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China offers full-time job to top European...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/11

European immunologist Andrew Macpherson has officially taken up a full-time position at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in Hefei in the central province of Anhui. The move, confirmed by USTC’s school of biomedical sciences on January 2, is a boost to China’s growing reputation as a global hub for cutting-edge biomedical research. Macpherson, widely regarded as one of the foremost authorities in gastrointestinal mucosal immunity, joins USTC from Switzerland, where he

China ‘hair-shaving’ ritual for newborns uses stones,...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/11

A unique yet traditional “hair-shaving” ritual practised in mainland China and Taiwan involves shaving a newborn’s head when they are about one month old, followed by applying a mixture of egg yolk and onion juice to their scalp. It symbolised that the child would grow up intelligent and had the potential to become an official in the future. The hair-shaving ritual, rooted in traditional Han Chinese child rearing customs, dates back to the Western Han dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD) and was once

Soft power, hard cash: Southeast Asia’s...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/11

For Sana Kok, anime has always been more than entertainment. The 28-year-old Malaysian still remembers the first series he caught on television as a child: the bright colours, larger-than-life characters and cinematic storytelling unlike anything else he had ever seen. By his teens, action-packed anime titles had become a fixture of his evenings. “Anime has some of the best storytelling out there,” said Kok, now a digital marketer who sees his childhood fascination reflected in a new wave of...

Can Peru keep both China and US onside in an...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/11

Last weekend’s US raid on Venezuela has shone a spotlight on the wider strategic concerns in play in South America, including the US-China rivalry in countries such as Peru. The country is a key hub for mineral exports to Asian markets, but it has tried to maintain a balance between Beijing and Washington. China has funded a strategically important port on Peru’s Pacific coast, but it has remained “broadly aligned” with US interests, according to analysts. Washington also regards it as part

Malaysia vows crackdown on air force officers’...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/11

Some 20 Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) officers are believed to be involved in immoral activities dubbed “yeye culture”. According to RMAF chief Muhamad Norazlan Aris, initial investigations by the air force on Tuesday revealed that 20 officers were involved. “We will ensure that action is taken based on the armed forces’ laws and regulations. Such immoral culture is not the norm for the air force,” he said in a statement on Saturday. Muhamad Norazlan said the RMAF viewed the infringement

Changing tastes: China’s new affluent consumers seek...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/11

In a premium supermarket in Shanghai one recent weekend, 33-year-old information technology specialist Zhao Wenyu paused in front of the health food aisle, comparing protein content and ingredient lists on imported granola and organic milk – rather than checking discounts. Zhao now spends around 3,000 yuan (US$420) a month on organic food, nutritional supplements and functional beverages, up from about 1,200 yuan three years ago. “I don’t mind paying more if I am satisfied with the product’s...

Dutch passenger dies after collapsing on Cathay...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/11

A 53-year-old Dutch man died on Sunday morning after collapsing on a Cathay Pacific flight from Amsterdam to Hong Kong. Police received a report at 7.22am as the aircraft was approaching Hong Kong International Airport, stating that a passenger had suddenly lost consciousness during the flight. The force said cabin crew performed emergency first aid before the plane landed. Police officers and paramedics were dispatched to the airport, and the man was taken to North Lantau Hospital, where he

Hong Kong launches probe as high-rise flat fire kills...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/11

Hong Kong authorities are investigating a fire at a high-rise flat in the northwestern New Territories that killed a 56-year-old man and critically injured his wife, with investigators not ruling out criminal involvement. The fire broke out on Sunday morning at Yoho Town, a private housing estate on Yuen Lung Street in Yuen Long, prompting the evacuation of 435 residents, according to police and the Fire Services Department. Officers received a report at around 6.19am on Sunday, saying that...

Elon Musk blasts ‘prison island’ UK in showdown over...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/11

Elon Musk accused the UK government of being “fascist” after it stepped up threats to block X over sexualised images of women and children produced by his artificial intelligence tool Grok. Responding to a chart claiming to show the UK had the highest arrests for social media comments in the world, Musk posted: “Why is the UK government so fascist?” In separate posts hours earlier, Musk said the UK wanted to “suppress free speech” and referred to the country as a “prison island”. X, formerly...

How China turned a mega-project failure into a...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/11

China has pulled off a daring underground feat, using a multimillion-dollar tunnel boring machine (TBM) to recover its stranded twin beneath the country’s largest river. The rendezvous between the TBMs was achieved with just 2mm (0.078 inch) of vertical error and no horizontal deviation under the Yangtze’s riverbed, setting a benchmark for precision in deep underground engineering, according to state media on Wednesday. The feat saved a megaproject that might otherwise have been scrapped. In...

