PODCAST

News - South China Morning Post

All the latest breaking news from Hong Kong, China and around the world

All Episodes

Why Donald Trump will focus on the Fed in 2026

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

US President Donald Trump’s tariffs will undoubtedly play a significant role in how we will remember 2025. While economists predicted a growing possibility of a recession back in April, the US economy displayed unexpected resilience, with third-quarter growth reaching a stunning 4.3 per cent, bolstered by robust consumer spending and strong capital expenditure related to artificial intelligence. The impact of tariffs on inflation persists, although it appears less severe than economists

Japan’s PM, women MPs, call for more toilets

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Nearly 60 women lawmakers in Japan, including Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, have submitted a petition calling for more toilets in the parliament building to match their improved representation. Although the number of women politicians rose at the last election and despite Takaichi becoming the first female prime minister in October, Japanese politics remains massively male-dominated. This is reflected by there being only one lavatory containing two cubicles near the Diet’s main plenary

Nexperia, Wingtech set for fresh face-off in January...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Dutch chipmaker Nexperia and its Chinese parent, Wingtech Technology, are set for another showdown in early 2026, as the legal battle over control of the semiconductor firm intensifies. The two sides will face off before the Dutch Enterprise Chamber on January 14, a court representative told the Post on Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity. The hearing aims to determine whether there were valid reasons to doubt the sound management of Nexperia before the chamber’s ruling in early

Hong Kong students, bankers have a ball for charity...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

An annual basketball fundraising tournament brought together Dah Sing Bank employees and Hong Kong students to promote teamwork and positive values both on and off the court. Held at the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong’s Kowloon Centre on December 13, the Dah Sing Charity Score Challenge set out to raise funds for Operation Santa Claus (OSC), an annual charity drive co-organised by the Post and public broadcaster RTHK since 1988. This year’s event saw more than 100 bank staff, along with their...

UK’s Queen Camilla describes assault by man on train

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Queen Camilla has described for the first time fighting off an attack by a man on a train when she was a teenager, speaking in an interview with the BBC in which she recounted how furious the assault had left her. “When I was a teenager, I was attacked on a train … I remember at ⁠the time being so angry,” she said during a discussion broadcast on Wednesday about violence against women. “I was reading my book and you know this boy – man – attacked me, and I did fight back.” She said she did

Hong Kong rings in 2026 as tens of thousands pack...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Tens of thousands of Hongkongers and tourists welcomed the new year, as cheers rang across the streets of Central and Tsim Sha Tsui, with many praying for world peace and a disaster-free 2026. People could be seen cheering, dancing and even popping a bottle of champagne on Chater Road, where the main event was held. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also joined the celebrations there. “This year’s countdown event, themed ‘New Hope, New Beginning’, conveyed positive energy and blessings. I also...

Great Green Wall 2.0: China is geoengineering deserts...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Deserts are hard to reclaim because plants cannot survive on shifting sand, but scientists in northwest China are changing that – by dropping vast amounts of blue-green algae onto the dry terrain. These specially selected strains of cyanobacteria can survive extreme heat and drought for long periods, according to China Science Daily on Thursday. When rain finally comes, they spring to life, spreading rapidly and forming a tough, biomass-rich crust over the sand. This living layer stabilises

Mali, Burkina Faso restrict entry for US citizens in...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Mali and Burkina Faso have announced travel restrictions on American nationals in a tit-for-tat move after the United States included both African countries on a no entry list. US President Donald Trump, who has long campaigned to restrict immigration, expanded a travel ban earlier this month by barring people from seven more countries. The list included Syrian citizens, as well as Palestinian Authority passport holders, and nationals of some of Africa’s poorest countries, including Niger,...

China widow runs late hero husband’s eatery with...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

The wife of a hotpot restaurant owner from northern China who died saving children has taken over running the business with the support of diners from across the country. Luan Liuwei, originally from Taian in Shandong province, moved to Beijing for work where he met his wife, Xue Qiaoyan. They had two daughters. In 2017, the couple opened a 200-square-metre lamb spine hotpot restaurant in Beijing, called Liangjian Rongtian Old Beijing Yangxiezi Hotpot. Last August, while on holiday in Hebei...

Multiple Chinese cities curb public New Year’s Eve...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Police in multiple Chinese cities have issued pre-emptive notices stating that no official New Year’s Eve countdowns will be held at popular landmarks, as they prioritise public safety and order ahead of the holiday. This coordinated messaging, consistent with recent years, emerged through a flurry of police notices issued on Tuesday and Wednesday. It reflects a cautious strategy by authorities to prevent a recurrence of tragedies like the 2014 Shanghai stampede. Authorities in major Chinese...

