46 m. ago Young Chinese are trying out the simple life. Am I missing out?

When my friend Lee first lost his job in 2023, he was terrified. From the moment he graduated in 2016, he had been working nonstop. He had changed jobs a couple of times, but always had a choice – he had never been kicked out of the job market like this. Lee worked in the traditional publishing business, editing children’s books. The industry has been tanking, with the rise of digital books, and the post-pandemic slump doesn’t help. He was laid off with half of his colleagues, with a small...

Events

76 m. ago Hongkongers learn how to ‘break the gates of hell’ for Hungry Ghost Festival

Forming a circle in front of a temple in Yuen Long, a group of Hongkongers make sweeping, dance-like movements before smashing ceramic tiles on the ground with wooden swords under the guidance of their coach. They are learning to perform the solemn ritual of “breaking hell’s gate”, a traditional funeral practice that is typically performed by Taoist priests and long considered taboo by many. Thursday’s workshop was part of a three-day “soul deliverance” ceremony at Tin Hau Temple in Yuen Long’s...

Politics

76 m. ago Japan survey exposes social media’s role in disaster misinformation

More than a quarter of Japanese citizens were exposed to rumours or falsehoods on social media following natural disasters, according to a new survey, with some admitting they inadvertently hampered emergency responses by sharing the misinformation. The study was conducted by the Japanese Red Cross Society in the run-up to Disaster Prevention Day on Monday. The annual event commemorates the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, a magnitude-8 tremor that struck some 60km southwest of Tokyo and caused...

Events

3 h. ago China’s multipolar ambition is making the US sit up and fire back

At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin this week, the choreography was striking. Chinese President Xi Jinping, flanked by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, unveiled proposals for a development bank, expanded BeiDou satellite services, and cooperation in green technology, artificial intelligence and infrastructure. The message was unmistakable: the SCO is no longer just a security forum. It is evolving into a platform offering...

Economics

10 h. ago EU hits Google with US$3.45 billion fine, drawing tariff threat from Trump

The EU on Friday slapped Google with a massive €2.95 billion (US$3.45 billion) antitrust fine for favouring its own advertising services, drawing a furious rebuke from US President Donald Trump and a threat of fresh tariffs against Europe. Google vowed to appeal the decision by the European Commission, which accused the US firm of distorting competition in the 27-nation bloc. “Google abused its dominant position in adtech, harming publishers, advertisers, and consumers. This behaviour is illegal...

Economics

12 h. ago Seoul expresses ‘concern’ over US immigration raid at Hyundai’s Georgia plant

South Korea on Friday expressed “concern and regret” over a major US immigration raid at a sprawling Georgia site where South Korean auto company Hyundai manufactures electric vehicles. South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lee Jaewoong described the number of detained South Koreans as “large”, though he did not provide an exact figure. His ministry would not confirm or deny South Korean media reports saying that about 300 South Koreans were detained in Georgia on Thursday. The Atlanta...

Politics

13 h. ago Ukraine war must be resolved within UN halls, not on the battlefield

This year marks the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II and the founding of the United Nations. Humanity learned with great pain that peace and security must coexist for all nations, and the vicious circle of war must not be repeated. In 1941, the United States imposed an oil embargo on Japan in response to its expansion in Asia and invasion of French Indochina. For the US and its allies, Japan’s militant aggression was a blatant violation of peace; for Japan, the embargo was...

Events

13 h. ago Solution to Ukraine war must be found in the UN, not the killing fields

This year marks the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II and the founding of the United Nations. Humanity learned with great pain that peace and security must coexist for all nations, and the vicious circle of war must not be repeated. In 1941, the United States imposed an oil embargo on Japan in response to its expansion in Asia and invasion of French Indochina. For the US and its allies, Japan’s militant aggression was a blatant violation of peace; for Japan, the embargo was...

Events

14 h. ago Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun’s Regular Press Conference on September 5, 2025

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun’s Regular Press Conference on September 5, 2025  fmprc.gov.cn

Politics

14 h. ago China’s cities feed the AI monster with dedicated services for economic roar

China’s city governments are racing to stake out a role in artificial intelligence, with Wenzhou this week becoming the nation’s first to set up a dedicated bureau for AI-related matters – underscoring how local officials are ramping up efforts amid Beijing’s push to gain an edge in the AI race with the United States. Authorities in Wenzhou, located in the provincial economic powerhouse of Zhejiang, announced the bureau’s formation at a high-profile AI Innovation and Development Conference on...

