eChina.news

Business

Hong Kong boy, 12, arrested for allegedly making explosives, posting process online

Police set to reveal details of the case later in the afternoon A 12-year-old boy in Hong Kong has been arrested on suspicion of manufacturing explosives and posting about the process online, the South China Morning Post has learned. Police said they were expected to reveal details of the case on Tuesday afternoon. Anyone who makes or knowingly possesses an explosive substance is liable to a maximum sentence of 14 years’ imprisonment. However, under the Juvenile Offenders Ordinance, children aged between 10 and 13 cannot be sentenced to imprisonment.

May 6, 2026

Business

Japan, Philippines to fast-track transfer of navy destroyers

The two countries’ shared grievances over Chinese territorial claims have seen them draw increasingly close in recent years Japan’s defence minister pledged to deepen military cooperation with the Philippines during a visit Tuesday to Manila, aiming for the “early transfer” of Abukuma-class destroyers to the archipelago nation. The two countries’ shared grievances over Chinese territorial claims have seen them draw increasingly close in recent years, including the signing of a reciprocal access agreement allowing for the deployment of troops on each other’s territory. Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi’s visit came as a contingent of 1,400 Japanese personnel was taking part for the first time in annual US-Philippine military exercises, and just weeks after Tokyo eased decades-old arms export rules in a major policy shift. Japan’s new arms export rules trigger Chinese warning against ‘moves towards militarism’ Speaking alongside Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro, Koizumi – who signed a defence pact with Indonesia a day earlier – said that the two countries would create a working group focused on defence equipment.

May 6, 2026

Business

1 of 2 Hong Kong hikers rescued from Japan’s Northern Alps, search continues

One of the men was eventually rescued by a disaster prevention helicopter from neighbouring Nagano Prefecture and taken to hospital Japanese authorities have rescued one of two Hong Kong hikers stranded on treacherous slopes in the country’s Northern Alps. Gifu Prefecture police dispatched a four-member rescue team, comprising police officers and civilian experts, from the mountain base at dawn on Tuesday in an attempt to reach the duo on foot, according to local media. A disaster prevention helicopter from neighbouring Nagano Prefecture eventually rescued one of the men, who was later transported to a hospital. The other man has not yet been rescued, according to Japanese media. The incident was first reported at 4.10pm on Sunday, when a 22-year-old Hong Kong resident living in Tokyo contacted the Hotakadake Sanso mountain hut in Takayama, Gifu Prefecture, saying that he and his 30-year-old hiking partner from Hong Kong were stranded due to deteriorating weather. The duo were scaling the Gendarme, a notoriously rocky ridge sitting at an altitude of 3,163 metres (10,377 feet), according to local media.

May 6, 2026

Business

Hong Kong corruption watchdog arrests 7 over rigged maintenance project tender

Syndicate suspected of targeting large maintenance project involving undisclosed conflicts of interest and contractor who doubled as consultant Hong Kong’s anti-corruption watchdog has arrested seven people linked to a syndicate that allegedly targeted large maintenance projects with undisclosed conflicts of interest and a contractor who served in a dual role as consultant. The watchdog said it had launched its investigation after receiving a complaint alleging possible corruption in the tendering exercise for a grand maintenance project of a single block in Mong Kok. It found that the project contractor’s owner allegedly controlled the project consultancy firm through his associates, secured the consultancy contract for the grand maintenance project at a low price, and concealed his dual roles as project contractor and consultant with intent to induce the incorporated owners to choose his company for the project. The watchdog found that the consultancy firm had failed to declare its conflict of interest, while the chairman of the incorporated owners’ committee was also suspected to have known about the issue and concealed it.

May 6, 2026

Business

Traffic hit as truck catches fire in tunnel of Hong Kong’s mega bridge

Truck catches fire in undersea section of 55km cross-border link leaving only one lane available to motorists An articulated truck caught fire inside the undersea tunnel of the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge forcing the temporary closure of city-bound lanes and disrupting traffic on Tuesday evening. The blaze was reported before 8pm in the tunnel tube of the 55km (34.17 miles) cross-border bridge. Video footage showed flames beneath the cargo truck and thick smoke filling the tunnel. The city’s Transport Department announced soon after that all Hong Kong-bound lanes were closed, leaving only one lane available to motorists. Images posted online showed cars at a standstill on the mainland section of the bridge. Tuesday is one of the designated days under the “Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles” scheme, when motorists do not need to reserve slots to use the bridge, except on public holidays or the day before public holidays. The scheme has drawn large numbers of Hongkongers to mainland China, particularly Zhuhai and Zhongshan, for leisure and entertainment.

May 6, 2026

Business

UAE’s Opec exit, why Japan shared Mogami warship design with India: 7 Asia highlights

We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. More Singaporeans are choosing jobs below their qualifications. Here’s why A new survey shows 19.4 per cent of Singapore’s resident workforce had academic qualifications beyond what was required for their job in 2025. 2. Why UAE’s exit from Opec is good news for...

