2 h. ago Hong Kong to enforce new seat belt rules on January 25: what you need to know

In just over a week, passengers on various modes of public and private transport in Hong Kong will be required to wear seat belts as part of new rules to enhance safety through stricter penalties for motorists and commuters. The Post looks at the new rules and what passengers, including those with special needs, should do in different scenarios. 1. What are the new rules? From January 25, all passengers must wear seat belts wherever available on public and private buses – including franchised...

Politics

3 h. ago Exhibition on Hong Kong crime films at old Yau Ma Tei police station remains hot ticket

An exhibition on classic Hong Kong crime films at the former Yau Ma Tei police station has attracted higher-than-expected demand, with the show’s project supervisor saying she hopes visitors will go beyond taking selfies to learn more about the local movie industry. Commissioner for Cultural and Creative Industries Drew Lai Sai-ming said the exhibition had sold more than 80 per cent of tickets in the first month since its debut on January 2, adding that the new tourist attraction’s popularity...

Events

9 h. ago How Chinese ritual uses unboiled egg balancing on mirror or knife to detect spirit possession

Traditional Chinese folk superstition sees some families seek help from “egg-standing exorcists” who try to balance raw eggs on mirrors or kitchen knives to detect spirit possession. If the egg manages to stand upright, legend has it that a wandering spirit has taken over the person’s body. Traditionally, a superstition known as Cai Zhuang Ke, which is often referred to as “spirit possession”, is used to determine whether a sudden illness or extreme lethargy is caused by a wandering spirit or...

Politics

14 h. ago Forget the Great Wall: Xiaomi factory becomes one of China’s hottest tourist attractions

Forget the Great Wall: Xiaomi factory becomes one of China’s hottest tourist attractions  Ynetnews

Politics

23 h. ago South Korea’s AI revolution is forcing a US–China balancing act

South Korea’s AI revolution is forcing a US–China balancing act  East Asia Forum

Politics

24 h. ago Murder suspect who fled to mainland China handed over to Hong Kong police

A murder suspect who fled across the border late last month after allegedly killing his girlfriend in a public housing flat has been handed over to Hong Kong police following his capture by mainland Chinese law enforcers. The Hong Kong identity card holder, 28, was wanted in the city in connection with the murder of a woman, 35, whose body was hidden in the storage compartment of a bed in his Ngau Tau Kok flat. He was arrested by Hong Kong police on Friday and is expected to be charged with...

Events

24 h. ago Japanese tattoo artists still face stigma despite landmark legal victory

Walk into any public bath in Japan, and you are liable to see a sign banning any visible tattoos. Even as Japan opens up to more international tourists and residents, body art remains taboo, not only at baths but gyms, swimming pools and other businesses. The strong stigma, which also extends to tattoo artists and can result in difficulties finding jobs, comes from its historical link with the yakuza and other criminal elements of Japanese society, dating back to the Edo period (1603-1868). The...

Politics

26 h. ago Xi’s Enforcers Punished Nearly a Million in 2025—and China’s Leader Wants More

Xi’s Enforcers Punished Nearly a Million in 2025—and China’s Leader Wants More  The Wall Street Journal

Politics

27 h. ago Scam and corruption cases spark debate in China over cryptocurrencies’ future

The seizure of enormous cryptocurrency caches in two high-profile criminal cases in China – a former head of the central bank’s digital currency research institute accused of corruption, and an alleged scam centre kingpin linked to about US$15 billion in bitcoin – have sparked questions in the country about the safety and future of virtual money. But analysts said the long-term trend for the assets, especially bitcoin, depended on institutional capital, interest rate expectations and the...

Politics

30 h. ago Several Hong Kong lawmakers omit unpaid directorships in Legco declarations

Several newly elected Hong Kong lawmakers have not fully disclosed their unpaid directorships and those held at subsidiaries, the Post has found, prompting calls from the legislature’s House Committee chairman for greater transparency. Andrew Yao Cho-fai and Lothair Lam Ming-fung were among the Legislative Council newcomers who did not register dozens of unpaid directorships, according to a Post check on their declarations of interest, which were cross-referenced with Companies Registry...

Politics

36 h. ago Over 100 dead in torrential rains and floods across southern Africa

Army helicopters rescued people stranded on rooftops and hundreds of tourists and workers were evacuated from one of the world’s biggest game reserves, as torrential rains and flooding in three countries in southern Africa killed more than 100 people, authorities said on Friday. The death toll across South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe is an accumulation after weeks of heavy rains. Weather services issued warnings that more rain was on the way, possibly bringing more destructive...

Events

47 h. ago Putin offers Moscow as mediator in Iran crisis amid tensions with Israel, Trump threat

Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the situation in Iran in separate calls on Friday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and said that Moscow was willing to mediate in the region, the Kremlin said. Tehran has cracked down hard on nationwide protests that broke out late last month, prompting US President Donald Trump to warn he might intervene. Last year, Israel and the United States both bombed Iranian nuclear sites, and Iran fought...

Politics

48 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

48 h. ago Trump’s Hard Line in Latin America Leaves China Room to Maneuver

Trump’s Hard Line in Latin America Leaves China Room to Maneuver  Bloomberg.com

Politics

55 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

59 h. ago Fact Check Team: Exploring the relationship between China and Venezuela

Fact Check Team: Exploring the relationship between China and Venezuela  The National Desk

Politics

63 h. ago An app’s blunt life check adds another layer to the loneliness crisis in China

An app’s blunt life check adds another layer to the loneliness crisis in China  Los Angeles Times

Events

68 h. ago Minneapolis on edge as Trump threatens to use Insurrection Act and send in troops

US President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to invoke an 1807 law and deploy troops to quell persistent protests against the federal officers sent to Minneapolis to enforce his administration’s massive immigration crackdown. The threat comes a day after a man was shot and wounded by an immigration officer who had been attacked with a shovel and broom handle. That shooting further heightened the fear and anger that has radiated across the city since an Immigration and Customs Enforcement...

Politics

69 h. ago China 2025 new bank loans lowest in seven years, policy support needed

China 2025 new bank loans lowest in seven years, policy support needed  Reuters

Events

2 d. ago How Chinese corruption busters are tracking down bribes paid in cryptocurrency

Beijing has revealed how its graft busters are investigating bribes paid in hard-to-trace cryptocurrencies by tracking the ways in which corrupt officials have been spending the proceeds. A documentary shown on state broadcaster CCTV on Wednesday highlighted the case of Yao Qian, the former director of the digital currency institute at the People’s Bank of China. Investigators became suspicious when Yao bought a villa in Beijing for more than 20 million yuan (around US$2.9 million) under the...

Politics