Hong Kong’s Kai Tak terminal may host art performances in off-peak season
By Kahon Chan
Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Cruise Terminal may host art performances when no ships are docked in the off-peak season, the new tourism chief has said.
Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui also expressed optimism on Saturday that Hong Kong would hit the 2024 target of 46 million visitor arrivals, stressing that the city should do its part before asking for more favourable policies from Beijing.
The cruise terminal, located on the former Kai Tak Airport runway, opened more than 11 years ago, but it has been criticised for poor transport links and underused facilities.
On Saturday, the tourism minister floated a “bold” idea to stage performances at the terminal building, which boasts a floor area of nearly 190,000 square metres.
“Of course, it will not work when ships are docked. Its core business is to serve cruise ships and I hope there will be so many ships that we will not have much time to spare. But if we have the free time, we can definitely consider that,” she told a radio show.
As summer has been the typical off-peak cruise season for the city, the terminal is expected to remain vacant for five months from May to September next year, according to the terminal’s published calendar. This month, the terminal is scheduled to accommodate 12 cruise ship calls.
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By Kahon Chan
Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Cruise Terminal may host art performances when no ships are docked in the off-peak season, the new tourism chief has said.
Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui also expressed optimism on Saturday that Hong Kong would hit the 2024 target of 46 million visitor arrivals, stressing that the city should do its part before asking for more favourable policies from Beijing.
The cruise terminal, located on the former Kai Tak Airport runway, opened more than 11 years ago, but it has been criticised for poor transport links and underused facilities.
On Saturday, the tourism minister floated a “bold” idea to stage performances at the terminal building, which boasts a floor area of nearly 190,000 square metres.
“Of course, it will not work when ships are docked. Its core business is to serve cruise ships and I hope there will be so many ships that we will not have much time to spare. But if we have the free time, we can definitely consider that,” she told a radio show.
As summer has been the typical off-peak cruise season for the city, the terminal is expected to remain vacant for five months from May to September next year, according to the terminal’s published calendar. This month, the terminal is scheduled to accommodate 12 cruise ship calls.
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Australian gemstone used in China’s hypersonic weapons could be security risk: study
By Stephen Chen
Zircon from Australia could become fiercely contested by China and the United States, a geologist who works with the Chinese military has warned.
While zircon is commonly valued as a gemstone, inside, it contains the metal zirconium.
The metal can withstand very high temperatures, enabling ceramics, for example, to be heated to above 3,000 degrees Celsius (5,432 degrees Fahrenheit) and providing indispensable protection for hypersonic aircraft.
China has the world’s largest demand for zirconium, but its reserves only account for 0.7 per cent of the global total. The US, another major consumer of zirconium, also has few reserves.
The country with the world’s largest reserves of zirconium is Australia, with over 74 per cent of the global total, according to data from the US Geological Survey.
“Global demand for zirconium resources is continuously growing due to their enormous potential in military applications,” a research team, led by senior engineer Kong Fanjin with the China Geological Survey, wrote in a peer-reviewed paper published in the Chinese journal Geological Reviews on November 29.
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By Stephen Chen
Zircon from Australia could become fiercely contested by China and the United States, a geologist who works with the Chinese military has warned.
While zircon is commonly valued as a gemstone, inside, it contains the metal zirconium.
The metal can withstand very high temperatures, enabling ceramics, for example, to be heated to above 3,000 degrees Celsius (5,432 degrees Fahrenheit) and providing indispensable protection for hypersonic aircraft.
China has the world’s largest demand for zirconium, but its reserves only account for 0.7 per cent of the global total. The US, another major consumer of zirconium, also has few reserves.
The country with the world’s largest reserves of zirconium is Australia, with over 74 per cent of the global total, according to data from the US Geological Survey.
“Global demand for zirconium resources is continuously growing due to their enormous potential in military applications,” a research team, led by senior engineer Kong Fanjin with the China Geological Survey, wrote in a peer-reviewed paper published in the Chinese journal Geological Reviews on November 29.
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Whistle-blower at ChatGPT owner OpenAI found dead in San Francisco flat
By Business Insider
Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI researcher of four years, was found dead in his San Francisco flat on November 26, according to multiple reports. He was 26.
Balaji had recently criticised OpenAI over how the start-up collects data from the internet to train its artificial intelligence (AI) models. One of his jobs at OpenAI was gather this information for the development of the company’s powerful GPT-4 AI model, and he’d become concerned about how this could undermine how content is created and shared on the internet.
