Category: Uncategorized

Oman announces Muscat fireworks at Al Khoudh Dam on Sunday, January 11, starting 8 PM sharp/Representative Image The General Secretariat of National Celebrations has officially announced a grand fireworks display in Muscat to mark the anniversary of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik’s Accession to the Throne. The event will take place tomorrow, January 11, at Al Khoudh Dam in the Wilayat of Seeb, and fireworks begin at 8:00 PM.The display is part of the nationwide celebrations being held across the Sultanate to commemorate Accession Day, an occasion of national significance. Authorities have invited the public to attend the event and participate in the celebrations, while urging everyone to adhere to the safety and traffic guidelines issued by the relevant authorities to ensure an orderly and secure experience for all attendees.

AdvertisementHong Kong societyHong KongSocietyMore than a game: rugby helps Hong Kong charity tackle cultural divides in schoolsRugby For Good, an Operation Santa Claus beneficiary, uses sport to help students of all backgrounds find common ground on and off the field
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPCindy SuiPublished: 1:50pm, 10 Jan 2026Passing, tackling and scrums – all part of the sport of rugby.
But in some Hong Kong schools, they take on a deeper meaning – helping to bridge divides between students of different backgrounds.
Since 2013, the charity Rugby For Good has been introducing the game to school campuses, using sport as a tool to bring together young people from diverse ethnicities and communities.
AdvertisementThis year, the NGO is one of 13 charities selected by the annual fundraising campaign Operation Santa Claus (OSC) to receive funding. The support will go towards training 500 students aged 12 to 15 next year – including those like past participants Aaminah..

AdvertisementHong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedyHong KongSocietyRebuilding fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court ‘not practical’, Hong Kong officials sayAuthorities plan to repurpose Tai Po site for community use, citing decade-long delays and HK$6 billion in acquisition costs before rebuilding
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPLam Ka-singPublished: 1:46pm, 10 Jan 2026Updated: 1:55pm, 10 Jan 2026Hong Kong authorities estimate that acquiring all homes in the fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court will cost around HK$6 billion (US$770 million), with officials saying that rebuilding on the same site was “not really very practical”.
Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun said on Saturday that the site was expected to be repurposed for community facilities rather than housing, citing overseas examples where sites of similar tragedies were rarely redeveloped for residential use. He stressed that “no one will earn big money” from the land in future.
“In this moment, we feel on-site reconstruction i..

Trump (File photo) After, Venezuelan military op and threatening Greenland and Columbia, US President Donald Trump now seems to turn his attention to Mexico, to target drug cartels, following maritime attacks in the eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea.“We are going to start now hitting land with regard to the cartels. The cartels are running Mexico,” said Trump in an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity aired on Thursday night, signalling a tougher stance on cross-border cartel operations.Any direct action against cartels inside Mexico, however, would represent a major escalation of US military involvement in the region. Trump said on Sunday that he was pressing Sheinbaum to allow US troops to operate in Mexico against drug cartels, an offer he claimed she had previously rejected.then, Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum warned on Monday that the Americas “do not belong” to any single power, responding to Trump’s comments about Washington’s “dominance” of the hemisphere following..

Northern lights may drift across US skies this week: Know where to spot them Northern skies do not always announce themselves. Most nights pass quietly, even when something distant is shifting above the planet. This week is slightly different. A pulse of solar activity is moving through Earth’s magnetic field, and that change may be just enough to push the northern lights into view across parts of the United States. It is not guaranteed, and it will not look the same everywhere. Some people may see soft colour low on the horizon, others nothing at all. Still, for a short window in early January, the odds tilt a little. Space weather forecasters are watching closely, and so are sky watchers, hoping the darkness offers something unexpected rather than empty for once during the coldest stretch of winter nights.Which US states are most likely to see the Nothern lights this weekThe strongest chances sit far north, as they usually do. Alaska remains the most reliable place, almost separate f..

