Thank you to our maintainers
To celebrate Maintainer Month, GitHub has invested an additional $500,000 to help sponsor the open source projects that it depends on. ⌘ Read more

Scientists unravel structure of ocean currents in the South China Sea
Three-layered rotating circulation is key to monitoring areas like climate change and fish productivity in the waters that surround a fifth of the world’s population. ⌘ Read more

Chinese satellites evade US surveillance probe, then stare back, according to report
The close encounter in orbit prompts experts to call for new rules and norms for the use of outer space. ⌘ Read more

Chinese-hosted BRICS summit swerves controversy over Ukraine and Taiwan
Analysts said India’s refusal to sign up to Russia and China’s anti-US agenda had derailed Beijing’s efforts to establish a common front on contentious matters. ⌘ Read more

Xinjiang ‘forced labour’ law leaves Chinese companies in a bind, with doubts over supply chain audits
Washington’s ‘forced labour’ puts an enormous burden on Chinese companies to prove their supply chains are free from rights abuses in Xinjiang. But trade experts question their ability to meet the ‘very high requirements’. ⌘ Read more

First phase of new cable works completed, Hong Kong power firm says, days after fire from high-voltage lines caused widespread blackouts
CLP Power says its first 132kV high-voltage cable successfully activated in Yuen Long, aims to complete works for remaining two cables by Tuesday. ⌘ Read more

Covid-19 in China: Woman and ailing father threatened with detention after clash with police while trying to visit hospital
A viral video of the confrontation in which police stopped the pair going to a hospital has sparked public outrage. ⌘ Read more

Hong Kong Book Fair to begin on July 20 but some publishers banned with ‘no reason’
This year’s event is themed ‘Reading the World: Stories of Hong Kong’. ⌘ Read more

Prince Charles says Commonwealth nations free to decide on dropping queen as head of state
Addressing a summit of Commonwealth prime ministers and presidents in Rwanda, the monarch also expressed ‘personal sorrow’ at Britain’s legacy of slavery. ⌘ Read more

Chinese firm aiming to break US dominance in chip design software gets IPO approval at home
Empyrean Technology aims to become a global leader in EDA software by 2030, in a market currently led by US firms Cadence, Synopsis and Mentor Graphics. ⌘ Read more

Hong Kong court orders European firm to pay HK$150,000, apologise to former employee sacked over sexual harassment claim
Writer Shaun Tan wins lawsuit against Euromoney Institutional Investor for its pro-female bias, after being sacked over unsubstantiated sexual harassment complaint. ⌘ Read more

Beijing’s boost to Nansha will bring opportunities for Hong Kong, not rivalry, Guangzhou mayor says
Guo Yonghang says his city needs to take advantage of Hong Kong’s role as a ‘super-connector’ to foster global partnerships in tech projects. ⌘ Read more

China’s new live-streaming guidelines set to change the influencer business known for its ‘low threshold, high income’
In the latest crackdown on China’s once-booming live streaming industry, authorities are requiring platforms to check the credentials of influencers in certain fields. ⌘ Read more

Hong Kong chauffeur acquitted on charge of inciting members of drivers’ WhatsApp group to attack police with machetes
District Court accepts Fong Man-ho’s defence that he was merely venting his frustration at police’s handling of 2019 protests and posted remarks on impulse. ⌘ Read more

‘See you next year’: China’s ‘King of gaokao’ fails to get marks for dream university after sitting the entrance exam for 26th time
A man in China who shot to fame after repeatedly sitting the country’s university entrance exam has failed to get the score he wanted for the 26th time — but plans to try again next year. ⌘ Read more

[47°09′49″S, 126°43′18″W] Transponder still failing – switching to analog communication

Chinese security official calls for crackdown on gangs following Tangshan attack
The political and legal affairs chief urges authorities to ‘fight against evil’ in the wake of a brutal assault on women in northern China. ⌘ Read more

The Age of Health Misinformation: From Pandemic to Infodemic
COVID-19 has sadly fuelled a torrent of false or misleading information that has complicated efforts to limit the spread of the virus ⌘ Read more