A spokesperson for the San Francisco Police Department said that “no evidence of foul play was found during the initial investigation”.
David Serrano Sewell, executive director of the city’s office of chief medical examiner, told the San Jose Mercury News “the manner of death has been determined to be suicide”. A spokesperson for the city’s medical examiner’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news today and our hearts go out to Suchir’s loved ones during this difficult time,” an OpenAI spokesperson said in a statement.
In October, Balaji published an essay on his personal website that raised questions around what is considered “fair use” and whether it can apply to the training data OpenAI used for its highly popular ChatGPT model.
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By Business Insider
Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI researcher of four years, was found dead in his San Francisco flat on November 26, according to multiple reports. He was 26.
Balaji had recently criticised OpenAI over how the start-up collects data from the internet to train its artificial intelligence (AI) models. One of his jobs at OpenAI was gather this information for the development of the company’s powerful GPT-4 AI model, and he’d become concerned about how this could undermine how content is created and shared on the internet.
A spokesperson for the San Francisco Police Department said that “no evidence of foul play was found during the initial investigation”.
David Serrano Sewell, executive director of the city’s office of chief medical examiner, told the San Jose Mercury News “the manner of death has been determined to be suicide”. A spokesperson for the city’s medical examiner’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news today and our hearts go out to Suchir’s loved ones during this difficult time,” an OpenAI spokesperson said in a statement.
In October, Balaji published an essay on his personal website that raised questions around what is considered “fair use” and whether it can apply to the training data OpenAI used for its highly popular ChatGPT model.
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Yellen warns ‘wary’ Chinese banks that US sanctions are still a real risk
By Reuters
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Friday that the US was looking at further sanctions on “dark fleet” tankers and would not rule out sanctions on Chinese banks as it seeks to reduce Russia’s oil revenue and access to foreign supplies to fuel its war in Ukraine.
Yellen said the US and its allies also could consider lowering their US$60-per-barrel oil price cap on Russian oil, which prohibits Western insurance and maritime services on cargoes above that level.
The Treasury had already sanctioned individual tankers and their owners for operating above the price cap and could do more in this area, Yellen added, suggesting additional measures in the five weeks before she leaves office.
“There are a number of possibilities here. We don’t preview sanctions, but we’re always looking at oil revenues and if we can find ways to further impair Russian oil revenues, that would, I think, strengthen Ukraine’s hand. That remains on our list,” Yellen said.
Earlier this week, Yellen said softness in the oil market presented an opportunity for more sanctions. Benchmark Brent crude traded at US$74.50 per barrel on Friday, down from US$85.57 when the US$60 cap was set in December 2022. President Joe Biden’s administration has been racing to shore up support for Ukraine before president-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20, given the Republican leader’s frequent complaints about the cost of US support for Ukraine.
US Treasury officials continue to have conversations with their Chinese counterparts on efforts to detect financial institution activity that could be aiding transactions related to Russia’s war effort. Yellen said these discussions had been aided by efforts to rebuild US-China economic and financial communications over the past two years.
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By Reuters
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Friday that the US was looking at further sanctions on “dark fleet” tankers and would not rule out sanctions on Chinese banks as it seeks to reduce Russia’s oil revenue and access to foreign supplies to fuel its war in Ukraine.
Yellen said the US and its allies also could consider lowering their US$60-per-barrel oil price cap on Russian oil, which prohibits Western insurance and maritime services on cargoes above that level.
The Treasury had already sanctioned individual tankers and their owners for operating above the price cap and could do more in this area, Yellen added, suggesting additional measures in the five weeks before she leaves office.
“There are a number of possibilities here. We don’t preview sanctions, but we’re always looking at oil revenues and if we can find ways to further impair Russian oil revenues, that would, I think, strengthen Ukraine’s hand. That remains on our list,” Yellen said.
Earlier this week, Yellen said softness in the oil market presented an opportunity for more sanctions. Benchmark Brent crude traded at US$74.50 per barrel on Friday, down from US$85.57 when the US$60 cap was set in December 2022. President Joe Biden’s administration has been racing to shore up support for Ukraine before president-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20, given the Republican leader’s frequent complaints about the cost of US support for Ukraine.
US Treasury officials continue to have conversations with their Chinese counterparts on efforts to detect financial institution activity that could be aiding transactions related to Russia’s war effort. Yellen said these discussions had been aided by efforts to rebuild US-China economic and financial communications over the past two years.