May 6, 2026

Business

Malaysia warns of health risks from heatwave, 2 related deaths recorded this year

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has ordered cloud-seeding operations to be carried out in the worst-affected states The death of the 41-year-old, the island’s first-ever confirmed heatstroke fatality linked to a sporting event, comes as temperatures in Malaysia soar to the mid-30s degrees Celsius. The man from Tampin, Negeri Sembilan, completed the 30km (18 miles) course on April 25, then collapsed from heatstroke. He was rushed to a hospital but died a day later, according to Penang Youth, Sports and Health Committee Chairman Daniel Gooi Zi Zen. The event’s organisers had all the relevant approvals, including provision of medical teams for emergencies and water stations along the running route, he added. “We advise the public taking part in sports to remain aware of their health levels, stay hydrated, and avoid pushing themselves beyond their physical limits,” he said at a press conference in Penang on Monday. On Tuesday, the Malaysian health ministry said 56 cases of heat-related illnesses nationwide had been recorded since January 1, including two deaths – the runner and a two-year-old boy left in a vehicle in Kelantan.

May 6, 2026

Business

Thanks to Trump and Netanyahu, everyone now wants to go nuclear

After waging a war on the pretext of stopping Iran from developing nuclear weapons, the US and Israel have ignited a new arms race And, talking about extermination, what Israel has been doing in Gaza and southern Lebanon speaks for itself. People have long been used to Netanyahu crying wolf with his unrelenting but specious warnings about Iran’s nuclear programme for almost as long as he has been in office. Now, perhaps due to the sheer criminality and brutality of the joint Israeli-American war, even some Western media outlets have become, if not sympathetic, at least less critical of a potentially nuclear-armed Iran. Others are warning of a new round of nuclear proliferation among so-called middle powers. “Iran didn’t have a nuclear weapon before this war. But you can see why it would develop one now,” reads a headline by Guardian columnist Simon Tisdall. “If lawless aggression by ‘might is right’ nuclear-armed powers spreads unchecked, what other option do middle-ranking countries have?”

May 6, 2026

Business

Japan offers Indonesia and the Philippines lethal muscle to counter China

Japan’s defence minister is touring Southeast Asia this week with what analysts describe as a clear, if diplomatically understated, mission: turning Indonesia and the Philippines into harder targets for Chinese maritime ambition. Shinjiro Koizumi landed in Jakarta on Monday to sign a defence cooperation pact with his Indonesian counterpart Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, coming hot on the heels of Tokyo’s landmark decision to lift a decades-old ban on the export of lethal weapons last month. He heads next...

May 6, 2026

Business

Hong Kong researchers develop ‘world-first’ nasal spray for rapid stroke aid

Treatment intended for initial use by paramedics, before being rolled out to high-risk groups in care facilities and eventually the general public through pharmacies Researchers at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) say they have developed a world-first nasal spray that delivers neurotherapeutic powder directly to the brain as first aid for ischemic stroke patients, with clinical trials expected by 2030. The treatment is intended for initial use by paramedics, before being rolled out to high-risk groups in care facilities and eventually the general public through pharmacies. It was developed by the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine at HKU and the university’s Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre. The medicine, known as NanoPowder, is designed to reduce brain damage by more than 80 per cent and improve stroke survival rates. The innovation won the Special Grand Prize and a gold medal at the 51st International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva this year. “We use ‘nano-in-micron’ technology to bypass the blood-brain barrier, a natural shield that typically blocks most drugs from entering the brain,” said Aviva Chow Shing-fung, a professor with the department of pharmacology and pharmacy, who led the research team.

May 6, 2026

Business

Philippine VP Sara Duterte’s impeachment case heads to plenary vote amid coercion claims

Duterte-Carpio’s camp has accused administration allies of pressuring legislators to support the impeachment or risk withdrawal of funds Under the constitution, the articles of impeachment can be sent to the Senate if backed by at least one third of House members, turning the question of numbers into the central drama of Tuesday’s session. The plenary vote is expected on Monday next week at the earliest, but if at least 106 signatures are already attached, the articles can be sent to the Senate immediately without the nominal voting on the floor by each lawmaker. The move pushed one of the country’s most powerful political figures – Marcos’ 2022 running mate and the daughter of former president Rodrigo Duterte – nearer to a trial that could threaten her 2028 presidential run and deepen the feud between the two dynasties. On Monday, the House justice committee voted 55-0 to impeach Duterte-Carpio on four grounds.

May 6, 2026

Business

Japanese citrus farmers switch to avocados as climate change warms soil

Global warming is expected to expand areas suitable for ‘sensitive’ avocados in Japan 2.5-fold or more by the middle of the century Given the challenge of cultivating avocados, the “joy of success is huge”, said Arita, who started with seedlings he acquired from the city government. His avocados now sell for around 5,000 yen (US$32) per kg (2.2lbs). Aided by the local push, output of Matsuyama avocados began gaining momentum in 2009 and in the past decade has jumped over 12-fold from about 600kg in the 2015 financial year to about 7,300kg over the same period in 2024. While suitable areas for cultivating mandarin oranges will gradually shift northwards, many areas that are deemed too warm for citrus fruit will become suitable for avocados, according to the National Agriculture and Food Research Organisation.

May 6, 2026