![\"Claudio](\"https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2026/04/30/77958f16-b449-4038-8939-c3c7fc06fafb_0a7c9fd9.jpg\")
Federal investigators say they believe the man who carried out a mass shooting at Brown University and later killed a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor did not act randomly.
Instead, former Brown student Claudio Neves Valente, 48, appeared to target places and people for what they represented in his own life \u2013 institutions and individuals he associated with personal failure, missed opportunity and perceived injustice.
In a detailed behavioural assessment released on Wednesday, the FBI said Neves Valente, a Portuguese national, spent years planning the attack in isolation before killing two students and wounding nine others inside an engineering building on December 13.
Two days later, he killed MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts. Neves Valente was later found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound inside a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire, ending a multistate search.
The FBI described a man who spent years in isolation, rarely staying in one place and lacking traditional support systems such as family, peers and authority figures who might have recognised warning signs and alerted law enforcement.
Over time, investigators said, he built a narrative of grievance and inadequacy, with \u201clittle to no opportunity for bystanders to observe and contextualise the significance of his behaviours\u201d.
Federal investigators say they believe the man who carried out a mass shooting at Brown University and later killed a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor did not act randomly.
Instead, former Brown student Claudio Neves Valente, 48, appeared to target places and people for what they represented in his own life \u2013 institutions and individuals he associated with personal failure, missed opportunity and perceived injustice.
In a detailed behavioural assessment released on Wednesday, the FBI said Neves Valente, a Portuguese national, spent years planning the attack in isolation before killing two students and wounding nine others inside an engineering building on December 13.
Two days later, he killed MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts. Neves Valente was later found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound inside a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire, ending a multistate search.
The FBI described a man who spent years in isolation, rarely staying in one place and lacking traditional support systems such as family, peers and authority figures who might have recognised warning signs and alerted law enforcement.
Over time, investigators said, he built a narrative of grievance and inadequacy, with \u201clittle to no opportunity for bystanders to observe and contextualise the significance of his behaviours\u201d.
By Vanessa Cai
The United Arab Emirates\u2019 decision to leave a global cartel of major oil-exporting countries is seen to reflect a widening fracture within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
The UAE announced on Tuesday that it would leave the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and the wider Opec+ alliance, effective on Friday.
The country joined the group in 1971, though one of its emirates \u2013 Abu Dhabi \u2013 joined in 1967.
The UAE\u2019s Ministry of Infrastructure said in a statement that the decision was based on the country\u2019s national interests and its commitment to meeting global market demand. The UAE is one of the world\u2019s biggest oil producers and exporters.
The decision follows the departures of several other Opec members in recent years. Qatar terminated its membership in 2019, while Ecuador officially withdrew a year later and Angola left in 2024.
Sun Degang, director of the Centre for Middle Eastern Studies at Fudan University, said the UAE\u2019s exit from Opec showed that \u201cthe cohesion of the GCC has encountered serious problems\u201d.
", "summary": "By Vanessa Cai
The United Arab Emirates\u2019 decision to leave a global cartel of major oil-exporting countries is seen to reflect a widening fracture within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
The UAE announced on Tuesday that it would leave the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and the wider Opec+ alliance, effective on Friday.
The country joined the group in 1971, though one of its emirates \u2013 Abu Dhabi \u2013 joined in 1967.
The UAE\u2019s Ministry of Infrastructure said in a statement that the decision was based on the country\u2019s national interests and its commitment to meeting global market demand. The UAE is one of the world\u2019s biggest oil producers and exporters.
The decision follows the departures of several other Opec members in recent years. Qatar terminated its membership in 2019, while Ecuador officially withdrew a year later and Angola left in 2024.
Sun Degang, director of the Centre for Middle Eastern Studies at Fudan University, said the UAE\u2019s exit from Opec showed that \u201cthe cohesion of the GCC has encountered serious problems\u201d.
", "image": null, "banner_image": null, "date_published": "2026-04-29T14:00:16Z", "date_modified": "2026-04-29T08:30:06Z", "authors": ["Vanessa Cai"], "tags": [], "language": null, "attachments": ["\n {\"url\": string, \n 'mime_type': string, \n 'title': strinrg,\n 'size_in_bytes': int,\n 'duration_in_seconds': int\n "]}, {"id": "https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3351699/japan-india-overtourism-cries-out-new-success-metrics?utm_source=rss_feed", "url": "https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3351699/japan-india-overtourism-cries-out-new-success-metrics?utm_source=rss_feed", "external_url": null, "title": "From Japan to India, overtourism cries out for new success metrics", "content_text": "", "content_html": "Can tourism be considered successful if arrivals increase, but the local communities \u2013 the very soul of the destination \u2013 feel strained and excluded? Too often, tourism success is measured in arrivals, occupancy and revenue. These numbers matter. But they tell only a fraction of the story.
We must ask: who is this success really for? Traditional growth metrics are no longer sufficient to protect the residents who host the world or the workers who power the experience. To prevent cultural heritage from being reduced to mere photo spots, we must rethink what success means and prioritise people over spreadsheets.
This tourism paradox has emerged as a challenge for major Asian economies, specifically Japan and India. The Japan National Tourism Organisation reported a surge to 42.7 million international visitors to the country in 2025. Consider Kyoto, for example. In 2024, the city recorded 8.21 million foreign hotel guests, a historic high and a 53.2 per cent increase from the previous year. For the first time ever, foreign visitors outnumbered domestic travellers, with 8.09 million Japanese guests over the same period.
When visitors begin to outnumber locals in the spaces they live, cities and people risk transitioning from living cultural ecosystems to visitor-oriented economies. In Kyoto, narrow streets are no longer pathways for residents; they have become photo corridors for visitors. Quiet neighbourhoods devolve into backdrops for social media posts, and it is increasingly common to see residents directing angry looks towards tourists as local frustration reaches a breaking point.
Overtourism creates physical pressure on infrastructure and the environment. Stress is put on water systems as transport networks and streets become overcrowded. Then there is the social pressure, especially in terms of rising frustration among local residents. Traditions dating back to the Edo period risk being reduced to superficial cultural performances staged solely for profit, stripped of their original value and depth. In this landscape, we must ask: where are the locals?
According to India\u2019s Ministry of Tourism, in 2024 alone, the country recorded 2.9 billion domestic tourist visits, marking a 17.51 per cent increase from the previous year. Foreign tourist visits reached 20.57 million, up by more than 8.8 per cent from 2023.
", "summary": "Can tourism be considered successful if arrivals increase, but the local communities \u2013 the very soul of the destination \u2013 feel strained and excluded? Too often, tourism success is measured in arrivals, occupancy and revenue. These numbers matter. But they tell only a fraction of the story.
We must ask: who is this success really for? Traditional growth metrics are no longer sufficient to protect the residents who host the world or the workers who power the experience. To prevent cultural heritage from being reduced to mere photo spots, we must rethink what success means and prioritise people over spreadsheets.
