Hong Kong government to give eligible elderly receiving allowances an extra HK$995 a month from September 1
All eligible elderly single people with assets of no more than HK$374,000 and couples with no more than HK$568,000 will receive HK$3,915 a month. ⌘ Read more
Japan court upholds gay marriage ban, saying it is constitutional
The District Court in Osaka rejected arguments made by three same-sex couples as part of a series of suits filed by activists seeking marriage equality. ⌘ Read more
Debate over whether Hong Kong was indeed British colony reflects lack of education on Chinese constitution, lawmakers say
Pro-Beijing legislators say some residents have misunderstandings about history due to lack of education about Basic Law and nation’s constitution. ⌘ Read more
Russian journalist sells Nobel Prize for Ukrainian children – worth millions
‘It has to become a beginning of a flash mob as an example to follow so people auction their valuable possessions to help Ukrainians,’ said Dmitry Muratov, who shared Nobel Peace Prize with Filipino journalist Maria Ressa. ⌘ Read more
Rice job: Philippines’ Bongbong Marcos appoints himself agriculture chief, plans ‘impossible’ rice price slash
Marcos’ plan to slash local rice prices to 20 pesos a kg (37 cents) is ‘impossible’, agriculture economist said Though not unprecedented, it is unusual for a Philippines president to hold a post in their own cabinet. ⌘ Read more
‘Spicy policies’ helped fortify Hong Kong’s market, save homeowners from negative-equity trap, defaults, ex-HKMA CEO Chan says
Hong Kong is better prepared today to withstand future financial crises, such as a property market slump, according to former HKMA CEO Norman Chan Tak-lam. ⌘ Read more
Airlines restoring flights faster than planned to meet demand
Seats on international flights are about 90 per cent full, and daily services between Sydney and London via Singapore on the Airbus superjumbo are fully booked for weeks. ‘There’s massive demand’, Qantas CEO said. ⌘ Read more
What’s the key to stopping Covid overload of health systems in China? Focus on the vulnerable, study finds
Research on Shanghai’s outbreak points to low risk of milder cases becoming severe. ⌘ Read more
Should Philippines’ Marcos be ‘on guard’ as Sara Duterte is sworn in early, meets China envoy?
The VP-elect’s move to take her oath 11 days early, in a ceremony attended by diplomats including China’s ambassador, shows she remains a ‘force’ beyond her office, analysts say. ⌘ Read more
Tencent news aggregator app Kuai Bao to cease operations next month, as China’s Big Tech firms cut noncore businesses
Launched in 2015, Kuai Bao has failed to grow big enough to remain competitive against rivals led by ByteDance-owned Jinri Toutiao. ⌘ Read more
Chinese police make arrests in Henan banking scandal that has put spotlight on financial risks
Police have arrested the ‘first batch’ of suspects in relation to a cash crisis at rural banks in Henan and Anhui provinces, a case which has highlighted risks among China’s small lenders. ⌘ Read more
‘I wanted to ease his burden’: 10-year-old boy in China gives 3-year savings as Father’s Day gift to help pay for younger sister’s cancer treatment
A boy in China donated three years of savings as a Father’s Day gift to support his family as they tried to pay for his little sister’s leukaemia treatment. ⌘ Read more
Prosodical Thoughts: Modernizing XMPP authentication and authorization
We’re excited to announce that we have received funding, from the EU’s
NGI Assure via the NLnet Foundation, to work on
some important enhancements to Prosody and XMPP. Our work will be focusing on
XMPP authentication and authorization, and bringing it up to date with current
and emerging best practices.
