South China Morning Post Business

Swedish prosecutor urges prison for man charged with prostituting his wife

A Swedish prosecutor on Monday called for a 10-year prison sentence against a man on trial for allegedly prostituting out his wife to around 120 clients. The court proceedings against the 62-year-old defendant, in the northern town of Harnosand, were largely being conducted behind closed doors. He is accused of having created internet adverts, arranging the paid meetings between the men who answered and his spouse, and pushing her to perform sexual acts online to attract more clients. Although..

off-topicchina · asia · iran

Iran’s president orders reopening of international internet access, state media reports

⁠Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued an order to reopen international internet access, Iranian state media reported on Monday, citing an official after a ‌near-90-day blackout in the wake of the war against US and Israel. The report cited the head of public relations at Iran’s Communications Ministry. The mechanism for how and when Iran would reconnect to ⁠the global web following the decision was unknown. “The decree aimed at restoring internet access to its pre-January state was...

off-topicchina · asia · russia

Exiled Belarus opposition leader visits Ukraine as Kyiv warns of escalation

Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya visited Kyiv on Monday following weeks of mounting warnings from Ukrainian officials about Russian plans to draw Minsk more deeply into the war against Ukraine. Tsikhanouskaya arrived a day after one ‌of the war’s biggest strikes on the Ukrainian capital killed four people and damaged historical sites, and amid Russian threats to launch further heavy attacks on Kyiv. Tsikhanouskaya, an opponent of Belarus’ President Alexander...

off-topicchina · asia · europe

Heat dome over Europe scorches UK, France, Italy and Spain

Temperatures hit record highs for May in the United Kingdom and France on Monday, as forecasters warned of a prolonged period of extreme heat across Europe throughout the week. A so-called heat dome of warm air from northern Africa trapped under a high-pressure system over western Europe is behind the high temperatures not usually seen until high summer. Temperatures in Spain were expected to peak later this week at 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit), while parts of Italy imposed...

Estranged husband of former Scottish leader pleads guilty to embezzlement from party

The estranged husband of former Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon pleaded guilty on Monday to embezzling more than £400,000 (US$540,000) from the Scottish National Party to fund a lavish lifestyle when he was its chief executive. Peter Murrell, 61, who was remanded into custody in the High Court in Edinburgh after his plea, admitted he used the money to buy a motorhome, two cars and luxury goods. “By embezzling from the SNP, Peter Murrell was stealing the hopes, the dreams and the aspirations of..

china · asia · saudi-arabia

Trump says Iran deal should include additional countries joining Abraham Accords

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that any agreement with Iran should include a requirement for several additional countries, including Saudi Arabia and Turkey, to join the Abraham Accords, the US-brokered agreements aimed at normalising relations with Israel that were forged during Trump’s first term. In a social media post, Trump said negotiations are “proceeding nicely” but tied any eventual agreement to expanded participation in the agreements first signed in 2020. He pointed to Saudi

Harvard, Stanford, Oxford, Cambridge and more: how YCIS guidance open doors to prestigious universities worldwide

[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] At Yew Chung International School of Hong Kong (YCIS HK), a university offer is not a finish line but the first step in a life of service. The Class of 2026 demonstrates this belief: as of mid-April, graduates have secured places at Oxford (Law), Cambridge (Geography), Harvard (Environmental Science & Engineering), Stanford (Economics and Environmental Systems Engineering), Peking University (Law), Tsinghua University...

Hun Sen pardons detained Cambodia opposition leader Kem Sokha

Cambodia’s acting head of state, former prime minister Hun Sen, pardoned opposition leader Kem Sokha on Monday from a sentence of almost three decades for treason. Kem Sokha, who was convicted of trying to topple the former long-ruling leader’s government and sentenced to 27 years, “is pardoned”, Hun Sen posted on social media alongside a royal decree signed by him. Hun Sen, who ruled Cambodia for nearly four decades, stepped down as prime minister in 2023 and handed power to his eldest son, Hun

US chipmakers in China see revenue rise, defying trade tensions: Hurun list

Twenty-six US semiconductor firms, from Qualcomm to Nvidia, saw their China revenue climb by an average of 20 per cent last year, despite trade tensions, according to a new analysis. The data, featured in the latest “Hurun Top 100 US Enterprises in China 2026” report released by the Hurun Research Institute on Monday, tracks the performance of 100 publicly listed American companies based on their revenue in China last year. Among the top 100 earners in China, 26 were from the semiconductor...

china · asia · usa

Vucic and Xi agree to strengthen ‘ironclad friendship’ between Serbia and China

China and Serbia agreed to deepen security and economic cooperation, with the leaders of the two nations hailing the “ironclad friendship” and strategic bonds between their countries during Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s first state visit to Beijing. In a comprehensive joint statement issued on Monday, the two sides said they would deepen cooperation in counterterrorism, preventing colour revolutions and the tightening of security for major events and Belt and Road Initiative...

