Chinese police make arrests in Henan banking scandal that has put spotlight on financial risks
Police have arrested the ‘first batch’ of suspects in relation to a cash crisis at rural banks in Henan and Anhui provinces, a case which has highlighted risks among China’s small lenders. ⌘ Read more

‘I wanted to ease his burden’: 10-year-old boy in China gives 3-year savings as Father’s Day gift to help pay for younger sister’s cancer treatment
A boy in China donated three years of savings as a Father’s Day gift to support his family as they tried to pay for his little sister’s leukaemia treatment. ⌘ Read more

Indonesia looks to Singapore to offload its surplus chickens
Indonesia produces 55 million to 60 million chickens per week and currently has a surplus. Singapore has been scrambling to find alternative supply sources since Malaysia restricted poultry exports. ⌘ Read more

Coronavirus: hotel quarantine for top Hong Kong officials, advisers and lawmakers cut to 1 day ahead of July 1 celebrations; city logs 1,186 local cases
According to a memo seen by the Post, guests at celebratory events to mark handover will have to undergo seven days of self-management from June 23 to 29. ⌘ Read more

China’s tattoo ban for minors criticised as circular logic and irrational fear of difference, but many welcome new rules
A national ban on tattoos for minors in China has won praise from some but a number of people have questioned the need for such a ban and criticised growing state intervention into people’s private lives. ⌘ Read more

Fears for judo’s future in Japan as bullied, burnt-out children quit in their droves
Corporal punishment, pressure to lose weight and a brutal win-at-all costs mentality are driving large numbers of children to quit judo in Japan, raising fears for the sport’s future in its traditional powerhouse. ⌘ Read more

Taiwan’s Thunderbolt-2000 rocket system explodes during live-combat training
Artillery multiple launch rocket system, built by Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, jammed during launch, says defence ministry. ⌘ Read more

Three generations of Filipino-New Zealand family killed in ‘shocking’ crash
The family were travelling home to Auckland when their Toyota Hiace van hit a truck and was almost completely destroyed. Seven people, including a ‘young Taiwanese’ woman’s baby, died. ⌘ Read more

China’s coronavirus controls top concern for European firms, who may ‘vote with their feet’ if uncertainty persists
Beijing’s stringent approach to containing Omicron outbreaks is the biggest challenge for European businesses in China for the second year running, a new survey by a business lobby shows. ⌘ Read more

Wealth gap between Hong Kong’s crazy rich, miserably poor widens since handover
Top 10 per cent earn 40 times more than bottom 10 per cent who are struggling to make ends meet. ⌘ Read more

Hong Kong’s environmental issues, from plastic pollution to filthy air to food waste, and the people fighting them
From filthy air to plastic pollution to food waste, the city’s environmental and sustainability challenges are growing ever larger. Here are some of the people tackling them. ⌘ Read more

Beijing wants this Guangzhou district to become young Hongkongers ‘new home’, but what will make it work?
Heads of Hong Kong-based associations urge incoming government to support proposal to turn Guangzhou district of Nansha into ‘new home’ for young talent. ⌘ Read more

Australian PM Albanese should demand US drops prosecution of Julian Assange, ex-minister urges
A former Australian foreign minister has called for newly elected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to demand that the United States drop its prosecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. ⌘ Read more

NetEase delays highly anticipated release of Diablo Immortal in big setback for China’s No. 2 gaming company amid ongoing Weibo ban
The delay of the release, after a four-year wait, is a big setback for China’s No. 2 gaming company, which is also enduring a Weibo posting ban on the game’s official account. ⌘ Read more

‘Rusty’ aviation industry needs time to get flowing again, with passengers facing higher ticket prices amid rising fuel costs and staff shortages, Qantas chief warns
Passengers, including some from Hong Kong, have already endured long queues, flight delays and cancellations at European airports. ⌘ Read more

Burger King Japan swaps French fries for ramen after running low on potatoes
The fast food chain has started selling what it calls the ‘almost-potato set’, featuring a burger and a side of crunchy ramen noodles. Some customers aren’t too thrilled about the switch. ⌘ Read more

Inspiring memories of Harrow International’s first decade
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When the first intake of pupils arrived at Harrow International School Hong Kong back in 2012, they were no doubt experiencing the usual mixed sensations of anxiety and hope.

