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Ukraine’s allies agree to ‘robust’ security...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/06

Ukraine’s Western allies on Tuesday agreed to key security guarantees for Kyiv including a US-led monitoring mechanism and a European multinational force that would be deployed after a ceasefire in Russia’s war against its neighbour. Following the largest yet meeting of the so-called Coalition of the Willing in Paris, both European leaders and US envoys hailed progress that hid tensions in recent days over assertive US foreign policy in the western hemisphere under US President Donald

Use of US military to acquire Greenland ‘always an...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/06

The White House said on Tuesday that US President Donald Trump is discussing options for acquiring ‍Greenland, including potential use of the US military, in a revival of his ambition to control the strategic island despite European objections. Trump sees acquiring Greenland as a US national security priority necessary to “deter our adversaries in the Arctic region,” the White House said in a statement. “The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important...

Venezuela’s Maduro copied my dance – but Melania...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/06

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday accused Nicolas Maduro of imitating his dancing, among other crimes, as he celebrated the capture of the Venezuelan leader in a freewheeling speech to Republican lawmakers. Trump’s comments come after a New York Times report that Maduro’s regular public dancing in defiance of US threats convinced White House officials that it was time to act. “He gets up there and he tries to imitate my dance a little bit,” Trump told lawmakers at the Kennedy Centre in...

‘I’ll get impeached’: Trump warns Republicans of...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/06

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday ‌that Republicans must win the 2026 congressional midterm elections - or else he will get impeached by Democrats. “You gotta win the midterms ‘cause, if we don’t win the midterms, ‍it’s just gonna be - I mean, they’ll find a reason to impeach me,” Trump told Republican lawmakers at a retreat in Washington. “I’ll get impeached.” Ahead of the November elections, which could stall his agenda and expose him to congressional investigations, Trump teased

Brazil’s Bolsonaro has brain injury after falling and...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/06

Former Brazil president Jair Bolsonaro fell and hit his head during a “crisis” while sleeping inside his prison cell early on Tuesday, his wife said in a social media post. “My husband is not well,” Michelle Bolsonaro said, adding that the imprisoned former leader received medical attention only when he was called for her visit. Bolsonaro’s doctor said he suffered a mild traumatic brain injury and will undergo further tests, O Globo newspaper reported. Bolsonaro has been behind bars at

Nestle Hong Kong recalls 21 batches of baby milk...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/06

Nestle Hong Kong has recalled 21 batches of baby milk formula in the city amid a global scare over potential contamination with a toxin that can cause nausea and vomiting. The Centre for Food Safety said on Tuesday evening that the discovery was made after it followed up on a voluntary precautionary recall by Nestle of certain batches of infant formula in parts of Europe, as some raw materials might contain substances derived from the microorganism Bacillus cereus. “According to the latest...

Refining longevity risks for China’s ageing population

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/06

[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] Just like every dark cloud has a silver lining, insurers are proficient at managing risks and turning them into opportunities. As an ageing population has become a pressing issue around the globe, the booming demand for insurance and annuities presents considerable potential. China, one of the fastest-ageing countries, is expected to see its personal insurance market expand from four trillion Chinese yuan (US$553...

How high-speed rail supercharges China’s EV adoption

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/06

[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] When someone says, “I drive an electric vehicle or EV because it protects the environment,” it could be music to the ears of climate advocates. Regardless, EVs have reshaped the global transportation landscape, with major traditional global carmakers now joining the race in battery-powered vehicles. In this new wave of the automotive evolution, no country has achieved what China has done. The Chinese Mainland market...

Leading students through open doors

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/06

[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] Although her academic journey began at two of the world’s most prestigious institutions – first as an undergraduate at Peking University, then as a doctoral researcher at Stanford University – Professor Willow Wu has never allowed herself to be confined by the proverbial ivory tower. Nor did she follow the well-trodden path into the business world that her credentials would have so easily afforded. Evolution of an...

