48 m. ago KFC, Pizza Hut operator Yum China adopts AI to spur efficiency, profitability

Yum China Holdings, the operator of KFC and Pizza Hut restaurants in mainland China, will further embrace artificial intelligence (AI) to improve operating efficiency and profitability and allow its store managers to focus on customer service. The firm, which introduced its Q-Smart AI-powered assistant in June, was expected to help reduce waste, improve quality and save labour costs, chief technology officer (CTO) Leila Zhang said in an interview. The AI-powered system could help with staff...

Politics

2 h. ago Hong Kong to cancel T1 warning on Sunday afternoon as Typhoon Danas moves away

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. The Hong Kong Observatory will cancel a No 1 tropical cyclone warning on Sunday afternoon as Typhoon Danas moves away from the city, with the forecaster also warning residents to be wary of the extreme heat. “In the past few hours, Danas accelerated northeastwards, moving away from Hong Kong...

Events

2 h. ago Hong Kong cancels T1 warning on Sunday afternoon as Typhoon Danas moves away

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. The Hong Kong Observatory cancelled a No 1 tropical cyclone signal on Sunday afternoon as Typhoon Danas moved away from the city, with the forecaster also warning residents to be wary of the extreme heat. “In the past few hours, Danas accelerated northeastwards, moving away from Hong Kong...

Events

3 h. ago 29 Hong Kong students achieve top scores in IB exam despite tricky maths section

At least 29 students in Hong Kong have achieved top marks in the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme, even after a global outcry from test-takers over concerns that the mathematics subject was too difficult. More than 2,600 Hong Kong students sat this year’s IB exam on May 15, 16 and 21, showing a nearly 20 per cent increase from 2021, with the results released this Sunday. The IB exam assesses students’ knowledge of several key academic subjects and plays a key role in their university...

Politics

7 h. ago Chinese delivery rider, educated at top universities like Oxford, inspires many

A man in China has been dubbed “the food delivery worker with the highest education level” due to earning degrees from several prestigious global universities, including Oxford. The story of 39-year-old Ding Yuanzhao has reignited intense discussions surrounding the devaluation of academic qualifications against the backdrop of a challenging job market, as reported by the news portal 163.com. Ding, a native of southeastern Fujian province, sat for China’s national university entrance exam, known...

Politics

21 h. ago Hong Kong hiker dies after falling 20 metres at mountain stream

A 35-year-old hiker has died after falling about 20 metres (65 feet) at a mountain stream near Hong Kong’s border with mainland China. Police said the man, surnamed Choi, fell at a stream in Sha Tau Kok and his friends reported the accident to emergency services. Authorities said he was later pronounced dead at the scene, off Lin Ma Hang Road, and the exact cause of death would be determined by an autopsy. A source said Choi was in a group of nine people who had planned to hike from Lin Ma Hang...

Events

21 h. ago Chiikawa fans brave Hong Kong summer swelter for ‘preheat’ event before show

Hong Kong fans of the popular Japanese manga series Chiikawa braved the sweltering sun to take pictures of art installations featuring popular characters on Saturday and snapped up tickets online for a coming exhibition, with some saying the event will keep them in the city over the summer. Dozens of people queued up near the Space Museum in Tsim Sha Tsui on Saturday morning for a “preheat celebration” ahead of the official exhibition opening next month, featuring the three most recognisable...

Politics

24 h. ago 4 injured, sent to hospital after falling on MTR station escalator in Hong Kong

Four commuters were sent to hospital for their injuries after falling on an escalator at Hong Kong’s Lam Tin MTR station on Saturday. Police said officers were alerted to the incident at 1.40pm and noted it had taken place near the station’s exit D. All four people were sent to United Christian Hospital in Kwun Tong, the force said. The Post has approached the MTR Corporation for more details on the incident.

Events

26 h. ago Chinese man caught in wig disguise trying to take exam for woman escapes

A bizarre case of academic fraud has sent shock waves through the Chinese online community, as an impostor was caught red-handed cross-dressing as a woman – complete with a wig and face mask – in an attempt to take an exam on behalf of another student. The scandal came to light on June 24 when a Chinese netizen revealed that a male student from Zhongnan University of Economics and Law in Wuhan, Hubei province, had attempted to impersonate a woman to take an exam at a public venue. According to...

Events

30 h. ago South Korea, Japan step up as US targets China’s shipbuilding – can they succeed?

