China missed the World Cup. Its brands didn’t

News - South China Morning Post June 13, 2026 at 2:13 AM

Inside a sprawling broadcast hub in Dallas, thousands of devices supplied by Lenovo are helping Fifa manage and distribute content from stadiums across the United States, Canada and Mexico, forming part of the technological backbone of the largest World Cup ever staged. The central role played by the Chinese-founded technology company highlights a reality often obscured by geopolitical tensions between Washington and Beijing: while US policymakers have increasingly scrutinised Chinese technology...

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Elon Musk is now the world’s first trillionaire – what could he buy with all that money?

News - South China Morning Post June 13, 2026 at 12:08 AM

Catapulted by the market debut of his rocket company SpaceX, Elon Musk is now the world’s first trillionaire. That level of wealth, all owned by just one person, was once unfathomable. Before Friday, the trillion dollar mark was reserved for measures like the GDP (or staggering debt) of a handful of major economies – and, in the last decade alone, the value of some of the biggest companies to ever trade on the stock market. Musk’s new title arrives amid a wider acceleration for the richest of...

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Elon Musk becomes world’s first trillionaire after SpaceX IPO

News - South China Morning Post June 12, 2026 at 9:52 PM

In a post on the social media platform he owns, Elon Musk recently lamented: “Whoever said ‘money can’t buy happiness’ really knew what they were talking about.” Now the world’s richest person can put that maxim to an even bigger test as he adds a new title: world’s first trillionaire. Shares of SpaceX rose 19 per cent on Friday to US$160.95 each in their first day of trading, vaulting the value of the rocket and AI company Musk founded to US$2.2 trillion. His fortune now stands at the...

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(China Economic Roundtable) China Focus: China's new mega project to break bottleneck on world's busiest inland waterway

Kyrgyzstan News June 12, 2026 at 9:16 PM

BEIJING, June 12 (Xinhua) -- China is building a mega waterway project to expand shipping capacity along the Yangtze River, betting that a smoother "golden waterway" will keep goods flowing along one of the world's busiest inland shipping routes and shore up the country's internal connectivity. The Yangtze is China's longest river and a vital artery for freight between its inland and coastal regions. The Three G

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(China Economic Roundtable) China Focus: China's new mega project to break bottleneck on world's busiest inland waterway

Tajikistan News June 12, 2026 at 9:16 PM

BEIJING, June 12 (Xinhua) -- China is building a mega waterway project to expand shipping capacity along the Yangtze River, betting that a smoother "golden waterway" will keep goods flowing along one of the world's busiest inland shipping routes and shore up the country's internal connectivity. The Yangtze is China's longest river and a vital artery for freight between its inland and coastal regions. The Three G

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(China Economic Roundtable) China Focus: China's new mega project to break bottleneck on world's busiest inland waterway

Turkmenistan News June 12, 2026 at 9:16 PM

BEIJING, June 12 (Xinhua) -- China is building a mega waterway project to expand shipping capacity along the Yangtze River, betting that a smoother "golden waterway" will keep goods flowing along one of the world's busiest inland shipping routes and shore up the country's internal connectivity. The Yangtze is China's longest river and a vital artery for freight between its inland and coastal regions. The Three G

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China’s Zhejiang University tops Harvard in Nature Index world academic rankings

News - South China Morning Post June 12, 2026 at 5:00 PM

Zhejiang University in China has overtaken Harvard University to become the top academic institution in the world, according to the 2026 Nature Index. This is the first time Harvard has lost its top position in the rankings since the index’s inception in 2014. Tsinghua University, also from China, was third. Chinese institutions dominated this year’s list, accounting for nine of the top 10 – up from eight in last year’s rankings. Of the top 20, China has 17, with Stanford University No 12 and...

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Hong Kong eateries chase World Cup business despite time difference

News - South China Morning Post June 12, 2026 at 9:15 AM

Hong Kong’s catering industry is aiming for 6 to 8 per cent business growth during this year’s Fifa World Cup, with the sector exploring creative ways to attract customers and keep fans from travelling to mainland China, despite time differences for matches. Edward Leung Hei, chairman of the Hong Kong Feast and Retreat Association, said on Friday that measures included offering discounts on snacks and drinks, broadcasting match replays during happy hours, hosting lucky draws to boost the...