ByteDance AI films shake up Cannes as TikTok owner challenges Hollywood norms, budgets

Films generated by ByteDance’s AI technology made headlines at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, as the TikTok owner accelerates efforts to commercialise its flagship Seedance 2.0 model. Two short films, The Golden Tomb Seeker and Series Tower, created by Chinese platform Chushou AI using Seedance 2.0, were among 21 works selected from more than 1,000 submissions spanning 120 countries at Marché du Film, the business hub of the festival. But what drew most industry attention was Hell Grind, a...

Lai Ka-ying has done Hong Kong proud as first astronaut but now what else is needed?

Hong Kong should harness the excitement sparked by the city’s first astronaut to set up a dedicated office to foster local aerospace technology and development, experts and a top government adviser have said. Professor Zhang Peng, programme leader for aerospace engineering at City University, urged the government to expand funding for programmes, create dedicated internships and establish a local aerospace technology hub to build on the momentum from Sunday’s historic flight involving home-grown

Why the era of the 3 joint US-China communiques may be ‘completely’ over

The era when the three joint communiques set the terms of US-China relations may have “completely come to an end”, a prominent Chinese analyst has warned. Zhu Feng, dean of Nanjing University’s School of International Studies, also said that it might be “unrealistic” to expect Beijing and Washington to reach a comprehensive political understanding on Taiwan, given US domestic politics. Following Chinese President Xi Jinping’s highly anticipated summit with US counterpart Donald Trump earlier...

borderlinechina · asia · usa

African Development Bank meets as shrinking aid, Ebola cast long shadows

African leaders and financiers gathered for the African Development Bank’s annual meeting on Monday as the continent faces shrinking aid flows, with this week’s event in Congo Republic overshadowed by an Ebola outbreak across the border. Overseas development aid from the world’s richest nations to poorer countries dropped by nearly a ‌quarter last year to US$174.3 billion. The US led the cuts, including reduced funding to the concessional lending arm of the AfDB – Africa’s largest development...

borderlinechina · asia · usa

How China could benefit as US-Iran talks raise hopes of oil sanctions relief

A major diplomatic breakthrough between Washington and Tehran could signal sanctions relief for Iran, a development analysts say bodes well for China, the primary buyer of Iranian oil. Negotiations have advanced on a proposed 60-day ceasefire extension, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the US side issuing temporary sanctions waivers that would allow Iran to sell oil freely, Axios reported on Saturday, citing a US official. Any such relief would only be implemented under a final...

How the US and China can ensure their board of trade is effective

High on the list of deliverables agreed following the summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump was the establishment of a board of trade, albeit with little detail on its mission, responsibilities or operations. The White House expects the board “to manage bilateral trade across non-sensitive goods” while China’s Ministry of Commerce says the board “will discuss issues such as tariff reductions”. While not contradictory, both formulations are vague and hint at...

Israeli far-right ministers want ‘return to war in Lebanon’ despite peace talks

Israel’s two far-right ministers on Monday called for an escalation of military operations in Lebanon, with one advocating strikes on Beirut in response to Hezbollah’s drone attacks. “It is time for the prime minister to take a firm stand with Donald Trump and tell him that Israel is returning to war in Lebanon,” National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said on social media. Ben Gvir leads the far-right Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) Party. “Electricity to Lebanon must be cut off, the Zahrani...

Wang Fuk Court family bid final farewell after salvaging remains of their home

Inside the cluttered, silent flat at Wang Fuk Court, time seems to have stood still. On the bathroom door, a calendar remains on the page for November 2025 – the month a deadly fire broke out at the Tai Po estate in Hong Kong. On what was believed to be their final visit to the undamaged flat, resident Joe* and his wife Annie* took photos of each room. Every room reeked of a mixture of sweat and mould, while ants crawled across dusty kitchen walls. A foul stench wafted out the moment the freezer

china · asia · uk

off-topicchina · asia · taiwan

Chip prodigy Da Bo returns to China after his role in TSMC’s 3nm plant in Japan

A Chinese chip pioneer who made his name in Japan – sweeping its top awards and developing the core components of the world’s most advanced production line – has returned to China, along with his team of researchers. Da Bo, a semiconductor prodigy whose research underpins TSMC’s 3-nanometre chip production line in Japan, is listed on the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) website as a chair professor at the School of Engineering Science. Da joined Japan’s National Institute for

Hong Kong-based Jardine Matheson buys Australian diagnostic group I-MED for US$2.4 billion

