67-year-old man hospitalised after house fire in Hong Kong village A 67-year-old man was injured after a fire broke out in a village house in Hong Kong early on Sunday morning, prompting the evacuation of 27 residents. Police received the fire call at 3.18am on Sunday, reporting that a corrugated iron house in Ping Kong Village, Sheung Shui, had caught fire. A video circulating online showed the fire spreading across the roof, spanning several corrugated iron sheets, with thick smoke billowing into the sky. The resident of the house, a 67-year-old man surnamed...

South China Morning Post

67-year-old man hospitalised after house fire in Hong Kong village

Blaze at corrugated iron house in Ping Kong Village extinguished in early hours of Sunday, with 27 others evacuated without further injury.

Trump thought Epstein’s ghost was gone, it could haunt him in midterm election President Donald Trump was eager to claim victory this week after the record-long US government shutdown ended on his terms. But almost immediately, the White House was forced to battle a familiar bogeyman: Jeffrey Epstein. A trove of emails released by Democrats in the US House of Representatives on Wednesday reignited questions about Trump’s relationship with the disgraced financier and how much the president knew about Epstein’s alleged abuse of girls. While the White House swiftly dismissed...

South China Morning Post

Trump thought Epstein’s ghost was gone, it could haunt him in midterm election

Trump’s victory over the government shutdown is overshadowed by Epstein ties as newly released emails spark Republican dissent.

Japan battles drug crisis as youths get hooked on ‘zombie cigarettes’ The abuse of a sedative-laced vape liquid called “zombie cigarettes” has been increasing among youths in southern Japan, with investigative authorities stepping up vigilance against its potential spread nationwide. By the end of September, 10 people, mostly in their teens and 20s, had been arrested in Okinawa prefecture for possessing etomidate. In May, the Japanese government designated the substance, which is known to depress cerebellar neuronal activity essential for body coordination, as a...

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Japan battles drug crisis as youths get hooked on ‘zombie cigarettes’

The etomidate-laced vapes are spreading via social media, prompting nationwide vigilance and crackdowns on trafficking.

Taiwan draft dodging concerns highlight growing unease over military service Taiwan is facing an intensifying debate about draft dodging among young men after the government moved to extend the term of compulsory military service amid heightened tensions with Beijing. The island’s government has extended the term conscripts must serve to one year, and the contrast between its warning that the stakes have never been higher in the face of increased pressure from Beijing and the growing reluctance to serve has fuelled a debate about weaknesses in its mobilisation system. A...

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Taiwan draft dodging concerns highlight growing unease over military service

Rise in cases since military service term was extended follows a poll that showed an increased reluctance to die in defence of island.

Hong Kong’s allure for rich families rises amid China’s EV, AI growth Many wealthy families in Asia, the Middle East and Europe are exploring Hong Kong as a platform to tap growing investment opportunities in electric vehicles (EVs), artificial intelligence, biotech and even property in mainland China, according to a Swiss family office investment firm. “Hong Kong is the gateway to China, which makes it very efficient doing business here,” said Marcus Sasse, co-founder and managing partner of Club Estate, in an exclusive interview. He added that the firm had...

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Hong Kong’s allure for rich families rises amid mainland China’s EV, AI growth

More family offices in Asia, Europe and Middle East see city’s value as link to mainland investments, founder of Swiss firm Club Estate says.

Japan’s ‘monster parents’ heap misery on teachers with absurd demands When the cherry blossoms fail to bloom on cue or a lunch menu falls short of expectations, teachers in Japan know what to expect: a barrage of late-night emails, angry phone calls and, increasingly, a sense of despair. The problem has reached such proportions that authorities in Tokyo are planning official guidelines intended to protect educators from parental harassment and establish boundaries around what schools can be asked to do. According to a draft released this month by the Tokyo...

South China Morning Post

Japan’s ‘monster parents’ heap misery on teachers with absurd demands

Things have got so bad that Tokyo is creating guidelines recommending police and lawyers be called to handle difficult parental encounters.

UK says it’s ending ‘golden ticket’ for refugees with asylum overhaul Britain will drastically reduce protections for refugees under plans to overhaul its asylum system, the Labour government said on Saturday. The measures were announced as Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces mounting pressure over irregular migration in the face of soaring support for the hard right. “I’ll end UK’s golden ticket for asylum seekers,” interior minister Shabana Mahmood declared in a statement. Presently, those given refugee status have it for five years, after which they can apply for...

