Colombia recalls ambassador to US as Trump-Petro feud intensifies Colombia’s foreign ministry said early on Monday the country has recalled its ambassador to Washington, after US President Donald Trump said he would raise tariffs on Colombia and stop all payments to the South American nation, in a feud that stems from the US military’s strikes on vessels allegedly transporting drugs. Trump also called Colombian President Gustavo Petro an “illegal drug leader” on Sunday, an accusation Petro’s government said was offensive. “Daniel Garcia-Pena, Ambassador of...

South China Morning Post

Colombia recalls ambassador to US as Trump-Petro feud intensifies

Trump’s rhetoric and tariff threats mark a new low in US-Colombia relations, which the US leader alleges are complicit in the drug trade.

Hong Kong probe after plane skids off runway, kills 2, in ‘suitable’ weather Weather and runway conditions at Hong Kong’s airport were suitable for normal operations when a cargo plane veered off the runway early Monday and ploughed into the sea, killing two people, authorities said as they launched an investigation into the incident. The Civil Aviation Department also said air traffic controllers had not received any calls for assistance from Emirates flight EK9788, which was operated by Turkish cargo and passenger charter carrier, ACT Airlines, before the...

South China Morning Post

Hong Kong probe after plane skids off runway, kills 2, in ‘suitable’ weather

Air traffic controllers had not received any calls for assistance from Emirates flight operated by Turkish charter carrier ACT Airlines before crash.

EU to end Russian gas imports by 2027 in major energy shift EU countries on Monday agreed to phase out their remaining gas imports from Russia by the end of 2027, breaking a dependency the bloc has struggled to end despite Moscow’s war on Ukraine. Energy ministers meeting in Luxembourg approved a plan by the European Commission to phase out both pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from Russia, subject to approval by the bloc’s parliament. Lars Aagaard, energy minister of Denmark, which holds the European Union’s rotating presidency,...

South China Morning Post

EU to end Russian gas imports by 2027 in major energy shift

Hungary and Slovakia, the EU members still importing Russian gas via pipeline, were the only nations to oppose the new, majority-backed ban.

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...

South China Morning Post

Trump’s envoys arrive in Israel as Gaza ceasefire teeters after deadly strikes

The visit by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner follows a brief closure of the Kerem Shalom crossing for aid, after two Israeli soldiers were killed.

World’s first intergovernmental mediation body launched in Hong Kong The newly established international mediation body, headquartered in Hong Kong, can contribute to improving the world’s legal system, according to mainland China’s vice-foreign minister. Hua Chunying also highlighted the short time it took for the International Organisation for Mediation (IOMed) – the world’s first intergovernmental body dedicated to mediation – to become operational. She said this showed strong support from the international community for the peaceful settlement of...

South China Morning Post

World’s first intergovernmental mediation body launched in Hong Kong

Vice-foreign minister Hua Chunying highlights the short time it took for the International Organisation for Mediation to become operational.

Will Zelensky join Trump and Putin in Budapest for peace talks? Only if invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he would be ready to join Russian President Vladimir Putin and US counterpart Donald Trump at their summit in Hungary if he is invited. Trump and Putin said they would meet in the Hungarian capital, possibly in a matter of weeks, as the US leader continues to try to broker a peace deal to end the three-and-a-half-year war, triggered by Russia’s 2022 invasion. “If I am invited to Budapest – if it is an invitation in a format where we meet as three...

South China Morning Post

Will Zelensky join Trump and Putin in Budapest for peace talks? Only if invited

The Ukraine president criticised pro-Kremlin EU member Hungary as a venue for Putin-Trump talks, insisting on neutral locations for discussions.

China’s Communist Party kicks off fourth plenum amid tight security in Beijing China’s ruling Communist Party kicked off a key four-day conclave on Monday that will determine the country’s development over the next five years. The fourth plenum of the party’s Central Committee began on Monday morning, according to state news agency Xinhua. Party General Secretary Xi Jinping, who is also the nation’s president, delivered a work report to the meeting and outlined the party’s proposals for the next five-year plan, which will be submitted for deliberation, a brief report said...

South China Morning Post

China’s Communist Party kicks off fourth plenum amid tight security in Beijing

Xi Jinping delivers work report during first day of key conclave that will determine China’s development over the next five years.

