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Palestinians inspect the damage to a house targeted by an Israeli strike in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, Saturday (AP photo) Israel launched airstrikes on Hamas targets in Gaza on Saturday, raising questions on the fragile ceasefire that began on October 10. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said five senior Hamas members were killed. Gaza health officials reported 24 deaths and 54 injuries, including children, as reported by Associated Press. The strikes followed reported gunfire at Israeli troops and came shortly after the UN Security Council approved a US-backed plan for Gaza’s security and governance. The plan authorises an international stabilisation force, sets up a transitional authority overseen by President Donald Trump, and outlines a possible path to Palestinian statehood. Israel has carried out similar strikes after previous alleged ceasefire violations. Health officials said 33 Palestinians, mostly women and children, were killed over a 12-hour period..

AdvertisementArtificial intelligenceTechTech TrendsAnt Group’s LingGuang vibe coding app hits 1 million downloads in just 4 daysLingGuang, an AI app that generates custom software applications, sees a surge in popularity
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPVincent ChowPublished: 9:00am, 23 Nov 2025Ant Group’s new “vibe coding” artificial intelligence app LingGuang has overwhelmed servers after user downloads surpassed 1 million in just four days, hitting the milestone faster than OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Sora, according to the Chinese fintech giant.AdvertisementThe app’s innovative functionality of generating applications in response to users’ text prompts was temporarily suspended on Thursday evening, with the company attributing the issue to excessive usage in a post on Weibo.As of Saturday, LingGuang occupied the top spot on Apple’s mainland China App Store for free utilities apps and seventh overall for free apps. “This milestone means LingGuang is a key player worth following ..

AdvertisementHong Kong politicsHong KongPoliticsExclusive | Hong Kong’s comeback queen Regina Ip reflects on 50-year career in public serviceAfter bringing a 17-year stint as a lawmaker to a close, Regina Ip also reveals her behind-the-scenes struggles that led to her decision
Reading Time:6 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPJeffie LamPublished: 9:00am, 23 Nov 2025Updated: 9:02am, 23 Nov 2025Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee was in no mood for messing about. Pointing her index finger at reporters one October morning inside Hong Kong’s legislature, she sternly signalled for them to get out of her way.
Advertisement“Don’t block my way to the meeting,” she said. “Move away.”
Her demeanour seemed to hark back to an Ip of an earlier era – the fiery, hardline security minister who spearheaded national security legislation in 2003 – while others read it as a hint that the veteran politician was about to bid a reluctant farewell to the legislature.
It was not clear then whether the 75-year-old ex-official turn..

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..

Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani met for a high‑stakes meeting at the White House on Sunday. This was a remarkable step in MAGA politics given the New York City mayor‑elect’s socialist Democrat stance, and the GOP leader even entertaining him at his office in the first place.As the two contrasting poles of the ideological spectrum faced each other, it was expected that Mamdani would find himself in a tough, intimidating environment, with reporters asking questions that reflected what many in the MAGA audience wanted to know about what a left‑leaning Mamdani would do to govern in the wealthiest city in America.At 34, Mamdani will be the youngest New York mayor in more than a century. Trump, a 79‑year‑old POTUS, is the oldest person elected to be commander‑in‑chief.10 key moments from the Oval Office
'He will convince me, or I will convince him.' — POTUSTrump: “There will be topics that we disagree on. I think we’ll probably come to a conclusion. Ultimately, it’s for the good of..

For Henry Hung Chi-kuen, a veteran of the plumbing and drainage industry with more than 60 years of experience, toilets are not only how he earns his living but also something of an obsession.
“Wherever I go [around the world], the first place I go [to] is the public toilet,” he said enthusiastically.
The 78-year-old also buys toilet-themed souvenirs from different countries, proudly displaying them behind his desk.
Often referred to as “Dr Toilet”, Hung is a founding member and president of a…

AdvertisementSemiconductorsTechTech TrendsMemory chip prices surge amid strong demand from the AI sector: analystsThe price increase is set to be turbocharged once Nvidia starts using certain memory chips in its AI servers, Counterpoint Research says
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPIris Dengin ShenzhenPublished: 9:00am, 22 Nov 2025The steep rise in memory chip prices is expected to continue on the back of heightened demand from the artificial intelligence industry, while average consumers are likely to pay more for a new smartphone, according to analysts.AdvertisementMemory chip prices were forecast to increase 30 per cent in the fourth quarter this year and a further 20 per cent in 2026, following a 50 per cent surge year to date, Counterpoint Research said in a report on Thursday.
The higher cost reflects the rapid shift in strategy for the major memory chipmakers, as they focus more on supplying large-capacity storage products for enterprises involved in AI projects and ..

COP 30 venue in Brazil
A fire ripped through several pavilions at the COP30 climate summit in Belem on Thursday, triggering evacuations and stalling negotiations just as delegates entered a decisive phase.The blaze, which tore through the roof of a temporary structure at the entrance to the venue, sent thousands of attendees fleeing as smoke rapidly filled enclosed corridors, according to AFP.Organisers said the fire was extinguished within six minutes, but 13 people were treated for smoke inhalation and the entire site was shut down until late evening, reported the Associated Press. The incident occurred on the penultimate day of the conference, where nearly 200 nations are attempting to resolve disputes over fossil-fuel transition, climate finance and trade-linked measures.Around 4.20 pm, the COP30 presidency said the blaze had been brought under control “with limited damage,” but confirmed that delegates would not be allowed back into the negotiation halls until later Thursday even..

AdvertisementDonald TrumpWorldUnited States & Canada‘Punishable by death’: Trump suggests ‘seditious’ Democrats should be executedUS president calls lawmakers ‘traitors’ for urging the military to refuse what they called illegal orders
Reading Time:4 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPAssociated PressPublished: 8:38am, 21 Nov 2025Updated: 8:45am, 21 Nov 2025US President Donald Trump on Thursday accused half a dozen Democratic lawmakers of sedition “punishable by DEATH” after the lawmakers – all veterans of the armed services and intelligence community – called on US military members to uphold the Constitution and defy “illegal orders”.
AdvertisementThe 90-second video was first posted early Tuesday from Senator Elissa Slotkin’s X account. In it, the six lawmakers – Slotkin, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, and Representatives Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander and Chrissy Houlahan – speak directly to US service members, whom Slotkin acknowledges are “under enormous stress and pressure r..

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..