What kind of changes are we talking about? Well, there are a few aspects we
are planning to work on. Let’s start with “authent … ⌘ Read more
Indonesia looks to Singapore to offload its surplus chickens
Indonesia produces 55 million to 60 million chickens per week and currently has a surplus. Singapore has been scrambling to find alternative supply sources since Malaysia restricted poultry exports. ⌘ Read more
Coronavirus: hotel quarantine for top Hong Kong officials, advisers and lawmakers cut to 1 day ahead of July 1 celebrations; city logs 1,186 local cases
According to a memo seen by the Post, guests at celebratory events to mark handover will have to undergo seven days of self-management from June 23 to 29. ⌘ Read more
China’s tattoo ban for minors criticised as circular logic and irrational fear of difference, but many welcome new rules
A national ban on tattoos for minors in China has won praise from some but a number of people have questioned the need for such a ban and criticised growing state intervention into people’s private lives. ⌘ Read more
Fears for judo’s future in Japan as bullied, burnt-out children quit in their droves
Corporal punishment, pressure to lose weight and a brutal win-at-all costs mentality are driving large numbers of children to quit judo in Japan, raising fears for the sport’s future in its traditional powerhouse. ⌘ Read more
Taiwan’s Thunderbolt-2000 rocket system explodes during live-combat training
Artillery multiple launch rocket system, built by Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, jammed during launch, says defence ministry. ⌘ Read more
Three generations of Filipino-New Zealand family killed in ‘shocking’ crash
The family were travelling home to Auckland when their Toyota Hiace van hit a truck and was almost completely destroyed. Seven people, including a ‘young Taiwanese’ woman’s baby, died. ⌘ Read more
China’s coronavirus controls top concern for European firms, who may ‘vote with their feet’ if uncertainty persists
Beijing’s stringent approach to containing Omicron outbreaks is the biggest challenge for European businesses in China for the second year running, a new survey by a business lobby shows. ⌘ Read more
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Wealth gap between Hong Kong’s crazy rich, miserably poor widens since handover
Top 10 per cent earn 40 times more than bottom 10 per cent who are struggling to make ends meet. ⌘ Read more
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Hong Kong’s environmental issues, from plastic pollution to filthy air to food waste, and the people fighting them
From filthy air to plastic pollution to food waste, the city’s environmental and sustainability challenges are growing ever larger. Here are some of the people tackling them. ⌘ Read more
お知らせ：JPCERT/CC Eyes「インターネットスキャンデータから見るウクライナ」 ⌘ Read more
Beijing wants this Guangzhou district to become young Hongkongers ‘new home’, but what will make it work?
Heads of Hong Kong-based associations urge incoming government to support proposal to turn Guangzhou district of Nansha into ‘new home’ for young talent. ⌘ Read more
Australian PM Albanese should demand US drops prosecution of Julian Assange, ex-minister urges
A former Australian foreign minister has called for newly elected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to demand that the United States drop its prosecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. ⌘ Read more
NetEase delays highly anticipated release of Diablo Immortal in big setback for China’s No. 2 gaming company amid ongoing Weibo ban
The delay of the release, after a four-year wait, is a big setback for China’s No. 2 gaming company, which is also enduring a Weibo posting ban on the game’s official account. ⌘ Read more
‘Rusty’ aviation industry needs time to get flowing again, with passengers facing higher ticket prices amid rising fuel costs and staff shortages, Qantas chief warns
Passengers, including some from Hong Kong, have already endured long queues, flight delays and cancellations at European airports. ⌘ Read more
The Big Gamble: Avi Yemini vs PRGuy ⌘ Read more
Burger King Japan swaps French fries for ramen after running low on potatoes
The fast food chain has started selling what it calls the ‘almost-potato set’, featuring a burger and a side of crunchy ramen noodles. Some customers aren’t too thrilled about the switch. ⌘ Read more
Inspiring memories of Harrow International’s first decade
[Sponsored Article]
When the first intake of pupils arrived at Harrow International School Hong Kong back in 2012, they were no doubt experiencing the usual mixed sensations of anxiety and hope.
They were entering the unfamiliar environment of a brand-new boarding school, which sought to blend the traditional principles of a British-style education with aspects of in … ⌘ Read more
China resists loan rate cuts, keeps lending benchmark unchanged in June
China’s one-year loan prime rate (LPR) and five-year LPR, which is the reference for mortgages, remained unchanged, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) said on Monday. ⌘ Read more
**What the…
“It’s not compulsory to get the app.
But EU countries will be required to offer a digital ID system to its residents. Likewise, public and private services will be required to accept the new ID, but they can’t make it compulsory for users either.”**
What the…
“It’s not compulsory to get the app.
But EU countries will be required to offer a digital ID system to its residents. Likewise, public and private services will be required to accept the new ID, but they can’t make it compulsory for use … ⌘ Read more
Rights and wrongs of US-China dispute over the Taiwan Strait
China is correct that the Taiwan Strait is not ‘international waters’. And the US is right that warships and warplanes have the right to pass through. But for the US, exercising that right is a political decision and complicates the issue of the status of Taiwan and the one-China policy. ⌘ Read more
Beijing underlines its jurisdiction and desire for urgent action by laying down targets for incoming Hong Kong leader, analysts say
‘The new team must have the sense of a mission to deliver after taking up their positions in July,’ one expert says. ⌘ Read more
Will Malaysia see a fresh influx of Rohingya refugees as life in Bangladesh, Myanmar gets worse?
