4 h. ago Impulse control: Malaysia’s social media ban targets teen minds

Eric Wong is only 20, but his life online is so consuming that he struggles to draw a line between his digital presence and the physical world. A member of Malaysia’s Gen Z – those aged 13 to 29 this year – Wong belongs to the first generation of true digital natives, raised on a steady stream of social media, online gaming and endless internet connectivity. “If there’s time in between classes, me and my friends will gather in the cafeteria or the nearby mamak (food stall) to play PUBG or Mobile...

Events

17 h. ago China’s AI and EV boom drives record power demand, widening energy gap with US

China’s total electricity consumption hit a record high of 10.4 trillion kilowatt-hours (kWh) in 2025, more than double that of the US, the National Energy Administration (NEA) said on Saturday. The 5 per cent jump from the previous year marked the first time in China’s history that annual electricity consumption had surpassed 10 trillion kWh – the highest in the world and more than the combined total of the European Union, Russia, India and Japan, state broadcaster CCTV said, citing NEA...

Politics

24 h. ago Hong Kong police arrest another man with knife, days after earlier case in Tuen Mun

Hong Kong police have arrested a man who brandished a knife in an apparently disoriented state near a McDonald’s in Tsuen Wan, just two days after officers shot dead another blade-wielding attacker elsewhere in the city. Police said they received a report at 8.42am from a passer-by that a man was seen holding a knife in the area near a McDonald’s on Tai Ho Road in Tsuen Wan. On arriving at the scene, officers immediately subdued the man, with no injuries reported. According to local media...

Events

24 h. ago China Consumed Twice the Electricity of the US in 2025: CCTV

China Consumed Twice the Electricity of the US in 2025: CCTV  Bloomberg.com

Politics

27 h. ago Musk’s xAI sued over Grok deepfakes – this time, by mother of his child

The mother of one of Elon Musk’s children is suing his AI company, saying its Grok chatbot allowed users to generate sexually exploitative deepfake images of her that have caused her humiliation and emotional distress. Ashley St Clair, 27, who describes herself as a writer and political strategist, alleged in a lawsuit filed on Thursday in New York City against xAI that the images have included a photo of her fully dressed at age 14 that was altered to show her in a bikini, and others showing...

Politics

32 h. ago China calls Trump battleship ‘easier target’ amid mixed US reception

China calls Trump battleship ‘easier target’ amid mixed US reception  Military Times

Events

34 h. ago Nissan Is Using a Free Interior Upgrade to Push Its New N6 Sedan in China

Nissan Is Using a Free Interior Upgrade to Push Its New N6 Sedan in China  Autoblog

Politics

37 h. ago Hongkonger reported missing in Iran ‘for many days’ amid internet shutdown, protests

Immigration authorities have confirmed receiving a plea for help concerning a Hong Kong resident reported missing “for many days” in Iran, as the country faces a nationwide internet shutdown amid protests against the government. A spokesman for the Immigration Department told the Post on Friday that it had received “a relevant inquiry” and was in touch with the Chinese consulate in Bandar Abbas and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ local arm in the city. A source confirmed the inquiry came from...

Events

40 h. ago As families shrink, our primary relationship is increasingly with ourselves

More than 2,300 years ago, Aristotle mused in Politics that to live alone, a man must be a god or a beast, or words to that effect. I wonder what he would have thought of the popularity of China’s “Are You Dead?” app. For Aristotle, we are social animals, thriving in the “polis” in the company of family, friends and fellow citizens. The average mother had at least five children. Many homes housed three, even four, generations. Family life was noisy and crowded, full of companionship, contest and...

Politics

43 h. ago Alibaba’s upgraded Qwen chatbot app receives warm consumer reception

Alibaba’s ambition to turn its chatbot app into a powerful AI assistant that dramatically changes the way people interact with smart devices appears to be paying off, according to users and analysts. Instead of repeatedly swiping a screen to complete a task, a user can tell the Qwen app to conduct a range of tasks from ordering drinks to paying electricity bills after the Hangzhou-based technology giant links it to the group’s existing apps like shopping platform Taobao and payment interface...

Events

48 h. ago Chinese power stocks surge on State Grid’s record US$574 billion investment plan

Shares of Chinese electricity and grid equipment makers surged after State Grid unveiled a 4 trillion yuan (US$574 billion) plan to upgrade the country’s power networks, as surging demand and the global race in artificial intelligence drive investment in energy infrastructure. Baoding Tianwei Baobian Electric, which makes transformers, climbed 4.6 per cent to 14.50 yuan in Shanghai and power equipment manufacturer Henan Pinggao Electric jumped 4.8 per cent to 20.83 yuan. Suzhou Electrical...

Economics

49 h. ago Hong Kong temperatures to fall to 12 degrees next week as winter monsoon arrives

This story 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. Temperatures in Hong Kong are expected to sharply dip to as low as 12 degrees Celsius (53.6 Fahrenheit) on Wednesday next week as a cold front moves through the city midweek. The Hong Kong Observatory said the fine and relatively warm weather on Friday, brought by a dry northeast monsoon,...

Politics

54 h. ago China’s Slowdown Is Set to Deepen as Pivot to Consumption Stalls

China’s Slowdown Is Set to Deepen as Pivot to Consumption Stalls  Bloomberg.com

Politics

57 h. ago An app’s blunt life check adds another layer to the loneliness crisis in China

An app’s blunt life check adds another layer to the loneliness crisis in China  Los Angeles Times

Events

59 h. ago Applied Materials upgraded at Barclays as China concerns 'overblown' (AMAT:NASDAQ)

Applied Materials upgraded at Barclays as China concerns 'overblown' (AMAT:NASDAQ)  Seeking Alpha

Politics

63 h. ago Daily Market Alert: Chip Stocks Surge on TSMC, China Moves to Restrict Nvidia, Wells Fargo Upgrades AMD

Daily Market Alert: Chip Stocks Surge on TSMC, China Moves to Restrict Nvidia, Wells Fargo Upgrades AMD  24/7 Wall St.

Events

64 h. ago Canadian Leader Spurned by Trump Finds a Warm Embrace in China

Canadian Leader Spurned by Trump Finds a Warm Embrace in China  The Wall Street Journal

Politics

64 h. ago Hong Kong police shoot and kill man wielding meat cleaver in Tuen Mun

Hong Kong police have shot and killed a man who brandished a meat cleaver at a shopping centre in Tuen Mun. The tragedy unfolded around 7pm on Thursday near Tuen Mun Town Hall on Tuen Wui Road. A video taken by a passer-by shows a man in a white tracksuit carrying a 20cm knife entering the Tuen Mun Town Plaza mall. One of three police officers at the scene is seen shooting the man, who is holding a woman, with a pepper spray gun. Another officer fires two shots. A source said police received a...

Events

66 h. ago Hong Kong watchdog warns against using Musk’s Grok AI bot to create indecent images

Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog has raised concerns over the potential misuse of the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot Grok, developed by Elon Musk’s company, warning that using its image-generation function to create indecent or malicious content could amount to criminal offences. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) issued a statement on Thursday after various countries raised concerns about Grok’s image-editing function that allowed users to digitally “undress” real...

Events

66 h. ago Hong Kong, Shenzhen push secure data corridor to unlock AI and fintech opportunities

Hong Kong and Shenzhen are establishing a white list for data transfers as part of an overarching effort to forge closer cross-border ties, which policymakers and business leaders see as essential to unlocking opportunities in artificial intelligence and fintech in the region. “If you have a white list to facilitate the movement of sensitive data, biological data and samples between Hong Kong and [mainland] China, it would ensure trust between [parties sending and receiving information] because...

Politics