China

An administrative “honour system” that relied on Hong Kong’s private sector to regulate itself created oversight loopholes and left obvious fire hazards at the Wang Fuk Court housing estate unchecked before last year’s inferno, legal counsel for an independent committee investigating the disaster has said. In the final session of 30 days of public […]

The legal team for an independent committee examining the cause of Hong Kong’s deadly Tai Po fire has recommended that authorities gradually phase out bamboo scaffolding in favour of metal replacements, among other proposals ranging from legislative reform to measures to curb bid-rigging. The suggestions were outlined in 627 pages of closing submissions […]

Taipei [Taiwan], July 17 (ANI): Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) announced that commercial production of its highly anticipated A14 process is slated to begin in 2028. According to a news report by Focus Taiwan, the announcement signals the next major leap in advanced semiconductor manufacturing as the global chip supply chain races to meet […]

By Shailesh Yadav Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 17 (ANI): Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Private Limited (BRBNMPL), the currency-printing subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of India, has floated a Global Expression of Interest (EOI) inviting manufacturers worldwide to supply opacified polymer substrate sheets embedded with security features for […]

SHANGHAI, July 17 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping on Friday reiterated China's firm support for the United Nations when meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who is in Shanghai for the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance.Xi spoke highly of Guterres' work since he was appointed UN secretary-general 10 years […]

BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- This year's flood season has brought unusually severe weather across China, with torrential rains, floods, typhoons and other natural hazards affecting multiple regions, causing significant casualties and economic losses.Against this backdrop, the principle of putting people and their lives first has become central to China's […]

(260717) -- SHANGHAI, July 17, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul in Shanghai, east China, July 17, 2026. Anutin Charnvirakul is here to attend the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai and on his official visit to China. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

(260717) -- SHANGHAI, July 17, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet in Shanghai, east China, July 17, 2026. Hun Manet is here to attend the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai and on his working visit to China. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

(260717) -- NANJING, July 17, 2026 (Xinhua) -- American youths visit the Nanjing Anti-Japanese Aviation Martyrs Memorial Hall in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, July 16, 2026. A music and cultural exchange camp between young people of China and the United States was held in Changzhou and Nanjing from July 12 to 17. Young people from both countries […]

Rail cars powered by new fuel cell technology will run in a 89-km stretch carrying up to 2,600 travelers at 75 kphIndia has rolled out a hydrogen train service as a pilot project using fuel-cell technology, joining an elite four-nation group that operates these trains.The pilot project is envisaged to test hydrogen technology, as the world's most populous […]

Rail cars powered by new fuel cell technology will run in a 89-km stretch carrying up to 2,600 travelers at 75 kphIndia has rolled out a hydrogen train service as a pilot project using fuel-cell technology, joining an elite four-nation group that operates these trains.The pilot project is envisaged to test hydrogen technology, as the world's most populous […]

SHANGHAI, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday urged China and Cambodia to carry forward the ironclad friendship forged by the older generations of leaders of the two countries.Xi made the remarks in his meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, who is here to attend the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and […]

Tokyo [Japan], July 17, (ANI): Asian shares slumped on Friday, led by Nikkei, which plunged more than 4 per cent as the tech selloff deepened with investors opting to observe caution on the red-hot AI rally that catapulted stock markets to new highs in the first half of this year. Shares of Japanese tech giant SoftBank slid more than 9 per cent, tracking […]

SHANGHAI, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday said China firmly supports Thailand in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions, and supports the new Thai administration in carrying out governance effectively.Xi made the remarks in his meeting with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who is here to attend the […]

New Delhi [India], July 17 (ANI): Global concerns over critical minerals have shifted from whether supplies can meet rising demand to the vulnerabilities created by highly concentrated supply chains, particularly in processing and refining, according to the International Energy Agency's (IEA) Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026.The report also said supply […]

PRNewswireLucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 17: Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh, India's first AI-Augmented Multidisciplinary University, has signed a Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with 36 top ranked universities in 19 countries to provide its students global learning through student exchange programs, dual degree programs, internships and […]