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UK says it’s ending ‘golden ticket’ for refugees with asylum overhaul

Those given refugee status will have it for 30 months instead of five years, and must wait 20 years to apply to live in the UK long term.

Pope hosts Hollywood stars at Vatican, laments decline in cinema-going Pope Leo told a group of leading Hollywood actors and filmmakers on Saturday that cinemas were struggling to survive and that more should be done to protect them and preserve the shared experience of watching films. Screen stars Cate Blanchett, Monica Bellucci, Chris Pine and Viggo Mortensen were among those invited to the private Vatican audience, along with award-winning directors Spike Lee, Gus Van Sant and Sally Potter. Leo, the first US pope, said cinema was a vital “workshop of hope” at a...

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Pope hosts Hollywood stars at Vatican, laments decline in cinema-going

The pontiff urged filmmakers to confront violence, war, poverty and loneliness with honesty, and to resist ‘the logic of algorithms’.

Italy’s South Tyrol region scraps planned dog tourist tax Tourists will not have to pay a tax for their dogs in the Italian region of South Tyrol after the regional government withdrew a planned new regulation. The regulation would have required a daily fee of €1.50 (US$1.70) for each dog brought to the region from next year. Italy’s northernmost province, where most people speak German, is a particularly popular holiday destination for German and Austrian tourists. The dog tourist tax was part of a new overall regulation. In 2026, a dog tax was to be...

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Italy’s South Tyrol region scraps planned dog tourist tax

The regulation would have required a daily fee of US$1.70 for each dog brought to the region from next year.

How Baumkuchen ‘tree cake’ survived disasters to become a Japanese favourite Baumkuchen originated in Germany but has become a wildly popular sweet in Japan, where a prisoner of war on a small western island started making the treat that has thrived in its new homeland. Today, the confectionery known as “tree cake” because of the resemblance to a trunk with rings is considered a symbol of longevity and prosperity in Japan, where Baumkuchen festivals are regularly held. Japanese adaptations, including those using matcha and sweet potatoes, are popular gifts at weddings...

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How Baumkuchen ‘tree cake’ survived disasters to become a Japanese favourite

German confectioner Karl Juchheim baked Baumkuchen while he was imprisoned on Ninoshima island more than 100 years ago.

‘Head in the sand’: Palestinian leader Abbas, 90, struggles for role in Gaza Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas turns 90 on Saturday, still holding authoritarian power in tiny pockets of the West Bank, but marginalised and weakened by Israel, deeply unpopular among Palestinians, and struggling for a say in a post-war Gaza Strip. The world’s second-oldest serving president – after Cameroon’s 92-year-old Paul Biya – Abbas has been in office for 20 years, and for nearly the entire time has failed to hold elections. His weakness has left Palestinians leaderless, critics...

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‘Head in the sand’: Palestinian leader Abbas, 90, struggles for role in Gaza

Abbas has become a ‘liability’ and his weakness has left Palestinians leaderless, critics say, at a time when they face an existential crisis.

With AI looking increasingly like a liability, a storm is coming A recent Financial Times front-page lead, headlined “Tech stocks suffer $1.2tn AI sell-off”, was followed a few days later by a comment elsewhere that tech stocks were the only cloud over an otherwise sunny Wall Street. Weather forecasters would be ashamed of such a simplistic assertion. Artificial intelligence and, more generally, tech stocks have become the great overarching gods that dominate the stock market firmament. To suggest they are immortal and the investment sky will remain blue even...

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Opinion | With AI looking increasingly like a liability, a storm is coming

It is the tech sector’s projected spending that points to trouble ahead. Are investors prepared to wait for the return on their investment?

Justice or chaos? Bangladesh on edge as Hasina verdict looms Bangladesh is bracing itself for a landmark court verdict on Monday that could see its self-exiled former leader Sheikh Hasina sentenced to death for crimes against humanity, with the case potentially fuelling an already combustible political climate ahead of national elections. The outcome could either deliver long-awaited justice for the 1,400 students killed during a brutal crackdown last year or spark a repeat of the chaos, according to analysts. Hasina, 78, fled to India in August 2024...

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Justice or chaos? Bangladesh on edge as Hasina verdict looms

The verdict on Monday could pile pressure on the interim administration as it seeks to reform the country ahead of next year’s election.

