2 h. ago Charlie Kirk murder suspect Tyler Robinson, 22, taken into custody

A young Utah man suspected of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a university in the city of Orem was in custody on Friday, Utah Governor Spencer Cox told reporters. “We got him,” Cox told reporters. The suspect, identified as Tyler Robinson, 22, had confessed to a family friend - or “implied that he had committed the murder” to that friend - and that person in turn had contacted the Washington County sheriff’s office on Thursday. A family member interviewed by investigators said...

Events

6 h. ago Hong Kong’s procurement scandals a reminder constant vigilance is needed

Counterfeit bricks in MTR’s Tung Chung East station project, improperly sourced bottled water for government departments, substandard trainers for lifeguards – recent scandals in Hong Kong have aroused controversies rooted in the government’s public procurement process. Few Hongkongers have the vaguest idea of the scale of government procurement, even though it is everywhere around us. The Government Transparency Institute, which tries to monitor government procurement worldwide, estimates it...

Science

6 h. ago Big bucks in government procurement makes it a honeypot for corruption

Counterfeit bricks in MTR’s Tung Chung East station project, improperly sourced bottled water for government departments, substandard trainers for lifeguards – recent scandals in Hong Kong have aroused controversies rooted in the government’s public procurement process. Few Hongkongers have the vaguest idea of the scale of government procurement, even though it is everywhere around us. The Government Transparency Institute, which tries to monitor government procurement worldwide, estimates it...

Politics

7 h. ago How Nepal’s ‘nepo kids’ lit the fire of Gen Z rebellion demanding change

From sparking protests that toppled the prime minister to giving young people a platform to discuss their country’s political future, social media was key to Nepal’s extraordinary uprising this week. Fuelled in part by anger over flashy lifestyles flaunted by elites, young anti-corruption demonstrators, mainly in their 20s rallied on Monday. The loose grouping, largely viewed as members of Gen Z, flooded the capital Kathmandu to demand an end to a ban on Facebook, YouTube and other popular...

Events

11 h. ago Russia, China 'Bots' Want Violence After Charlie Kirk Killing: Governor

Russia, China 'Bots' Want Violence After Charlie Kirk Killing: Governor  Newsweek

Events

12 h. ago Hong Kong aiming to become top art trading hub to rival New York: source

Hong Kong’s leader aims to elevate the city into a “world-class high-end art trading hub” to rival New York under measures to be revealed in his fourth policy address next Wednesday, the Post has learned. Efforts to strengthen the city’s multibillion-dollar art trading industry would include boosting services in financing, insurance and professional training, and designating maintenance and storage spaces in a cultural hub and near the airport, a government source said. The move will align with...

Politics

15 h. ago Japan winds down Russia outreach as geopolitical rifts eclipse soft power aims

Tokyo will close all six of its government-funded Japan Centre offices in Russia – long tasked with promoting trade, language education and business ties – citing major changes in bilateral relations and the view that their mission has run its course. While Japanese officials framed the move as a functional decision, analysts say it reflects a broader shift in Tokyo’s posture towards Moscow driven by the war in Ukraine, mounting pressure from Western allies and recent police raids on Japanese...

Politics

16 h. ago Hong Kong tourism’s future hinges on forging connections with visitors

Hong Kong stands at a pivotal moment in its tourism journey. The city has made commendable efforts in reigniting interest – through government subsidies, mega-events and promotional campaigns. Even so, the question remains: how do we ensure this rebound becomes a renaissance? The answer lies not in discounts, but in delivering lifelong memories. As a city known for its vibrancy, diversity and global connectivity, Hong Kong must now lean into what truly sets it apart: its ability to deliver...

Politics

16 h. ago Why experiences matter more than bargains for Hong Kong tourism

Hong Kong stands at a pivotal moment in its tourism journey. The city has made commendable efforts in reigniting interest – through government subsidies, mega-events and promotional campaigns. Even so, the question remains: how do we ensure this rebound becomes a renaissance? The answer lies not in discounts, but in delivering lifelong memories. As a city known for its vibrancy, diversity and global connectivity, Hong Kong must now lean into what truly sets it apart: its ability to deliver...

Politics

18 h. ago ‘Just hiccups’: Trump’s India nominee pledges to pull New Delhi away from Beijing

US President Donald Trump’s nominee for ambassador to India on Thursday pushed back on fears that New Delhi was drifting towards China, pledging to draw India closer to the US, open its markets to American goods and end Russian oil purchases, while telling senators that India and China had little in common and were unlikely to forge closer ties. “While we might have our moments of hiccups right now, we are on the track of resolving that. Our relationship with the Indian government is much...

