Drone strike hits Iraq oil facilities; Iran-backed group claims 19 attacks on US bases

AdvertisementWomen and genderOpinionChina OpinionAudrey Jiajia LiBeing Chinese | Why Chinese women like me are done being quiet and ‘appropriate’Chinese women are praised for gentleness. Our tone must please; our anger must be graceful. But a new generation is speaking out
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPAudrey Jiajia LiPublished: 9:30am, 29 Nov 2025In China, girls are taught early to be “appropriate” – to listen, not lead; to speak gently, not loudly. We grow up believing that quietness is likeability, and likeability is safety. But something is shifting.
When Chinese writer Jiang Fangzhou said to me during a recent interview, “I can’t be waiting for some influential man to say, ‘I’ll give you an hour to talk about literature’. You can’t be waiting for a seat, for a microphone”, it struck a chord far beyond us. It was a generational declaration – for women who are done being echoes.
Jiang’s trajectory is familiar to many in China. She began writing at seven, published her ..

AdvertisementHong Kong economyOpinionHong Kong OpinionMathias WooOpinion | More than a tech hub, Northern Metropolis can be a cradle for cultureBy focusing on creative industries, the development can enhance Hong Kong’s soft power push within the Greater Bay Area and beyond
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPMathias WooPublished: 5:30am, 18 Oct 2025Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis is more than a mere zoning plan; it is a crucial part of China’s development strategy and a pivotal step towards elevating the Greater Bay Area’s (GBA) global profile. With development now under way, the conversation must shift to a new realm: soft power.AdvertisementThe Northern Metropolis should not be just another new town designed to address Hong Kong’s housing and industrial needs. Rather, it must emerge as a zone of cultural emancipation that takes the GBA’s development to the next level.
Hong Kong’s developmental thinking has been trapped in the paradigm of large-scale transport infrastructure ..

Fouzia Jbara Mahmoudi For thousands of children born with cleft lip and palate, access to surgery can be life-changing. In many parts of North Africa, however, specialised treatment is often out of reach for families who cannot afford it. For more than two decades, Moroccan humanitarian Fouzia Jbara Mahmoudi has worked to change that reality by helping provide free surgeries and medical care to children through the global charity Operation Smile.Who is Fouzia Jbara Mahmoudi?
Fouzia Jbara Mahmoudi is a Moroccan humanitarian based in Casablanca and the co-founder and vice president of Operation Smile Morocco. She also serves as the regional senior vice president for the Middle East and North Africa at Operation Smile.Israel Iran WarUS-Israel-Iran War News Live Updates: 'All oil and energy infrastructure will turn to ashes,' says Iran after US hits Kharg Island'Must take care': Trump urges nations to send warships to Strait of Hormuz as conflict with Iran intensifiesUS..