As the United States vows to curb China’s dominance in shipbuilding – despite its domestic capacity being nearly nonexistent – South Korea and Japan are looking to benefit from the rivalry and reclaim their competitive edge. South Korea’s president, Lee Jae-myung, who took office a month ago, campaigned on supporting the industry – which he described as being “in major crisis”. “Shipbuilding has been a core industry driving Korea’s exports and creating jobs,” he said in a social media post on...

Events

30 h. ago Hong Kong’s redomiciliation push lures global firms from tax havens

Christopher Hui Ching-yu has recently been on a world tour, conducting roadshows in Canada, the UK and Norway, in an effort to urge global businesses to redomicile in Hong Kong. The main talking point for Hui, the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, has been a new law, enacted in May, that sought to make it easier for overseas companies to reincorporate in the city. Just a few days after the law came into force, Hui flew to Canada to meet senior executives from insurers Manulife...

Economics

30 h. ago No 1 typhoon signal to stay in effect on Saturday as hot weather grips Hong Kong

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. Typhoon signal No 1 will remain in force on Saturday, Hong Kong’s weather forecaster said, adding the chance of issuing a higher warning is “rather low”. The Hong Kong Observatory also issued a very hot warning at 6.45am. Temperatures in some districts will reach 35 degrees or above on...

Politics

30 h. ago T1 warning to remain in force on Saturday as hot weather grips Hong Kong

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. A No 1 typhoon warning will remain in force on Saturday, the Hong Kong Observatory has said, adding that the chance of issuing a higher signal is “rather low”. The forecaster also issued a very hot weather warning at 6.45am, with temperatures in some districts expected to reach 35 degrees...

Events

30 h. ago T1 warning to remain in force until Sunday noon as hot weather grips Hong Kong

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. A No 1 typhoon warning will remain in force until noon on Sunday, the Hong Kong Observatory has said, adding that the likelihood of issuing a higher signal is “rather low”. The forecaster also issued a very hot weather warning at 6.45am, with temperatures in some districts expected to reach 35...

Events

32 h. ago Hong Kong wants more visitors? Hook them with great food, Cantopop and Bruce Lee

In the second of a two-part series on Hong Kong’s efforts to boost its tourism industry, the Post takes a look at other attractions the city can offer beyond the nine hotspot products the government has floated. Read part one here. Even as Hong Kong has kick-started efforts to promote nine “tourism hotspots” identified by a government working group, industry players and experts say the city has much more to entice visitors. To revive the city’s flagging tourism scene, they suggested tapping its...

Politics

39 h. ago After Russia Recognises Taliban, All Eyes on China: Will Beijing Follow Suit?

After Russia Recognises Taliban, All Eyes on China: Will Beijing Follow Suit?  The Indian Express

Politics

43 h. ago Hong Kong’s AI ambitions take shape with 90% of supercomputing capacity now in use

Hong Kong’s ambition to create an artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem is bearing fruit, with more than 90 per cent of the city’s flagship supercomputing centre at Cyberport now in use, according to officials. The AI Supercomputing Centre, which began operations in December, is a cornerstone of the government’s strategy to foster a vibrant local AI ecosystem. Authorities have earmarked HK$3 billion (US$418.6 million) in subsidies to support AI model development and applications. Cyberport said...

Politics

45 h. ago Kuala Lumpur’s Aerotrain suffers double trouble after US$100 million relaunch

Malaysia’s long-delayed Aerotrain at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) has suffered fresh embarrassment after experiencing two service disruptions within three days, just a week after its US$100 million relaunch and a test ride by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. The most recent incident occurred on Friday morning, when a flooded tunnel forced Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) to temporarily halt the 1.2km (0.75 miles) rail service linking the main terminal to its international...

Economics

45 h. ago HSBC offers Hong Kong SMEs a helping hand amid tariff turmoil

HSBC is launching a new education series to equip Hong Kong’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with knowledge to help them maintain smooth business operations amid the threat of disruption from US tariffs. The city’s largest lender said the Account Fitness initiative would help SMEs effectively manage and maintain healthy accounts. “Many entrepreneurs of SMEs do not yet know how to take good care of the assets in their bank accounts,” said Frank Fang, general manager and head of...

Politics

45 h. ago HSBC offers Hong Kong SMEs a helping hand with account fitness initiative

HSBC is launching a new education series to equip Hong Kong’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with knowledge to help them maintain smooth business operations. The city’s largest lender said the account fitness initiative would help SMEs effectively manage and maintain healthy accounts. “Many entrepreneurs of SMEs do not yet know how to take good care of their bank accounts,” said Frank Fang, head of commercial banking for HSBC Hong Kong and Macau, on Friday. “Therefore, it is necessary...

Politics