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Trump thanks Iran for ‘cancelling’ hanging of...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/16

US President Donald Trump took the unusual step on Friday of thanking the Iranian government for not following through on executions of what he said was meant to be hundreds of political prisoners. “Iran cancelled the hanging of over 800 people,” Trump told reporters while leaving the White House to spend the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. He added, “and I greatly respect the fact that they cancelled”. The Republican president also suggested on his social media site...

Trump says he may tariff countries that don’t back US...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/16

US President Donald Trump suggested on Friday that he may punish countries with tariffs if they don’t back the US controlling Greenland, a message that came as a bipartisan Congressional delegation sought to lower tensions in the Danish capital. Trump for months has insisted that the US should control Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Nato ally Denmark, and said earlier this week that anything less than the Arctic island being in US hands would be “unacceptable”. During an unrelated...

Iran cleric demands death for protesters, threatens...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/16

A hardline cleric leading Friday prayers in Iran’s capital demanded the death penalty for protesters detained in a nationwide crackdown and directly threatened US President Donald Trump, showing the rage gripping authorities in the Islamic Republic over demonstrations that have challenged their authority.Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami’s sermon, carried by Iranian state radio, sparked chants from those gathered for prayers, including: “Armed hypocrites should be put to death!” Executions, as well as...

Contractors’ botches lead to bans on bidding for Hong...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/16

Contractors at the centre of construction botches at three Hong Kong light public housing sites last year have been banned from bidding for public projects for up to a year, the government has said. The firm responsible for overseeing work quality, Able Engineering, has also been ordered to pay the extra costs for fixing the problems. It also faces a disciplinary hearing for alleged “serious negligence or misconduct in the construction works”, and a possible criminal investigation by

Hong Kong passport ranks 15th globally, rising 3...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/16

Hongkongers hold the world’s 15th most powerful passport, up three places from last year, according to an index measuring visa-free access. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport offers visa-free access to 171 destinations, according to this year’s Henley Passport Index released last week. Singapore retained the top ranking for the third consecutive year, granting its citizens visa-free entry to 192 destinations. However, data from the Hong Kong Immigration Department shows that...

Hongkonger reported missing in Iran ‘for many days’...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/16

Immigration authorities have confirmed receiving a plea for help concerning a Hong Kong resident reported missing “for many days” in Iran, as the country faces a nationwide internet shutdown amid protests against the government. A spokesman for the Immigration Department said on Friday that it had received “a relevant inquiry” and was in touch with the Chinese consulate in Bandar Abbas and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ local arm in the city. A source confirmed that the inquiry came from

China’s charm offensive: Beijing bypasses Brussels in...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/16

Hua Chunying, China’s foreign vice-minister, beamed this week as she presented a leading Czech lawmaker with a decorative porcelain plate – a gift that signalled a possible thaw in ties between Prague and Beijing. The image sent tongues wagging in Europe: a symbol that a new Chinese charm offensive towards a Europe jilted by its erstwhile ally across the Atlantic had reached even its most hawkish capitals. China has spent the opening weeks of the year courting European governments, offering...

Tesla’s defeat, Harvard’s success, Trump ‘top global...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/16

We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering US-China relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. BYD’s win, Tesla’s defeat, Ford’s pivot: the widening gap in US-China EV markets After years of competing head-to-head with China in electric vehicles, the United States is now widely seen as falling behind – a reality increasingly acknowledged even within Detroit. Read the full story...

UK teen who praised Southport murderer jailed for...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/16

A British teenager who praised the killer of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event ‌and said he planned to bomb British rock band Oasis’ reunion concert ‍was sentenced to detention on Friday for possession of an al-Qaeda manual. McKenzie Morgan, 18, was arrested at his home in Wales after sending messages on the social media platform Snapchat in ⁠which he praised Axel Rudakubana, who murdered three girls and stabbed 10 others in July 2024, prosecutor Corinne Bramwell...

AI is reshaping US-China tech race – can electricity...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/16

China’s state-owned power grid giant has pledged to increase fixed-asset investment by 40 per cent over the next five years, at a time when some analysts view electricity capacity as a strategic asset in the US-China rivalry amid soaring demand from artificial intelligence (AI) and other power-hungry industries. The State Grid Corporation of China expects the investment amount to reach 4 trillion yuan (US$574 billion) through 2030, a company record, as it accelerates efforts to build a

Taipei hails US 15% tariffs ‘home run’ despite fears...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/16

Taiwan has secured a US deal slashing export tariffs to 15 per cent after more than nine months of talks, with Taipei hailing the result as a “home run” that will put the island on an equal footing with Japan and South Korea. But observers and opposition parties have raised sharp concerns over Taiwan’s commitment to invest up to US$500 billion in the United States in exchange for the tariff cut. The arrangement could hollow out Taiwan’s industrial base – particularly its prized semiconductor...

