Trump-Zelensky clash gives Europe a chance to shape Ukraine endgame
The diplomatic fallout from the recent White House meeting between Presidents Trump and Zelensky may have inadvertently opened a window for greater European involvement in resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This stems from a Franco-British initiative gaining momentum, potentially shifting away from a purely bilateral US-Russia approach previously favored by the Trump administration.
The new initiative, hailed by some European leaders as a sign of Europe "waking up," was a key topic at a summit in London, attended by numerous European leaders, as well as representatives from Canada, NATO, the European Commission, the European Council, and Turkey. Discussions centered on strengthening Ukraine's position in advance of any eventual settlement, with further details to be ironed out at upcoming meetings, including the EU emergency summit. However, the White House's receptiveness to this Franco-British-led effort remains uncertain, despite assurances Trump reportedly gave to Starmer and Macron.
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The diplomatic fallout from the recent White House meeting between Presidents Trump and Zelensky may have inadvertently opened a window for greater European involvement in resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This stems from a Franco-British initiative gaining momentum, potentially shifting away from a purely bilateral US-Russia approach previously favored by the Trump administration.
The new initiative, hailed by some European leaders as a sign of Europe "waking up," was a key topic at a summit in London, attended by numerous European leaders, as well as representatives from Canada, NATO, the European Commission, the European Council, and Turkey. Discussions centered on strengthening Ukraine's position in advance of any eventual settlement, with further details to be ironed out at upcoming meetings, including the EU emergency summit. However, the White House's receptiveness to this Franco-British-led effort remains uncertain, despite assurances Trump reportedly gave to Starmer and Macron.
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‘Two sessions 2025’: talent and tech tipped to drive China’s growth, top advisory body says
China's focus on expertise and innovation will continue to drive growth, despite global changes. Liu Jieyi, spokesman for the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), emphasized the country's vast market potential and well-established industrial system as key advantages.
While acknowledging challenges such as low consumer demand and risks in certain areas, Liu stated that China's economic fundamentals are stable and resilient. The CPPCC gathering, one of China's annual "two sessions," brings together the political elite to outline economic priorities for the year, alongside the meeting of the National People's Congress.
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China's focus on expertise and innovation will continue to drive growth, despite global changes. Liu Jieyi, spokesman for the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), emphasized the country's vast market potential and well-established industrial system as key advantages.
While acknowledging challenges such as low consumer demand and risks in certain areas, Liu stated that China's economic fundamentals are stable and resilient. The CPPCC gathering, one of China's annual "two sessions," brings together the political elite to outline economic priorities for the year, alongside the meeting of the National People's Congress.
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Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Sports Park probes claim touts helped fans into opening
香港启德体育园正在与执法机构合作，调查有票贩子收取约1000港元费用，帮助游客进入主体育场参加周六星光熠熠的开幕式一事。这座香港最大的体育场馆表示，对该事件“深感关切”，并将严肃处理。
据报道，票贩子提出护送游客从启德体育场后门进入观看周六晚上的表演，并收取费用，进入者据称还可以携带一些违禁物品。开幕式有超过33000名观众参加，此前有8500张门票以每张10港元的价格向公众发售。体育园发言人表示，他们正与相关执法机构保持密切沟通，如发现任何可疑非法活动，将采取严厉行动，并将案件移交警方或廉政公署跟进。同时，体育园正积极与场馆的保安公司联络，调查及跟进此事。发言人强调，所有参加活动的人士必须持有有效门票，并遵守包括通过安检在内的入场规定。
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香港启德体育园正在与执法机构合作，调查有票贩子收取约1000港元费用，帮助游客进入主体育场参加周六星光熠熠的开幕式一事。这座香港最大的体育场馆表示，对该事件“深感关切”，并将严肃处理。
据报道，票贩子提出护送游客从启德体育场后门进入观看周六晚上的表演，并收取费用，进入者据称还可以携带一些违禁物品。开幕式有超过33000名观众参加，此前有8500张门票以每张10港元的价格向公众发售。体育园发言人表示，他们正与相关执法机构保持密切沟通，如发现任何可疑非法活动，将采取严厉行动，并将案件移交警方或廉政公署跟进。同时，体育园正积极与场馆的保安公司联络，调查及跟进此事。发言人强调，所有参加活动的人士必须持有有效门票，并遵守包括通过安检在内的入场规定。
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Future of Made-in-China: UBTech Robotics deploys first humanoid ‘team’ in car factory
UBTech Robotics, a Shenzhen-based company, has announced the deployment of "dozens of robots" at a Zeekr electric vehicle (EV) factory in Ningbo, China, marking a significant step in integrating AI and robotics into manufacturing. These Walker S1 humanoid robots are designed to perform complex, collaborative tasks, signaling advancements in China's "Made-in-China" technology initiative.