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Malaysia police retrieve missing Chinese tourist’s body from Sabah diving spot
By The Star
The body of a 31-year-old male Chinese tourist was discovered underwater by Malaysian marine police near Sabah state’s renowned diving spot off Mabul Island, Semporna.
He was found fully clothed in a light-coloured T-shirt, shorts, shoes and a grey backpack.
The victim, identified as Zhang Cao from China’s Henan, was believed to have been a solo traveller.
Semporna district police chief Mohd Sabri Zainol said the tourist was last seen near Mabul Island.
“We received a report at 11.33am on Friday regarding a missing male Chinese tourist in the waters near Mabul Island.
“Acting on this information, the Semporna Marine Police team, with assistance from divers from nearby resorts, conducted a search and found the body at a depth of 17m,” he said.
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By The Star
The body of a 31-year-old male Chinese tourist was discovered underwater by Malaysian marine police near Sabah state’s renowned diving spot off Mabul Island, Semporna.
He was found fully clothed in a light-coloured T-shirt, shorts, shoes and a grey backpack.
The victim, identified as Zhang Cao from China’s Henan, was believed to have been a solo traveller.
Semporna district police chief Mohd Sabri Zainol said the tourist was last seen near Mabul Island.
“We received a report at 11.33am on Friday regarding a missing male Chinese tourist in the waters near Mabul Island.
“Acting on this information, the Semporna Marine Police team, with assistance from divers from nearby resorts, conducted a search and found the body at a depth of 17m,” he said.
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Tada in Hong Kong working to provide insurance for drivers, passengers
By Harvey Kong
Singapore-based ride-hailing service Tada has said it is working to provide insurance and legal protection for its drivers and passengers, days after it broke into the Hong Kong market and started competing with Uber.
In an interview with the Post, the company, which began operations in Hong Kong on Thursday through a beta launch, said that offering services to city commuters was an “inevitable choice”, even if it was illegal.
“The safety and welfare [of our riders and drivers] is our top priority,” Tada regional general manager Jonathan Chua said on Friday.
“We always aim to offer the same level of comfort and assurance in the market to our passengers and drivers, with that being said, the discussions with other stakeholders are in progress and potentially revealing too much information at this time is not ideal.”
Chua said the company was coming up with legal and insurance protections for its drivers and passengers in the city.
Tada is competing head-on with ride-hailing giant Uber, which has been operating in Hong Kong for a decade.
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By Harvey Kong
Singapore-based ride-hailing service Tada has said it is working to provide insurance and legal protection for its drivers and passengers, days after it broke into the Hong Kong market and started competing with Uber.
In an interview with the Post, the company, which began operations in Hong Kong on Thursday through a beta launch, said that offering services to city commuters was an “inevitable choice”, even if it was illegal.
“The safety and welfare [of our riders and drivers] is our top priority,” Tada regional general manager Jonathan Chua said on Friday.
“We always aim to offer the same level of comfort and assurance in the market to our passengers and drivers, with that being said, the discussions with other stakeholders are in progress and potentially revealing too much information at this time is not ideal.”
Chua said the company was coming up with legal and insurance protections for its drivers and passengers in the city.
Tada is competing head-on with ride-hailing giant Uber, which has been operating in Hong Kong for a decade.
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Executions, torture, rapes: inside Assad’s ‘human slaughterhouse’ Saydnaya jail in Syria
By Agence France-Presse
Saydnaya prison north of the Syrian capital Damascus has become a notorious symbol of the inhumane abuses of the Assad clan, especially since the country’s civil war erupted in 2011.
The prison complex was the site of extrajudicial executions, torture and forced disappearances, epitomising the atrocities committed against his opponents by ousted president Bashar al-Assad.
When Syrian rebels entered Damascus last Sunday after their lightning advance that toppled the Assad government, they announced they had seized Saydnaya and freed its inmates.
Some had been incarcerated there since the 19080s.
According to the Association of Detainees and Missing Persons of Saydnaya Prison (ADMSP), the rebels liberated more than 4,000 people.
Photographs of haggard and emaciated inmates, some helped by colleagues because they were too weak to leave their cells, were circulated worldwide.
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By Agence France-Presse
Saydnaya prison north of the Syrian capital Damascus has become a notorious symbol of the inhumane abuses of the Assad clan, especially since the country’s civil war erupted in 2011.
The prison complex was the site of extrajudicial executions, torture and forced disappearances, epitomising the atrocities committed against his opponents by ousted president Bashar al-Assad.