Have investors missed the boat on Japan’s property...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/11

Japan’s property market was less likely to deliver significant rewards to investors because of heightened geopolitical tensions with China, more than a tightened monetary policy, according to analysts. “The yield spread is likely to narrow as cap rates are unlikely to widen,” said Chinatsu Hani, head of research at Tokyo-based CBRE. “However, spreads should remain in positive territory.” The Bank of Japan in March last year began unwinding its nearly decade-long negative interest rate policy

How Hong Kong can tackle its silent elderly mental...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/11

With more than one in three Hongkongers estimated to be 65 or older by 2050, the city must decide whether to spend the coming years improving an overburdened healthcare system or to entirely transform the structure to address the silent epidemic of mental health crises among the elderly. Hong Kong is expected to have the world’s oldest population by 2050. While longevity is a remarkable indication of good health and an excellent medical system, it also comes with challenges beyond those of...

Nobel panel rejects Machado’s idea to give her Peace...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/11

The Norwegian Nobel Institute said the Nobel Peace Prize cannot be transferred, ‌shared, or revoked, following remarks by Venezuelan opposition leader Maria ‍Corina Machado suggesting she might give her 2025 award to US President Donald Trump. In a statement, the institute said the decision to award a Nobel Prize is final and ⁠permanent, citing the statutes of the Nobel Foundation, which do not allow appeals. The organisation also noted that committees awarding the prizes do not comment on

Hong Kong firm, Saudi partner aim to build 30,000...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/11

A Hong Kong-based modular construction leader is expanding into the Middle East, becoming the first such manufacturer from the city to set up a factory in Saudi Arabia, with plans to produce 30,000 prefabricated flats a year as early as 2027 to meet rising demand, the Post has learned. The expansion by AluHouse is being fuelled by large-scale transformation under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, a plan to aggressively modernise the kingdom and diversify its economy beyond oil. Founded in 2014,...

China woman, 23, who exercises 6 times a week, no...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/11

A 23-year-old woman in China has captivated social media after she revealed that intense exercise six times a week led to her menstruation stopping. The woman, who lives in Zhejiang province, eastern China, said hospital check-ups discovered that her female hormone levels were about that of a 50-year-old, according to a report by the City Express. “Doctors also said I had obvious symptoms of kidney deficiency and I must suspend workouts. They prescribed piles of traditional Chinese medicine...

Indonesia eyes 6% growth in 2026 despite a jobs ‘time...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/11

For Indonesia, much of the past year was more a marathon than a sprint, with Southeast Asia’s largest economy recording steady growth despite global headwinds, a tighter budget and mounting pressure on jobs and household spending at home. Now, Jakarta sees 2026 as the right time to pick up speed, setting its sights on an annual economic expansion of no less than 6 per cent. Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa insists the target is attainable through improved policy coordination and stronger...

Who is Jonathan Ross, the ICE agent who killed US...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/10

The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent who shot and killed Renee Nicole Good on a Minneapolis street served in a multitude of law enforcement roles during a two-decade career that also included military service. Federal court records show Jonathan Ross’ career includes US military experience and mostly high-level federal law enforcement positions. The details of his tenure are revealed in a federal criminal case against a driver who seriously injured Ross after dragging him 100

How the US raid in Venezuela has triggered Brazilian...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/10

Last weekend, following the US military operation in Venezuela abducting its leader, Nicolas Maduro, Brazil’s president denounced the attack as a “flagrant violation of international law” and having “crossed an unacceptable line”. “These acts represent a grave affront to Venezuela’s sovereignty and yet another extremely dangerous precedent for the entire international community,” Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wrote on social media. Lula, who said attacking countries was “the first step towards a...

US says it carried out new ‘large-scale’ strikes...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/10

US and allied forces carried out “large-scale” strikes against the Islamic State jihadist group in Syria on Saturday, the US military said, in the latest response to an attack last month that left three Americans dead. Washington said a lone gunman from the militant group carried out the December 13 attack in Palmyra – home to Unesco-listed ancient ruins and once controlled by jihadist fighters – that killed two US soldiers and a US civilian interpreter. “The strikes today targeted ISIS...

Trump declares US national emergency to protect...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/10

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order protecting US-held money derived from sales of Venezuelan oil, after the ousting of Nicolas Maduro, the White House said. In an order signed on Friday, Trump – who has made clear that tapping Venezuela’s vast oil reserves was a key goal in the US ousting of Maduro – is acting “to advance US foreign policy objectives”, the White House said in a fact sheet accompanying the order. The action follows a meeting Friday in Washington where

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