Malaysia’s cheap petrol fuels ‘shadow economy bonus’ for smugglers Malaysia has raised the alarm over potential misuse of subsidised petrol in its states bordering Thailand, with data showing some motorists rapidly exhausting their monthly quotas and raising suspicions that a new fuel aid scheme is being exploited to feed smuggling networks. Under the Budi95 scheme that was rolled out nationwide on September 27, eligible Malaysians pay 1.99 ringgit (42 US cents) per litre for RON95 petrol instead of the unsubsidised 2.60 ringgit. The subsided amount of fuel is...

South China Morning Post

Malaysia’s cheap petrol fuels ‘shadow economy bonus’ for smugglers

In Malaysia’s northern border states, 48 ‘high-risk’ petrol stations have been linked to fuel smuggling into Thailand.

Apple’s new iPhone 17 outsells previous generation by 14% in US, China Apple’s latest generation of iPhones is off to a faster start than usual, with its most basic model surging in popularity in the US and China. The iPhone 17 series outsold the iPhone 16 range by 14 per cent over their respective first 10 days on sale in the US and China, according to Counterpoint Research. The data, giving the first quantified indication of consumer response in Apple’s top two markets, shows the standard iPhone 17 is in much higher demand than the corresponding US$799 model last...

South China Morning Post

Apple’s new iPhone 17 outsells previous generation by 14% in US, China

Counterpoint Research analysts attribute the boost to an improved display, more storage and Apple’s upgraded A19 chip.

Hong Kong lawmaker Michael Tien to step down from Legco, Mark Chong to contest Hong Kong lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun has announced that he will not seek another term, becoming the latest veteran to opt out of the Legislative Council election in December. Tien, 75, on Monday said he was ready to step down and pass on the torch, instead of wondering whether to seek re-election again “when I will be 79 or even 83”. He promised to keep contributing to Hong Kong and the country, while continuing to offer guidance on railway policies. Meanwhile, Mark Chong Ho-fung, of the...

South China Morning Post

Veteran Hong Kong lawmakers Michael Tien and Tony Tse are to step down from Legco

Pair are the latest Legco veterans aged 70 or above to declare that they will not seek re-election.

Hong Kong to issue T3 at 5.20pm as Tropical Storm Fengshen edges closer This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hong Kong’s Observatory will issue the No 3 typhoon warning at 5.20pm on Monday, unusually skipping the No 1 standby signal due to the combined effect of Tropical Storm Fengshen and a northeast monsoon. The forecaster on Monday also warned that rain would be more frequent on Tuesday and early on Wednesday. “With Fengshen edging closer to the coast of...

South China Morning Post

Fengshen: Hong Kong T3 signal in force until Tuesday as some classes suspended

Hong Kong Observatory also says the need for a higher typhoon warning is unlikely.

Myanmar junta raids scam hub powered by Elon Musk’s Starlink Myanmar’s junta raided one of the country’s most notorious internet scam centres and seized Starlink devices, it said on Monday, after an investigation had revealed an explosion in their use in the billion-dollar black market. Internet sweat shops where workers scam unsuspecting foreigners with business or romance schemes have thrived in war-ravaged Myanmar’s lawless border regions since the coronavirus pandemic. A transnational push by Thai, Chinese and Myanmar authorities starting in February...

South China Morning Post

Myanmar junta raids scam hub powered by Elon Musk’s Starlink

Troops seized 30 illegal Starlink sets and found 2,200 workers in the notorious KK Park, central to a US$37 billion regional fraud wave.

China’s naval ‘genius’; 2 million Filipinos’ jobs on the line: 5 weekend reads We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. US call centre bill threatens Philippines’ US$30 billion outsourcing boom 2. Chinachem Tower blaze in Hong Kong’s Central put out after 4-hour battle, 4 hurt 3. The aircraft carrier champion and naval genius behind China’s blue sea strategy 4. Man accused of running Cambodian scam farm empire...

South China Morning Post

China’s naval ‘genius’; 2 million Filipinos’ jobs on the line: 5 weekend reads

From protectionism threats to Hong Kong business links, here are five stories you may have missed over the weekend.