This tourism paradox has emerged as a challenge for major Asian economies, specifically Japan and India. The Japan National Tourism Organisation reported a surge to 42.7 million international visitors to the country in 2025. Consider Kyoto, for example. In 2024, the city recorded 8.21 million foreign hotel guests, a historic high and a 53.2 per cent increase from the previous year. For the first time ever, foreign visitors outnumbered domestic travellers, with 8.09 million Japanese guests over the same period.
When visitors begin to outnumber locals in the spaces they live, cities and people risk transitioning from living cultural ecosystems to visitor-oriented economies. In Kyoto, narrow streets are no longer pathways for residents; they have become photo corridors for visitors. Quiet neighbourhoods devolve into backdrops for social media posts, and it is increasingly common to see residents directing angry looks towards tourists as local frustration reaches a breaking point.
Overtourism creates physical pressure on infrastructure and the environment. Stress is put on water systems as transport networks and streets become overcrowded. Then there is the social pressure, especially in terms of rising frustration among local residents. Traditions dating back to the Edo period risk being reduced to superficial cultural performances staged solely for profit, stripped of their original value and depth. In this landscape, we must ask: where are the locals?
According to India\u2019s Ministry of Tourism, in 2024 alone, the country recorded 2.9 billion domestic tourist visits, marking a 17.51 per cent increase from the previous year. Foreign tourist visits reached 20.57 million, up by more than 8.8 per cent from 2023.
", "image": null, "banner_image": null, "date_published": "2026-04-29T13:30:08Z", "date_modified": "2026-04-29T08:00:01Z", "authors": ["Divya Singhal,Rebecca Chunghee Kim"], "tags": [], "language": null, "attachments": ["\n {\"url\": string, \n 'mime_type': string, \n 'title': strinrg,\n 'size_in_bytes': int,\n 'duration_in_seconds': int\n "]}, {"id": "https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351917/king-charles-commemorates-9/11-victims-new-york-visit?utm_source=rss_feed", "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351917/king-charles-commemorates-9/11-victims-new-york-visit?utm_source=rss_feed", "external_url": null, "title": "King Charles commemorates 9/11 victims in New York visit", "content_text": "", "content_html": "By Reuters
Britain\u2019s King Charles and Queen Camilla commemorated victims of the September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda attack on New York on Wednesday, laying a floral bouquet at the memorial where the World Trade Centre\u2019s twin towers once stood.
The royal visit to lower Manhattan came at a time of tensions between Britain and the US, with President Donald Trump having criticised Prime Minister Keir Starmer for what he says is his lack of help in \u200cthe US and Israel\u2019s war with Iran.
Michael Bloomberg, a former New York mayor, walked the king and queen to one of the reflecting pools that outline the footprints of the 110-storey towers destroyed when al-Qaeda militants flew two planes into the skyscrapers.
Charles laid a bouquet of white lilacs, daffodils and peonies on the bronze parapet surrounding the pool, engraved with the names of all the fatal victims of the attack.
A note accompanying the flowers, in the king\u2019s handwriting, read: \u201cWe honour the memory of all those who so tragically lost their lives on 11th September 2001, and stand in enduring solidarity with the American people in the face \u2060of such profound loss. Charles R Camilla R.\u201d
The three stood silently before heading into a canopy to meet with guests including relatives of some of the nearly 2,800 people killed in \u200cNew York that day.
![\"A](\"https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2026/04/30/34d66f1e-e058-4fd9-b0a8-94a8e0f73a5b_ac707f82.jpg\")
By Reuters
Britain\u2019s King Charles and Queen Camilla commemorated victims of the September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda attack on New York on Wednesday, laying a floral bouquet at the memorial where the World Trade Centre\u2019s twin towers once stood.
The royal visit to lower Manhattan came at a time of tensions between Britain and the US, with President Donald Trump having criticised Prime Minister Keir Starmer for what he says is his lack of help in \u200cthe US and Israel\u2019s war with Iran.
Michael Bloomberg, a former New York mayor, walked the king and queen to one of the reflecting pools that outline the footprints of the 110-storey towers destroyed when al-Qaeda militants flew two planes into the skyscrapers.
Charles laid a bouquet of white lilacs, daffodils and peonies on the bronze parapet surrounding the pool, engraved with the names of all the fatal victims of the attack.
A note accompanying the flowers, in the king\u2019s handwriting, read: \u201cWe honour the memory of all those who so tragically lost their lives on 11th September 2001, and stand in enduring solidarity with the American people in the face \u2060of such profound loss. Charles R Camilla R.\u201d
The three stood silently before heading into a canopy to meet with guests including relatives of some of the nearly 2,800 people killed in \u200cNew York that day.
Jerome Powell said he plans to remain on the board of the Federal Reserve after his term as chair ends next month \u201cfor an undetermined period of time\u201d, citing the \u201cunprecedented\u201d legal attacks against the central bank by the Trump administration.
\u201cI worry these attacks are battering this institution and putting at risk the things that really matter to the public,\u201d Powell said at a press conference after the Fed announced its decision to keep its benchmark interest rate steady.
Powell\u2019s decision to stay denies US President Donald Trump a chance to fill a seat on the central bank\u2019s seven-member governing board with his own appointee.
The Senate Banking Committee earlier approved Powell\u2019s successor as chair, Trump appointee Kevin Warsh, on a party-line vote. Powell would continue as a Fed governor, possibly until January 2028.
US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said on social media on Friday that her office was ending its probe into the Fed\u2019s extensive building renovations because the Fed\u2019s inspector general would scrutinise them instead. But she added that her office could reopen the investigation if \u201cthe facts warrant doing so\u201d.
Apparently that did not bring Powell the closure he felt was needed.
![\"Kevin](\"https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2026/04/30/10bba551-81de-4395-8663-a1ea131f1803_595de0ff.jpg\")
Jerome Powell said he plans to remain on the board of the Federal Reserve after his term as chair ends next month \u201cfor an undetermined period of time\u201d, citing the \u201cunprecedented\u201d legal attacks against the central bank by the Trump administration.
\u201cI worry these attacks are battering this institution and putting at risk the things that really matter to the public,\u201d Powell said at a press conference after the Fed announced its decision to keep its benchmark interest rate steady.
Powell\u2019s decision to stay denies US President Donald Trump a chance to fill a seat on the central bank\u2019s seven-member governing board with his own appointee.
The Senate Banking Committee earlier approved Powell\u2019s successor as chair, Trump appointee Kevin Warsh, on a party-line vote. Powell would continue as a Fed governor, possibly until January 2028.
US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said on social media on Friday that her office was ending its probe into the Fed\u2019s extensive building renovations because the Fed\u2019s inspector general would scrutinise them instead. But she added that her office could reopen the investigation if \u201cthe facts warrant doing so\u201d.
