3 h. ago Hong Kong 47: court begins hearing appeals against activists’ convictions

Legislators are entitled to prevent the passage of government budgets and bills to achieve political aims, lawyers representing 11 Hong Kong opposition figures have said, as they seek to overturn convictions for conspiracy to subvert state power following the city’s largest national security trial. Legal counsel on Monday urged an appellate court to refrain from adjudicating on “political matters”, saying that any “peaceful” attempt to force the government to accede to a political agenda should...

Events

3 h. ago Hong Kong 47: court begins hearing appeals as prosecutors seek to quash acquittal

A Hong Kong court has started hearing appeals lodged by 11 opposition figures jailed for conspiracy to subvert state power following the city’s largest national security trial, while the government is seeking to overturn a defendant’s acquittal in the high-profile case. Legal counsel for the 11 appellants on Monday urged an appellate court to refrain from adjudicating on “political matters”, saying that any “peaceful” attempt to force the government to accede to a political agenda should be...

Events

5 h. ago China calls to heed concerns as India’s Jaishankar makes first visit in 5 years

Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng called for practical cooperation and mutual respect with India as he met the Indian foreign minister in Beijing on Monday. The talks with Subrahmanyam Jaishankar came against the backdrop of tensions over succession plans for the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader who has lived in exile in India since 1959. Han said China and India should “steadily advance practical cooperation, respect each other’s concerns and promote the sustained, healthy and stable...

Politics

6 h. ago Bali urges tourists to assess fitness after spike in accidents and rescues

Bali authorities are urging tourists to ensure they are in good health and physically fit before travelling to the Indonesian holiday hot spot, following a spate of emergencies and rescues involving foreigners. The Bali Sun reported on Sunday that local medical and rescue teams were advising tourists to seriously assess their physical condition before visiting. The article also cited recent natural disasters and unfavourable weather that have affected the popular island. The call comes amid a...

Events

6 h. ago Diplomacy over drama: Indonesia rules out military action to free designer

Indonesia has ruled out any military operation to secure the release of controversial social media personality and fashion designer Arnold Putra, who is serving a seven-year prison sentence in Myanmar, and is instead turning to defence diplomacy and quiet negotiations to resolve a case that has become a political headache in Jakarta. Arnold, 33, known for his provocative online persona and content, was convicted in March by Myanmar’s military junta of entering the country illegally and engaging...

Events

8 h. ago ‘We want transparency’: pilots warn against blaming crew in Air India crash

An initial probe into last month’s deadly Air India crash has raised alarm among pilot groups, who warn that preliminary findings hinting at human error are premature and risk unfairly blaming the flight crew before the investigation is complete. A report by India’s Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), released on Friday, found that fuel supply to the aircraft’s engines was abruptly cut off just after take-off on June 12, moments before the Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a college...

Events

11 h. ago Lavrov in Pyongyang: a sign Russia urgently needs more North Korean troops?

Russia’s appeals to North Korea for military manpower have taken on new urgency with Sergey Lavrov’s weekend trip to Pyongyang. The Russian foreign minister’s visit, his first to the North Korean capital since 2009, signalled Moscow’s growing reliance on its neighbour for troops and engineering support, analysts say – suggesting that Kim Jong-un’s regime could now send more soldiers, “in more direct combat roles”, to shore up the Kremlin’s war effort in Ukraine. “Russia may also count on North...

Politics

11 h. ago Lavrov in North Korea: a sign Russia urgently needs more of Kim’s troops?

Russia’s appeals to North Korea for military manpower have taken on new urgency with Sergey Lavrov’s weekend trip to the country. The Russian foreign minister’s visit, his first to North Korea since 2009, signalled Moscow’s growing reliance on its neighbour for troops and engineering support, analysts say – suggesting that Kim Jong-un’s regime could now send more soldiers, “in more direct combat roles”, to shore up the Kremlin’s war effort in Ukraine. “Russia may also count on North Korean...

Politics

11 h. ago ‘Black Mirror’: Argentine tourist amazed by Japan hotel staffed by humanoid robots

A hi-tech Japanese hotel has left an influencer from Argentina stunned by its fully robot-staffed reception. The influencer said the hotel scene resembled the setting of the famous television series Black Mirror. The self-service hotel chain features humanoid robots in uniforms handling everything from check-in to checkout. An Argentine influencer identified as manuenalemania who has over 46,000 followers on social media, brought the hotel set-up to the public spotlight. On June 25, she told...