Passing on Lessons from the Field
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Dr CHAN Siu-ming admits that his story is a rather long one. Chan joined the social work profession after completing study in social work at university to serve the community in which he himself grew up. After eight years in the field, the now Assistant Professor at CityU’s Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences has decided to embark on an academic career and share his ex … ⌘ Read more

Discovering a Passion for Literature
One of the Department of English’s most recent hires, Dr Jerrine TAN talks about how she switched away from her early interest in medicine to pursue her studies in the arts ⌘ Read more

Immigration: the Dream vs the Facts
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Waves of immigration have been seen again recently from politically and economically less stable and prosperous regions to those so-called Western democratised and industrialised countries. Rapid changes in the geopolitical terrain, along with a drastic transformation in the appeal of the defining elements of democracy and prosperity in the past decade, has made immigration … ⌘ Read more

Following Friends in Fitness Apps is Associated with Higher Levels of Physical Activity
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The past few years have seen huge growth in mobile fitness apps globally. Expecting increased revenue to be generated from this category, app designers strive to add features to enhance the user experience and motivate better performance.

Dr HUANG Guanxiong, Dr Crystal JIANG Li, and doctoral student SUN Mengru from CityU’s … ⌘ Read more

Hardening National Boundaries in a Globally-connected World
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Information and communication technologies (ICTs) such as the internet are often thought to have removed the boundaries among countries and brought us to a boundless world. But is that really the case? To investigate this question, research authored by Dr Jun ZHANG, Assistant Professor of CityU’s Department of Asian and International Studies, takes as e … ⌘ Read more

Why do Some Minorities Support the US Republican Party?
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In contemporary US politics, the Democratic Party is often regarded as the most welcoming to racial minority groups. Even so, each election cycle sees many members of these groups cast their vote for the Republican Party. In 2016, for example, Chinese Americans from the East Coast to Silicon Valley organised rallies for Republican candidates. Even thoug … ⌘ Read more

Exploring Global Connectivity and Opportunities along Belt and Road
Scholars and industry experts around the globe shed light on the city’s competitive edge in relation to the Belt and Road Initiative by looking at the current development situation of seven B&R countries ⌘ Read more

Changing the World for the Better
A passionate educator in social work with profound experience in the field, there are few who are as dedicated to teaching the next generations of students in social welfare in Hong Kong as Dr Sylvia KWOK LAI Yuk-ching ⌘ Read more

Social Worker’s Passion Wins her Top Industry Award
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“I grew up in a poor family that is why I have strong feelings about the notion of being deprived,” says Fion Li. Her saving grace was that she received charitable help during her secondary  school years. “Whether it was through church or other organisations, the ability to help others continues to be a great influence on the choices I make for the future.”

… ⌘ Read more

Global Discussions on Sustainable Solutions for the Future of Food
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The current food system relies heavily on intensive farming which is unsustainable and harmful to both our planet and our health. Although industrial farming provides us affordable food prices and high crop yield, it is also believed that factory-farmed animals are invariably stressed and riddled with disease from cramped and unhealthy living con … ⌘ Read more

Myanmar’s NUG says junta placed Aung San Suu Kyi in solitary confinement to ‘embarrass’ her
The shadow government and UN denounced the military for transferring the ousted leader from house arrest to solitary confinement in prison this week. ⌘ Read more

CityU and Yonsei University Offer New Joint PhD Programme
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With a vision to broaden and deepen mutual scientific and pedagogical relations and cooperation in research and higher education, CityU’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) recently established a partnership with Yonsei University’s College of Social Sciences to launch a two-certificate Joint PhD Programme (“Dual Degree” as named by Yonse … ⌘ Read more

Mentoring Secondary School Students in Buddy Programme
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The transition from secondary to tertiary education is an important developmental milestone in one’s life. Secondary school students may not yet have developed a clear understanding of what their aspirations are and in what fields they would like to pursue further studies. To encourage secondary school students in planning their future pathway, CityU has set … ⌘ Read more

CityU Research Cited in US Budget FY2023
[Sponsored Article]

Strategic planning is regarded as a popular management approach adopted by public, private and non-profit organisations today to set priorities and steer future development. It helps define the mission of the organisation and establish realistic goals and objectives consistent with that mission in a defined time frame for implementation within the organisation’s capacity. … ⌘ Read more

