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Australia faces record guns as Bondi massacre prompts...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/18

The number of firearms in Australia reached an all-time high of more than 4 ‌million in 2025, the centre-left government reported on Sunday, ‍a day after saying it would introduce a gun reform bill in parliament in response to the Bondi massacre. There were a record 4,113,735 guns in Australia last year, with ⁠1,158,654 of those in the most populous state of New South Wales where the Bondi attack took place, the government said, citing Department of Home Affairs data. The Labour government on...

How China is stepping up Africa charm offensive to...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/18

China is rolling out hundreds of activities across Africa, including study trips and AI competitions, as part of what experts have described as a “soft power” charm offensive designed to deepen its influence across the continent. In moving beyond its traditional focus on infrastructure and high-level finance, Beijing is expanding its engagement through the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges – an initiative dedicated to cultural and social diplomacy. Announced by Chinese

Are Western defence firms aiming at the Chinese navy...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/18

Two Western defence companies appear to have Chinese warships in their sights, with promotional videos of their weapons systems targeting vessels that look a lot like those belonging to the PLA Navy. London-based BAE Systems posted videos on social media on Wednesday for “game-changing naval weapons and launching systems” it said it was showcasing at a US defence industry conference last week. One animated video simulated a naval base under attack. The base then launches missiles from

Hong Kong police arrest 2, record 220 offences in...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/18

Hong Kong police arrested two drivers and found that motorists had committed about 220 traffic violations in a two-day crackdown on illegal vehicle modifications, speeding and other offences. Police said on Sunday the arrests were made during the force’s two-day operation called ‘Fossington’ over the weekend, targeting traffic violations across New Territories locations such as Tuen Mun, Yuen Long, Tolo Highway, Tai Mei Tuk, Luk Keng Road and Bride’s Pool Road. At around 9am on Sunday,

Europe’s far-right eyes run-off in Portugal’s...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/18

A record 11 candidates are standing in Portugal’s presidential election on Sunday, with a populist party leader poised to bring another political breakthrough for Europe’s far-right. The large field makes it unlikely that any candidate will capture more than 50 per cent of the vote for a first-round win. That would leave the two top candidates to compete in a run-off ballot next month. Almost 11 million people are eligible to vote in the election, with most results expected late in the day.

Could China’s ion implanter ‘scalpel’ carve out...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/18

Chinese nuclear scientists have developed a world-class “microscopic scalpel” essential to various forms of chipmaking, potentially unblocking a bottleneck in the country’s efforts to fortify key supply chains. The China Institute of Atomic Energy said on Saturday that it had developed the nation’s first high-energy hydrogen ion implanter called the POWER-750H, saying it performed on a par with advanced international standards. Ion implanters are a critical part of some forms of semiconductor...

China Manchu ethnic group childbirth tradition hangs...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/18

China’s Manchu people have quirky child-rearing traditions known as Luocao and Caisheng which include hanging a wooden bow outside the front door when a boy is born, or a red cloth strip for a girl. The Manchu ethnic group, historically known for founding the Qing dynasty (1644–1912), now lives across various regions of China. According to the China Statistical Yearbook 2021, their population exceeds 10 million. In Manchu tradition, the birth of a baby is referred to as luocao, which

Indonesia finds 1 body, wreckage from missing...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/18

Indonesian authorities said on Sunday they had located the wreckage of a fisheries surveillance plane that went missing in South Sulawesi province on the slope of a fog-covered mountain, and had recovered the body of one of the 10 people on board. The ATR 42-500 turboprop owned by aviation group Indonesia Air Transport lost contact with air traffic control on Saturday at about 1.30pm local time around the Maros ⁠region in South Sulawesi. There were seven crew members and three passengers on...

Paralysed Hong Kong dancer Mo Li set to undergo...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/18

A Hong Kong dancer paralysed from the neck down in an accident during a concert by popular local boy band Mirror is set to undergo a more intense rehabilitation programme, his father has revealed, calling for more financial support. Mo Li Ka-yin, 31, would embark on a three-year rehabilitation journey powered by advanced technologies, including regenerative medicine and an implantable microstimulator, his father, Reverend Derek Li Shing-lam, revealed in a prayer letter. “It is a thorny path

Hong Kong driver avoids injury after drone crashes...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/18

Hong Kong police are investigating after a drone fell out of the sky and damaged a car in Jordan. The force said it received a report from the owner of the Tesla at around 11.52am on Sunday. The driver said he was waiting at traffic lights along Cox’s Road in Jordan when the drone suddenly struck the roof of his car. The drone, measuring around 20cm (8 inches) wide, shattered the car’s glass roof and windscreen before bouncing onto the road. No one was injured in the incident, and officers

US’ Venezuela raid shows geopolitics is now a contest...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/18

The latest developments in Venezuela are interpreted as part of a broader US strategy to secure access to major oil resources. They are much more than that: the US raid signals a transformation in the global economy wherein a country’s power is increasingly determined not by its political actions, but by its capacity to embed resource wealth within a self-sustaining production system. These deeper processes did not begin today, but rather around 2008-2009 when, according to an integrated...