Apparently that did not bring Powell the closure he felt was needed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with US counterpart Donald Trump, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on Wednesday, adding that the two leaders discussed the Middle East war and Ukraine.
The call lasted more than 90 minutes and was \u201cfrank and businesslike\u201d, Ushakov told reporters during a phone briefing.
\u201cWe had a good talk, I\u2019ve known him a long time,\u201d Trump said. The US president, speaking to reporters as he met \u2060with astronauts from the Artemis II mission \u200cin the Oval Office, said he suggested \u201ca little bit of a \u200cceasefire\u201d in the war in \u2060Ukraine \u2060in his phone call with the Russian leader.
\u201cAnd I \u200cthink he might do that,\u201d Trump said, then \u200casked reporters \u200cwhether Putin had announced a \u200cceasefire.
Trump said Putin offered to help \u2060on the issue of Iran\u2019s enriched uranium, a \u2060key obstacle to a deal to end the Iran war, but \u201cI \u200csaid I\u2019d \u200cmuch rather have you be involved with ending the war with Ukraine\u201d.
Russia\u2019s Ushakov, on the other hand, said the presidents \u201cpaid particular attention to the situation regarding Iran and in the Persian Gulf\u201d.
", "summary": "Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with US counterpart Donald Trump, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on Wednesday, adding that the two leaders discussed the Middle East war and Ukraine.
The call lasted more than 90 minutes and was \u201cfrank and businesslike\u201d, Ushakov told reporters during a phone briefing.
\u201cWe had a good talk, I\u2019ve known him a long time,\u201d Trump said. The US president, speaking to reporters as he met \u2060with astronauts from the Artemis II mission \u200cin the Oval Office, said he suggested \u201ca little bit of a \u200cceasefire\u201d in the war in \u2060Ukraine \u2060in his phone call with the Russian leader.
\u201cAnd I \u200cthink he might do that,\u201d Trump said, then \u200casked reporters \u200cwhether Putin had announced a \u200cceasefire.
Trump said Putin offered to help \u2060on the issue of Iran\u2019s enriched uranium, a \u2060key obstacle to a deal to end the Iran war, but \u201cI \u200csaid I\u2019d \u200cmuch rather have you be involved with ending the war with Ukraine\u201d.
Russia\u2019s Ushakov, on the other hand, said the presidents \u201cpaid particular attention to the situation regarding Iran and in the Persian Gulf\u201d.
", "image": null, "banner_image": null, "date_published": "2026-04-29T10:53:41Z", "date_modified": "2026-04-29T05:00:01Z", "authors": ["Agence France-Presse"], "tags": [], "language": null, "attachments": ["\n {\"url\": string, \n 'mime_type': string, \n 'title': strinrg,\n 'size_in_bytes': int,\n 'duration_in_seconds': int\n "]}, {"id": "https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351910/us-supreme-court-curbs-race-based-voting-maps-landmark-ruling?utm_source=rss_feed", "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351910/us-supreme-court-curbs-race-based-voting-maps-landmark-ruling?utm_source=rss_feed", "external_url": null, "title": "US Supreme Court curbs race-based voting maps in landmark ruling", "content_text": "", "content_html": "The US Supreme Court on Wednesday sharply limited the use of race in drawing electoral districts, in a decision that could reshape congressional maps nationwide and boost Republican prospects ahead of midterm elections.
In a 6-3 ruling split along ideological lines, the conservative-dominated court struck down a map that creates a second majority-black district in Louisiana, finding it amounted to an unconstitutional racial gerrymander despite being drawn to comply with the 1965 Voting Rights Act (VRA).
The decision leaves the core of the VRA intact but narrows how it can be applied, and will be seen by civil rights activists as a blow to a landmark law that has already been weakened by previous rulings over the past decade.
Democracy Docket, a voting rights platform, said the ruling could help secure 27 extra Republican seats, cementing the party\u2019s control in the US House of Representatives \u201cfor at least a generation\u201d.
\u201cWithout racial protections, maps could be redrawn with almost no limits,\u201d the outlet reported.
It was not immediately clear how much the ruling will affect November\u2019s elections, with primaries already under way and legal challenges likely to delay any changes.
![\"An](\"https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2026/04/30/475b1ad2-5f4b-4862-b931-7d285f6681dc_859adcac.jpg\")
The US Supreme Court on Wednesday sharply limited the use of race in drawing electoral districts, in a decision that could reshape congressional maps nationwide and boost Republican prospects ahead of midterm elections.
In a 6-3 ruling split along ideological lines, the conservative-dominated court struck down a map that creates a second majority-black district in Louisiana, finding it amounted to an unconstitutional racial gerrymander despite being drawn to comply with the 1965 Voting Rights Act (VRA).
The decision leaves the core of the VRA intact but narrows how it can be applied, and will be seen by civil rights activists as a blow to a landmark law that has already been weakened by previous rulings over the past decade.
Democracy Docket, a voting rights platform, said the ruling could help secure 27 extra Republican seats, cementing the party\u2019s control in the US House of Representatives \u201cfor at least a generation\u201d.
\u201cWithout racial protections, maps could be redrawn with almost no limits,\u201d the outlet reported.
It was not immediately clear how much the ruling will affect November\u2019s elections, with primaries already under way and legal challenges likely to delay any changes.
The man charged with trying to storm the White House Correspondents\u2019 Association dinner and kill US President Donald Trump took a picture of himself in his hotel room just minutes earlier, outfitted with an ammunition bag, a shoulder gun holster and a sheathed knife, authorities said on Wednesday in a new court filing.
Cole Allen wore black pants, a black shirt and a red tie as he snapped the image in his room at the Washington Hilton, where Trump and hundreds of journalists were meeting for a gala Saturday night, authorities say.
The 31-year-old from Torrance, California, was captured when he tried to race past security barricades near the hotel\u2019s ballroom, prompting an exchange of gunfire with Secret Service agents tasked with safeguarding the event, investigators say.
New details emerged in a court filing made by prosecutors who want Allen to remain in custody. A hearing is set for Thursday.
The government said Allen repeatedly made online checks to keep track of Trump\u2019s status that night, including live coverage of the president exiting his vehicle at the Hilton hotel. Investigators said preset emails with an \u201cApology and Explanation\u201d attachment were sent at around 8.30pm.
\u201cHe intended to kill and fired his shotgun while trying to breach security and attack his target. Put simply, the defendant poses an uncommonly serious danger to the community if released pending trial.
![\"Some](\"https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2026/04/30/ec0821c9-9ea0-412d-89f2-574f543864e5_9942f640.jpg\")
The man charged with trying to storm the White House Correspondents\u2019 Association dinner and kill US President Donald Trump took a picture of himself in his hotel room just minutes earlier, outfitted with an ammunition bag, a shoulder gun holster and a sheathed knife, authorities said on Wednesday in a new court filing.
Cole Allen wore black pants, a black shirt and a red tie as he snapped the image in his room at the Washington Hilton, where Trump and hundreds of journalists were meeting for a gala Saturday night, authorities say.