Over 600 Rohingya were arrested trying to reach Malaysia in the past seven months – and activists say desperate conditions in Myanmar and Bangladesh are forcing more to risk the perilous sea voyage. ⌘ Read more
Colombia elects former guerilla Gustavo Petro as first leftist president
Petro beat construction magnate Rodolfo Hernandez with an unexpectedly wide margin of some 719,975 votes. ⌘ Read more
**“This decision is not only a hollow response to Covid-19, but it sends the message that intellectual property rights outweigh the rights to health and life.”
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/06/covid-19-wto-ministerial-decision-on-trips-agreement-fails-to-set-rules-that-could-save-lives/**
“This decision is not only a hollow response to Covid-19, but it sends the message that intellectual property rights outweigh the rights to health and life.”
[amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2…](https://www.amnesty. … ⌘ Read more
Coronavirus: elderly Hongkongers turn to expressive arts therapy to ease pandemic blues
The treatment has helped elderly residents suffering from long Covid open up and come out of their shell, says therapist Janet Li Wai-chong. ⌘ Read more
Paul Schaub: Reproducible Builds – Telling of a Debugging Story
Reproducibility is an important tool to empower users. Why would a user care about that? Let me elaborate.
For a piece of software to be reproducible means that everyone with access to the software’s source code is able to build the binary form of it (e.g. the executable that gets distributed). What’s the matter? Isn’t that true for any project with accessible source code? Not at all. Reproducibility means that the r … ⌘ Read more
Next US election may prove most dangerous time for Taiwan, warns veteran US diplomat Chas Freeman
Richard Nixon’s former interpreter says Beijing may view the election of a supporter of Taiwan’s independence as something it must respond to ⌘ Read more
EU seeks to release Ukrainian grain stuck due to Russia’s sea blockade
The EU supports efforts by the United Nations to broker a deal to resume Ukraine’s sea exports in return for easing Russian food and fertiliser exports, but that would need Moscow’s green light. ⌘ Read more
Ukraine war: Rabat urges ‘fair trial’ for Moroccan appealing death penalty
Brahim Saadoun, a Moroccan citizen born in 2000, was sentenced to death on June 9 along with two British men by a court in Donetsk, a self-proclaimed statelet in eastern Ukraine. ⌘ Read more
Telegram Premium is there, at least the announcement that it should be there, but the update on Google Play somehow not yet. Unfortunately, the announcement says that Premium is not (yet) available for users in Germany. ☹️ I’m especially waiting for the feature to be able to convert voice messages to text. 😅 ⌘ Read more
World swimming’s governing body bans transgender athletes from women’s events
Fina members voted 71.5 per cent in favour of its new ‘gender inclusion policy’ that only permits swimmers who transitioned before age 12 to compete in women’s events. ⌘ Read more
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Ask Me Anything
Inspired by Kev’s post, I’d like to give this a try as well: ⌘ Read more
Macron to lose French parliament majority in blow for reform plans, projections indicate
The French president was set to lose his majority after major election gains by a newly formed left-wing alliance and the far-right. ⌘ Read more
Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis arrested in Italy over sexual assault claims
The alleged victim had been staying with Haggis ahead of the festival, prosecutors said. ‘The suspect allegedly forced the young woman … to undergo sexual intercourse,’ they said. ⌘ Read more
After British journalist’s murder in the Amazon, can his vision survive?
Dom Phillips wrote about Brazil for 15 years and asked President Jair Bolsonaro in 2019 how he intended to demonstrate Brazil’s commitment to protect the Amazon region. ⌘ Read more
Israel’s foreign minister Yair Lapid to visit Türkiye amid security jitters
Israel has warned its citizens against travel to Türkiye, citing suspected assassination or abduction plots by Iran. ⌘ Read more
How the US’ Xinjiang labour law has crippled China’s cotton industry before even entering effect
Even though the Uygur Forced Labour Prevention Act does not take effect until Tuesday, traders in China’s Xinjiang region say losses have been mounting for months, as buyers shun what was once prized as the world’s most expensive cotton. ⌘ Read more
US: China ‘engages in unfair trade practices’ but tariffs serve ‘no strategic purpose’
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said China ‘engages in range of unfair trade practices’ but ‘the tariffs we inherited, some serve no strategic purpose’. ⌘ Read more
‘True Independence Day’: US parades, speeches, commemorate ‘end of slavery’
Citizens across the country are marking ‘Juneteenth’, the June 19, 1865 end of the legal enslavement of black Americans. ⌘ Read more
Incoming Hong Kong leader John Lee vows US sanctions will not interfere with safeguarding national security
John Lee says sanctions imposed by ‘some bullying countries’ will not deter him and his government from their ‘must-fulfil’ responsibility. ⌘ Read more
China chalks up success in push to promote favoured candidates on international bodies
The country’s representative has secured another term on a leading UN maritime body that rules on important economic and political disputes. ⌘ Read more
