2 h. ago Indonesia and Malaysia set model for dispute resolution with Ambalat pact

The decision by Indonesia and Malaysia to jointly develop the resource-rich Ambalat sea block signals a pragmatic step towards defusing a decades-old territorial stand-off, even as legal uncertainties over sovereignty remain unresolved. The agreement was announced last week during Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to Indonesia, where he met with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to discuss maritime and land border disputes, investment, and regional conflicts, among...

Politics

4 h. ago Veteran medical administrator Libby Lee to lead Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority

Undersecretary for Health Libby Lee Ha-yun will head the Hospital Authority as the new chief executive from August, steering reforms of the city’s public hospitals. Authorities said on Wednesday that Lee, who previously served with the Hospital Authority’s senior management, would take over the new role after current chief executive Tony Ko Pat-sing stepped down when his term ends on July 31. Lee, who will leave her current post on July 14, was appointed for a term of three years for her new...

Science

4 h. ago Lafufu? Australian consumer watchdog warns of fake Labubu toys online

The soaring global popularity of Labubu has prompted Australia to sound a warning over knock-off monster toys flooding online platforms as scammers try to exploit the collectibles frenzy fuelled by social media and celebrity endorsements. The pointy-eared, sharp-toothed dolls – designed by Hong Kong artist Lung Ka-sing and sold by Beijing-based Pop Mart – have attained cult status, commanding eye-popping prices and sparking in-store chaos as fans from Sydney to Singapore and London line up for...

Events

4 h. ago Mainland Chinese drivers can apply for Hong Kong entry permits in November

Motorists from Guangdong province will be able to apply from November to travel to Hong Kong by car under a highly anticipated cross-border scheme, transport minister Mable Chan has said. The Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles scheme is expected to be implemented a month earlier than originally planned. Chan said on Wednesday that vehicles would be allowed to enter the city via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, with a daily quota of 100 applications. “It is an important policy that will...

Politics

5 h. ago Potential cyclone to set temperatures soaring in Hong Kong in coming days

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. Hong Kong is set to be hit by inclement weather this week with the city’s observatory forecasting the potential development of a tropical cyclone near Luzon by Thursday. The forecaster also said on Wednesday that temperatures would soar over the next couple of days to a maximum of 33 degrees...

Sport

6 h. ago Alibaba Cloud expands AI footprint with data centres in Malaysia, Philippines

Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing services and artificial intelligence (AI) arm of Alibaba Group Holding, unveiled plans to launch new data centres in Malaysia and the Philippines, as it expands infrastructure investments to meet the growing demand for AI in the region. In a statement on Tuesday marking a decade of operations in Singapore, Alibaba Cloud said it had launched its third data centre in Malaysia, and planned to open a second one in the Philippines in October this year. The latest...

Politics

10 h. ago University of Hong Kong scientists explore growing organs with 3D printing tech

Scientists from the University of Hong Kong (HKU) are attempting to integrate 3D-printed respiratory tissue with lab-grown “mini-organs” to help patients in need of transplants in the future. Professor Michael Chan Chi-wai from HKU’s Centre for Immunology and Infection said his team was looking to produce personalised 3D-printed airways for burn victims using organoids or “mini-organs” grown from patients’ own cells collected through a single oral swab. “Airways are one of our strengths and an...

Science

11 h. ago Hong Kong education chief puts onus on schools amid competition for students

Hong Kong’s education minister has said that schools struggling with insufficient student enrolment must evaluate their own performance in meeting parents’ expectations rather than relying on government intervention. Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin also said the education sector should not insist on keeping the existing number of schools and emphasised a need for “metabolism” to ensure its vitality. In an interview with local media last Friday, she said that the recent policy...

Politics

11 h. ago Schools with shrinking numbers must fix their problems: Hong Kong education chief

Hong Kong’s education minister has said that schools struggling with insufficient student enrolment must evaluate their own performance in meeting parents’ expectations rather than relying on government intervention. Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin also said the education sector should not insist on keeping the existing number of schools and emphasised a need for “metabolism” to ensure its vitality. In an interview with local media last Friday, she said that the recent policy...

Politics

25 h. ago Man arrested over arriving in Hong Kong with HK$1.5 million of cannabis

Hong Kong customs has arrested a man after he was allegedly caught in possession of HK$1.5 million (US$191,000) worth of suspected cannabis buds inside his luggage. The Customs and Excise Department said on Tuesday that the 37-year-old had flown from Thailand’s capital Bangkok, the previous day. During the customs clearance, officers discovered 7kg (15lbs) of suspected cannabis in his checked-in suitcase. The man was subsequently arrested and charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous...

