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Henry Lee, forensic scientist who testified in the...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/27

Henry Lee, the famed forensic scientist who helped bring modern crime scene investigation into the public spotlight through his involvement in high-profile cases like the O.J. Simpson murder trial, has died. He was 87. Lee “passed away peacefully” on Friday at his home in Henderson, Nevada, following a brief illness, according to a statement from his family and the University of New Haven, where he taught for more than 50 years. Lee rose to fame after his testimony in Simpson’s 1995 trial, in...

Iran strike wounds US troops and damages planes at...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/27

An Iranian missile attack on Friday left at least 10 US service members wounded and damaged several planes at a military base in Saudi Arabia, according to two US officials familiar with the situation. The attack on Prince Sultan Air Base damaged several US refuelling aircraft, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters. One of the officials said two of the troops were seriously wounded. Satellite imagery that appeared to show the damage to

Trump pitches China trade ‘win’ to US farmers ahead...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/27

As US President Donald Trump heads to a delayed, high-stakes mid-May summit with President Xi Jinping in Beijing, he is already claiming victory, touting on Friday past trade talks with Xi as a win for American farmers, a crucial electoral bloc battered by his tariffs and the ongoing war with Iran.“Thanks to our trade deals, you’re now sending over US$40 billion in American soybeans to China,” Trump said on Friday, telling farmers and ranchers at the White House he personally secured the...

Why China’s demand that Japan return an ancient...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/27

As one of the biggest targets of wartime looting in centuries past, China is now positioning itself as a global pioneer in repatriating lost cultural artefacts. This article, the first in a two-part series, Xinlu Liang looks at whether a stolen 1,300-year-old Chinese stone now housed in Japan’s Imperial Palace can become a test case for a reckoning over wartime plunder. In 1945, following Japan’s surrender to the Allies, supreme commander General Douglas MacArthur ordered the country to

Why China’s space-based solar power is the next...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/27

Amid turmoil in the Middle East, including the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil passes, Beijing is pressing ahead with its Zhuri (sun-chasing) project to build solar power stations in space. Chinese Academy of Engineering academician and senior rocket scientist Long Lehao likened this space-based solar power programme to putting the Three Gorges Dam into geostationary orbit, underscoring its extraordinary scale and

Tiger Woods arrested at car crash scene on suspicion...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/27

Tiger Woods showed signs of impairment and was arrested Friday at the scene of a car crash in which he struck another vehicle and rolled his Land Rover, authorities said. Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said Woods and the person in the other vehicle were not injured. Woods was able to crawl out of the passenger side of his Land Rover. The crash occurred just after 2pm not far from where Woods lives on Jupiter Island. Budensiek said Woods attempted to pass a pressure cleaner truck while...

China denies retaliating against Panama ships,...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/27

China denied on Friday that it had intensified inspections of Panama-flagged vessels in retaliation for Panama’s decision to strip a Hong Kong-based conglomerate of port concessions at both ends of the Panama Canal, accusing Washington of seeking to seize control of the strategic waterway. During the daily press briefing at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing, spokesman Lin Jian charged that the US had made “repeated wrongful allegations” about the inspections that exposed...

US astronaut says illness that cut short space...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/27

The astronaut who prompted Nasa’s first medical evacuation earlier this year said on Friday that doctors still do not know why he suddenly fell sick at the International Space Station. Four-time space flier Mike Fincke said he was eating dinner on January 7 after prepping for a spacewalk the next day when it happened. He could not talk and remembers no pain, but his anxious crewmates jumped into action after seeing him in distress and requested help from flight surgeons on the ground. “It was...

Missing aid boats safely crossed to Cuba, US...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/27

Two aid boats bound for Cuba that were feared missing after they set sail from Mexico have “safely transited” to the island, the US coastguard said on Friday. The Mexican Navy had reported on Thursday that it launched a search and rescue mission after losing communication with the vessels, which had left from Isla Mujeres in southeast Mexico on March 20 with nine people aboard. The US coastguard, which was not involved in the search efforts, said on Friday it had received a report at 10.36am...

