Hong Kong lawmakers slam proposal to recognise same-sex partnerships Most lawmakers have voiced opposition to a government proposal to establish a system recognising same-sex relationships in Hong Kong in accordance with a landmark court ruling, with some accusing officials of rushing it through and urging them to launch a public consultation on the issue. The proposal to introduce a new registration mechanism through legislation sparked a rare fiery exchange between lawmakers and officials on Thursday. The mechanism, proposed by the government on Wednesday,... image
South China Morning Post
Hong Kong lawmakers slam proposal to recognise same-sex partnerships
Proposal to introduce new registration mechanism through legislation sparks rare fiery exchange between lawmakers and officials.
Japan’s bear attacks surge: is social media clout worth risking life and limb? Police in Japan have issued warnings after three men were injured and one killed in separate bear attacks this week, amid growing alarm not only over the rising number of encounters but also over social media influencers who court danger by seeking out bears to boost their online profiles. A 46-year-old man was killed on Sunday in a forest close to the town of Omachi in Nagano prefecture as he was collecting bamboo shoots. A man who was with him called the police after he was bitten on his arm.... image
South China Morning Post
Japan’s bear attacks surge: is social media clout worth risking life and limb?
Climate change, fewer hunters and shrinking habitats are causing the animals to venture into human territory, naturalist says.
1 Chinese auntie, 5 apps, 60 first dates Just before the pandemic hit, I emerged from a 10-year relationship – newly single and stuck with half a mortgage, a Brompton bike bought on an impulse and a high-maintenance ginkgo tree. After giving myself four months to recover, I bounced back into the dating world, not necessarily looking for a husband (yeah, right) but to conduct what I told myself was an anthropological experiment. So yes, this is about dating. On Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, all while donning the armour of a Chinese diasporic... image
South China Morning Post
Being Chinese | Dating in the UK, Chinese auntie-style
Looking for a life partner as a 40-something Asian woman in the UK, I found success in unexpected ways.
Meet the Hong Kong tour guide offering visitors an Anthony Bourdain-style trip For most visitors to Hong Kong, no trip would be complete without a stop at The Peak to take in the city’s sweeping vistas or a walk along the Avenue of Stars to witness the skyline lit up at night. With such glitzy attractions having become synonymous with the city, few people would ever consider visiting a wet market in one of the city’s poorest neighbourhoods or a public housing estate slated for demolition. But for Hong Kong tour guide Angel Lau Tsz-tung, these lesser-known locations reveal... image
South China Morning Post
Meet the Hong Kong tour guide offering visitors an Anthony Bourdain-style trip
Angel Lau encourages travellers to step beyond the city’s glitzy side and sample lesser-known locations showcasing its true essence.
China women-only bar names drinks after famous women, plus ex-domestic abuse victim A woman in China known as Auntie Jinjin has captivated social media after she overcame violent domestic abuse and became a cleaner with ambition at a women-only bar in Shanghai. She eventually became a bartender and now has a cocktail named after her. Jinjin’s story emerged after a Chinese blogger named Frayeef visited a bar called “Women’s Drinking Society” on May 20 and shared her experience online. Originally from Yunnan province in southwestern China, Jinjin moved to Shanghai after getting... image
South China Morning Post
China women-only bar names drinks after famous women, plus ex-domestic abuse victim
‘Auntie’ who suffered violence at hands of ex-husband works her way up from cleaner to bartender, is honoured for celebrated journey.
‘We are not safe’: murder in Malaysian tech hub fuels student terror The brutal murder of a 20-year-old university student in her dormitory has renewed scrutiny on safety lapses in Cyberjaya, a township hailed in the 1990s as Malaysia’s Silicon Valley but now notorious for crime. Maniishapriet Kaur Akhara, a University of Cyberjaya undergraduate, was found dead on Tuesday due to blunt force trauma to the head, Sepang district police said on Thursday. “Investigation at the scene found no signs of forced entry into the victim’s residence. Further examination of the... image
South China Morning Post
‘We are not safe’: murder in Malaysian tech hub fuels student terror
The 20-year-old’s murder has left thousands of students in Cyberjaya’s largely unmonitored dorms fearing for their lives.
Child sexual abuse cases in Hong Kong nearly double over decade The number of child sexual abuse cases in Hong Kong has nearly doubled over the past decade, reaching more than 500 last year, with over one in five of the perpetrators aged 16 and below, authorities have said amid a rise in harmful incidents targeting youngsters. Lawmakers on Wednesday called for the government to urgently address a rise in the number of younger abusers. They also asked authorities to release the guidelines for the coming mandatory reporting mechanism for suspected child abuse... image
South China Morning Post
Child sexual abuse cases in Hong Kong nearly double over decade
Social Welfare Department data also shows more than 20 per cent of perpetrators in sexual abuse cases last year were 16 years old and below.
Asean can ‘shape its own destiny’ amid US-China rivalry: Singapore PM Wong Southeast Asian countries can shape their own destiny amid the deepening US-China rivalry, and the region seeks to be an “inclusive arena” where both powers are actively engaged, according to Singapore’s prime minister. Lawrence Wong, speaking on Wednesday at a dialogue as part of a World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Tianjin, said countries from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) collectively made up a sizeable economy with “considerable heft”. “Asean has the ability to shape... image
South China Morning Post
Asean can ‘shape its own destiny’ amid US-China rivalry: Singapore PM Wong
At ‘Summer Davos’, Singaporean leader Lawrence Wong says Southeast Asia rejects zero-sum competition and embraces engagement with all powers.
5 Harvard postgraduates opt for Hong Kong’s HKUST after US sanctions Five Harvard University postgraduate students have accepted offers from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) following the United States government’s ban on international student admissions last month. A HKUST spokeswoman confirmed that the university extended offers to six Harvard postgraduate students. “The university has extended admission offers to six postgraduate Harvard offer holders and current students, whose research spans science, technology, humanities, and... image
South China Morning Post
5 Harvard postgraduates opt for Hong Kong’s HKUST after US sanctions
Students from Pakistan, Georgia and mainland China accept offers in response to the US government’s ban on international admissions.
China’s first counterterror chief Liu Yuejin gets suspended death sentence Liu Yuejin, a former senior police officer and China’s first counterterrorism commissioner, has been sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve after being found guilty of taking bribes worth more than 121 million yuan (US$16.83 million). Handing down the sentence on Monday, the Fuzhou Intermediate People’s court in Fujian province ordered that all of Liu’s personal properties be confiscated and his illegal gains turned over to the state. According to state broadcaster CCTV, the court said that... image
South China Morning Post
China’s first counterterror chief Liu Yuejin receives suspended death sentence
Liu, 66, was placed under investigation in March last year. He has been found guilty of taking bribes worth more than 121 million yuan.