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Why Singapore PM Wong moved swiftly on Faishal Ibrahim’s resignation

2026-07-19T22:30:01+00:00

Singapore’s acting minister-in-charge of Muslim affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim resigned within a month of the prime minister learning about his improper interactions with a woman, a move observers say shows Lawrence Wong’s swift handling of the first scandal under his watch to contain any political fallout.

They told This Week in Asia that while there was no affair in Faishal’s case, it made sense for the party to deal with the consequences quickly in case of leaks as the woman was a member of the public, not a party member whom the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) could counsel or discipline.

Furthermore, Faishal’s position as acting minister-in-charge of Muslim affairs meant Wong had to be sensitive to the community’s reaction – and potential embarrassment – if the matter was not swiftly extinguished and a replacement sought for the post.

On Monday, Faishal resigned from the cabinet and parliament after inappropriate interactions he had with a woman that resulted in harassment accusations by both parties became known to the prime minister.

No criminal action was found but Faishal, 58, who was also senior minister of state for home affairs, reflected and accepted that his conduct fell short of the standards “expected of a political office holder and MP”, Wong said in a statement on Monday.

Wong revealed that most of their interactions took place through online messages and they also met on the sidelines of public events. Both parties later made allegations of harassment against each other, and the matter was referred to police.

Hamas’ lead negotiator in ceasefire talks elected as group’s new chief

2026-07-19T22:30:06+00:00

By Agence France-Presse

Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas announced on Monday that it had elected Khalil al-Hayya, the group’s lead negotiator in indirect ceasefire talks with Israel, as the new head of its political bureau.

“The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) announces the election of brother mujahid Khalil al-Hayya as head of the movement’s political bureau, succeeding the martyred leader Yahya al-Sinwar,” Hamas said in a statement.

Sinwar, whom Israel accused of being one of the principal architects of the October 7, 2023 attacks, was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza a year later.

Since his death, Hamas has been led by a five-member leadership council headed by long-time senior official Mohammed Darwish.

Born in 1960, Hayya survived an Israeli assassination attempt in Doha last year, though one of his sons was killed in the strike.

Hayya defeated former Hamas chief and veteran leader Khaled Meshaal in the leadership contest.

Czech legislators ‘testing the waters’ with China visit after years of tension

2026-07-19T22:30:11+00:00

By Alyssa Chen

A group of Czech lawmakers are visiting China in the first high-level engagement between the two countries since 2019, a move Chinese analysts described as “testing the waters” rather than representing a more substantive thaw.

Tomio Okamura, speaker of the Chamber of Deputies and head of the delegation, told local media he was hoping to secure agreements on more direct flights, an increase in Chinese tourist numbers and visa-free travel for Czech citizens.

Representatives from 40 Czech firms – representing sectors such as energy, mechanical engineering and industrial technology – are also taking part in the five-day visit in the hope of exploring fresh business opportunities.

It is the first high-level exchange between the two sides since former president Milos Zeman, who was known for his China-friendly stance, made a state visit in 2019.

After years of frosty relations between the two countries as a result of issues such as Taiwan and Tibet, there have been signs of a shift following a change of government in December.

But Shi Zhiqin, a professor of international relations at Tsinghua University, warned that the impact of the visit should not be overstated because of deep divisions over China among Czech politicians.

Taiwan reviews Papua New Guinea LNG imports after economic office’s forced closure

2026-07-19T22:30:16+00:00

By Lawrence Chung

Taiwan is reviewing liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from Papua New Guinea after the Pacific nation said it would close Taipei’s unofficial representative office.

PNG announced last week that it would immediately shut down the office, with Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko saying the move reflected the government’s “unwavering commitment to the one-China policy” ahead of the 50th anniversary of the country’s diplomatic ties with Beijing.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian swiftly welcomed the decision, saying Beijing “highly commends” the closure of the Taipei Economic Office. He described it as further proof that adherence to the one-China principle “reflects the will of the international community and the prevailing trend of the times”.

