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UK police arrest 2 men over Jewish ambulances arson...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/25

British police said on Wednesday they had arrested two men over a London arson attack on four volunteer ambulances run by a Jewish organisation. The arrests came after police said they were investigating an online claim of responsibility by a little-known Islamist group which has possible links to Iran. The ambulances were set on fire early Monday while they were parked next to a synagogue in an area of London with a large Jewish population. The Metropolitan Police said two men aged 47 and

GSIS exemplifying the benefits of bilingual education

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/25

[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] The German Swiss International School (GSIS) in Hong Kong has long been recognised for the quality of education and breadth of opportunities it provides. Admitting applicants of all nationalities from kindergarten through to the completion of secondary level, the school offers two streams both of which lead to globally accepted qualifications, while developing bilingual proficiency and familiarity with different...

Amid struggles at home, 80% of Chinese companies in...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/25

Almost 80 per cent of the Chinese companies operating in the European Union plan to expand their investment there, even though most complain about policy uncertainty, according to a report published on Tuesday by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce to the EU (CCCEU) and the China Economic Information Service. The result stands in sharp contrast to similar reports published by the European Chamber of Commerce in China (EUCCC) – despite companies from both sides complaining about obstacles such as...

China-owned vessel secures rare Strait of Hormuz...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/25

The second Chinese-owned liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier has transited the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war with Iran, according to industry sources and vessel-tracking data, amid conflicting claims over access to the vital trade corridor. Tehran has largely blocked the strategic waterway in retaliation for Washington and Tel Aviv’s strikes, causing widespread disruption to global shipping – though Iranian officials have recently promised safe passage for

China calls for US-Iran talks as war upends Gulf...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/25

China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, encouraged his Iranian counterpart to pursue negotiations with the United States as conflict in the Middle East threatens to enter a second month. “Talking is better than fighting,” Wang told Abbas Araghchi by phone on Tuesday, according to the Chinese foreign ministry. “All parties should seize every opportunity to begin the peace process as soon as possible.” Confusion surrounds the status of peace talks, as Iran has derided a reported US 15-point ceasefire

Hong Kong’s MTR Corp to upgrade Tung Chung line...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/25

Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation will carry out overnight signalling upgrade works on Sunday as part of preparations for the partial opening of the Tung Chung line extension later this year. Representatives from the city’s sole rail operator also said on Wednesday that the HK$19.5 billion (US$2.5 billion) project remained unaffected by a counterfeit brick scandal and the full extension was still on track to open in 2029. Upgrades to the existing system will take place in the early hours of Sunday,...

Pop Mart shares dive despite soaring profit as...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/25

Chinese toymaker Pop Mart reported strong annual growth in revenue and net profit for 2025, but not enough to alleviate investor fears that the company remains too reliant on the Labubu phenomenon. Annual revenue jumped 184.7 per cent from a year earlier to 37.12 billion yuan (US$5.4 billion), while net profit surged 284.5 per cent to 13.08 billion yuan, the company said on Wednesday. However, its Hong Kong-listed shares plunged 22.5 per cent to HK$168.30 on Wednesday, marking the biggest

Why a global private-credit meltdown would hit China...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/25

As war in the Middle East escalates, the financial fallout extends beyond energy price and supply-chain disruptions. Vulnerabilities in the US$3 trillion-plus global private-credit market are accelerating, driving investors to safe havens, while global finance undergoes a rapid transformation. China, the world’s largest creditor to developing countries, will feel the repercussions. This is the first real stress test confronting the vast lending empire. A meltdown was inevitable; only the

Hong Kong weighs petrol pricing disclosure rule in...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/25

Hong Kong authorities are facing mounting pressure from lawmakers to roll out more measures to rein in surging fuel prices, including a requirement for firms to disclose pricing formulas when bidding for petrol stations – an idea the environment minister said could be considered. Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan told the Legislative Council on Wednesday the government was open to reviewing the current tender policy for petrol station sites to bring down fuel prices, a

Shenzhen eyes ‘leapfrog’ gains in AI server supply...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/25

Shenzhen – southern China’s technology powerhouse – has launched an ambitious three-year action plan to build itself into a hub for intelligent computing clusters by advancing key areas such as semiconductors, storage and AI servers. The city aimed to see a “leapfrog” increase in the production capacity and shipment volume of the entire AI server supply chain by 2028, according to the plan published Monday by Shenzhen’s industry and information technology bureau. The blueprint is geared to...

