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News - South China Morning Post

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Chinese propagandists stoking dissent over Trump...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/06/10

Chinese propagandists have been trying to ⁠use OpenAI’s flagship chatbot ⁠to gin up opposition to Donald Trump’s ⁠tariffs and intervene in American debates over data centres and AI, OpenAI said in a report published on Wednesday.The company said its efforts, dating to late 2025 and early 2026, appeared to have had little or no effect, but it is another indication of ‌how central generative AI is becoming in digital influence campaigns – even those aimed against AI companies themselves. The...

Trump says US might not renew trade deal with Mexico...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/06/10

US ⁠President Donald Trump ⁠said on Wednesday that the United States ⁠might not renew its free trade agreement with Canada and Mexico and criticised trade deficits with those countries, although he said he was talking with their leaders about the matter. The three countries need to approve ‌a renewal of their existing agreement by July 1 or signal their intention to exit the pact, a process that would take 10 years and would buy time for alterations. “I’m not looking to renew it,” Trump said

As de-dollarisation trends persist, can the yuan take...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/06/10

In early April, hours after US President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Iran “back to the Stone Ages” in a prime-time address, China’s yuan-denominated cross-border payment system set a record for transaction volume in a single day. The Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) skyrocketed to 1.22 trillion yuan (US$180.3 billion) on April 2, almost doubling the daily average volume in February. The spike occurred as more oil-producing nations rapidly scaled up their share of yuan

China-UK cooperation vital in ensuring the AI era...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/06/10

During a recent discussion in Shenzhen with British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, I was reminded that the development of artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer only a technological race. It is a test of whether major economies can build the institutions, standards and economic systems needed to integrate intelligent machines into human society. Britain has every reason to enter this new era with confidence. It has contributed to much of the modern world’s foundations. In 1687, Isaac

Pope Leo blesses new tower at Spain’s Sagrada Familia

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/06/10

Pope Leo on Wednesday blessed a giant new tower at Barcelona’s famed Sagrada Familia Basilica after celebrating mass inside what is now the world’s tallest church. A choir of 600 singers performed at the service which lasted around 90 minutes and was attended by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez as well as King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia. The stained-glass windows in various colours shone brightly in between the treelike columns of the temple as Leo delivered his homily in Spanish,

US tightens pressure on Iran with new sanctions and...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/06/10

The United States ramped up pressure on Iran on Wednesday, with President Donald Trump threatening more strikes and the Treasury Department slapping fresh sanctions on entities that it says “have supported weapons procurement” on behalf of Tehran, including some in China and Hong Kong. “We hit them hard yesterday and we’re going to hit them again hard today,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday. “We’ll see what happens with the deal. We’re really close to a deal but they keep...

Nasa chief defends choice of all-male Artemis III crew

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/06/10

Nasa’s administrator Jared Isaacman on Wednesday defended the make-up of the space agency’s latest Artemis crew, an all-male group. The nominations have earned criticism that Nasa may have acted in accordance with US President Donald Trump’s direction to eliminate diversity and inclusion efforts. Isaacman insisted in a lengthy social media post that the “crew selection does not involve any political appointees”. “The Astronaut Office assigns the crew that gives the mission the best chance of...

Bill Gates tells Epstein hearing he ‘never victimised...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/06/10

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said on Wednesday that he “never victimised anyone”, as he faced questioning from US lawmakers over his ties to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Gates, one of the world’s richest men and a leading philanthropist, was appearing before the House Oversight Committee for a transcribed interview about the disgraced financier, who died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges involving underage girls. “I never witnessed nor

Elon Musk accused of inflaming tensions in Belfast...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/06/10

The use of social media in planning violent protests over the Belfast knife attack has drawn condemnation, with Britain’s ruling Labour Party accusing Elon Musk of stoking divisions. The tech billionaire, who continued overnight to promote calls for people to take to the streets in response to the assault, hit back at the claims and blamed immigration policy for the tensions. Hadi Alodid, a 30-year-old Sudanese man, was remanded in custody after appearing in court charged with attempted

Hong Kong tech park tender targets strong bidders...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/06/10

Winning consortiums bidding for core land parcels at an innovation hub near Hong Kong’s border must post a HK$100 million (US$12.7 million) construction bond and meet a tight 30-month development deadline, according to tender documents obtained by the South China Morning Post. Industry leaders said the requirements, which deviated from those in conventional government land sales, suggested that the government was targeting “well-capitalised” bidders to eliminate the risk of stalled

How will the Pentagon’s expanded blacklist of Chinese...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/06/10

The Pentagon’s newly expanded blacklist of Chinese military-linked companies has tested the fragile stability reached at last month’s summit, highlighting that intense competition persists despite recent efforts to ease bilateral tensions. On Monday, the US Defence Department released its updated Section 1260H list as required by American law, expanding the roster to 188 entities, up from 134 last year. Many of China’s technology and industrial giants were targeted. E-commerce giant Alibaba,...