The 31-year-old from Torrance, California, was captured when he tried to race past security barricades near the hotel\u2019s ballroom, prompting an exchange of gunfire with Secret Service agents tasked with safeguarding the event, investigators say.
New details emerged in a court filing made by prosecutors who want Allen to remain in custody. A hearing is set for Thursday.
The government said Allen repeatedly made online checks to keep track of Trump\u2019s status that night, including live coverage of the president exiting his vehicle at the Hilton hotel. Investigators said preset emails with an \u201cApology and Explanation\u201d attachment were sent at around 8.30pm.
\u201cHe intended to kill and fired his shotgun while trying to breach security and attack his target. Put simply, the defendant poses an uncommonly serious danger to the community if released pending trial.
By Yuanyue Dang
The two-month war with Iran has cost about US$25 billion, a Pentagon official told lawmakers on Wednesday, as US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth defended a record $1.5 trillion military budget that faces backlash from Democrats.
At a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Wednesday, Jules Hurst III, the Pentagon\u2019s chief financial officer, offered the first official estimate of the cost of the war in Iran.
He said that most of the US$25 billion in spending went towards ammunition, but the US military also allocated funds for operations and equipment upgrades.
Hurst was one of the witnesses at the hearing on the Pentagon\u2019s record-breaking budget. Seated next to him were defence secretary Hegseth and General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
In a packed hearing room, Hegseth faced his first congressional questioning regarding the war on Iran since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28.
The top defence official, a former Fox News host who has been the subject of considerable controversy, began his remarks by apparently taking aim at Congress: \u201cThe biggest challenge, the biggest adversary we face at this point are the reckless, feckless and defeatist words of congressional Democrats and some Republicans.\u201d
![\"Jules](\"https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2026/04/30/911373e8-b188-49b9-aca0-906c38ccf3b4_e5fea1ac.jpg\")
By Yuanyue Dang
The two-month war with Iran has cost about US$25 billion, a Pentagon official told lawmakers on Wednesday, as US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth defended a record $1.5 trillion military budget that faces backlash from Democrats.
At a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Wednesday, Jules Hurst III, the Pentagon\u2019s chief financial officer, offered the first official estimate of the cost of the war in Iran.
He said that most of the US$25 billion in spending went towards ammunition, but the US military also allocated funds for operations and equipment upgrades.
Hurst was one of the witnesses at the hearing on the Pentagon\u2019s record-breaking budget. Seated next to him were defence secretary Hegseth and General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
In a packed hearing room, Hegseth faced his first congressional questioning regarding the war on Iran since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28.
The top defence official, a former Fox News host who has been the subject of considerable controversy, began his remarks by apparently taking aim at Congress: \u201cThe biggest challenge, the biggest adversary we face at this point are the reckless, feckless and defeatist words of congressional Democrats and some Republicans.\u201d
US President Donald Trump warned Tehran on Wednesday that it should \u201cget smart soon\u201d and capitulate to Washington\u2019s demands for tight controls on its nuclear programme, as a US naval blockade turned the screws on Iran\u2019s economy.
The US could extend its naval blockade of Iran for months more, oil executives were told in a meeting with Trump, an official said, after press reports that he had rejected Iran\u2019s latest proposed deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
\u201cIran can\u2019t get their act together \u2026 They better get smart soon,\u201d Trump posted on his social media platform, above a mocked-up picture of himself toting a rifle in front of explosions wrecking a desert fortress and the slogan: \u201cNo more Mr. Nice Guy!\u201d
According to the administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, Trump discussed with the oil executives \u201csteps we could take to continue the current blockade for months if needed and minimise impact on American consumers\u201d.
The news that peace talks were still stalled sent oil prices higher once again.
The UN Development Programme, meanwhile, warned that the war, which has sent the price of energy and fertiliser soaring, could plunge more than 30 million people into poverty in 160 countries.
", "summary": "US President Donald Trump warned Tehran on Wednesday that it should \u201cget smart soon\u201d and capitulate to Washington\u2019s demands for tight controls on its nuclear programme, as a US naval blockade turned the screws on Iran\u2019s economy.
The US could extend its naval blockade of Iran for months more, oil executives were told in a meeting with Trump, an official said, after press reports that he had rejected Iran\u2019s latest proposed deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
\u201cIran can\u2019t get their act together \u2026 They better get smart soon,\u201d Trump posted on his social media platform, above a mocked-up picture of himself toting a rifle in front of explosions wrecking a desert fortress and the slogan: \u201cNo more Mr. Nice Guy!\u201d
According to the administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, Trump discussed with the oil executives \u201csteps we could take to continue the current blockade for months if needed and minimise impact on American consumers\u201d.
The news that peace talks were still stalled sent oil prices higher once again.
The UN Development Programme, meanwhile, warned that the war, which has sent the price of energy and fertiliser soaring, could plunge more than 30 million people into poverty in 160 countries.
", "image": null, "banner_image": null, "date_published": "2026-04-29T08:59:59Z", "date_modified": "2026-04-29T03:30:06Z", "authors": ["Agence France-Presse"], "tags": [], "language": null, "attachments": ["\n {\"url\": string, \n 'mime_type': string, \n 'title': strinrg,\n 'size_in_bytes': int,\n 'duration_in_seconds': int\n "]}, {"id": "https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351902/sweden-targets-social-media-giants-over-murder-adverts-recruiting-children?utm_source=rss_feed", "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351902/sweden-targets-social-media-giants-over-murder-adverts-recruiting-children?utm_source=rss_feed", "external_url": null, "title": "Sweden targets social media giants over \u2018murder adverts\u2019 recruiting children", "content_text": "", "content_html": "Sweden\u2019s government said on Wednesday it planned to introduce legislation requiring social media platforms like TikTok and Snapchat to take down criminal gangs\u2019 \u2018murder adverts\u2019 within an hour or face hefty fines.
Criminal gangs active in Sweden increasingly use social media to recruit people to commit murders and other violent acts amid a surge in \u201ccrime as a service\u201d.
The recruits are often children under the age of 15, Sweden\u2019s age of criminal responsibility, meaning the youngsters cannot be prosecuted and fall under the responsibility of social services, making them valuable assets to the gangs.
\u201cWe will be first (in the European Union) with this kind of legislation targeting organised crime\u2019s recruiting of children and youths,\u201d Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Str\u00f6mmer told a press conference.
The minority right-wing government, propped up by the far-right Sweden Democrats, has been pushing through a rash of proposals cracking down on crime and immigration in the run-up to Sweden\u2019s general election on September 13.
If the proposal is adopted by parliament, social media sites would as of July 15 face fines of up to five million kronor (US$537,000) if they fail to take down the adverts in time.
", "summary": "Sweden\u2019s government said on Wednesday it planned to introduce legislation requiring social media platforms like TikTok and Snapchat to take down criminal gangs\u2019 \u2018murder adverts\u2019 within an hour or face hefty fines.
