fans in a soccer stadium throwing white and red confetti

News of the world: April 25, 2026

INDIA Now that’s service. Indian weddings are legendary for their grandeur, but the newest trend in nuptials is over the top — waitresses gliding to the guests on hoverboards. Wedding organizers love the glitz and glamour, especially for social media purposes. The boring old waiter outfit is now replaced by beautiful women wearing matching shiny…

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Malaysia offers rare earths alternative to China

    Malaysia offers rare earths alternative to China

    Bags of mixed rare earth elements sit ready for shipment at the Lynas Rare Earths facility in Gebeng, near Kuantan.  (AFP pic) GEBENG: Workers load tonnes of rare earth minerals into bags ready for shipping at a refinery in eastern Malaysia, fuelling the global pushback against China’s grip on the critical sector. Rare earths are…

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    SCMP veteran Enoch Yiu received the award for Outstanding Contribution to Institutional Journalism. Photo: Handout

      SCMP’s ‘original’ finance reporting honoured at State Street Institutional Press Awards

      The South China Morning Post received six honours at the State Street Institutional Press Awards Asia-Pacific 2025 on Tuesday. The awards, which recognise outstanding news reporting on institutional finance across Asia-Pacific (APAC), drew a record 246 submissions this year from eight economies – mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and France. Most…

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      Seagulls are pictured at the Baltic Sea beach in Timmendorfer Strand, Germany, on a sunny Sunday, April 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

      Philippines, US and Allies Start Military Exercises Testing ‘Real‑world’ Readiness

      MANILA, April 20 (Reuters) – Philippine and U.S. forces will ⁠carry ⁠out maritime strike drills on ⁠a remote Philippine island near Taiwan during annual exercises that started on Monday, ​which Manila’s military chief said would test their readiness under “real‑world conditions”.  The April 20 to May 8 exercises known as “Balikatan”, or “shoulder-to-shoulder”, ‌will be…

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