Scheduled drone performances at tourist attractions and events across China have been grounded as the country steps up scrutiny of low-altitude aviation, although in many cases no clear reason was given for the cancellation. Tourist attractions and event organisers in 11 provinces and regions, including Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Shandong, Guangdong and Hainan, took the unusual step last week of announcing that drone shows scheduled from Friday onwards were cancelled. By Monday, none had announced...

Landslides and floods caused by non-stop monsoon rains have killed at least 12 people in the Philippines, while eight more were missing and thirteen injured, authorities said. More than half a million people in 33 provinces have been affected by the southwest monsoon that has been enhanced by two tropical cyclones, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. The agency also reported hundreds of damaged homes and infrastructure, with about 98,000 displaced from their...

Hong Kong residents raising goats, sheep and cattle in the New Territories will need a licence under a proposed regulation which aims to reduce nuisance and hygiene problems affecting neighbours, amid the acceleration of urban development under projects such as the Northern Metropolis. The plan was revealed in an Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department document, scheduled to be discussed at the Yuen Long District Council on Tuesday, in which the department sought to extend the...

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey signed a Nato-like defence agreement in Mecca as the United States’ war on Iran prompts countries in the region to rethink security arrangements. The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement stipulates that “any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all”, the three countries said in a joint statement. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz...

China’s central government has invited dozens of scientific, technological and academic experts to its annual summer retreat, highlighting how the country is focusing on innovation and breaking through “chokepoints” amid fierce competition with the US. According to state news agency Xinhua, the Communist Party’s Central Committee and the State Council, China’s cabinet, invited 60 experts to the seaside resort of Beidaihe from August 1 to 7. The list of invitees – who represented fields including...

Signs of recovery in Hong Kong’s real estate industry are becoming more apparent, so much so that key indicators in parts of the sector are experiencing some of the fastest growth rates in the Asia-Pacific. In the hotel market, average daily rates, which were declining in annualised terms for most of 2025, grew 9.5 per cent in the first half of this year. This was the third-fastest growth rate among 14 leading markets across the region, according to data from CBRE. Another sign that the recovery...

A former procurement manager at Tse Sui Luen Jewellery in Hong Kong has pleaded guilty to stealing diamonds worth more than HK$11 million (US$1.4 million) from suppliers over six years by manipulating consignment records to fund his gambling habit. The High Court heard on Monday that Mui Ka-fai, 63, obtained small diamonds from the jeweller’s regular suppliers and resold them once or twice a month for profit between 2017 and 2023. He pleaded guilty to three counts of theft. An investigation...