Ancient China elites used water fans, ice to cool down in summer; folks had bamboo pillows
In ancient China, summer heat could be deadly long before the advent of air conditioning. To survive it, people resorted to remedies ranging from...
Vodka, bullet train and boat rides: how Xi and Putin built up a personal rapport
Published: 2:00pm, 19 May 2026Updated: 2:11pm, 19 May 2026 Few relationships among world leaders have been portrayed as personally as that between President Xi...
Ride-hailing licence cap ‘must strike a balance’ in Hong Kong, John Lee says
The number of ride-hailing vehicle licences will be determined based on Hong Kong’s unique conditions and the need to maintain passenger experience, the city’s...
Indonesia’s oil hub plan collides with Asean’s trust deficit
Indonesia has proposed hosting an Asean oil storage hub to reinforce the region’s emergency fuel reserves, as supply disruptions from the Middle East lay...
Some Asian airlines could collapse like Spirit without help on rising fuel costs
Asian airlines need government support to cope with the more than doubling of jet fuel prices that otherwise risks some carriers collapsing like US-based...
Southeast Asia’s climate; Singaporeans and a work ethic stereotype: 7 Asia highlights
Published: 12:30pm, 19 May 2026Updated: 12:52pm, 19 May 2026 We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week...
Hong Kong set to benefit as Xi-Trump summit signals ‘more stability’, John Lee says
Hong Kong’s economy and trade with the United States will benefit from greater stability and certainty brought by the summit between Chinese President Xi...
Marcos says Philippines, because of proximity to Taiwan, likely involved in any conflict
The Philippines is likely to be involved in any conflict over Taiwan because of its proximity and the nearly 200,000 Filipinos working there, President...
Will Chinese become the king language for commanding AI on engineering tasks?
Published: 12:00pm, 19 May 2026Updated: 1:00pm, 19 May 2026 A study from Tsinghua University has opened a new front in the global technology race...