Timeless Chinese wisdom to navigate business uncertainty

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/06

[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] In the time of geopolitical tensions, economic volatility and technological upheaval, individuals and businesses face a pressing question: How to thrive amid these constant disruptions? The insights may lie in a Chinese text with a history spanning more than five millennia: I-Ching, also known as the Book of Changes. The I-Ching serves as a tool for divination in traditional Chinese knowledge and has become a

Judge allows lawsuit against RFK Jnr’s Covid-19...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/06

A federal judge on Tuesday ruled that several major medical organisations can move forward with their lawsuit challenging policies adopted under US Health Secretary Robert ‌F. Kennedy Jnr that they say will lower vaccination rates. US District Judge Brian Murphy in Boston rejected ‍arguments by lawyers for US President Donald Trump’s administration that the groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, lack legal standing to pursue the case because they could not show they were harmed

Hong Kong toy fair unveils new pavilion for...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/06

Jerseys signed by football star Cristiano Ronaldo, limited editions of Star Wars trading cards, Transformers figurines and other proprietary collectibles will be up for grabs at an annual toy fair next week in Hong Kong. They are among 150 local and international intellectual property (IP) collectibles to be showcased at the Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, which will run from January 12 to 15 at the Convention and Exhibition Centre. Now in its 52nd edition, the toy fair will run alongside the

19 Pokemon cards worth HK$200,000 snatched from Hong...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/06

A 33-year-old Hong Kong man fell victim to theft when a prospective buyer he met online snatched 19 valuable Pokemon trading cards worth HK$200,000 (US$26,000) and fled without payment at a railway station. The case unfolded at about 3pm on Tuesday at Lam Tin station, where the seller arranged the deal with the suspect he met online interested in his collection. According to police, the seller handed over the cards to a young man standing outside the gates when he asked to check them, but the...

Venezuela attack seen as reminder for China to boost...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/06

The US operation to abduct Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro serves as a reminder for China to bolster its air defences and counter-intelligence protections, observers say. Analysts in China described Venezuela’s air defences – which rely largely on Russian technology – as “full of flaws and slow to react” amid the modern surveillance, cyber, and electronic warfare displayed by US forces in Saturday’s operation in Caracas. The operation could serve as a further case study for China, which

Chinese firm owner in Venezuela warns of spillover...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/06

Eight years after leaving Venezuela, David Hou, a native of southern China’s Guangdong province, returned last year, pleased to find what he described as an improved economic environment. That optimism is now shrouded in uncertainty after the United States abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on allegations of narcoterrorism and possessing “destructive devices” – charges he has firmly rejected. While the full impact has yet to be felt, the situation is “making people anxious and very...

Singer Henry Lau calls out Singapore concert venue...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/06

A Singapore-based event organiser has come under criticism after Canadian singer-songwriter Henry Lau warned fellow performers against using the venue where he appeared, following complaints from concertgoers that their views were blocked by pillars. Lau made the remarks during his set at the Singland Festival at the Marina Bay Sands convention centre on Saturday, saying he was speaking out “for the sake of future artistes” after struggling to connect with fans in the audience. “There’s a big...

China’s CATL, Nio deepen partnership to develop EV...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/06

Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL), the world’s largest maker of electric vehicle (EV) batteries, has intensified efforts to develop batteries with longer lifespans after deepening its partnership with carmaker Nio. The two companies said they were committed to finding solutions to an issue that could cost millions of EV users trillions of yuan to replace expired batteries. Under a five-year agreement, CATL and Nio would pursue new technologies aimed at extending the life cycle of EV...

Hong Kong think tank backs call to make bid‑rigging a...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/06

Hong Kong should make bid-rigging a crime in the wake of the city’s deadliest fire in decades, a local think tank has urged, echoing a similar call from the city’s barristers. The proposal by the POD Research Institute came after the Hong Kong Bar Association formed a task force to review existing legislation following the deadly fire in Tai Po’s Wang Fuk Court, which tore through seven of the eight blocks under maintenance in November. The blaze, which killed at least 161 people and

Bid to change Taiwan law that prompted Beijing to...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/06

A controversial plan to change Taiwan’s law governing relations with mainland China, which critics said could edge the island towards “de jure independence”, appears to have collapsed within days. The failure of the draft legislation to even reach the legislature’s agenda committee underscored the sensitivity of the issue amid mounting pressure from Beijing, which warned on Sunday that a declaration of independence would mean war. The initiative to amend the Act Governing Relations Between

Alibaba’s Amap muscles up on ‘world models’ in push...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/06

Amap, the mapping and navigation arm of Alibaba Group Holding, is stepping up research into “world models” – systems designed to simulate real-world environments – as the tech giant pushes deeper into embedding artificial intelligence across its services. The unit planned to launch a new product based on its FantasyWorld model, which was developed by the Alibaba Amap Computer Vision Lab and released in September, according to Shanghai Securities News. Alibaba did not immediately respond to a...

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