duties, which fall under Section 301 of the US Trade Act and too...

Man linked to Indonesia’s former top corruption prosecutor found dead
SCMP

Man linked to Indonesia’s former top corruption prosecutor found dead

Indonesian police are investigating the unexplained death of a man whom local media reported managed the household of detained former anti-corruption prosecutor Febrie Adriansyah, adding a new layer of scrutiny to one of the country’s most sensitive corruption cases. The man, identified only as Sutrimo, was found unconscious on Thursday on the grounds of Mordent Beauty Clinic in Kebayoran Baru, So...

China’s private-sector split widens as tech rises, traditional sectors struggle: survey
SCMP

China’s private-sector split widens as tech rises, traditional sectors struggle: survey

Many of China’s private firms continue to face tough operating conditions, including intense market competition, persistent payment delays and weak domestic demand, though technology firms have shown stronger momentum, according to fresh survey results. The recent survey of 79 entrepreneurs from medium- and large-sized private firms found that more than 70 per cent of respondents described their c...

Former South Korea president Yoon handed suspended term over campaign lies
SCMP

Former South Korea president Yoon handed suspended term over campaign lies

A South Korean ⁠court on Monday sentenced former ⁠president Yoon Suk-yeol ⁠to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years, after finding him guilty of violating the election law by making false statements during his 2022 presidential campaign. The sentence, if upheld through appeals, could force Yoon’s People Power ‌Party to return 39.7 billion won (US$27.1 million) in election expenses reimbur...

Israel to allow international force into Gaza under Trump ceasefire plan

Israel to allow international force into Gaza under Trump ceasefire plan

SCMP

Israel will allow a multinational security force to enter Gaza as proposed under US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan for the enclave, an Israeli official said on Sunday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet on Sunday approved ‌the legal framework that would allow the force’s entry to Gaza, the official said. Netanyahu was scheduled to depart for Washington on Monday and was ...

10 injured as minibus, water tanker collide in Hong Kong’s Kwun Tong district

10 injured as minibus, water tanker collide in Hong Kong’s Kwun Tong district

SCMP

At least 10 people have been injured after a minibus collided with a water tanker in Hong Kong’s Kwun Tong district. Police said on Monday that they received a report of a traffic accident at 12.21pm, near the Yue Man Square Public Transport Terminal, involving a minibus and a truck. The force said two male and eight female passengers in the minibus were injured. The Fire Services Department said ...

The former military chief aiming to unseat Netanyahu in Israel

The former military chief aiming to unseat Netanyahu in Israel

SCMP

As Israel heads into a fiercely contested general election on October 27, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot has emerged as the principal challenger to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Eisenkot’s rise comes at a pivotal moment in Israeli politics, with the election widely viewed as a referendum on the long-serving premier’s leadership in the violent aftermath of Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack o...

Australia’s far-right Pauline Hanson loses appeal in racism case

Australia’s far-right Pauline Hanson loses appeal in racism case

SCMP

A popular far-right Australian politician failed on Monday to overturn a racial vilification finding that was handed down after she told a Muslim senator to go back to Pakistan. Senator Pauline Hanson has emerged as one of Australia’s most popular politicians, wooing voters with calls for strict immigration curbs, mass deportations of “illegal migrants” and enhanced free speech protections. Hanson...

Chinese scientists turn to bamboo to strengthen the Great Green Wall

Chinese scientists turn to bamboo to strengthen the Great Green Wall

SCMP

After decades of fighting desertification with straw, plants and plastic, Chinese researchers have turned to bamboo – one of the most resilient and sustainable materials on the planet. The fastest-growing plant on Earth has the potential to help overcome challenges with current sand-fixing methods including short lifespan, ecological risks and health issues. Beijing on July 22 released a five-year...

Hong Kong home sales recovery expected to boost developers’ earnings

Hong Kong home sales recovery expected to boost developers’ earnings

SCMP

Hong Kong property developers are expected to report stronger first-half earnings in the coming weeks, buoyed by a rebound in home sales and improving development margins, as investors look for clues on whether the sector’s recovery is sustainable. Bank of America Global Research expected Hong Kong developers and conglomerates to post average core net profit growth of 8 per cent year on year, excl...