Criminal gangs active in Sweden increasingly use social media to recruit people to commit murders and other violent acts amid a surge in \u201ccrime as a service\u201d.
The recruits are often children under the age of 15, Sweden\u2019s age of criminal responsibility, meaning the youngsters cannot be prosecuted and fall under the responsibility of social services, making them valuable assets to the gangs.
\u201cWe will be first (in the European Union) with this kind of legislation targeting organised crime\u2019s recruiting of children and youths,\u201d Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Str\u00f6mmer told a press conference.
The minority right-wing government, propped up by the far-right Sweden Democrats, has been pushing through a rash of proposals cracking down on crime and immigration in the run-up to Sweden\u2019s general election on September 13.
If the proposal is adopted by parliament, social media sites would as of July 15 face fines of up to five million kronor (US$537,000) if they fail to take down the adverts in time.
", "image": null, "banner_image": null, "date_published": "2026-04-29T07:42:19Z", "date_modified": "2026-04-29T02:00:01Z", "authors": ["Agence France-Presse"], "tags": [], "language": null, "attachments": ["\n {\"url\": string, \n 'mime_type': string, \n 'title': strinrg,\n 'size_in_bytes': int,\n 'duration_in_seconds': int\n "]}, {"id": "https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3351891/chips-oil-and-iran-why-us-raising-pressure-china-xi-trump-talks?utm_source=rss_feed", "url": "https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3351891/chips-oil-and-iran-why-us-raising-pressure-china-xi-trump-talks?utm_source=rss_feed", "external_url": null, "title": "Chips, oil and Iran: why US is raising pressure on China before Xi-Trump talks", "content_text": "", "content_html": "The United States is stepping up pressure on China across multiple strategic fronts, in moves analysts say could strengthen US President Donald Trump\u2019s hand ahead of his planned high-stakes mid-May meeting with President Xi Jinping.
But they cautioned that Beijing was likely to remain unfazed because it had already adapted to earlier curbs by reducing its reliance on the American market.
US lawmakers in the House Foreign Affairs Committee have advanced 20 new export control measures this month to tighten Chinese access to American technology and limit its ability to obtain advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
The restrictions \u2013 which will next be debated by the rest of the Republican-controlled House \u2013 would also require US allies such as the Netherlands and Japan to more closely align with Washington\u2019s curbs on the sale of advanced semiconductor equipment to China.
On Wednesday, Reuters reported that the US Department of Commerce had also ordered chip equipment companies to halt shipments of certain tools to Hua Hong Semiconductor, China\u2019s second-largest chipmaker.
\u201cIt seems that they do worry about China\u2019s progress in chipmaking and its recent spending spree on chipmaking machinery like lithography tools,\u201d said Liang Yan, a professor of economics at Willamette University in the US.
", "summary": "The United States is stepping up pressure on China across multiple strategic fronts, in moves analysts say could strengthen US President Donald Trump\u2019s hand ahead of his planned high-stakes mid-May meeting with President Xi Jinping.
But they cautioned that Beijing was likely to remain unfazed because it had already adapted to earlier curbs by reducing its reliance on the American market.
US lawmakers in the House Foreign Affairs Committee have advanced 20 new export control measures this month to tighten Chinese access to American technology and limit its ability to obtain advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
The restrictions \u2013 which will next be debated by the rest of the Republican-controlled House \u2013 would also require US allies such as the Netherlands and Japan to more closely align with Washington\u2019s curbs on the sale of advanced semiconductor equipment to China.
On Wednesday, Reuters reported that the US Department of Commerce had also ordered chip equipment companies to halt shipments of certain tools to Hua Hong Semiconductor, China\u2019s second-largest chipmaker.
\u201cIt seems that they do worry about China\u2019s progress in chipmaking and its recent spending spree on chipmaking machinery like lithography tools,\u201d said Liang Yan, a professor of economics at Willamette University in the US.
", "image": null, "banner_image": null, "date_published": "2026-04-29T07:00:10Z", "date_modified": "2026-04-29T01:30:01Z", "authors": ["Ralph Jennings"], "tags": [], "language": null, "attachments": ["\n {\"url\": string, \n 'mime_type': string, \n 'title': strinrg,\n 'size_in_bytes': int,\n 'duration_in_seconds': int\n "]}, {"id": "https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3351900/china-southern-airlines-orders-airbus-jets-worth-us21b-boeing-deal-remains-rumour?utm_source=rss_feed", "url": "https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3351900/china-southern-airlines-orders-airbus-jets-worth-us21b-boeing-deal-remains-rumour?utm_source=rss_feed", "external_url": null, "title": "China Southern Airlines orders Airbus jets worth US$21b as Boeing deal remains rumour", "content_text": "", "content_html": "By Xiaofei Xu
Airbus secured an order for 137 A320neo jets from Chinese airlines, extending the European company\u2019s edge in one of aviation\u2019s most contested markets as US rival Boeing waits on a long-speculated deal with Beijing.
China Southern Airlines, one of China\u2019s three major state-owned carriers, announced the deal on Wednesday. The airline, based in the southern city of Guangzhou, will purchase 102 aircraft, while its subsidiary Xiamen Airlines will acquire the remaining 35.
The orders carry a combined list price of US$21.37 billion, although both carriers received discounts, according to a statement from China Southern. The discounts \u2013 common for large orders in the industry \u2013 were fair and \u201cin line with those obtained in previous Airbus orders\u201d, China Southern said.
The deal was pending approval from the airline\u2019s shareholders and relevant state authorities, the statement added. The aircraft would be delivered to China Southern between 2028 and 2032 and to Xiamen Airlines between 2029 and 2032.
China Southern\u2019s board said the purchase would help both carriers capitalise on major state-led development initiatives, including the Greater Bay Area and the Belt and Road Initiative, while strengthening their competitive position through a more modern fleet.
With the deal, China Southern joins its state-owned peers in choosing Airbus aircraft. Shanghai-based China Eastern ordered 101 A320neo jets in March. And last year, Airbus secured orders for 148 A320s from several Chinese airlines and a state-owned aircraft leasing group, including Beijing-based Air China.
", "summary": "By Xiaofei Xu
Airbus secured an order for 137 A320neo jets from Chinese airlines, extending the European company\u2019s edge in one of aviation\u2019s most contested markets as US rival Boeing waits on a long-speculated deal with Beijing.
China Southern Airlines, one of China\u2019s three major state-owned carriers, announced the deal on Wednesday. The airline, based in the southern city of Guangzhou, will purchase 102 aircraft, while its subsidiary Xiamen Airlines will acquire the remaining 35.
The orders carry a combined list price of US$21.37 billion, although both carriers received discounts, according to a statement from China Southern. The discounts \u2013 common for large orders in the industry \u2013 were fair and \u201cin line with those obtained in previous Airbus orders\u201d, China Southern said.
