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AdvertisementCrime in Hong KongHong KongLaw and CrimeCustoms seizes record HK$230 million in gold and silver hidden in air cargoOfficers find 168kg of gold foil and 285kg of silver foil hidden in household cleaning machines destined for Japan
2-MIN READ2-MIN ListenJess MaPublished: 7:20pm, 5 Mar 2026Updated: 7:26pm, 5 Mar 2026Hong Kong customs officers have discovered HK$230 million (US$29.4 million) worth of gold and silver hidden in two air cargo shipments of household cleaning machines destined for Japan, making the largest seizure of precious metals on record.
Senior Investigator Ho Ting-chun of the Customs and Excise Department’s syndicate crimes investigation bureau said on Thursday officers intercepted 168kg (370lbs) of suspected gold foil and 285kg of suspected silver foil worth HK$230 million in an operation on Monday.
“Precious metal prices have soared in recent years,” Ho said. “Customs has been monitoring the smuggling situation and noticed an upward trend since last year a..

AdvertisementCrime in Hong KongHong KongLaw and CrimeHong Kong lawmaker Judy Chan charged over driving against traffic in Wan ChaiBlack Tesla limousine was filmed travelling against the flow of traffic on Jaffe Road in Wan Chai on January 23
1-MIN READ1-MIN ListenLeopold ChenandJess MaPublished: 7:14pm, 5 Mar 2026A Hong Kong lawmaker has been charged with a traffic offence after she was filmed driving on the wrong side of a road in Wan Chai more than a month ago.
A police source said on Thursday that the force had earlier served a summons to prosecute a local female driver for careless driving, after she allegedly drove in the wrong direction of traffic on Jaffe Road on January 23.
It was understood that the driver was New People’s Party lawmaker Judy Chan Kapui, who represents the Hong Kong Island West geographical constituency.
Judy Chan leaves Traffic Police Hong Kong Island after giving a statement on January 24. Photo Edmond SoChan or her legal representative must attend a hearing..

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A Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, the Arctic Metagaz, has sunk in the central Mediterranean between Libya and Malta after a “sudden explosion” triggered a massive blaze on board, Libya’s ports and maritime transport authority said on Wednesday.They added that all 30 crew members were rescued in nearby Libyan waters.Libya’s ports and maritime transport authority said Arctic Metagaz tanker “had experienced sudden explosions followed by a massive fire, which ultimately led to its complete sinking,” ultimately led to the tanker’s complete sinking north of the Libyan coast.There have been no immediate reports of casualties among the crew.According to local reports, Russia’s transport ministry later accused Ukraine of launching a naval‑drone attack against the tanker from the Libyan coast, claiming that the Arctic Metagaz was struck by uncrewed surface vessels, but Kyiv has not publicly commented on the allegation.Israel attacks IranUS-Israel-Iran War Live Updates: Iran launches..

Saudi Arabia sets official Eid Al Fitr 2026 holiday / Image: File Saudi Arabia has officially announced the Eid Al Fitr 2026 public holidays for employees across the government, private and non-profit sectors, giving millions of workers clarity on their break at the end of Ramadan. The decision was confirmed by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, which outlined the start date and duration of the holiday in line with labour regulations in the Kingdom.Saudi Arabia Eid Al Fitr 2026 holiday datesAccording to the ministry, the Eid Al Fitr holiday for the private and non-profit sectors will begin at the end of the working day on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, corresponding to 29 Ramadan 1447 AH. The break will last four days. Employees are therefore expected to remain off duty through Saturday, March 21, 2026, before resuming work based on their company’s official schedule.Israel attacks IranUS-Israel-Iran War Live Updates: Iran launches 'massive missile' strike at ..

