South China Morning Post

• the search,
• Breaking news
• World news
• Facebook
• Twitter
• headlines

All the breaking news and latest world news from South China Morning Post, with Twitter and Facebook search trends.

Twitter Search News Trending

Tweets by SCMPNews

Facebook Search News Trending

1. Malaysia’s stronger ringgit fails to deter Singapore shoppers

   Malaysia’s ringgit may have rebounded against the Singapore dollar, but its recent strengthening has done little to deter cross-border shoppers from flocking across the causeway for Lunar New Year bargains. Traders at festive markets across Johor Bahru have reported brisk business from Singapore-based visitors, with many expecting sales to climb further as celebrations draw nearer. Kenny Ng, 29,...

2. Hong Kong firms rush to issue convertibles – and trend could continue, bankers say

   A growing number of Hong Kong-listed companies are tapping strong equity market sentiment to issue convertible bonds, a trend bankers expect to continue. Eleven companies raised US$7.4 billion through convertible bonds in the first five weeks of 2026, about 47 per cent of last year’s US$16 billion total, according to Dealogic. Tianqi Lithium, one of the world’s largest producers of lithium-ion...

3. Why Australia is picking up tab for Philippine military upgrades

   Australia has emerged as an alternate defence partner to long-time US ally the Philippines amid mounting uncertainty over American commitment to security in the Indo-Pacific. Canberra’s ties with Manila hinge on its own interests that could be more closely aligned with the Southeast Asian country than even those of Washington, observers say. Australia has committed to building eight...

4. Hong Kong’s Jimmy Lai gets 20 years in prison for national security crimes

   A Hong Kong court sentenced former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying to 20 years in prison on Monday for violating the national security law, closing a chapter of what has become a geopolitical flashpoint between China and the West. Three High Court judges handed down penalties to Lai, as well as six senior executives of his Apple Daily tabloid-style newspaper, three companies associated with the...

5. Bus seat belt fiasco proves good governance requires more than efficiency

   To err is human. But when an error funnels through a system that has safeguards, the error is supposed to be caught and rectified. Checks and balances are written into the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s mini constitution. Hong Kong has an executive-led system, which means it is the executive branch’s job to formulate and implement policies, as well as “draft and introduce bills, motions and subordinate...

6. ‘Time is ripe’: why China is eyeing another vast canal link to Southeast Asia

   China has almost finished building the US$10 billion Pinglu Canal to deepen trade ties between its southwestern provinces and Southeast Asia. Now, it is considering an even more ambitious – and expensive – project further inland. The Xianggui Canal would be a 300km (186 mile) waterway that effectively acts as an extension of the new Pinglu Canal, giving cities right at the heart of the Chinese...

7. Small-built China pupil praised for carrying large bulk of luggage on his way home for New Year

   A secondary school pupil in southern China has trended on social media for carrying a large amount of luggage neatly packed on his back. The youngster’s bag-carrying exploits have received praise from internet users who have lauded his independence. A photograph of the back of the teenage boy, who was pushing a suitcase and carrying various belongings on his back while waiting for a train at an...

8. Tougher fire safety rules expected in new Hong Kong bill, including fixed penalties

   Hong Kong authorities will submit a draft law by the end of this year to strengthen enforcement against fire safety violations, including issuing fixed penalties alongside existing prosecution options that can take months to carry out. Responding to questions from the South China Morning Post, a Security Bureau spokeswoman said that a fixed penalty system would enhance efficiency and certainty...

9. Hong Kong needs more global listings, wider Stock Connect to strengthen hub role: FSDC

   Hong Kong needs to consider widening the Stock Connect schemes and step up promotion in Southeast Asia and the Middle East to attract more international firms to list in the city, according to a government think tank. Rocky Tung Yat-ngok, newly appointed executive director of the Financial Services Development Council, said that while Hong Kong has been a major listing venue for mainland firms,...

10. Japan’s police face calls for overhaul as discipline cases hit 10-year high

    Japanese police officers who had to be disciplined hit a 10-year high last year, prompting calls for an overhaul for the force. Figures released by the National Police Agency on Thursday showed that 337 personnel had to be disciplined over the course of the year. The problem has become so serious that a leading Japanese newspaper published an editorial on January 26 describing the scale and...