SCMP
The South China Morning Post brings you news and analysis about Hong Kong, China and the rest of Asia.
‘Alligator Alcatraz’ migrant detention centre has closed, Florida governor DeSantis says
“Alligator Alcatraz,” the remote Florida immigration detention centre that faced harsh criticism for its conditions, has shut down nearly a year after opening, Governor Ron DeSantis said on Thursday. DeSantis said the centre at an isolated airstrip in the Everglades was always meant to be only temporary until more permanent detention facilitie
Trump supports ‘Six Assurances’ to Taiwan but no timeline for arms sale, US diplomat says
The top US diplomat for East Asia sought to reassure Taiwan that Washington stood by its “Six Assurances” despite US President Donald Trump’s earlier dismissal of the policy but offered no timeline for approving a stalled US$14 billion arms package to the self-ruled island. Michael DeSombre, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Paci
Liner of Trump’s reflecting pool was cut with sharp blade, National Park Service says
A liner along the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was cut with a sharp knife or razor this month, causing damage to the foam sealant installed as part of a US$16 million rehabilitation project, a top official at the National Park Service says. The agency reported the June 9 incident to US Park Police, said Frank Lands, deputy di
US is ‘superhero’, China ‘supervillain’ in global AI contest, American officials warn
US House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast warned that “America is the superhero” and China the “supervillain” in the contest for global artificial intelligence (AI) leadership on Thursday, just two days after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said America’s “biggest risk” on AI is China getting ahead. The United States and China
Singapore-flagged cargo ship hit by ‘unknown projectile’ while crossing Hormuz
A cargo ship reported a suspected attack as it attempted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz close to the coast of Oman on Thursday, British navy agency UKMTO said. The UN’s International Maritime Organisation is currently assisting ships escape the Gulf, hundreds of which have been stranded there since the Iran war began at the end of Febru
US assures India over AI ‘kill switch’ as ‘Pax Silica’ expands in bid to counter China
The United States has assured India that future artificial intelligence models will not be “cut off” days after Washington abruptly banned Anthropic’s advanced models on national security grounds, a senior Indian official told the South China Morning Post on Thursday. “There was an understanding, and something that they [US officials] certainl
Weinstein’s New York rape charge dropped after accuser says she can’t endure fourth trial
Harvey Weinstein avoided a fourth trial on a New York rape charge after his accuser said she could not endure testifying again, leading prosecutors to drop the #MeToo-era case on Thursday. The film mogul still stands convicted of another sexual felony in New York and others in California, and he remains behind bars. But the New York rape charg
DeepSeek hiring spree: Chinese AI firm seeks newcomers as it pursues AGI
DeepSeek is looking to “at least double the size of every department” in a new hiring spree, according to an announcement made by the Chinese AI champion on Thursday. The firm announced openings in 33 positions across seven major categories, including full-stack development and algorithms, artificial intelligence (AI) core system R&D, deep lea