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Ras Al Khaimah’s haunted landmark 'The Al Qasimi Palace' listed up for sale by the original owner. Image: Ras Al Khaimah tourism One of the UAE’s most talked‑about landmarks – the long‑abandoned Al Qasimi Palace, better known for decades as Ras Al Khaimah’s “haunted” mansion, has been listed for sale at AED 25 million. The four‑storey palace in the emirate’s Al Dhait district is open for purchase only to Emirati nationals under local property laws. Current owner Tareq Ahmad Al Sharhan confirmed the listing, noting that his decision is an investment move rather than an attempt to capitalise on the building’s reputation.Built in 1985 by the late Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Humaid Al Qasimi, the property originally served as a private residence for members of the ruling family. Spanning 20,000 square metres with 35 rooms, the structure combines Islamic, Moroccan, Persian, and Indian stylistic influences.Construction was reported to have cost over AED 500 million, with interiors featuri..

AdvertisementUS-China trade warUSDiplomacyDonald Trump to meet with China’s Xi Jinping next Thursday in South Korea for crunch talksWhite House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump departs for Malaysia on Friday night and will also visit Japan, before meeting Xi
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPBochen Hanin WashingtonPublished: 6:57am, 24 Oct 2025US President Donald Trump will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on October 30 in South Korea, the White House confirmed.
Advertisement“On Thursday morning local time, President Trump will participate in a bilateral meeting with President Xi of the People’s Republic of China,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a briefing on Thursday.
The meeting between the two leaders will take place at the end of a trip by the US president to Asia, which will begin in Malaysia, continue to Japan and conclude in South Korea, where this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit is being held.
While Trump has sa..

AdvertisementArchaeology and palaeontologyWorldUnited States & CanadaRare duck-billed dinosaur ‘mummies’ reveal a surprise: hoofed feetEdmontosaurus fossils had large areas of preserved external skin surface, providing the most fleshed-out view of a large dinosaur to date
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPReutersPublished: 6:36am, 24 Oct 2025Two fossilised “mummies” unearthed by scientists in the badlands of Wyoming of the duck-billed dinosaur Edmontosaurus reveal the external anatomy in exquisite detail, including the surprising presence of hooves on the feet – a first for any dinosaur.
AdvertisementThe two Edmontosaurus individuals, dating to the very end of the dinosaur age 66 million years ago, were a young adult roughly 12.2 metres (40ft) long and a two-year-old juvenile about half that length.
The contours of the external fleshy surface of the two dinosaurs were preserved over the skeleton by a thin clay layer about one-hundredth of an inch (0.025cm) thick that formed a..

Image Via Peach Jars' Instagram A new viral clip has sparked debate across the Twitch community after streamer PeachJars directly criticized fellow streamer Tectone, labeling his audience as “low IQ.” The footage, shared widely on social media, targeted both Tectone’s content style and the type of viewers he attracts. This incident comes amid ongoing discussions about content quality and community engagement on streaming platforms.PeachJars criticizes Tectone over content and audienceIn the viral clip, PeachJars framed her comments as a critique of Tectone’s approach to streaming and audience interaction. She suggested that his presentation style and content decisions contributed to the perceived intelligence of his viewership. The callout gained extra traction when fans resurfaced an older clip showing Tectone making several factual errors, including claiming that World War II occurred in the 1800s and misplacing Pearl Harbor in Japan rather than Hawaii. These errors were cited a..

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre extended his Diwali greetings and clubbed it with 'Bandi Chor Divas' wish inviting criticism for the way he worded it. Social media users commented that he was pandering to Khalistanis and it was no wonder that his party lost the last election. “Sikhs, Hindus, Jains & Buddhists across Canada are celebrating Bandi Chhor Divas & Diwali — festivals of light, freedom & hope. May this day inspire peace, justice & prosperity for all. Happy Diwali & Bandi Chhor Divas!” Pierre Poilievre posted. Social media users claimed they are Hindus, Jains and Buddhists and never heard of Bandi Chhor Divas.Prime Minister Mark Carney too wished for Bandi Chhor Divas but he kept his message only for the Sikh communities in Canada. “Sikh communities are gathering across Canada today for Bandi Chhor Divas — a celebration of freedom and justice. As you come together with family and friends to reflect on the values of service, faith, and generosity, I wish you a won..

