China

A group of 87 mainland Chinese families who came to Hong Kong under talent visa schemes has lost a legal bid to challenge the government’s policy changes that affected their children’s access to publicly funded university places as dependants. High Court Judge Russell Coleman on Friday ruled that there was no irrationality in the Education Bureau’s […]

Hong Kong, July 31 (ANI): With President Donald Trump bogging the USA down in a perhaps unwinnable war against Iran, he has strengthened China's hand. Furthermore, Beijing continues to reinforce its influence on the world stage and to subtly support Russia in its own war with Ukraine and the West.Depleted American missile and weapon stocks have been known […]

New Delhi [India], July 31 (ANI): India's gross expenditure on research and development (GERD) rose to a record Rs 2.45 lakh crore in 2023-24, while R&D spending as a share of GDP increased marginally to 0.84 per cent, according to the latest government data tabled in the Rajya Sabha.Replying to an unstarred question, Minister of State (Independent […]

Kathmandu [Nepal], July 31 (ANI): Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday said that it is closely monitoring the situation following an avalanche on Pakistan's 8,047-metre Broad Peak and coordinating with Pakistani authorities to facilitate the 'swift and safe rescue' of all affected mountaineers.Nepal's Embassy in Islamabad is coordinating with all […]

Police will not charge a prominent Hong Kong basketball coach filmed slapping a student two years ago, citing insufficient evidence. In a reply to the South China Morning Post on Friday, the force said it would not prosecute Yung Kam-wah, who was arrested in June this year on suspicion of common assault for physically punishing a secondary student at Hon […]

Kathmandu [Nepal], July 31 (ANI): Nepal on Friday expressed deep shock over the disappearance of multiple international mountaineers, including world-renowned Nepali climbers, following an avalanche on Pakistan's Broad Peak (8,047 meters) in the Karakoram Range on Thursday. In a statement, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation of Nepal stated […]

New Delhi [India], July 31 (ANI): Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday said the Government aims to expand social security coverage beyond the current 101 crore people over the next five years, while continuing reforms in labour laws, pensions, healthcare and digital service delivery.Addressing the Global Industrial Relations […]

Hong Kong’s air safety watchdog has classified a tail strike involving a Cathay Pacific Airways passenger jet during an aborted landing at the city’s airport this month as “abnormal runway contact”, according to a preliminary report. The Air Accident Investigation Authority published its report on Friday on the July 3 incident involving flight […]

Tehran [Iran], July 31 (ANI): The Iranian army has said that it carried out drone strikes against United States strategic centres at the Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base in Kuwait during the 27th stage of Operation Lightning.According to state broadcaster IRIB's attribution of the Army Public Relations statement, the operation was conducted in response to recent […]

Thousands flocked to the opening day of the annual Hong Kong Cat Expo despite Friday’s rainstorm warnings, splashing out on products ranging from pet companion robots to ginseng supplements. The three-day event, which has been held annually since 2023, is being held at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai and features more than 185 exhibitors […]

Aeons before Hong Kong and Shenzhen became bustling metropolises separated by a border and checkpoints, the stretches of land where they would eventually arise were simply part of the same volcanic area in southeastern China. Fast forward to today, and that shared ancient history has become the architectural inspiration for the revamped Huanggang Port. […]

Hong Kong octogenarian Chan Yiu-kuen is ready to let death take its course when the time comes. The 89-year-old said she would sign an advance medical directive to clearly indicate which life-sustaining treatments she would not want if she became terminally ill. “It is OK to depart the world at my old age. Better not to rescue me further, as it could be […]

HONG KONG: The United States is banning imports of new foreign-made humanoid robots, quadruped robots and power inverters, citing national security concerns in a move that largely targets China and adds another flashpoint to the countries' technology rivalry. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced the restrictions, saying advanced robots pose […]

A senior Hong Kong police officer has been sentenced to jail for nearly six months for molesting a subordinate on three occasions at the force’s headquarters two years ago. West Kowloon Court on Friday sentenced Senior Superintendent Ian Chow Ngai-kong for flouting the law with his “brazen” and “disrespectful” assaults on the government clerk on […]

