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

US sending Ukraine US$450 million more in arms, including rocket systems, says White House
‘This package contains weapons and equipment, including new High Mobility Artillery Rocket systems,’ said White House spokesman John Kirby. ⌘ 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

South China Sea: Philippines, China abandon joint energy exploration talks
‘The president [Duterte] had spoken … oil and gas discussions are terminated completely. Nothing is pending; everything is over,’ Filipino minister said. ⌘ 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

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

Malaysia: Were Mahathir’s remarks about ‘reclaiming’ Singapore and Indonesia’s Riau Islands aimed at Johor’s sultan?
While some Singaporeans accused Mahathir of fomenting ill will between the neighbours, observers in Malaysia said the remarks were likely a veiled jab at the sultan of Johor. ⌘ 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

‘Mini hotels’ for sea creatures reveal Hong Kong’s rich marine life
Scientists say it’s ‘disproportionately diverse’, with more unique species than the Red Sea and Indo-Pacific. ⌘ 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

Okinawa wants US troops out – 77 years after bloody battle
Governor calls for further reduction of US military base as fears grow over regional military tension. The Battle of Okinawa killed about 200,000 people, nearly half of them local. ⌘ 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

Philippines: Making a splash in the ‘mermaiding’ subculture that’s got fans hooked worldwide
People are finding peace and acceptance in the tranquil pastime, ‘Everyone can be a mermaid!’ Filipino mermaiding and free-diving teacher says. ⌘ 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

Ghislaine Maxwell deserves 30-55 years in prison: US prosecutors
The 60-year-old British socialite was convicted in December of sex trafficking and other crimes after a month-long trial. ⌘ 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

Malaysia’s palm oil output recovery hopes dashed as fertiliser, worker shortages persist
Fertiliser prices surged over the last year on logistics snarl-ups and the Ukraine war while an intake of foreign labourers was approved, there’s a prolonged delay in getting them. ⌘ 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

China child abuse: three teachers detained after viral video emerges of two toddlers with their hands tied behind their backs
Police in eastern China detained three teachers after a video emerged of two toddlers being held with their hands tied behind their backs. ⌘ 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

Russian troops ‘executed’ photographer in Ukraine, press group says
Reporters Without Borders says Maksim Levin was probably killed by one or two gunshots from close range, while evidence suggests his friend Oleksiy Chernyshov may have been burned alive. ⌘ 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

‘It can create life’: Chinese team claim stem cell breakthrough in mice study
Researchers say they turned one type of stem cell into another that can develop into all types in the body. ⌘ 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

Japan raps China, Russia warships’ ‘show of force’ during Asean meeting
Japanese Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi warned against such actions, calling them ‘sabre-rattling tactics’ against his nation, and expressed concerns about Chinese warplanes in Taiwan’s air zone. ⌘ Read more

Chinese rights advocate Xu Zhiyong on trial for state subversion amid secrecy and tight security
Xu’s sister reports being taken away by unidentified men in the middle of the night and denied necessities for nine hours before her brother’s trial. ⌘ Read more

False Covid positives leave more than 130 people stranded overnight at Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge
Only three infections confirmed upon verification, after on-site service provider Sunrise Diagnostic submits ‘abnormal’ 136 positive results. ⌘ Read more

US-China relations: Beijing has own ‘trade weapons’ to counter Xinjiang ‘forced labour’ law
China has the power to take countermeasures against Washington’s ‘arbitrary’ forced labour law, including imposing its own trade bans and suing the US at the World Trade Organization, experts say. ⌘ Read more

Indonesia deports Japanese Covid fraud suspect – US$7.3 million in government funds stolen
Mitsuhiro Taniguchi is accused of taking part in a fraud scheme that netted several million dollars in government funds intended for small Japanese businesses affected by coronavirus. ⌘ Read more

Uneasy times for Hongkongers making their home in mainland China
Rising Chinese nationalism and distrust after the city’s social unrest have left some Hong Kong people with an identity crisis. ⌘ Read more