Economics

15 h. ago China's first independent university run by a foreign university makes "Study in Hainan" more appealing

China's first independent university run by a foreign university makes "Study in Hainan" more appealing  Laotian Times

Politics

15 h. ago Hong Kong airport offers free tours for transit fliers to enjoy city’s sights

Hong Kong International Airport has rolled out a free tour service aimed at attracting 5.5 million transit passengers each year to explore the city’s attractions in Wong Tai Sin, Sham Shui Po and Tsim Sha Tsui. The Airport Authority’s CEO Vivian Cheung Kar-fay said on Friday that the new initiative, jointly organised with China’s largest online travel agency Trip.com, was designed for passengers with layovers of more than seven hours to explore Hong Kong’s culture and attractions. “We are...

Society

15 h. ago Hong Kong airport offers free tours for transit passengers to enjoy local sights

Hong Kong airport has rolled out a free tour service aimed at attracting 5.5 million transit passengers each year to explore the city’s attractions in Wong Tai Sin, Sham Shui Po and Tsim Sha Tsui. Airport Authority CEO Vivian Cheung Kar-fay said on Friday that the new initiative, jointly organised with online travel agency Trip.com, was designed for passengers with layovers of more than seven hours to explore Hong Kong’s culture and attractions. “We are thrilled to introduce the free layover...

Society

16 h. ago ‘Better than being killed’: Japan’s women turn to pepper spray – at legal risk

As dusk falls across Japan’s cities, a sense of unease falls upon many women on their journeys home. Reports of brutal femicides have struck a deep chord, fuelling a surge in the purchase of self-defence items – even as legal experts warn that arming oneself may come at a cost. The recent killing of Megumi Katayama, 24, who was stabbed multiple times by a stranger in a Kobe residential lift last month, has stoked public concern. Social media platforms buzzed with messages urging women to take...

Events

16 h. ago Asia week ahead: Key data on China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan

Asia week ahead: Key data on China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan  ING THINK economic and financial analysis | ING Think

Politics

17 h. ago Hong Kong should crack down on illegal medical practices, DAB party urges

Hong Kong authorities should step up efforts against illegal medical practices, the city’s largest political party has urged, after the organisation received about 100 complaints related to non-professionals allegedly offering pain relief services. Lawmaker Chan Wing-kwong of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) said on Friday that some of the services cost tens of thousands of Hong Kong dollars – more expensive than the treatments provided by registered...

Events

20 h. ago Japan star in dreamland as Jackie Chan blesses her baby bump with ‘miracle’ touch

A lifelong dream came true for Japanese anime icon Shoko Nakagawa, who is nine months pregnant with twin boys, when she met her idol, the legendary Jackie Chan. Chan blessed her baby bump with a heart-shaped kiss in a moment that quickly went viral online. Nakagawa, 40, who is affectionately known as “Shokotan”, is widely recognised as an anime icon and boasts over 345,000 followers on a major social media platform. She is best known as the host of Pokémon Sunday and as the performer of the...

Politics

20 h. ago Japan star in dreamland as Jackie Chan blesses baby bump with ‘miracle’ touch

A lifelong dream came true for Japanese anime icon Shoko Nakagawa, who is nine months pregnant with twin boys, when she met her idol, the legendary Jackie Chan. Chan blessed her baby bump with a heart-shaped kiss in a moment that quickly went viral online. Nakagawa, 40, who is affectionately known as “Shokotan”, is widely recognised as an anime icon and boasts over 345,000 followers on a major social media platform. She is best known as the host of Pokémon Sunday and as the performer of the...

Politics

20 h. ago Hong Kong Observatory could issue T1 warning on Friday night

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 has said it may issue the typhoon standby signal No 1 on Friday night at the earliest, as the forecaster warned of unstable weather from Sunday onwards. An area of low pressure near Luzon, which is currently about 800km (497 miles) away from Hong Kong, is expected to...

Events

22 h. ago Japan Airlines says pilot repeatedly faked alcohol tests before flights

A Japan Airlines employee who admitted to drinking alcohol in Hawaii before his scheduled piloting duty last month, causing delays as the airline found a replacement, had on multiple occasions tampered with his testing kit to avoid detection under similar circumstances, the operator said on Thursday. The 64-year-old captain had been flagged by the airline as someone who needed close monitoring after he was found with a below-threshold level of alcohol seven years ago. He had vowed to quit...

Politics