The robots work as a team on "multitask" and "multi site" operations, including lifting heavy boxes and handling delicate materials. This successful deployment highlights China's efforts to upgrade its manufacturing capabilities through autonomous interaction and coordination between smart robots. While Elon Musk aims to deploy 10,000 Optimus robots in Tesla factories, UBTech's deployment demonstrates tangible progress in the field, with an estimated 20 S1 robots currently in operation at the Zeekr factory, an EV brand owned by Geely Auto.
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UBTech Robotics, a Shenzhen-based company, has announced the deployment of "dozens of robots" at a Zeekr electric vehicle (EV) factory in Ningbo, China, marking a significant step in integrating AI and robotics into manufacturing. These Walker S1 humanoid robots are designed to perform complex, collaborative tasks, signaling advancements in China's "Made-in-China" technology initiative.
The robots work as a team on "multitask" and "multi site" operations, including lifting heavy boxes and handling delicate materials. This successful deployment highlights China's efforts to upgrade its manufacturing capabilities through autonomous interaction and coordination between smart robots. While Elon Musk aims to deploy 10,000 Optimus robots in Tesla factories, UBTech's deployment demonstrates tangible progress in the field, with an estimated 20 S1 robots currently in operation at the Zeekr factory, an EV brand owned by Geely Auto.
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Parents must do more to combat childhood obesity in Hong Kong
香港专家指出，家长在对抗儿童肥胖问题上扮演关键角色，应以身作则，避免用垃圾食品奖励孩子。专家观察到，一些家长即使希望孩子减肥，仍可能用冰淇淋和糖果等不健康食品作为孩子取得好成绩的奖励，这可能会适得其反，强化了不健康食品作为奖励的概念。
根据卫生署的数据，2022-2023学年约有五分之一的中小学生超重。香港肥胖医学会呼吁家长提高意识，用更健康的奖励方式代替不健康食品，例如一起去公园度过美好时光。专家强调，家庭需要共同努力，追求健康的生活方式，儿童超重和肥胖率在经历了疫情期间的激增后，近年来首次出现小幅下降。
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香港专家指出，家长在对抗儿童肥胖问题上扮演关键角色，应以身作则，避免用垃圾食品奖励孩子。专家观察到，一些家长即使希望孩子减肥，仍可能用冰淇淋和糖果等不健康食品作为孩子取得好成绩的奖励，这可能会适得其反，强化了不健康食品作为奖励的概念。
根据卫生署的数据，2022-2023学年约有五分之一的中小学生超重。香港肥胖医学会呼吁家长提高意识，用更健康的奖励方式代替不健康食品，例如一起去公园度过美好时光。专家强调，家庭需要共同努力，追求健康的生活方式，儿童超重和肥胖率在经历了疫情期间的激增后，近年来首次出现小幅下降。
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Hongkongers bid fond farewell to historic Sunbeam Theatre on its final night
香港北角的 新光戏院 在经营53年后，于周一晚上演出最后一场戏后关闭。 这座戏院被誉为“香港粤剧大殿堂”，它的关闭对许多粤剧爱好者来说，象征着一个时代的结束。
77岁的退休人士张女士回忆说，她年轻时常和母亲在新光戏院观看粤剧。 随着年龄的增长，她也爱上了这种传统的中国艺术形式，退休后每周都会在新光戏院观看大约三场演出。 她表示会非常怀念这里，并认为戏院关闭后，北角这个地方会变得非常安静， 同时也表示会怀念戏院可以容纳很多人，大家一起观看和欢呼的氛围， 认为对于喜欢粤剧的人来说，失去了一个好去处。
