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Copper, lithium unlikely to match gold’s gains as...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/19

Producers across the world are likely to ramp up output of commodities such as copper and lithium, limiting the kind of runaway price gains seen in gold even as markets anticipate a prolonged rally in raw materials, Goldman Sachs said. Gold has surged to record highs, while a range of other commodities have also climbed, as governments and investors seek the perceived “insurance” value of hard assets amid geopolitical tensions and policy uncertainty, the US bank said in a report addressing

Hong Kong authorities offer support to family of man...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/19

Hong Kong immigration authorities have pledged their full support to the family of a 26-year-old resident found dead in a Taipei hotel. The Immigration Department said on Thursday it had immediately contacted the man’s family after learning of the death. “The department has provided advice and assistance in line with the family’s wishes,” a spokesman said. He added it would maintain close contact with the deceased’s family and continue following up on the case. The man checked into the

Top US commander makes surprise visit to Venezuela...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/19

The top commander overseeing US forces in Latin America, General Francis Donovan, and senior Pentagon official Joseph Humire made a surprise visit to Venezuela on Wednesday for security talks, US officials said. The trip is the first by a US military delegation since US ‌forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in an audacious raid last month and whisked him to New York to face drug-trafficking charges. The visit was first reported by Reuters. Venezuela’s government said the US

‘Baby blue’ out, gold in: how Air Force One will look...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/19

A red, white and blue colour scheme championed by US President Donald Trump will become the new look for Air Force One, the US military said on Thursday. The Air Force said a “red, white, gold and dark blue paint scheme” will be used for the updated jet that is slated to serve as Air Force One as well as other, smaller jets that routinely fly other top government officials. The military released a rendering of the new look that matches an aeroplane model that has been seen in the Oval Office

Mongolian mining family snaps up US$31.5 million Hong...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/19

The family behind one of Mongolia’s largest mining conglomerates has bought a detached house in Hong Kong’s upmarket Southern district for HK$247 million (US$31.5 million), with the buyer intending to use it as a “retirement residence”. Land Registry records showed Tisara Holdings, whose director is Tselmuun Nyamtaishir, signed a provisional agreement on January 29 to acquire House 5 in One Stanley at 128 Wong Ma Kok Road. Nyamtaishir is the president and CEO of Mongolyn Alt (MAK), a...

Uber robotaxi: uber-sophisticated in tech and...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/19

Uber is set to outdo itself on Hong Kong taxi drivers’ meter (of hate) – it is reportedly planning to launch its robotaxi services in Hong Kong by the end of 2026. On the tech side, this is nothing short of a miracle. The Uber robotaxi features Level 4 autonomous driving, deploying real-time AI processing of situational data fed by a comprehensive 360-degree sensor array combining high-resolution cameras, solid-state lidar and radar. The human brain, at least when it comes to driving, is no...

Why Lunar New Year celebrations are about the people,...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/19

I remember when I was four or five years old, my great-grandmother would get busy days ahead of Lunar New Year. She would clean the house, pickle vegetables in an enormous jar and start pre-cooking dishes for the New Year’s Eve family meal. One star of the night, called “lion’s head”, is steamed minced pork meat balls that take days to make. My great-grandmother would go to the market ahead of time and pick out pork belly that was the right balance of lean and fat meat, carefully chopping the...

Hongkonger, 63, falls to his death from high-rise...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/19

A 63-year-old man has died after falling from a Hong Kong high-rise while trying to rescue his pet cat. A security guard at Jubilant Place in Kowloon City district alerted police at 11.27pm on Wednesday after he found the man lying in a flower bed at Block Three. The man was transported to Kwong Wah Hospital in Yau Ma Tei, where he was later pronounced dead. The force said on Thursday an initial investigation found that the man lost his footing and fell from his flat while trying to retrieve

China on track to finish world’s ‘most difficult’...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/19

The world’s “most difficult” railway project is taking shape in rugged southwestern China. The line connecting Dali and border town Ruili in Yunnan province is the first to cut through the Hengduan Mountains, traversing some of the world’s most complex geological and topographical terrains. Running along the country’s southwestern frontier for about 330km (205 miles), the railway is expected to boost China’s links with Southeast Asia. The line is being built in two sections: Dali to Baoshan,

Spring Festival travel rush dates back to ancient...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/19

The world’s largest human migration, China’s Spring Festival travel rush, could date back more than 2,000 years and reflects the history and development of China’s transport networks. This year’s Spring Festival rush, or chunyun, takes place from February 2 to March 13, and is expected to produce a total of 9.5 billion passenger trips. The chunyun is believed to first appear along with the invention of the term guo nian, or spending the New Year, in the Zhou dynasty (1046–256). The New Year,...

