37 h. ago Chinese executive named as suspect in Indonesia radioactive contamination probe

Indonesian authorities on Thursday named a Chinese executive of a metal smelting company as a suspect in a caesium-137 contamination case that resulted in the recall of some exports to the US. Lin Jingzhang, who is a director of PT Peter Metal Technology (PMT), has been designated as a suspect, Bara Hasibuan, a spokesperson for the investigating task force, said. “The Certain Crimes Directorate of the Indonesian National Police’s Criminal Investigation Unit has named Lin Jingzhang, a citizen of...

Politics

64 h. ago Safety alert on net certificates sparks renovation probe at 2 Hong Kong estates

Police have launched an investigation into renovation work under way at two housing estates in Hong Kong, following media reports that their scaffolding net safety certificates may have been falsified. Security chief Chris Tang Ping-keung said on Wednesday evening that an official police probe had been launched into renovation projects at Fung Wah Estate in Chai Wan and Fortress Garden in Fortress Hill. Both estates were found to be using scaffolding mesh obtained from the same Shandong...

Events

4 d. ago US wipes South Africa’s G20 website clean for 2026 Trump summit

US President Donald Trump on Monday launched the US presidency of the Group of 20 by wiping clean the website of outgoing host South Africa, which he is not inviting to next year’s summit. The G20 website now simply has a picture of Trump in black and white that says “Miami 2026” and “The Best Is Yet to Come”, the title of the song popularised by Frank Sinatra. Trump refused all US attendance at last month’s G20 summit in Johannesburg, denouncing the post-apartheid government’s treatment of the...

Politics

4 d. ago Hong Kong politician Peggy Wong files police report amid Tai Po fire scrutiny

A district councillor under public scrutiny amid Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze in decades has said she will personally file reports with both police and the corruption watchdog to request an investigation. Peggy Wong Pik-kiu, a directly elected district councillor from the Tai Po South constituency, announced her decision via social media on Monday, highlighting the blaze at Wang Fuk Court was not a natural disaster but a man-made tragedy, and the result of years of disregard for safety. “The...

Events

5 d. ago Ramaphosa dismisses Trump’s threat to bar South Africa from 2026 G20 summit

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa dismissed on Sunday US President Donald Trump’s threat to exclude Pretoria from next year’s Group of 20 summit, reaffirming South Africa’s status as a founding member of the group. Washington boycotted the G20 meeting held under South Africa’s presidency in Johannesburg on November 22 and 23, with Trump repeating allegations, widely discredited, that the host country’s black-majority government persecutes its white minority. Trump said last Wednesday that...

Politics

6 d. ago China set to benefit as South Africa looks to diversify away from US

South Africa is looking to new export markets in Asia – particularly China – and Europe to diversify away from the United States, as its relations with Washington rapidly deteriorate. America boycotted last weekend’s Group of 20 summit in Johannesburg after Washington accused Pretoria of persecuting Afrikaner farmers, labelling the situation “white genocide” – a claim the South African government strongly denies. On Wednesday the situation escalated, with US President Donald Trump saying...

Politics

7 d. ago Zuma’s daughter quits South African parliament amid Russian mercenary scandal

A daughter of South Africa’s ex-president Jacob Zuma has resigned from parliament after claims she was involved in recruiting men to join Russian mercenaries in the Ukraine war, her party said on Friday. Police last week said they were investigating allegations that Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, an MP in her father’s Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party, had lured 17 South African men to Russia “to fight in the Ukrainian war without their knowledge or consent”. The presidency said in early November it had...

Politics

9 d. ago Trump says he’s barring South Africa from next year’s G20 summit in Miami

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he was barring South Africa from taking part in the Group of 20 summit next year in Miami and will “stop all payments and subsidies” to the country over its treatment of an American government representative at this year’s global meeting. Trump chose not to have a US delegation attend the recent summit hosted by South Africa, saying he did so because white Afrikaners were being violently persecuted. It is a claim that South Africa, which was mired...

Politics

9 d. ago Trump barring South Africa from next year’s G20 summit in Miami

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he was barring South Africa from taking part in the Group of 20 summit next year in Miami and will “stop all payments and subsidies” to the country over its treatment of an American government representative at this year’s global meeting. Trump chose not to have a US delegation attend the recent summit hosted by South Africa, saying he did so because white Afrikaners were being violently persecuted. It is a claim that South Africa, which was mired...