Who will help John Lee run Hong Kong? A quick guide to old and new faces on his governing team
Among 21 key figures, seven are from incumbent administration, two have been promoted from undersecretary, six are serving or recently retired civil servants, and another six are newcomers. ⌘ Read more
China names Han ex-environmental protection officer to head ethnic affairs office
Pan Yue will be the second member of China’s dominant ethnic group to head the office responsible for minorities. ⌘ Read more
Kelly Holmes, 52, British Olympic athletics champion, comes out as gay after ‘years of heartache’
Dame Kelly, a former army officer who won two golds in Athens in 2004, said she had known she was gay since she was 17 but hid her sexuality over fear of repercussions. ⌘ Read more
Resuming quarantine-free travel with mainland China to be top priority, Hong Kong’s incoming health minister says
Dr Lo Chung-mau says he intends to form anti-epidemic measures rooted in evidence to reconnect Hong Kong with mainland China and the wider world. ⌘ Read more
Philippines: Duterte’s daughter Sara sworn in early as vice-president
Sara Duterte-Carpio’s six-year term with President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jnr does not officially start until June 30, when he will be inaugurated. Marcos was at Sunday’s swearing in event, as was current leader President Rodrigo Duterte. ⌘ Read more
URA to spend HK$500 million renovating 4 older areas of Hong Kong, with focus on preventive maintenance of ageing buildings
Urban Renewal Authority to focus on Kowloon City, Yau Ma Tei, Mong Kok and Sham Shui Po, among other areas, over five years ⌘ Read more
Chinese President Xi Jinping says country has won an ‘overwhelming’ victory in corruption battle – but warns more work is needed to tackle problem
In a speech to the Politburo, Xi says he hopes that officials will not even by tempted by corrupt activities. ⌘ Read more
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Germany plans for more coal amid Russia gas supply drop: ‘bitter but necessary’
Nation will try to compensate for gas reduction by increasing the burning of coal, a more polluting fossil fuel. ⌘ Read more
‘Lessons to be learned for Ukraine’: Dutch PM apologises to Bosnia peacekeepers
Mark Rutte apologised to Dutch UN peacekeepers overwhelmed in 1995 by Serb forces; veterans were right to ask, ‘where was the world?’. ⌘ Read more
Hit TV show brings back forgotten ancient Chinese ceremony involving intricate calligraphy and patterns in whipped tea
A popular period drama showing an ancient form of drinkable art called chabaixi, literally meaning ‘a hundred tricks with tea’ has renewed interest in the long-forgotten art. ⌘ Read more
Japan: 5.2 magnitude earthquake hits west coast’s Ishikawa, ‘no tsunami threat’
The quake struck a few minutes after 3pm local time Sunday. The government was gathering information but said initial reports indicated no major damage and nuclear facilities were operating normally. ⌘ Read more
Disappeared Chinese coal tycoon who took on top judge to hear appeal verdict
Case relates to judicial scandal involving lost court papers, a celebrity whistle-blower and a jailed judge who ruled on Zhao’s mining dispute with state firm. ⌘ Read more
Japan debates getting a nuclear submarine – but Kishida’s ‘not so sure’
Opposition parties have called for Japan to acquire the capability ‘to increase deterrence’ amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Chinese military assertiveness. ⌘ Read more
China scientists find a grain of hope in climate change rice research
Study identifies a pair of genes in the staple that could be tweaked to improve its tolerance to heat stress. ⌘ Read more
Hong Kong’s border control measures are not tenable, city should decide whether to fully reopen by end of year, Carrie Lam says
‘If the city is still sticking to the existing border control measures in the coming half-year, or by the end of this year, I will be a bit worried,’ Lam says. ⌘ Read more
From Australia to India, massive passenger demand sparks travel chaos
As borders reopen, travel has sprang back with such voracity that it’s resulted in an unprecedented labour crunch for the aviation industry. ⌘ Read more
Apple workers vote to form tech giant’s first-ever US union
It wasn’t the first time employees at an Apple store had tried to unionise, but it was the first attempt that resulted in a vote. ⌘ Read more
The chicken or the egg? It was probably Asian rice that domesticated the famous fowl
A new study argues that chickens were first domesticated in Thailand about 3,500 years ago thanks to environmental changes made by ancient rice farms. ⌘ Read more
China urges IMF to approve US$1.4 billion Zambia bailout, but told it must reach deal with other lenders
China is the African country’s biggest lender and is a key player in efforts to resolve its debt problems. ⌘ Read more
France faces chaos without me, Macron tells voters
The French president and his proxies took on an apocalyptic tone as the country heads to the polls for the second round of a parliamentary election. ⌘ Read more
Australia to get US-made nuclear submarines by 2030, opposition leader claims
Peter Dutton said on Sunday that the United States ‘would pull out every stop’ to support Australia acquiring nuclear submarines ‘as quickly as possible’. ⌘ Read more
Thailand’s looking to legalise same-sex unions, but will it embrace full marriage equality?
