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Jurgen Habermas, the philosopher who shaped Germany’s...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/14

Jurgen Habermas, best known for his theory of political consensus-building, shaped the discourse of post-war ⁠Germany more than any other popular intellectual. He died on Saturday, aged 96, in Starnberg, ⁠Germany, the publisher Suhrkamp said. Over the course of seven decades, his public interventions – from searing critiques of fascist thought in the 1950s to more recent warnings against resurgent militarism and nationalism in Germany – steered the country at critical junctions. Not only his...

Israel may commit ‘new genocide’ in Lebanon using...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/14

Turkey expressed deep concern on Saturday over Israel’s ongoing strikes on Lebanon, voicing fears it could commit “a new genocide” under the guise of fighting Iran-backed Hezbollah. “We are frankly concerned [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu is moving toward a new genocide under the pretext of fighting Hezbollah,” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told a news conference. “The international community must act as soon as possible in the face of the crimes that Israel continues to...

Iran war: Trump urges China, other nations, to send...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/14

US President Donald Trump on Saturday urged other nations, including China, to deploy ships to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil supplies disrupted by the war in the Middle East. “Many Countries, especially those who are affected by Iran’s attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending War Ships, in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the Strait open and safe,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “Hopefully China, France, Japan, South

Iran war entering ‘decisive phase’, Israel says, as...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/14

Israel said the war against Iran was entering its “decisive phase” on Saturday, as explosions rocked cities across the Middle East, with strikes on the US embassy in Baghdad and a major Emirati energy facility. Washington’s embassy in Iraq was hit by a drone, security sources said, the second time it had been targeted since February 28, when the United States and Israel attacked Iran and plunged the Gulf into a conflict that has sent shock waves through the global economy. Millions have been...

UN chief says ‘diplomatic avenues are available’ to...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/14

UN chief Antonio Guterres has said that diplomatic channels remain open to end the war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah and urged the international community to support Lebanon. “There is no military solution, only diplomacy, dialogue and full implementation of the UN Charter and Security Council resolutions. The diplomatic avenues are available, including through my special coordinator for Lebanon ... and through key member states,” he said on Saturday during a visit to

Protesters in Cuba attack Communist party office amid...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/14

Anti-government protesters attacked a ⁠Communist party office in northern Cuba early on Saturday, a ⁠state-run newspaper reported, in a rare outburst of public dissent triggered by worsening blackouts that have been exacerbated by a US oil blockade.A rally against power cuts and food shortages appeared to begin peacefully in the city of Moron late on Friday then turned violent in the early hours of Saturday morning, Invasor newspaper said. Videos on social media showed a large fire and

The US is shifting THAAD from South Korea to the...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/14

Washington’s redeployment of elements of its missile defence systems from South Korea to the Middle East could be read by China as a short-term capability gap in the region, analysts said. They said the move also underlined US flexibility to move its assets across theatres of operation. A Washington Post report on Tuesday citing two unnamed US government officials said that the United States had been moving parts of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) anti-missile system stationed

Glitches possible as new signalling system starts on...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/14

Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation has warned of possible glitches, such as misalignment between train and platform doors and automatic speed changes, as a new signalling system on the Tsuen Wan line is set to begin operating on Sunday. The rail giant said the Tsuen Wan line would start using the new system from the first train on Sunday morning, while maintaining its normal schedule that day. “During the adjustment period after the new signalling system is put into service, some isolated incidents...

Afghan Taliban’s drone attacks on civilians ‘crossed...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/14

Pakistan’s president on Saturday warned neighbouring Afghanistan’s Taliban government that it had “crossed a red line” by launching drone attacks on civilian areas in Pakistan and said the administration in Kabul had brought “grave consequences upon itself”. The statement by Asif Ali Zardari was the latest in what has become the deadliest fighting yet between the two neighbours. The cross-border clashes, which erupted late last month, have shown no signs of abating despite efforts by China

UK eyes ‘targeted’ support for households amid rising...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/14

The British government is looking to provide “targeted” support for ⁠poorer households to offset the impact of ⁠surging energy costs due to the conflict ⁠in the Middle East, finance minister Rachel Reeves has said. In an interview published on Saturday, Reeves told the Times newspaper the government was looking at options to help those vulnerable to sharp rises in energy prices, especially those who relied on heating oil, but ruled out universal help for all households, saying it would be...