World leaders seek united front for Ukraine at key summits as war rages
Back-to-back summits over the next week will test Western resolve to support Ukraine as rising geopolitical tensions and economic pain cast an increasingly long shadow. ⌘ Read more

Balkans complain about stalled EU bids as war-torn Ukraine gets candidate status
Angry Balkan leaders lashed out at the European Union over their stalled bids to join, as the EU’s decision to make Ukraine a candidate nation highlighted the region’s failure to make progress. ⌘ Read more

Hong Kong police arrest 1,800 people, aged 11 to 90, in first four weeks of cross-border crime crackdown
Officers seize HK$100 million worth of illegal drugs and illicit goods in operation Thunderbolt 2022. ⌘ Read more

Hong Kong’s next leader John Lee speaks to the Post
In an exclusive, wide-ranging interview on Talking Post, incoming Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu talks about a strategy to reopen Hong Kong’s borders with mainland China and the rest of the world, how he plans to counter “fearmongering and badmouthing”, and more. ⌘ Read more

Coronavirus: Beijing making contingency plans for Hong Kong government swearing-in ceremony on July 1 after 2 top city officials catch Covid-19
Cases spark speculation on whether a state leader such as President Xi Jinping will attend ceremony on July 1, the 25th anniversary of city’s return to Chinese rule. ⌘ Read more

Covid-19 vaccines ‘saved 20 million lives’ in first year, study says
The study is the first attempt to estimate the number of deaths prevented directly and indirectly as a result of Covid-19 vaccinations. ⌘ Read more

UK’s Boris Johnson suffers double by-election defeat humiliation
The defeats will undoubtedly renew calls for the embattled UK prime minister to stand down. ⌘ Read more

Pink Floyd seeking US$500 million for music catalogue
Should that deal come to fruition, it would be one of the largest sales in music history. ⌘ Read more

Business groups urge Biden to return trade to heart of Asia policies
US-led chambers among 15 international associations in combined push for regional trade agreements, but China group silent. ⌘ Read more

Darkening skies (2012-2017): Hong Kong’s years of simmering tensions in 25 photos
The city was rocked by the 2014 Occupy movement in this period, a precursor to greater unrest to come as brewing political sentiment bubbled to the forefront of society. ⌘ Read more

Woman’s anger over topless hospital X-ray by male doctor who got a week suspension starts heated debate in China and her post gets 130 million views
A woman asked to remove her clothes for an X-ray exam with a male radiologist says she felt violated and complained and then posted about the incident on social media. ⌘ Read more

UBS’s top China banker says Hong Kong still a magnet for global IPOs, with additional reforms likely to attract more start-ups in Greater Bay Area
Hong Kong can still create wider room for more stock offerings from global companies and start-ups in Greater Bay Area, according to John Lee, head of Greater China global banking at UBS. ⌘ Read more

China relaxes barriers for transgender health, but family approval remains an obstacle
While policy changes make it easier for LGBT youth to access gender affirmation surgery, many still struggle with getting their parents’ consent. ⌘ Read more

Hong Kong must not cling to governance structures of the past
These trying times call for a clear-eyed review of the governmental structures and procedures underlying one ‘country, two systems’. Hong Kong needs a bolder institutional reform agenda, one placing the people’s interests above bureaucracy and adherence to an obsolete status quo. ⌘ Read more

Myanmar’s Suu Kyi ‘in strong spirits’ after being moved from solitary confinement to prison
The Nobel laureate left the premises to attend hearings for her numerous trials in a junta court that could see her handed a sentence of more than 150 years. ⌘ Read more

China, South Korea battle population woes as ‘children are not a must’, adding to economic peril
Japan’s shrinking population has long been an obsession, but its East Asian neighbours of South Korea and China are now facing the same problem as fertility rates, births and marriages fall, creating an economic headache for both Seoul and Beijing. ⌘ Read more

China’s world’s factory tag threatened by Vietnam, but ‘there’s nothing to worry about’, analysts say
Vietnam’s first quarter exports reached US$88.58 billion, up by 12.9 per cent from the previous year, with Chinese state media comparing the shipments in the first three months of the year to China’s main export hub of Shenzhen. ⌘ Read more