Senior Japanese minister expresses regret over...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/25

A senior Japanese official and the country’s military have expressed regret after a serving officer was arrested on suspicion of trespassing at the Chinese embassy in Tokyo. Tokyo police have identified the 23-year-old suspect as Kodai Murata, a second lieutenant with the Ground Self-Defence Force (SDF), and said he was suspected of bringing an 18cm (7-inch) knife onto the embassy premises. No one was injured in the incident and a blade was found in shrubbery on the embassy grounds, Japanese...

More websites, mobile apps for children collecting...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/25

A global investigation involving Hong Kong authorities has found that more websites and mobile apps designed for children are collecting personal data – ranging from phone numbers to addresses – than they did about a decade ago. The 2025 Global Privacy Enforcement Network Sweep, which included the participation of Hong Kong’s Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, examined 876 websites and mobile apps specifically designed for children across multiple sectors in early November,...

Leniency shown to Hong Kong immigration worker who...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/25

A Hong Kong court has granted further leniency to a senior Immigration Department assistant, placing him on a one-year probation order after he was convicted of repeatedly choking his wife and young son during domestic disputes. Kowloon City Court heard on Wednesday that the 49-year-old defendant, identified as “ATK”, preferred probation to community service because he would lose his job and the substantial pension accumulated over more than 30 years in the disciplined services. He earlier...

China yam with human ‘fingernails’, 260 free meals,...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/25

A man in China has dug up a yam that looks exactly like a human hand, shocking many people online. The man, who lives in Jieyang, in southern China’s Guangdong province, unearthed the oddly shaped vegetable on his farm. It looks so much like a hand that it seems to even have nails and skin. Chinese yams often grow into various shapes, as their appearance is greatly affected by external factors such as the soil and random rocks. However, it is rare for such a vegetable to grow so vividly like

Iranian military scoffs at US attempts at a ceasefire...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/25

An Iranian military spokesperson mocked US attempts at a ceasefire deal on Wednesday, raising questions about whether a 15-point plan proposed by Washington has a chance to succeed. The comments from Lieutenant Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaghari, a spokesperson for the Iranian military’s Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, which jointly commands Iran’s regular military and paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, came after the plan was submitted to Iran by intermediaries. US President Donald Trump has

Hong Kong, Hainan can ‘forge strong partnership’,...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/25

Hong Kong and Hainan should forge a strong partnership and explore new models of cooperation, the city’s leader has said, urging the business sector to capitalise on the mainland Chinese province’s free-trade port status by offering professional services in areas such as finance, law and accounting. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s call followed a meeting with Feng Fei, the Communist Party secretary of the Hainan provincial committee, on the sidelines of the Boao Forum for Asia annual...

Humanitarian aid boat arrives in Cuba amid US...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/25

The first boat of a flotilla carrying medical supplies, food and solar panels reached Cuba on Tuesday to aid the island as a US fuel blockade deepens its energy crisis. The Maguro shrimp fishing boat docked in Havana three days later than hoped after battling strong winds, currents and a pesky battery during its journey from Mexico. As they approached Havana’s colonial-era fortification, the international activists stood on the cabin roof of the boat - symbolically renamed “Granma 2.0” as a...

China’s consumer goods factories cut output as Iran...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/25

The disruption to shipping traffic along the Strait of Hormuz is starting to bite in China, where some manufacturers are reducing production due to soaring energy, raw material and freight costs. Zhao, who runs a bicycle factory in Guangzhou serving clients in the United States, Middle East and Europe, has already put most export business on hold. “We also cancelled all orders from Iran,” he said. “The cost of aluminium, a key raw material for bicycle production, has risen by 30 per...

Watchdog takes legal action against 6 contractors, 12...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/25

Hong Kong’s competition watchdog has taken legal action against six contractors and 12 individuals over alleged corruption and anti-competitive conduct in building maintenance projects worth nearly HK$700 million (US$89.4 million), after the city’s graft-buster charged five people linked to the work. The Competition Commission said on Wednesday it had started litigation proceedings in the Competition Tribunal after an investigation into a bid-rigging syndicate involved in tendering for

Israel’s military to occupy swathe of southern...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/03/25

Israel will occupy southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, an area Defence Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday described as a “security zone”, spelling out for the first time Israel’s intent to seize territory amounting to nearly a 10th of the country. At a meeting with the military chief of staff, Katz said Israeli forces would “control the remaining bridges and the security zone up to the Litani,” a river that meets the Mediterranean about 30km (20 miles) ‌north of Israel’s border. Lebanon’s...

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