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Indonesian peacekeepers’ deaths spur calls for Middle...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/01

The killing of three Indonesian peacekeepers in southern Lebanon is a stern test of Jakarta’s Middle East policy, with analysts saying the incident has raised questions over the risks of overseas deployment in Gaza and the region, as well as limits to global accountability. Several Indonesian lawmakers and observers said the deaths had exposed how little protection diplomatic positions could offer during a spiralling conflict, arguing that Jakarta should reassess its role in Lebanon and...

Chinese navy arrives in Sea of Japan just as Tokyo...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/01

As Tokyo was completing the deployment on Tuesday of its two Type 25 missiles targeting China, a Chinese naval fleet entered the Sea of Japan, while bilateral tensions continued to escalate. China has strongly protested the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force’s addition of the newly designated Type 25 long-range surface-to-ship guided (SSM) missile and hypervelocity gliding projectiles (HGP). The deployments were an example of “neo-militarism in Japan, which has become more than just a perilous...

China ‘immersive’ fun buses see rise of mobile venues...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/01

In recent years, a new “city bus” trend has been gathering pace in southern China. It offers a fresh spin on the “city walk” craze and sees buses transformed into roving venues for karaoke, film screenings and even yum cha. In Guangdong province, some young people are embracing what they see as the most local way to explore the region: using themed public buses to take in the slow rhythms of everyday life. While eating is banned on public transport in most mainland cities, passengers on...

US House committee calls for major crackdown on...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/01

Lawmakers in the United States have urged the administration of US President Donald Trump to take action against China’s alleged sanctioned oil imports by blacklisting port operators and blocking complex settlement networks. Despite Washington’s temporary easing of sanctions on Russian and Iranian oil to relieve price pressures from the US-Israeli war in Iran, the “House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party” has released a 41-page...

Why Myanmar top general’s exit is window dressing to...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/01

The Myanmar junta’s attempts to place its top man in the country’s highest civilian position have been described by analysts as a “constitutional repackaging of continued military rule”. On Monday, Min Aung Hlaing, who led the military in the 2021 coup and has headed the junta since then, resigned from the armed forces, moving one step closer to becoming president. He stepped down after Myanmar’s parliament had cleared the way for his nomination. He handed over the role of commander-in-chief

Trump eyes Iran exit before Hormuz shutdown ends

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/01

US President Donald Trump said attacks on Iran could stop within two or three weeks even without an agreement, leaving a question mark over the reopening of the vital Strait of Hormuz. “We’ll be leaving very soon,” US President Donald Trump told reporters in the White House on Tuesday. “Iran doesn’t have to make a deal.” The president was scheduled to address the nation and “provide an important update on Iran” at 9pm New York time on Wednesday (9am on Thursday in Hong Kong). Brent crude held...

Beijing says cremated spy remains returned from...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/01

Beijing has confirmed receiving the cremated remains of historic Communist Party spies from Taiwan and hailed the “patriots” as providing encouragement in its pursuit of reunification. Zhang Han, a spokeswoman for the mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office, noted on Wednesday that the ashes had been returned before the Ching Ming Festival, a tomb-sweeping day that falls on April 5 this year, and days before the expected visit of Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the...

Hong Kong retail sales jump nearly 12% in first 2...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/01

Hong Kong’s retail sales jumped by nearly 12 per cent in the first two months of 2026 against a year ago, with authorities pointing to growth in the local economy and a surge in tourists. Provisional figures released by the Census and Statistics Department on Wednesday showed retail sales reached HK$35 billion (US$4.47 billion) in February, driven by the Chinese New Year holiday and major events in the city. Sales were HK$37.3 billion in January. The department combined the retail sales

Malaysia denies Anwar delayed disclosure of probe...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/01

Malaysia’s government has said it “strongly denies” a claim made in a news report that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim sought to delay the release of findings from an investigation into the country’s anti-corruption chief, and will take legal action over the allegation. The latest claim has sharpened scrutiny of Anwar, whose reformist image and anti-corruption credentials have come under strain amid a series of allegations involving the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and its chief...