When Syrian rebels entered Damascus last Sunday after their lightning advance that toppled the Assad government, they announced they had seized Saydnaya and freed its inmates.
Some had been incarcerated there since the 19080s.
According to the Association of Detainees and Missing Persons of Saydnaya Prison (ADMSP), the rebels liberated more than 4,000 people.
Photographs of haggard and emaciated inmates, some helped by colleagues because they were too weak to leave their cells, were circulated worldwide.
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With self-branded aid, Indonesia’s Gibran steals a page from Widodo’s political playbook
By Resty Woro Yuniar
It was a piece of political theatre that felt eerily familiar. Indonesia’s newly installed Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka arrived in Jakarta’s flood-stricken Kampung Melayu neighbourhood on November 28, ready to offer aid to victims.
But the food packages he handed out – bundles of rice, tea, sugar, and cooking oil -came with more than just sustenance. Stamped across the bags was a conspicuous label: bantuan wapres Gibran (Vice-President Gibran’s aid).
The backlash was swift. Social media lit up with accusations that Gibran’s gesture was less about relief and more about burnishing his personal image – an accusation reminiscent of his father, former President Joko Widodo, whose name became synonymous with just this style of populist image-building while in office.
“This is just like his father,” wrote one user on X. “Our debt is called the national debt. But when it comes to social assistance, it’s called ‘presidential assistance’ … Why is his name written on it?”
Yogyakarta-based labour law lecturer Nabiyla Risfa Izzati was even more cutting. “Gibran really used his father’s textbook from the first day he took office,” she wrote on X, citing the complaint hotline he has launched, as well as his habit of flying economy class and, now, donating branded social assistance. “Branding. Branding. Branding,” she added.
For many Indonesians, the term blusukan – a signature of Widodo’s presidency – has become shorthand for a style of leadership that’s both hands-on and highly performative. It’s the art of the impromptu visit: rice fields, traditional markets, and flood zones, places politicians usually avoid but where photo opportunities abound.
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By Resty Woro Yuniar
It was a piece of political theatre that felt eerily familiar. Indonesia’s newly installed Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka arrived in Jakarta’s flood-stricken Kampung Melayu neighbourhood on November 28, ready to offer aid to victims.
But the food packages he handed out – bundles of rice, tea, sugar, and cooking oil -came with more than just sustenance. Stamped across the bags was a conspicuous label: bantuan wapres Gibran (Vice-President Gibran’s aid).
The backlash was swift. Social media lit up with accusations that Gibran’s gesture was less about relief and more about burnishing his personal image – an accusation reminiscent of his father, former President Joko Widodo, whose name became synonymous with just this style of populist image-building while in office.
“This is just like his father,” wrote one user on X. “Our debt is called the national debt. But when it comes to social assistance, it’s called ‘presidential assistance’ … Why is his name written on it?”
Yogyakarta-based labour law lecturer Nabiyla Risfa Izzati was even more cutting. “Gibran really used his father’s textbook from the first day he took office,” she wrote on X, citing the complaint hotline he has launched, as well as his habit of flying economy class and, now, donating branded social assistance. “Branding. Branding. Branding,” she added.
For many Indonesians, the term blusukan – a signature of Widodo’s presidency – has become shorthand for a style of leadership that’s both hands-on and highly performative. It’s the art of the impromptu visit: rice fields, traditional markets, and flood zones, places politicians usually avoid but where photo opportunities abound.
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China sells ultra-powerful laser cutter to unnamed US buyer in industry first
By Ling Xin
China’s hi-tech manufacturing sector has achieved a milestone in its foray into international markets, with a Zhejiang-based company exporting an ultra-high-powered laser cutting system to the United States.
Penta Laser, a joint venture between Chutian Laser Group and an Italian company, shipped a 60kW laser cutter – believed to be a first for the American structural steel industry – to an unnamed client, before new Chinese export controls came into effect.
According to the official WeChat account of the Chinese Journal of Lasers, the cutting-edge machine left the company’s factory in Shandong province on November 24. On December 1, China introduced new control measures on laser exports.
In its social media post on Thursday, the journal said the US client was a multinational corporation established in 1903, renowned for its “leading role in the global steel structure sector”.
The machine is capable of slicing 20mm-thick carbon steel (about two-thirds of an inch) at speeds of 11-12 metres (36-39ft) per minute, according to the report. It remains unclear whether the laser cutter or its related technology is subject to the Chinese ban.
Penta Laser, which has its headquarters in Wenzhou, in the eastern province of Zhejiang, unveiled the world’s first 60kW laser cutter in March 2023, according to the company website.