New Delhi [India], July 17 (ANI): MSCI India companies are expected to post 14 per cent earnings growth in the current fiscal year, according to Jefferies' GREED & Fear report.The MSCI India Index measures the performance of large- and mid-cap segments of the Indian market, covering approximately 85 per cent of the Indian equity universe.For FY26, […]

The German chancellor has criticized a new US State Department funding program for Europe launched ahead of Septembers federal voteGerman Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned the administration of US President Donald Trump against interfering in his country's elections.Germany is due to hold federal elections in September, with immigration expected to be […]

Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways has postponed resuming direct flights to the Middle East amid recent signs that the Iran crisis is rekindling. The airline said on Friday that its daily passenger flights to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates would be postponed until October 25. Its four weekly flights to Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh would be […]

SHANGHAI, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance held here on Friday.

(260717) -- TOKYO, July 17, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Wang Zhiyi hits a return during the women's singles quarterfinal match between Wang Zhiyi of China and Putri Kusuma Wardani of Indonesia at the Japan Badminton Open 2026 in Tokyo, Japan, July 17, 2026. (Xinhua/Yue Chenxing)

(260717) -- TOKYO, July 17, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Jiang Zhenbang (R) /Wei Yaxin react during the mixed doubles quarterfinal match between Jiang Zhenbang/Wei Yaxin of China and Tang Chun Man/Tse Ying Suet of China's Hong Kong at the Japan Badminton Open 2026 in Tokyo, Japan, July 17, 2026. (Xinhua/Yue Chenxing)

The health crisis complicates efforts to challenge Chinas dominance in critical mineral supply chainsThe worsening Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) has disrupted travel and delayed negotiations linked to a US-backed critical minerals partnership, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing four people familiar with the matter.The […]

The South China Morning Post has documented Hong Kong’s deadly Tai Po blaze in a series of multimedia projects, from detailing the search and rescue mission to examining evidence revealed at public hearings set up to investigate the cause of the inferno. The fire, which engulfed the Wang Fuk Court residential complex last November, claimed 168 lives and […]

The procedure marked the first successful laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair combined with fundoplication performed in the region, according to Haitham Hamudu, a local general surgeon at Lumumba Hospital.ZANZIBAR, Tanzania, July 17 (Xinhua) -- For more than a decade, Khadija Ali Saleh lived with persistent pain that gradually eroded her quality of life.The […]

Tokyo [Japan], July 17 (ANI): Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu advanced to the semi-finals of the Japan Open 2026 badminton tournament after Japan's former world champion Nozomi Okuhara withdrew from their match, handing the Indian shuttler a walkover, according to Olympics.com.The quarter-final contest at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium was called off […]

The Coroner’s Court has ruled that a premature baby born at a Hong Kong public hospital died of natural causes, after an inquest revealed that a tube delivering medicine had remained closed for 30 minutes despite repeated checks by staff. The baby girl, Angel Yu Pui-fei, was born in June 2023 at 27 weeks’ gestation at Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin […]

A former Hong Kong primary school IT technician has been sentenced to 11 years in jail after he admitted to repeatedly molesting three male pupils, with one of the boys still recovering from the trauma of being subjected to having intercourse with him. The High Court on Friday heard that 30-year-old Law Yuen-lung had been diagnosed with paedophilic […]

The US president has accused Beijing of stealing 220 million US voter filesChina has rejected US President Donald Trump's claim that Beijing masterminded the theft of 220 million American voter files to meddle in the 2020 election. Trump's explosive remarks came ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's planned visit to Washington in late September and amid a […]

The US president has accused Beijing of stealing 220 million US voter files China has rejected US President Donald Trump's claim that Beijing masterminded the theft of 220 million American voter files to meddle in the 2020 election. Trump's explosive remarks came ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's […]

(260717) -- SHANGHAI, July 17, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai, east China, July 17, 2026. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