Bill Cosby to appeal civil ruling on US$500,000 teenage sex assault case
A civil trial heard how Cosby was said to have plied Judy Huth with alcohol and taken her to Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Mansion where he molested Huth, who was 16 at the time, in the 1970s. ⌘ Read more

Nike to fully exit Russia, joining list of Western firms that have pulled out of the country
Nike said on Thursday it will permanently leave the Russian market. Russian authorities have warned that they were ready to nationalise foreign assets. ⌘ Read more

Ukraine takes step toward EU membership as battle in east enters ‘fearsome climax’
Ukraine on Thursday said it had formally filed a case against Russia at the European Court of Human Rights to end ‘gross human rights violations’ by Moscow. ⌘ Read more

Why China should brace itself for a Pacific rebuff
Pacific island leaders have repeatedly expressed their reservations about being drawn into the power struggle between Beijing and Washington. With the US navy already having a foothold in the region, China needs much more than one base to gain military relevance in the South Pacific. ⌘ Read more

Americans have right to carry guns in public, says US Supreme Court in landmark decision
The decision was a stunning victory for the National Rifle Association gun lobby group, which brought the case along with two New York men who had been denied gun permits. ⌘ Read more

Chinese radar breakthrough will see commercial drones soar in power and applications, says Shenzhen team
Lead scientist of the project says it is ‘a disruptive technology’ and can be applied to intelligent driving, logistics and emergency rescue and disaster relief ⌘ Read more

British Airways set for ‘summer of strikes’ at London’s Heathrow
Travellers already faced lengthy delays and cancellations of hundreds of flights as airports struggle to cope with staff shortages and post-pandemic demand. Britain’s rail network is also being stifled by industrial action. ⌘ Read more

US$156million Russian superyacht in Dubai –test for US, UAE close ties amid sanctions
The 98-metre Madame Gu is moored next to US$200 million megayacht owned by the state’s ruler as Western pressure mounts for US Gulf Arab ally to apply sanctions. ⌘ Read more

Hong Kong lawmakers, business leaders suggest reducing hotel quarantine period to 3 days after incoming leader John Lee reveals reopening options
Politicians, business leaders welcome interim measures suggested by incoming leader John Lee as part of city’s gradually border reopening ⌘ Read more

China’s aircraft carrier No 4 will not catch up with US Navy’s nuclear-powered giants, analysts say
China’s naval nuclear reactor technology is not advanced enough to support an aircraft carrier, observers explained. ⌘ Read more

China ‘commends’ Nepal’s decision to reject US partnership programme
Beijing says it will continue to support Kathmandu’s ‘independent and non-aligned foreign policy’. ⌘ Read more

Instagram to protect young users with new AI tool to verify age
Global lawmakers have been vocal in demanding the social media service safeguard young people from adult content and invasions of their privacy. ⌘ Read more

US-China tech war: top Chinese scientist envisions forked RISC-V chip design standard to cushion decoupling impact
Chinese Academy of Sciences expert Bao Yungang said the country could handle sanctions better than Russia by developing a ‘RISC-X’ chip architecture to be used by Belt and Road countries in the event of technological decoupling. ⌘ Read more

Government efforts to spur acceptance of ethnic minority groups in Hong Kong kindergartens prove effective, as intake in preschools grow
Subsidy scheme shows promise, with half of participating preschools enrolling an average of six more pupils from the demographic. ⌘ Read more

Hong Kong’s public hospitals unveil scheme to hire doctors from Greater Bay Area in bid to ease manpower crunch
Programme allows one-year exchange of doctors, but only professionals from top three tiers of mainland hospitals are eligible. ⌘ Read more

China floats BRICS free-trade deal, while Russia’s Putin calls for an alternative to US dollar
Vice-commerce minister Wang Shouwen says a free-trade deal will help tap the economic potential of the five emerging nations, which together account for about one-fifth of global trade. ⌘ Read more

China’s strict Covid-19 border controls show more signs of easing, as Zhejiang province cuts entry quarantine
Beijing and Wuhan among cities already following relaxed rule, as China seeks to repair damage to travel and aviation sectors. ⌘ Read more

Lawmakers and engineers call for safety review of similar power cable bridges in Hong Kong, after fire led to city’s worst power outage in decades
CLP Power, whose cable bridge caught fire on Tuesday, has at least three other similar structures in the city. ⌘ Read more

Ignite Realtime Blog: REST API Openfire plugin 1.8.1 released!
Earlier today, version 1.8.1 of the Openfire REST API plugin was released. This version removes the need to authenticate for status endpoints, adds new endpoints for bulk modifications of affiliations on MUC rooms, as well as a healthy number of other bugfixes.

