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AdvertisementHong Kong workers/labour rightsSilent suffering: how a domestic helper’s Hong Kong dream became a nightmareNepalese helper came to the city in search of a better life, only to find exploitation, exhaustion and abuse behind closed doors
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPEmily HungPublished: 6:04pm, 22 Feb 2026Sanju*, a foreign domestic helper of Nepalese ethnicity, never imagined her Hong Kong dream would turn into a nightmare.
The 34-year-old arrived in Hong Kong in 2023, driven by a simple wish to work in the city of her dreams. However, her first employer paid her 30 per cent below the statutory minimum wage, allowed her only two hours of sleep a day, and gave her just three rest days over six months, during which she was only paid two months’ salary.
After six months, she was dismissed and thrown out of the flat in the middle of the night because she could not speak English.
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AdvertisementTaiwanChinaPoliticsHow Trump’s Beijing bargaining could derail Taiwan’s multibillion-dollar defence budgetUS leader’s talk of consulting Xi Jinping on arms sales could hand Taiwan’s opposition a ‘lifeline’ to reshape spending bill, experts say
Reading Time:4 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPLawrence Chungin TaipeiPublished: 6:00pm, 22 Feb 2026Taiwan’s parliament is set to prioritise review of a disputed NT$1.25 trillion (US$40 billion) special defence budget bill when its new session begins on Tuesday, as pressure mounts from Washington.But US President Donald Trump’s recent remarks about consulting Chinese President Xi Jinping on arms sales could complicate the debate, potentially giving Taipei’s opposition parties greater room to manoeuvre and reshape the final version of the bill, according to analysts.The renewed push follows an unusual bipartisan letter from 37 US lawmakers on February 12 urging Taiwan’s legislature to fully fund the eight-year package.
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UAE breaks new ground in children’s healthcare with cutting-edge gene therapy initiatives / AI Image The UAE has officially entered a new era of “precision medicine.” Moving away from simply managing symptoms, Emirates Health Services (EHS) recently unveiled two ambitious gene therapy projects designed to strike at the root causes of autism and rare brain disorders. By leveraging genetic engineering, the UAE isn't just treating patients, it’s aiming to “repair” the biological blueprints that cause these conditions in the first place.Gene therapy in the UAEThe United Arab Emirates has unveiled two groundbreaking gene therapy projects focused on treating serious neurological and genetic conditions in children. These efforts mark a major shift from conventional symptom-based care to tackling the underlying genetic causes of disease, potentially transforming neurodevelopmental healthcare in the region.One key project focuses on genetic causes linked to autism and epilepsy. It is being..

Source: Nottingham Post Sophie Downing, a 29-year-old business owner from Nottingham, has reportedly become the richest person in history according to a local coffee shop receipt. The catch is that her fortune can only be spent at 200 Degrees Coffee.The Nottingham story began with a simple Christmas gift. Sophie received a voucher that she thought was £10 for the café. When she tried to buy a matcha latte last week, the till displayed an astonishing balance of over £63 quadrillion. A person richer than the world’s richest man? Strange! It is roughly 100,000 times more than Elon Musk’s net worth and 670 times the total value of the world economy.Check below the whole story of Sophie, who is the ‘Richest Person in the History’, but only for COFFEE?Nottingham woman finds coffee voucher worth tens of quadrillionsSophie first used the card at the Flying Horse Walk branch on February 12. The barista reportedly froze when the balance appeared on the screen. “His face was just like, ‘what?’” s..

AdvertisementUkraine warWorldEurope5 European nations to make drones by tapping Ukraine’s war experienceThe initiative by France, Poland, Germany, the UK and Italy comes after a spate of violations of Europe’s airspace involving rogue drones
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPAssociated PressPublished: 5:31pm, 21 Feb 2026Five European nations have announced a new programme to produce low-cost air defence systems and autonomous drones using Ukrainian expertise hard-won over the past four years of war against Russia.Friday’s initiative of the E5 nations – France, Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy – comes as one of many European efforts to bolster defence along their borders, like a “drone wall” with Russia and Ukraine to better detect, track and intercept drones violating Europe’s airspace.Both Moscow and Kyiv have cutting-edge drone warfare capabilities forged in the grim laboratory of war where battlefield innovations have rewritten modern battle tactics. Poland is..