Mainland China, Hong Kong premium office supply to...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/01

Prime office supply in mainland Chinese cities and Hong Kong is estimated to peak this year, while demand remains hampered by an economic slowdown and global uncertainties, according to Cushman & Wakefield. At the end of 2025, premium office inventory in 21 major cities in Greater China – including Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, as well as Taiwan – amounted to 99.2 million square metres (1.07 billion sq ft), up 4.6 million square metres or 8.4 per cent from a year

The surge of global business interest in China’s...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/01

Against a backdrop of war and global uncertainty, Chinese Premier Li Qiang delivered a clear message at the recent China Development Forum: China is committed to being a “harbour of stability” for the world. The forum, which drew CEOs from global companies such as Siemens, Nestlé and Apple, signalled to the world that while the United States flails, China offers reliability and steady governance. Even before the US-Israeli war on Iran, however, my inbox was already telling me that something

Hong Kong airport named world’s best at Global Travel...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/01

Hong Kong International Airport has been voted the world’s best airport, along with accolades recognising its security standards and facilities. An Airport Authority spokesman said on Wednesday that the city’s airport had been named “Best Airport in the World” at the Global Travel Awards this year. Organiser International Media & News Group, based in Britain, said the awards recognised the best hotels, airports, airlines and destinations based on votes cast by 2.5 million travellers from more...

How US’ ‘stupid war’ with Iran torched fuel price...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/01

At a petrol station in the Washington suburbs, drivers confronted the harsh domestic repercussions of the war on Iran, as spiking fuel prices hit household budgets hard. Jeanne Williams, 83, had just driven 160km from Richmond, Virginia, where she was visiting her elder sister. “That is horrible,” she said, stunned by the prices visible on the Liberty petrol station’s LED board. “I’m not angry. I’m just bewildered, confused, unhappy,” she said. “Because we didn’t ask for the war.” On Tuesday,...

China’s electric cars and Iran war, BYD’s profit run...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/01

We have put together stories from our coverage on electric and new energy vehicles from the past two weeks to help you stay informed. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. The Iran war could widen China’s EV lead over its global rivals. Here’s why Surging oil prices driven by the US-Israel war on Iran could accelerate the global adoption of electric vehicles – a sector that helped China overtake Japan to become the world’s largest seller of

Australia and Japan face jet fuel supply crunch as...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/01

China’s exports of jet fuel have declined sharply in recent weeks amid the US-Israel war on Iran, leaving countries including Australia and Japan facing a supply crunch and scrambling to find alternative sellers. China is Asia-Pacific’s largest jet fuel and kerosene exporter, but shipments from the country fell nearly 40 per cent month on month in March to 204,000 barrels per day, figures from trade data provider Kpler showed. The cutback is likely to hit hardest in Australia and Japan, which...

Dog lost for a week in New Zealand bush found after...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/01

When a hiker fell from a 55-metre (180-foot) waterfall in wild New Zealand bush, rescuers were forced to evacuate the badly hurt woman without her dog, which could not be found. After strangers raised thousands of dollars for a search, border collie Molly was flown to safety by a helicopter pilot who was determined to reunite pet and owner. A week earlier, an emergency rescue helicopter found Jessica Johnston with bruises and lacerations after a fall at a rocky spot at the waterfall on the

HKTVmall parent firm under fire for testing how long...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/01

The parent company of Hong Kong online retailer HKTVmall has defended its life science project involving testing the viability of detached animal heads and limbs, responding to animal ethics concerns by saying no pets were experimented on. Hong Kong Technology Venture Company revealed the project on Monday in its annual results, and said it believed the research to be a world first that could be applied to organ transplants and potentially “extending human lifespan”. “The related experiments...

Ganfeng Lithium forecasts strong battery demand amid...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/01

China’s Ganfeng Lithium, the world’s largest producer of lithium metal, is envisioning an “explosive growth” in the global energy storage system (ESS) market in 2026, spurred by higher prices of the key battery material and buoyant demand for renewable energy infrastructure. Executives including president Wang Xiaoshen told an investors’ conference on Tuesday that the global decarbonisation drive had created a strong and sustainable trajectory for Ganfeng, which swung from loss to profit last...

Some Hong Kong taxi drivers unprepared as new...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/01

Some Hong Kong taxi drivers have yet to install e-payment options even after the city’s mandatory electronic payment choices for taxis came into effect, highlighting a digital divide challenge facing cabbies, the South China Morning Post has observed. Under the Transport Department rule that came into effect on Wednesday, all drivers must offer passengers at least a QR code option and an alternative e-payment method. The initiative aimed to elevate the quality of taxi services by leveraging...

Malaysian anti-corruption body offers to pay for...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/01

Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency on Wednesday offered to pay for the flight of a London-based key witness to help with its investigation into possible corruption linked to a US$250 million deal signed last year between the government and British chip design firm Arm Holdings. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has for the past month been on the hunt for former government aide James Chai, whom it said was a key witness in its probe on possible abuse of power, fraud and governance...

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