AdvertisementIsrael-Gaza warWorldMiddle EastIsrael says Bulgarian diplomat to direct Trump’s Board of Peace for GazaThe Board of Peace is meant to oversee the implementation of the second and far more complicated phase of the Gaza ceasefire
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPAssociated PressPublished: 1:12pm, 9 Jan 2026A former UN Middle East envoy has been chosen to direct US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace to oversee the ceasefire in Gaza, Israel’s prime minister said on Thursday, as at least eight more deaths from Israeli strikes were reported there.
The appointment of Bulgarian diplomat Nickolay Mladenov marks an important step forward for Trump’s Middle East peace plan, which has moved slowly since delivering an October ceasefire ending more than two years of fighting between Israel and Hamas.
Benjamin Netanyahu made the announcement after meeting Mladenov in Jerusalem, identifying him as the “designated” director general for the board, which is meant to oversee t..

AdvertisementSCMP HighlightsChinaChina’s ‘sweep and kill’ weapon, Malaysians opting for Singapore: SCMP’s 7 highlightsFrom China’s long game after Trump’s Venezuela operation to Eric Tsang leaving TVB, here are highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPSCMPPublished: 12:12pm, 9 Jan 2026We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.1. China’s Hurricane 3000 microwave weapon can ‘sweep and kill’ drone swarms at 3kmThe truck-mounted Hurricane 3000 was showcased during China’s huge military parade in September. This week its developer – state-owned defence contractor Norinco – disclosed some details of the weapon system for the first time.
2. China is likely to thread the needle after US attack on VenezuelaA pro-government, armed civili..

Dubai Tenants vs Landlords: The AI Tool Deciding Who Wins the Rent Fight Dubai, January 08, 2026: As Dubai’s rental market continues to evolve amid strong demand and population growth, tenants often grapple with rising rents and the question: Is this rent increase even legal? Fortunately, the Dubai Land Department’s Smart Rental Index, an AI-powered official tool, now gives residents a clear way to check whether a rent hike proposed by a landlord is justified under UAE law. Whether you are renewing your lease, debating negotiations or simply planning your budget, understanding how rent hikes are regulated in Dubai is essential. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how the system works and how tenants can protect themselves from arbitrary increases.What is Dubai's Smart Rental Index?
At the core of Dubai’s rent regulation framework is the Smart Rental Index, a sophisticated tool developed by the Dubai Land Department (DLD) to determine fair rental values across the emirate. Unlike the ol..

Stephen Chase, a US dad, repeatedly wakes from surgery speaking fluent Spanish, despite previously only knowing how to count to ten/ Image: (Kennedy News and Media) A father from the United States has described waking up from surgery speaking fluent Spanish, despite having only minimal knowledge of the language beforehand, a phenomenon doctors say may be linked to an extremely rare neurological condition. Stephen Chase, from near Salt Lake City in Utah, first experienced the sudden language switch at the age of 19 after undergoing surgery on his right knee for a football-related injury. According to LADbible, he was able to converse in Spanish for around 20 minutes before returning to English. What happened after surgery At the time of his first operation, Chase said his Spanish ability was extremely limited. By his own account, all he could do before the surgery was speak a few basic phrases and count to 10 in Spanish. “The very first time it happened, when I woke up I was speaking in..

AdvertisementHong Kong courtsHong KongLaw and CrimeHong Kong bookstore owner pleads not guilty to using shop as unregistered schoolPong Yat-ming to be tried for violating Education Ordinance by hosting a Spanish class at his bookstore, Book Punch, in April last year
Reading Time:1 minuteWhy you can trust SCMPFiona ChowPublished: 1:34pm, 8 Jan 2026Updated: 1:36pm, 8 Jan 2026A Hong Kong independent bookstore owner will stand trial after he pleaded not guilty to managing an unregistered school by holding a Spanish class in his shop.
Pong Yat-ming was accused of violating the Education Ordinance by allowing a Spanish class to be held on April 23 last year at Book Punch, a bookstore he founded in 2020.
The bookshop located in Sham Shui Po occasionally hosts workshops and talks on various subjects, including social issues, travel and mental health.
AdvertisementPong had mentioned in previous media interviews that he wished to create a local community space.
In Thursday’s hearing at Kowloon C..