Chinese scientists discover secret to healthy ageing in naked mole-rat DNA The remarkable longevity and disease resistance of naked mole rats are linked to a version of a protein involved in DNA repair that is also found in humans, Chinese scientists have discovered. The team led by researchers from Shanghai’s Tongji University found that introducing this modified protein in flies and mice reduced the genetic damage associated with ageing and helped to extend lifespan, according to results of their study published earlier this month. Their findings suggest that the...

South China Morning Post

Chinese scientists discover secret to healthy ageing in naked mole-rat DNA

Longevity of the rodent family could inspire new therapeutic anti-ageing strategy to improve the health and lifespan of humans, study suggests.

End Russian oil imports or ‘massive’ tariffs will remain, Trump warns India US President Donald Trump reiterated on Sunday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told him India would stop buying Russian oil, while warning that New Delhi would continue paying “massive” tariffs if it did not do so. “I spoke with Prime Minister Modi of India, and he said he’s not going to be doing the Russian oil thing,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. Asked about India’s assertion that it was not aware of any conversation between Modi and Trump, Trump replied: “But if they...

South China Morning Post

End Russian oil imports or ‘massive’ tariffs will remain, Trump warns India

Despite US pressure, India’s Russian oil imports are actually set to rise by 20 per cent this month, according to industry estimates.

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...

South China Morning Post

China reports 4.8% quarterly GDP growth, moving closer to annual target

The third-quarter figure brings yearly growth to 5.2 per cent, meeting expectations but prompting calls for policy support from analysts.

Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: educator with a trailblazing holistic approach When Hongkonger Joanne Fong Tze-hang was six, she realised after watching her uncle care for animals that if love could change them, it could change people too. That was when she decided she wanted to be an educator. As the principal of HHCKLA Buddhist Chan Shi Wan Primary School today, Fong said she believes education should prepare children not merely to excel in exams but, more importantly, to grow as thoughtful, compassionate individuals. “Academic performance matters, but a child’s...

South China Morning Post

Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: educator with a trailblazing holistic approach

Principal of HHCKLA Buddhist Chan Shi Wan Primary School has reimagined how primary education can blend knowledge, empathy and sustainability.

PLA tanker ‘spotted resupplying coastguard vessel’ near Scarborough Shoal The PLA Navy replenishment ship Qinghaihu was reportedly seen resupplying a China Coast Guard vessel near the disputed Scarborough Shoal last week. The manoeuvre highlights growing coordination between China’s naval and coastguard forces amid heightened tensions with the Philippines in the contested South China Sea. According to a report by Manila-based ABS-CBN news, two Chinese navy warships and four coastguard vessels, as well as several Chinese maritime militia vessels, were monitored by the...

South China Morning Post

PLA tanker ‘spotted resupplying coastguard vessel’ near Scarborough Shoal

Philippine maritime domain awareness report suggests PLA replenishment ship Qinghaihu was part of multi-vessel manoeuvre with coastguard.

Japanese mum, 34, struggles to raise 6 sons, spends US$4,600 a month on family A woman in eastern Japan with six handsome sons has been coping with the enormous challenge of spending 700,000 yen (US$4,600) a month to keep her family afloat. Recently, the Japanese variety show Mum’s Secret Garden produced by ABEMA featured the 34-year-old mother. Her name is Monko and she is from Chiba prefecture just east of Tokyo, and she went viral thanks to her beautiful looks. At just 16, she reportedly gave birth to her first son, Ryuki, and dropped out of school to care for...

South China Morning Post

Japanese mum, 34, struggles to raise 6 sons, spends US$4,600 a month on family

‘Beautiful’ woman has first child at 16, goes on to have five more ‘handsome’ sons who scoff 3kg of chicken nuggets at one sitting.

Israel says ceasefire and aid to resume after wave of strikes kill 26 in Gaza The Israeli military said on Sunday a ceasefire in Gaza had resumed after an attack killed two of its soldiers and prompted a wave of air strikes that Palestinians said killed 26 people, in the most serious test yet of this month’s US-brokered truce. Aid into the enclave was set to resume on Monday following US pressure, an Israeli security source said, shortly after Israel announced a halt in supplies in response to what it said was a “blatant” violation by Hamas of the truce. The Israeli...

South China Morning Post

Israel says ceasefire and aid to resume after wave of strikes kill 26 in Gaza

Ceasefire reactivated following US pressure, but fragile truce faces challenges from armed militants and disputes over the return of hostages’ bo...