Politics

9 d. ago 2 Hong Kong students stabbed after birthday celebration, police investigating

Two Hong Kong students will undergo surgery after being stabbed at a public housing estate, with police investigating the cause of their injuries. A police source said on Wednesday that the two 18-year-old students were injured after celebrating one of their birthdays on the staircase of the 37th floor of Mei Yue House in Shek Kip Mei Estate the previous day. One student, surnamed Au, suffered knife wounds to his head, back and waist, while the other, surnamed Cheung, sustained injuries to both...

Events

9 d. ago Hong Kong student arrested after birthday celebration takes violent turn

A Hong Kong student has been arrested after he allegedly stabbed his classmate following a dispute at a public housing estate, with police investigating the cause of the incident. Police said on Wednesday that the 17-year-old victim suffered knife wounds to his eyes, ears, hands, waist and back. The case was reported at around 7pm on Tuesday at Mei Yue House in Shek Kip Mei Estate in Sham Shui Po. “After our preliminary investigation, we suspect that the pair had a dispute over a trivial matter...

Events

1 week ago US must build on Global South’s G20 momentum, not undermine it

As South Africa hands over the Group of 20 presidency, something more consequential than a routine rotation is taking place. The moment marks the end of an unprecedented cycle: four consecutive presidencies led by major economies of the Global South – Indonesia, India, Brazil and South Africa. For four years, the G20 was steered by countries whose development priorities, demographic structures and geopolitical positions diverged from those of the Group of Seven. In 2026, the gavel will pass to...

Politics

1 week ago Why next year’s G20 could be make or break for global development

As South Africa hands over the Group of 20 presidency, something more consequential than a routine rotation is taking place. The moment marks the end of an unprecedented cycle: four consecutive presidencies led by major economies of the Global South – Indonesia, India, Brazil and South Africa. For four years, the G20 was steered by countries whose development priorities, demographic structures and geopolitical positions diverged from those of the Group of Seven. In 2026, the gavel will pass to...

Politics

1 week ago How China Uses Parliamentary Buildings to Build Influence in Africa

How China Uses Parliamentary Buildings to Build Influence in Africa  The China-Global South Project

Politics

1 week ago Starmer met Premier Li Qiang at G20 in South Africa amid Beijing visit rumours

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke to Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the G20 summit last week amid speculation that he could visit Beijing early next year and the country’s controversial embassy in London will be approved. The two leaders are understood to have greeted each other only briefly during a “brush-by” rather than holding formal bilateral talks, after which a readout covering what was discussed would usually be expected from Starmer’s office. China was represented by Premier Li...

Politics

1 week ago China pledges $3.49M to support HIV prevention efforts in South Africa

China pledges $3.49M to support HIV prevention efforts in South Africa  Anadolu Ajansı

Politics

1 week ago Alibaba’s Cainiao expands service in Africa as demand for China goods surges

Alibaba Group Holding’s logistics arm, Cainiao, has expanded its parcel delivery service to eight African countries – including Morocco, Ghana and Nigeria – as it races to give Chinese e-commerce merchants a cheaper, more reliable way to reach the fast-growing continent. The company planned to extend the service to South Africa and Egypt by the end of December, Cainiao said in a statement over the weekend. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post. Cainiao said underdeveloped logistics...

Politics

1 week ago Alibaba’s Cainiao expands service in Africa as demand for Chinese goods surges

Alibaba Group Holding’s logistics arm, Cainiao, has expanded its parcel delivery service to eight African countries – including Morocco, Ghana and Nigeria – as it races to give Chinese e-commerce merchants a cheaper, more reliable way to reach the fast-growing continent. The company planned to extend the service to South Africa and Egypt by the end of December, Cainiao said in a statement over the weekend. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post. Cainiao said underdeveloped logistics...

Politics

1 week ago Hong Kong father held for allegedly trying to kill daughter, 11, with poison

A Hong Kong father has been arrested on suspicion of attempting to murder his 11-year-old daughter after allegedly feeding her a poisonous substance and consuming it himself. Police on Monday said they launched an investigation after receiving a report at around 9.19pm the previous day that a 42-year-old man had attempted to kill himself and poison his daughter at their residence in Fung Tak Estate, Diamond Hill. Both the father and the girl reportedly ingested the suspected poison. They were...

Events

1 week ago Premier Li: China pledges to deepen cooperation with South Africa

Premier Li: China pledges to deepen cooperation with South Africa  ecns.cn

Politics