Politics

23 h. ago US consumer inflation heats up but rate cut likely to remain on track

US consumer inflation rose last month to its highest level since January, government data showed on Thursday, although analysts believed that this would not deter the central bank from an interest rate cut next week. The data also underscored cost-of-living pressures on households as President Donald Trump’s tariffs filter through the world’s biggest economy, complicating the Federal Reserve’s role in maintaining stable prices. The consumer price index (CPI) picked up to 2.9 per cent in August,...

Politics

26 h. ago Chinese drug makers put on brave face after report says Trump mulling curbs

Chinese drug makers put on a brave face in the wake of a report that said the Trump administration was considering new restrictions on China-developed medicines, citing the country’s supply chain and cost advantages, according to executives at a forum in Hong Kong on Thursday. While shares of Hong Kong-listed Chinese drug makers plunged after Thursday’s New York Times report that the US government was drafting an executive order to curb licensing deals with China-based firms, pharmaceutical...

Politics

27 h. ago Indonesia’s new finance chief plans US$12 billion boost for lending

Indonesia’s new finance minister wants to immediately flood the economy with roughly US$12 billion in cash to jump-start lending, proving his commitment to President Prabowo Subianto’s growth agenda barely three days into the job. The government would transfer half of the 400 trillion rupiah in cash reserves that it held with the central bank to state-owned lenders, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa told lawmakers in a hearing on Wednesday. He added on Thursday that the cash injection would...

Economics

28 h. ago New arts hub in Hong Kong’s east Kowloon positioned to be city’s Broadway

A new arts and performing hub in Hong Kong’s east Kowloon, set to debut in November, is positioned as a leading venue for long-term theatrical runs similar to London’s West End and New York’s Broadway, a government official has said. Director of Leisure and Cultural Services Manda Chan Wing-man said on Thursday that the East Kowloon Cultural Centre would be a hub for art, technology and long-running productions, and hoped that people would associate the area with such performances. “London has...

Politics

28 h. ago Arts hub in Hong Kong’s east Kowloon positioned to be city’s Broadway

A new arts and performing hub in Hong Kong’s east Kowloon, set to fully debut in November, is being positioned as a leading venue for long-term theatrical runs similar to London’s West End and New York’s Broadway, a government official has said. Director of Leisure and Cultural Services Manda Chan Wing-man said on Thursday that the East Kowloon Cultural Centre would be a hub for art, technology and long-running productions, and hoped that people would associate the area with such...

Politics

28 h. ago Britain fires Mandelson as US ambassador over links to Jeffrey Epstein

Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer sacked his ambassador in Washington Peter Mandelson on Thursday following fresh revelations about the diplomat’s friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Dubbed the “Prince of Darkness” during his years as a media spin doctor, Mandelson was twice forced to resign from Tony Blair’s Labour government in the late 1990s and early 2000s over allegations of misconduct. In a statement, the foreign ministry said the prime minister had asked Foreign...

Politics

28 h. ago Hong Kong lawmakers pass controversial tobacco control bill to cut smoking rate

Hong Kong lawmakers have passed a controversial tobacco control bill that aims to further lower the city’s smoking rate, with a minister saying the proposed measures have already considered a variety of opinions. The Tobacco Control Legislation (Amendment) Bill was passed on Thursday after the second and third readings, following a last-ditch effort by two lawmakers to delay and amend the government-proposed measures earlier this week. Among the 83 lawmakers who attended the meeting, 74...

Politics

29 h. ago Bangladesh buys more power from India to meet rising electricity needs

Bangladesh is boosting power imports from India and output from fuel oil-fired power plants in a scramble to meet rising electricity demand as it grapples with constraints on gas supply and coal plant maintenance, industry officials and analysts say. Power imports, mainly from an Adani Power-run coal-fired plant in eastern India, rose 70 per cent in the seven months through July and helped satisfy most of the rising demand, government data showed. Natural gas accounted for about two-thirds of...

Politics

30 h. ago French protests underscore concerns over decline amid US, China dominance

Images of burning barricades were shown side by side with the handover ceremony for France’s new prime minister, Sebastien Lecornu, on French television channels on Wednesday as “block everything” protests brought back memories of the rallies by the populist “yellow vest” movement that rocked the country in 2018 and 2019. More than 175,000 protesters hit the streets across France on the day of Lecornu’s inauguration, according to the country’s Interior Ministry. Its government collapsed on...

Events

32 h. ago China considers helping local governments with $1 trillion of unpaid bills, Bloomberg News reports By Reuters

China considers helping local governments with $1 trillion of unpaid bills, Bloomberg News reports By Reuters  Investing.com

Politics