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South China Morning Post

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

Is extortion widespread at Indonesia’s entry points? Officer’s firing sparks concern

The firing of an Indonesian immigration officer at a Batam seaport, following reports of extortion of foreign tourists, has raised questions about the prevalence of such practices across the country’s entry points. Batam, in Indonesia’s Riau Islands province, is a popular destination for visitors from nearby Singapore as it boasts scenic beaches an hour’s ferry ride from the city state. The...
Wolf bites woman in German city shopping area

A wolf bit a woman in a shopping area in Hamburg before it was pulled out of a lake in Germany’s second-biggest city, authorities said, in what is believed to be the first such attack since wolves returned to the country in 1998. The fire service said the woman was taken to a Hamburg hospital after the unusual encounter on Monday evening. There was no immediate information on her condition on...
Filipino singer Matty Juniosa’s Golden Buzzer win stokes #SEAblings’ Southeast Asian pride

A Filipino singer’s Golden Buzzer moment on Britain’s Got Talent has quickly become a fresh rallying point for Southeast Asian pride under the #SEAblings banner, as audiences in the region increasingly champion one another’s artists on the global stage. Matty Juniosa, a 27-year-old from the Philippines, drew a standing ovation after performing Prince’s “Purple Rain” on the British television...
China plans AI-powered smart shipping system by 2027

China is ramping up efforts to deeply integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into its shipping industry by 2027, targeting breakthroughs in core technologies to build a smart maritime system as global competition intensifies. A new action plan by the Ministry of Transport and three other government bodies outlined a road map that includes creating at least three comprehensive pilot zones,...
In age of US-China rivalry, supply chain statecraft counts

Geopolitical competition has long been understood in territorial terms. Power was measured by control over land, resources and populations. Rivalry was expressed through military confrontation, alliance formation and the defence of borders. As economic interdependence deepened in the 20th century, globalisation was seen as an arena within which states competed, but not itself the object of...
13 parents, businessman get up to 14 months in jail for bribing ESF employee

A Hong Kong court has sentenced 13 parents and a businessman to up to 14 months in jail for offering bribes ranging from HK$20,000 to HK$200,000 (US$2,600 to US$25,600) to a kindergarten administrator at the city’s biggest international school group in exchange for enrolments. In earlier mitigation, some guilty parents pinned the blame on Fatima Rumjahn, accusing the former English Schools...
Japan has enough plutonium to make 5,500 nuclear warheads, PLA Daily says

China’s military mouthpiece accused Japan of “dangerously expanding” its defence industry – in capacity, technology and international engagement – and said it had “crossed the red line”. In a rare full-page report on Monday, PLA Daily claimed Japan possessed an “astonishing” stockpile of nuclear materials and that it had the technology to produce nuclear weapons. It said 44.4 tonnes of plutonium...
Malaysia raises 2026 growth forecast despite Iran war risks

Malaysia’s central bank has raised its 2026 growth outlook, saying the economy is on track to expand between 4 and 5 per cent despite mounting risks from the Iran war. The revised forecast from Bank Negara Malaysia marks an upgrade from the government’s earlier target of 4 to 4.5 per cent, reflecting stronger-than-expected momentum in the second half of last year and resilient domestic...
Japan deploys long-range missiles to 2 bases amid China tensions, irking locals

Japan’s defence ministry said on Tuesday that long-range missiles with counterstrike capabilities have been brought into service at two Ground Self-Defence Force bases in the country. The deployment of the missiles at Camp Kengun in Kumamoto prefecture, southwestern Japan, and Camp Fuji in Shizuoka prefecture, central Japan, marks a shift from the country’s exclusively defence-oriented policy...
EnerVenue plugs into US$300 million to scale next-gen batteries as it eyes Hong Kong hub

EnerVenue – a rechargeable battery start-up co-founded by Full Vision Capital, the family office of Hong Kong tycoon Peter Lee Ka-kit – has raised US$300 million in its latest round of financing and appointed a new CEO to accelerate the large-scale industrial deployment of its cutting-edge energy storage technology. The California-based company – which also counts government-backed Hong Kong...