The deal was pending approval from the airline\u2019s shareholders and relevant state authorities, the statement added. The aircraft would be delivered to China Southern between 2028 and 2032 and to Xiamen Airlines between 2029 and 2032.
China Southern\u2019s board said the purchase would help both carriers capitalise on major state-led development initiatives, including the Greater Bay Area and the Belt and Road Initiative, while strengthening their competitive position through a more modern fleet.
With the deal, China Southern joins its state-owned peers in choosing Airbus aircraft. Shanghai-based China Eastern ordered 101 A320neo jets in March. And last year, Airbus secured orders for 148 A320s from several Chinese airlines and a state-owned aircraft leasing group, including Beijing-based Air China.
", "image": null, "banner_image": null, "date_published": "2026-04-29T06:57:06Z", "date_modified": "2026-04-29T01:00:01Z", "authors": ["Xiaofei Xu"], "tags": [], "language": null, "attachments": ["\n {\"url\": string, \n 'mime_type': string, \n 'title': strinrg,\n 'size_in_bytes': int,\n 'duration_in_seconds': int\n "]}, {"id": "https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351899/uk-police-say-london-stabbing-2-jewish-men-terrorist-incident?utm_source=rss_feed", "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351899/uk-police-say-london-stabbing-2-jewish-men-terrorist-incident?utm_source=rss_feed", "external_url": null, "title": "UK police say London stabbing of 2 Jewish men is terrorist incident", "content_text": "", "content_html": "London police say the stabbing of two Jewish men on Wednesday has been declared a terrorist incident.
Metropolitan Police say they are investigating whether the attack specifically targeted the Jewish community.
The force says the incident, in the Golders Green area, left two men, aged 34 and 76, hospitalised with knife wounds.
A 45-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Police are investigating whether the stabbings are linked to recent arson attacks on synagogues and other Jewish sites in the British capital.
\u201cAttacks on our Jewish community are attacks on Britain,\u201d Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.
![\"Police](\"https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2026/04/29/256d9a1e-7616-4d06-b6a4-e160392fb1cd_7a02b686.jpg\")
London police say the stabbing of two Jewish men on Wednesday has been declared a terrorist incident.
Metropolitan Police say they are investigating whether the attack specifically targeted the Jewish community.
The force says the incident, in the Golders Green area, left two men, aged 34 and 76, hospitalised with knife wounds.
A 45-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Police are investigating whether the stabbings are linked to recent arson attacks on synagogues and other Jewish sites in the British capital.
\u201cAttacks on our Jewish community are attacks on Britain,\u201d Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.
By Vincent Chow
Chinese artificial intelligence start-up DeepSeek has added multimodal capabilities to its flagship chatbot for the first time \u2013 meaning that it can process images and video in addition to text \u2013 bringing it in line with rivals that already offer the function.
The limited release to select users comes just days after the Hangzhou-based company released its new flagship model V4, which was followed by extensive price cuts.
According to DeepSeek multimodal team leader Chen Xiaokang, who made the announcement on Wednesday on social media, the function was initially offered to select users on DeepSeek\u2019s chatbot website and mobile application for beta testing.
\u201cCome try out the incredible work from our genius multimodal colleagues!\u201d senior researcher Chen Deli wrote on social media shortly after, adding that \u201cthe little whale can now see\u201d, a reference to DeepSeek\u2019s whale logo.
On DeepSeek\u2019s chat interface, a new \u201cimage recognition mode\u201d had been added alongside the \u201cexpert\u201d and \u201cflash\u201d chat modes, which were introduced earlier this month.
As AI continues to rapidly progress, multimodal capabilities are viewed as a necessity to move beyond simple text conversations with users into more complex and economically valuable domains.
While DeepSeek\u2019s breakout moment in January 2025 made it a household name internationally due to its model\u2019s powerful reasoning capabilities and cost-efficiency, the start-up\u2019s lack of a multimodal offering since then has been seen as an Achilles' heel.
", "summary": "By Vincent Chow
Chinese artificial intelligence start-up DeepSeek has added multimodal capabilities to its flagship chatbot for the first time \u2013 meaning that it can process images and video in addition to text \u2013 bringing it in line with rivals that already offer the function.
The limited release to select users comes just days after the Hangzhou-based company released its new flagship model V4, which was followed by extensive price cuts.
According to DeepSeek multimodal team leader Chen Xiaokang, who made the announcement on Wednesday on social media, the function was initially offered to select users on DeepSeek\u2019s chatbot website and mobile application for beta testing.
\u201cCome try out the incredible work from our genius multimodal colleagues!\u201d senior researcher Chen Deli wrote on social media shortly after, adding that \u201cthe little whale can now see\u201d, a reference to DeepSeek\u2019s whale logo.
On DeepSeek\u2019s chat interface, a new \u201cimage recognition mode\u201d had been added alongside the \u201cexpert\u201d and \u201cflash\u201d chat modes, which were introduced earlier this month.
As AI continues to rapidly progress, multimodal capabilities are viewed as a necessity to move beyond simple text conversations with users into more complex and economically valuable domains.
While DeepSeek\u2019s breakout moment in January 2025 made it a household name internationally due to its model\u2019s powerful reasoning capabilities and cost-efficiency, the start-up\u2019s lack of a multimodal offering since then has been seen as an Achilles' heel.
", "image": null, "banner_image": null, "date_published": "2026-04-29T06:00:12Z", "date_modified": "2026-04-29T00:30:01Z", "authors": ["Vincent Chow"], "tags": [], "language": null, "attachments": ["\n {\"url\": string, \n 'mime_type': string, \n 'title': strinrg,\n 'size_in_bytes': int,\n 'duration_in_seconds': int\n "]}, {"id": "https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3351850/are-us-agents-around-trump-armed-chinese-red-dot-sights?utm_source=rss_feed", "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3351850/are-us-agents-around-trump-armed-chinese-red-dot-sights?utm_source=rss_feed", "external_url": null, "title": "Are US agents around Trump armed with Chinese red dot sights?", "content_text": "", "content_html": "By Chao Kong
A press photo of a US protective agent responding to a gunman breaching security during last weekend\u2019s White House Correspondents\u2019 Association dinner has ignited debate within America\u2019s firearms community.
The controversy centres not on the agent\u2019s actions, but on what appeared to be a Chinese-made Holosun red dot sight mounted on her Glock pistol.
The image, which spread rapidly across firearms forums after being shared on social media, shows a plain-clothes agent with her weapon drawn as US President Donald Trump is rushed from the stage to safety.
While commenters said the agent belonged to the US Secret Service, some US media labelled the pictured team as Army CID Executive Protection Directorate Special Agents.
Segments of the American shooting community have previously dismissed Chinese-made optics as inferior, but the issue gained prominence among gun owners when it appeared that those safeguarding the president might be using Holosun optics.
