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News - South China Morning Post

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Taxi driver, 65, arrested after crash kills...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/18

A 65-year-old taxi driver has been arrested after his vehicle collided with a pedestrian, who later died in hospital, marking Hong Kong’s second fatal crash involving an elderly cabby in less than a week. The pedestrian, 87, died after he was struck and trapped beneath the taxi while crossing the road under a footbridge in Tung Chung on Monday. The fatal accident came five days after police arrested a 70-year-old taxi driver who killed a woman and severely injured another after losing control

North Korea to turn southern border into ‘impregnable...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/18

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called on top military officials to bolster front-line units and turn the southern border into an “impregnable fortress”, state media reported on Monday. Kim gave the instruction at a meeting on Sunday where a photo released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) showed him presiding over commanding military officers wearing full-dress uniform. The North Korean leader told the military officials that a “great change” would be made in an effort to deter war

China unveils world’s first titanium-copper medical...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/18

China has unveiled the world’s first copper-blended titanium implant for orthopaedic surgery after more than a decade of research and development. This innovative material retains the exceptional strength and hardness characteristic of titanium alloy medical devices while significantly reducing the risk of post-operative infection, according to its developers. On April 21, the world’s first bone pin made using the material was approved for market release by China’s National Medical Products...

Singapore softens approach to first-time drug abusers...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/18

First-time drug abusers in Singapore who surrender themselves to the authorities will no longer face detention at the city state’s rehabilitation centre, a government minister has confirmed. All such abusers will now be placed on drug supervision in the community with mandatory case management for their rehabilitation, under changes that took effect on Saturday. The change came after a review to “encourage more first-time abusers to come forward and seek help with their addiction”, Law

‘My way or the highway’ is no way to make informed...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/18

Hong Kong’s government will launch a consultation exercise on the city’s first five-year plan next month. The plan is set to be released before the end of the year. It’s a monumental task. Lau Siu-kai, a consultant to the semi-official Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies think tank and former head of the government’s now-defunct Central Policy Unit, has warned as much, saying: “It took years for local governments on the mainland to master the research and strategic thinking...

Hong Kong records 10 tremor reports after magnitude...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/18

The Hong Kong Observatory received more than 10 reports of a locally felt tremor from a magnitude 5.2 earthquake that struck Guangxi early on Monday. According to the forecaster, the epicentre was located about 550km (342 miles) west-northwest of Hong Kong, with a focal depth of about 10km. “The Observatory received more than 10 locally felt reports of the tremor, which lasted a few seconds,” it said on Monday. “Initial estimates put the local intensity at II (two) on the Modified Mercalli...

French bulldog in China known for collecting plastic...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/18

A man in southern China suspected of poisoning an online celebrity dog which is famous for collecting plastic bottles in the street has been caught after its owner called the police. The French bulldog nicknamed Xiaobai won the hearts of millions last year for diligently collecting plastic bottles for its owner. It has earned over 100,000 yuan (US$14,600) over the past five years as its owner, surnamed Zhang, sold the waste bottles. The social media account @gouxiaobai boasts half a million...

How will Beijing judge Trump’s take on Taiwan? Look...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/16

Beijing’s assessment of whether US President Donald Trump can “properly handle” the Taiwan issue and US-China relations will largely come down to arms sales to the island, analysts said.Following the summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, Trump said on Friday that he discussed arms sales to Taiwan with Xi and would “make a determination” on the matter soon. A day earlier, Xi had warned him that mishandling the Taiwan question – the most important issue in bilateral relations – could...

New Zealand car crash: how Hongkongers can stay safe...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/16

Road safety has been thrust into the spotlight after two Hong Kong tourists were killed in a car crash in New Zealand. The Chinese consulate in Christchurch, New Zealand, on Saturday revealed details of the fatal traffic accident that occurred a day earlier. The South China Morning Post outlines what road safety precautions motorists should take following the recent string of traffic accidents involving Hongkongers travelling overseas. 1. What to look out for at a new destination? In Hong

Soybean counters: scope of China-US farm deal depends...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/16

China’s purchase of “double-digit billions” in American agricultural products touted by US officials following President Donald Trump’s state visit to Beijing appears to be a marginal addition after factoring in previous commitments, analysts said, adding that new orders could reduce the country’s reliance on Brazil for soybeans and other items. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on ‌Friday that he expects to see China buy a 10-figure sum in agricultural products annually over the

How China and the US felt the weight of history...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/16

Both the United States and China appear keen to present this week’s talks between their respective presidents in Beijing as a “historic” and groundbreaking occasion. The way they have tried to frame the interactions between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping revealed both sides’ eagerness to emphasise the importance of the occasion. The messaging began with one of the choices of venue for their talks: the secluded leadership compound in Zhongnanhai in the heart of Beijing, rather than the Diaoyutai...