Lin said Beijing would continue to support Port Moresby on issues concerning each other’s “core interests” while deepening their comprehensive strategic partnership.

Taipei criticised the move, saying it had not been consulted beforehand and would keep its office open while negotiating with Port Moresby.

Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said the government had launched a review of bilateral economic ties, including long-term LNG imports.

As EU’s China trade deficit widens, Germany changes tack to join France’s Beijing pushback

2026-07-19T22:30:22+00:00

By Xiaofei Xu

Facing Europe’s ever-widening trade deficit with Beijing, Berlin is increasingly singing the same tune as Paris. The two nations displayed a united front at this year’s Franco-German Ministerial Council, which will soon be put on paper in a joint road map due by September at the request of Germany.

“Our work between Germany and France is indispensable at a time when Russia threatens our security, when the People’s Republic of China challenges our economy, and when the transatlantic partnership has lost its self-evident character,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told journalists after the meeting on Friday.

His language was milder than that of French President Emmanuel Macron – who denounced China’s “great trade aggressiveness” – but the direction of travel was impossible to miss: a German chancellor, side by side with the French president, ranking China’s threat to Europe’s economy alongside Russia’s war in Ukraine and the waning alliance with the US.

The EU’s top two economies jointly called for swift and systematic use of the bloc’s existing tools while they pledged to press Brussels “to promptly submit concrete proposals on how to strengthen our trade defence toolbox, industrial policy as well as economic security”, according to the joint statement.

“We had a very good discussion; I think we had never been so convergent on the question of China,” Macron said during the press conference.

Macron insisted that neither France nor Germany were anti-China. But the numbers, he stressed, speak for themselves: every day, Europe adds €1 billion (US$1.14 billion) to its trade deficit with China and loses thousands of jobs.

EU fines AliExpress US$630 million over illegal products

2026-07-19T21:30:01+00:00

By Agence France-Presse

The EU on Monday slapped a €550 million (US$630 million) fine on online retailer AliExpress for allowing the sale of illegal products, including unsafe toys and cosmetics.

The European Union said AliExpress also did not do enough to stop the sale of counterfeit products and that when the platform detected illegal goods were on sale, many remained online for several weeks.

The EU found some of the products sold on the platform did not meet the bloc’s strict environmental and safety standards during its investigation into AliExpress launched in March 2024.

“Risks must be identified and addressed systematically to ensure consumers can safely shop online. Today, we are holding AliExpress to this standard and request it to take action,” EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said in a statement.

It is the largest fine ever imposed under the EU’s powerful Digital Services Act (DSA), part of the bloc’s legal armoury to police big tech that entered into force in 2022.

Elon Musk’s X social media platform received a €120 million fine in December last year, while the EU slapped e-commerce giant Temu with a €200 million fine in May.

‘Systemic leap’: China’s drug innovation push yields bumper crop

2026-07-19T21:30:06+00:00

By Julie Zhang

Domestically produced novel drugs accounted for more than 80 per cent of market approvals in China in the first half of the year, reflecting a “leap” in the quality of the country’s pharmaceutical innovation, according to a government spokesman.

A total of 38 innovative drugs were cleared for sale in the six-month period, of which 31 were home-grown medicines, said Ministry of Industry and Information Technology spokesman Tao Qing, at a media briefing in Beijing on Monday.

The approvals, along with a record high of about US$110 billion in out-licensing deals over the period, fully demonstrated that “the innovation quality of China’s pharmaceutical industry has achieved a systemic leap”, Tao said.

Among the most closely watched approvals was Satri-cel, a personalised cell therapy that uses a patient’s own immune cells to attack cancer cells, developed by Shanghai-based CARsgen Therapeutics. It became the world’s first chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) treatment cleared for solid tumours, according to the company’s filing with the Hong Kong stock exchange.