AdvertisementSingaporeThis Week in AsiaPeopleSingapore’s ‘ageless’ photographer Chuando Tan turns 60 and fans still cannot believe itWhile online users continue to marvel over his looks and physique, Tan has said he does not have a secret formula for eternal youth
2-MIN READ2-MINSCMP’s Asia deskPublished: 7:10pm, 4 Mar 2026Updated: 7:16pm, 4 Mar 2026Singaporean fashion photographer and former model Chuando Tan has turned 60, and his birthday photos are once again fuelling disbelief online over the youthful appearance that first made him a social media sensation nearly a decade ago.
Tan shared a reflective message alongside photos posted to Instagram on Tuesday to mark the milestone, quickly attracting hundreds of thousands of likes and a wave of comments from followers marvelling at how little he appears to have aged.
“Today, on my 60th birthday, I am reminded that time is the only real wealth. Each sunrise arrives as an inheritance, not a guarantee,” Tan wrote in the post. “The wiser ..

AdvertisementChina’s Communist PartyChinaPoliticsBreaking | Song Ping, veteran Chinese Communist, dies aged 108 after career that spanned decadesSong worked with several generations of leaders, starting as Zhou Enlai’s secretary and later talent-spotted future president Hu Jintao
1-MIN READ1-MIN1 ListenJosephine MaPublished: 6:56pm, 4 Mar 2026Updated: 7:10pm, 4 Mar 2026Song Ping, a veteran Chinese revolutionary who lived through five generations of Communist Party leaders, has died at the age of 108.
He died at 3.36pm in Beijing on Wednesday, state news agency Xinhua reported.
Song’s career began in the 1930s before the founding of the People’s Republic including a spell as political secretary to the future premier Zhou Enlai.
AdvertisementSong held many important positions during the following decades and his career peaked when he became a member of the Politburo Standing Committee, the top decision-making body, in 1989. He retired in 1992 at the age of 75.
Song Ping (left) and former..

Dubai (PTI file photo) Dubai has always been the Gulf's glittering safe haven amid endless Middle East turmoil — a dazzling hub of glamour, grandeur, towering skyscrapers, and a skyline that pierces the clouds. But recent shocks raise a stark question: Is the “Pearl of the Gulf” truly secure anymore?The city — drawing millions of tourists yearly — now stands on high alert, battered by missile and drone strikes from a vengeful Iran after joint US-Israeli strikes killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.For decades, Dubai cultivated its status as the Middle East's financial powerhouse, flaunting dazzling skylines, luxurious lifestyles, and an aura of impregnable safety. Israel attacks IranUS-Israel-Iran War Live Updates: Iran launches 'massive missile' strike at US airbase in Bahrain; Israel bombs BeirutIran Strikes Saudi Aramco Facility: Drone attack halts oil at Ras Tanura; Gulf states weigh response‘Last, best chance’: Trump sets out four clear objectives for endin..

AdvertisementSingaporeThis Week in AsiaLifestyle & CultureWhy some Singaporeans are saying no to having children amid ‘existential’ fertility crisisAs the city state battles a record low fertility rate, analysts say deeper anxieties and rising opportunity costs continue to shape decisions
5-MIN READ5-MINJean IauPublished: 7:00pm, 3 Mar 2026Even if market researcher Joey Lau were a millionaire and could devote all her time to her family, she still would not want children.
The 34-year-old Singaporean said the risks facing young people today – from social media-driven mental health pressures to climate change – were too high to justify bringing a child into the world.
“I feel like the only reason that I would want to have a child is because it’s cute, it would give shape to my life and my parents would be very happy because they want to be grandparents, but that would be too high a cost for this kid to pay in order for me to feel like I’m doing something with my life,” she said.
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AdvertisementSouth China SeaChinaMilitaryUS patrol flights over South China Sea drop 30% as focus shifts to Middle EastDecline in reconnaissance aircraft sorties comes during critical time in China-US ties ahead of planned Donald Trump visit
2-MIN READ2-MINAlcott Weiin BeijingPublished: 7:00pm, 3 Mar 2026US land-based reconnaissance aircraft sorties over the South China Sea decreased by around 30 per cent month on month in February, according to a Beijing-based think tank, as the US deploys assets to the Middle East.The South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI) said on Monday that only 72 US reconnaissance aircraft sorties were detected over the South China Sea in February. By contrast, 102 US reconnaissance aircraft sorties were observed over the waters in both January and December.The think tank’s analysis did not discuss the reasons behind the drop. However, the US moved military assets from around the globe to the Middle East last month ahead of its attack on I..