Holosun optics are renowned for features such as solar-powered fail-safe systems, motion-activated technology and multi-reticle options, often priced lower than those of competitors such as the American Trijicon or Swedish Aimpoint.
", "summary": "By Chao Kong
A press photo of a US protective agent responding to a gunman breaching security during last weekend\u2019s White House Correspondents\u2019 Association dinner has ignited debate within America\u2019s firearms community.
The controversy centres not on the agent\u2019s actions, but on what appeared to be a Chinese-made Holosun red dot sight mounted on her Glock pistol.
The image, which spread rapidly across firearms forums after being shared on social media, shows a plain-clothes agent with her weapon drawn as US President Donald Trump is rushed from the stage to safety.
While commenters said the agent belonged to the US Secret Service, some US media labelled the pictured team as Army CID Executive Protection Directorate Special Agents.
Segments of the American shooting community have previously dismissed Chinese-made optics as inferior, but the issue gained prominence among gun owners when it appeared that those safeguarding the president might be using Holosun optics.
Holosun optics are renowned for features such as solar-powered fail-safe systems, motion-activated technology and multi-reticle options, often priced lower than those of competitors such as the American Trijicon or Swedish Aimpoint.
", "image": null, "banner_image": null, "date_published": "2026-04-29T06:00:09Z", "date_modified": "2026-04-29T00:30:06Z", "authors": ["Chao Kong"], "tags": [], "language": null, "attachments": ["\n {\"url\": string, \n 'mime_type': string, \n 'title': strinrg,\n 'size_in_bytes': int,\n 'duration_in_seconds': int\n "]}, {"id": "https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3351895/tropical-rainforest-loss-eases-after-record-year-still-11-football-fields-minute?utm_source=rss_feed", "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3351895/tropical-rainforest-loss-eases-after-record-year-still-11-football-fields-minute?utm_source=rss_feed", "external_url": null, "title": "Tropical rainforest loss eases after record year, but still \u201811 football fields a minute\u2019", "content_text": "", "content_html": "The pace of tropical forest destruction slowed in 2025 after record losses the year before but remained at worrying levels equivalent to 11 football fields per minute, researchers said Wednesday.
The world lost 4.3 million hectares (10.6 million acres) of tropical primary rainforest last year, down 36 per cent from 2024, said researchers from the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the University of Maryland.
\u201cA drop of this scale in a single year is encouraging \u2013 it shows what decisive government action can achieve,\u201d said Elizabeth Goldman, co-director of WRI\u2019s Global Forest Watch platform.
\u201cBut part of the decline reflects a lull after an extreme fire year,\u201d Goldman said.
The researchers also warned that fires fuelled by climate change have become a \u201cdangerous new normal\u201d which threatens to reverse the recent gains made by government efforts to tackle deforestation.
The warming El Ni\u00f1o weather phenomenon is expected to return in the middle of the year, which could push global temperatures even higher, raising the threat of heatwaves, droughts and wildfires.
![\"A](\"https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2026/04/29/6528f9c8-c443-48ca-8a12-5f97a65cb09d_6cd83c73.jpg\")
The pace of tropical forest destruction slowed in 2025 after record losses the year before but remained at worrying levels equivalent to 11 football fields per minute, researchers said Wednesday.
The world lost 4.3 million hectares (10.6 million acres) of tropical primary rainforest last year, down 36 per cent from 2024, said researchers from the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the University of Maryland.
\u201cA drop of this scale in a single year is encouraging \u2013 it shows what decisive government action can achieve,\u201d said Elizabeth Goldman, co-director of WRI\u2019s Global Forest Watch platform.
\u201cBut part of the decline reflects a lull after an extreme fire year,\u201d Goldman said.
The researchers also warned that fires fuelled by climate change have become a \u201cdangerous new normal\u201d which threatens to reverse the recent gains made by government efforts to tackle deforestation.
The warming El Ni\u00f1o weather phenomenon is expected to return in the middle of the year, which could push global temperatures even higher, raising the threat of heatwaves, droughts and wildfires.
By Xinmei Shen
Chinese chip designers Cambricon Technologies and MetaX Integrated Circuits reported substantial growth in the first quarter, as the artificial intelligence boom, lingering US export-control risks and China\u2019s self-sufficiency push drove the country\u2019s demand for home-grown computing power.
Cambricon\u2019s first-quarter revenue jumped 160 per cent from a year earlier to 2.89 billion yuan (US$423 million), while profit soared 185 per cent to 1 billion yuan, the company said in a filing on Wednesday.
Sometimes dubbed \u201clittle Nvidia\u201d in China, the Beijing-based, Shanghai-listed company attributed its strong growth to a \u201csustained surge in the AI industry\u2019s computing power demand\u201d.
The company said last month that it planned to distribute a cash dividend of 15 yuan (US$2.20) for every 10 shares held, totalling more than 632 million yuan, after announcing in February that it had swung to a net profit of 2 billion yuan last year, following years of losses.
Shanghai-based MetaX said on Wednesday that its revenue for the first three months of the year grew 75 per cent from a year earlier to 561.9 million yuan. The company, which went public in December, reported a 98.8 million yuan net loss for the quarter.
MetaX, founded in 2020 by former engineers of US chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices, attributed its increased revenue to significant growth in shipments of its graphics processing units (GPUs).
", "summary": "By Xinmei Shen
Chinese chip designers Cambricon Technologies and MetaX Integrated Circuits reported substantial growth in the first quarter, as the artificial intelligence boom, lingering US export-control risks and China\u2019s self-sufficiency push drove the country\u2019s demand for home-grown computing power.
Cambricon\u2019s first-quarter revenue jumped 160 per cent from a year earlier to 2.89 billion yuan (US$423 million), while profit soared 185 per cent to 1 billion yuan, the company said in a filing on Wednesday.
Sometimes dubbed \u201clittle Nvidia\u201d in China, the Beijing-based, Shanghai-listed company attributed its strong growth to a \u201csustained surge in the AI industry\u2019s computing power demand\u201d.
The company said last month that it planned to distribute a cash dividend of 15 yuan (US$2.20) for every 10 shares held, totalling more than 632 million yuan, after announcing in February that it had swung to a net profit of 2 billion yuan last year, following years of losses.
Shanghai-based MetaX said on Wednesday that its revenue for the first three months of the year grew 75 per cent from a year earlier to 561.9 million yuan. The company, which went public in December, reported a 98.8 million yuan net loss for the quarter.
MetaX, founded in 2020 by former engineers of US chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices, attributed its increased revenue to significant growth in shipments of its graphics processing units (GPUs).
