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Myanmar military-backed party leads in election’s...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/03

Myanmar’s military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party is leading after the first phase of a contentious general ‍election, early results cited by state media showed, in the first vote since a 2021 coup. Having sparked a nationwide rebellion after crushing pro-democracy protests in the wake of its coup, the ruling junta has said the three-phase vote would bring political stability to the impoverished Southeast Asian ⁠nation. Partial results from Myanmar’s first election since 2020,...

Fire caused by short circuit of phone charger in Hong...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/03

A fire triggered by a mobile phone charger that short-circuited in a Hong Kong flat has killed a cat, injured four residents and led to the evacuation of about 150 others. Police received a report at 11.15pm on Friday that a fire had broken out at a flat in Lai Yiu Estate’s Fu Yiu House in Kwai Chung. Firefighters arrived at the scene and put out the fire at 11.30pm. Two men and two women, aged between 42 and 75, were injured. They were taken to Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung for...

Singapore’s animal shelters struggle with costs,...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/03

At the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in Singapore, it was yet another busy Monday as volunteers cleaned cages and leashed dogs for walks around the shelter. Squinty, a seven-year-old male crossbreed, stretched his hind legs – which were covered in partially healed burn wounds – in anticipation. The canine’s energetic jaunt belied his kidney disease, which required him to take daily fluids and supplements. The docile pooch is among many animals housed by the SPCA,...

Tech war: China takes confident strides to develop...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/03

On the last day of 2025, DeepSeek published a new technical paper, with founder and CEO Liang Wenfeng among the 19 co-authors, about “manifold-constrained hyper-connections” – a general framework for training artificial intelligence systems at scale, which suggested “promising directions for the evolution of foundational models”. That release was a fitting reminder to the world, especially during the peak of the Christmas holiday season, about Chinese AI companies’ sharpened focus on

Yemen’s separatists announce constitution, UAE...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/03

Yemen’s separatist movement on Friday announced a constitution for an independent nation in the south and demanded other factions in the war-torn country accept the move in an escalation of a confrontation that has pitted Gulf powerhouses Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates against each other. The UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) depicted the announcement as a declaration of independence for the south. But it was not immediately clear if the move could be implemented or

Temperature in Hong Kong falls to 11.4 degrees...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/03

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. The temperature in Hong Kong fell to 11.4 degrees Celsius (52.5 Fahrenheit) on Saturday morning, the lowest so far this winter, according to the city’s weather forecaster. The Hong Kong Observatory also warned that sea levels at local coastal areas during high tide on Saturday night

China vows to ramp up west-to-east power output as...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/03

China aims to expand its west-to-east power transmission network to more than 420 gigawatts (GW) by 2030, increasing the share of renewables to about 30 per cent of total electricity output as it pursues a greener transition and a more reliable power supply. The targets were outlined in guidelines issued by the National Development and Reform Commission, the country’s top economic planner, together with the National Energy Administration. In addition to strengthening long-distance

Lawrence Wong thanks Trump for G20 invitation,...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/03

Singapore and the United States have started the new year by reaffirming their partnership, with 2026 marking the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the nations. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong had a telephone call with US President Donald Trump on Friday, the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said. “PM Wong and President Trump noted that 2026 marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Singapore and the United States,” the ministry said in a press statement. “They...

Why talk of a Japanese nuclear option is resurfacing...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/03

An editorial in the Sankei Shimbun has reopened a long-taboo debate in Japan over whether the country should even discuss acquiring nuclear weapons, after off-the-record remarks by a senior security official arguing the country should have them sparked domestic and regional backlash. The conservative daily argued that growing threats from Japan’s neighbours meant no option for protecting the public should be beyond discussion, a stance that has drawn praise from some on the right and alarm

We can now watch our own genes dance

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/03

In the early 2000s, the news media were full of stories about the near completion of the human genome project, which promised scientific and medical wonders to come. Back then, I even wrote a story or two about the mainland Chinese contributions to the groundbreaking international project. The memory came back to me more than a week ago when a press release landed in my inbox, announcing the human genome imaged in 4D. The latest project shows how genes interact, fold and reposition

Argentina targets US dollars hoarded under...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/03

Argentine President Javier Milei on Friday signed into law a so-called “tax innocence” bill, which aims to encourage people to bank dollars stashed under mattresses or in offshore accounts by forgiving a degree of tax evasion. Over years of high inflation and currency controls, Argentines traded their battered pesos for dollars, which they often hoarded at home, in cash. The government estimates Argentines are sitting on some US$251 billion in what are commonly called “mattress dollars” – six...