Hong Kong hiker, 63, dies after collapsing on Robin’s...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/18

A 63-year-old Hong Kong man has died after collapsing during a hike on Robin’s Nest Country Trail near the border with mainland China. Police received a call at 12.42pm on Sunday from a female hiker who said her male friend had collapsed and lost consciousness. He was hiking with two men and two women at Robin’s Nest Country Park in Sha Tau Kok, bordering the mainland city of Shenzhen. The unconscious man was transported by helicopter to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan

Hong Kong to enforce new seat belt rules on January...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/18

In just over a week, passengers on various modes of public and private transport in Hong Kong will be required to wear seat belts under new rules to enhance safety through stricter penalties for motorists and commuters. The Post looks at the new rules and what passengers, including those with special needs, should do in different scenarios. 1. What are the new rules? From January 25, all passengers must wear seat belts wherever available on public and private buses – including franchised and...

How can China help Uruguay battle beetles threatening...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/18

A tiny but destructive invader is threatening South America, and Uruguay’s iconic palm trees are on the front line. Since 2022, the National Emergency System in coordination with agricultural agencies and with operational support from the air force, has struggled to contain the red palm weevil outbreak, prompting them to call scientists to help. Experts from the Technological University of Uruguay (UTEC) stepped in with an innovative detection strategy using drones and aerial imaging, but...

China office workers run to bond with peers, clients,...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/18

Chinese office workers are literally switching to working on the run as the building of bonds with customers and colleagues becomes increasingly trendy. On mainland social media, increasing numbers of people say running has become their company’s work culture or helped them bond with clients. A woman based in Beijing said she first learned about the concept of “business running” two years ago when her client invited her on a 7am run. The woman, surnamed Peng, said the client was difficult,

Seoul takes aim at North Korea’s leadership bunkers...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/18

South Korea has begun deploying its most powerful conventional ballistic missile, the Hyunmoo-5 – dubbed the “monster missile” for its massive warhead – to frontline units, military officials said on Sunday, a move that underscores Seoul’s effort to strengthen deterrence against North Korea. The ground-to-ground missile, capable of carrying a warhead of up to eight tonnes, began entering frontline units late last year and is expected to complete full operational deployment before the current...

Singapore’s Leader of the Opposition debate draws...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/18

A peculiar gridlock has settled on Singapore’s political scene with the position of Leader of the Opposition (LO) vacant after Pritam Singh was removed from the post by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, with public discourse now centred on the constitutional basis, or lack thereof, for the role. Created in 2020 by then prime minister Lee Hsien Loong after Singh’s party won a record 10 seats in parliament, the non-statutory position contrasts sharply with its counterpart in Westminster systems,

Exhibition on Hong Kong crime films at old Yau Ma Tei...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/18

An exhibition on classic Hong Kong crime films at the former Yau Ma Tei police station has attracted higher-than-expected demand, with the show’s project supervisor saying she hopes visitors will go beyond taking selfies to learn more about the local movie industry. Commissioner for Cultural and Creative Industries Drew Lai Sai-ming said the exhibition had sold more than 80 per cent of tickets in the first month since its debut on January 2, adding that the new tourist attraction’s popularity...

Chinese electric vehicle makers set to ‘crack open’...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/18

This year is likely to be a watershed one for the global drive by Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers, as more Western countries open up their markets to high-performance made-in-China models. Despite low expectations for a hefty jump in overseas sales, EV assemblers like BYD and Geely are expected to get off to a strong start in some of their untapped markets, honing their image as world leaders in terms of production and technology before establishing a long-term foothold, according to...

Last unregistered student union at Chinese University...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/18

The last unregistered student union at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has been dissolved after all its committee members resigned, leaving only two registered groups operational at the institution’s nine colleges. The demise of Chung Chi College’s student union followed a meeting on Saturday evening during which provisional administrators and relevant representatives said the body could no longer function and that they would resign. Only two college student unions remain, both of...

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