Brave New World Etc.(formerly Midtown Blogger): South China Morning Post International

Xi Jinping faces challenge of governing through two opposing schools of thought

The theme of last month's fourth plenum was the "rule by law" - but President Xi Jinping wants it to be complemented by the "rule of virtue".

Sunday, 23 November, 2014, 6:51am 2 commentsMore on Xi Jinping

CERN scientists hope particle discoveries will give clues to universe

Scientists at the world's largest smasher have discovered two new subatomic particles that could widen our understanding of the universe.

23 Nov 2014 - 6:05am

Qingdao 'spy' says he was recruited from abroad via internet jobs website

A Qingdao man who was recruited by a foreign spy to take photos of mainland military bases has been apprehended and awaiting sentencing.

23 Nov 2014 - 6:51am 1 comment

EU learns lessons a year after start of Ukraine crisis

When Ukraine pulled out of its association agreement with the European Union a year ago, kicking off its revolution, it took Brussels by surprise.

23 Nov 2014 - 11:55am

Xi Jinping thanks Fiji for help in tackling corrupt officials, pledges raft of deals in return

China appreciates Fiji's efforts to help the government chase corrupt mainland officials and their illegal assets, President Xi Jinping said during his official visit to the South Pacific nation.

23 Nov 2014 - 6:51amMore on Xi Jinping's anti-graft campaign

Self-confessed convert raises the bar for baijiu

Baijiu, the "white liquor" always served at Chinese business banquets, is familiar to foreigners but few of them like its fiery taste.

23 Nov 2014 - 7:00am

Paper published by Communist Part endorses charge against veteran journalist Gao Yu

A newspaper published by the Communist Party has endorsed charges against a journalist accused of leaking state secrets.

23 Nov 2014 - 6:51am 1 comment

Battle lines drawn for race to the White House as 2016 hopefuls respond to Obama's immigration plan

When US President Barack Obama unveiled his immigration plan and Republican rivals howled their disapproval, the drama signalled not just a clash of political positions: it kicked off the 2016 presidential campaign.

23 Nov 2014 - 7:56am 2 commentsMore on Barack Obama

Myanmese refugees made to pay US$1,000 to stay in Malaysia

Refugees and asylum seekers from Myanmar are paying up to US$1,000 for UNHCR cards granting them official refugee status in Malaysia, an Al-Jazeera investigation has found.

23 Nov 2014 - 7:34amMore on Rohingyan Muslims

US asks China to stop building Spratlys island which could host airfield

The United States has urged Beijing to stop its reclamation projects in the South China Sea, as a report provided more details on a massive island being built in the disputed waters.

23 Nov 2014 - 8:48am 44 comments

Concern over great seawalls of China: once lush wetlands surrounded by 11,000km of artificial structures

Rapid economic development of China's coastal regions, which produce 60 per cent of the country's gross domestic product, has also enclosed once lush wetlands with a string of seawalls, raising serious environmental concerns.

23 Nov 2014 - 6:51am 1 comment

Jakarta's Christian governor takes on radical Islamist group

23 Nov 2014 - 7:34am

Occupy Central co-founders hold 'community dialogue day' amid deepening divide

23 Nov 2014 - 8:28am 10 comments

European Parliament wants power of Google search engine curbed

23 Nov 2014 - 8:13am

Somalia's al-Shabaab militants kill 28 non-Muslims in Kenya

23 Nov 2014 - 7:58am

Hopes of revival for dying trade of street hawking in Hong Kong

23 Nov 2014 - 8:38am 1 comment

Little glory at home for US navy Seal who shot Osama bin Laden

23 Nov 2014 - 8:13am 1 comment

Former Portuguese prime minister Jose Socrates arrested in graft probe

23 Nov 2014 - 8:13am

Beijing summons top Hong Kong officials to discuss Guangdong's future

23 Nov 2014 - 6:46am 8 comments

Jockey Club concerned at rise of betting websites

23 Nov 2014 - 8:45am 5 comments

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23 NOV 2014

'It was like thunder': residents describe gas blast that killed one and left firemen fighting for their lives
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Leader

Modi broke taboo on women's rights in India; now action must follow

23 Nov 2014 - 6:03am

Textbook revisions by publishers an all too familiar story

23 Nov 2014 - 6:03am 1 comment

Today's Poll

Is it still necessary for Occupy co-organisers to turn themselves in to police?

Total number of votes recorded: 106

Opinion

JAKE VAN DER KAMP

Southeast Asia's economies doing fine without using 'hot air' strategies

23 Nov 2014 - 6:03am 1 comment

CARY HUANG

Beijing faces dilemma as its share of global arms trade grows

23 Nov 2014 - 8:41am 2 comments

ALEX LO

Philippines banning Hong Kong journalists is petty and vindictive

22 Nov 2014 - 6:22am 16 comments

SHIRLEY YAM

Wanted: Chairmen to work wonders and get paid peanuts

22 Nov 2014 - 6:36am 1 comment

Insight

How Hong Kong can best counter pernicious external influences

REGINA IP

Ever since Occupy Central erupted, a familiar refrain in media reports on the mainland has been the involvement of "external forces".