The updated plugin should become available for download in your Openfire admin console in the course of the next few hours. Alternatively, you can download the pl … ⌘ Read more

China’s zero-Covid policy hammered Beijing’s economy in May. But how bad was it compared to Shanghai?
Beijing’s retail sales and industrial output plunged in May as it fought to contain an Omicron outbreak, even though the city refrained from a citywide lockdown like financial hub Shanghai. ⌘ Read more

Chinese video gaming revenue falls in May, a third month of decline amid slowing economy and less player spending
China’s video gaming revenue fell 6.7 per cent to US$3.4 billion in May, as the local economy struggles with less consumer spending amid Covid-19 controls. ⌘ Read more

Opening of Hong Kong Palace Museum a milestone in the Jockey Club’s support for the HKSAR in the past 25 years
[Sponsored Article]

The construction of the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) was funded by a HK$3.5 billion donation from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust – the Club’s largest single charity donation to date. The museum will open to the public on 2 July as a highlight of the 25th anniversary of the establishmen … ⌘ Read more

Ukraine: Russian soldier rape trial begins, first of many cases
Up to 50 such crimes are being investigated, but incidences of sexual violence by Russian soldiers since February 24 are likely to be substantially higher. ⌘ Read more

Malaysia’s role pressuring Myanmar junta praised by UN human rights expert
Tom Andrews urged 10-member bloc Asean to follow Malaysia’s lead and move from non-interference to ‘non-indifference’ in Myanmar, with much more needing to be done to avoid more death and suffering. ⌘ Read more

China’s payments, fintech sectors to ‘play bigger role’ in boosting economy, President Xi says, in positive signal for Big Tech
President Xi Jinping encourages the operators of these online services to ‘play a bigger role’ in strengthening China’s economy. ⌘ Read more

Principal arrested in China after allegedly beating boy, 7, so severely he later died in hospital from brain damage
The principal of an early education centre in southern China is arrested after allegedly beating a boy to death for breaking a no-running rule then covering it up by claiming the 7-year-old ‘fell’. ⌘ Read more

Hong Kong police arrest unemployed man over indecent assault of 12-year-old girl at park toilet
The 56-year-old accused the girl of breaking a swing, then lured her to a toilet where he allegedly molested her, says police. ⌘ Read more

Coronavirus: Hong Kong logs over 1,000 cases for ninth day as Macau shuts gaming hubs, restricts eateries to combat surge in infections
Health officials in Hong Kong confirm 1,650 Covid-19 cases, including 128 imported infections, and one additional death ⌘ Read more

Obesity among Hong Kong children increased during coronavirus pandemic due to unhealthy lifestyle, survey shows
Number of overweight or obese children aged between nine and 13 rises from seven per cent to 24 per cent. ⌘ Read more

EU leaders to set war-torn Ukraine on road to membership
European leaders were expected to formally accept Ukraine as a candidate to join the EU, a bold geopolitical move triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. ⌘ Read more

Don’t bring cannabis to Indonesia, Thai embassy tells tourists
Thailand became the first Asian nation to decriminalise cannabis earlier this month. But tourists caught smuggling it into Indonesia could face the death penalty. ⌘ Read more

Russian TV protester Marina Ovsyannikova in exile says caught in ‘information war’
When Russian journalist Marina Ovsyannikova stormed a live TV broadcast to denounce the war in Ukraine, she expected a backlash from Russia – but not so much from the rest of the world. ⌘ Read more

Amid record-breaking floods in China, premier calls for stepped up disaster control and relief
Executive meeting of the State Council told more extreme weather predicted and everything must be done to ensure ‘safety of people’s lives and property’. ⌘ Read more

