Hong Kong’s animal welfare laws fail to meet modern demands, experts say

South China Morning Post - Sep 24, 2026

Hong Kong’s existing animal welfare laws are no longer “fit for purpose” to deal with issues around pet abandonment and strays, legal experts have said, urging authorities to expedite long-delayed reforms to the city’s ordinances following a spate of dog attacks. The calls echo comments by Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan, who said on Wednesday that authorities would look at whether existing penalties for pet abandonment should be strengthened and bring suggestions to the...

Read full article

More News

Korean gov't effectively confirms repatriation of North Korean POWs from Ukraine

Korean gov't effectively confirms repatriation of North Korean POWs from Ukraine

The government effectively confirmed the repatriation of North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces, Wednesday, follwoing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's disclosure that two prisoners of war (POWs) had been sent to South Korea. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement, saying Seoul has consistently maintained that the issue should be resolved in a manner that respects the prisoners' free will and complies with international law and humanitarian principles, declining to deny the reports that the two North Korean POWs had come to the country from Ukraine. "Based on this position, we have conducted necessary communication and consultations with Ukraine as well as other relevant countries and institutions," a ministry official was quoted as saying. The ministry declined to provide details about whether individual prisoners had been transferred, or about the timing, route or specific contents of bilateral discussions, citing the sensitive nature of the matter. The government's statement did not deny Zelenskyy's disclosure that the two North Korean prisoners had bee

China’s top priority should be wages, not AI

China’s top priority should be wages, not AI

“Whoever wins with AI wins,” US President Donald Trump has declared, dismissing warnings about the risks of developing artificial intelligence too rapidly and citing rivalry with China. The technological competition is real. China has reason to fear becoming dependent on America for advanced chips and AI technology, particularly as Washington has repeatedly restricted its access to cutting-edge semiconductors. China, meanwhile, is directing enormous resources towards AI. Stanford University’s...

China-Russia space camp in Malaysia opens to youth in Southeast Asia

China-Russia space camp in Malaysia opens to youth in Southeast Asia

While major powers compete in militarised space races and state-led megaprojects, a group comprising a Russian astronaut trainer, Chinese science educators and Malaysian collaborators is laying the groundwork for an international youth space camp. Set to be held in Penang’s rainforest eco-park in late 2027 at the earliest, the week-long programme will gather youth from around the region to inspire future spacefarers, scientists and global citizens through physical exercises, immersion in space...

Warm welcome, trade truce extended: the takeaways as Xi arrives in US

Warm welcome, trade truce extended: the takeaways as Xi arrives in US

Chinese President Xi Jinping was greeted on the tarmac by his American counterpart Donald Trump on Wednesday – a rare gesture ahead of their summit. It is Xi’s first state visit to the United States in over a decade and the two leaders met each other at Joint Base Andrews just after 6pm, alongside their wives Melania Trump and Peng Liyuan. Here are the key takeaways. 1. Trade truce extended As Xi and Peng touched down in America, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News that the two...

4-legged Korean robot runs full marathon on single charge

4-legged Korean robot runs full marathon on single charge

In the world of legged robotics, endurance has long been the ultimate hurdle. While four-legged machines can backflip, negotiate rubble and scale staircases with uncanny agility, their high-performance motors typically drain battery reserves in less than an hour. But along the rural stretches of North Gyeongsang Province, a dog-like machine spent over four hours trotting past orchards and cheering spectators to rewrite the limits of mechanical stamina. Engineers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) developed RAIBO2, a quadrupedal robot that completed a full 42-kilometer marathon on a single battery charge. The landmark feat, detailed this week in the flagship scientific journal Nature, marks the first time robotics research from Korea has graced the main pages of the prestigious publication, signaling a major leap forward for long-distance autonomous field machines. The milestone unfolded during the annual Sangju Dried Persimmon Marathon — a local race named after the agricultural region’s famous fruit — where RAIBO2 lined up alongside human runners as

Peng Liyuan and Melania Trump renew acquaintance as Xi arrives in US

Peng Liyuan and Melania Trump renew acquaintance as Xi arrives in US

Chinese first lady Peng Liyuan shared a light moment with Melania Trump on Wednesday as the two women renewed an acquaintance dating back to the Trumps’ first term in the White House. The first ladies smiled as they greeted each other at the foot of the aircraft stairs at Joint Base Andrews, where Peng arrived with President Xi Jinping for a visit to Washington. Walking behind their husbands along the red carpet, Peng gestured towards the honour guard, apparently remarking on the soldiers’...

Can the US and China verify an AI deal? Start-ups are starting to build the tools

Can the US and China verify an AI deal? Start-ups are starting to build the tools

There are growing calls for Washington and Beijing to agree to slow down development of artificial intelligence. But even if they wanted to do so, how could they verify that the other side would do the same? A group of researchers and start-ups is developing technology intended to make this a possibility, without relying on trust alone. Their proposed tools would allow third parties and governments to check some claims about how AI models are being trained or used – possibly without needing...

US restricts visas for birth tourism ahead of Xi Jinping’s summit with Trump

US restricts visas for birth tourism ahead of Xi Jinping’s summit with Trump

Hours before Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the US for a high-stakes summit, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio moved to restrict visas for those who “engage in or facilitate” birth tourism, a practice the Trump administration has increasingly accused China of. “By restricting visa issuance of those who both engage in and profit from this fraud, we are sending a clear message: the United States will not allow foreigners to exploit our immigration system and violate the sanctity of US...

Xi lands in US for high-stakes summit with Trump amid deep tensions

Xi lands in US for high-stakes summit with Trump amid deep tensions

Chinese President Xi Jinping landed at Joint Base Andrews late Wednesday afternoon after a 15-hour flight where he was met on the tarmac by US President Donald Trump in an unusual move for a top American leader as the two sides extended a trade truce. The closely watched visit – Xi’s first summit in the United States in 11 years – comes as the two nations grapple with a host of thorny issues beneath the flowery language and statements of friendship, including artificial intelligence, critical...

China is leveraging its diaspora to boost the economy, unlike India

China is leveraging its diaspora to boost the economy, unlike India

A country’s diaspora can be a symbol of its pride and power. A nation’s diaspora can help it build international value through success stories, promote its soft power through culture and contribute to its economic progress through remittances, investments and transfers of expertise. India and China have among the world’s largest diasporas. They also offer two very different models of how countries can leverage their diasporas. In India, before the 1991 reforms, people mostly saw those who left...

Xi calls for cooperation with US after Trump’s airport welcome – as it happened

Xi calls for cooperation with US after Trump’s airport welcome – as it happened

This live article is freely available to our registered users. Please log in or create an account. Unrivalled Xi-Trump summit analysis: get real-time updates and exclusive boots-on-the-ground reporting from our US and China bureaus. Subscribe now with great savings to stay ahead. President Xi Jinping met US President Donald Trump at Maryland’s Joint Base Andrews airbase, in the first face-to-face talks between the Chinese and American leaders since Trump visited Beijing in May. On this first...

Recommended

Asia Viral News

Asia Viral News features the latest and most trending news from Asia. Get ready to immerse yourself in the daily engaging topics with share-worthy news only in Asia Viral News.

ABOUT US
Newsletter

Copyright © 2015 - 2026 Asia Viral News. All Rights Reserved.