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News - South China Morning Post

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Warner Bros investors back US$110 billion merger with...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/23

Warner Bros Discovery shareholders on ⁠Thursday backed the company’s proposed US$110 billion merger with Paramount Skydance, but cast an advisory vote against executive compensation plans tied to the deal. Under the pay packages proposed to executives, CEO David Zaslav could receive ‌up to US$887 million if the sale is completed. Proxy advisor ISS had said Zaslav’s potential payout was “extremely large”. “Management now faces a twofold challenge: securing [regulatory] approval for the deal

Trump says US Navy will ‘shoot and kill’ boats laying...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/23

In the latest cycle of threats and concessions that have marked US President Donald Trump’s approach to the war that he and his Israeli counterpart started against Iran, the mercurial leader said on Thursday he would destroy any undersized boats attempting to lay mines in the blocked Strait of Hormuz. His focus on diminutive vessels followed his oft-repeated messaging that Iran’s larger naval vessels no longer exist as he renews his effort to muscle Tehran’s frustratingly resilient regime to...

Why Iran war is the surest sign that the US is in...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/23

As key allies turn away and war costs soar, the US military campaign against Iran is spurring a growing consensus among Chinese observers and state media – that Washington’s unrivalled global dominance is crumbling. Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily issued a sharp critique on Thursday, warning that the United States’ shift from an “international rule-builder” to a “predatory hegemon” would ultimately undermine its prosperity and influence. “In the post-Cold War era, while the...

Beijing’s emphasis on security weighing on US firms’...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/23

American enterprises operating in China lauded improvements in the country’s regulatory environment and more “openness”, but long-standing concerns over access and Beijing’s emphasis on security continue to weigh on optimism, with expectations for US President Donald Trump’s looming China visit also muted, according to a leading business chamber. Targeted regulatory refinement in some sectors, ongoing updates to foreign investment policies and market access measures, and “incremental”...

Fifa World Cup: Italy underwhelmed by Trump envoy’s...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/23

The suggestion that Iran should be replaced by Italy at this year’s World Cup drew a mix of embarrassment and apathy from Azzurri fans on Thursday, with Italian media pointing out that the idea had a very familiar feel. Donald Trump’s US special envoy Paolo Zampolli told the Financial Times that he made the suggestion to the US President and Fifa head Gianni Infantino. “I’m an Italian native and it would be a dream to see the Azzurri ‌at a US-hosted tournament. With four titles, they have the...

Millions of Americans may now also be considered...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/23

Potentially millions of Americans suddenly have a much easier path to Canadian citizenship, prompting a rush of people to explore their ancestry and file paperwork seeking dual citizenship. For people like Zack Loud of Farmington, Minnesota, it was a surprise to learn that under a new law, Canada already considered him and his siblings citizens because their grandmother is Canadian. “My wife and I were already talking about potentially looking at jobs outside the country, but citizenship

US reclassifies certain marijuana products as a...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/23

The US Department of Justice is reclassifying FDA-approved and state-licensed marijuana as a less dangerous drug, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Thursday. The announcement does not legalise marijuana across the United States. In a post on X, Blanche said the Justice Department was “immediately rescheduling FDA-approved marijuana and state-licensed marijuana from Schedule I to ⁠Schedule III”. The department is also initiating an expedited hearing to consider the broader

All Hong Kong public universities make Asian league...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/23

For the first time, all eight Hong Kong public universities have been ranked among the top 100 in a widely watched Asian league table, with the city’s two oldest tertiary institutions ranking among the region’s top 10. Phil Baty, chief global affairs officer of Times Higher Education (THE), also highlighted Hong Kong’s role as a world-leading education hub, noting it remained the only metropolis with as many as five universities listed in the global top 100 since 2024, an achievement he said

Defects – not jumping tourists – caused deadly...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/23

Authorities in China’s western Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region have blamed construction defects and management failures – rather than the actions of tourists – for a deadly suspension bridge failure last summer. In a report released on Thursday, investigators concluded that “legal violations, gross negligence and dereliction of duty” caused the Jiangjun Bridge at the Xiata Scenic Area in Yili to tilt, killing five people and injuring 24 others. The incident occurred at 6.15pm on August 6,

China targets greener AI data centres, heavy industry...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/23

China has released new guidelines to reduce carbon emissions across strategic sectors – including energy-intensive data centres – as Beijing pushes to secure its 2030 climate targets amid volatile energy prices triggered by the US-Israeli war in Iran. The 18-point document, issued by the ruling Communist Party’s powerful Central Committee and the State Council, China’s cabinet, called on heavy industries – including steel, non-ferrous metals and chemicals – to boost energy efficiency and...