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香港北角的 新光戏院 在经营53年后，于周一晚上演出最后一场戏后关闭。 这座戏院被誉为“香港粤剧大殿堂”，它的关闭对许多粤剧爱好者来说，象征着一个时代的结束。
77岁的退休人士张女士回忆说，她年轻时常和母亲在新光戏院观看粤剧。 随着年龄的增长，她也爱上了这种传统的中国艺术形式，退休后每周都会在新光戏院观看大约三场演出。 她表示会非常怀念这里，并认为戏院关闭后，北角这个地方会变得非常安静， 同时也表示会怀念戏院可以容纳很多人，大家一起观看和欢呼的氛围， 认为对于喜欢粤剧的人来说，失去了一个好去处。
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BYD launches share sale to raise up to US$5 billion, its biggest post-IPO fundraising
比亚迪计划通过配售新股募资至多407亿港元（约合50.5亿美元），以支持其研发投入和海外扩张。此次募资是比亚迪自2002年在香港上市以来规模最大的一次IPO后融资。
比亚迪于周一晚间启动了此次股票发售的簿记建档，将以每股333.00港元至345.00港元的价格发行1.18亿股股票。这一价格区间较其当日收盘价363.60港元折让5.1%至8.4%。募集资金将用于研发、海外业务拓展、补充流动资金以及一般公司用途。中信里昂证券、高盛和瑞银担任此次交易的联合配售代理。
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比亚迪计划通过配售新股募资至多407亿港元（约合50.5亿美元），以支持其研发投入和海外扩张。此次募资是比亚迪自2002年在香港上市以来规模最大的一次IPO后融资。
比亚迪于周一晚间启动了此次股票发售的簿记建档，将以每股333.00港元至345.00港元的价格发行1.18亿股股票。这一价格区间较其当日收盘价363.60港元折让5.1%至8.4%。募集资金将用于研发、海外业务拓展、补充流动资金以及一般公司用途。中信里昂证券、高盛和瑞银担任此次交易的联合配售代理。
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The bold new proposal for solving China’s birth crisis: free kindergarten
Momentum is building in China to provide free preschool education, potentially expanding the current nine years of free public education to twelve. This proposal aims to alleviate financial burdens on families and encourage couples to have more children, addressing concerns about a declining birth rate and its impact on the nation's future.
The proposal, formally introduced by a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC), echoes similar suggestions from local political gatherings. This initiative aligns with China's broader effort to create a "childbirth-friendly society" by implementing various measures to counter the looming demographic crisis and its potential effects on long-term economic prosperity.
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Momentum is building in China to provide free preschool education, potentially expanding the current nine years of free public education to twelve. This proposal aims to alleviate financial burdens on families and encourage couples to have more children, addressing concerns about a declining birth rate and its impact on the nation's future.
The proposal, formally introduced by a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC), echoes similar suggestions from local political gatherings. This initiative aligns with China's broader effort to create a "childbirth-friendly society" by implementing various measures to counter the looming demographic crisis and its potential effects on long-term economic prosperity.