‘Farewell, hero’: Chinese volunteer dies of heart failure after helping flood victims

‘Farewell, hero’: Chinese volunteer dies of heart failure after helping flood victims

SCMP

A volunteer from southwestern China tragically died of exhaustion after giving up his holiday to join flood relief efforts in Guangxi. Dang Xinrui, 29, was employed as an integrated control operator at a railway station in Sichuan province, as reported by Guangxi Daily. While holidaying in Yunnan on July 9, Dang encountered an urgent call for volunteers to aid flood-affected areas in Guangxi and s...

Passengers still stranded at Hong Kong airport on Monday after Typhoon Noul

Passengers still stranded at Hong Kong airport on Monday after Typhoon Noul

SCMP

Air passengers continued to face disruption on Monday as at least a dozen departures were further delayed due to Typhoon Noul, with authorities saying they expected normal operations to resume in the morning after hundreds of flights were cancelled over the weekend. According to the airport website, as of 12.45pm, 12 departing flights initially scheduled for Sunday had been rescheduled for Monday,...

Some passengers still stranded at Hong Kong airport on Monday after Typhoon Noul

Some passengers still stranded at Hong Kong airport on Monday after Typhoon Noul

SCMP

Air passengers continued to face disruption on Monday as at least a dozen departures were further delayed due to Typhoon Noul, with authorities saying they expected normal operations to resume in the morning after hundreds of flights were cancelled over the weekend. According to the airport website, as of 12.45pm, 12 departing flights initially scheduled for Sunday had been rescheduled for Monday,...

Some passengers still stranded at Hong Kong airport after Typhoon Noul

Some passengers still stranded at Hong Kong airport after Typhoon Noul

SCMP

Air passengers continued to face disruption on Monday as at least a dozen departures were further delayed due to Typhoon Noul, with authorities saying they expected normal operations to resume in the morning after hundreds of flights were cancelled over the weekend. According to the airport website, as of 12.45pm, 12 departing flights initially scheduled for Sunday had been rescheduled for Monday,...

Some air passengers remain stranded at Hong Kong airport after Typhoon Noul

Some air passengers remain stranded at Hong Kong airport after Typhoon Noul

SCMP

Some air passengers remained stranded at Hong Kong International Airport on Monday following Typhoon Noul’s departure from the city, with authorities expecting normal operations to resume by the morning. According to the airport website, as of 12.45pm, 12 departing flights initially scheduled for Sunday had been rescheduled to Monday, including three that were due to depart between 5pm and 11.15pm...

Myanmar military escalates civilian killings under new command, monitor reports

Myanmar military escalates civilian killings under new command, monitor reports

SCMP

Myanmar’s military has sharply escalated attacks on civilians since a new administration took office in the war-torn country, a conflict monitor said on Monday, even as regional governments ramp up diplomatic engagement. The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) said the onslaught was a result of the tactics deployed by Myanmar’s ‌new military chief who took over in late March as hi...

Probe launched after worker, 62, falls to death while repairing plane in Hong Kong

Probe launched after worker, 62, falls to death while repairing plane in Hong Kong

SCMP

A 62-year-old worker has died after falling from a six-metre-high (20-foot) platform while conducting plane repairs at the Hong Kong International Airport, triggering an investigation by the Labour Department. Police received a report at 8.35am on Monday that a worker had been injured at a site operated by the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company (Haeco). “Preliminary investigations have shown t...

Worker, 62, dies after falling from platform while repairing plane at Hong Kong airport

Worker, 62, dies after falling from platform while repairing plane at Hong Kong airport

SCMP

A 62-year-old worker has died after falling from a six-metre-high (20-foot) platform while repairing an aeroplane at the Hong Kong International Airport. Police received a report at 8.35am on Monday that a worker had been injured after falling from a height at a worksite operated by the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company (HAECO). “Preliminary investigations have shown that when the worker was ...

Singapore tightens monetary policy for second time in 3 months

Singapore tightens monetary policy for second time in 3 months

SCMP

Singapore tightened monetary policy on Monday for the second time in three months, as the fallout from the US war against Iran keeps global energy markets volatile and inflation risks elevated. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said it would increase the rate of appreciation of the local dollar’s trade-weighted value. The move comes as oil prices remain elevated owing to tensions in the Mi...

North Korea sending 30,000 troops to Russia is a ‘win-win’: analysts

North Korea sending 30,000 troops to Russia is a ‘win-win’: analysts

SCMP

North Korea is rumoured to be sending tens of thousands more troops to Russia in support of its war in Ukraine, marking a deepening of the two countries’ defence ties and a major escalation of Pyongyang’s involvement in the conflict, if confirmed. Late on Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that preparations had been under way in Russia’s Voronezh region to receive another 30...