Economics

25 h. ago Hong Kong customs arrests passenger from Bangkok over HK$1.5 million of cannabis

Hong Kong customs officers have arrested a man after he was allegedly caught with HK$1.5 million (US$191,000) worth of suspected cannabis buds in his luggage at the airport. The Customs and Excise Department said on Tuesday the 37-year-old had flown from Bangkok the previous day During customs clearance, officers discovered 7kg (15lbs) of suspected cannabis in his checked-in suitcase. The man was subsequently arrested and charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. The case is...

Economics

26 h. ago China bets on tax perks to win back foreign investors amid global headwinds

China has stepped up efforts to attract foreign investors, as policymakers look to bolster the domestic economy and safeguard its position in global supply chains amid negotiations with major trade partners. New tax breaks unveiled this week aim to encourage foreign firms to reinvest profits locally – part of a broader effort to restore confidence and signal openness as challenging trade talks continue with the European Union and United States. The Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Finance...

Economics

27 h. ago Beijing slams US official, EU body for attack on Hong Kong national security law

Beijing has hit out at a United States official and the European Union’s diplomatic wing for attacking Hong Kong’s national security legislation, criticising their “hypocrisy” and “malicious intention” of containing China by going after the city. The statement from China’s foreign ministry arm in Hong Kong on Tuesday was in response to remarks by Jim Risch, the chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and the European External Action Service. Risch said that Hong Kong had become...

Events

29 h. ago Malaysia faces judicial void as chief justice set to retire without successor

Malaysia’s judiciary faces a leadership vacuum as Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat prepares to step down on Wednesday without a successor named – a gap lawyers warn could undermine judicial independence and public trust. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration has opted not to extend the tenure of Tengku Maimun or Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim, the president of the Court of Appeal, both of whom reach the mandatory retirement age of 66 this week. The constitution allows for a six-month...

Politics

30 h. ago Thai court suspends PM over leaked phone call as political crisis deepens

Thailand’s Constitutional Court suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on Tuesday pending an investigation into a leaked call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen – a move analysts say could destabilise the government, heighten divisions within the ruling coalition and embolden opposition forces. The court agreed to hear a petition filed by 36 senators accusing Paetongtarn of dishonesty and breaching ethical standards in violation of the constitution following the leak of the...

Events

31 h. ago 2 men arrested over HK$30,000 construction site theft in Hong Kong

Two men issued with two-way exit permits have been arrested for allegedly stealing 32 bags of copper wire and tools worth HK$30,000 (US$3,820) from a construction site in Hong Kong’s Kwun Tong. Police said on Tuesday that a security guard at a construction site located at 11-15 On Yu Road in Sau Mau Ping discovered the men, aged 47 and 49, at around 3.48am and suspected them of stealing building materials and tools. Officers arrived at the scene and located the two individuals, but they fled,...

Events

32 h. ago China sanctions former Philippine senator Francis Tolentino: foreign ministry

China sanctions former Philippine senator Francis Tolentino: foreign ministry  ecns.cn

Politics

33 h. ago China Enlists Commercial Insurers in Bid to Boost Local Biotechs

China Enlists Commercial Insurers in Bid to Boost Local Biotechs  Bloomberg.com

Politics

34 h. ago Beijing sanctions Manila’s South China Sea legal claim architect Francis Tolentino

China has announced sanctions on former Philippine Senate leader Francis Tolentino, a key ally of the Southeast Asian country’s President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr on South China Sea issues. Beijing accused Tolentino of “egregious conduct on China-related issues” and will bar the former Philippine lawmaker – whose term ended yesterday – from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, according to the Chinese foreign ministry. “For some time now, individual anti-China politicians in the Philippines...

Events

34 h. ago Beijing sanctions South China Sea legal claim architect Francis Tolentino

China has sanctioned the former Senate leader of the Philippines Francis Tolentino, a key ally of the Southeast Asian country’s President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr on South China Sea issues. Beijing accused Tolentino of “egregious conduct on China-related issues” and will bar the former Philippine lawmaker – whose term ended on Monday – from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, according to the Chinese foreign ministry. “For some time now, individual anti-China politicians in the Philippines...

Events