South China Morning Post
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 08:31:10 +0000Colleague Skill: AI job fears in China set off viral spread of supposed ability harvester
An open-source artificial intelligence project aimed at harvesting human capabilities into reusable AI “skills” has gone viral in China, gaining traction as a meme among the country’s uneasy young workers as they face growing job insecurity ami...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 08:30:07 +0000AI pessimism is a luxury the Global South cannot afford
No Ethiopian, Pakistani, Indian, Brazilian or other serious policymaker believes artificial intelligence will solve corruption or improve governance overnight. National policies such as Digital Ethiopia 2030, Pakistan’s National AI Policy 2025 or o...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 08:00:21 +0000Forget Hong Kong and Singapore, Philippines housing is least affordable: survey
Hong Kong and Singapore routinely top global rankings of unaffordable cities. Yet it is the residents of Manila, Colombo and Yangon who are far more likely to tell pollsters they cannot afford shelter.
The Philippines recorded the world’s highest s...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 08:00:14 +0000Semiconductor leap: China looks to next-gen ‘2D chip’ with 1,000-fold growth speed
Chinese scientists say they have developed a wafer-scale 2D semiconductor growth method with 1,000 times faster growth, paving the way for industry advances.
The surging demand for high‑performance, low‑power chips driven by AI and large-language...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 08:00:11 +0000How China’s fake Titanic sank like a stone – and became a symbol of local excess
When Su Shaojun launched an audacious plan to build a life-size replica of the Titanic, he felt he was on to a sure-fire winner. After all, James Cameron’s iconic 1997 film had been a worldwide hit – including in China, where it had grossed over ...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 07:41:09 +0000Hong Kong balancing financial security, innovation as nation’s ‘firewall’: Paul Chan
Hong Kong has struck a balance between financial security and innovation in its strategic roles as a “testing ground” and “firewall” for the nation’s reform and opening up, the city’s finance chief has said.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan ...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 07:37:29 +0000Trump’s 80th birthday bash to feature UFC fight at White House
US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that there would be an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fight in the White House grounds to mark his 80th birthday on June 14.
Trump, a UFC fan, made the announcement on social media. This year marks ...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 07:27:34 +0000Citybus driver dies after collapsing, losing control of vehicle on Hong Kong road
A Hong Kong bus driver died on Saturday night after collapsing while steering his vehicle, causing it to mount a pavement.
Police said on Sunday that the 42-year-old man collapsed while driving his empty vehicle along Chung Yan Road in the direction ...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 07:07:49 +0000Beijing pledges better Taiwan air and travel links after KMT leader’s mainland China trip
Beijing has promised to restore direct flights between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan following a visit by the leader of the main opposition party.
The 10-point measures, which also include a pledge to ease restrictions on individuals travelling to ...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 06:40:09 +0000Minister warns Malaysia will enter ‘critical period’ for fuel supply by June
Malaysia is expected to experience a critical moment with regards to fuel supply by June, according to Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir.
He said the government is implementing measures to address the global fuel shortage amid the Middle Ea...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 06:27:29 +0000Death of Maisy Ho, daughter of late tycoon Stanley Ho, announced by family
Maisy Ho Chiu-ha, a daughter of late Hong Kong and Macau tycoon Stanley Ho Hung-sun, died on Sunday.
Her siblings – Pansy Ho Chiu-king, Josie Ho Chiu-yi and Lawrence Ho Yau-lung – revealed the news in a statement but stopped short of revealing th...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 06:12:57 +0000Rehabilitation project open to all 2019 Hong Kong protest arrestees: Chris Tang
Hong Kong authorities will not “draw a line” on which protesters arrested during the 2019 social unrest are eligible for a rehabilitation programme, the security chief has said, while defending the decision to keep the project a secret until rece...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 06:00:25 +0000In Indonesia, horror film posters trigger child suicide fears
Promotional posters for the horror film Aku Harus Mati (“I Must Die”) have been taken down in parts of Indonesia after sparking backlash from child protection experts, who say the campaign’s stark language and imagery are especially alarming am...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 06:00:09 +0000Chinese firm slammed for using ex-employee’s data to create ‘AI human’ to continue working
A Chinese company has sparked controversy after it reportedly used a former employee’s data to create an artificial intelligence (AI) human to continue working following his resignation.
