Don’t subject Hong Kong’s private sports clubs to dubious lease changes

South China Morning Post - Nov 12, 2026

The Hong Kong government has set forth on a course of action which seems destined to upset large swathes of the middle class, including senior personnel from finance, business, technology and academia. These are the very people whose presence here underpins our professed economic development strategy. I am referring, of course, to the discussions now reaching a climax on the terms for extending the leases of private recreation clubs. The government has set the end of this year as the deadline...

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Did China and Cuba fund US socialists? Florida’s attorney general demands answers

Did China and Cuba fund US socialists? Florida’s attorney general demands answers

Florida’s attorney general has issued an investigative subpoena to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) to determine whether the group accepted money or other support from the Chinese and Cuban governments. Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the move in a video posted on social media on Tuesday, saying his office wanted to establish whether the organisation “accepted contributions or support from foreign sources of concern, including the regimes in Cuba and China”, and whether its...

Rubio, Wang hold phone call before Xi-Trump meeting next week

Rubio, Wang hold phone call before Xi-Trump meeting next week

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone call with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday to finalise preparations for next week’s meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Shenzhen, China. “The two heads of state agreed to enrich the connotation of a new vision of China-US relations, providing clearer strategic guidance for exploring a right approach for the two countries to get along with each other,” Chinese state news agency Xinhua quoted Wang as...

Angola celebrates independence, reaffirms commitment to unity, peace, development

Angola celebrates independence, reaffirms commitment to unity, peace, development

Nov. 11 holds a special place in Angola’s history. It marks the achievement of freedom, sovereignty and the right of a people to determine their own destiny. On this day in 1975, Angola proclaimed its national independence, bringing an end to a long period of colonial rule and beginning a new chapter in its history as a sovereign nation. Independence was achieved through years of resistance, sacrifice and struggle by thousands of Angolans who believed in a free and independent country capable of shaping its own future. Driven by patriotism and a shared aspiration for freedom, men and women contributed to the historic journey that culminated in the proclamation of independence on Nov. 11, 1975, by Angola’s first president, António Agostinho Neto. The years that followed were profoundly affected by armed conflict, which continued until 2002. The loss of human lives, displacement of communities, destruction of infrastructure and disruption of agricultural production and education left lasting consequences. Reconstruction required not only the rebuilding of roads, schools and hospitals

How Disney+'s 'The Remarried Empress' wins over Gen Z, global viewers

How Disney+'s 'The Remarried Empress' wins over Gen Z, global viewers

Disney+’s new Korean original series "The Remarried Empress" features Korean actors addressing one another with Western names while navigating a fictional European-style empire in elaborate gowns and military uniforms. When the initial teaser trailers were released, some viewers expressed skepticism, comparing the visual aesthetic to a cosplay convention. However, upon its official premiere on Nov. 3, the series completely shattered expectations. Within just three days of release, the drama officially became the most-watched Disney+ local original series of all time worldwide, based on cumulative global views. Audience feedback across global fan platforms has mirrored this enthusiasm. Viewers who binged the first four episodes highlighted its "slow, subtle, addictive royal drama vibe." Fans on Reddit praised the adaptation as "visually stunning" with a "fairytale-like feel," admitting that while anyone expecting a literal live-action translation of the webtoon might be surprised, it remains deeply rewarding as a "K-drama in its own right." Ultimately, audiences voiced genuine appreci

Fire breaks out again at shantytown in southern Seoul; no injuries reported

Fire breaks out again at shantytown in southern Seoul; no injuries reported

A fire broke out early Wednesday at a shantytown in Seoul's southern ward of Gangnam, but firefighters fully extinguished the blaze, officials said, with no injuries reported. The fire began at a home in Guryong Village at 4:28 a.m. before fire authorities put it out at 6:27 a.m. after mobilizing 105 personnel and 32 vehicles. Authorities plan to investigate the exact cause of the fire. The latest fire at the village came about two weeks following the Oct. 27 fire that forced 39 people to flee and left one person with a minor injury. Many of the makeshift homes illegally built in the town are prone to fires as they are built with highly flammable materials.

Korea adds 139,000 jobs in October, above 100,000 for 4th month

Korea adds 139,000 jobs in October, above 100,000 for 4th month

Korea added 139,000 jobs in October from a year earlier, government data showed Wednesday, with job growth exceeding the 100,000 mark for the fourth consecutive month. The number of employed people came to 29.17 million in October, compared with 29.04 million a year earlier, according to data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics. Job growth turned positive in June after declining by 40,000 in May, the first drop in 17 months. The country's jobless rate came to 2 percent last month, down 0.2 percentage point from a year earlier. The number of unemployed people totaled 602,000 in October, down 56,000 from the same month in 2025. The employment rate for people aged 15 to 64 came to 70.4 percent, up 0.3 percentage point from a year earlier. The figure for those aged 15 to 29, on the other hand, fell 1.7 percentage points to 42.9 percent.