Senior Beijing official with over 30 years’ experience in Hong Kong affairs appointed to deputy role in nation’s top advisory body
Zhang Xiaoming, former executive deputy director of state-level Hong Kong office, made deputy secretary general of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. ⌘ Read more

At BRICS forum, China’s Xi Jinping takes aim at West over Russia sanctions
Sanctions politicise and weaponise the economy, Chinese president says in video address. ⌘ Read more

Microsoft supports Hong Kong start-ups in partnership with Science Park, Cyberport
More than 40 local start-ups have joined the programme, including AI-powered marine trash-collecting robot maker Clearbot and algorithmic trading marketplace AlgoBot. ⌘ Read more

Hong Kong Palace Museum can help foster sense of national identity among residents, outgoing leader says
Chief Executive Carrie Lam says venue could also act as ‘cultural connector’ by showcasing Chinese culture, history for rest of the world. ⌘ Read more

Cash-strapped Pakistan scores IMF financial aid win – but millions of people may face ruin, analysts say
Analysts say energy price hikes after renewal of IMF support package may push many more people into poverty and wreak havoc among 5.2 million small and medium-sized businesses. ⌘ Read more

Malaysia’s Ismail Sabri Yaakob unveils more handouts for low-income families as Najib, Anwar take aim at rising prices
Payments will be disbursed along with 1.11 billion ringgit to be handed out in the second of four tranches of direct aid budgeted for this year. Announcement came hours after the opposition threatened a mass demonstration. ⌘ Read more

Owner of Hong Kong’s iconic Jumbo Floating Restaurant could claim compensation if vessel had been insured, analysts say
Experts say owner could seek compensation for total loss, but that it might leave vessel in South China Sea as salvage costs would exceed ship’s market value. ⌘ Read more

Coronavirus: French face Covid-19 upsurge, other Europeans see increase
French vaccination chief said there was no doubt about an upsurge as daily new cases reached 95,000. Other European countries are also seeing an increase. Centre being built centre in Britain to develop vaccines against new variants. ⌘ Read more

Quirky China: woman stops washing hair to avoid baldness, lost mother finds missing daughter by chance, man gives mouth-to-mouth to drunk friend
Quirky China: a man insisted on giving drunk friend mouth-to-mouth, a lost woman asked for directions only to find her missing daughter and fearing baldness a woman takes internet advice and stops washing hair. ⌘ Read more

Tech war: Shenzhen recruits Japanese semiconductor heavyweight as China moves to challenge US, Korean dominance in memory chips
A Shenzhen memory chip start-up has named Japanese industry veteran Yukio Sakamoto as its chief strategy officer, the latest sign of China’s ambitious efforts to challenge US, Korean dominance in DRAMs. ⌘ Read more

Myanmar minister joins Asean defence meeting as junta shifts Suu Kyi trial to prison
More than 600 civic groups appealed against inviting General Mya Tun Oo, accusing him of complicity in violence by Myanmar’s military as it seeks to crush opposition to its seizure of power last year from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. ⌘ Read more

China’s electricity demand soars as heatwaves bake northern, central provinces
Millions reach for the air conditioner as temperatures approach 40 degrees Celsius, while floods continue to swallow southern region. ⌘ Read more

China inflation: Li Keqiang says ‘prudent’ economic policy, bumper wheat harvest leaves room to tackle risks
Premier Li Keqiang says China has refrained from ‘excessive’ money printing in recent years to prevent inflation and create room to counter new challenges. ⌘ Read more

‘Glocalised’ school-based curriculum at Caritas Wu Cheng-chung Secondary School empowers innovation and inspires students from nearly 20 countries and regions
Caritas Wu Cheng-chung Secondary School (CWCC) embraces ‘glocalisation’ to optimise its students’ learning experience as well as their personal growth and character building. ⌘ Read more

Hong Kong police arrest 7 for allegedly conspiring with 3 retail outlets to cash in HK$220,000 worth of e-vouchers
Six men and one woman arrested over alleged conspiracy to defraud or commit theft involving second iteration of consumption voucher scheme. ⌘ Read more