", "image": null, "banner_image": null, "date_published": "2026-04-29T05:15:23Z", "date_modified": "2026-04-28T23:30:01Z", "authors": ["Xinmei Shen"], "tags": [], "language": null, "attachments": ["\n {\"url\": string, \n 'mime_type': string, \n 'title': strinrg,\n 'size_in_bytes': int,\n 'duration_in_seconds': int\n "]}, {"id": "https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3351893/guangdong-actively-align-hong-kongs-northern-metropolis-push?utm_source=rss_feed", "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3351893/guangdong-actively-align-hong-kongs-northern-metropolis-push?utm_source=rss_feed", "external_url": null, "title": "Guangdong to \u2018actively align\u2019 with Hong Kong\u2019s Northern Metropolis push", "content_text": "", "content_html": "By Lo Hoi-ying
Guangdong province will \u201cactively align\u201d with Hong Kong\u2019s strategy for the Northern Metropolis megaproject and highlight areas of collaboration as part of the province\u2019s 15th five-year plan.
The Guangdong provincial government on Tuesday published its development blueprint, with the term \u201cGuangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area\u201d mentioned 57 times in the document and a chapter dedicated to the region\u2019s development.
Its proposal for economic and social development, as part of Beijing\u2019s sweeping 2026-2030 plan, set an average annual economic growth rate of about 5 per cent and clearly listed \u201cpersistent efforts to promote the development of the region\u201d as one of its primary tasks for the next five years.
Provincial authorities placed heavy emphasis on the development of the bay area, which refers to Beijing\u2019s initiative to integrate Hong Kong and Macau with nine mainland Chinese cities into a hi-tech economic powerhouse.
In the next five years, Guangdong authorities said they would develop \u201cdistinctive cooperation platforms\u201d tailored to local conditions, naming the Northern Metropolis as an area of focus.
\u201cWe will actively align with the development strategy of Hong Kong\u2019s Northern Metropolis and collaborate on park development, industrial introduction, project layout, facility construction, talent attraction and environmental protection,\u201d they said in the report.
", "summary": "By Lo Hoi-ying
Guangdong province will \u201cactively align\u201d with Hong Kong\u2019s strategy for the Northern Metropolis megaproject and highlight areas of collaboration as part of the province\u2019s 15th five-year plan.
The Guangdong provincial government on Tuesday published its development blueprint, with the term \u201cGuangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area\u201d mentioned 57 times in the document and a chapter dedicated to the region\u2019s development.
Its proposal for economic and social development, as part of Beijing\u2019s sweeping 2026-2030 plan, set an average annual economic growth rate of about 5 per cent and clearly listed \u201cpersistent efforts to promote the development of the region\u201d as one of its primary tasks for the next five years.
Provincial authorities placed heavy emphasis on the development of the bay area, which refers to Beijing\u2019s initiative to integrate Hong Kong and Macau with nine mainland Chinese cities into a hi-tech economic powerhouse.
In the next five years, Guangdong authorities said they would develop \u201cdistinctive cooperation platforms\u201d tailored to local conditions, naming the Northern Metropolis as an area of focus.
\u201cWe will actively align with the development strategy of Hong Kong\u2019s Northern Metropolis and collaborate on park development, industrial introduction, project layout, facility construction, talent attraction and environmental protection,\u201d they said in the report.
", "image": null, "banner_image": null, "date_published": "2026-04-29T05:15:14Z", "date_modified": "2026-04-28T23:30:06Z", "authors": ["Lo Hoi-ying"], "tags": [], "language": null, "attachments": ["\n {\"url\": string, \n 'mime_type': string, \n 'title': strinrg,\n 'size_in_bytes': int,\n 'duration_in_seconds': int\n "]}, {"id": "https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3351849/why-china-may-benefit-uaes-opec-withdrawal-amid-iran-war-oil-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed", "url": "https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3351849/why-china-may-benefit-uaes-opec-withdrawal-amid-iran-war-oil-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed", "external_url": null, "title": "Why China may benefit from the UAE\u2019s Opec withdrawal amid Iran war oil crisis", "content_text": "", "content_html": "By Frank Chen
China may gain from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) withdrawing from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec), benefiting from additional supply as global oil markets face growing strain three months into the US-Israeli war in Iran, analysts said.
The UAE \u2013 Opec\u2019s third-largest producer, accounting for about 12 per cent of its total output \u2013 will formally leave the bloc on May 1. UAE Energy Minister Suhail Mohamed al-Mazrouei told CNBC that it was the \u201cright time\u201d to exit, adding that supply shortfalls demanded more flexibility than Opec\u2019s collective decision-making allowed.
For major importers such as China, that added flexibility could boost supply and push prices down.
\u201cFor a buyer, any potential supply increase is positive as it means pressure on prices. I would expect China to increase purchases from the UAE,\u201d said Muyu Xu, a senior crude oil analyst at Kpler, a trade and logistics consultancy.
Xu said the UAE\u2019s exit could deepen energy ties between the two countries. In 2025, China imported 692,000 barrels per day from the UAE, out of total daily exports of 3.17 million barrels, accounting for 6 per cent of China\u2019s seaborne imports, according to Kpler.
Other analysts agreed that additional supply could become more readily available beyond the constraints imposed by Opec.
\u201cWith the UAE being more flexible to increase production, China may be able to tap the former\u2019s oil quickly if they are in favour of buying in the spot market,\u201d said June Goh, a senior oil market analyst at Sparta Commodities.
", "summary": "By Frank Chen
China may gain from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) withdrawing from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec), benefiting from additional supply as global oil markets face growing strain three months into the US-Israeli war in Iran, analysts said.
The UAE \u2013 Opec\u2019s third-largest producer, accounting for about 12 per cent of its total output \u2013 will formally leave the bloc on May 1. UAE Energy Minister Suhail Mohamed al-Mazrouei told CNBC that it was the \u201cright time\u201d to exit, adding that supply shortfalls demanded more flexibility than Opec\u2019s collective decision-making allowed.
For major importers such as China, that added flexibility could boost supply and push prices down.
\u201cFor a buyer, any potential supply increase is positive as it means pressure on prices. I would expect China to increase purchases from the UAE,\u201d said Muyu Xu, a senior crude oil analyst at Kpler, a trade and logistics consultancy.
Xu said the UAE\u2019s exit could deepen energy ties between the two countries. In 2025, China imported 692,000 barrels per day from the UAE, out of total daily exports of 3.17 million barrels, accounting for 6 per cent of China\u2019s seaborne imports, according to Kpler.
Other analysts agreed that additional supply could become more readily available beyond the constraints imposed by Opec.
\u201cWith the UAE being more flexible to increase production, China may be able to tap the former\u2019s oil quickly if they are in favour of buying in the spot market,\u201d said June Goh, a senior oil market analyst at Sparta Commodities.
", "image": null, "banner_image": null, "date_published": "2026-04-29T05:00:08Z", "date_modified": "2026-04-28T23:30:11Z", "authors": ["Frank Chen,Mia Nurmamat"], "tags": [], "language": null, "attachments": ["\n {\"url\": string, \n 'mime_type': string, \n 'title': strinrg,\n 'size_in_bytes': int,\n 'duration_in_seconds': int\n "]}]}