While a 20kW cutter achieves cutting speeds of about 3.5 metres (11.5ft) per minute, the 60kW system operates at four times that speed, with unparalleled efficiency and precision, the company said.
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By Ling Xin
China’s hi-tech manufacturing sector has achieved a milestone in its foray into international markets, with a Zhejiang-based company exporting an ultra-high-powered laser cutting system to the United States.
Penta Laser, a joint venture between Chutian Laser Group and an Italian company, shipped a 60kW laser cutter – believed to be a first for the American structural steel industry – to an unnamed client, before new Chinese export controls came into effect.
According to the official WeChat account of the Chinese Journal of Lasers, the cutting-edge machine left the company’s factory in Shandong province on November 24. On December 1, China introduced new control measures on laser exports.
In its social media post on Thursday, the journal said the US client was a multinational corporation established in 1903, renowned for its “leading role in the global steel structure sector”.
The machine is capable of slicing 20mm-thick carbon steel (about two-thirds of an inch) at speeds of 11-12 metres (36-39ft) per minute, according to the report. It remains unclear whether the laser cutter or its related technology is subject to the Chinese ban.
Penta Laser, which has its headquarters in Wenzhou, in the eastern province of Zhejiang, unveiled the world’s first 60kW laser cutter in March 2023, according to the company website.
While a 20kW cutter achieves cutting speeds of about 3.5 metres (11.5ft) per minute, the 60kW system operates at four times that speed, with unparalleled efficiency and precision, the company said.
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India’s US$6 billion plan to build submarines suffers setback following sea tests
By Bloomberg
India’s US$6 billion plan to build submarines has stalled because of contractor complaints over whether proper procedures were followed during tests at sea, delaying the navy’s efforts to bolster its capabilities as China expands its presence in the Indian Ocean.
The South Asian nation’s bid to build six conventional diesel-electric subs is now delayed by a year and further delays are expected, according to two senior officials direct aware of the situation who asked not be identified because the information isn’t public.
The development is more than a setback to India’s efforts to upgrade its military: the project also represents a test of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new defence acquisition policy. That policy requires foreign manufacturers to partner and provide local firms with technology to build military hardware in India, the world’s largest weapons importer.
German defence manufacturer ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, in partnership with India’s state shipyard Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd., and private shipbuilder Larsen & Toubro Ltd. with Spain’s Navantia SA, are competing for the project.
Mazagon shares tumbled more than 2 per cent in India trading, extending losses that reached 4.4 per cent, after news of the delay was reported. State-run shipbuilders including Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers and Cochin Shipyard Ltd. also fell.
About a half-dozen objections were raised by local contractors as the navy came close to picking a winner following crucial field trials in June of some of the key technologies needed for the subs, the people said, without naming the companies involved. Each objection will need to be investigated before the process can proceed.
Complaints ranged from alleged violations of proper procedures to unclear guidance about how to conduct the sea trials, the people said. The nature and timing of the complaints raise questions about whether contractors are trying to stall the project because they fear losing out, the people added.
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By Bloomberg
India’s US$6 billion plan to build submarines has stalled because of contractor complaints over whether proper procedures were followed during tests at sea, delaying the navy’s efforts to bolster its capabilities as China expands its presence in the Indian Ocean.
The South Asian nation’s bid to build six conventional diesel-electric subs is now delayed by a year and further delays are expected, according to two senior officials direct aware of the situation who asked not be identified because the information isn’t public.
The development is more than a setback to India’s efforts to upgrade its military: the project also represents a test of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new defence acquisition policy. That policy requires foreign manufacturers to partner and provide local firms with technology to build military hardware in India, the world’s largest weapons importer.
German defence manufacturer ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, in partnership with India’s state shipyard Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd., and private shipbuilder Larsen & Toubro Ltd. with Spain’s Navantia SA, are competing for the project.
Mazagon shares tumbled more than 2 per cent in India trading, extending losses that reached 4.4 per cent, after news of the delay was reported. State-run shipbuilders including Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers and Cochin Shipyard Ltd. also fell.
About a half-dozen objections were raised by local contractors as the navy came close to picking a winner following crucial field trials in June of some of the key technologies needed for the subs, the people said, without naming the companies involved. Each objection will need to be investigated before the process can proceed.
Complaints ranged from alleged violations of proper procedures to unclear guidance about how to conduct the sea trials, the people said. The nature and timing of the complaints raise questions about whether contractors are trying to stall the project because they fear losing out, the people added.
