2 h. ago Hong Kong court jails couple for life over abuse, murder of newborn son

A couple has been jailed for life in Hong Kong over what a judge called the “completely disgraceful” abuse and murder of their newborn son six years ago. The High Court on Wednesday sentenced Hong Kong residents Imran Hossain, 32, and Farzana Akter, 29, over the father and mother’s mistreatment and killing of their seven-week-old baby, Iyman Hossain, in 2019. A day earlier, a seven-member jury returned a unanimous verdict to convict the pair of murder and child cruelty in a case that hinged on...

Events

3 h. ago Chinese man, 35, refuses to work or get married, lives in a cave for 4 years

A 35-year-old man in China who believes work and marriage are redundant notions has been living in a cave for four years. Min Hengcai from southwestern China’s Sichuan province calls home the adapted cavern in the town where he was raised. At the end of 2021, he gave up a ride-hailing driving job, which earned him 10,000 yuan (US$1,400) a month in the city, and returned home to live a life of seclusion. Min said he found work meaningless. He had previously worked for 10 hours a day to repay a...

Politics

4 h. ago GoPro rival Insta360 eyes global expansion after strong Shanghai IPO

Insta360, the Chinese action camera maker challenging GoPro, surged 285 per cent in its trading debut on Shanghai’s Star Market after raising 1.9 billion yuan (US$264.5 million) in the city’s largest initial public offering (IPO) in 17 months. Max Richter, who co-founded the company with 34-year-old Chinese entrepreneur Liu Jingkang in 2015, said Insta360 is “committed to expanding [its] global presence and elevating brand influence to boost [its] market share worldwide”. He identified China,...

Politics

5 h. ago Hong Kong girl, 17, rescued from fire likely caused by power bank

A 17-year-old Hong Kong girl was rescued on Wednesday after a fire, believed to have been caused by a power bank, broke out in a flat in Tsuen Wan. Fire Services received a report at 7.59am that smoke had been seen coming out from the flat at Hoi Kwai Mansion of Riviera Gardens. Firefighters then broke into the flat and saved the girl, who was sent to Yan Chai Hospital in Tsuen Wan for smoke inhalation. The Fire Services Department said the fire, suspected to have been triggered by a power bank,...

Events

6 h. ago Haitian eyes US$1.22 billion Hong Kong IPO, one of the year’s largest

Foshan Haitian Flavouring and Food Company, the largest listed condiment producer in mainland China, is seeking to raise up to HK$9.56 billion (US$1.22 billion) in Hong Kong, marking one of the city’s largest initial public offerings (IPOs) this year and giving a boost to its status as a world-leading fundraising hub. The company is offering 263.2 million H shares at a maximum price of HK$36.30 each, with the final offer price to be determined on or before June 17, Haitian said in a statement to...

Economics

7 h. ago T1 warning to remain in force as tropical depression brings rain to Hong Kong

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. The No 1 typhoon warning signal issued in the early hours of Wednesday will remain in effect throughout the day, the Hong Kong Observatory has said, as showers hit the city. The weather forecaster issued the standby signal at 12.40am and said it would assess whether to raise it to No 3 in the...

Events

7 h. ago T1 signal to remain in force as Tropical Depression Wutip brings rain to Hong Kong

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. The No 1 typhoon warning signal issued in the early hours of Wednesday will remain in effect throughout the day, the Hong Kong Observatory has said, as showers hit the city. The weather forecaster issued the standby signal at 12.40am and said it would assess whether to raise it to No 3 in the...

Politics

9 h. ago Chinese EV battery maker Eve Energy jumps on Hong Kong IPO bandwagon

Eve Energy, China’s fifth-largest producer of electric vehicle (EV) batteries, plans to raise fresh capital on the Hong Kong stock exchange, following the lead of its bigger rival Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) as international investors show a growing appetite for the country’s industrial gems. The Shenzhen-listed company said on Tuesday that its board had endorsed a fundraising plan aimed at bolstering its international expansion, but details about the share offering were still in the...

Science

20 h. ago Apple’s most sweeping software redesign disappoints mainland Chinese consumers

Mainland Chinese consumers were left unimpressed by Apple’s most sweeping software redesign in its history, according to domestic social media posts on Tuesday, at a time when the US technology giant faces growing headwinds in the world’s largest smartphone market. Apple on Monday previewed a new software interface design, called Liquid Glass, during the company’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference held at its US headquarters in Cupertino, California. For the very first time, the new design...