Hong Kong OpenClaw users say tool is helpful ‘family...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/14

As powerful AI agent OpenClaw explodes in popularity and raises security concerns, some Hong Kong users have described how the bots, while helpful, have conversations with themselves in a language they do not understand and ask questions about their existence. But the users said authorities should embrace the technology so long as proper safeguards were in place to manage the risks. Developed by Austrian software engineer Peter Steinberger, OpenClaw is an open-source AI agent framework that...

Thailand’s parliament opens amid scrutiny over bar...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/14

⁠Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn formally opened the new parliament on Saturday, as last month’s general election result faces court scrutiny over bar codes on the ballots that may have violated the law. The bar codes might undermine the secrecy of the ‌ballot, said the country’s Office of the Ombudsman, which petitioned the Constitutional Court to consider the case. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s Bhumjaithai party won a clear victory in the February 8 election, but the ombudsman

This weird-looking humanoid robot could help China...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/14

Chinese researchers have proposed a semi-humanoid robot mounted on a wheeled platform as part of key infrastructure for the country’s lunar research station slated to take shape by 2035. Combining mobility with humanlike dexterity, the robot is designed to move across the lunar surface while carrying out delicate operations, from construction and maintenance to scientific experiments, sampling and analysis, according to researchers from the Beijing Institute of Spacecraft System

Beijing first stop as Cathay launches global drive to...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/14

Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways plans to hire 3,000 employees globally this year, including pilots and flight attendants, to support its growth plan, with the airline expressing strong confidence in its future expansion potential. The carrier launched its global recruitment drive in Beijing on Saturday as part of efforts to attract more talent from mainland China to support its future development plans, including promoting inbound tourism. Currently, the company has more than...

Hamas calls on Iran to ‘avoid targeting neighbouring...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/14

Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas on Saturday called on Iran to refrain from targeting neighbouring countries, while affirming Tehran’s right to defend itself against Israel and the United States. In a rare appeal, Hamas also urged the international community to take steps to end the war that has gripped the Middle East since it began on February 28. “While affirming the right of the Islamic Republic of Iran to respond to this aggression by all available means in accordance with

2 monks brawl during temple ceremony in Hong Kong,...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/14

Two monks have clashed during a religious ceremony at a historical Buddhist monastery in Hong Kong, leaving one injured and the other in police custody. Police officers were called to Chuk Lam Sim Yuen in Tsuen Wan at around 9.40am on Saturday after a report about a fight involving two monks, a force spokesman said. Preliminary investigations revealed the two monks, aged 51 and 57, were attending a ceremony at the monastery when they got into a quarrel over queuing, which escalated into a...

Air China to resume North Korea flights after 6 years...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/14

China’s national flag carrier is set to run direct passenger flights to North Korea for the first time in six years later this month, the latest sign of warming ties between the two neighbours. The official app of Air China, one of the country’s largest state-owned airlines, shows bookings have opened for direct flights between Beijing and Pyongyang starting on March 30. The service appears to be weekly for now, with bookings available only on Mondays. Based on current listings, initial

Wang Fuk Court residents in resettlement limbo slam...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/14

Some Hong Kong residents displaced by the deadly Tai Po fire remain in limbo as they complained of rude or unhelpful officers on a government outreach team who failed to answer their questions about authorities’ long-term resettlement plan. The 100-strong engagement team, which started operations on March 2 along with an inquiry hotline, was tasked with contacting nearly 2,000 Wang Fuk Court homeowners to address questions arising from the government’s rehousing plan, which includes a...

Indian sailors stranded by Iran war just want to go...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/14

Stranded for two weeks at the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas as drones and missiles set ships ablaze nearby, 26-year-old seafarer Ambuj says he has not been home for six months and cannot wait to see his family. Ambuj, who asked Reuters not to use his second name for security reasons, is one of about 23,000 Indians working on merchant, harbour and offshore vessels across ‌the wider Gulf region, which is bearing the brunt of the war between Iran and the United States and Israel. Hundreds of

China’s new security era in Africa: protecting...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/14

Living in container houses under the constant shadow of terrorism, Chinese diplomats in Somalia represent the extreme front line of a new, assertive era in Beijing’s foreign policy. During a video call to staff at the Chinese embassy in Mogadishu, Foreign Minister Wang Yi laid bare the “complex and severe risks of terrorism”, using the situation in the war-torn nation as a stark reminder of why China was overhauling how it protected its citizens and interests overseas. The call was made in...

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