Approved on June 22, the therapy targets patients with late-stage stomach cancer who have not benefited from at least two earlier rounds of treatment, a group with few remaining options. CAR-T therapies involve engineering the patient’s own immune cells in a lab to target specific cancer proteins, then placing them back into the body.

CARsgen’s Hong Kong-traded stock dropped about 9 per cent over the past month.

The Chinese drug regulator also cleared an implantable brain-computer interface (BCI) system developed by Neuracle Medical Technology in March. It is designed to restore hand motor function in patients with spinal cord injuries.

Mentally disabled Hong Kong waiter gets 28 months for inciting subversion

2026-07-19T21:00:01+00:00

By Fiona Chow

A Hong Kong court has sentenced a man with an intellectual disability to two years and four months in prison for inciting subversion, promoting a pro-Taiwan party and disseminating anti-Communist Party messages, with the judge noting his condition had affected his moral judgment.

District Court Judge Stanley Chan Kwong-chi on Monday handed the sentence to Chan Ho-hin, a 23-year-old waiter, who had earlier pleaded guilty to publishing 118 subversive messages on his social media accounts between June 27, 2024, and April 24, 2025.

The defendant repeatedly posted messages suggesting the Taiwanese government could “liberate” Hong Kong if it were to regain power in mainland China.

The posts advocated revolution to overthrow the Communist Party and promoted Hong Kong independence, violating the national security law.

In April last year, the defendant also sought to disseminate his views offering to mail letters to like-minded individuals locally and attempting to send leaflets to Thailand to promote the Chinese Pro-Taiwan Anti-CCP Restoration Party, which is based on the self-ruled island.

Despite denying being a party member, evidence showed that the defendant had frequent exchanges with a person claiming to be Cheng Kai-li, the party’s secretary general.

Hong Kong Palace Museum partners with Uzbek cultural centre for future projects

2026-07-19T21:00:06+00:00

By Ambrose Li

The Hong Kong Palace Museum signed a deal with Uzbekistan’s Islamic Civilisation Centre on Monday to collaborate on future exhibitions, academic research and other projects.

The signing ceremony on Monday also marked the first official reciprocal visit by a Central Asian cultural institution since Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu led a delegation to the region last month.

Dr Louis Ng Chi-wa, director of the Palace Museum and a member of the delegation, said the memorandum of understanding would pave the way for joint exhibitions, academic research and professional training and development.

“During my trip to Uzbekistan, I had the privilege of meeting [the centre’s director] to discuss potential collaborative opportunities. I am delighted to see those initial conversations translate so quickly into this present here in Hong Kong today,” he said.

“This swift follow-up [in just a month] is a powerful testament to how eagerly the people of both Uzbekistan and Hong Kong wish to work together to promote cultural exchange and dialogue.”

Dr Firdavs Abdukhalikov, director of the Islamic Civilisation Centre, said through an interpreter that the goal of the memorandum was to establish ties with the museum.

The Palace Museum (pictured) also signed a separate deal with the State Museum of History of Uzbekistan last month. Photo: Jelly Tse.css-mkkf9p{-webkit-flex:1 1 auto;-ms-flex:1 1 auto;flex:1 1 auto;}

Hong Kong court tells jury to acquit 14 in alleged triad gangster murder case

2026-07-19T20:30:01+00:00

By Brian Wong

A Hong Kong court has ordered the release of 14 defendants charged over the alleged murder of a former triad gangster five years ago, finding that prosecutors had failed to prove the deceased sustained fatal head injuries as a result of deliberate assaults rather than from boxing bouts at his gym.

The High Court on Monday directed a jury to acquit the defendants of all charges after ruling the evidence was too weak to draw any inference regarding the circumstances of the alleged offence between June 25 and 26, 2021.

Prosecutors had accused 12 men and a woman, now aged 26 to 34, of being part of a joint enterprise to kill Luk Wing-ho, 27, at his gym in the Rodeo Centre, an industrial building in Tai Kok Tsui.

