7 h. ago China says Premier Li to visit Egypt after BRICS Brazil trip

China says Premier Li to visit Egypt after BRICS Brazil trip  The New Arab

Politics

13 h. ago Questions loom at Brics Rio summit about group’s effectiveness

Brics country leaders are meeting for the bloc’s annual summit in Rio de Janeiro this week, as questions loom about the group’s effectiveness as a voice of the Global South and counterweight to the Washington-led coalition of developed economies. Against the backdrop of relentless tension that US President Donald Trump has injected into America’s trade policy, this year’s gathering on July 6 and 7 will test whether the bloc can present a unified front capable of countering Trump’s efforts to...

Politics

22 h. ago Hong Kong to simplify written taxi exam in effort to ease driver shortage

The written test for aspiring taxi drivers will be made significantly easier by reducing and simplifying questions about locations and routes in an effort to ease the government’s severe hiring difficulties for its premium taxi scheme, with half its vehicles lacking sufficient drivers. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan told the Legislative Council on Wednesday that the Transport Department (TD) was undergoing a comprehensive review of the written test, with changes to be rolled...

Politics

24 h. ago Chinese fans bash ‘sore loser’ Zheng after Wimbledon exit, question her attitude

Chinese tennis fans made clear their disappointment after Zheng Qinwen crashed out of Wimbledon in the first round for the third straight year. The tournament’s fifth seed was beaten 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 by world No 81 Katerina Siniakova late on Tuesday – the second time in three years the Czech had knocked Zheng out in the opening round of the grass grand slam. Afterwards, many on Chinese social media rounded on the 22-year-old, questioning whether she truly belonged among the world’s best. “I feel...

Politics

24 h. ago Chinese fans rue ‘sore loser’ Zheng Qinwen’s Wimbledon exit, query her attitude

Chinese tennis fans have made clear their disappointment after Zheng Qinwen crashed out of Wimbledon in the first round for the third straight year. The tournament’s fifth seed was beaten 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 by world No 81 Katerina Siniakova late on Tuesday – the second time in three years the Czech had knocked Zheng out in the opening round of the grass grand slam. Afterwards, many on Chinese social media rounded on the 22-year-old, questioning whether she truly belonged among the world’s best. “I...

Politics

24 h. ago Chinese fans bash ‘sore loser’ Zheng over Wimbledon exit, question her attitude

Chinese tennis fans have made clear their disappointment after Zheng Qinwen crashed out of Wimbledon in the first round for the third straight year. The tournament’s fifth seed was beaten 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 by world No 81 Katerina Siniakova late on Tuesday – the second time in three years the Czech had knocked Zheng out in the opening round of the grass grand slam. Afterwards, many on Chinese social media rounded on the 22-year-old, questioning whether she truly belonged among the world’s best. “I...

Politics

24 h. ago The world is going all in on stablecoins. Is China’s digital yuan any different?

When South Korea reportedly halted its digital currency pilot programme this week in favour of stablecoins – cryptocurrencies pegged to a reference asset, typically a fiat currency – it sent shock waves through central banks across the world. It also left China – a pioneer in central bank-backed digital currencies with its digital yuan, or e-CNY – with an important question to answer, namely whether it should continue to explore such digital assets or revisit the possibility of adopting the...

Politics

32 h. ago Outrage as Korean cabby uses translate app to ask Thai tourist to ‘pay with body’

A South Korean taxi driver who harassed a tourist from Thailand by suggesting that she could “pay” the fare with her body has sparked anger online in both countries. A woman visitor posted a video clip on a social media on June 19, which shows an unidentified taxi driver communicating with her using a translation app while she was in his cab. He was asking her inappropriate personal questions, like whether she had a boyfriend and why was she not married. The driver also said that he could find...

Politics

43 h. ago Beijing summit: How to successfully invest in transport systems

Beijing summit: How to successfully invest in transport systems  IRU | World Road Transport Organisation

Politics

46 h. ago Why the US could be China’s biggest ally in reining in Asia’s nuclear ambitions

Iran’s crushing defeat in its brief but devastating war with Israel has sent shock waves far beyond the Middle East, casting fresh doubts on the viability of nuclear non-proliferation and raising fears of a renewed global push to acquire nuclear weapons. Without a credible nuclear deterrent, Tehran proved unable to effectively defend or retaliate against Israel’s pre-emptive strikes on key personnel and nuclear facilities, despite its much-touted strategic alignment with China and Russia. While...