A bill that would legalise same-sex marriage won initial approval from Thai lawmakers this week despite opposition from the government, which wants civil partnerships for LGBT people instead. ⌘ Read more
Ukraine war ‘could take years’, Nato chief warns
The Nato chief’s comments came amid intensified Russian assaults after the EU recommended granting Ukraine candidate status to join the bloc. ⌘ Read more
Beijing approves Hong Kong Chief Executive-elect John Lee’s cabinet line-up
Long-time bureaucrat Eric Chan becomes chief secretary, Financial Secretary Paul Chan to stay in current post. ⌘ Read more
Is abortion legal in China, how common is it and why is it controversial?
The procedure is legal and widely available across the country but it is also used as a means of population and social control. ⌘ Read more
Malaysia wants to fight inflation with GST. Will it cost Ismail Sabri at the polls?
With more people needing financial aid, the Malaysian government is trying to widen its revenue sources to can boost social welfare, analysts say. ⌘ Read more
Wheelchair-friendly places and foster homes: father’s love conquers life of hard knocks for this Hong Kong family
Father of two Chris Cheng, 44, has muscular dystrophy and has to call on foster care to raise his sons, but still tries his best to remain a key part of their lives. ⌘ Read more
Australia’s China bias and colonial blinkers mean it fails to see big picture for Pacific islands’ development
Canberra had chosen symbolic gestures and feeble investments over more practical initiatives now being offered by Beijing to Pacific island nations. Australia must shed its colonial mindset and stop claiming to always have the moral high ground over China. ⌘ Read more
‘Find a sperm donor’: Chinese doctor shocked to find failed-pregnancy patient is married to son of her paternal aunt
A video of a college-educated patient who married her cousin and telling a doctor about a string of failed pregnancies sparks online debate. ⌘ Read more
From shoot-outs on Hong Kong streets to online scams raking in billions: police chief Raymond Siu digs into three decades of crime
Police chief remembers day he was called to robbery carried out by notorious ‘king of thieves’ Kai Yip. ⌘ Read more
Will Indonesia’s Jokowi start his own political party to cement his legacy?
The president’s lobby group Projo says it may register as a political party as talk swirls of officials mulling a constitutional change to allow third terms. ⌘ Read more
US, China talks in Luxembourg may set stage for Biden-Xi face-to-face summit
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Chinese Communist Party Politburo member Yang Jiechi met in Europe’s Luxembourg on Monday, the 4th in-person meeting of US-China officials in 15 months. ⌘ Read more
Health of Hong Kong’s poor is in the hands of the whole of society, not just the heathcare sector
Marked health inequalities exist in wealthy Hong Kong, and government intervention alone is not enough to address them. Civil society and businesses play a major role in the improvement of living and working conditions, thereby minimising illness and injury. ⌘ Read more
Warplanes hit Hamas sites in Gaza in retaliation to rocket fire, Israeli army says
On Saturday evening, Defence Minister Benny Gantz suspended an increase in Israeli entry permits for Gazan workers in response to the rocket fire. ⌘ Read more
Chinese firm’s hopes of resolving royalties row at massive DR Congo copper and cobalt mine hits political hurdle
Chinese mining company denies that court-appointed administrator has taken control of operation. ⌘ Read more
Bitcoin’s cascading losses accelerate in record-breaking rout
Largest cryptocurrency tumbles as much as 13 per cent on Saturday, breaching US$18,000, as sell-off quickens. ⌘ Read more
Something incredible is happening this week… ⌘ Read more
Spain battles to bring fires under control as it swelters in heatwave
Dry and windy conditions have caused fires in several areas, with Zamora, near the border with Portugal, among the worst hit. ⌘ Read more
Defrocked Chilean priest sentenced to 15 years in prison for sexually abusing minors
Oscar Munoz, 60, was sentenced by a criminal court in the capital Santiago. Pope Francis expelled Munoz from the church in 2019. ⌘ Read more
Ukraine plans to resume peace talks with Russia by August, officials say
The country will be in a better position to negotiate at that time, Kyiv’s chief negotiator, David Arakhamia, said in an interview with US broadcaster Voice of America. ⌘ Read more