A game company in Shandong province in northern China has att...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 05:25:05 +0000In Philippines, LPG price shock reaches bottom of beloved beef stew bowls
Filipinos like their pares, a traditional beef stew, served hot – but the soaring cost of liquefied petroleum gas has made that prospect increasingly difficult since war erupted in the Middle East.
To save a few pesos, 20-year-old Eric Garcia delic...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 05:20:54 +0000Hyundai spearheads foreign EV comeback push in China with Ioniq brand
Hyundai Motor has spearheaded a comeback among foreign marques vying for a slice of the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) market, launching a new brand built around local technologies and partnerships.
The South Korean carmaker, which reversed a six-year...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 05:14:40 +0000‘A dream come true’: helpers flock to Disneyland for free trip given as thanks
Hundreds of domestic workers wearing Minnie Mouse ear headbands flocked to Hong Kong Disneyland Resort on Sunday morning after receiving free tickets, with many helpers arriving at least an hour before the theme park opened.
The amusement park and th...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 04:13:07 +0000Singapore drama sparks Malaysian ire over scam hub depiction
Singapore’s national media network Mediacorp has responded to criticism from Malaysian organisations over its drama Highway to Somewhere, which some claim portrays the country as a hub for scam syndicates.
In a statement, a spokesperson said the pr...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 04:06:04 +0000Controversial Hong Kong documentary pulled from Italian film festival
Award-winning Hong Kong documentary To My Nineteen-Year-Old Self has been withdrawn by its distributor from an Italian film festival after a dispute among stakeholders worsened.
Golden Scene said on Sunday that its documentary would not feature at th...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 04:00:13 +0000Time to act on stalled proposal toughening child abuse penalties, lawmakers say
Hong Kong authorities have been urged to toughen penalties for child abuse as a proposal to review protection laws for minors, which were last updated in 1995, has remained stalled for seven years.
A check by the South China Morning Post found that o...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 04:00:11 +0000Does Iran’s wartime resilience offer any lessons for Taiwan?
Iran’s ability to sustain missile and drone strikes despite heavy US-Israeli attacks has sharpened a debate in Taiwan: if the island’s air defences were degraded in the early stages of a conflict with mainland China, could it still keep fighting?...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 04:00:08 +0000Doubts about Trump strain Southeast Asia’s US-China balancing act
For years, Southeast Asian countries have preferred to avoid taking sides between China and the United States. This year’s State of Southeast Asia survey shows that this approach still holds, but a more contested geostrategic environment is making ...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 03:25:35 +0000Pope Leo slams ‘delusion of omnipotence’ stoking US-Israeli war on Iran
In his strongest words yet, Pope Leo on Saturday denounced the “delusion of omnipotence” that is fuelling the US-Israel war on Iran and demanded political leaders stop and negotiate peace.
Leo presided over an evening prayer service in St Peter...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 02:00:07 +0000Maduro’s capture sparked outrage, confusion – and a Chinese migration wave to Venezuela
Two months after the United States’ capture and forcible extradition of former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro – and as the South American country attempts to settle into a state of relative normalcy in the aftermath of the military incursion...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 01:37:47 +0000Marathon US-Iran talks end in failure as Vance cites nuclear arms as key sticking point
J.D. Vance said on Sunday that the US and Iran had failed to reach an agreement after marathon negotiations in the Pakistani capital Islamabad.
“We have been at it now for 21 hours, and we’ve had a number of substantive discussions with the Irani...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 01:30:08 +0000Why securing Hong Kong’s economic future is a cultural question
Hong Kong is navigating a period of significant economic transition. The city is seeing a surge in family offices. It is an offshore renminbi hub and has one of the world’s most meaningful capital markets.