Riyadh [Saudi Arabia], July 31 (ANI): The Esports Foundation (EF) officially announced the players who have received direct invitations to the EA SPORTS FC tournament at the Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026, with India's Charanjot Singh earning a place through the FC Pro World Rankings. The 23-year-old Charanjot will represent the country at the inaugural […]

Kathmandu [Nepal], July 31 (ANI): Four bodies have been recovered following an avalanche on Broad Peak, an 8,047-metre-high mountain, in Pakistan, with search and rescue teams continuing efforts to locate climbers who remain missing, according to The Kathmandu Post. Among those reported missing is world-famous Nepal-born climber and former Royal Marine […]

Entities in Russia and China have also been targeted for doing business with the privately owned Mahan AirThe US has sanctioned a Delhi-based company that represents Iran's Mahan Air in India, along with entities in Russia and China that do business with the privately owned carrier."India-based Skiez Travels and Logistics Private Limited... and Russia-based […]

New Delhi [India], July 31 (ANI): China is emerging as the strongest long-term contender in the artificial intelligence (AI) race despite ongoing volatility in global semiconductor stocks, according to a report by Jefferies.The report said recent sharp declines in semiconductor stocks have brought many of them close to their 200-day moving averages, raising […]

Hong Kong’s economy expanded by 4.3 per cent year on year in the second quarter of 2026, with the government expecting “solid growth” to continue for the remainder of the year. While growth was slower than the 5.9 per cent recorded in the first quarter, the government remained confident that export demand would continue to drive expansion for the rest […]

Students sitting Hong Kong’s university entrance exam in mainland China next year will pay a registration fee of HK$8,000 (US$1,020), a 220 per cent increase from the current HK$2,500 as a pilot scheme has ended. The Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) announced the fee adjustments for various exams on Friday, adding that local […]

A super typhoon named after Hong Kong’s Chinese white dolphins is set to bring very hot weather to the city in the latter part of next week, according to the Observatory. Kong Yu-chau, a senior scientific officer with the forecaster, said on Friday that Super Typhoon Dolphin, which is currently over the western North Pacific, was expected to move towards […]

Hong Kong authorities have backtracked on plans to require hotels to provide fire escape hoods in guest rooms and other spaces after industry leaders expressed concerns, saying they will only encourage the equipment’s usage at this stage. The Home Affairs Department said on Thursday evening that it would only encourage the supply of fire escape hoods in […]

New posts08:40US Says Hamas Agrees To Gaza Disarmament Plan By Alex Raufoglu WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump announced on July 30 that his administration's newly created Board of Peace had reached an agreement for the "complete disarmament" of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza, describing it as a breakthrough that could pave the way for an […]

New posts23:5430.7.2026We are now closing the live blog for the day. We'll be back tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. Central European time to cover the latest events across the Middle East.Share Copy link Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Email Share23:4330.7.2026US Central Command Says 24 Vessels

New posts11:09Iran Says It Targeted US Base In Kuwait With DroneIran's military says it targeted the Ahmad al-Jaber base in Kuwait with destructive drones on July 31.In a statement, the military said it targeted "fighter aircraft nests, satellite communications systems, and US military equipment depots at the Ahmed al-Jaber base in Kuwait" with drone […]

A Hong Kong law firm allegedly involved in a series of “crash-for-cash” scams has dropped a judicial challenge over the seizure of its confidential documents during a police raid earlier this year. The High Court on Friday dismissed an application for judicial review by Raymond Lam & Associates after the firm, which ceased operations in April, […]

BEIJING, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, urged efforts to strengthen political guidance and deepen innovation-driven development to advance the high-quality modernization of national defense and the armed forces.Xi made the remarks when presiding over a group study session of the […]

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands: China's efforts to develop its own advanced chipmaking equipment are increasing pressure on Dutch semiconductor equipment maker ASML, highlighting how the company is being squeezed by U.S. export restrictions on one side and Beijing's push for technological self-sufficiency on the other. Reuters reported on July 28 that Shanghai […]

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. Chinese satellite imagery analysis challenges US-Iran war claims Chinese scientists have […]

The parents of a Hong Kong baby taken into care have applied for a legal order to review the custody decision by welfare authorities, expressing “fear and anger” over arrangements for the boy to receive “medical intervention” against their wishes. Tsang Wai-bong and Kwan Pui-sin said on Friday they had already asked that their son, Danny, not be […]