Blooming good: Monet, maestros shine as garden art...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/23

Two famed water lily paintings by French Impressionist master Claude Monet will go on display in Hong Kong from Friday in a free exhibition highlighting cultural exchange between East and West. The show, titled “Blooming: the Art of Garden in East and West”, brings together more than 100 sets of exhibits from the Art Institute of Chicago, Beijing’s Palace Museum and the Palace of Versailles in Paris. The Hong Kong Museum of Art in Tsim Sha Tsui, which is hosting the show, has also contributed...

EU approves US$106 billion loan to Ukraine after...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/23

The European Union on Thursday approved a massive loan package to help Ukraine meet its economic and military needs for the next two years, the bloc’s Cypriot presidency said, after Hungary lifted its veto. The EU also approved a new raft of sanctions against Russia over its war on Ukraine. The measures were prepared early this year and set to be announced in February to mark the fourth anniversary of the conflict, but Hungary and Slovakia opposed the move. Hungary and Slovakia have been

Hong Kong airport’s revenue ‘expected to grow by up...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/23

Hong Kong International Airport expects revenue to grow by up to 10 per cent this year despite disruptions from the Iran conflict, with its chief executive aiming to position it as an alternative hub to the Middle East. In a wide-ranging interview with the South China Morning Post on Thursday, Airport Authority Hong Kong CEO Vivian Cheung Kar-fay said flights that had been cancelled due to the conflict – including those by flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways – were those that were “less...

As US-Iran war chokes Hormuz, can Central Asia’s...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/23

As the US-Israeli war with Iran chokes off shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the “Middle Corridor” is being held up as a critical alternative lifeline linking East Asia to Europe. Also known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, the Middle Corridor is a multimodal logistics route that connects China and Europe via Kazakhstan in Central Asia, Azerbaijan and Georgia in the South Caucasus, the Caspian Sea and Turkey. Waqar Ahmad, president of Kazakhstan’s Nazarbayev

China can offer Gulf states more than just a security...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/23

The Iran war has delivered a systemic shock to the Gulf’s security architecture and economic miracle. Two taboos were rapidly broken. The Strait of Hormuz, which carries roughly one-fifth of global oil consumption and close to a quarter of seaborne crude, was paralysed for sustained periods. Iranian strikes reached deep into Gulf territory, hitting ports, energy terminals and airports with a frequency that exceeded attacks on Israel. War-risk insurance premiums and tanker charter rates surged...

Iran’s exiled crown prince Pahlavi splashed with red...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/23

Iran’s exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi was splattered with red liquid on Thursday as he left a building in Berlin. Pahlavi had just departed a news briefing, during which he criticised the ceasefire between the United States and Iran, when the incident occurred outside Germany’s federal press conference building. He appeared unhurt by the liquid coating the back of his blazer and neck, and waved to his supporters before he got into a car that drove away. Police said the liquid appeared to be...

China must ‘strengthen education’ of Tibetan...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/23

A senior Chinese official who oversees religious and ethnic minority affairs has called for China to “strengthen” the education, training and management of Tibetan Buddhist personnel. Li Ganjie, head of the Communist Party’s United Front Work Department and a member of the now 22-man Politburo, made the call during a trip to Tibetan areas in western China, state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday. He visited several religious organisations and study institutions in the Tibetan

Why Anthropic’s Mythos has energised China’s...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/23

In the second of a three-part series on Anthropic’s powerful Mythos artificial intelligence model, we examine the effect it has had on China’s cybersecurity and finance industries. US start-up Anthropic’s new AI model, Claude Mythos Preview, has drawn global attention for its ability to autonomously identify and exploit cybersecurity vulnerabilities at a level that appears to surpass conventional tools used in enterprise and financial systems. The model has not been made publicly available,

How the Philippines became Japan’s closest security...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/23

The Philippines has emerged as the clearest example of what observers say is Japan’s shift towards a more active defence role abroad, with both countries deepening their military cooperation in areas ranging from joint drills to technological partnerships. Japanese forces are taking part for the first time in this year’s Balikatan military exercises hosted by the Philippines, while bilateral cooperation is set to expand after Tokyo eased its defence export rules on Tuesday. These activities...

Hong Kong airport staff offered free measles jabs in...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/23

Health authorities will provide free measles vaccinations to Hong Kong airport workers from Friday, following the detection of three cases among aircraft maintenance staff. The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) warned on Thursday of the “relatively high” risk of measles transmission at the aviation hub, citing the high volume of travellers passing through there and the sizeable proportion of non-local-born workers who might not have received measles jabs in childhood. “In order to prevent...

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