Five Hong Kong booksellers arrested on suspicion of sedition have been released on bail two days after national security police raided a pair of independent bookshops where they worked. Police said the three women and two men, aged between 30 and 59, were released on Friday pending further investigation. A source earlier said the two bookstores involved […]

Hong Kong’s legislature has passed a bill providing the legal basis for implementing a “co-location” arrangement at the upgraded Huanggang border crossing following a special, four-hour meeting, after the city’s security chief said it had to be approved by July 31. The passage on Friday of the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area Bill, gazetted on […]

New Delhi [India], July 17 (ANI): The 20-member Indian Women's Squad for the upcoming FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium and Netherlands 2026 was announced by Hockey India on Friday, with Salima Tete to lead the squad that Chief Coach Sjoerd Marijne has described as a well-balanced group. The showpiece tournament, which will be hosted jointly by the Netherlands […]

Budapest [Hungary], July 17 (ANI): India's Hansika Lamba clinched the silver medal in the women's 55kg event at the Polyak Imre, Varga Janos & Kozma Istvan Memorial 2026 wrestling tournament, also known as the Budapest Ranking Series, in Hungary on Thursday.The 19-year-old wrestler went down 5-0 to Ukraine's Nataliia Klivchutska, a former junior […]

HONG KONG, 17th July, 2026 (WAM) -- TRENDS Research & Advisory continued its participation in the 2026 Hong Kong Book Fair on Friday, drawing visitors, researchers, officials and publishing professionals to its pavilion on the second day of the event.In the presence of Sheikh Saud Ali Mohammed Al Mualla, UAE Consul-General in the Hong Kong Special […]

BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Against a backdrop of heightened geopolitical tensions and trade frictions weighing on the global economy, China has delivered solid growth in the first half (H1) of 2026, with the country's economic performance showing renewed vitality and resilience.China's gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 4.7 percent year on year in H1, […]

Hong Kong police have arrested a 14-year-old boy on suspicion of wounding for allegedly shoving a classmate who remains in a serious condition two weeks after the incident. The force said on Friday that the suspect was arrested on Monday after an in-depth investigation. The teenager was subsequently released on bail pending further investigation and was […]

Washington DC [US], July 17 (ANI): A bipartisan group of more than 60 US senators on Thursday (local time) introduced revised legislation to impose sweeping sanctions on Russia and its supporters, replacing the earlier proposal for blanket tariffs with targeted measures aimed at the world's largest buyers of Russian energy. The bill, introduced days after […]

Hong Kong adopted a ban on smoking at construction sites on Friday, with authorities issuing eight fixed penalty notices to workers and intending to prosecute a contractor over suspected rule violations. But many workers said they welcomed the ban and were hoping to finally quit the habit with the help of their employers. The ban was introduced in the wake […]

SHANGHAI, July 17 (Xinhua) -- China will provide developing countries with 5,000 opportunities for artificial intelligence (AI) training and seminars over the next five years, President Xi Jinping said Friday.Xi made the announcement when delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI […]

We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. The young Chinese scientist behind ‘impossible’ breakthrough on sodium batteries […]

SHANGHAI, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday presented four observations on artificial intelligence (AI) development and governance while addressing the opening ceremony of the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance.First, adhering to the principle of openness and win-win cooperation while boosting […]

JINAN, July 17 (Xinhua) -- When post-2000s couple Li Zhenghong and Sima Miaomiao in the city of Linyi, east China's Shandong Province, were planning their wedding, they opted for a "lightweight" package at just over 10,000 yuan (about 1,473 U.S. dollars). No lavish spending and no one-upmanship could be detected, just the warm blessings of family and […]

A Hong Kong taxi driver has died after his vehicle crashed into a railing in Tsuen Wan. According to police, the accident happened at 11.45pm on Thursday on Ma Tau Pa Road, when the cabby reportedly lost control of his vehicle and drove into a railing while travelling towards Tsuen Wan Riviera Park. Emergency responders arrived at the scene and found the […]