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Man charged for disturbing public order in China after parachuting off residential building

Following the stunt, Ren – who commanded 60,000 followers – has received a permanent social media ban across major platforms A man in southwestern China has been detained after he skydived from the top of a high-rise building in a residential community. According to a statement by the police authority of Chenghua district in Sichuan province, the 23-year-old man, surnamed Ren, skydived from the top of a tall residential building at 11pm on June 30 in an effort to boost traffic to his social media account. He shared the footage of his extreme sport activity online the next day, the Qilu Evening News reported. The video showed he was quite near residential buildings and trees while jumping with the parachute. Police said Ren’s behaviour had seriously disturbed public order and endangered public safety. He was put under administrative detention which lasted for up to 15 days in China.

July 13, 2026

Business

Hong Kong IB students beat the global average this year. Here’s how they did it

Hong Kong students scored average of 37.02 points for IB, nearly 20 per cent higher than global average of 30.88 Hong Kong’s robust tutoring and exam drilling culture contributed to the exceptional performance of local students in the International Baccalaureate (IB) exams, principals have said, after the city surpassed the average global score by nearly 20 per cent. At least 73 students from 17 Hong Kong schools achieved perfect scores in the latest IB Diploma Programme this year, with official data showing the city’s overall average score and its proportion of top-tier achievers significantly surpassed other regions. Hong Kong students secured an average score of 37.02 points, nearly 20 per cent higher than the global average of 30.88. In comparison, reports from various countries indicate that students in the United Kingdom obtained an average of 35.11, those in Singapore scored 35.67 and pupils in the United Arab Emirates got 34.5. In terms of subject performance, Hong Kong candidates achieved an average grade of 5.83 out of a maximum of seven points, exceeding the global subject average of 4.93.

July 13, 2026

Business

Are HSBC shares set for a turnover bump owing to Hong Kong’s board-lot reform?

The minimum investment of nearly US$8,000 for one of Hongkongers’ favourite stocks is set to drop. The question is how low it will go Brokers expect HSBC Holdings, a staple in the portfolios of Hongkongers, to see a large increase in interest from both local and international investors, as the stock’s minimum trading unit is set to change as part of the stock exchange’s board-lot reform process. Investors have long sought the change for the stock – known as a “widow and orphan” stock, as it pays a high dividend while bearing low risk – because its 400-share lot put it out of reach for many. At that level, retail investors had to spend at least HK$61,600 (US$7,887) to buy HSBC, based on its closing price of HK$154 on Friday. Now, under board lot reform recently introduced by bourse operator Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX), the biggest lender in Hong Kong and Europe is preparing to change its board lot size for the first time in decades.

July 13, 2026

Business

UK deal to serve as testing ground for India’s Western trade ambitions

The pact will be a ‘practical blueprint’ for resolving issues such as tariffs, services and regulatory cooperation, analysts say UK exports in sectors such as luxury vehicles and spirits are expected to benefit, while Indian textiles and leather products will gain as the agreement eliminates tariffs on 99 per cent of exports from India and reduces duties on 90 per cent of British goods, analysts say. “The earliest benefits will be tariff reductions on goods, simplified customs procedures, and improved market access for businesses in the UK and India,” said Christopher Blackburn, a London-based analyst. “Bureaucratic hurdles that have caused headaches in the past will be removed or reduced.” But analysts said the India-UK Free Trade Agreement’s longer-term value would depend on how effectively both governments and businesses handled customs compliance, product standards and other practical barriers to trade. The agreement would provide a “practical blueprint” for resolving issues such as tariffs, services, mobility of people and regulatory cooperation, Blackburn said. “It’s good news for both sides.”

July 13, 2026

Business

US launches more strikes against Iran as conflict over Hormuz escalates

The United States launched several waves of strikes on Iran on Sunday over an Iranian attack on a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz that set it ablaze and left a crew member missing earlier in the weekend. Iran responded with attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Oman – the nation on the other side of the strait that Tehran has pressed to collaborate in managing shipping traffic. The US military said it was seeking “to degrade” Iran’s “ability to attack commercial ships freely...

July 12, 2026

Business

US Senator McConnell breaks silence on his health after weeks of rumours

The 84-year-old Republican senator says he was briefly unconscious and battled mild pneumonia, but rules out a stroke or heart attack Senator Mitch McConnell on Sunday revealed for the first time that a fall led to his hospitalisation, breaking the silence about his condition after weeks of mounting speculation about the Kentucky Republican’s health. McConnell, 84, said in a statement that he was “briefly unconscious” around the time he was first taken to the hospital and has undergone a battery of tests to try and determine what led to his fall. He said he was also treated for mild pneumonia and has been moved to a rehabilitation facility. “My doctors have confirmed that I didn’t break any bones or suffer a concussion. I didn’t have a heart attack or a stroke. I don’t have any tumours or haemorrhages,” McConnell said, adding that he is now “regaining my strength”. McConnell’s statement came on the heels of the unexpected death of his fellow Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. McConnell said he cannot return to the Senate “quite yet”.

