1 hour ago Hong Kong authorities to review medium of instruction in schools after major study

Hong Kong education authorities will review the policy on the medium of instruction in public secondary schools for the 2028-34 cycle after looking at the results of a three-year evaluation study and consulting the sector, the Post has learned. The review comes as a council representing subsidised secondary schools urged the government to allow more institutions to teach subjects in English to better prepare pupils moving on to higher education programmes conducted in the language. The Education...

Culture

1 hour ago Viral bullying clips, mass murder threat sound alarm in Japan over school violence

Recent viral clips in Japan of bullying, including one which later led to a mass murder revenge threat, have sparked concerns in the country about school violence. The latest case centres on an email message sent to the board of education in Oita city, in Kyushu, at 11pm on January 11 warning of an imminent attack. “On Thursday, January 15, I will intrude into the junior high school where the bullying video spread, together with several accomplices, and carry out a mass killing of students and...

Events

2 h. ago As ASEAN chair, Philippines aims for ‘effective’ South China Sea code of conduct

As ASEAN chair, Philippines aims for ‘effective’ South China Sea code of conduct  The Japan Times

Politics

11 h. ago 2 Hong Kong pupils take top prizes in first global youth storytelling competition

Two Hong Kong students secured championship titles on Saturday in the first storytelling competition for global youth, delivering impassioned speeches on education and AI before an audience of about 100 people. Vanessa Jane Wong, a Form Four pupil from the Independent Schools Foundation Academy, won the top award in the senior category, while Wan Ruixi, a Form Two student from Hong Kong University Graduate Association College, took the junior prize. Organised by the South China Morning Post and...

Politics

17 h. ago Chinese man earns US$39,000 in 2 years teaching adults to ride bicycles amid surging demand

A master’s degree student in China, who has taught hundreds of adults and children to ride bicycles over the past two years and earned 270,000 yuan (US$39,000) from it, recently went viral on social media. The man, whose surname is Li, is a third-year master’s degree candidate at Shanghai University of Sport (SUP) majoring in sports education, as reported by the news outlet The Cover. Li shared that years ago, he and a friend recognised the demand for bike-riding instruction and decided to...

Politics

27 h. ago Philippines enters its ‘hour of danger’ as Marcos, Duterte clash

For the Philippines, 2026 promises to be a roller-coaster ride of political intrigue as President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr and his deputy lock horns in an existential clash that risks tanking the economy, dividing military loyalties and derailing Asean’s regional diplomacy. “It will be a very messy year both in politics and the economy,” Philippine Congressman Edgar Erice told This Week in Asia. A showdown now seems all but inevitable: Vice-President Sara Duterte enters 2026 with an approval rating...

Politics

27 h. ago Philippines enters its ‘hour of danger’ in Marcos vs Duterte clash

For the Philippines, 2026 promises to be a roller-coaster ride of political intrigue as President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr and his deputy lock horns in an existential clash that risks tanking the economy, dividing military loyalties and derailing Asean’s regional diplomacy. “It will be a very messy year both in politics and the economy,” Philippine Congressman Edgar Erice told This Week in Asia. A showdown now seems all but inevitable: Vice-President Sara Duterte enters 2026 with an approval rating...

Politics

40 h. ago Philippines, France near defence pact to boost ‘operational intimacy’ in contested waters

A visiting forces military deal to be signed between the Philippines and France has put the focus on “operational intimacy”, with observers noting that Paris has a presence in the Indo-Pacific and would serve Manila’s interests well in the contested waters of the South China Sea. The term was coined by Associated Press correspondent Jim Gomez and confirmed by French Ambassador to Manila Marie Fontanel during a freewheeling discussion on Tuesday at her residence. In a bid to balance the...

Culture

41 h. ago China ‘hardcore grandma’ gains fame for farm fertilisation drone skills and as live

An 82-year-old woman from eastern China, affectionately known as the “hardcore grandma,” has captivated many with her remarkable skills in operating field fertilisation drones and her success as a live-streamer selling rice. Born in 1943, Dai Shuying hails from Laomei Village in Xindu Town, Tongcheng, Anhui province. In her youth, she worked as a bookkeeper and was regarded as one of the few “educated individuals” in her village, capable of reading, writing, and performing calculations. While...

