An evening surge in shoppers keen on Boxing Day bargains drove a decade-high increase in footfall for the annual sales, figures suggest. It was up by 4.4% across all UK retail destinations including high streets and shopping centres compared to the same day last year, according to data from MRI Software. Footfall also remained strong…
Following the burglary of a warehouse belonging to Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com on Monday, a judicial source has confirmed an investigation has begun on charges of theft by an organised gang. The incident came in the middle of the Christmas shopping season and took place in the town of Dugny, a northern suburb of Paris…
Kelly Ngand BBC Burmese,Mandalay EPA Myanmar’s military is holding a phased election over the next month Myanmar is voting in an election widely dismissed as a sham, with major political parties dissolved, many of their leaders jailed and as much as half the country not expected to vote because of an ongoing civil war. The…
The children of ex-Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak have been yearning for their father to leave prison and the family to spend the New Year together. But their hopes were dashed this week after a court ruled against Najib’s application to return home under house arrest. In a five-minute video posted online shortly after the…
BBC News South East Asia Correspondent Jonathan Head visited a polling station in Myanmar as the country votes in what has widely been called a “sham” election. Major political parties have been dissolved and many of their leaders jailed almost five years after the military seized power in a coup. This sparked widespread opposition, spiralling…
This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. Temperatures in Hong Kong will drop to as low as 14 degrees Celsius (57.2 Fahrenheit) over the Christmas holiday due to an approaching…
Samsung is adding two brand new speakers to its audio lineup, along with updated soundbars boosted with AI features. While not as inconspicuous as the Samsung Frame, the new WiFi speakers, called the Music Studio 5 and 7, were designed to blend into your living room’s atmosphere with their minimalist design. However, if you’re looking…
Less than 100 days after he was elected premier, Anutin dissolved parliament earlier this month when his minority government faced the threat of a no-confidence vote. Speaking to party members and supporters on Wednesday, Anutin said he and his Bhumjaithai party were ready to return to power, describing the February 8 election as “the most…
OpenAI is looking for a new Head of Preparedness who can help it anticipate the potential harms of its models and how they can be abused, in order to guide the company’s safety strategy. It comes at the end of a year that’s seen OpenAI hit with numerous accusations about ChatGPT’s impacts on users’ mental…
The Hollywood Reporter picks the best overlooked films of the year. Published on December 27, 2025 Hidden Gems 2025 (Clockwise from top left): ‘Lesbian Space Princess,’ ‘The Last Viking,’ ‘The Ballad of Wallis Island,’ ‘The Botanist’ © We Made A Thing Studios/TrustNordisk/Alistair Heap/Arsin Meiyu/Monologue Films With the race for the Oscars starting to narrow, and…