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3 hurt as suspected gas leak explosion rips through Hong Kong flat
一宗怀疑由气体泄漏引起的爆炸在香港一间公寓内发生，导致两名男子受伤，一名路过的女子也被碎片击伤。爆炸将玻璃、空调和窗框炸飞到地面，事件发生在蓝田兴田邨美田楼。
爆炸发生在下午3点左右，据报道，当时其中一名男子正在炉子上做饭。他面部和手部二级烧伤，他和一位住在同一楼层的年长邻居被送往联合基督教医院。一名路过的女子被碎片击伤，并在现场接受了医护人员的治疗。爆炸导致公寓的窗户破碎，一些窗框松动地悬挂着。一个空调装置和一个窗框落在下面的地面上，周围散落着碎片，包括一个杯子和一个塑料勺。
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一宗怀疑由气体泄漏引起的爆炸在香港一间公寓内发生，导致两名男子受伤，一名路过的女子也被碎片击伤。爆炸将玻璃、空调和窗框炸飞到地面，事件发生在蓝田兴田邨美田楼。
爆炸发生在下午3点左右，据报道，当时其中一名男子正在炉子上做饭。他面部和手部二级烧伤，他和一位住在同一楼层的年长邻居被送往联合基督教医院。一名路过的女子被碎片击伤，并在现场接受了医护人员的治疗。爆炸导致公寓的窗户破碎，一些窗框松动地悬挂着。一个空调装置和一个窗框落在下面的地面上，周围散落着碎片，包括一个杯子和一个塑料勺。
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Hong Kong’s Jimmy Lai denies he wants Western ‘dismemberment’ of China
前香港媒体老板黎智英表示，如果中国共产党结束其“暴政”统治，它可以继续执政。他还驳斥了检察官关于他欢迎西方“分裂”中国的主张。黎智英是在其国家安全审判中作证时发表上述言论的，他否认自己为了美国的利益而损害香港和中国大陆的利益。
黎智英认为，由于北京政府不认同西方的民主价值观，中国不是国际社会的一员，但他承认世界仍然将中国视为“贸易伙伴”。法庭关注到黎智英在2019年8月为《华尔街日报》撰写的一篇草稿文章，其中他敦促美国通过制裁香港和中国大陆官员来“展示其道德权威”并维护香港人的自由。该评论的结尾写道：“世界不能与像中国这样的铁腕独裁者和平共处。我们现在必须用人权对抗中国，而不是为了商业利益而绥靖它。”
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前香港媒体老板黎智英表示，如果中国共产党结束其“暴政”统治，它可以继续执政。他还驳斥了检察官关于他欢迎西方“分裂”中国的主张。黎智英是在其国家安全审判中作证时发表上述言论的，他否认自己为了美国的利益而损害香港和中国大陆的利益。
黎智英认为，由于北京政府不认同西方的民主价值观，中国不是国际社会的一员，但他承认世界仍然将中国视为“贸易伙伴”。法庭关注到黎智英在2019年8月为《华尔街日报》撰写的一篇草稿文章，其中他敦促美国通过制裁香港和中国大陆官员来“展示其道德权威”并维护香港人的自由。该评论的结尾写道：“世界不能与像中国这样的铁腕独裁者和平共处。我们现在必须用人权对抗中国，而不是为了商业利益而绥靖它。”
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How DeepSeek’s small team of liberal arts graduates transforms AI text generation in China
DeepSeek's AI models are gaining popularity due to their eloquence and human touch, which is attributed to a team of liberal arts graduates who curate the training data. These "data omniscients" source knowledge in history, culture, literature, and science to build a vast virtual library, adding a human element to the company's AI models.
DeepSeek, known for attracting talent with competitive compensation, specifically sought individuals with backgrounds in literature and social sciences for this role. These graduates, including those with Chinese language and literature degrees, have significantly improved the quality of Chinese content generated by DeepSeek by providing insights on various data sets for model training. The impact of this curated data was evident in a viral post attributed to DeepSeek's founder, showcasing the AI's ability to generate well-crafted and human-like text.
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DeepSeek's AI models are gaining popularity due to their eloquence and human touch, which is attributed to a team of liberal arts graduates who curate the training data. These "data omniscients" source knowledge in history, culture, literature, and science to build a vast virtual library, adding a human element to the company's AI models.