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Hong Kong temperatures drop to lowest levels so far this winter at 13 degrees
By Cannix Yau
Temperatures in Hong Kong dropped to their lowest levels so far this winter on Saturday morning, hitting 13.8 degrees Celsius (56.84 Fahrenheit), with the forecaster predicting the weather would remain cool on Sunday and gradually warm up next week.
The Hong Kong Observatory attributed the cool weather along the coast of Guangdong province to a “strong” northeast monsoon affecting the area with a broad band of clouds covering the coast of southern China.
“Locally, the minimum temperature recorded at the Observatory this morning was 13.8 degrees, the lowest so far this winter, and temperatures were generally a couple of degrees lower in the New Territories,” it said.
The weather on Saturday is mainly cloudy and dry, and cool in the morning and at night with sunny intervals during the day.
It also forecast that the weather would remain cool and windy with a minimum temperature of around 13 degrees on Sunday in the urban areas with a few degrees lower in the New Territories.
Temperatures next week will range from 13 to 22 degrees, with the weather remaining cool in the morning and at night.
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By Cannix Yau
Temperatures in Hong Kong dropped to their lowest levels so far this winter on Saturday morning, hitting 13.8 degrees Celsius (56.84 Fahrenheit), with the forecaster predicting the weather would remain cool on Sunday and gradually warm up next week.
The Hong Kong Observatory attributed the cool weather along the coast of Guangdong province to a “strong” northeast monsoon affecting the area with a broad band of clouds covering the coast of southern China.
“Locally, the minimum temperature recorded at the Observatory this morning was 13.8 degrees, the lowest so far this winter, and temperatures were generally a couple of degrees lower in the New Territories,” it said.
The weather on Saturday is mainly cloudy and dry, and cool in the morning and at night with sunny intervals during the day.
It also forecast that the weather would remain cool and windy with a minimum temperature of around 13 degrees on Sunday in the urban areas with a few degrees lower in the New Territories.
Temperatures next week will range from 13 to 22 degrees, with the weather remaining cool in the morning and at night.
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South Korea’s Yoon used decoys for work, police head says amid hangover allegations
By Park Chan-kyong
South Korea’s embattled President Yoon Suk-yeol allegedly used decoy convoys to create the appearance he was reporting to work at regular hours, according to a police official.
The revelation, amid a whistle-blower’s allegations that he had arrived late to work 10 times in 21 working days, has fuelled allegations Yoon was mostly recovering from hangovers, with critics noting the leader’s love for alcohol.
Facing intense scrutiny from opposition lawmakers on Thursday, acting National Police Agency head Lee Ho-young admitted to the existence of decoy tactics, referred to by the force as “fake discharge”.
Traffic surveillance footage reportedly showed a convoy of vehicles leaving the president’s residence past 1pm on November 29.
News outlets alleged that a decoy escort left the residence at 9am, followed hours later by another convoy believed to be carrying Yoon.
Lawmaker Yoon Kun-young of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea revealed to the National Assembly’s administration committee on Friday that the president arrived late to work 10 times in the 21 working days last month.
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By Park Chan-kyong
South Korea’s embattled President Yoon Suk-yeol allegedly used decoy convoys to create the appearance he was reporting to work at regular hours, according to a police official.
The revelation, amid a whistle-blower’s allegations that he had arrived late to work 10 times in 21 working days, has fuelled allegations Yoon was mostly recovering from hangovers, with critics noting the leader’s love for alcohol.
Facing intense scrutiny from opposition lawmakers on Thursday, acting National Police Agency head Lee Ho-young admitted to the existence of decoy tactics, referred to by the force as “fake discharge”.
Traffic surveillance footage reportedly showed a convoy of vehicles leaving the president’s residence past 1pm on November 29.
News outlets alleged that a decoy escort left the residence at 9am, followed hours later by another convoy believed to be carrying Yoon.
Lawmaker Yoon Kun-young of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea revealed to the National Assembly’s administration committee on Friday that the president arrived late to work 10 times in the 21 working days last month.
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Canadians fume over Donald Trump’s ‘humiliating’ annexation taunt
By Agence France-Presse
The political circumstances that surrounded the publication of Ultimatum, once a bestselling novel that imagined an American effort to annex Canada, may ring familiar to anyone following recent headlines.
A US leader announces tariffs on Canadian imports, signalling a more confrontational relationship, and a prime minister named Trudeau scrambles to respond.