Events

49 h. ago End of 'Emperor Xi'? Chinese president's disappearance raises questions about who holds reins

End of 'Emperor Xi'? Chinese president's disappearance raises questions about who holds reins  Firstpost

Politics

68 h. ago From mayor to ‘usurper’: Philippine court rules Alice Guo is a Chinese citizen

A Philippine court has ruled that Alice Guo – a former town mayor who rose to national infamy over her alleged ties to foreign criminal syndicates and questions about her true identity – was never qualified to hold office, declaring her “undoubtedly a Chinese citizen” who had “usurped” her post. The Manila Regional Trial Court ruled on Friday that Guo’s election and assumption of office in Bamban, Tarlac, from 2022 to 2024 were “null and void”. Agreeing with a petition by the Office of the...

Events

69 h. ago Adrian Cheng leaves New World after securing funding lifeline

Adrian Cheng Chi-kong, the third generation scion of New World Development (NWD), has left the company after the Hong Kong developer successfully refinanced its debt and concluded months of negotiations that pulled it back from the brink of default. Cheng resigned as non-executive director of NWD, effective July 1, to “devote more time to public services and other personal commitments,” according to a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange. Earlier, NWD said it successfully obtained HK$88.2...

Politics

69 h. ago Hong Kong sea patrol officers to use body cameras to help in investigations

Sea patrol officers from Hong Kong’s Marine Department will start using body cameras from Tuesday to help them perform their duties more effectively. Frontline officers of the harbour patrol section across all districts would be fully equipped with the devices to help in investigations, evidence collection and documenting maritime conditions during major events at sea for safety purposes, a department spokesman said on Monday. Other government departments that have equipped frontline officers...

Events

3 d. ago Can China’s partial lifting of Japanese seafood ban aid a post

China has partially lifted its two-year ban on Japanese seafood imports in the latest step by Beijing to remove a diplomatic roadblock that has strained ties between the two neighbours. According to a Chinese customs notice issued on Sunday, shipments of seafood originating from “certain regions” of Japan would resume “conditionally” with immediate effect. The decision was made “under the premise of ongoing long-term international monitoring and independent Chinese sampling of Japan’s Fukushima...

Politics

3 d. ago China partially lifts Japan seafood ban but Fukushima import block remains

China has partially lifted its two-year ban on Japanese seafood imports in the latest step by Beijing to remove a diplomatic roadblock that has strained ties between the two neighbours. According to a Chinese customs notice issued on Sunday, shipments of seafood originating from “certain regions” of Japan would resume “conditionally” with immediate effect. The decision was made “under the premise of ongoing long-term international monitoring and independent Chinese sampling of Japan’s Fukushima...

Politics

3 d. ago China issues a dark warning to Anthony Albanese: 'This should never have been in question'

China issues a dark warning to Anthony Albanese: 'This should never have been in question'  Daily Mail

Events

3 d. ago Hong Kong striving to create favourable environment for stablecoins: Paul Chan

Hong Kong authorities will strive to create a conducive environment for the wide-ranging application of stablecoins in a bid to provide practical help for businesses to resolve cross-border payment issues, the city’s finance chief has said. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po on Sunday reaffirmed the government’s efforts in applying fintech to resolve long-standing “pain points” such as slow and costly cross-border payments, highlighting new stablecoin laws set to take effect on August...

Politics

4 d. ago After Nato chaos, ‘irrelevant’ Europe shambles towards China summit

For months since the return of US President Donald Trump, there has been a roaring trade in papers and speeches about how to make Europe a truly independent geopolitical player. The term “strategic autonomy”, championed by the French government during Trump’s first term, is back in vogue. But the independence movement was on the ropes this week, when a series of summits thrust Europe’s weakness on global affairs into the spotlight ahead of a bout of engagement with China. On Monday, a meeting of...

Events

4 d. ago Claims of police complicity in mystery of missing Filipino cock fighters

A chilling new claim that police officers and a female celebrity were involved in the disappearance of dozens of missing cockfighting workers in the Philippines has reignited a long-dormant case that once shocked the country and raised questions about a possible cover-up. A suspect in the 2021-22 disappearances of 34 Filipino cock fighters has claimed that at least 30 people, including police officers, were involved in the case. “My estimate is about 10 are civilians, maybe more, while about 20...

Events