SCMP News Digest
Wednesday, 28 January 2026
Vanuatu seeks Hong Kong’s regulatory expertise, woos investors and tourists
Vanuatu’s leader hopes to strengthen his country’s presence in Hong Kong as the Pacific island nation looks to tap the city’s regulatory expertise, financial markets and investment opportunities.
Prime Minister Jotham Napat said on Wednesday that his country had established a “communication mechanism” during his trip to Hong Kong, to improve coordination and deepen ties with the financial hub.
He called the visit a “pivotal moment” for bilateral relations, with his delegation holding high-level…
Would you intervene? Singapore train-spitting case puts bystander culture in spotlight
A Singaporean woman has been charged with public nuisance after a video showing her spitting water towards fellow commuters on a train went viral, igniting a debate over what is seen as bystander culture in the city state.
The footage prompted criticism not only of the woman’s actions but also of other passengers who appeared to avoid intervening, reviving questions about how Singaporeans respond when disorderly behaviour unfolds in public.
Sabrina Han, 37, was charged with one count of public…
Why US defence strategy may push South Korea, Japan towards ‘radical’ security realignment
Washington’s latest defence strategy of providing “more limited US support” to its allies is expected to damage domestic backing for leaders in Japan and South Korea and spur greater momentum among regional countries towards military self-reliance.
Analysts also warn that such a realignment could lead to a “radical swing” in regional security calculations, and in the case of South Korea, weaken its deterrence against the North.
In the National Defence Strategy (NDS) released by the US Defence…
Alex Pretti shot at by 2 different federal agents in Minnesota: report
Two federal officers fired their weapons during the fatal weekend shooting of nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, according to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report to Congress published on Tuesday by US media.
The shooting sparked bipartisan condemnation and fresh protests in Minneapolis, and US President Donald Trump on Tuesday called for an “honourable and honest investigation” into the matter.
He also suggested he would “de-escalate a little bit” the administration’s immigration…
Price rises on the horizon for Chinese cloud firms after Google and AWS set new rates
Several Chinese cloud service providers are “evaluating price increases”, according to analysts, following recent moves by Google and Amazon Web Services (AWS), as the explosive growth of artificial intelligence drives demand.
Google on Tuesday announced price rises of up to 100 per cent for certain services, effective May 1. For example, North American users of the CDN Interconnect, Direct Peering, and Carrier Peering services will pay US$0.08 per gigabyte, double the current rate. In Asia, the…
China couple, 102, born on same day, gain online attention, credit longevity to respecting privacy
A centenarian Chinese couple have gone viral for being born on the exact same day, month and year and revealing their simple secret to longevity.
Numerous netizens have been captivated by the 102-year-old couple’s remedy for a long life, which is minding your own business.
The couple went viral after a family portrait surfaced showing Yuan Guanjin and his wife Yin Hezhen wearing white shirts and red jumpers, sitting with their children and grandchildren.
The heartwarming photograph, taken on…
Is South Korea’s ‘metropolitan visa’ for shipbuilding worth the cost of foreign labour?
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has sparked intense debate with his comments on the “metropolitan visa” policy, aimed at supplying foreign labour to the country’s industrial regions.
The controversy escalated after President Lee openly criticised the shipbuilding industry’s reliance on low-wage foreign workers during a visit to Ulsan, a hub for the nation’s maritime sector.
His remarks have divided stakeholders. Local governments and businesses view the visa as a desperate measure to solve…
The US is working on cheaper munitions. Should China follow its lead?
China should consider following the US’ lead by investing in low-cost guided munitions to counter future mass drone warfare, according to a Chinese military magazine.
The suggestion surfaced in an article in Ordnance Science and Technology this month, which said the United States was finding it too expensive and unsustainable to use advanced munitions against Houthi drone harassment in the Red Sea and to support Ukraine against large-scale low-cost Russian air strikes.
The article said that in…
Death of Filipino in Russia-Ukraine war sparks fears of forced recruitment
The first documented case of a Filipino man who died fighting alongside Russian forces in the Ukraine war has raised concerns in the Philippines over coerced recruitment and sparked calls for compensation from Moscow.
In a report released on Monday, Ukraine’s intelligence operations identified the body of John Patrick, a Filipino national, among Russian troops killed near the village of Novoselivka in the Donetsk region, marking the first such report of its kind.
Kyiv officials said Patrick’s…
Hong Kong’s Exchange Fund reports record earnings in 2025
The Exchange Fund posted its best annual gain since the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) was set up in 1993, as solid stock market returns and rising gold prices boosted the city’s financial war chest used to defend the local currency.
The Exchange Fund’s full-year earnings for 2025 jumped 51 per cent to HK$331 billion (US$42 billion), compared with HK$218.8 billion in 2024, the HKMA said on Wednesday.
The returns surpassed the previous record of HK$264 billion set in 2017.