They were entering the unfamiliar environment of a brand-new boarding school, which sought to blend the traditional principles of a British-style education with aspects of in … ⌘ Read more

China resists loan rate cuts, keeps lending benchmark unchanged in June
China’s one-year loan prime rate (LPR) and five-year LPR, which is the reference for mortgages, remained unchanged, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) said on Monday. ⌘ Read more

Rights and wrongs of US-China dispute over the Taiwan Strait
China is correct that the Taiwan Strait is not ‘international waters’. And the US is right that warships and warplanes have the right to pass through. But for the US, exercising that right is a political decision and complicates the issue of the status of Taiwan and the one-China policy. ⌘ Read more

Beijing underlines its jurisdiction and desire for urgent action by laying down targets for incoming Hong Kong leader, analysts say
‘The new team must have the sense of a mission to deliver after taking up their positions in July,’ one expert says. ⌘ Read more

Will Malaysia see a fresh influx of Rohingya refugees as life in Bangladesh, Myanmar gets worse?
Over 600 Rohingya were arrested trying to reach Malaysia in the past seven months – and activists say desperate conditions in Myanmar and Bangladesh are forcing more to risk the perilous sea voyage. ⌘ Read more

Colombia elects former guerilla Gustavo Petro as first leftist president
Petro beat construction magnate Rodolfo Hernandez with an unexpectedly wide margin of some 719,975 votes. ⌘ Read more

Coronavirus: elderly Hongkongers turn to expressive arts therapy to ease pandemic blues
The treatment has helped elderly residents suffering from long Covid open up and come out of their shell, says therapist Janet Li Wai-chong. ⌘ Read more

Next US election may prove most dangerous time for Taiwan, warns veteran US diplomat Chas Freeman
Richard Nixon’s former interpreter says Beijing may view the election of a supporter of Taiwan’s independence as something it must respond to ⌘ Read more

EU seeks to release Ukrainian grain stuck due to Russia’s sea blockade
The EU supports efforts by the United Nations to broker a deal to resume Ukraine’s sea exports in return for easing Russian food and fertiliser exports, but that would need Moscow’s green light. ⌘ Read more

Ukraine war: Rabat urges ‘fair trial’ for Moroccan appealing death penalty
Brahim Saadoun, a Moroccan citizen born in 2000, was sentenced to death on June 9 along with two British men by a court in Donetsk, a self-proclaimed statelet in eastern Ukraine. ⌘ Read more

World swimming’s governing body bans transgender athletes from women’s events
Fina members voted 71.5 per cent in favour of its new ‘gender inclusion policy’ that only permits swimmers who transitioned before age 12 to compete in women’s events. ⌘ Read more

Macron to lose French parliament majority in blow for reform plans, projections indicate
The French president was set to lose his majority after major election gains by a newly formed left-wing alliance and the far-right. ⌘ Read more

Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis arrested in Italy over sexual assault claims
The alleged victim had been staying with Haggis ahead of the festival, prosecutors said. ‘The suspect allegedly forced the young woman … to undergo sexual intercourse,’ they said. ⌘ Read more

After British journalist’s murder in the Amazon, can his vision survive?
Dom Phillips wrote about Brazil for 15 years and asked President Jair Bolsonaro in 2019 how he intended to demonstrate Brazil’s commitment to protect the Amazon region. ⌘ Read more

Israel’s foreign minister Yair Lapid to visit Türkiye amid security jitters
Israel has warned its citizens against travel to Türkiye, citing suspected assassination or abduction plots by Iran. ⌘ Read more

How the US’ Xinjiang labour law has crippled China’s cotton industry before even entering effect
Even though the Uygur Forced Labour Prevention Act does not take effect until Tuesday, traders in China’s Xinjiang region say losses have been mounting for months, as buyers shun what was once prized as the world’s most expensive cotton. ⌘ Read more

US: China ‘engages in unfair trade practices’ but tariffs serve ‘no strategic purpose’
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said China ‘engages in range of unfair trade practices’ but ‘the tariffs we inherited, some serve no strategic purpose’. ⌘ Read more