Video of Chinese uncle joining dancers on walkway...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/03

A middle-aged man in eastern China stole the spotlight on a moving airport walkway by joining a group of dancers and striking a funny pose that left netizens in stitches. Recently, several dancers from Yunnan province in southwestern China filmed a video at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. Positioned on the automated walkway, they sequentially struck classic poses from Dunhuang dance, one of China’s traditional dance styles. Known for its intricate hand gestures, flowing movements and...

New Hong Kong lawmaker Julia Lau vows to strengthen...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/03

Strengthening risk oversight in major maintenance projects in the wake of the deadly Tai Po fire is a top priority for Hong Kong lawmaker Julia Lau Man-kwan, who represents the architectural, surveying, planning and landscape sector. In an interview with the Post, Lau, who is also president of the Hong Kong Institute of Architects, pledged to ensure proper use of public funds in government works amid a deficit, and to remove development barriers to boost tourism in rural areas under the

Fair or foul? Malaysia struggles to stomach its US...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/03

Janice, a Kuala Lumpur-based food entrepreneur and chef, is in a foul mood as she laments the inferior quality and taste of US-produced chicken and eggs. Yet she concedes that she may have to stomach this unwelcome change in the local poultry market, at least for now.Malaysia is bracing itself for a surge in American poultry shipments under an “agreement on reciprocal trade” signed with Washington in October. The deal opens the Southeast Asian nation to more US exports of food, cars and...

Trump orders Chinese-linked firm HieFo to divest US...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/02

US President Donald Trump has ordered the forced divestment of semiconductor-related assets acquired by HieFo Corporation, a Delaware-registered company, which he said is controlled by a Chinese citizen, citing national security risks. In an executive order (EO) issued under the Defence Production Act, Trump on Friday said there was “credible evidence” that HieFo’s acquisition of New Jersey-based Emcore Corporation’s digital chips and related wafer design, fabrication and processing

Zelensky proposes appointing First Deputy PM Fedorov...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/02

Ukrainian President ‌Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday proposed appointing ‍First Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov as the country’s new defence minister, praising his abilities in developing ⁠the drones and digitalisation needed for the country’s defence. Fedorov also served as minister of digital transformation and his appointment must be approved by parliament. He is to replace Denys Shmyhal. “Mykhailo is deeply engaged in the ‘drone line’ initiative and ‌works very effectively on the...

China’s biopharma sector ‘in prime position to...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/02

China’s biopharmaceutical sector is said to have entered an “innovation 2.0” phase as it moves to a commercialisation mindset that could see it sideline global competitors and outpace the US – despite restrictive trade policies. In recent years, innovative drug development in the world’s second-largest pharmaceutical market has rapidly approached – and in some cases surpassed – that of the United States, the world’s biggest market. Growing concerns over China’s biotech capabilities have led

Can Europe survive its crippling paralysis?

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/02

By any measure, 2025 will be remembered as a tipping point. Violent armed conflict escalated in many areas, notably Ukraine, Israel-Gaza-Iran-Lebanon, Pakistan-India, Thailand-Cambodia, Venezuela, Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar. It was also among the three hottest years on record and one of the most expensive for natural disaster costs. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump’s tariff wars inflicted trade uncertainty and strategically shifted global supply chains. Technology witnessed massive leaps

Owner of Swiss bar where New Year fire killed 40...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/02

The owner of the bar in a Swiss ski resort town ravaged by a deadly fire during New Year’s Eve celebrations insisted to Swiss media on Friday that safety norms had been followed. Jacques Moretti, a Frenchman who manages the Le Constellation bar with his wife Jessica, told the Tribune de Geneve daily that the establishment had faced “three inspections in 10 years”. “Everything was done according to the regulations,” he said. The question of whether safety standards were respected has raged

2 dead as 6.5-magnitude quake shakes Mexico City and...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/02

A strong earthquake rattled southern and central Mexico on Friday, interrupting President Claudia Sheinbaum’s first press briefing of the new year as seismic alarms sounded. At least two people died. The earthquake had a magnitude of 6.5 and its epicentre was near the town of San Marcos in the southern state of Guerrero near the Pacific coast resort of Acapulco, according to Mexico’s national seismological agency. There were more than 500 aftershocks. The state’s civil defence agency reported...

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