23 Nov 2014 - 6:03am 13 comments

Blogs

PLATE TO PALATE

Signature dish: silly seasoning

SUSAN JUNG22 Nov 2014 - 10:15pm 1 comment

THE GRIFFIN

Overseas HKIR markets show the odds are in favour of the bookies

ANDREW HAWKINS20 Nov 2014 - 8:46pm

Focus

Hopes of revival for dying trade of street hawking in Hong Kong

JENNIFER NGO

Tucked between high-rise offices of multinational companies in Central, the hawkers of Stanley Street serve steaming cups of Hong Kong-style milk tea to early rising workers.

23 Nov 2014 - 8:38am 1 comment

Harry's View

23 Nov 2014

Hong Kong

Closing time: How Hong Kong’s hawkers face a struggle to survive

INTERACTIVE

Hong Kong’s hawkers will die out in less than 50 years, if current stringent policies don’t change. Talking to different hawkers from those manning dai pai dongs to itinerant hawkers selling fruit on carts and stall owners touting clothes on Mong Kok’s famous hawker streets, the South China Morning Post reports on what is pushing the trade into extinction.

23 Nov 2014 - 10:19am 1 comment More on SCMP Chronicles

EXPLOSION

'It was like thunder': residents describe gas blast that killed one and left firemen fighting for their lives

UPDATE

Neighbours spoke of the ground shaking and a bang as loud as thunder as they fled their homes in a gas incident that left one person dead and several firefighters fighting for their lives on Saturday.

23 Nov 2014 - 6:11am 8 comments

CROSS-BORDER RELATIONS

Beijing summons top Hong Kong officials to discuss Guangdong's future

23 Nov 2014 8 comments

MORE HONG KONG NEWS

China

SOUTH CHINA SEA

US asks China to stop building Spratlys island which could host airfield

The United States has urged Beijing to stop its reclamation projects in the South China Sea, as a report provided more details on a massive island being built in the disputed waters.

23 Nov 2014 - 8:48am 44 comments

ENVIRONMENT

Concern over great seawalls of China: once lush wetlands surrounded by 11,000km of artificial structures

23 Nov 2014 - 6:51am 1 comment

DIPLOMACY

Xi Jinping thanks Fiji for help in tackling corrupt officials, pledges raft of deals in return

23 Nov 2014

MORE CHINA NEWS

Asia

EARTHQUAKE

Homes collapse, 39 injured in Japan's magnitude-6.8 earthquake

A strong earthquake in the mountainous area of central Japan that hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics destroyed more than half a dozen homes in a ski resort town and injured at least 30 people, officials said.

23 Nov 2014 - 11:07am

SOUTHEAST ASIA

Jakarta's Christian governor takes on radical Islamist group

For more than 15 years the Islamic Defenders' Front terrorised moderate Muslims, Christians and other religious minorities in Jakarta, with authorities doing little to stop the growing violence.

23 Nov 2014 - 7:34am

ROHINGYA

Myanmese refugees made to pay US$1,000 to stay in Malaysia

23 Nov 2014

MORE ASIA NEWS

World

SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook ‘newspaper’ spells trouble for media

Facebook’s move to fulfill its ambition to be the personal “newspaper” for its billion-plus members is likely to mean more woes for the ailing news media.

23 Nov 2014 - 11:25am

UKRAINE CRISIS: ANALYSIS

EU learns lessons a year after start of Ukraine crisis

When Ukraine pulled out of its association agreement with the European Union a year ago, kicking off its revolution, it took Brussels by surprise.

Twelve months later the EU is still learning bitter lessons about geopolitics and Russian aggression, experts say.

23 Nov 2014 - 11:02am

TUNISIA

Tunisians elect president for the first time since Arab Spring

23 Nov 2014

MORE WORLD NEWS

China Insider

CHINA DIGEST

Woman student leader powers on to wing strength contest; Boyfriend survives girlfriend's murder plot

22 Nov 2014

CHINA DIGEST

Poor couple on trial for selling children; Teen leaps to death after cheating accusation

21 Nov 2014

POLITICS

Pro-Beijing scholar wants to set up platform to counter West's 'bad-mouthing' of China

21 Nov 2014 8 comments

CELEBRITIES

Taiwan actor Ko Chen-tung cut from blockbuster after drug arrest with Jaycee Chan

20 Nov 2014 2 comments

CHINA DIGEST

Newlywed found dead in fishpond; Selfie poser stops trains in tracks

20 Nov 2014

ANTI-CORRUPTION

Communist Party should try imperial China's impeachment system to fight graft, says novelist

19 Nov 2014 2 comments

DRUGS

100,000 users ‘investigated’, 12 tonnes narcotics seized in China's war on drugs

19 Nov 2014 1 comment

CHINA DIGEST

Egg-size kidney stones; 'Miracle' baby born; Panda recovering after attack in reserve

19 Nov 2014

COMMUNIST PARTY

Keep calling each other ‘comrade’, Chinese Communist Party tells members after rule review

