Syria leader arrives in US for Trump visit after removal from terror blacklist

AdvertisementClimate changeOpinionHong Kong OpinionKen ChuOpinion | When travellers think sustainability, make them think Greater Bay AreaThe joint efforts of policymakers, businesses and young people can help visitors turn climate action into everyday action
Reading Time:4 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPKen ChuPublished: 5:30am, 28 Jul 2025Earlier this year, Hong Kong launched its first fully electric ferry. In June, jurisdictions within the Greater Bay Area development zone marked a national event for the environment. Against this backdrop, a quiet but important shift is under way.AdvertisementPolicymakers in the Greater Bay Area are no longer just thinking about sustainability; they are setting it in motion. With the development zone becoming a hub for experimentation in smart infrastructure and climate innovation, the time is ripe to consider a low-carbon tourism corridor linking cities through cleaner and smarter ways to travel.
Guangdong province, Hong Kong and Macau are already re..

In one of the most dramatic political reversals of the year, President Donald Trump struck an unexpectedly warm tone toward New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani during a meeting at the White House — just weeks after denouncing him as a “communist lunatic” and threatening to cut off federal funding if he won the election. The shift has surprised everyone who had expected a tense encounter, given the bitter exchanges of the campaign. Instead, Trump described Mamdani as a “rational person”, praised his vision for New York and signalled a willingness to work closely with him on affordability and public safety — a remarkable U-turn from the hostility he projected throughout the mayoral race.A surprisingly cordial Oval Office meeting between Trump and MamdaniThe highly anticipated meeting delivered none of the fireworks that had been predicted. Instead, Trump appeared eager to reassure the mayor-elect, repeatedly emphasising areas of agreement and mutual concern. He congratulated Mamdani on h..

President Donald Trump has said Americans could see $2,000 tariff dividend checks in 2026, but no exact date has been set yet, although he hinted at the timeline.The payments are expected to come from revenue raised through tariffs.Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday, Trump said the checks will not arrive in time for the Christmas shopping season. “It will be next year. The tariffs allow us to give a dividend. We’re going to do a dividend and we’re also going to be reducing debt,” he said.The MAGA chief first floated the idea of tariff dividends earlier this month, suggesting that high-income earners would be excluded, though he did not define a specific income threshold. Trump said his Truth Social platform, “A dividend of at $2000 a person (not including high income people!) will be paid to everyone. Those against the tariffs are FOOLS!” Rebate for families making less than $100,000
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent explained last week that the administration was stil..