Events

42 h. ago Hong Kong’s finance chief warns of market volatility, pledges support for families

Hong Kong’s capital market is likely to experience significant fluctuations this year owing to intensifying geopolitical risks, the city’s finance chief has warned, stressing the need for caution in financial management. Six weeks before the government unveils its annual budget, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po pledged to consider whether there is scope to adjust child allowance to encourage more births, after a Post report revealed that Hong Kong’s registered births hit a record low last...

Events

48 h. ago Philippines’ Cebu residents cry foul over mounting garbage, health risks

A deadly garbage avalanche in central Philippines last week, which killed 19 and led to more than 20 missing, has prompted outrage from civic and green groups over poor enforcement of environmental laws for contributing to the disaster. On January 8, a mountain of debris collapsed at a 15-hectare landfill in the village of Binaliw, Cebu City, where over 100 sanitation workers were on site. Officials say the tragedy may have been partly caused by recent earthquakes and heavy rains affecting soil...

Events

50 h. ago Wyoming vs China? JAC Advances $16M Rare Earths Loan In Budget To Counter China

Wyoming vs China? JAC Advances $16M Rare Earths Loan In Budget To Counter China  Cowboy State Daily

Economics

53 h. ago Why China’s next development priority must be secondary education

If you were asked which middle-income country has one of the lowest levels of educational attainment, very few would say China. We continually hear stories about mass university expansion, record numbers of annual graduates and elite institutions that rank among the world’s best. Despite these impressive strides, gaps in education remain a large roadblock for China’s further economic development. The country remains largely undereducated for its level of economic development: only about 31 per...

Politics

62 h. ago Japan and the Philippines Sign New Defense Pact as They Face Growing China Aggression

Japan and the Philippines Sign New Defense Pact as They Face Growing China Aggression  Military.com

Events

65 h. ago Japan, Philippines sign new defence pacts amid surging China tensions

Japan, Philippines sign new defence pacts amid surging China tensions  Al Jazeera

Events

2 d. ago Japan, Philippines tighten ties with new defence pact amid China tensions

Japan and the Philippines signed a defence pact on Thursday that would allow the tax-free provision of ammunition, fuel, food and other necessities when their forces stage joint training to boost deterrence against China’s growing aggression in the region and to bolster their preparation for natural disasters. Japan has faced increasing political, trade and security tensions with Beijing, which was angered by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remark that potential mainland Chinese action against...

Events

3 d. ago Philippines ‘comfort women’ demand apology during Japan foreign minister visit

An advocacy group representing Filipino victims of wartime sexual slavery by Japanese soldiers will renew its decades-old demand for a formal state apology and reparations as Japan’s foreign minister visits the Philippines this week. The group, Lila Pilipina (League of Filipino Grandmothers), said it plans to press its appeal during the visit of Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, who is set to arrive on Thursday. “We demand a formal public apology and reparation based on the apology,” said...

Politics

3 d. ago ‘Strategic patience’ key for Beijing in South China Sea and other disputes

Beijing should exercise “strategic patience” in managing its maritime disputes, with provocations to be expected from the Philippines in the South China Sea and Japan in the East China Sea, according to a leading Chinese analyst. Hu Bo, director of the South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI), delivered his message in an article published this month in the latest issue of defence journal Modern Ship. There have been continuous tensions between Beijing and its uneasy...

Politics

4 d. ago Registered births in Hong Kong hit record low in 2025, ending 2

The number of registered births in Hong Kong plunged to a record low of 31,714 in 2025, despite a range of government incentives to encourage families to have more children, ending two years of growth, the Post has learned. The figure was also well below the government’s target of increasing births by 20 per cent from the previous historic low recorded in 2022. Experts and parents said the government needed to tackle the underlying causes of the city’s low birth rates. “Those incentives were...

Events

4 d. ago Singapore urged to expand Johor SEZ to Indonesia to deepen Asean integration

A special economic zone between Singapore and the Malaysian state of Johor (JS-SEZ) should include Indonesia’s Riau Islands to ramp up the region’s allure to global investors, an apex business chamber and leading accounting firm have said, ahead of the city state’s budget address next month. As part of its 18 top recommendations, the Singapore Business Federation (SBF), which has more than 32,000 members, and PwC Singapore on Monday said expanding the zone to include the Indonesian islands of...

Politics