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South China Morning Post

South China Morning Post

Newspaper | Hong Kong | Centre
www.scmp.com/

Hong Kong-based English-language newspaper covering China, Asia, and international news.

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Discussions from South China Morning Post

Politics

What does Viktor Orbán's defeat mean for Hungary's future and its citizens' voices in government?

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Sunday conceded a “painful” defeat in his bid for reelection to his rival, opposition leader Peter Magyar. “I congratulated the victorious party,” Orbán told his followers after the results trickled in, confirming the feisty populist’s sixteen years in power have come to an end. “We are going to serve […]

Hungary
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Technology

What are the benefits and risks of having a national AI plan that changes state laws about technology?

The Trump administration's highly-anticipated recommendations for Congress on AI offer lawmakers a list of priorities rather than a concrete legislative plan. Why it matters: Though the framework marks a starting point from the White House, it will be incredibly hard for Congress to pass anything like it — even with Republicans in control. Disagreements over AI policy go well beyond Republican vs. Democrat, and they overlap with broader tech policy debates that Congress has never been able to solve. Friction point: The four-page framework calls on lawmakers to limit the ability of states to set their own rules for the technology, setting up a renewed clash with states and Congress over the future of AI regulation. It's not tied to any specific bills and doesn't resolve longstanding issues around protecting kids and overriding state law. What's inside: The framework says Congress should "preempt state AI laws that impose undue burdens to ensure a minimally burdensome national standard consistent with these recommendations, not fifty discordant ones." The proposal calls on Congress to: Address the use of AI replicas that simulate someone's likeness or voice.Codify President Trump's pledge to require tech companies to pay for their increased energy demands.Establish "regulatory sandboxes" to allow developers to experiment with AI under relaxed rules. It also focuses on kids' online safety: "AI services and platforms must take measures to protect children, while empowering parents to control their children's digital environment and upbringing," the framework states. Our thought bubble: It's a sign that this move is about the White House staking out a position and pointing to the framework as a demonstration it tried to set the rules of the road, rather than advancing a bill. The White House's biggest efforts on AI policy are focused on squashing state efforts to regulate the technology. Between the lines: The framework says the Trump administration "believes that traini

United States
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Geopolitics

What should the U.S. do next after the fighter jet was shot down over Iran?

By Phil Stewart WASHINGTON, April 3 (Reuters) - A U.S. fighter jet has been shot down over Iran and a search-and-rescue operation is underway for any survivors, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Friday, in the first such known incident since the war began nearly five weeks ago. The Pentagon and U.S. Central Command did not respond to requests for comment. The prospect of U.S. pilots being alive and on the run inside Iran raises the stakes for the United States in a conflict that has struggled to win popular support among Americans, according to opinion polls

United States
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Economy

What are the benefits and drawbacks of a president having the power to set tariffs without review?

US President Donald Trump’s tariffs returned to court on Friday, as a three-judge Court of International Trade panel in New York sharply questioned both sides while weighing the legality of a new set of tariffs he imposed in February, shortly after a Supreme Court ruling declared most of his sweeping levies unlawful. While the judges offered few clues on how they might rule on the Section 122 tariffs, the court has previously rejected business challenges seeking to invalidate Section 301 tariffs

Hong Kong
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Economy

What different ideas do people have about China's economic plans for the future and how they might affect us?

This live blog is freely available to our registered users. Please log in or create an account below. For full coverage of the 15th five-year plan, including policy and economic shifts plus Trump’s visit, subscribe with our China Super March offer now. China’s top economic officials are holding a press conference on Friday as part of the “two sessions”, the country’s annual policymaking meetings. The leaders of the National Development and Reform Commission – Beijing’s top economic planner – the

Global
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Infrastructure

What are the potential benefits and challenges of the railway project between China and Kenya for both countries?

Kenya has revived construction on its multibillion-dollar Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) extension that stalled more than six years ago, replacing heavy sovereign debt with innovative financing after renegotiating its loans with China. According to Kenyan officials, the Chinese firm China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) and its subsidiary, China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), will build the railway’s two remaining sections at an estimated cost of US$5.4 billion. Kenyan President

Global
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Geopolitics

What are the possible effects of Iran's actions in the Gulf on international trade and regional safety?

DUBAI, March 23 (Reuters) - An attack on Iran's southern coast and islands will lead to Gulf routes being cut with the laying of sea mines, the country's Defence Council said on Monday according to state media. The U.S. is considering plans to occupy or blockade Iran's Kharg Island, the country's main oil export hub, to pressure Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping, according to Axios

Iran
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