AdvertisementScienceChinaScienceTrump, Xi and the ‘green paradox’: how China is building a climate-proof futureAmbitious transformation of country’s energy consumption and urban planning makes economic sense too, analysts say
Reading Time:5 minutesWhy you can trust SCMP3Holly ChikPublished: 6:00am, 23 Oct 2025China and the United States often find themselves sharply at odds on policy, but nowhere is the divide between the rival powers more striking than on climate change – as their leaders made clear at last month’s United Nations General Assembly in New York.AdvertisementEven as US President Donald Trump dismissed climate change as “the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world”, his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, used the moment to unveil Beijing’s latest strategies for addressing the issue.Xi said China sought to cut its emissions by 7 to 10 per cent from peak levels by 2035, while increasing the share of non-fossil fuels in its energy mix to over 30 per cent, with a focus on..

AdvertisementUS-China trade warOpinionChina OpinionWenran JiangOpinion | Can China make its rare earth controls bite?If China backs down or fails to enforce its controls effectively, it will undermine this policy and cast doubt on other tools it wields
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPWenran JiangPublished: 5:30am, 23 Oct 2025The Chinese government’s recent announcement of more export controls on rare earth-related items marks a significant shift in global economic statecraft. The new measures, covering a spectrum of rare earth elements, other critical materials and relevant processing technologies, have been justified as measures to safeguard national security and fulfil non-proliferation obligations.AdvertisementThe controls aim to deny the use of the materials in foreign military systems, linking China’s mines directly to the heart of Western military technological superiority.This could be seen as a robust policy response to the challenges posed by the United States’ own..

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that he did not want a “wasted meeting” with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, expressing his frustration with previous fruitless attempts at resolving the Ukraine war.Reacting to his Budapest summit with Putin being shelved, he said, “I don't want to have a wasted meeting. I don't want to have a waste of time, so I'll see what happens.”Just days ago, Trump had indicated he would meet Putin within two weeks while pressuring Ukraine to cede the eastern Donbas region in exchange for peace. However, the Kremlin reportedly continued to insist on all its demands despite a recent call with Trump, prompting the White House to announce that no immediate meeting was planned.The Kremlin confirmed there is no set date for a new Trump-Putin meeting, following earlier talks in Alaska in August that failed to produce a breakthrough on Ukraine.Trump has shown signs of frustration with Putin despite claiming a personal rapport, but his stance ..

A man from New York, who was pardoned by US President Donald Trump for his role in the January 6 Capitol attack, has been arrested for allegedly threatening to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, New York State Police said.34-year-old Christopher Moynihan was taken into custody on Saturday and charged with making terrorist like threats. He is the first pardoned Capitol rioter to face arrest over alleged political violence, reports ABC News. Investigators said Moynihan sent threatening text messages last week to an unidentified recipient. One message read, “Hakeem Jeffries makes a speech in a few days in NYC I cannot allow this terrorist to live.” Another said, “Even if I am hated he must be eliminated. I will kill him for the future.” The complaint said the messages “placed the recipient in reasonable fear of the imminent murder and assassination of Hakeem Jeffries by the defendant.”Moynihan appeared in the Town of Clinton Court and was sent to the Dutchess County Justice and T..

AdvertisementUkraine warWorldUnited States & CanadaTrump says Ukraine talks with Putin off for now, doesn’t want ‘wasted meeting’The US president’s comments are the latest twist in his stop-and-go effort to resolve the war
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPAssociated PressPublished: 6:28am, 22 Oct 2025US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that his plan for a swift meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin was on hold because he doesn’t want it to be a “waste of time”. It was the latest twist in Trump’s stop-and-go effort to resolve the war in Ukraine.
AdvertisementThe decision to hold off on the meeting in Budapest, Hungary, which Trump had announced last week, was made following a call on Monday between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
“I don’t want to have a wasted meeting,” Trump said. “I don’t want to have a waste of time – so we’ll see what happens.”
Trump’s hesitancy is likely to come as a relief to European leaders, who ha..