But the American, in this case, was former president Richard Nixon and the Canadian leader was Pierre Elliott Trudeau – father of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Nixon and the elder Trudeau are long dead, but the author of Ultimatum, published in 1973, is D-Day veteran Richard Rohmer, the honorary lieutenant general of the Canadian armed forces, who recently turned 101.
Still an avid news consumer and writer, Rohmer said that remarks by president-elect Donald Trump implying that Canada could be absorbed by the United States should not be laughed off.
“This man has to be taken seriously,” he said. “He is a man with great imagination who has ideas about what he can do and what he cannot do, and as far as Canada is concerned.”
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By Agence France-Presse
The political circumstances that surrounded the publication of Ultimatum, once a bestselling novel that imagined an American effort to annex Canada, may ring familiar to anyone following recent headlines.
A US leader announces tariffs on Canadian imports, signalling a more confrontational relationship, and a prime minister named Trudeau scrambles to respond.
But the American, in this case, was former president Richard Nixon and the Canadian leader was Pierre Elliott Trudeau – father of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Nixon and the elder Trudeau are long dead, but the author of Ultimatum, published in 1973, is D-Day veteran Richard Rohmer, the honorary lieutenant general of the Canadian armed forces, who recently turned 101.
Still an avid news consumer and writer, Rohmer said that remarks by president-elect Donald Trump implying that Canada could be absorbed by the United States should not be laughed off.
“This man has to be taken seriously,” he said. “He is a man with great imagination who has ideas about what he can do and what he cannot do, and as far as Canada is concerned.”
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China aims to heal wounds of industrial ‘involution’ as officials vow to stem bloodletting
By Ji Siqi
Amid increased complaints from private sectors over dwindling profit margins and overflowing inventories, China’s top leaders have pledged stronger actions to combat industrial overcapacity and vicious competition in the year to come.
Beijing will “comprehensively rectify ‘neijuan-style’ competition”, through regulating the behaviour of local governments and enterprises, the country’s leaders vowed at the two-day central economic work conference that wrapped up on Thursday.
The term neijuan, or “involution”, has become tantamount in China to an unsustainable state of intense internal competition that leads to diminishing returns and stagnation, which could further curtail long-term investment and technological innovation.
The green energy sector, which has been a bright spot in the country’s economy over the past few years and is concentrated among private firms, has borne the brunt. In the solar supply chain, for example, product prices and industrial-output value have kept falling this year, along with the rapid expansion of manufacturing capacity, application scenarios and export volumes.
China’s local governments have been the main force behind the industrial policies that have spurred the rapid growth of China’s new-energy sector, offering comprehensive support such as cheap land and low-priced-power purchase agreements, which encourage the construction of more factories to the degree that they become excessive.
The average prices of solar products have fallen by 60 to 80 per cent compared with their high point in 2023, and one-third of the listed solar manufacturers have suffered net profit losses this year, with leading companies bleeding the most, according to Wang Bohua, honorary chairman of the China Photovoltaic Industry Association.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Ji Siqi
Amid increased complaints from private sectors over dwindling profit margins and overflowing inventories, China’s top leaders have pledged stronger actions to combat industrial overcapacity and vicious competition in the year to come.
Beijing will “comprehensively rectify ‘neijuan-style’ competition”, through regulating the behaviour of local governments and enterprises, the country’s leaders vowed at the two-day central economic work conference that wrapped up on Thursday.
The term neijuan, or “involution”, has become tantamount in China to an unsustainable state of intense internal competition that leads to diminishing returns and stagnation, which could further curtail long-term investment and technological innovation.
The green energy sector, which has been a bright spot in the country’s economy over the past few years and is concentrated among private firms, has borne the brunt. In the solar supply chain, for example, product prices and industrial-output value have kept falling this year, along with the rapid expansion of manufacturing capacity, application scenarios and export volumes.
China’s local governments have been the main force behind the industrial policies that have spurred the rapid growth of China’s new-energy sector, offering comprehensive support such as cheap land and low-priced-power purchase agreements, which encourage the construction of more factories to the degree that they become excessive.
The average prices of solar products have fallen by 60 to 80 per cent compared with their high point in 2023, and one-third of the listed solar manufacturers have suffered net profit losses this year, with leading companies bleeding the most, according to Wang Bohua, honorary chairman of the China Photovoltaic Industry Association.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Hong Kong should look before it leaps into low-altitude economy
By Dennis Lee
When living in Milan, Leonardo da Vinci envisioned the utopian city as one with two levels. The upper level would be where noble people lived, breathed and relaxed; the lower level – hidden below the streets – would have a knitted network of canals and routes for delivery, services, utilities and logistics.