Shenzhen tightens Covid-19 controls with 48-hour negative test result required to use public transport after three new cases found
Shenzhen residents will need to present negative nucleic acid test results issued within 48 hours to take the subway, or travel by taxi and other public transport, according to a government notice issued on Thursday. ⌘ Read more

Afghanistan earthquake: Rescuers race to save trapped survivors as UN, US and EU offer help
Desperate rescuers battled against the clock to pull survivors from the rubble after a powerful quake struck a mountainous border region of Afghanistan, killing at least 1,000 people. ⌘ Read more

Polio back in UK after virus detected in London sewage samples
Health officials in Britain warned parents to ensure their children have been vaccinated against polio after the virus that causes the disease was found in London sewage samples. ⌘ Read more

Exclusive interview: Hong Kong’s leader-designate John Lee says ‘I am a pragmatic person’ and ‘I will be open to everybody’
In a wide-ranging interview, John Lee describes his approach to governing, his views of the civil service and the priorities of his incoming administration. ⌘ Read more

BN(O) scheme: more than 8,500 Hong Kong students estimated to have applied for school places in Britain since September, according to UK report
Influx attributed to BN(O) scheme offering pathway to citizenship, with Nottinghamshire getting the most applications. ⌘ Read more

Are Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong expats still living the dream? Burnout, stress and loneliness rife since Covid-19, survey says
Almost 12,000 expatriates around the world were interviewed, including in the Asia-Pacific region, for a well-being survey. 95 per cent of ‘top managers’ in Singapore mentioned burnout symptoms while almost half the Hong Kong respondents were planning to return home. ⌘ Read more

G7 pledges to counter ‘state-driven censorship’ and help protect journalists
‘Around the world, journalists face harassment and violence for their work, and press freedom is being restricted online and offline,’ say media ministers from the US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Britain. ⌘ Read more

US Capitol riot hearings to take break as new evidence floods in
Lawmakers investing the January 6 attack have received a glut of new video footage of Trump and his family from a documentary filmmaker. ⌘ Read more

Long Covid: children can have lingering symptoms but the chances are low, study finds
Team in Denmark found children who had been infected were more likely to have experienced at least one symptom for two months or longer than those who had not. ⌘ Read more

To keep up with China, Pentagon must cut red tape and embrace latest technology, top US official says
Beijing has recognised importance of producing ‘more of the high-technology goods they want in their own economy’, says Defence Innovation Unit chief Michael Brown. ⌘ Read more

What’s new in Codespaces for Organizations
We’re releasing exciting functionalities that will enable organizations to confidently manage and scale with Codespaces. ⌘ Read more

Russia’s Sergey Lavrov in Iran to discuss nuclear deal, cooperation
Two countries – both under Western sanctions and sitting on some of the world’s largest oil and gas reserves – had earlier discussed swapping energy supplies. ⌘ Read more

How the US can help end Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis
Afghanistan faces a severe food and humanitarian crisis, with deaths expected to outstrip those during the 20-year war. If the US has concerns that aid funding will leak to the Taliban, it should work with UN agencies to carry out badly needed relief activities. ⌘ Read more

Rupert Murdoch and Jerry Hall are getting a divorce, US media report says
The split is unlikely to alter the ownership structure of businesses he holds stakes in, including the parent companies of Fox News and The Wall Street Journal. ⌘ Read more

Incoming Hong Kong leader John Lee promises more aggressive approach to countering ‘fearmongering and badmouthing’ by city’s critics
Incoming chief executive will attend November’s Apec summit in Bangkok, send delegations overseas to ‘tell the true Hong Kong story’. ⌘ Read more

Incoming leader John Lee working on strategy to reopen Hong Kong border with mainland China, may reduce quarantine for arrivals
John Lee concedes scrapping curbs may take time to achieve but says his administration can set interim goals towards that end. ⌘ Read more

Saudi crown prince visits Türkiye for first time since Jamal Khashoggi murder
An analyst called it ‘one of the most significant visits to Ankara by a foreign leader in almost a decade’, as the two major rivals seek to revive ties. ⌘ Read more

Joe Biden’s trade chief Katherine Tai calls China tariffs ‘significant’ leverage
Tai says removing the duties is likely to have a limited effect on inflation, indicating she is pushing for the president to maintain tariff pressure on Beijing. ⌘ Read more