Tse Ka-chai, Chow Man-hong, Tsui Chun-yin, Mabo Lee, Choi Hung, Kwok Yiu-ki, Lai Ka-po, Lam Chun-hong, Ng Ting-fu, Wong Shing-kwan, Shek King-sang, Anthony Ho Tsan-ue and Leung Cheuk-yung pleaded not guilty to a joint count of murder.

Tse, Shek, Ho and Leung were further charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice by erasing evidence relating to Luk’s death.

Lee’s father, Lee Chi-ki, 57, also stood trial on a charge of assisting an offender for allegedly renting a flat in Fanling for his daughter to use as a hideout.

China’s military mouthpiece issues full-page warning on Japan’s growing drone power

2026-07-19T20:30:06+00:00

By Albee Zhang

China’s military mouthpiece on Monday dedicated a full page to warning about Japan’s expanding offensive drone capabilities, which it said threatened regional peace and security.

PLA Daily said Japan’s right-wing political forces had long sought to bypass Tokyo’s constitutional ban, adopted after World War II, on offensive combat capabilities.

Unmanned platforms have allowed Japan to circumvent these constraints on military development, according to one of four PLA Daily articles on the topic in Monday’s paper.

“Japan is seeking to build asymmetric advantages on future battlefields by relying on unmanned combat capabilities, thereby advancing its broader agenda of ‘remilitarisation’ – a trend whose potential risks should not be underestimated,” another article stated.

It said Japan’s three key national security documents, passed in 2022, had identified “unmanned defence capabilities” as a priority to establish Japan’s counterstrike ability.

According to the documents, integrating unmanned systems, artificial intelligence, and manned platforms is “a game changer” for Japan to build asymmetric advantages.

In its 2022 Defence Build-up Programme, Japan said it would invest 1 trillion yen (US$6.2 billion) in unmanned systems over the five-year period starting in 2023.

China’s EV industry rose with the aid of tax breaks. What happens when they end?

2026-07-19T20:30:11+00:00

By Huizhao Huang

As China is ending tax exemptions that helped fuel the rise of its electric-vehicle (EV) and solar industries, analysts said it could add to the cost of producing an EV and put pressure on manufacturers, as Beijing steps up efforts to curb overcapacity and price wars.

The levy could add about 1,000 yuan (US$147) to the cost of producing an EV, analysts estimated – a modest increase per car, but a fresh squeeze on carmakers’ already razor-thin margins.

China will levy a consumption tax on lithium-ion batteries and solar cells for the first time in more than a decade, the Ministry of Finance announced on Friday. The tax would be set at 2 per cent for lithium-ion batteries – used in electric vehicles and energy storage – from September 1. Solar cells, however, would not be taxed at 2 per cent until April 1. Both rates are scheduled to rise to 4 per cent a year after their respective start dates.

China introduced a 4 per cent consumption tax on batteries in 2015, but made lithium-ion batteries and solar cells exempt to support the nascent industries.

“Subsidies were needed at the start. They are not needed now,” said Jia Xinguang, a veteran analyst of China’s auto industry, who saw the move as a sign of Beijing’s confidence that the sectors had outgrown preferential tax treatment.

The policy change would come at a cost to manufacturers, analysts said.

A typical electric car in China carries a battery pack with 50 to 100 kilowatt-hours of energy. With battery cells currently priced at around 0.35 to 0.40 yuan per watt-hour, the initial levy would lift that to roughly 0.36 to 0.41 yuan per watt-hour, adding as much as US$147 per car once the rate reaches 4 per cent, according to calculations by Cui Dongshu, secretary general of the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

Hong Kong bourse operator weighs longer trading hours to sharpen hub edge, sources say

2026-07-19T20:30:21+00:00

By Enoch Yiu

Bourse operator Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) is considering extending trading hours to align with moves by global peers and sharpen the city’s competitiveness as an international financial centre.

HKEX and the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) confirmed that they were discussing the matter, but did not give details.