While conventional by today’s urban planning standards, his idea was visionary in the Milan of his time. The lack of sanitary awareness helped perpetuate the bubonic plague which killed more than one-third of its citizens.
However, even the genius of Da Vinci is unlikely to have imagined that a city could have a third level, one that could transform services and enhance the economy in the contemporary world. That is, of course, if the low-altitude economy lives up to the hype and creates an unprecedented market.
According to figures from the Civil Aviation Administration, China’s low-altitude economy was estimated at more than 500 billion yuan (US$69 billion) at the end of 2023 and is expected to reach 2 trillion yuan by 2030. Given the many potential drivers of this new sector – including government grants and subsidies, the cost of enhancing 5G and 6G network infrastructure and more – it is difficult to nail down an accurate estimate of a low-altitude economy’s financial impact.
Putting aside its effect on the economy, what would be the big deal if we had drones flying over our heads to deliver bubble tea? More specifically, how would a low-altitude economy transform urban development, logistics and transport?
In terms of services and delivery, it might not change much in our environment or how we live and go about our day-to-day business. Most Hongkongers live in flats, and drones are unlikely to deliver the merchandise directly to our homes but instead take it to designated lockers.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Dennis Lee
When living in Milan, Leonardo da Vinci envisioned the utopian city as one with two levels. The upper level would be where noble people lived, breathed and relaxed; the lower level – hidden below the streets – would have a knitted network of canals and routes for delivery, services, utilities and logistics.
While conventional by today’s urban planning standards, his idea was visionary in the Milan of his time. The lack of sanitary awareness helped perpetuate the bubonic plague which killed more than one-third of its citizens.
However, even the genius of Da Vinci is unlikely to have imagined that a city could have a third level, one that could transform services and enhance the economy in the contemporary world. That is, of course, if the low-altitude economy lives up to the hype and creates an unprecedented market.
According to figures from the Civil Aviation Administration, China’s low-altitude economy was estimated at more than 500 billion yuan (US$69 billion) at the end of 2023 and is expected to reach 2 trillion yuan by 2030. Given the many potential drivers of this new sector – including government grants and subsidies, the cost of enhancing 5G and 6G network infrastructure and more – it is difficult to nail down an accurate estimate of a low-altitude economy’s financial impact.
Putting aside its effect on the economy, what would be the big deal if we had drones flying over our heads to deliver bubble tea? More specifically, how would a low-altitude economy transform urban development, logistics and transport?
In terms of services and delivery, it might not change much in our environment or how we live and go about our day-to-day business. Most Hongkongers live in flats, and drones are unlikely to deliver the merchandise directly to our homes but instead take it to designated lockers.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Single in Hong Kong? Let your friends make your case to roomful of strangers
By Lo Hoi-ying
In an upper-floor restaurant in Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay district, a group of more than 30 people bursts into laughter and applause over dinner as they watch a slide show.
Among those presenting is technology entrepreneur Olivia Chan Yuen-ue, who is proudly pitching to a crowd of strangers why they should date her friend Nicolas Tam.
“He is tall and has a good relationship with his family … He holds the highest standard among men!” she says as her friend’s photo appears on a slide.
All eyes turn to 26-year-old wildlife consultant Tam, who is sitting in the audience, cheering as they approve of the playful pitch.
Tam laughs off the praise, and says: “Being described by a friend is more attractive than your usual self-introductions.”
Chan, who is also a comedian, is the organiser of Hong Kong’s Pitch-A-Friend event, where participants get five minutes to make a case on a friend’s behalf.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Lo Hoi-ying
In an upper-floor restaurant in Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay district, a group of more than 30 people bursts into laughter and applause over dinner as they watch a slide show.
Among those presenting is technology entrepreneur Olivia Chan Yuen-ue, who is proudly pitching to a crowd of strangers why they should date her friend Nicolas Tam.
“He is tall and has a good relationship with his family … He holds the highest standard among men!” she says as her friend’s photo appears on a slide.
All eyes turn to 26-year-old wildlife consultant Tam, who is sitting in the audience, cheering as they approve of the playful pitch.
Tam laughs off the praise, and says: “Being described by a friend is more attractive than your usual self-introductions.”
Chan, who is also a comedian, is the organiser of Hong Kong’s Pitch-A-Friend event, where participants get five minutes to make a case on a friend’s behalf.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
