AI scientist leaves US for China; domestic helpers in Asia: 5 weekend reads you missed

byVerified News Online

AdvertisementSCMP HighlightsWorldAI scientist leaves US for China; domestic helpers in Asia: 5 weekend reads you missed

From China’s reaction to Maduro’s capture to another AI scientist leaving the US, here are five stories you may have missed over the weekend

Reading Time:1 minuteWhy you can trust SCMP

Domestic helpers gather in Hong Kong’s Central to relax and socialise on their Sunday day off. Photo: Karma Lo

SCMPWe have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.

1. ‘Stop subverting Venezuelan regime’: China urges US to release Maduro

Venezuelans celebrate in Santiago, Chile on January 3, 2026, after US President Donald Trump announced that President Nicolas Maduro had been captured and flown out of Venezuela. Photo: AP
Venezuelans celebrate in Santiago, Chile on January 3, 2026, after US President Donald Trump announced that President Nicolas Maduro had been captured and flown out of Venezuela. Photo: AP

China has expressed “serious concern” over the US capture and forcible removal of the Venezuelan leader, calling on Washington to ensure the personal safety of Nicolas Maduro and his wife and “release them immediately”.

2. Why China is turning down the nationalist heat in its row with Japan

Illustration: Henry Wong
Illustration: Henry Wong

With economic stakes high, Beijing seen as “more cautious in handling external frictions”, avoiding fanning of “uncontrollable” nationalism.

3. AI scientist Ling Haibin, father of first plant ID app, leaves US for China

AdvertisementSelect VoiceChoose your listening speedGet through articles 2x faster1.25×250 WPMSlowAverageFast1.25x

Related Posts

How Hongkongers find their feet in shifting sands of desert kingdom Saudi Arabia

AdvertisementHong Kong economyHong KongHong Kong EconomyHow Hongkongers find their feet in shifting sands of desert kingdom Saudi ArabiaMiddle Eastern country is looking to lure global talent as it diversifies its economy and Hongkongers are among those eyeing opportunities
Reading Time:6 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPVivian AuPublished: 8:30am, 21 Nov 2025Updated: 8:31am, 21 Nov 2025King Leung King-chung was just like many other Hongkongers used to a comfortable life with plenty of entertainment options and different cuisines close at hand – moving to the Arabian Desert to set up a business was the furthest thing from his mind.
AdvertisementLeung, a finance graduate from the University of Hong Kong, had started his own tech start-up that included coding for websites during his second year of study. He then became one of the youngest start-up founders among his batch to join an incubation programme at the city’s Science Park.Following such a promising start, a move to Saudi Arabia after..

Oxford slammed for not naming Indonesian researchers in rare flower find

AdvertisementIndonesiaThis Week in AsiaLifestyle & CultureJoy of rare Indonesian flower find wilts over Oxford’s failure to name local researchersAfter an uproar over the perceived snub, the university named the Indonesian researchers involved in Rafflesia’s rediscovery on social media
Reading Time:4 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPResty Woro YuniarPublished: 10:00am, 4 Dec 2025A recent rediscovery of the extremely rare Rafflesia hasseltii, a giant parasitic red flower, in a forest in Indonesia’s West Sumatra has sparked backlash following an initial social media post by Oxford University that left out local researchers involved in the search and credited only its scientist.The uproar has exposed the perceived lack of equal recognition for Western researchers and their Global South counterparts when they collaborate, and the lingering legacy of colonialism in academia, observers say.
The encounter on November 17 with the white-speckled blossom with its giant petals was made possible throu..

Hong Kong public hospitals’ emergency services run smoothly despite higher fees

AdvertisementHong Kong healthcare and hospitalsHong KongHealth & EnvironmentHong Kong public hospitals’ emergency services run smoothly despite higher feesBut some minority group patients say they were unaware of the HK$400 fee for less urgent conditions
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPLeopold ChenPublished: 12:45pm, 1 Jan 2026Updated: 12:51pm, 1 Jan 2026Emergency services at Hong Kong’s public hospitals have operated smoothly on the first day of the new year despite raising fees for non-urgent cases, but some patients from minority groups said they were unaware of the changes.
Starting on Thursday, New Year’s Day of 2026, patients visiting accident and emergency rooms at Hong Kong public hospitals with less urgent conditions will have to pay higher fees of HK$400 (US$50) per visit.
Meanwhile, the fees for those classified as critical and emergency cases would be waived.
AdvertisementPreviously, emergency services were charged at a flat rate of HK$180.
The new fee regime is..