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1. China’s annual ‘two sessions’ kick off amid planning for Trump visit and PLA ‘progress’

   This live blog 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. Premier Li Qiang is presenting the government’s annual work report at the opening ceremony of China’s top legislature, the National People’s Congress (NPC). This year’s annual meetings...

2. Smart meters available to Hong Kong subdivided flats meeting new living standards

   Landlords or operators of subdivided flats in Hong Kong that meet new government living standards can apply to CLP Power for smart meter installation. The smart meters, which now cover 90 per cent of residential households supplied by CLP Power, are open for application following the Basic Housing Units Ordinance taking effect on March 1. Equipped with advanced communication systems, the meters...

3. How Southeast Asia’s coffee chains are brewing cross-border success

   In Singapore’s famous Takashimaya shopping centre, those looking for a quick caffeine fix are spoiled for choice. There is, of course, the ubiquitous Starbucks, as well as an outlet of China’s rapidly expanding Luckin Coffee franchise. But it’s a third option, Kenangan Coffee – an upstart brand from Indonesia that opened its first branch in Singapore in 2023 – that most appeals to 27-year-old...

4. US Senate rejects bid to curb Trump’s Iran war powers as Pentagon set to increase attacks

   A bipartisan resolution that would block US President Donald Trump from launching further strikes on Iran failed to pass the Senate floor on Wednesday, as the Pentagon pledged to “accelerate” its actions in a war that’s “just getting started”. In a 52-47 procedural vote on Wednesday, the Republican-controlled Senate blocked a war powers resolution aimed at curbing Trump’s ability to escalate...

5. US lawmakers vote to subpoena Pam Bondi over Epstein files

   The House Oversight Committee voted on Wednesday to subpoena US Attorney General Pam Bondi to answer questions over the Justice Department’s handling of files regarding the Jeffrey Epstein sex-trafficking investigation. Five Republicans joined Democrats to support the subpoena proposed by Republican congresswoman Nancy Mace in a sign of continued frustration among conservatives with the...

6. Panama out, but study says China investing US$23.9 billion in world’s seaports

   A Hong Kong operator has lost control of the Panama Canal, one of the world’s most pivotal waterways for merchant ships, but university researchers said this week that Chinese state institutions have funded hundreds of other seaports around the world. Specifically, they have invested a total of US$23.9 billion over the past quarter century in 363 ports and related activities abroad, according to...

7. US agency proposes English proficiency requirement for foreign call centres

   The head of the Federal Communications Commission is taking aim at foreign-based call centres with a proposed English proficiency requirement for overseas employees and limits on the volume of calls they can handle. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said on Wednesday the proposed rules will encourage communications providers regulated by the agency to bring call centre jobs back to the US and place...

8. Why China’s anti-corruption drive in academia is vital to its science and tech ambitions

   In the run-up to this year’s ‘two sessions’ – the annual meetings of China’s top legislature and political advisory body – high-level policymakers have stressed the need to defuse financial risks and root out political corruption, two of President Xi Jinping’s long-term priorities. As part of a series, Dannie Peng looks at the fight against corruption in academia. As science and technology...

9. Merz’s China visit shows pragmatic diplomacy still matters

   When German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Beijing for his first visit to China last week, it came at a moment of heightened geopolitical attention. With US President Donald Trump expected to visit Beijing in late March or early April, European leaders are watching closely for possible shifts in transatlantic relations and trade policy. Against this anxious backdrop, Merz’s meetings with...

10. Russia may halt gas supplies to Europe amid Iran energy spike, Putin warns

    Russia could halt gas supplies to Europe right now amid a spike in energy prices triggered by the Iran crisis, President Vladimir Putin warned on Wednesday, linking the possible decision to the European Union wanting to ban purchases of Russian gas and liquefied natural gas. Oil and gas prices have soared following the ‌US and Israeli attack on Iran and Tehran’s strikes on Gulf Arab...