Breaking the cycle: Hong Kong parents wrestle with...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/19

Anna Lee*, a Hongkonger in her forties, first realised the profound impact of the violence she experienced as a child when she became a mother herself.As she raised her two children, now aged seven and 10, she was alarmed to find her emotional reactions mirroring the volatility of her own childhood. “I found the degree of my sudden outbursts of anger not equivalent to the things my children had done, and I struggle to manage the emotion,” she said. “That reminded me of my father losing his...

White House deflects as Trump weighs Taiwan arms sale...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/18

The White House declined on Wednesday to comment on reports that US President Donald Trump is weighing whether to cancel or delay a US$11 billion arms package to Taiwan, as he seeks to keep an expected April summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on track amid pressure from Beijing. “I don’t have any announcement or updates to share,” said White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt. On Monday, Trump told journalists he had discussed the potential sales with Xi. “I’ve talked to him about it. We

Ex-Victoria’s Secret CEO Les Wexner says he was...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/18

Retail tycoon Les Wexner told US lawmakers on Wednesday that he was “conned” by Jeffrey Epstein and denied any knowledge of his crimes, as Democrats pressed him over his decades-long relationship with the notorious sex offender. The 88-year-old founder of L Brands – the former parent of Victoria’s Secret – gave closed-door testimony from his home in New Albany, Ohio, after being subpoenaed by the House Oversight Committee as part of its investigation into Epstein and his associates. “I was...

US pulls forces from Syria as new government exerts...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/18

The Trump administration is withdrawing forces from Syria as part of a strategic shift now that the government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa is taking control of the fight against terror groups, according to a senior US official. A significant US troop presence is no longer required in Syria, according to the official who detailed the decision on condition of anonymity, but the Trump administration is ready to respond to Islamic State threats in the region. Some US personnel are leaving as

How China overtook the US in hypersonic arms and may...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/18

With the unveiling of the long-range hypersonic CJ-1000 missiles, China has surpassed the United States in the critical race to field practical scramjet propulsion systems, according to a mainland military magazine. Alongside the ship-launched YJ-19, the CJ-1000 road-mobile cruise missile was one of two hypersonic missiles powered by advanced air-breathing scramjet engines on show during the Victory Day military parade in Beijing in September last year. They are the world’s only two

Meta’s Zuckerberg grilled by lawyers in landmark US...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/18

Meta ⁠Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg pushed back in court on Wednesday against a lawyer’s suggestion that he had misled Congress about the design of its social media platforms, as a landmark trial over youth social media addiction continues. Zuckerberg was questioned on his statements to Congress in 2024, at a hearing where he said the company did not give its teams the goal of maximising time spent on its apps. Mark ‌Lanier, a lawyer for a woman who accuses Meta of harming her mental health

Trump tells Starmer ‘do not give away Diego Garcia’...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/18

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday sharply criticised British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the UK’s agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, warning the deal could create strategic vulnerabilities amid concerns about China’s growing ties with Mauritius. The deal, finalised in 2025 between Britain and Mauritius, would see Britain transfer sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius while securing a 99-year lease to maintain full operational control

Chinese steel hit with duties of up to US$670 per...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/18

Brazil has imposed anti-dumping duties on a broad range of Chinese steel products and hypodermic needles following two investigations that found the imports were being sold at unfairly low prices, harming domestic producers. Approved by the government’s foreign trade committee and signed by Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin in his capacity as trade chief, the measures apply for up to five years and target cold-rolled steel, coated flat steel and medical needles shipped from China. Cold-rolled

Does Trump’s retreat on electric vehicle policy risk...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/18

US President Donald Trump’s administration announced on Wednesday that it would rescind a rule rewarding electric vehicle production – eliminating the so-called “fuel content factor” – the latest in a series of actions rolling back federal support for EVs that analysts say could leave the US further behind in a global race increasingly shifting in China’s favour. The move comes as the US struggles to compete with China’s rapid growth in the EV sector, marking another setback for America’s...

Pope Leo laments world ‘in flames’ at Ash Wednesday...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/18

Pope Leo lamented ⁠a world “in flames” ⁠due to wars and ⁠the destruction of the environment during an Ash Wednesday Mass, opening the season of Lent for the world’s Christians. Before sprinkling ashes on the heads of participants, a sign of mortality, ‌the pope said the ashes could represent “the weight of a world that is ablaze, of entire cities destroyed by war”. He also told participants the ashes could signify “the ashes of international law and justice among peoples, [and] the ashes of...

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