However, it needs systemic change to attra...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 01:00:13 +0000Hong Kong’s ministerial team spent HK$46.6 million on visits in past 3 years
Hong Kong’s 21 ministerial-level officials spent more than HK$46.6 million (US$5.9 million) on trips over the past three financial years, with finance chief Paul Chan Mo-po accounting for nearly a quarter of the total.
Secretary for Commerce and Ec...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 01:00:09 +0000China family creates AI clone to comfort elderly mum after only son dies in car accident
After a man in China was killed in a road accident last year, his family hired an artificial intelligence (AI) technology team to create a digital version of him to comfort his elderly mother.
The AI creation is able to chat with his octogenarian mot...
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 00:00:09 +0000Singapore’s robotaxi drive revs up with help from Chinese AV leaders
In a quiet street in northern Singapore, a car plies the road like any other – except it is a left-hand drive from China and the person in the driver’s seat has been trained to keep his hands off the wheel and his foot off the pedals unless an em...
Sat, 11 Apr 2026 22:20:14 +0000Over the moon: Artemis II astronauts make emotional homecoming after record trip
Still marvelling over their moon mission, the Artemis II astronauts received a thunderous welcome home on Saturday from hundreds who took part in Nasa’s lunar comeback that set a record for deep space travel.
The crew of four arrived at Ellington F...
Sat, 11 Apr 2026 21:06:34 +0000Sex assault claims against California governor hopeful Eric Swalwell under investigation
The Manhattan district attorney’s office confirmed on Saturday that it is investigating sexual assault allegations against US congressman Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat and a leading candidate for governor of the state.
The San Franc...
Sat, 11 Apr 2026 20:41:09 +0000French police find naked boy, 9, locked in father’s van since 2024
A nine-year-old boy has been rescued after living locked in his father’s utility van in eastern France since 2024, according to the local prosecutor. The child has been hospitalised, and his father detained.
Police were alerted by a neighbour to th...
Sat, 11 Apr 2026 15:51:06 +0000Medical intern suspended after complaint over patient data in social media post
Hong Kong’s public hospital operator has suspended a medical intern and launched an investigation following a complaint that patient information had been exposed on social media, just days after another doctor was dismissed in a separate but simila...
Sat, 11 Apr 2026 14:55:41 +0000Fish and vegetarianism major flashpoints in India’s West Bengal election
In India’s West Bengal state, the beloved fish has leapt from the kitchen table to the campaign trail, becoming an unexpected flashpoint in a fiercely contested election.
For Bengalis, fish is not merely food. It is intrinsic to the Bengali identit...
Sat, 11 Apr 2026 14:00:09 +0000Chinese crystal ‘paves way’ for GPS-free thorium clock navigation
Scientists in Xinjiang have created the world’s first crystal that can produce the ultraviolet light needed for future thorium nuclear clocks, which could one day guide submarines and deep-space probes without GPS.
The fluorinated borate compound c...
Sat, 11 Apr 2026 13:25:14 +0000Russia and Ukraine begin 32-hour ceasefire for Orthodox Easter
A temporary truce between Russia and Ukraine entered into force on Saturday, with Kyiv warning it would respond “immediately” if Russia violated it.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the ceasefire on Thursday to coincide with Orthodox East...
Sat, 11 Apr 2026 13:03:22 +0000Israeli spy firm Black Cube involved in Cyprus corruption probe
A private spy firm founded by former members of Israeli intelligence has confirmed its involvement in a sting operation targeting state officials and private interests in Cyprus, saying it wanted to expose corruption.
A senior aide to Presid...
Sat, 11 Apr 2026 12:12:08 +0000Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs wraps up second bay area visit in 3 weeks
Beijing’s top official overseeing Hong Kong affairs has concluded his second visit to the Greater Bay Area in three weeks, a trip that analysts view as a push from the central government to speed up the city’s integration with national developmen...