“Overall, the…
Hong Kong hit with record cyberattacks in 2025 as AI-linked threats rise
The number of cyberattacks in Hong Kong hit a record high in 2025, with detected system vulnerabilities tripling, prompting experts to warn that artificial intelligence (AI) could pose a major risk of further attacks this year.
Edmond Lai Shiao-bun, chief digital officer of the Hong Kong Productivity Council, warned on Wednesday that AI would pose three of the top five security threats to enterprises this year, urging firms to invest more in cybersecurity defences and staffing.
“It may not be…
On EV targets, Europe should take a page from China’s playbook
In the global shift towards carbon neutral mobility, a striking role reversal is taking shape. China, often seen as a top-down planner, has emerged as a pragmatic, market-responsive architect of new energy vehicle (NEV) policy. Europe, a champion of climate ambition, is seemingly executing a retreat amid a disconnect between ambition and reality.
The planned dilution of the European Union’s ban on new combustion-engine cars by 2035 to a carbon dioxide output reduction target of 90 per cent is…
As US naval strike force sails near Iran, Trump faces ‘no easy levers’ against Tehran
With the recent arrival of a US Navy aircraft carrier task force in the Middle East near Iran, President Donald Trump is set to have all the military assets in place needed to launch a war against Tehran by the end of this week.
While a last-minute diplomatic breakthrough is still on Washington’s cards, Trump may soon have to pick one of the plans drawn up by the Pentagon to meet his desired outcomes – none of which have been made public.
Washington has maintained diplomatic backchannels open…
Historic EU-India trade deal to slash auto tariffs, double bloc’s India exports by 2032
After nearly two decades of efforts, the European Union and India have formally concluded negotiations in New Delhi for a free-trade deal, shoring up the 27-member bloc’s ambitions to diversify trade ties while navigating tariff pressure from Washington and a ballooning deficit with Beijing.
The agreement, announced on Tuesday and praised by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen as “the mother of all trade deals”, is poised to reduce or eliminate tariffs on 96.6 per cent of the EU’s…
Authorities to seek public views on walkway for New Praya selfie hotspot
Hong Kong authorities will consult the public later this year on building a pedestrian walkway for a waterfront selfie hotspot in Kennedy Town, with the options including small-scale reclamation works.
Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho, speaking at the Legislative Council on Wednesday, said authorities were considering whether they could use “small-scale reclamation” to build a pedestrian walkway or sea wall along New Praya.
“To allow tourists at New Praya, Kennedy Town, to enjoy…
Hong Kong to test firefighting drones in pilot scheme
Hong Kong authorities will launch a pilot scheme to test firefighting drones, with the aim of deploying the equipment in operations once the technology has matured, the security minister has said.
Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung made the remarks on Wednesday while answering lawmakers’ questions on fire safety in the Legislative Council, following the Tai Po blaze in November, that claimed 168 lives.
Tang said drones in Hong Kong were used only to analyse fire scenes, while mainland…
Nipah cases in India raise regional anxiety but experts say wider spread unlikely
A small cluster of Nipah virus infections reported in eastern India has sparked regional anxiety because of the disease’s high fatality rate, prompting countries across Asia to tighten health screening ahead of the Lunar New Year travel rush, even as experts say the outbreak is likely to remain contained.
That assessment follows confirmation by Indian authorities of two Nipah cases in West Bengal, but analysts have said the limited numbers, combined with the time that has passed since the…
Nipah virus alarms China, semiconductor fibre breakthrough: 7 science highlights
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1. China’s Shenzhou-20 spacecraft returns to Earth broken and unbroken
China’s Shenzhou-20 spacecraft returned to Earth with no astronauts inside – just metal, heat and a cracked window – touching down at the Dongfeng landing site in Inner Mongolia on Monday.
2. Nipah virus outbreak in India sparks worry in China…
Hong Kong’s US$8 billion wealth fund eyes fintech, aerospace and AI for growth
The Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC) is eyeing investments in fintech, aerospace and artificial intelligence, tapping the city’s strengths and a wave of incoming talent and enterprises as geopolitical shifts create new opportunities, according to its CEO.
The city’s wholly owned investment vehicle, which manages HK$62 billion (US$8 billion) in funds, would look at these new sectors in addition to its other focus areas, “playing to Hong Kong’s advantages in the context of the global…
South Korea’s ex-first lady Kim Keon-hee gets 20 months’ jail for corruption
A South Korean court sentenced former first lady Kim Keon-hee to 20 months in prison for corruption on Wednesday but acquitted her of alleged stock manipulation and other charges.
While the ruling marked the first time that both members of a presidential couple were convicted of crimes in South Korea, analysts described Kim’s lighter punishment as a “courtroom victory” after prosecutors sought a 15-year jail term, a 2 billion won fine and 948 million won in forfeiture for the three core…