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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..

Candace Owens drops explosive claim on Charlie Kirk assassination with shocking twist about Tyler Robinson fingerprints (Image via Getty) Candace Owens claims the story about the day Charlie Kirk was shot does not make sense to her. She shared her thoughts during Myron Gaines’ livestream, which was uploaded to YouTube on November 18, 2025. Owens said she has been looking into the case on her own, and from what she has seen, the clips and details shown to the public feel incomplete. She pointed out that the public has not seen the exact moment when the shot was fired, and only a short clip of a person running after the shooting was released.Owens also said that Tyler Robinson, the man accused of shooting Charlie Kirk, may not have played the role many people think. She claimed that his fingerprints were found on the gun but said they were not the only fingerprints present. She also said another person named Lance Twiggs might have had a bigger role that day. Candace Owens stressed that ..

Tom Steyer, the billionaire environmental activist and one of the Democratic party’s biggest political donors, has announced his bid for California governor, joining a rapidly expanding field looking to replace the termed-out Gavin Newsom. Steyer, who previously ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, said he is entering the race to tackle what he calls the state’s “intractable affordability crisis”.A billionaire activist with deep political rootsSteyer, 68, built his fortune in finance after founding Farallon Capital Management in 1986, turning it into one of the world’s most influential hedge funds. But he left the firm in 2012 to devote himself full-time to political and environmental causes. He went on to create NextGen America, a youth-focused voter mobilisation organisation centred on climate change, reproductive rights and progressive policy.He has since become one of the largest donors to Democratic candidates and initiatives across the US, spending millions on ..

In a bold move ahead of his January inauguration, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has confirmed Jessica Tisch as NYPD Commissioner. This choice, while reflecting their divergent views on policing, underscores a shared commitment to enhancing public safety and reducing crime. New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announced on Wednesday that Jessica Tisch has accepted his offer to remain as commissioner of the NYPD, securing one of his highest-profile appointments ahead of taking office in January. Tisch was appointed by outgoing mayor Eric Adams and has led the nation’s largest police force through a record drop in crime, including reductions in shootings and homicides.“Leading this department is the greatest privilege of my life, and I am proud to continue doing it,” Tisch wrote in a letter to the NYPD obtained by CNN. “Now, do the Mayor-elect and I agree on everything? No, we don’t. But in speaking with him, it’s clear that we share broad and crucial priorities: the importance of public..

AdvertisementAustraliaAsiaAustralasiaTurkey to host Cop31 climate summit as Australia opts for compromiseCanberra will lead the conference’s negotiations among governments, ending a stand-off with Ankara
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPReutersPublished: 8:43am, 20 Nov 2025Updated: 8:45am, 20 Nov 2025Turkey will host next year’s UN climate summit while Australia will lead the conference’s negotiations among governments under a compromise deal taking shape in talks in Brazil, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday.AdvertisementThe annual Cop conferences are the world’s main forum for driving climate action. The compromise would resolve a stand-off between Australia and Turkey over who would stage Cop31. Both bid in 2022 to host it and refused to stand down.The two sides were now close to a deal that would see Turkey hosting Cop31 as summit president, with a pre-Cop event staged in the Pacific and Australia as president of negotiations, Albanese said.
“Wha..

AdvertisementEducation in Hong KongHong KongEducationHong Kong’s elite schools vet book donations for national security risksKings College, Queen Elizabeth School and St Paul’s Co-educational College screen donations, review collections in line with guidelines
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMP1William YiuPublished: 8:30am, 20 Nov 2025An elite Hong Kong government school has warned that some books donated by alumni may contain material potentially breaching national security legislation, pledging to adopt a new policy rejecting publications with political propaganda or illegal content.AdvertisementKing’s College, in Mid-Levels, revealed the decision in its latest annual report on safeguarding national security and promoting national security education.
In its report, the 99-year-old institution said many alumni and supporters had donated books to show their backing, but it found that some titles potentially risked breaching the national security law and had decided to introdu..