(260731) -- JINGDEZHEN, July 31, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian artist Viviane Diehl (C) visits China Ceramics Museum in Jingdezhen, east China's Jiangxi Province, June 28, 2026. TO GO WITH "Feature: Brazilian artist achieves dreams in China's 'porcelain capital'" (Xinhua)

Hong Kong cancelled Friday’s second amber rainstorm warning in the afternoon, even as the local forecaster said the wet weather was expected to last until Monday. The Observatory issued the first amber alert of the day at 10.20am, before upgrading it to red at 11.05am. The signal was then downgraded back to amber at 2.10pm and cancelled nearly an hour […]

DUSHANBE, July 31 (Xinhua) -- China has remained a key driving force behind the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), helping turn it into an important platform for peace and development, Jamshed Toshev, deputy director of Tajikistan's SCO Friendship and Cooperation Center, has said.In a recent interview with Xinhua, Toshev said China, as one of the […]

(260731) -- CHONGQING, July 31, 2026 (Xinhua) -- An aerial drone photo taken on July 30, 2026 shows a freight train of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor waiting for departure at Yuzui Station in Chongqing, southwest China. A total of 961 rail freight train trips were operated from Chongqing via the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in […]

The government has started public consultation on Hong Kong’s first five-year plan. The accompanying consultation document sets out principles which will be applied and includes a section on “Integrated Development of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Green Living and Other Areas”. The city’s five-year plan will be aligned with the national 15th […]

The soon-to-open revamped Huanggang Port border crossing between Hong Kong and Shenzhen should include a public transport link to the city’s airport to leverage its proximity to a high-speed intercity rail network in mainland China, experts have said. While the government has said it will connect seven franchised bus routes and extend six minibus routes […]

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], July 31 (ANI): Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy announced that foreign study tours will be arranged for government teachers every year on the lines of IAS and IPS officers embarking on other country visits to acquire knowledge and upgrade their skills in administration. Interacting with the delegates of Finland and […]

Tehran [Iran], July 31 (ANI): Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has destroyed two drone hangars, along with a fuel storage facility designated for military aircraft and helicopters, at the US-operated Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait, according to a statement reported by Iranian state-owned media.Addressing the citizens of Kuwait on Friday, the […]

The Middle East crisis marks another step towards a post-Western orderThe military and political confrontation between the United States and Iran is becoming less a crisis than a permanent feature of the international landscape. A new center of chronic instability is emerging in south-western Eurasia, and it will shape political and economic developments […]

The Middle East crisis marks another step towards a post-Western orderThe military and political confrontation between the United States and Iran is becoming less a crisis than a permanent feature of the international landscape. A new center of chronic instability is emerging in south-western Eurasia, and it will shape political and economic developments […]

Washington DC [US], July 31 (ANI): US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer held high-level virtual talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, as Washington and Beijing stepped up preparations for the planned visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to the United States in September.According to news outlet Axios, the […]

Beijing [China], July 31 (ANI): Indian Ambassador to China Vikram Doraiswami met Yan Dong, Vice Minister and Member of the Communist Party of China Leadership Group of the Ministry of Commerce, and called for enhanced market access for Indian goods.On Thursday, according to a post on X by the Indian Embassy, 'They exchanged views on enhancing bilateral […]

NEW YORK CITY, New York: Oil prices surged about seven percent on July 29, with Brent crude climbing above US$90 a barrel, as renewed military action in the Middle East and fresh threats to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz heightened concerns over global oil supplies. Brent crude futures rose $6.16, or 7.33 percent, to $90.25 a barrel by late morning […]

New Delhi [India], July 30 (ANI): Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, on Thursday felicitated India's ISSF World Cup 2026 gold medallists Esha Singh and Neeru Dhanda, following landmark achievements in their respective events. Neeru Dhanda scripted history in Lonato, Italy, by becoming the first Indian woman trap shooter to win […]

Beijing has lodged a protest after Wellingtons top diplomat told a Chinese-born MP to go back to your own countryBeijing has lodged an official protest with New Zealand's Foreign Ministry over controversial remarks made by the country's top diplomat, Winston Peters, to a Chinese-born MP during a heated parliamentary exchange.The Chinese Embassy in […]