AdvertisementThe PhilippinesThis Week in AsiaEconomicsViews of corruption in Philippines worsen as ‘grease money’ dents confidenceA global index on corruption perceptions shows the Philippines posting its lowest ranking since 2012
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMP1Sam BeltranPublished: 5:00pm, 21 Feb 2026The Philippines has fallen in a global corruption perception ranking, as allegations of financial wrongdoings and court cases surrounding a multibillion-peso flood-control programme have deepened doubts about its governance and dented investor confidence.Berlin-based watchdog Transparency International said the Philippines ranked 120th out of 182 countries and territories in its 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, down six places from the previous year.
The country received a score of 32 on a scale of zero as “highly corrupt” to 100 being “very clean”, one point less than its score in 2024 and the lowest it has received since 2012.
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(AP) Years after his death in a jail cell, convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's estate has agreed to pay up to $35 million to settle claims from victims who allege abuse or trafficking by him over more than two decades.The proposed court judgment was filed Thursday and covers alleged assaults from January 1, 1995, through Epstein’s death in prison on August 10, 2019. Trump Sends Shocking Epstein Message To UK Royals After Ex-Prince Andrew's Arrest Over Misconduct Epstein’s estate would pay $35 million if 40 or more people are eligible in the class, and $25 million if there are fewer than 40. Bloomberg News reported Thursday that the law firm representing the victims was confident they had at least 40 people who had not yet settled with Epstein’s estate.The co-executors of the settlement are Darren Indyke, Epstein’s former lawyer, and Richard Kahn, the financier’s former accountant. Both have denied any wrongdoing through their association with Epstein and have not been ac..

Yoen Dupuis named Keolis CEO to drive UAE’s National Etihad Rail Services / Image: file If you’ve taken the Dubai Metro or Tram lately, you’ve experienced Keolis's clockwork precision. Now, the global leader in shared mobility is entering a fresh chapter. The group has officially appointed Yoen Dupuis as the new CEO for its Middle East and East Asia regions. Based right here in the UAE, Dupuis is stepping into a high-stakes role that keeps millions of people moving every single day across some of the world’s most tech-forward cities.Keolis appoints new CEOKeolis Group, a major global operator of public transportation networks, has appointed Yoen Dupuis as the Chief Executive Officer for the Middle East and East Asia region. This decisive leadership change is part of Keolis’ plan to expand its footprint and accelerate modern rail and automated metro services in key growth markets.In his new regional role, Dupuis will drive strategic planning, operations, and partnerships across cou..

AdvertisementHong Kong societyHong KongSociety‘Blood moon’ lunar eclipse expected on March 3 in Hong KongLunar eclipse will begin before moonrise, at 6.22pm that day, when part of the moon starts to enter Earth’s shadow, and end at 10.25pm
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPNg Kang-chungPublished: 5:39pm, 20 Feb 2026This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing.Hong Kong astronomy enthusiasts can expect a “blood moon” lunar eclipse early next month, with residents able to view the phenomenon with the naked eye from some places.
The global event will take place in the city on the evening of March 3, according to the Hong Kong Observatory.
Advertisement“The total eclipse process can be directly observed with [the naked] eye from [certain] places with an unobstructed view to the east, if weather permits,” the Observatory said on Friday.
The lunar eclipse is expected to begin before moonris..

AdvertisementUnited StatesWorldUnited States & CanadaTrump’s name cleared to land on Palm Beach airport after Florida Republicans pass billThe president’s local airport, minutes away from his Mar-a-Lago home, will be called the President Donald J. Trump International Airport
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPAgence France-PressePublished: 5:38pm, 20 Feb 2026An airport in Florida will soon be renamed after US President Donald Trump, after a bill proposing the change was approved by the state’s legislature on Thursday.Trump, a real estate mogul who has plastered his name on buildings around the world, has sought to leave his mark on the country in an unprecedented image and building campaign.
Florida’s Republican-led legislature approved a bill to rename the Palm Beach International Airport as the President Donald J. Trump International Airport, state records show. Governor Ron DeSantis, once a Trump opponent, is expected to sign the measure into law.Advertisement“Fifty years f..