Nvidia asks chipmaker TSMC to ramp up H200 production...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Nvidia is scrambling to meet strong demand for its H200 artificial intelligence chips from Chinese technology companies and has ‌approached contract manufacturer Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) to ramp up production, sources said. Chinese tech companies have placed orders for more than 2 million H200 chips for 2026, while ‍Nvidia currently holds just 700,000 units in stock, two of the people said. The exact additional volume Nvidia intends to order from TSMC remains unclear, they...

China rolls out trade-in funding for 2026 as campaign...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

China has unveiled the details of an extension to its popular consumer goods trade-in scheme, a policy which has helped to fuel short-term boosts in consumption and contributed to the achievement of nationwide targets for economic growth. On Tuesday, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) – the country's top economic planner – announced with the Ministry of Finance that 62.5 billion yuan (US$8.93 billion) in ultra-long-term special bonds would be fast-tracked to local

Beijing renews trade-in subsidy scheme amid domestic...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Beijing has renewed a trade-in subsidy for car purchases, at least a week ahead of schedule, in an apparent effort to prop up the country’s automotive sector amid worries of a sales slump in 2026. Buyers who replace their petrol and electric cars with new vehicles would receive a cash subsidy of up to 20,000 yuan (US$2,858) per unit, according to a circular jointly released on Monday by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance. The authorities were earlier...

Hong Kong police officer jailed for forging...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

A Hong Kong police officer was sentenced to two years in prison on Wednesday for unlawfully terminating 10 criminal investigations by forging statements of complainants agreeing to withdraw their cases. According to a probation officer’s report, 34-year-old Detective Constable Wong Yiu-chung had failed to manage stress at work, which drove him to forge statements and dishonestly obtain his supervisors’ approval to close cases between November 2022 and July 2023. The court heard that Wong was...

How China cracked US ‘super code’, health benefits of...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

We have put together stories from our coverage on science from the past two weeks to help you stay informed. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. How China cracked US ‘super code’ that controls most power grids in the world China is no longer using American software to run its power grid. The Southern Regional Electricity Market (SREM) – the world’s largest unified power market – has switched fully to Tianquan, a solver developed by Chinese engineers...

Hong Kong restaurants, bars gear up for packed 2026...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Hong Kong will ring in the new year with packed restaurants and bustling nightlife activities in Central, but the absence of a fireworks display may affect business on the Kowloon side, industry leaders have said. Their comments on Wednesday followed the Tourism Board’s earlier announcement that the main celebration would be held on Chater Road in Central, after the annual Victoria Harbour fireworks show was cancelled following the deadly Tai Po fire. Lan Kwai Fong Association director Anthea...

CIA behind drone strike on ‘big facility’ in...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

The CIA was behind a drone strike last week at a docking area believed to have been used by Venezuelan drug cartels, according to two people familiar with details of the operation who requested anonymity to discuss the classified matter. The first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the US began strikes in September marked a significant escalation in the administration’s months-long pressure campaign on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government. The strike has not been...

Tourist killed after fall from 70-metre cliff while...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

A mainland Chinese hiker has died after falling off a 70-metre (230 feet) cliff on an outlying island in Hong Kong, with the Post learning the victim lost his balance while taking pictures of the scenery. Police received a report from one of the tourist’s friends at 10.18am on Wednesday that the victim, a 21-year-old man, had fallen from a viewing platform on Po Pin Chau into the sea. Rescuers brought the man to the Fire Services Department’s nearby Sai Kung Fireboat Base, while officers...

Beijing hits back at ‘extremely hypocritical’ critics...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Beijing has hit back against concerns raised by foreign countries, including Japan, over its military drills around Taiwan, accusing critics of being “extremely hypocritical”. The foreign ministry said on Wednesday that Japan, Australia and European governments had turned “a deaf ear” to the efforts of “Taiwan independence” forces using military means, while ignoring external interference in Beijing’s internal affairs. Beijing launched massive live-fire drills and blockade exercises around...

‘Cycle of goodwill’: Chinese ex-soldier saves woman...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

A retired soldier from eastern China has saved an elderly woman from the same river where he was rescued 35 years ago. According to the mainland’s CCTV News, 40-year-old Huang Daoxian from Zhejiang province was cleaning his parents’ house when he heard noises coming from the river. He ran out and saw a woman struggling in the middle of the river, her hands frantically slapping the water as she sank. A skilled swimmer, Huang immediately jumped in, lifted her chin and dragged her towards the...

21,911 results