DeepSeek, known for attracting talent with competitive compensation, specifically sought individuals with backgrounds in literature and social sciences for this role. These graduates, including those with Chinese language and literature degrees, have significantly improved the quality of Chinese content generated by DeepSeek by providing insights on various data sets for model training. The impact of this curated data was evident in a viral post attributed to DeepSeek's founder, showcasing the AI's ability to generate well-crafted and human-like text.
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China pregnant woman lies in bed for weeks to save fetus after foot slipped out of cervix
一位中国母亲为了保住胎儿，在得知怀孕21周时胎儿的一只脚已滑出宫颈后，卧床数周，其伟大的母爱感动了众多网友。医生警告说，一旦开始宫缩，3到5天内流产的风险很高，这也可能损害母亲的身体。但这位来自江苏的李女士表示，愿意尽一切努力保住女儿，给孩子一个机会。
据荔枝新闻报道，江苏省人民医院的妇产科医生葛志平表示，为了最大限度地减少对母亲身体的损害，李女士只能尝试传统分娩。李女士表示，她和孩子之间有特殊的联系，无论多么艰难，她都会坚持下去。这一事件引发了中国网友对母爱的深刻讨论和敬佩。
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一位中国母亲为了保住胎儿，在得知怀孕21周时胎儿的一只脚已滑出宫颈后，卧床数周，其伟大的母爱感动了众多网友。医生警告说，一旦开始宫缩，3到5天内流产的风险很高，这也可能损害母亲的身体。但这位来自江苏的李女士表示，愿意尽一切努力保住女儿，给孩子一个机会。
据荔枝新闻报道，江苏省人民医院的妇产科医生葛志平表示，为了最大限度地减少对母亲身体的损害，李女士只能尝试传统分娩。李女士表示，她和孩子之间有特殊的联系，无论多么艰难，她都会坚持下去。这一事件引发了中国网友对母爱的深刻讨论和敬佩。
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Hong Kong’s anti-corruption agency received increased complaints in 2024
香港廉政公署2024年收到的投诉略有增加，其中惩教署的投诉增幅最大。2024年共收到2058起投诉，比2023年的2001起增加了3%。在针对政府部门的480起投诉中，有44起针对惩教署，同比上升144%。
廉政公署行动审查委员会主席陈文指出，目前尚未对惩教署的相关投诉提起检控。他强调，投诉数量不一定等同于检控结果，不应过度比较每年的数据。如果参考过去五年的平均数据（每年约548起），可以发现香港整体的贪污嫌疑案件数量实际上处于较低水平。
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香港廉政公署2024年收到的投诉略有增加，其中惩教署的投诉增幅最大。2024年共收到2058起投诉，比2023年的2001起增加了3%。在针对政府部门的480起投诉中，有44起针对惩教署，同比上升144%。
廉政公署行动审查委员会主席陈文指出，目前尚未对惩教署的相关投诉提起检控。他强调，投诉数量不一定等同于检控结果，不应过度比较每年的数据。如果参考过去五年的平均数据（每年约548起），可以发现香港整体的贪污嫌疑案件数量实际上处于较低水平。
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1 dead in Israel stabbing attack, assailant killed
在以色列海法市的一个交通枢纽发生了一起持刀袭击事件，造成一人死亡，多人受伤。警方称这是一起“恐怖袭击”，袭击者已被击毙。这是自1月19日加沙地带停火协议生效以来，以色列首次发生致命袭击事件。
袭击发生之际，以色列与巴勒斯坦激进组织哈马斯之间的加沙停火谈判陷入僵局，此前该协议的第一阶段已于周末结束。医疗队宣布一名70岁左右的男子死亡，并正在为四名伤者提供医疗救助。伤者包括一名30岁左右的男子和女子，以及一名15岁的男孩，他们均身受重伤。以色列警方通常将与以巴冲突相关的袭击事件定义为“恐怖”袭击，但尚未确认周一袭击事件的肇事者身份。
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在以色列海法市的一个交通枢纽发生了一起持刀袭击事件，造成一人死亡，多人受伤。警方称这是一起“恐怖袭击”，袭击者已被击毙。这是自1月19日加沙地带停火协议生效以来，以色列首次发生致命袭击事件。
袭击发生之际，以色列与巴勒斯坦激进组织哈马斯之间的加沙停火谈判陷入僵局，此前该协议的第一阶段已于周末结束。医疗队宣布一名70岁左右的男子死亡，并正在为四名伤者提供医疗救助。伤者包括一名30岁左右的男子和女子，以及一名15岁的男孩，他们均身受重伤。以色列警方通常将与以巴冲突相关的袭击事件定义为“恐怖”袭击，但尚未确认周一袭击事件的肇事者身份。