Apple leak in India, China eyes Indonesia for mineral access: 5 weekend reads you missed

Apple leak in India, China eyes Indonesia for mineral access: 5 weekend reads you missed

SCMP

We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. After Apple leak, has India lost ground in its supply chain race with China? In the wake of a cyberattack on a local Apple partner, insiders say India has a long way to go before challenging China a...

Food security: can drones and BeiDou put an end to ‘paper farming’ in China?

Food security: can drones and BeiDou put an end to ‘paper farming’ in China?

SCMP

China’s agriculture sector needs more advanced technology and innovation to boost yields and improve food security – not more farmland and crops, according to a rural policy expert. The remarks came after a state media investigation alleged that officials in central China had inflated the size of mandatory rice crops to hit their targets. CCTV programme Focus Report aired its investigation on July...

Shooting at Seattle food festival leaves 3 dead, 4 wounded

Shooting at Seattle food festival leaves 3 dead, 4 wounded

SCMP

Police arrested one suspect and were looking for another after gunfire erupted at a crowded food festival beneath Seattle’s Space Needle, leaving three people dead and four others injured, including a toddler. Investigators believe the two suspects were shooting at each other and, although one remained on the loose, Assistant Seattle Police Chief Tyrone Davis told a news conference Sunday night th...

Shooting at Seattle food festival leaves 2 dead, 5 injured

Shooting at Seattle food festival leaves 2 dead, 5 injured

SCMP

Two people were killed and five others were wounded in a shooting Sunday evening during a food festival at an events complex near the Space Needle in Seattle, a city fire department spokesperson said. Police were investigating the shooting and urged people to avoid the area just northwest of downtown. The gunfire erupted around 6pm at the Seattle Centre during the Bite of Seattle festival. Harborv...

Marcos faces nation at Sona as corruption crackdown hits Philippine growth

Marcos faces nation at Sona as corruption crackdown hits Philippine growth

SCMP

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr heads into Monday’s State of the Nation Address facing a legacy-defining question: can he balance his anti-corruption drive with sustaining economic growth and the needs of ordinary Filipinos? The address, known locally as the Sona, opens the final two years of Marcos’ presidency. Analysts say his administration must show tangible results from its investig...

HKU president Xiang Zhang to step down in 2028 at end of second 5-year term

HKU president Xiang Zhang to step down in 2028 at end of second 5-year term

SCMP

The University of Hong Kong’s (HKU) president and vice-chancellor Xiang Zhang has announced that he will be stepping down in 2028 after completing a second five-year term, according to an email seen by the South China Morning Post. In the email, sent to the university community in the early hours of Monday, Zhang described the past eight years spent working to elevate HKU’s academic standing as “a...

Indonesia central bank governor Warjiyo steps down in surprise exit

Indonesia central bank governor Warjiyo steps down in surprise exit

SCMP

Bank Indonesia Governor Perry Warjiyo has stepped down from his role, Indonesia’s State Secretariat Minister Prasetyo Hadi said on Monday, a surprise move analysts said could rattle investors worried about the central bank’s independence and ‌the country’s fiscal management. President Prabowo Subianto has accepted Warjiyo’s resignation, the minister said ahead of the opening of financial markets i...

Black Lake CEO’s strategy to sell AI solutions to factories: turn to food couriers

Black Lake CEO’s strategy to sell AI solutions to factories: turn to food couriers

SCMP

When Zhou Yuxiang, founder and CEO of Shanghai-headquartered Black Lake Technologies, wanted to sell his artificial intelligence (AI) automation solutions to millions of family-run factories across China, he came up with an unconventional strategy: hiring food delivery workers to make sales. His entire sales team, hired from various industrial cities, survived a gruelling five-day boot camp on art...

From fungus to fashion: Chinese scientists develop sustainable ‘living textiles’

From fungus to fashion: Chinese scientists develop sustainable ‘living textiles’

SCMP

Chinese scientists have developed a way to create clothing and textiles from a fungus that can self-clean and regenerate. The fabric can also be customised – for example to add colour or protect the wearer from ultraviolet (UV) rays – with the help of other microorganisms, according to a study published on Friday. A persistent challenge for engineered living materials (ELMs) has been scaling up mi...