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AdvertisementScienceChinaScienceThe STEM crisis in China’s universities: how outdated courses are wasting talentMany Chinese degrees prioritise theory over practical experience and fail to prepare students for real-world employment, critics say
Reading Time:6 minutesWhy you can trust SCMP2Dannie Pengin BeijingPublished: 6:00am, 25 Oct 2025Updated: 6:07am, 25 Oct 2025At a conference in December, Wang Xingxing – the robotics guru who founded China’s industry-leading Unitree Robotics – had a sharp critique.Advertisement“China is at a disadvantage in terms of talent reserves because its education system has decided that knowledge learned in school is often outdated, whereas overseas students study the world’s most cutting-edge technologies,” he told the audience.“The education system fundamentally shapes future development potential and opportunities,” Wang said, adding that for an intelligent individual entering university, studying frontier knowledge versus 20-year-old textbook materials..

RTA's offers public and private businesses to open retail shops at Dubai Metro stations. Image: AI Representative Image. Local and international businesses now have the opportunity to operate inside Dubai’s bustling metro and tram stations, as the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) opens retail and commercial leasing opportunities across the network.The initiative aims to boost economic activity and give daily commuters easier access to services while strengthening partnerships between the public and private sectors. RTA said that several successful collaborations with private firms in the past have encouraged the expansion of this investment model.RTA leasing process: How to apply online for metro and tram station retail spacesBusinesses interested in setting up shop in the emirate’s transport hubs can apply online through RTA’s official portal:Applicants must first visit rta.ae and navigate to the Business and Corporate section. Under Invest with RTA, users can find a dedicated..

Ras Al Khaimah’s haunted landmark 'The Al Qasimi Palace' listed up for sale by the original owner. Image: Ras Al Khaimah tourism One of the UAE’s most talked‑about landmarks – the long‑abandoned Al Qasimi Palace, better known for decades as Ras Al Khaimah’s “haunted” mansion, has been listed for sale at AED 25 million. The four‑storey palace in the emirate’s Al Dhait district is open for purchase only to Emirati nationals under local property laws. Current owner Tareq Ahmad Al Sharhan confirmed the listing, noting that his decision is an investment move rather than an attempt to capitalise on the building’s reputation.Built in 1985 by the late Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Humaid Al Qasimi, the property originally served as a private residence for members of the ruling family. Spanning 20,000 square metres with 35 rooms, the structure combines Islamic, Moroccan, Persian, and Indian stylistic influences.Construction was reported to have cost over AED 500 million, with interiors featuri..

AdvertisementUS-China trade warUSDiplomacyDonald Trump to meet with China’s Xi Jinping next Thursday in South Korea for crunch talksWhite House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump departs for Malaysia on Friday night and will also visit Japan, before meeting Xi
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPBochen Hanin WashingtonPublished: 6:57am, 24 Oct 2025US President Donald Trump will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on October 30 in South Korea, the White House confirmed.
Advertisement“On Thursday morning local time, President Trump will participate in a bilateral meeting with President Xi of the People’s Republic of China,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a briefing on Thursday.
The meeting between the two leaders will take place at the end of a trip by the US president to Asia, which will begin in Malaysia, continue to Japan and conclude in South Korea, where this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit is being held.
While Trump has sa..

AdvertisementArchaeology and palaeontologyWorldUnited States & CanadaRare duck-billed dinosaur ‘mummies’ reveal a surprise: hoofed feetEdmontosaurus fossils had large areas of preserved external skin surface, providing the most fleshed-out view of a large dinosaur to date
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPReutersPublished: 6:36am, 24 Oct 2025Two fossilised “mummies” unearthed by scientists in the badlands of Wyoming of the duck-billed dinosaur Edmontosaurus reveal the external anatomy in exquisite detail, including the surprising presence of hooves on the feet – a first for any dinosaur.
AdvertisementThe two Edmontosaurus individuals, dating to the very end of the dinosaur age 66 million years ago, were a young adult roughly 12.2 metres (40ft) long and a two-year-old juvenile about half that length.
The contours of the external fleshy surface of the two dinosaurs were preserved over the skeleton by a thin clay layer about one-hundredth of an inch (0.025cm) thick that formed a..