The discussion was in an early stage and options included extending the afternoon close to 5pm or even 8pm, two separate sources told the South China Morning Post. Scrapping the one-hour lunch break was not being actively considered, they added.

“HKEX is in an early discussion to explore the idea of extending the trading hours and it would consult the market before making any changes on a long-term basis,” one source said.

Pressure has mounted on the bourse operator after global peers stretched their sessions. Nasdaq, home to tech giants such as Apple, Microsoft and Amazon, planned to expand to 23 hours a day, five days a week, up from 16 hours a day now, according to its website.

The London Stock Exchange Group also weighed 24-hour trading to meet demand from retail investors, the Financial Times reported in July last year, citing sources. The London bourse is now trading from 8am to 4.30pm.

HKEX currently trades for five and a half hours on weekdays, from 9.30am to 4pm, with a one-hour lunch break. That compares with four hours in Shanghai and Shenzhen, five in Tokyo, six and a half in Toronto, eight and a half in London and 14 hours in Frankfurt.

Chinese student accepted into top university without tutoring, sparks widespread debate

2026-07-19T20:30:16+00:00

By Alice Yan

A girl in China, who was recently admitted to the prestigious Tsinghua University with an extremely high score on the national university entrance exam, has gone viral on social media after it emerged that her parents had never sent her to after-school tutoring classes, choosing instead to provide a relaxed home environment.

Xu Yifang graduated from Xuchang High School in central China’s Henan province this summer. In mid-July, she received an admission notice from Tsinghua after she achieved a score of 694 out of a possible 750 points, Dahe News reported.

She will study nuclear technology, the report said.

What sets Xu apart from most elite students in China is that she never received private tutoring. She just finished her homework as required by school teachers.

The national university entrance exam, known as gaokao in Chinese, is regarded as the most important test in the country, with many young people seeing it as a fate-changing opportunity.

As one of China’s most selective and prestigious academic institutions, Tsinghua University remains the ultimate dream destination for millions of gaokao candidates nationwide. Photo: 163.com.css-mkkf9p{-webkit-flex:1 1 auto;-ms-flex:1 1 auto;flex:1 1 auto;}

YCIS Celebrates Exceptional IB Results with Two Perfect Scorers and Offers from Leading Global Universities

2026-07-19T20:00:01+00:00

By Advertising partner

[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.]

Yew Chung International School of Hong Kong (YCIS Hong Kong) celebrates the remarkable achievement of 2026 cohort in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). This year, 2 students obtained a perfect score of 45 points; 2 students and 4 students achieved 44 points and 43 points respectively. Apart from the mentioned, 24 of YCIS students achieved a score of 40 or above among a total of 123 students registered, and 67 students received a bilingual diploma, underscoring the strength of Yew Chung’s unique multicultural and bilingual educational approach. Guided by the Careers and University Guidance Office (CUGO), graduates have already secured offers from many of the world’s leading universities, including Harvard, Stanford, Oxford, Cambridge, Tsinghua, and Peking University, among others. Notably, 51% of all offers were from QS Top 50 universities, while 74% were from QS Top 100 universities, reflecting the strong academic achievements and global competitiveness of the Class of 2026.

YCIS Class of 2026 celebrates 2 perfect scorers, 2 students and 4 students achieved 44 points and 43 points respectively.

This year, a total of 208 YCYW students participated in the IBDP examinations. Among them, three students achieved a perfect score of 45 (two form YCIS Hong Kong, one from YCIS Shanghai), and five students scored an impressive 44 points. Over 20% of the cohort scored 40 and above, demonstrating YCYW’s remarkable achievements in multicultural education and holistic student development.