China confirms deal to buy US aircraft and engines...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/16

China’s Ministry of Commerce said on Saturday that it had reached an agreement with the United States over the purchase of aeroplanes, jet engines and components. “The two sides have reached arrangements on China’s purchase of aircraft from the US and the US ensuring the supply of aircraft engines and components to China, and agreed to continue advancing cooperation in related areas,” the ministry said in a statement on its website. The world’s two biggest economies agreed to establish a

Congo Ebola outbreak: constant burials as death toll...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/16

At least 80 deaths have been reported in Congo’s new Ebola disease outbreak in the eastern Ituri province, authorities said, as health workers raced to intensify screening and contact tracing to contain the disease on Saturday. Officials first announced the outbreak on Friday, with 65 deaths and 246 suspected cases. In Ituri’s capital, Bunia, locals recounted their fears amid constant burials. “Every day, people are dying … and this has been going on for about a week. In a single day, we bury...

Is China’s new mediation body gaining steam as...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/16

Global envoys and experts are doubling down on mediation as a preferred way to resolve regional conflicts amid stalled US-Iran peace talks and China’s appeal for more countries to join its new mediation body. According to Cui Jianchun, commissioner of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong, mediation ensures “to the greatest extent” the autonomy of disputing parties and its “unique charm” is the high respect given to the will of the parties. Cui made the remarks at a summit in Hong...

Is AI adoption causing ‘utilitarian’ employers to...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/16

University student Harry Dong has spent more than two months sending out roughly 30 to 40 job applications across Hong Kong’s event management, technology and education sectors, but has secured only one interview so far. The 23-year-old University of Hong Kong student, who will graduate in December, said he had only applied for internship positions. “It’s too hard for us to find a full-time job directly. Each company has opened only one to three positions because AI has taken the rest,” Dong...

10 Mexican government, justice officials indicted in...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/16

The former Secretary of Public Security for Mexico’s Sinaloa state appeared in a US court on Friday, days after his arrest in Arizona on charges he and other officials took bribes to help the Sinaloa Cartel smuggle vast quantities of drugs into the US. Gerardo Mérida Sánchez, 66, was not required to enter a plea during his initial appearance in federal court in Manhattan. He was ordered jailed but could request bail at a later date. He is due back in court on June 1. A message seeking comment...

Scalpers list Swatch-Audemars Piguet watches hours...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/16

Many shoppers who queued for days ahead of the launch of a new watch from two Swiss brands have listed the timepieces for sale within hours of buying them, with resale prices nearly seven times their original retail value. A South China Morning Post reporter observed at least 70 people in raincoats and carrying umbrellas queuing in Causeway Bay on Saturday morning, with the line stretching from the Swatch store on Kai Chiu Road all the way around the block to Pak Sha Road. Queues had been...

Man infected with rat hepatitis E, Hong Kong’s first...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/16

Health authorities are investigating a human case of rat hepatitis E – the first recorded in Hong Kong this year – and have urged the public to observe good hygiene practices and use effective rodent control measures. A spokesman for the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said on Saturday that the case involved a 42-year-old man with chronic liver disease, whose blood sample tested positive for the virus on May 5. “Based on current epidemiological data, the CHP considered that the patient was...

How Taiwan’s Apec attendance could test Beijing’s...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/16

Taiwan will send its top trade negotiator to next week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) ministerial meeting in mainland China – a rare occurrence since the two sides cut off official communication in 2016. Analysts said the move suggested both sides were still trying to preserve a workable status quo within the regional forum despite worsening cross-strait tensions. The Apec trade ministers’ meeting will be held in Suzhou, a city in Jiangsu province, between May 22 and 23. Yang

After China-US reset, Putin heads to Beijing for...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/16

Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to the Chinese capital next week to reinforce the Sino-Russian “comprehensive strategic partnership”, just days after a tentative US-China reset. Beijing and Moscow announced on Saturday that Putin would visit from May 19 to 20, confirming an earlier report by the South China Morning Post. “At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay a state visit to China from May 19 to 20,” state news agency Xinhua

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