Jardine Matheson, an investment company headquartered in Hong Kong, announced on Monday the A$3.4 billion (US$2.4 billion) acquisition of the entire stake of an Australian diagnostic and teleradiology group. The acquisition of I-MED Radiology Network, which spans 215 diagnostic imaging clinics across metropolitan and regional communities in Australia and New Zealand, is one of Jardine Matheson’s largest in recent years, following its full takeover of the luxury hotel unit Mandarin Oriental in a.

china · asia · australia

off-topicchina · asia · india

India orders new deportation centres days after BJP election victory

India’s ruling Hindu-nationalist party has ordered detention centres for undocumented Bangladeshis and Rohingyas in West Bengal state, sparking fear among minorities that it could lead to arbitrary expulsions. The directive comes just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won power in the eastern state for the first time since the country’s independence in 1947. The order calls on local authorities to set up “holding centres” for “apprehended foreigners” awaiting

Are systemic safety failures to blame for China’s deadly mine blast?

A gas explosion that killed at least 82 people in central China – the country’s worst mining disaster in more than a decade – was the result of systemic safety failures across multiple parts of the production chain, according to miners and industry insiders. The Friday blast at the Liushenyu Coal Mine in Shanxi province also left two people missing and 128 survivors in hospital, including two in critical condition. Miners interviewed by the South China Morning Post said several workers had not..

borderlinechina · asia

19 taken to hospital in Japan after suspected tear gas released in Tokyo mall

A suspected tear gas incident at Tokyo’s Ginza Six luxury shopping centre left 26 people feeling unwell on Monday, prompting a large emergency response in one of Japan’s most famous commercial districts. The incident took place around noon at the mall in Tokyo’s Chuo ward after police received an emergency call reporting an irritating smell and people coughing inside it, Japanese media reported. Nineteen of the 26 people affected were taken to hospital after complaining of symptoms including...

china · asia · japan

Alibaba’s Qwen catches up with ‘Sharif speed’ to help forge Pakistan deal

On the first leg of his four-day China visit, Pakistan’s prime minister – famed for “Sharif speed”, a term describing his swift execution of development projects – met his match in a leading AI tool. Shehbaz Sharif, keen on accelerating his nation’s digital economy with the help of Chinese firms, issued a surprise request during his visit to Alibaba’s headquarters in Hangzhou on Sunday afternoon. “I want a comprehensive strategic agreement,” Sharif challenged Joe Tsai, Alibaba Group chairman,...

china · asia

China praises Pakistan’s Middle East peace efforts as both sides pledge close coordination

Chinese President Xi Jinping has thanked visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for the country’s “proactive role” in mediating between Iran and the United States. Monday’s meeting came as the two countries marked the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties, with both sides pledging to maintain close communication and coordination to promote peace and stability in the Middle East, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua. The pair, along with Chinese Foreign...

Taipei ‘optimistic’ about arms deal even after US Navy chief says it’s on ice

Taiwan’s defence minister said on Monday he remained “cautiously optimistic” about US approval of an arms package for the island, even as a senior Pentagon official said Washington would put the sale on hold. The reassurance by Wellington Koo Li-hsiung came after acting US Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao said Washington was pausing the proposed deal to ensure the US military had sufficient ammunition to continue its war on Iran. “We’re just making sure we have everything, but then the foreign...

china · asia · usa

Game over? Shake-up proposed for Hong Kong internet cafes offering overnight stays

In a bustling Hong Kong commercial district, some internet cafes are shifting beyond serving as gaming hubs for young people looking to spend a few hours hunched over a computer playing video games. Inside one such venue in Mong Kok, gamers can rent one of two private booths for about HK$200 (US$25.52) a night. With a look that can only be described as “emergency bunker”, the metal-walled rooms come equipped with a high-end gaming desktop, a sofa bed, budget-friendly food, and self-service...

Leaving family hardest part of Lai Ka-ying’s space mission, sister says

Leaving her family behind is the toughest part for Hong Kong’s first astronaut as she blasted off on Sunday for her six-month mission, according to her elder sister. Lai Ka-man recalled that when her sister, 43-year-old Hong Kong police superintendent Lai Ka-ying, was selected as a payload specialist in 2024, Ka-ying’s three children were still in primary school. They were now being cared for by both sets of grandparents and other family members. “When I saw my sister recently, I saw in her eyes

Trump’s overseas application for US green card rule unnerves Asian workers

A new US immigration policy could force many green card applicants to leave the country and apply from abroad, disrupting families, careers and long-term settlement plans for Asian workers already facing years-long backlogs for visas. US Citizenship and Immigration Services said on May 22 that it would only grant “adjustment of status” – the process that allows prospective immigrants already in the US to apply for permanent residence without leaving the country – in “extraordinary...