HRW urges UN to address N. Korean human rights situation alongside security issues

HRW urges UN to address N. Korean human rights situation alongside security issues

WASHINGTON — Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged the United Nations to address North Korea's human rights situation alongside security issues in future diplomatic engagement with Pyongyang. In a commentary published Monday, the New York-based rights group, citing a recent U.N. report highlighting deepening repression in the country, said the U.N. General Assembly should recommend that future dialogue with North Korea address human rights and security concerns together, rather than treating them as separate issues. "Security and rights issues need to be addressed together. The U.N. General Assembly has the power to forge these connections, even as the Security Council remains deadlocked," Audrey Gregg, HRW's senior coordinator for Asia, wrote in a commentary published Monday. "Security and rights issues need to be addressed together. Gregg added that North Korean rights issues should not be displaced by the focus on security issues, as the United States and South Korea pursue diplomatic dialogues with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The commentary came after U.N. Special Rapporteur Eliz

'Dead-End Job' tops Netflix's non-English TV chart

'Dead-End Job' tops Netflix's non-English TV chart

The Korean original series "Dead-End Job" has topped Netflix's non-English TV series chart, the streaming platform said Wednesday. The Netflix series, released Oct. 30, accumulated 8.7 million views during the latest tracking week ending Sunday, according to Netflix. The series, starring Lee Jae-wook and Kim Min-ha, blends horror and black comedy and satirizes South Korea's grind culture. It landed in the top 10 in 76 countries and topped the chart in 22 of them, including South Korea, Bolivia, Egypt, Indonesia and Vietnam. The Korean medical drama series "Doctor X: Mafia in White" ranked No. 4 with 3.7 million views. Based on the Japanese series "Doctor-X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon," it follows genius surgeon Gye Su-jeong (Kim Ji-won), who challenges corruption in her hospital. In the English film category, "KPop Demon Hunters" ranked No. 10, marking its 69th week in the top 10. It accumulated 2.8 million views and reached the top 10 in four countries.

Justice minister nominee reiterates special counsel role over indictments against Lee

Justice minister nominee reiterates special counsel role over indictments against Lee

Justice Minister nominee Lee Yong-cheol on Wednesday reiterated that a special counsel probe into allegedly fabricated indictments against President Lee Jae Myung should focus on uncovering the truth, declining to offer a clear stance on whether he would seek to drop the indictments. His remarks come after the National Assembly passed the special counsel bill last week, which the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) has criticized as being aimed at ultimately canceling all indictments against the president. "As I said earlier, now is the time to focus on uncovering the truth, while there is no change to my stance that the rest should follow the law and principles," the nominee told reporters outside his office. He earlier emphasized the role of the special counsel probe Monday following his nomination Friday. When asked about whether he would order an investigation based on the special counsel probe results, the nominee declined to comment, noting that the special counsel has yet to even launch. "I will watch the special counsel's fact-finding activities without any presumptions or pr

Korea ranks 10th place in global AI, digital competitiveness

Korea ranks 10th place in global AI, digital competitiveness

Korea came in 10th place among 70 countries in a global digital and artificial intelligence (AI) competitiveness ranking, the science ministry said Wednesday. The country moved up eight spots from the previous year, according to the report published by the International Institute for Management Development, a Swiss-based business school, according to the ministry. Taking the top spot this year was the United States, rising from its fourth spot a year ago. Canada, however, lost its top-spot position to be ranked at fifth place this year. Among countries in the Asia-Pacific region, Singapore was ranked second place, China came in at seventh place, and Japan ranked 19th place. By category, Korea ranked third in the technology infrastructure and efficiency metrics. The country ranked first place in the research and development expenditure per gross domestic product category and ranked eighth in the AI adaptation index, the ministry said. The science ministry added that Korea's rise in overall rankings was a result of the government's policy efforts and the country's strong resilience, and vowe

Revised regional currency swap arrangement takes effect

Revised regional currency swap arrangement takes effect

A revision of the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation (CMIM), a multilateral currency swap arrangement among Korea, China, Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), took effect Wednesday, the Bank of Korea said. All 13 members of the ASEAN+3 group have completed their internal procedures for signing the revised agreement, which was endorsed at the ASEAN+3 Finance Ministers' and Central Bank Governors' Meeting in May 2025, according to the BOK. The revised CMIM includes the Rapid Financing Facility, which provides prompt financial assistance to members facing urgent balance of payments needs. It took effect Wednesday, seven days after the completion of the signing procedures, the central bank said. Launched in 2010, the CMIM is a multilateral currency swap arrangement among ASEAN+3 members aimed at providing liquidity to member economies in times of financial crisis. The facility has a total pool of $240 billion, with Korea contributing $38.4 billion.

S. Korean FM stresses bilateral trust following meeting with Ukraine counterpart

S. Korean FM stresses bilateral trust following meeting with Ukraine counterpart

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun stressed mutual respect and trust as the foundation for bilateral relations during his talks with Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha, the Korean foreign ministry said. It was their first meeting since a deepening rift emerged between the two countries over Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's September disclosure of the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea. The two ministers met Tuesday (local time) on the sidelines of the Group of Seven foreign ministers’ meeting in France. "Cho stressed that mutual respect, trust and the faithful implementation of agreements between countries are fundamental prerequisites for developing bilateral relations, expressing hope that all pending issues between the two countries will be resolved amicably," the ministry said in a press release. The remarks are widely seen as a reiteration of Seoul’s demand that Ukraine apologize for the disclosure, which South Korea says the two sides had agreed to keep confidential. The ministry did not say whether the two ministers directly discussed the POW

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