Hong Kong to include Korean in DSE university entrance exam from 2025 amid K-Culture boom
Hong Kong’s testing authority will allow students to submit scores from the Test of Proficiency in Korean in the foreign language category of the city’s university entrance exam starting from 2025. ⌘ Read more

US$3 billion tax bill for Philippines’ Marcos family will be collected vows new chief – 30 years after dictator’s death
Lilia Guillermo says there is no doubt the controversial tax liability will be collected, but needs documents ascertaining amount. Marcos family have owed the tax for more than 30 years since the death of dictator Ferdinand Senior. ⌘ Read more

Russia pounds eastern Ukraine as it marks date of Hitler’s invasion
Russia is seeking to seize a vast swathe of eastern Ukraine, the scene of some of the bloodiest fighting in Europe since World War II. ⌘ Read more

Hong Kong child abuse scandal: first of 27 defendants to plead guilty in care home case gets 4 months’ jail
Former senior child carer Barbara Heung, 46, admitted before Kowloon City Court that she had twice assaulted a two-year-old boy last year. ⌘ Read more

US bans use of anti-personnel landmines everywhere – except the Korean peninsula
The announcement comes after years of criticism by human rights groups that the US had refused to adopt an international treaty banning the deadly devices. Russia is among the countries that haven’t agreed to the ban on landmines. ⌘ Read more

US business group calls for ‘urgent’ talks on Taiwan free-trade deal
Aim should be to present completed text for passage in 2024, American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan says in annual policy paper. ⌘ Read more

Veteran Hong Kong lawmaker Regina Ip appointed convenor of incoming leader John Lee’s de facto cabinet
Ip, 71, is the first woman convenor of Executive Council, and first with political affiliation, since Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule. ⌘ Read more

Reef shark rescued from Singapore oil refinery
Shell plc said it would be taking action ‘to enhance preventive measures’ at its seawater intake areas. A sea turtle got stuck in the same intake bay in 2017. ⌘ Read more

Filipino lawyer shot dead in US was ‘a case of mistaken identity’, official says
Philadelphia’s mayor expressed shock and sorrow over the killing of John Albert Laylo at the weekend and is offering a US$20,000 reward for information that will lead to the arrest of the shooter. ⌘ Read more

Earthquake hits Afghanistan, at least 255 dead
Local officials say the death toll could rise further if the government fails to dispatch emergency help to the affected areas quickly. ⌘ Read more

Power supply ‘fully restored’ in Hong Kong districts hit by worst outage in decade but some estates still waiting for electricity
Housewife who lives in Tin Shui Estate described Tuesday night’s blackout as ‘total chaos’ and ‘terrifying’. ⌘ Read more

Coronavirus: Hong Kong tour group heads to Japan for the first time in more than 2 years after Tokyo eases Covid rules
Ten travellers join seven-day trip organised by EGL Tours, which had previously pushed back the departure date from June 11 to June 15 and then to Wednesday. ⌘ Read more

Fate of ancient Afghan Buddhist city in hands of Taliban, Chinese copper mine consortium
An ancient Buddhist city carved out of immense peaks near Kabul is in danger of disappearing forever, swallowed up by a Chinese consortium exploiting one of the world’s largest copper deposits. ⌘ Read more

When will China’s Fujian aircraft carrier be ready for active duty?
Observers say the ship’s cutting-edge electromagnetic catapults and other systems will need months of tests. ⌘ Read more

Why Asia wants more nuclear weapons – thanks to Russia’s war in Ukraine
Security experts say the daily example of Russia tearing apart non-nuclear Ukraine is pushing Asia’s non-nuclear states to consider getting their own weapons – or hosting US ones. ⌘ Read more

Most significant US gun legislation in decades clears hurdle in Senate
The US Senate took an initial step towards passing the country’s first major gun-control legislation in decades, galvanised by two recent mass shootings. ⌘ Read more

Hong Kong’s housing and economic development must be linked to the environment to create a liveable city
The incoming chief executive should include the environment in his key performance indicators for measuring Hong Kong’s progress. Preserving natural habitats will boost people’s physical and mental well-being and make Hong Kong an example for the rest of the Greater Bay Area. ⌘ Read more