Events

21 h. ago India expected to maintain robust growth despite Pakistan tensions, trade woes

India is poised to remain the world’s fastest-growing major economy this year, analysts have said, with a recent jumbo rate cut by its central bank expected to boost consumption and investment, even as the country contends with fresh military tensions with Pakistan and an uncertain global trade environment. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) last week delivered a larger-than-expected interest rate cut of 50 basis points and reduced the cash reserve ratio – the minimum amount of capital banks must...

Events

24 h. ago China is arming its space station with ‘guard dogs.’ They have good reason for it

China is arming its space station with ‘guard dogs.’ They have good reason for it  Fast Company

Politics

24 h. ago Chinese premier urges faster tech applications amid US export controls

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called for a push to speed up the application of new advances in science and technology, as the country accelerates efforts to break its dependence on US tech and develop a world-leading industrial base. In a State Council meeting on Monday, Li called the application of new technologies the “last mile” of innovation, as it links innovation and industry and is important in driving new products and services, state-run news agency Xinhua reported. The premier’s comments...

Politics

24 h. ago TikTok adds 500 UK jobs in expansion as US fate remains uncertain

TikTok, the short video app owned by Beijing-based ByteDance, is expanding in the United Kingdom, adding a new office and more than 500 jobs, while its fate in the US remains uncertain as a June 19 sell-or-ban deadline approaches. The new 135,000 sq ft office in Barbican, London, is set to open early next year, according to a statement published on TikTok’s website on Monday. The additional jobs will grow its UK workforce to 3,000 this year, the company said. In addition to its existing 88,500...

Politics

27 h. ago Malaysia’s new luxury tax a hard sell for Anwar as popularity wanes

Many Malaysians may find life’s little indulgences suddenly beyond their reach from next month, when fresh taxes bite on premium goods and services like salmon and silk – and even haircuts – after the cash-strapped government said it would raise revenue from so-called luxury spending. Taxes of between 5 and 10 per cent will be imposed on “discretionary and non-essential goods” as well as financial and beauty services and private education from July 1, the Finance Ministry said in a statement...

Events

32 h. ago Hong Kong Observatory may raise No 1 typhoon signal on Wednesday morning

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. The Hong Kong Observatory is expected to issue the No 1 typhoon warning signal on Wednesday morning at the earliest and assess the need to raise the alert to a higher level the following day. The forecaster said a broad area of low pressure over the central part of the South China Sea was...

Politics

32 h. ago Hong Kong Observatory could issue No 1 typhoon signal on Wednesday morning

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. The Hong Kong Observatory is expected to issue the No 1 typhoon warning signal on Wednesday morning at the earliest and assess the need to raise the alert to a higher level the following day. The forecaster said a broad area of low pressure over the central part of the South China Sea was...

Politics

32 h. ago Hong Kong Observatory may issue No 1 typhoon signal on Wednesday morning

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. The Hong Kong Observatory is expected to issue the No 1 typhoon warning signal on Wednesday morning at the earliest and assess whether to increase the level the following day, as the city recorded its hottest day of the year so far amid temperatures of 37.8 degrees Celsius (100 Fahrenheit) in...

Politics

32 h. ago Hong Kong Observatory to issue No 1 typhoon signal at 12.40am on Wednesday

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. The Hong Kong Observatory will issue the No 1 typhoon warning signal at 12.40am on Wednesday and assess whether to increase the level later in the week. The city recorded its hottest day of the year so far on Tuesday with temperatures of 37.8 degrees Celsius (100 Fahrenheit) in some areas. The...

Politics

32 h. ago Hong Kong Observatory issues No 1 typhoon signal at 12.40am on Wednesday

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. The Hong Kong Observatory issued the No 1 typhoon warning signal at 12.40am on Wednesday and will assess whether to increase the level later in the week. The city recorded its hottest day of the year so far on Tuesday with temperatures of 37.8 degrees Celsius (100 Fahrenheit) in some...

Politics

35 h. ago ‘Irresistible trend’: why Chinese firms are rushing to open factories in Hungary

When Agosto Bodo took a job at a Chinese law firm’s Budapest office last year, he found himself catapulted into the centre of a China-fuelled investment boom. Yingke Law Firm, a major player in Chinese corporate law, had opened the new office to serve a wave of Chinese companies looking to open factories in Hungary. And the business was quickly gaining momentum. “We helped our clients with sourcing labour, looking for offices – we provided the whole service to help them overcome the language and...

Politics