Society

12 h. ago Hong Kong urged to expand carer support scheme to cover other vulnerable groups

A Hong Kong pilot scheme to identify hidden cases of at-risk carers should be expanded to also cover other low-income families and subdivided flat tenants, a social worker and a district councillor have urged, as a new database to address the issue began operation. The first part of the government initiative began at 9am on Monday and will see the Hospital Authority send daily alerts to the Social Welfare Department if any carers among the 8,000 to 9,000 households listed in the database have...

Politics

13 h. ago S Jaishankar Urges Open Dialogue With China Amid Complex Global Situation

S Jaishankar Urges Open Dialogue With China Amid Complex Global Situation  NDTV

Politics

30 h. ago EU says it will urge China to take more ambitious action on climate

EU says it will urge China to take more ambitious action on climate  TradingView

Politics

36 h. ago Driver escapes injury after Mercedes flips over on Hong Kong’s Tsing Ma Bridge

A driver has miraculously emerged unscathed after his Mercedes-Benz flipped over on Lantau Link’s Tsing Ma Bridge, landing near the edge of the structure. The car overturned on Sunday morning on the Tsing Yi-bound carriageway of the bridge, a major route connecting the airport and Lantau Island to the urban centre, near the scenic viewing platform. A police spokeswoman said they were alerted to the accident after receiving multiple calls from the public at 8.42am. Pictures from the scene showed...

Events

36 h. ago Hong Kong should seek Olympic gold with a bid for 2036 Summer Games

I hope I’m not upsetting anyone’s plans for a relaxing summer, but I think the Hong Kong government should start urgently on a bid to host the 2036 Summer Olympics. We can do it, cities within the Greater Bay Area need it and competitors are already lining up. The Summer Olympics have been held 20 times since resuming after the Second World War. The locations of the next two games, in 2028 and 2032, have already been determined. Hosting the Olympics is a fair reflection of a city’s financial...

Sport

51 h. ago Hong Kong recorded 1,138 suicides last year, the highest number since 2003

Hong Kong recorded 1,138 suicides last year, the highest number since 2003, with the rate for men aged 30 to 49 jumping sharply in a 12-month period, an NGO said on Saturday. The Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong released the findings of its analysis of the Coroner’s Court’s data, which showed a 4 per cent rise in the number of deaths from suicide compared with 2023. It urged society to maintain its focus on mental health and called for enhanced preventive efforts and support services. Heymans...

Events

55 h. ago China healthcare graduate sells ice cream, upset alma mater forces clip removal

A woman in China who graduated from medical school and is now selling ice cream on the street has captivated mainland social media after alleging that her alma mater urged her to delete her videos because her story made it feel “embarrassed”. The woman, surnamed Li, graduated three years ago from the privately-run Zhongshan College of Dalian Medical University in Liaoning province, northeastern China, earning a bachelor’s degree in medical imaging. Her experience gained significant attention...

Politics

56 h. ago Hong Kong probes fatal work incident involving collapsed iron beam during storm

Hong Kong authorities are investigating whether a contractor involved in a fatal work incident took the necessary precautions during a rainstorm, the city’s labour minister has said as he urged employers to ensure a safe work environment under adverse weather. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han said on Saturday that contractors must exercise “extra caution” under poor weather, following an industrial incident two days ago in which a worker was killed by a falling iron beam at a...

Events

56 h. ago Hong Kong probes whether firm in fatal work accident took rainstorm precautions

Hong Kong authorities are investigating whether a contractor involved in a fatal work incident took the necessary precautions during a rainstorm, the city’s labour minister has said as he urged employers to ensure a safe work environment during adverse weather. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han said on Saturday that contractors had to exercise “extra caution” during poor weather, following an industrial incident two days ago in which a worker was killed by a falling steel beam...

Events

63 h. ago US officer urges closer South Korea, Japan defence ties amid North threat

America’s highest-ranking military officer has called for closer trilateral defence ties with South Korea and Japan in response to what he described as an “unprecedented” military build-up by North Korea and China. The remarks by General Dan Caine, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, come amid growing pressure on Seoul to shoulder more of the cost of hosting 28,500 US troops and to support their expanded role beyond the Korean peninsula – a move that could test South Korea’s willingness to...

Events

3 d. ago University of Tennessee, six others, urged to cut ties with China

University of Tennessee, six others, urged to cut ties with China-backed scholarship program  Chattanooga Times Free Press

Politics