12 h. ago Can the Philippines regain its tourism edge with revival of China e

The Philippines will revive its electronic visa programme for Chinese tourists next month, nearly two years after its abrupt suspension, as part of a broader push to boost lagging visitor arrivals and regain lost ground in the regional tourism race. The Philippine embassy in Beijing confirmed in a statement issued on October 15 that Chinese citizens – including those from Hong Kong and Macau – would again be able to apply for short-stay e-visas online for up to 14 days of travel for tourism or...

Politics

12 h. ago Russia launches deadly barrage on Ukraine after Putin–Trump summit shelved

Russia launched multiple drone and missile strikes on Ukraine as the latest peace attempts by US President Donald Trump appeared to be floundering. The attack killed at least six civilians, including two children, with more than a dozen injured across the country in the early hours of Wednesday, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post on X. Zelensky said that 10 regions came under attack, including Kyiv, Odesa and Dnipro, adding that while the attack primarily targeted energy...

Politics

14 h. ago Airbus opens second jet assembly line in China as it targets production growth

Airbus opens second jet assembly line in China as it targets production growth  Reuters

Events

33 h. ago Chinese woman charged in Paris gold theft from Natural History Museum

A Chinese woman has been arrested and charged over the theft of gold from the Natural History Museum in Paris, in one of several recent high-profile break-ins targeting French cultural institutions, a prosecutor said on Tuesday. The theft – by what the museum’s director at the time said was an “extremely professional team” – took place on September 16, about a month before an audacious jewellery heist at the world-famous Louvre Museum on Sunday. A 24-year-old Chinese woman was arrested in...

Culture

34 h. ago Hong Kong will lead push for green fuel to elevate status as aviation hub: minister

Hong Kong will play a pivotal role in pushing for the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in an effort to raise the city’s status as an international aviation hub, the city’s transport chief has pledged. Speaking at the International Air Transport Association (IATA)’s World Sustainability Symposium hosted in Hong Kong on Tuesday, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan also said the government’s green fuel usage target of 1 to 2 per cent by 2030, announced after Chief Executive John...

Politics

36 h. ago Major foreign banks raise China’s GDP forecast, annual target seen as ‘on track’

Several major banks forecast stronger economic growth for China this year, buoyed by third-quarter data showing slightly better-than-expected expansion despite domestic and external headwinds. Investment bank Goldman Sachs raised its full-year gross domestic product forecast for 2025 from 4.8 per cent to 4.9 per cent, noting that the government’s target of “around 5 per cent” remains “largely on track”. The bank also revised its estimate for 2026, up slightly from 4.2 per cent to 4.3 per cent,...

Events

36 h. ago Overseas banks raise China GDP forecasts, say Beijing ‘on track’ for 2025 target

Several major banks forecast stronger economic growth for China this year, buoyed by third-quarter data showing slightly better-than-expected expansion despite domestic and external headwinds. Investment bank Goldman Sachs raised its full-year gross domestic product forecast for 2025 from 4.8 per cent to 4.9 per cent, noting that the government’s target of “around 5 per cent” remains “largely on track”. The bank also revised its estimate for 2026, up slightly from 4.2 per cent to 4.3 per cent,...

Events

46 h. ago US to respond 'appropriately to China's targeting of critical industrial sectors,' Greer says

US to respond 'appropriately to China's targeting of critical industrial sectors,' Greer says  Reuters

Events

48 h. ago Antitrust Lawsuit in China Targets Apple Policies on App Distribution and Payments

Antitrust Lawsuit in China Targets Apple Policies on App Distribution and Payments  PYMNTS.com

Events

49 h. ago Tech, Targets, and Tensions: Decoding Xi's Priorities for China's Next Five

Tech, Targets, and Tensions: Decoding Xi's Priorities for China's Next Five-Year Plan  Asia Society

Events

51 h. ago China says it has foiled a series U.S. cyberattacks on its critical infrastructure — Ministry of State Security says it has 'irrefutable evidence' NSA tried to cause 'international time chaos'

China says it has foiled a series U.S. cyberattacks on its critical infrastructure — Ministry of State Security says it has 'irrefutable evidence' NSA tried to cause 'international time chaos'  Tom's Hardware

Events

55 h. ago China doubles GenAI users, PLA ship near disputed shoal: 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. China reports 4.8% quarterly GDP growth, moving closer to annual target China’s economy grew 4.8 per cent year on year in the third quarter of 2025, keeping the country largely on track to achieve its full-year target, but analysts said further policy support is still needed to maintain this stable trajectory and improve domestic demand. 2. China’s...

Politics

55 h. ago ‘Stolen too soon’: Nepal mourns hero hostage returned from Gaza after ceasefire

Nepal’s interim prime minister on Monday draped a national flag over the coffin of returned Gaza hostage Bipin Joshi, released under the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. “Bipin is a son of all Nepali mothers,” Sushila Karki said at a ceremony held at the airport in Kathmandu, after his body was flown back to the capital from Tel Aviv. “The name Bipin will be immortal, no one can forget him for his bravery and the hardships he had to face.” Joshi, an agriculture student who was 22 when...

Events

57 h. ago Trump’s envoys arrive in Israel as Gaza ceasefire teeters after deadly strikes

The top US envoys to the Middle East conflict arrived in Israel on Monday to inspect progress on the Gaza plan after weekend violence threatened to wreck the hard-won ceasefire. Israel reopened the Kerem Shalom border crossing into Gaza for aid shipments, a security official and a humanitarian source said, after it was closed briefly on Sunday following the killing of two Israeli soldiers. In response, Israel carried out dozens of strikes targeting Hamas across Gaza, accusing the militant group...

Events

62 h. ago Hong Kong set for IPO flurry next week with Sany leading the charge

The Hong Kong stock exchange is poised for a blockbuster day next week, as four stocks – including Sany Heavy Industry, China’s largest construction machinery manufacturer – are set to debut, positioning the city to reclaim its status as the world’s top fundraising venue this year. Among the four stocks launching on October 28, Sany Heavy Industry, already listed in Shanghai, aims to raise the highest amount, targeting up to HK$12.36 billion (US$1.59 billion) by offering 580.42 million shares in...

Politics

65 h. ago China Says Growth Target in Reach Despite Rare Investment Drop

China Says Growth Target in Reach Despite Rare Investment Drop  Bloomberg.com

Events

66 h. ago China reports 4.8% quarterly GDP growth, moving closer to annual target

China’s economy grew 4.8 per cent year on year in the third quarter of 2025, staying in line with expectations and bringing the country closer to achieving its annual target despite rising external uncertainties. The closely watched figure for gross domestic product, released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday, came in just above the 4.76 per cent forecast in a survey of economists by Chinese financial data provider Wind. It marked a deceleration from the 5.2 per cent expansion...

Events

66 h. ago Breaking | China reports 4.8% quarterly GDP growth, moving closer to annual target

Breaking | China reports 4.8% quarterly GDP growth, moving closer to annual target  South China Morning Post

Events

3 d. ago Chinese embassy approval could be unlawful if UK ministers gave advance assurances

Chinese embassy approval could be unlawful if UK ministers gave advance assurances  The Guardian

Politics

3 d. ago Thieves steal priceless French crown jewels from Louvre museum in Paris

Thieves wielding power tools robbed the Louvre in broad daylight on Sunday, taking just seven minutes to grab some of France’s priceless crown jewels, but dropping a gem-encrusted crown as they fled, officials and sources said. Authorities recovered the 19th-century crown – damaged – near the museum, but the culprits were still at large and the target of a manhunt. The spectacular robbery, one of several to target French museums in recent months, forced the closure for the rest of the day of the...

Events