18 Nov 2014 5 comments

INTERNET

China blocks thousands more websites as ‘Great Firewall’ targets cloud services

18 Nov 2014 7 comments

SOCIAL MEDIA

Accused social media scandal monger Yang Xiuyu jailed for four years by Beijing court

18 Nov 2014

CHINA DIGEST

Mystery over Guangzhou University student's death; BMW owner flies into rage over 5 yuan parking charge

18 Nov 2014

VISA RELAXATION

US relaxation of visa scheme triggers fears over ‘brain drain’ from China

18 Nov 2014

CYCLING

Photos of ‘brave’ Beijing expat standing up to car in bike lane go viral

18 Nov 2014 18 comments

Business

CROSS-BORDER RELATIONS

Beijing summons top Hong Kong officials to discuss Guangdong's future

Top Hong Kong officials have been summoned to attend the first ever state-level cross-border meeting on Guangdong development on Tuesday despite unresolved local social and political issues brought to light by the Occupy Central movement.

23 Nov 2014 - 6:46am 8 comments

ECONOMY

China's central bank surprises markets with lending rate cut to 5.6 per cent

The People's Bank of China yesterday lowered its benchmark lending rate by 40 basis points - its first change in rates since 2012 - in an unexpected concession to pressures from a slowing economy and increasingly high borrowing costs.

22 Nov 2014 - 5:21am 11 comments

MARKETS

DOUG YOUNG

Double Eleven intoxication; Moto's China homecoming

17 Nov 2014 - 7:11pm

MORE BUSINESS NEWS

Property

INVESTMENT

Freedom to travel adds to lure of Athens flats for wealthy Hongkongers

Deep-pocketed Hong Kong investors could be surprise beneficiaries of Greece's attempt to woo wealthy mainland investors with promises of visa-free travel in Europe.

23 Nov 2014 - 6:46am

RENTS

Weaker luxury sales to force down shop rents in prime districts

Owners of street-level shops in prime shopping districts will feel the pain of slower luxury sales next year, with rents expected to decrease by up to double-digit percentages, according to international ratings agencies and property experts.

21 Nov 2014 - 5:23am 4 comments

RENTS

Causeway Bay loses to New York in world highest rental ranking

20 Nov 2014 1 comment

MORE PROPERTY NEWS

Lifestyle

ARTS & CULTURE

Review: Frank Braley and Hong Kong Sinfonietta

A blend of experimental work and all-time classics on Friday night left music lovers with mixed feelings, but their appreciation for home-grown artists was uniform.

23 Nov 2014 - 7:18am

Grace Kelly biopic fails to come to life

22 Nov 2014

Gilles Dyan's Opera galleries succeed by combining his art expertise and his marketing savvy

22 Nov 2014

FOOD & WINE

English wines' time to shine

Back in the early 1970s when Australian wines were regarded by many English wine lovers as too vulgar an idea to contemplate, the comedy team Monty Python produced a sketch in which Eric Idle portrayed an Australian wine expert.

21 Nov 2014 - 10:39am

Spirits more prominent at trade fair

21 Nov 2014

Top of the pots: where to get your fill of Hong Kong's best claypot rice

21 Nov 2014

TECHNOLOGY

Experiment finds most people are willing to pay to spare others pain

No pain, no gain. People who gladly underwent electric shocks for cash in an experiment were more willing to sacrifice money to reduce others' pain than they were to reduce their own.

23 Nov 2014 - 8:40am

Dealing with stress in your dad's DNA

23 Nov 2014

First Paleo-dieting, now Paleo-dating: Why the contraceptive pill has more to answer for than ugly boyfriends

23 Nov 2014

FASHION

Outlet villages on the mainland don't just offer bargains

21 Nov 2014

Jewellery by Monica Vinader is priced between costume and expensive

21 Nov 2014

BOOKS

Book notes 75 years of Blue Note label

22 Nov 2014

Book review: Seven Elements That Have Changed the World, by John Browne

22 Nov 2014

HEALTH

Staying out of the sun, or covering up, is the best way to avoid skin cancer

21 Nov 2014

Hits & Myths: is coconut oil good for you?

21 Nov 2014

BEAUTY

Beauty buzz

22 Nov 2014

Beauty fix: Nailae technology prints pictures on your fingernails

19 Nov 2014

FAMILY & EDUCATION

Hong Kong students learn some valuable lessons about money

21 Nov 2014

In today's world, vocational education should be valued

21 Nov 2014

INTERIORS & LIVING

Split decisions

22 Nov 2014

Style with David Roden, November 19, 2014

19 Nov 2014

Magazines

Good Eating: Winter 2014
19 NOV 2014

Local chefs create spicy menus for the more adventurous diners
Post Magazine: November 16
16 NOV 2014

Young entrepreneurs win a trip to Silicon Valley

Sport

BOXING

Live: Clash in Cotai II

Welcome to Clash in Cotai II, featuring in the main event, Philippine icon Manny Pacquiao v unbeaten American Chris Algieri. It’s the first time Pacquiao has returned to Macau since his unanimous victory over Mexican-American Brandon Rios last November and he’s hungrier than ever.

23 Nov 2014 - 11:38amMore on Manny Pacquiao