US inflation spikes to 3-year high in May as Iran war...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/06/10

US consumer inflation surged to a fresh three-year high in May, according to official data released on Wednesday, as increased energy prices rippled through the world’s largest economy.The consumer price index (CPI) rose 4.2 per cent year on year, up from April’s 3.8 per cent figure, the US Bureau of Labour Statistics said. It was the highest reading since April 2023, according to official data, but in line with analyst expectations. The US-Israel war against Iran, launched in late February,...

Gold-laden World Cup trophy’s value surges 157% – how...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/06/10

As the 2026 Fifa World Cup prepares to kick off on Thursday, the world’s elite players are vying for more than just glory – they seek a shimmering prize whose bullion value has eclipsed all previous benchmarks. The trophy set to be hoisted in the US state of New Jersey next month is now worth 157 per cent more than it was during the 2022 tournament in Qatar, owing to a historic rally in gold prices. The raw gold value of the statue currently stands at around US$713,000 – a staggering jump

US firms pay price for Trump’s China tariffs, export...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/06/10

The Trump administration’s export controls, sanctions and tariffs are hurting American firms in China without achieving their policy goals of blocking critical technology or reviving US manufacturing, according to a new business survey. “US export controls are not calibrated to empower American companies … Instead, they are forcing buyers to go elsewhere,” the US-China Business Council said on Wednesday, releasing the results of its annual member survey. “Export controls are less effective

Starlink rival Qianfan hits satellite milestone, but...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/06/10

China’s Qianfan network has hit a national milestone by placing over 200 broadband satellites in orbit, but there are concerns its deployment could be too slow and costly. The constellation now has 201 satellites after a successful launch on board a Zhuque-2E rocket from the Gobi Desert at 4.23pm Beijing time on Tuesday. The mission delivered Qianfan DTC-01 – a direct-to-cell test satellite – alongside a satellite from China Mobile, state broadcaster CCTV reported. The flight followed...

Proposed Sai Kung marine park to cover most coral...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/06/10

A planned marine park in waters surrounding Sharp Island in Sai Kung will cover most coral reefs, Hong Kong authorities have said, allaying a green group’s concerns about insufficient protection of ecologically sensitive areas. Janet Lee Ka-wai, senior marine conservation officer at the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, also said on Wednesday that underwater mapping technology had been used to assess coral coverage and identify ecological sites. Major coral spots identified

Trainee doctor reported to police for allegedly...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/06/10

Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority has reported a medical intern to police for allegedly accessing patient data without authorisation, suspending her and a resident doctor over the case. The authority also said on Wednesday that it had warned the trainee over earlier misconduct while interning at Ruttonjee Hospital in Wan Chai and was investigating whether she was involved in more malpractice. It said it would pass on any findings to the Medical Council, which regulates the profession. “The

How drones, tariffs and rare earths could test...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/06/10

The post-summit detente between Washington and Beijing has moved from diplomatic language to institutional design. Less than three weeks after the summit between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, the US Trade Representative (USTR) asked companies to identify “non-sensitive” Chinese goods that might qualify for tariff relief under a new US-China Board of Trade. On the same day, the USTR also proposed Section 301 duties on imports from 60 economies, including China, after its...

Air China C909 hits bird as Chinese jets face growing...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/06/10

A suspected bird strike on a Chinese-made C909 regional jet in Beijing has reportedly left some marks on its nose and airframe, but experts said the likelihood of any severe damage was very low. The incident underscores the real-world tests of reliability facing the model as it is more widely deployed at home and abroad, according to observers. Air China flight CA1150, arriving from Ordos in Inner Mongolia, struck a large bird as it approached Beijing Capital International Airport on Sunday...

Thai woman detained after US diplomat found dead in...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/06/10

An American diplomat was found dead in Myanmar’s largest city, the US State Department said, and members of the diplomatic community in Yangon say a Thai woman has been detained by police in connection with the investigation. American officials in Thailand and the US embassy in Myanmar referred questions on the case to the State Department, which confirmed the “death of a US government employee” assigned to the embassy in Yangon but gave no other details. “Out of respect for the privacy of

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