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Britain

Britain
The latest breaking news and stories on the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK), a constitutional monarchy in northern Europe which includes England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and the world’s sixth largest economy. Also covering the UK’s relationship with the European Union (EU) post Brexit, as well as with China, plus commentary and updates on the UK’s economy, politics, society and social issues.
Capital
London
Head of State
King Charles III
King Charles III
Head of Government
Prime Minister Keir Starmer
In today’s environment, with China’s recovery still uneven and private-sector investment appetite weak, companies are finding fewer productive places to deploy capital, according to an analyst. Photo: Shutterstock
Investing

Why more Hong Kong and mainland Chinese companies are building cash buffers

Cash holdings rise among traditional firms listed in Hong Kong and Shanghai as productive places to deploy capital dwindle, analysts say.

Cathay Pacific

Singapore Airlines faces narrow window to gain market share from Gulf rivals

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Royalty

Queen pushed for ex-prince Andrew’s appointment as trade envoy

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SCMP Highlights

Snaps of 1970s Hong Kong, what to eat in China’s Chengdu: 7 Lifestyle highlights

From the best food in China’s Chengdu to the difference between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ stress, here are seven stories from SCMP’s recent reporting.

Wild mushroom tofu with guokui, or crispy flatbread, at Mi Xun Teahouse. Photo: Mi Xun Teahouse
Keir Starmer

Starmer’s leadership challenger Streeting floats UK ‘wealth tax that works’

The former health minister has proposed equalising capital gains levy with income tax, aiming for a ‘fairer’ UK wealth system.

Chen Zhi

Cambodia raids sites linked to Chen Zhi, Chinese tycoon accused of scam empire

82 Chinese nationals among 104 people detained in Phnom Penh raids as governments around the world crack down on Chen’s scam business.

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Law

Legal Tales | The weight of silk: what the honour means for the Inner Bar as an institution

Why the rank of senior counsel is not a reward for commercial success, but a public declaration of a barrister’s paramount duty to the court.

(Front row left to right) Bernard Man, Victor Dawes, Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen and other guests attend the ceremony for the admission of the new senior counsel. Photo: Jonathan Wong
King Charles III

UK radio station mistakenly reports death of King Charles

Radio Caroline has apologised after a computer error triggered the so-called death of a monarch procedure.

Science

SMILE: China-EU satellite to study Earth’s solar defence defies trade tensions

Launch of satellite to study Earth’s magnetic shield hailed by lead scientists as result of ‘true 50/50 collaboration’.

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Ukraine

UK relaxes sanctions on Russian oil, leaving Ukrainians ‘very let down’

UK inventories of diesel and jet fuel are set to shrink to their lowest since 2023 this month.

Planes stand on the tarmac at Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 as concerns grow over jet fuel supplies linked to the Iran war. Photo: dpa
India

Trump’s H-1B visa squeeze paves way for Indian tech exodus

India’s tech workers helped build Silicon Valley. Now, rising H-1B barriers are sending the next generation elsewhere.

An applicant looks through H-1B visa application documents. Last year, Washington raised the H-1B application fee to US$100,000. Photo: Bay Area News Group/TNS
China-EU relations

Chinese investment in Europe surges to 7-year high despite rising trade tensions

But study warns that new project pipeline appears to be drying up, as Chinese investors face pressure from both Beijing and Brussels.

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London

Dozens could face criminal charges over 2017 London tower inferno

Police seek prosecutions nearly a decade after Britain’s worst modern residential blaze killed 72.

US, Israel war on Iran

Aluminium supply crunch threatens Asia’s clean energy push amid Iran war

Key Gulf plants have been hit by Iranian missiles, causing a drop in output of the metal used in making solar panels and wind turbines.

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Aluminium prices have surged since the start of the Iran war and is the metal most exposed to the conflict. Photo: Shutterstock
Yuan

As the world retreats from US Treasuries, will the sell-off deepen?

China is one of several nations trimming their exposure to US debt, as inflation drives Treasury yields to levels not seen since 2007.

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Kevin Warsh was confirmed as the next chairman of the US Federal Reserve earlier this month. Photo: Reuters
The Philippines

More than a missile? Why the Philippines wants Japan’s old Type 88

Manila’s military already operates superior weapons, but analysts say Tokyo’s Cold War-era hardware still has something to offer.

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Yuan

China joins global sell-off of US Treasuries in March as Iran war prompts panic

Seven of the top 10 foreign holders cut their exposure to US government debt, led by Japan, which offloaded US$47.7 billion.

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Sexual harassment and assault

UK reality hit Married at First Sight pulled as contestants allege rape

Channel 4 removes all seasons ⁠of the series following rape and non-consensual sex allegations by three women.

Contestants in the show agree to mock weddings with a total stranger and are then filmed living together. Photo: Shutterstock
Crime

UK jails driver for smuggling cocaine in Kardashian brand underwear shipment

UK border officials found the illicit haul hidden in a truck transporting Skims shapewear cargo.

Hong Kong courts

4 plead guilty to rioting during 2019 PolyU siege in Hong Kong

Cheung Chung-yiu, Cheung Chin-ming, Chan Chun-hei and Chan Yuen-ming were aged between 16 and 27 at the time of the November 2019 riots.

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Celebrity children

Meet Venezuela, Tyson Fury’s daughter who just got married at 16

Her marriage to amateur boxer Noah Price, 18, has sparked internet debate because of her age – but what did her mum Paris Fury have to say about it?

Venezuela Fury is heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury’s oldest child. Photo: @venezuelaprice1/Instagram
Keir Starmer

Revolt against UK’s Starmer revives bitter debate over undoing Brexit

With the prime minister’s leadership in crisis, the spectre of rejoining the EU is creeping back into the debate.

Workers adjust a flag opposite the Elizabeth Tower, commonly known as Big Ben, in London. Photo: Reuters
From our archives

On This Day | Hong Kong’s iconic Bank of China Tower opens in 1990 – SCMP archive

Opening 36 years ago today, the landmark skyscraper was Hong Kong’s tallest at the time.

France

‘It’s nasty’: Swatch-Audemars Piguet watch hype ignites global shopping chaos

From New York to Milan, buyers push and shove each other to get their hands on the ‘Royal Pop’ timepieces.

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Keir Starmer

Rival pro-Palestine, far-right protests in London as 4,000 police deployed

London’s Metropolitan Police drafted more than 4,000 officers over fears that far-right demonstrators may clash with pro-Palestine marchers if not kept apart.

Far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, wears a ‘Unite The Kingdom’ (UTK) hat and scarf at a protest on January 11. Photo: Reuters
South China Sea

Can AI-assisted unmanned vessels be Beijing’s answer to South China Sea patrols?

Near-silent autonomous surveillance vessels that can keep going for months on end recommended for Chinese maritime enforcement.

Chinese researchers have envisaged how uncrewed surface vessels could patrol distant waters and around near-sea islands and reefs. Photo: Xinhua
Banking & finance

Hong Kong regulator now a ‘collection agent’ for wronged investors

SFC follows international peers by pursuing compensation for victims rather than fines in some cases of securities misconduct.

Vietnam

Beyond bamboo: Vietnam’s To Lam mounts a diplomacy offensive

The security chief turned paramount leader is chasing the markets and capital required to reach high-income status by 2045.

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