July 12, 2026

Business

Hong Kong developers ready new home launches amid forecasts of muted price increases

SHKP released the price list for 120 units at its Garden Regency project in Kam Tin North in the New Territories on Tuesday Some of Hong Kong’s largest developers, including Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP) and Wheelock Properties, are set to release new units in residential projects this month amid an expected cooling of price increases. SHKP, the city’s largest developer in terms of market capitalisation, released the price list for 120 units at its Garden Regency project in Kam Tin North in the New Territories on Tuesday. With maximum discounts of 16 per cent, the flats, ranging between 289 sq ft and 412 sq ft in size, were priced from HK$3.93 million (US$501,000) to HK$5.88 million. Garden Regency is a three-tower project with a total of 566 units with from one to four bedrooms. Meanwhile, Wheelock Properties is poised to launch the first batch of units at its Park Silicon project in Kwu Tung North in the Northern Metropolis. The project is divided into two phases with a total of 781 flats. Layouts range from one to three bedrooms, with two-bedroom units making up the majority.

July 12, 2026

Business

Wu Shicun on why Beijing will not rule out Scarborough Shoal construction

Wu Shicun is the founding president of China’s National Institute for South China Sea Studies and chairman of the Huayang Centre for Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance. In this interview, the first in a series about the South China Sea dispute, he discusses ways Beijing can respond to rival claimants. This interview first appeared in SCMP Plus. For other interviews in the Open Questions series, click here. With Manila intensifying its “transparency” campaign, how does China view the...

July 12, 2026

Business

What does China’s J-16 fighter jet in ‘beast mode’ mean for PLA Air Force patrols?

Extreme loadout configuration suggests a potential extension of the PLA Air Force’s tactical capabilities, Chinese military magazine says In an analysis published this month, Ordnance Science and Technology said the photo of a J‑16 carrying multiple long‑range missiles circulating in May showed that China’s air force had developed more offensive tactical capabilities. “This J-16 sortie used 10 external-weapon hardpoints, already approaching the extreme-load ‘beast mode’, forming a sharp contrast with the restrained loadout methods shown previously,” the article said. “Beast mode” refers to a fighter jet’s maximum-payload configuration, aimed at maximising its single-aircraft ordnance load and sustained combat capability. Chinese state media have used the term to describe other fighter jets operating with a full weapons load. The photo was originally issued by a Chinese aviation oversight body and then quickly spread through international open-source intelligence networks, according to Malaysia-based digital media platform Defence Security Asia.

July 12, 2026

Business

First session of Syria’s parliament convenes after Assad’s ousting

The transitional body is tasked with laying the groundwork for democracy after decades of authoritarian rule and 13 years of civil war Syria’s transitional parliament began its first session on Sunday, tasked with drafting the country’s new constitution and laying the groundwork for democracy after decades of authoritarian rule. Syria’s new authorities dissolved the country’s rubber-stamp legislature after toppling long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, and adopted a temporary constitutional declaration to cover a five-year transition period. In October last year, and in a process criticised as undemocratic, local committees appointed by the electoral commission – which in turn was appointed by President Ahmed al-Sharaa – began selecting two-thirds of the 210 members of the new parliament. The session began on Sunday with 206 members, excluding the Druze-majority Sweida province in the south and a deceased member. Sweida still has not designated its members following sectarian bloodshed there last year, though Sharaa appointed two representatives from there.

July 12, 2026

Business

Hong Kong’s dog-friendly licence scheme triggers fierce online debate

Debate emerges as branch of Cafe 100% in Kam Ying Court Shopping Centre pulls out of dog-friendly scheme, with staff citing safety concerns Hong Kong’s dog-friendly restaurant scheme has sparked a fierce online debate over public hygiene and acceptable pet behaviour, while a branch of a cafe has opted out of the initiative just three days after it took effect. While more than 940 restaurants opened their doors to owners and their dogs last Thursday, clips showing dogs licking plates and sitting on dining tables and chairs have gone viral online. But other internet users have also made the case that many canine diners have been well-behaved. The debate raged as a branch of Cafe 100%, located in Ma On Shan’s Kam Ying Court Shopping Centre, posted a notice outside the premises on Friday saying it had opted out of the policy. A staff member told the South China Morning Post that the cafe had pulled out over safety concerns. “Our space is very tight, and staff are constantly carrying boiling water around, so we are concerned that dogs could easily get hurt,” she said, stressing that the decision was not the result of any complaints.

July 12, 2026

Business

Aung San Suu Kyi will be looked after, Myanmar envoy tells Asean

Suu Kyi is serving a 27-year sentence, ⁠recently commuted by one-third, on a series of charges that her allies said were fabricated to keep her out ‌of politics Foreign ministers from Asean were ⁠told on Sunday by their Myanmar counterpart ⁠that detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi is in good health and would be looked after, ASEAN’s special envoy to Myanmar said. Maria Theresa Lazaro, the Philippine foreign minister, has been seeking access to Suu Kyi, 81, who has been detained since her elected government ‌was ousted in a 2021 military coup. “My recollection of the statement of the Myanmar foreign minister on Aung San Suu Kyi is that she’s in good health and that the premise of how he said this is that she is a relative, she’s a sister and therefore we will take care of her,” Lazaro told a press conference. Suu Kyi is serving a 27-year sentence, ⁠recently commuted by one-third, on a series of charges that her allies said were fabricated to keep her out ‌of politics, including incitement, corruption, election fraud and violations of the state secrets law. She has denied wrongdoing.

July 12, 2026