China school slammed for making pupils salute teachers arriving in cars A viral video of primary school pupils in eastern China saluting teachers on cold mornings has sparked a storm of outrage online. The incident happened at Jianqiao Primary School in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, a century-old institution known for its status as a key local school and a model of civility. In the clip, four pupils wearing patrol armbands stand at attention at the school gate. Each time a teacher’s car drives in, they salute and shout “good morning”. In less than a minute, they...

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China school slammed for making pupils salute teachers arriving in cars

Pupils stand at attention by gates in early morning to greet staff; supporters say it instils respect, critics fear ‘blind obedience’.

Brazil’s Bolsonaro could be in jail within weeks after coup plot verdict upheld Brazil’s far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro is running out of options to avoid prison, after judges on Friday rejected his appeal against a 27-year sentence for a botched coup bid. Bolsonaro lost the 2022 elections and was convicted in September for his efforts to prevent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking power after the polls. Prosecutors said the scheme – which included plans to assassinate Lula and a top Supreme Court judge – failed only due to a lack of support from...

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Brazil’s Bolsonaro could be in jail within weeks after coup plot verdict upheld

The former president was convicted in September for attempting to prevent President Lula from taking power after the 2022 polls.

3,000 mainland Chinese, Macau drivers join Hong Kong ‘Park and Fly’ scheme More than 3,000 mainland Chinese and Macau drivers have registered for a scheme that allows them to leave their vehicles near Hong Kong airport before boarding a flight, with a minister hailing the opening of a parking facility for the policy as “a milestone”. The “Park and Fly” scheme’s automatic car park, situated near the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, welcomed its first batch of cross-border users on Saturday. The policy allows users to leave their vehicles at the facility so they can arrive...

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3,000 mainland Chinese, Macau drivers join Hong Kong ‘Park and Fly’ scheme

Automatic park facility, where users can leave vehicles and reach airport check-in counters within 30 minutes, welcomes first patrons on Saturday.

Singapore’s Temasek invests in WeRide, Pony.ai to boost China tech holdings Singapore’s Temasek Holdings, one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, opened positions in two of China’s leading autonomous driving companies in the third quarter of this year. The state-owned company bought about 1.4 million shares of WeRide and 14,500 shares of Pony.ai in the September quarter, according to its 13F filings released on Friday. The total value of the shares was around US$13.7 million. Temasek has a history of investing in autonomous driving companies. These included...

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Singapore’s Temasek invests in WeRide, Pony.ai to boost China tech holdings

Temasek’s latest deals reflect the 51-year-old investment giant’s focus on forward-looking technologies.

Malaysia’s start-ups shiver through a venture capital deep freeze Once awash with venture capital, Asia’s start-up ecosystem is now weathering a deep freeze as investors reassess their risk exposure amid global economic uncertainty and China’s growth slowdown. For regional entrepreneurs, the flight of risk capital has turned into a crisis, with funds seeking refuge in safer markets. Malaysian venture capitalists told This Week in Asia that fierce competition for a dwindling pool of funds had become the new normal. “What winter? It’s the constant weather here,”...

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Malaysia’s start-ups shiver through a venture capital deep freeze

Global risk capital has fled Asia, with the region’s entrepreneurs left to fight over a dwindling pool of funds.

Pikachu protest at Cop30 takes on Japan’s fossil fuel empire Protesters in Pokemon costumes stomped around the United Nations climate conference on Friday to send a message to Japan: end financing of coal and natural gas projects across Southeast Asia and other regions of the Global South. The Stop Japan’s Dirty Energy Plans protest aligned with the first of two thematic days with a focus on energy during the annual climate conference known as Cop30, held this year in Belem on the edge of the Brazilian Amazon. Organisers of the protest said the...

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Pikachu protest at Cop30 takes on Japan’s fossil fuel empire

The Japan Bank for International Cooperation financed over US$7 billion in loans for coal and gas projects from 2016 to 2024, study shows.

Taiwan woman in Japan reports harassment to police who tell her ‘man has apologised’ A woman from Taiwan who was sexually harassed by a man on the street in Japan was shocked when police said they could not help her. The woman said online that on November 5 she had been slapped on her behind by a Japanese man on a street in the city of Kyoto on the evening of October 18. She was walking along when a group of Japanese young people walked towards her. One man from the group suddenly approached her. She moved to avoid him, but he chased after her and slapped her hard on her...

South China Morning Post

Taiwan woman in Japan reports harassment to police who tell her ‘man has apologised’

Victim who is ‘slapped hard’ on the buttocks chases assailant, kicks him in the belly; police respond by saying there is nothing they can do.