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Congestion charge plan for Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur set to pit drivers against city hall
马来西亚吉隆坡计划征收拥堵费以缓解交通压力，但此举引发了当地居民和企业的强烈不满。政府希望通过收费来减少进入吉隆坡等城市的车辆，以降低因交通拥堵造成的巨大经济损失。
吉隆坡在2020年因交通拥堵损失了约200亿林吉特（约合45亿美元）。但批评者认为，征收拥堵费将会惩罚依赖道路运输的企业，增加他们的运营成本，例如销售人员可能需要频繁进出收费区域，导致费用累积。目前具体的收费标准和征收方式尚未公布，进一步加剧了公众的担忧。
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马来西亚吉隆坡计划征收拥堵费以缓解交通压力，但此举引发了当地居民和企业的强烈不满。政府希望通过收费来减少进入吉隆坡等城市的车辆，以降低因交通拥堵造成的巨大经济损失。
吉隆坡在2020年因交通拥堵损失了约200亿林吉特（约合45亿美元）。但批评者认为，征收拥堵费将会惩罚依赖道路运输的企业，增加他们的运营成本，例如销售人员可能需要频繁进出收费区域，导致费用累积。目前具体的收费标准和征收方式尚未公布，进一步加剧了公众的担忧。
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Hong Kong retail sales drop for 11th straight month in January, down by 3.2%
香港零售业销售额连续第11个月下跌，1月份同比下降3.2%。 官方数据显示，零售业总销售额约为353亿港元（约合45.4亿美元）。
在线销售额占总额的6.9%，约为24亿港元，同比增长3.5%。政府发言人表示，由于农历新年提前，1月份零售额的同比降幅已大大收窄。但统计部门也指出，由于假期的影响，每年前两个月的零售额波动性往往较大。
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香港零售业销售额连续第11个月下跌，1月份同比下降3.2%。 官方数据显示，零售业总销售额约为353亿港元（约合45.4亿美元）。
在线销售额占总额的6.9%，约为24亿港元，同比增长3.5%。政府发言人表示，由于农历新年提前，1月份零售额的同比降幅已大大收窄。但统计部门也指出，由于假期的影响，每年前两个月的零售额波动性往往较大。
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3,500 new premium taxis to hit roads in Hong Kong, starting later this month
香港首批3500辆优质出租车将于本月开始运营，旨在提升服务质量并与时俱进。这些出租车由Joie, Syncab, Amigo, Big Boss 和 Big Bee 五家公司运营，提供无线网络等优质服务，以改善香港出租车行业长期存在的服务问题，并应对来自Uber等网约车平台的竞争。
运输及物流局局长林世雄表示，这批出租车占全市约18000辆出租车的六分之一，有望推动行业服务水平的提升。政府计划今年第二季度向立法会提交法律修订案，要求所有出租车安装录像系统，并提供至少两种电子支付方式，以进一步规范行业发展。
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香港首批3500辆优质出租车将于本月开始运营，旨在提升服务质量并与时俱进。这些出租车由Joie, Syncab, Amigo, Big Boss 和 Big Bee 五家公司运营，提供无线网络等优质服务，以改善香港出租车行业长期存在的服务问题，并应对来自Uber等网约车平台的竞争。
运输及物流局局长林世雄表示，这批出租车占全市约18000辆出租车的六分之一，有望推动行业服务水平的提升。政府计划今年第二季度向立法会提交法律修订案，要求所有出租车安装录像系统，并提供至少两种电子支付方式，以进一步规范行业发展。
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Why the PLA’s WZ-9 drone is a ‘serious challenge’ to US aircraft in the South China Sea
China has deployed its most advanced long-range surveillance drone, the WZ-9, to Hainan Island in the South China Sea, posing a significant challenge to US stealth aircraft and air superiority in the region. The drone's high altitude, long endurance, and powerful radar capabilities enable constant surveillance across vast maritime areas, potentially weakening the US military's combat strength in the Indo-Pacific.
