56 m. ago China’s rare earth exports swell in June as Beijing relaxes controls

China’s rare earth exports surged in June to their highest level since December 2009, in what analysts said could be an early sign that recent behind-the-scenes agreements with the United States on the flow of critical minerals are beginning to bear fruit. Exports of the elements reached 7,742.2 tonnes last month – a 60 per cent increase from the 4,828.7 tonnes recorded in June 2024 – and a 32 per cent jump compared to the 5,865 tonnes reported this May, according to customs data. Rare earth...

Politics

66 m. ago Malaysia’s PKR in bind over judicial crisis, Anwar’s daughter at protest march

A fresh quandary may be brewing in Malaysia’s ruling People’s Justice Party (PKR), after Deputy President Nurul Izzah Anwar joined a march calling for judicial independence while her party weighs disciplinary action on her peers for demanding an investigation into alleged meddling in the country’s judiciary. Nurul Izzah, the daughter of Prime Minister and PKR President Anwar Ibrahim, joined nearly 1,000 lawyers in a march on the prime minister’s office on Monday afternoon to protest against...

Events

2 h. ago China’s ‘energy ring’; Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’: SCMP daily highlights

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. How Trump’s latest tariffs on allies, rivals could fund his ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ As the ink on US President Donald Trump’s signature “One Big Beautiful Bill” barely dried, he turned his focus back to tariffs, ending a three-month lull in global trade tensions. 2. China’s exports accelerate in June as US trade truce creates opening China’s exports recorded a...

Politics

2 h. ago Singer JJ Lin’s ‘heart problem’ shocks fans but how common is such an illness?

Singaporean singer-songwriter JJ Lin shocked fans by revealing at the end of his world tour on Sunday that he was suffering from a “heart problem”. Lin, 44, also told concertgoers in Beijing that he feared for the future and sensed the countdown of his career. The singer performed two concerts at Hong Kong’s new Kai Tak Stadium in May as part of his 27-date “JJ20 Final Lap World Tour” and showed no signs of illness. The Post looks at the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in Hong Kong and how...

Events

4 h. ago Bali urges tourists to assess fitness after spike in accidents and rescues

Bali authorities are urging tourists to ensure they are in good health and physically fit before travelling to the Indonesian holiday hot spot, following a spate of emergencies and rescues involving foreigners. The Bali Sun reported on Sunday that local medical and rescue teams were advising tourists to seriously assess their physical condition before visiting. The article also cited recent natural disasters and unfavourable weather that have affected the popular island. The call comes amid a...

Events

4 h. ago Hong Kong’s first fully licensed fleet of premium taxis hits the streets

Hong Kong launched its much-awaited premium taxi service on Monday, as the first operator to receive a full licence hit the streets with its 160 cabs after completing a trial run. SynCab showcased its vehicles during a launch ceremony attended by Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan, who said she expected the company would help the public to see the clear path forward for the development of higher-end taxis. She also stressed the importance of training drivers to ensure good...

Events

4 h. ago Hong Kong to launch guide for professionals required to report child abuse cases

Hong Kong authorities will launch a guide for professionals required to report child abuse cases by the end of the month, which will include a decision tree that can be used as a legal defence in court. An ordinance that requires 25 education, healthcare and social work professions to report suspected cases of child abuse will come into effect on January 20 next year, with offenders liable for a maximum penalty of three months in jail and a HK$50,000 (US$6,370) fine. Welfare officials said at a...

Events

5 h. ago NVIDIA CEO to visit Beijing for media briefing and Supply Chain Expo on Wednesday

NVIDIA CEO to visit Beijing for media briefing and Supply Chain Expo on Wednesday  TechNode

Politics

5 h. ago Megaquake fears shake Japan after 2,000 tremors hit island chain since June 21

More than 2,000 “felt quakes” have shaken a string of islands in southwestern Japan since June 21, according to the country’s weather agency, triggering fears that they are presaging a megaquake. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) logged four temblors with an intensity of 4 in the area on Sunday and at least one on Monday, according to the Kyodo news agency. A level-4 temblor on Japan’s 10-level Shindo scale is considered a “felt quake” as people will notice the shaking, which can set...

Events

6 h. ago China's June new yuan loans beat forecast after stimulus and trade truce

China's June new yuan loans beat forecast after stimulus and trade truce  Reuters

Politics

6 h. ago ‘We want transparency’: pilots warn against blaming crew in Air India crash

An initial probe into last month’s deadly Air India crash has raised alarm among pilot groups, who warn that preliminary findings hinting at human error are premature and risk unfairly blaming the flight crew before the investigation is complete. A report by India’s Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), released on Friday, found that fuel supply to the aircraft’s engines was abruptly cut off just after take-off on June 12, moments before the Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a college...

Events

6 h. ago China exports surge 5.8% in June as business rush through orders during U.S. tariff reprieve

China exports surge 5.8% in June as business rush through orders during U.S. tariff reprieve  Fortune

Economics

6 h. ago China's June Crude Imports Jump as Iranian and Saudi Volumes Surge

China's June Crude Imports Jump as Iranian and Saudi Volumes Surge  Crude Oil Prices Today | OilPrice.com

Politics

7 h. ago China's June new yuan loans beat forecast as credit demand picks up

China's June new yuan loans beat forecast as credit demand picks up  Reuters

Politics

7 h. ago Sovereign Wealth Funds Fear Missing China Tech Boom, Survey Says

Sovereign Wealth Funds Fear Missing China Tech Boom, Survey Says  Bloomberg

Events

8 h. ago Malaysia controls AI chip exports as U.S. targets China smuggling

Malaysia controls AI chip exports as U.S. targets China smuggling  The Japan Times

Events

8 h. ago China’s new bank loans rise in June, above forecasts By Reuters

China’s new bank loans rise in June, above forecasts By Reuters  Investing.com

Politics

9 h. ago Nvidia CEO says China’s military unlikely to use U.S. AI chips

Nvidia CEO says China’s military unlikely to use U.S. AI chips  The Japan Times

Events

9 h. ago ‘Black Mirror’: Argentine tourist amazed by Japan hotel staffed by humanoid robots

A hi-tech Japanese hotel has left an influencer from Argentina stunned by its fully robot-staffed reception. The influencer said the hotel scene resembled the setting of the famous television series Black Mirror. The self-service hotel chain features humanoid robots in uniforms handling everything from check-in to checkout. An Argentine influencer identified as manuenalemania who has over 46,000 followers on social media, brought the hotel set-up to the public spotlight. On June 25, she told...

Society

10 h. ago Hong Kong urged to expand carer support scheme to cover other vulnerable groups

A Hong Kong pilot scheme to identify hidden cases of at-risk carers should be expanded to also cover other low-income families and subdivided flat tenants, a social worker and a district councillor have urged, as a new database to address the issue began operation. The first part of the government initiative began at 9am on Monday and will see the Hospital Authority send daily alerts to the Social Welfare Department if any carers among the 8,000 to 9,000 households listed in the database have...

Politics