Sat, 11 Apr 2026 12:00:09 +0000‘A big deal’: the military drills showing Tokyo’s growing focus on deterring China
Japan’s participation in annual US-Philippine military exercises is a “big deal”, because it shows how Tokyo is taking a bigger role in regional groupings that could face off with China, according to analysts.
More than 7,000 soldiers from the ...
Sat, 11 Apr 2026 11:52:22 +0000Gucci shoes worth HK$11,000 stolen from shopping centre restroom in Hong Kong
Hong Kong police are investigating after a pair of Gucci shoes worth HK$11,000 (US$1,404) were stolen from a restroom at Times Square in Causeway Bay, the South China Morning Post has learned.
A source said on Saturday that the victim, 48, had bought...
Sat, 11 Apr 2026 11:18:38 +0000Vaccine coverage gaps spur Bangladesh’s deadly measles outbreak
Rocking her baby to soothe his searing pain and gasping breaths, 18-year-old Rubia Akhtar Brishti recounts how her son nearly died in Bangladesh’s deadly measles outbreak.
“The boy had [a] high fever and found it hard to breathe,” Brishti said,...
Sat, 11 Apr 2026 11:00:11 +0000China targets middlemen in renewed crackdown on ‘hidden’ corruption
China’s top judicial bodies have detailed ways that the country’s criminal law can be applied to corrupt middlemen, refining the criteria for tackling “new and hidden forms of corruption”.
The guidance was part of a judicial interpretation re...
Sat, 11 Apr 2026 10:46:44 +0000Thais celebrate new year despite fuel price shocks delaying travel
Soaring fuel prices are driving up costs for Thais travelling home for the holidays, but the chance to spend the new year with loved ones is a price worth paying, they say.
“There aren’t many opportunities to go home during festivals like this,...
Sat, 11 Apr 2026 10:00:13 +0000Does this Kenyan rail project provide a model for Chinese and Western firms in Africa?
Western governments and financiers increasingly avoid infrastructure projects that involve a Chinese presence as their geopolitical and economic rivalries intensify.
Yet the Nairobi Railway City project stands as a rare exception. It combines British...
Sat, 11 Apr 2026 10:00:11 +0000Unearthing peace: ancient China gravesite reveals significance of broken weapons
“War is hell,” as the saying goes, and it is often those most intimately acquainted with conflict who are the most eager to leave it behind.
This yearning for peace was underscored by a newly uncovered archaeological site from the Western Zhou dy...
Sat, 11 Apr 2026 10:00:01 +0000Turtle found dead after apparent fall in Hong Kong’s Wong Tai Sin
A 10cm-long (4-inch) turtle has died after apparently falling in Hong Kong’s Wong Tai Sin.
Police said on Saturday that they were alerted at 2.09pm by a security guard about a turtle suspected of having fallen from a height at No 185 Hammer Hill Ro...
Sat, 11 Apr 2026 09:36:22 +0000Landlords of 5,557 subdivided homes seek 3-year grace period to fix flats
Landlords of more than 5,500 subdivided homes in Hong Kong have applied for a three-year grace period to meet size, safety and hygiene requirements following a new law on basic housing standards taking effect six weeks ago.
Secretary for Housing Winn...
Sat, 11 Apr 2026 09:11:13 +0000Trump critique pauses UK handover of Chagos Islands to Mauritius
Britain’s government said on Saturday it had put on hold its deal to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands – home to the US-British Diego Garcia airbase – which has been criticised by US President Donald Trump.
British media reported ...
Sat, 11 Apr 2026 09:10:45 +0000Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific and HK Express cut some flights as jet fuel prices rise
Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways will cancel a small proportion of passenger flights between mid-May and the end of June, as surging jet fuel prices driven by the war in the Middle East continue to weigh on airlines globally.
The airline...
Sat, 11 Apr 2026 09:10:21 +0000Hong Kong regulator urged to expand stablecoin rules after cautious roll-out
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) is being urged to go further in loosening restrictions on stablecoins, after granting the city’s first two licences to banks to issue the digital currency.
Bankers, venture capitalists and analysts said the l...