Pro-Iran hackers say they breached FBI chief Patel’s...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/27

A pro-Iranian hacking group claimed Friday to have hacked an account of FBI Director Kash Patel and has posted online what appear to be years-old photographs of him, along with a work résumé and other personal documents. Many of those records appeared to be more than a decade old. “Kash Patel, the current head of the FBI, who once saw his name displayed with pride on the agency’s headquarters, will now find his name among the list of successfully hacked victims,” said a message posted on

Lawmakers concerned over lack of parking at Huanggang...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/27

Hong Kong lawmakers have expressed concern over the lack of a car park at the upgraded Huanggang border crossing, saying that providing a shuttle bus service for tour groups or motorists to reach the checkpoint building will not be convenient. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said on Friday that the revamped building – which is on the mainland Chinese side of the border in Shenzhen – would not have a public car park or bays for coaches. The Transport and Logistics Bureau would

What does it mean for China if Donald Trump and...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/27

Vladimir Putin is expected to visit China soon after Donald Trump’s trip in May in a diplomatic double-header that would be the first time Beijing has hosted the leaders of the US and Russia in the same month outside a multilateral event. According to Chinese analysts, the back-to-back visits highlight Beijing’s strategic effort to manage relations with both major powers amid rising global turbulence. Trump’s long-planned trip to Beijing was expected to take place from May 14 to 15, the White...

China launches investigations into US trade...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/27

Beijing has launched two trade barrier investigations into the United States in response to a pair of Section 301 probes that allege unfair trade practices by China and other economies and could pave the way for Washington to reimpose higher tariffs. According to the Ministry of Commerce, the investigations would focus on US measures deemed harmful to global industrial and supply chains, including those that obstruct trade in green products. The ministry said in a statement on Friday that...

Anger after chaotic 2½-hour disruption on East Rail...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/27

Hong Kong commuters have complained about chaotic scenes after services on a section of the East Rail line were suspended for about 2½ hours on Friday when a passenger opened an emergency exit on a train and was later found injured in a tunnel. The disruption caused chaos during rush hour. Affected stations were packed with passengers who later had to wait in long queues for alternative transport. A passenger on the affected train said a sudden power cut occurred, leaving people feeling...

What the debut of a new air-based missile means for...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/27

China’s new air-based nuclear missile will boost the country’s ability to survive a first strike and retaliate, reinforcing confidence in its no-first-use policy, according to a state-linked military magazine. The Jinglei-1 nuclear-capable air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM) made its debut at the World War II Victory Day parade in Beijing last September. It can be carried by the PLA Air Force’s H-6N strategic bombers, completing the People’s Liberation Army’s “nuclear triad” – the ability

BYD’s four-year profit run ends, eyes global markets...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/27

China’s electric vehicle (EV) king BYD posted its first annual profit drop in four years as it faced intensifying competition from domestic rivals in a cutthroat market. The Shenzhen-based company reported a net profit of 32.6 billion yuan (US$4.72 billion) for 2025, down 18.97 per cent from a year earlier, according to a filing to the Hong Kong and Shenzhen stock exchanges. That missed a consensus forecast of 35.4 billion yuan in a Bloomberg survey of analysts. Revenue grew 3.46 per cent to...

Air China subsidiary to lease 10 Boeing jets in deals...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/27

Shandong Airlines, a subsidiary of flagship carrier Air China, has announced plans to lease 10 Boeing 737 aircraft, signalling China’s continued demand for the American jets as it looks to refresh an ageing fleet. The airline will pay a total fee of 2.88 billion yuan (US$405 million), with the aircraft to be delivered in batches over the coming two years, according to a notice Air China issued to the Shanghai Stock Exchange on Thursday. The deals include 10-year leases for three Boeing

Pain at the pump fuels EV rush in China, driving a...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/27

Rising fuel costs triggered by the Middle East crisis are emerging as an unexpected tailwind for China’s electric vehicle (EV) makers, as consumers increasingly pivot towards battery-powered cars to avoid surging petrol bills. With Brent crude climbing past the psychologically significant US$100-a-barrel mark – and now trading above US$110 – mainland buyers are turning away from petrol vehicles, according to dealers and analysts. “It’s a no-brainer for me now,” said Wang Wenbo, a 25-year-old...

Leading Chinese hypersonic aviation scientist Yan...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/27

Yan Hong, one of China’s leading researchers in hypersonic and high-speed propulsion technologies, has died at the age of 56, according to Northwestern Polytechnical University. Yan, a professor and doctoral supervisor at NPU’s school of power and energy, died on Tuesday at Jiangsu Provincial People’s Hospital in Nanjing following an illness. The university in the northwestern city of Xian has been placed on US sanctions lists for its alleged ties to military-related research. Her research...

Chinese market regulator tells firms to focus on...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/27

China’s market regulator has told companies including electric vehicle maker BYD and battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL) to compete healthily when expanding overseas, amid mounting accusations of unfair competition, subsidies and dumping levelled at Chinese companies in global markets. Chinese firms should standardise their competitive behaviour and “build a healthy competition ecosystem” in their overseas expansion, the State Administration for Market Regulation said in

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