Highlights of YCIS Hong Kong’s 2026 IBDP results:
• 2 students accomplished the perfect score of 45
•   2 students achieved 44, 4 students achieved 43
•   24 students scored 40 or above
•   67 students (55 %) received the IB Bilingual Diploma

YCIS Perfect Scorer Amos Cheng

Amos Cheng, the IB perfect scorer, describes his accomplishment as the culmination of a lifelong journey at YCIS that began when he was just six months old joining the Infant and Toddler Learning Programme. “This achievement reflects years of growth, support, and learning within a community that has shaped me both as a student and as a person,” he shared. While proud of the result, Amos emphasises that it was made possible through the unwavering encouragement of his teachers, classmates, and family. “Growing up at YCIS gave me opportunities to grow not only academically, but also as a person,” he said. “The school taught me the importance of being a servant leader — someone who listens, serves others, and uses their voice to make a positive difference.” Whether through musicals, service initiatives, or founding the Eco-Humanitarian Advocates, Amos discovered a deep desire to help the underprivileged, and he believes this kind of holistic development was just as important as academics in preparing him for the IB and beyond.

YCIS Perfect Scorer Hilary Leung

Hilary Leung, the IB perfect scorer who joined YCIS through the IB Pathway Programme, received an offer from the prestigious Royal Veterinary College. She attributes her outstanding success to both her unwavering ambition and the steadfast support of her teachers and peers. Her passion for veterinary medicine was sparked by hands-on volunteering at an emergency animal hospital in Australia and at Hong Kong’s Kadoorie Farm, fueling her advocacy for stronger animal welfare legislation in Hong Kong.

Reflecting on her journey, Hilary credits her English teacher for guiding her through an abrupt change of Extended Essay subject and the diversified learning experiences. “Beyond academics, debate and Model UN sharpened my public speaking skills for university interviews, while the neurodiversity group connected me with the wider YCIS community,” she shared. With a grateful heart and a clear vision for the future, Hilary is determined to remain passionate and ambitious, applying her knowledge and skills to make a meaningful difference for animals and society at large.

YCIS Class of 2026 celebrates 2 perfect scorers, 2 students and 4 students achieved 44 points and 43 points respectively..css-mkkf9p{-webkit-flex:1 1 auto;-ms-flex:1 1 auto;flex:1 1 auto;}

YCIS Perfect Scorer Amos Cheng

YCIS Perfect Scorer Hilary Leung

13 arrested during World Cup over fake merchandise worth HK$159 million

2026-07-19T20:00:06+00:00

By Wynna Wong

Hong Kong customs officers arrested more than a dozen people and seized counterfeit merchandise worth over HK$159 million (US$20.3 million) during the World Cup period, with authorities warning of a rise in young people seeking to make “quick money” from selling such items.

The Customs and Excise Department said on Monday that it had detected 50 infringements during an eight-week operation from May 26 to Sunday, arresting 13 people and confiscating about 240,000 suspected counterfeit items, including football jerseys, shoes and footballs.

“The involvement of young people in online infringement activities is something that deserves the attention of customs and all sectors of society,” said Ng Ka-chun, commander of customs’ intellectual property technology crime investigation division.

Twelve of those arrested were suspected of selling counterfeit football jerseys online, including four people aged 18 or below.

The number of young people arrested over similar online offences had risen from one in 2024 to two last year.

The suspects were not believed to be connected, with each offering between one and 40 shirts for sale, Ng said.

Customs was still investigating the sources of the goods.

China-US talks ahead of Xi Jinping’s planned September visit ‘maintained’: Beijing

2026-07-19T20:00:11+00:00

By Yuanyue Dang

China and the US have stayed in communication on leader exchanges this year, Beijing said on Monday, hours after America’s top diplomat downplayed whether Donald Trump’s accusation of Chinese election meddling would derail high-level engagement.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian on Monday said the Chinese and American sides had “maintained communication regarding the arrangements for the heads of state’s interactions later this year”.

“Head-of-state diplomacy provides irreplaceable strategic guidance for US-China relations,” Lin said.

The statement came days after Trump delivered a prime-time address on Thursday in Washington in which he accused China of interfering in US elections, a move some worried might derail Chinese President Xi Jinping’s coming visit to the US.