‘True Independence Day’: US parades, speeches, commemorate ‘end of slavery’
Citizens across the country are marking ‘Juneteenth’, the June 19, 1865 end of the legal enslavement of black Americans. ⌘ Read more

Incoming Hong Kong leader John Lee vows US sanctions will not interfere with safeguarding national security
John Lee says sanctions imposed by ‘some bullying countries’ will not deter him and his government from their ‘must-fulfil’ responsibility. ⌘ Read more

China chalks up success in push to promote favoured candidates on international bodies
The country’s representative has secured another term on a leading UN maritime body that rules on important economic and political disputes. ⌘ Read more

Who will help John Lee run Hong Kong? A quick guide to old and new faces on his governing team
Among 21 key figures, seven are from incumbent administration, two have been promoted from undersecretary, six are serving or recently retired civil servants, and another six are newcomers. ⌘ Read more

China names Han ex-environmental protection officer to head ethnic affairs office
Pan Yue will be the second member of China’s dominant ethnic group to head the office responsible for minorities. ⌘ Read more

Kelly Holmes, 52, British Olympic athletics champion, comes out as gay after ‘years of heartache’
Dame Kelly, a former army officer who won two golds in Athens in 2004, said she had known she was gay since she was 17 but hid her sexuality over fear of repercussions. ⌘ Read more

Resuming quarantine-free travel with mainland China to be top priority, Hong Kong’s incoming health minister says
Dr Lo Chung-mau says he intends to form anti-epidemic measures rooted in evidence to reconnect Hong Kong with mainland China and the wider world. ⌘ Read more

Philippines: Duterte’s daughter Sara sworn in early as vice-president
Sara Duterte-Carpio’s six-year term with President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jnr does not officially start until June 30, when he will be inaugurated. Marcos was at Sunday’s swearing in event, as was current leader President Rodrigo Duterte. ⌘ Read more

URA to spend HK$500 million renovating 4 older areas of Hong Kong, with focus on preventive maintenance of ageing buildings
Urban Renewal Authority to focus on Kowloon City, Yau Ma Tei, Mong Kok and Sham Shui Po, among other areas, over five years ⌘ Read more

Chinese President Xi Jinping says country has won an ‘overwhelming’ victory in corruption battle – but warns more work is needed to tackle problem
In a speech to the Politburo, Xi says he hopes that officials will not even by tempted by corrupt activities. ⌘ Read more

Germany plans for more coal amid Russia gas supply drop: ‘bitter but necessary’
Nation will try to compensate for gas reduction by increasing the burning of coal, a more polluting fossil fuel. ⌘ Read more

‘Lessons to be learned for Ukraine’: Dutch PM apologises to Bosnia peacekeepers
Mark Rutte apologised to Dutch UN peacekeepers overwhelmed in 1995 by Serb forces; veterans were right to ask, ‘where was the world?’. ⌘ Read more

Hit TV show brings back forgotten ancient Chinese ceremony involving intricate calligraphy and patterns in whipped tea
A popular period drama showing an ancient form of drinkable art called chabaixi, literally meaning ‘a hundred tricks with tea’ has renewed interest in the long-forgotten art. ⌘ Read more

Japan: 5.2 magnitude earthquake hits west coast’s Ishikawa, ‘no tsunami threat’
The quake struck a few minutes after 3pm local time Sunday. The government was gathering information but said initial reports indicated no major damage and nuclear facilities were operating normally. ⌘ Read more

Disappeared Chinese coal tycoon who took on top judge to hear appeal verdict
Case relates to judicial scandal involving lost court papers, a celebrity whistle-blower and a jailed judge who ruled on Zhao’s mining dispute with state firm. ⌘ Read more

Japan debates getting a nuclear submarine – but Kishida’s ‘not so sure’
Opposition parties have called for Japan to acquire the capability ‘to increase deterrence’ amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Chinese military assertiveness. ⌘ Read more

China scientists find a grain of hope in climate change rice research
Study identifies a pair of genes in the staple that could be tweaked to improve its tolerance to heat stress. ⌘ Read more