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DR Congo coach Desabre hopes World Cup return can lift spirits

Tajikistan News June 12, 2026 at 7:11 AM

Sebastien Desabre, coach of theWorld Cup teamfromEbola-hitDemocratic Republic of Congo, said he hoped his team would put up a "good showing" after they wereallowed to entertheUnited Stateson Thursday.Desabre said he hoped the team could bring some pleasure to their beleaguered compatriots.The squad arrived on a flight from Paris after US authorities insisted they serve a 21-dayquarantine periodbefore ente

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DR Congo coach Desabre hopes World Cup return can lift spirits

Turkmenistan News June 12, 2026 at 7:11 AM

Sebastien Desabre, coach of theWorld Cup teamfromEbola-hitDemocratic Republic of Congo, said he hoped his team would put up a "good showing" after they wereallowed to entertheUnited Stateson Thursday.Desabre said he hoped the team could bring some pleasure to their beleaguered compatriots.The squad arrived on a flight from Paris after US authorities insisted they serve a 21-dayquarantine periodbefore ente

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DR Congo coach Desabre hopes World Cup return can lift spirits

Kyrgyzstan News June 12, 2026 at 7:11 AM

Sebastien Desabre, coach of theWorld Cup teamfromEbola-hitDemocratic Republic of Congo, said he hoped his team would put up a "good showing" after they wereallowed to entertheUnited Stateson Thursday.Desabre said he hoped the team could bring some pleasure to their beleaguered compatriots.The squad arrived on a flight from Paris after US authorities insisted they serve a 21-dayquarantine periodbefore ente

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China’s ports are by far the most efficient in the world: World Bank study

News - South China Morning Post June 12, 2026 at 5:00 AM

China’s ports continued to dominate global efficiency rankings in 2025, with seven Chinese trade hubs placing in the top 10, according to a study by the World Bank and S&P Global released on Wednesday. The latest edition of the annual report comes at a time when ports are playing a more vital role in the global economy than ever, as facilities strive to handle intense disruptions to global supply chains amid the aftermath of the Red Sea crisis and the ongoing fallout from the US-Israel war on...

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"From Indian perspective, it's very good": Bhaichung Bhutia hails 48-team World Cup expansion

Tajikistan News June 11, 2026 at 10:02 PM

By Utkarsh RathourMumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 11 (ANI): Former Indian football captain and legendary striker Bhaichung Bhutia has welcomed FIFA's decision to expand the 2026 edition of the World Cup to 48 teams, calling it a 'wonderful thing' that significantly boosts India's prospects of playing on the grandest stage of world football.The 2026 edition of the World Cup will see a record-breaking pa

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"From Indian perspective, it's very good": Bhaichung Bhutia hails 48-team World Cup expansion

Turkmenistan News June 11, 2026 at 10:02 PM

By Utkarsh RathourMumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 11 (ANI): Former Indian football captain and legendary striker Bhaichung Bhutia has welcomed FIFA's decision to expand the 2026 edition of the World Cup to 48 teams, calling it a 'wonderful thing' that significantly boosts India's prospects of playing on the grandest stage of world football.The 2026 edition of the World Cup will see a record-breaking pa

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"From Indian perspective, it's very good": Bhaichung Bhutia hails 48-team World Cup expansion

Kyrgyzstan News June 11, 2026 at 10:02 PM

By Utkarsh RathourMumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 11 (ANI): Former Indian football captain and legendary striker Bhaichung Bhutia has welcomed FIFA's decision to expand the 2026 edition of the World Cup to 48 teams, calling it a 'wonderful thing' that significantly boosts India's prospects of playing on the grandest stage of world football.The 2026 edition of the World Cup will see a record-breaking pa

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How Much Will It Cost Kazakh Fans to Attend 2026 World Cup?

The Astana Times June 11, 2026 at 3:10 PM

The Astana Times provides news and information from Kazakhstan and around the world. ASTANA – Kazakh football fans planning a trip to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America should expect to spend between $1,700 and $4,000 per person for a single match, with flights, accommodation, visas, and match tickets driving costs higher as the tournament approaches. Photo credit: Adobe Stock. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, is expected to be one of the most expensive tournaments for international fans, reported Kazinform on June 10. For travelers departing from Kazakhstan, the largest expenses include airfare, accommodation, visas, and match tickets. Since official FIFA allocations are largely sold out, most tickets are now available through resale platforms, where prices for group-stage matches start at around $180, while tickets for the final can cost several thousand dollars. Kazakh citizens require visas to enter the host…

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