After the American leader’s remarks, China’s foreign ministry dismissed Trump’s allegations as having “no factual ground”.

On Sunday in Washington, before flying to the Philippines to attend a meeting of Asean’s foreign ministers, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed optimism when asked whether Trump’s remarks would affect Xi’s visit to the US.

Can Hong Kong ‘mega’ arts event HKPAX 2026 meet targets in tough economic times?

2026-07-19T19:30:01+00:00

By Enid Tsui

Hong Kong’s Performing Arts Expo (HKPAX), a HK$40 million (US$5 million) event scheduled for October 2026 to boost the city’s international image as a cultural centre, has cut ticket prices and diversified its programming to attract attendance during a tough global economic climate, its new leadership says.

Launched by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council (ADC) in 2024, the biennial five-day event aims to match the delegate numbers from two years ago without increasing the amount it pays on inviting guests and covering their expenses.

“It is industry practice to invite some guests,” says Anne Chan, co-director of HKPAX and previously the ADC’s arts space, research and development director. “Last time, we covered the flight and hotel expenses of 5 per cent of the 1,600 delegates, and the ratio is likely to remain the same this time.”

Funded by Hong Kong’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB), the event’s HK$40 million budget is slightly less than the HK$43 million in 2024.

Though listed as a “mega-event” on the CSTB website, HKPAX does not receive additional funding from the Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund, which the city launched in April 2023 to support and attract large-scale international arts and cultural events.

HKPAX co-director Anne Chan says this year’s event is likely to cover a similar ratio of invited delegates’ expenses as in 2024. Photo: courtesy of Hong Kong Arts Development Council.css-mkkf9p{-webkit-flex:1 1 auto;-ms-flex:1 1 auto;flex:1 1 auto;}

Malaysia upgrades South China Sea defences amid Sabah row with Philippines

2026-07-19T19:00:01+00:00

By Iman Muttaqin Yusof

Malaysia is stepping up surveillance on its eastern flank, pushing ahead with plans for a long-range radar at a frontline South China Sea outpost and launching newly operational drones.

The upgrades reflect Kuala Lumpur’s bid to improve its ability to detect threats as the Philippines revives its claim over Sabah state in Malaysian Borneo and Chinese patrols persist near its offshore energy fields.

Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said on Sunday that the radar would be installed on Swallow Reef, known as Pulau Layang-Layang in Malay, to give the armed forces a clearer picture of aircraft movements around the Spratlys.

“From a security perspective, as we all know, we have strengthened our position on Pulau Layang-Layang,” Khaled told reporters after an election campaign launch event in Negeri Sembilan. “We will also install a radar system there so that we have stronger surveillance capabilities.”

The announcement came as Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan disclosed that Malaysia had recently sent a “very strong” diplomatic note to an unnamed country claiming part of Malaysian territory.

Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said on Sunday that a “very strong” diplomatic note had been sent to an unnamed country claiming part of Malaysian territory. Photo: AFP.css-mkkf9p{-webkit-flex:1 1 auto;-ms-flex:1 1 auto;flex:1 1 auto;}

‘Unmistakable spirit’: veteran Hong Kong actor Patrick Tse dies at 89

2026-07-19T19:00:06+00:00

By Ng Kang-chung

Veteran Hong Kong actor, film director and producer Patrick Tse Yin has died at the age of 89.

His daughter Jennifer announced the star’s death in a Facebook post, writing: “With profound sadness, our family announces the passing of our beloved father, Patrick Tse.

“He passed away peacefully at the hospital, surrounded by the love of his family, after a period of declining health.

“Our father lived a remarkable and accomplished life, not only as an actor and artist, but as someone who brought joy to everyone around him with his unmistakable spirit.”

She said his passion, charisma and contributions to Hong Kong cinema had touched generations, and that he would be “remembered fondly by so many”.

His daughter also asked for privacy as the family navigated “this difficult time together”, while expressing her gratitude for the “overwhelming love, support and condolences” they had received.