Hong Kong’s pivot to hi-tech development gets boost...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/16

Hong Kong took another big step in its journey to become an international tech hub on Friday, as the city basked in its inaugural turn as host of a summit under the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC). In his video address to the conference held in the Hong Kong Science Park, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said: “We must harness the power of AI, not just to innovate, but to build – to build more inclusive economies, more resilient communities and a more sustainable future for...

Hong Kong considers doubling attendance threshold for...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/16

Hong Kong homeowners could face a higher bar for approving major building renovation projects as the government is considering doubling the in-person attendance threshold to 10 per cent or more, the Post has learned. In an exclusive interview with the Post on Friday, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen pledged to fast-track the amendment to the Building Management Ordinance, without providing a specific timeline. The move aims to plug loopholes and enhance owners’...

China dumps more US debt, buys other assets as Trump...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/16

China trimmed its holdings of US Treasuries in November to the lowest level since 2008, diverging from a global trend that saw total foreign ownership of the debt instruments hit a record high. Analysts say the prospect of a politicised Federal Reserve chairmanship under Donald Trump’s presidency has deepened Beijing’s concerns over its exposure to American debt, with more cuts expected. Beijing’s stockpile fell to US$682.6 billion in November, down from US$688.7 billion in October, according

Uganda election: Bobi Wine under house arrest amid...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/16

Uganda’s opposition said its leader Bobi Wine was under house arrest on Friday, after an election that also saw a member of parliament accuse security forces of killing 10 people at his home. President Yoweri Museveni, 81, is seeking to extend his 40-year rule of the east African country and has been accused of “brutal repression” of the opposition. Uganda’s Electoral Commission said on Friday that Museveni was on 75.4 per cent to Wine’s 20.7 with close to 60 per cent of votes counted. Final...

Hong Kong plans to build Northern Metropolis...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/16

Hong Kong is building a logistics hub for high-value goods, e-commerce and low-altitude economy in the Northern Metropolis mega development project, with authorities set to gauge industry interest in the first site of the cluster this year. The Transport and Logistics Bureau said on Friday that authorities aimed to attract leading logistics firms with tailored incentives, such as land grant arrangements and premium concessions, to a planned industrial cluster covering more than 30 hectares in...

Hong Kong’s latest office landmark nearly full as...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/16

The newest landmark office tower in Hong Kong’s main business zone is nearing full occupancy a year and a half after it welcomed its first tenants, suggesting improving fortunes in the city’s office property segment. The Henderson – the prime commercial development and namesake tower for one of Hong Kong’s largest developers – reached 90 per cent occupancy recently, Henderson Land said on Friday. The 36-storey building in Central counts among its tenants auction house Christie’s, alternative...

Trump buys Netflix, Boeing, GM bonds in US$51 million...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/16

US President Donald Trump’s investments in municipal and corporate debt through December included bonds of some companies affected by his administration’s policies. In all, the issues cost at least US$51 million. The new White House disclosure posted on Thursday shows Trump’s buys included bonds from Netflix, CoreWeave, General Motors, Boeing, Occidental Petroleum and United Rentals. He also bought municipal bonds from American cities and local school districts, utilities and hospitals. The...

Why ‘monumental’ China duty-free trade deal has Kenya...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/16

Kenya has reached a preliminary trade deal with China for duty-free exports of key products including coffee, tea and cut flowers – a major step towards narrowing the East African nation’s long-standing trade gap with Beijing. The “early harvest” framework grants duty-free access to the Chinese market for 98.2 per cent of Kenyan exports, as announced by the Kenyan Ministry of Trade on Thursday – less than a month after negotiations closed on December 19. While the deal provides an immediate...

Hong Kong’s CineArt Cinema to open branch at newly...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/16

Hong Kong’s Ma On Shan residents will get a new cinema at the recently vacated site of its sole movie theatre, bucking the trend of closures that began during the pandemic. CineArt Cinema said on Friday it would open a new branch at MOSTown, a shopping centre in Ma On Shan, before Lunar New Year. While the chain did not specify an exact date, the first day of Lunar New Year falls on February 17. It said the venue had up to four screens and could accommodate as many as 435 patrons. It also

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