Satellite images confirm the WZ-9's operation from Ledong airbase since December, near strategic sites like the Yulin Naval Base. With an operational altitude of up to 25,000 meters, a flight duration of 35 hours, and a radar range of 500km, the drone's deployment signifies China's growing surveillance capabilities and ambition to counter US dominance in the region.
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China has deployed its most advanced long-range surveillance drone, the WZ-9, to Hainan Island in the South China Sea, posing a significant challenge to US stealth aircraft and air superiority in the region. The drone's high altitude, long endurance, and powerful radar capabilities enable constant surveillance across vast maritime areas, potentially weakening the US military's combat strength in the Indo-Pacific.
Satellite images confirm the WZ-9's operation from Ledong airbase since December, near strategic sites like the Yulin Naval Base. With an operational altitude of up to 25,000 meters, a flight duration of 35 hours, and a radar range of 500km, the drone's deployment signifies China's growing surveillance capabilities and ambition to counter US dominance in the region.
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Alibaba’s open-source Sora-like AI video model tops third-party rankings
Alibaba's new AI video-generating model, Wan 2.1, has become the most popular model on Hugging Face, a leading open-source AI community. The model, unveiled by Alibaba's cloud computing unit, is drawing significant attention from developers globally due to its performance, which rivals other top video generation models.
Wan 2.1 currently ranks as the top video-generation model on the VBench Leaderboard and is the only open-source model among the top five. Alibaba, which owns the South China Morning Post, is heavily investing in AI, allocating at least $52.4 billion over the next three years for computing resources and AI infrastructure. The company has open-sourced four variants of the model, allowing academics, researchers, and commercial institutions to freely use and modify them.
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Alibaba's new AI video-generating model, Wan 2.1, has become the most popular model on Hugging Face, a leading open-source AI community. The model, unveiled by Alibaba's cloud computing unit, is drawing significant attention from developers globally due to its performance, which rivals other top video generation models.
Wan 2.1 currently ranks as the top video-generation model on the VBench Leaderboard and is the only open-source model among the top five. Alibaba, which owns the South China Morning Post, is heavily investing in AI, allocating at least $52.4 billion over the next three years for computing resources and AI infrastructure. The company has open-sourced four variants of the model, allowing academics, researchers, and commercial institutions to freely use and modify them.
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Why not weaponise US Treasury holdings against Trump tariffs?
Instead of retaliatory tariffs, countries should respond to US tariffs by selling off their holdings of US Treasuries. This approach, unlike imposing reciprocal tariffs, would avoid reducing growth, raising inflation, and burdening domestic households and businesses. By targeting US bond market stability, this strategy could also gain the attention of policymakers who may be less responsive to arguments about the disruptive and costly nature of tariffs.
Central banks collectively hold a significant amount of US Treasuries, totaling around US$3.8 trillion, making the threat of selling a meaningful one. For example, if the US imposes tariffs on a country, that country could announce its intention to sell a proportionate amount of its US Treasury holdings and reinvest the funds in other assets. This approach would have no direct impact on growth or inflation, potentially leading to fewer negative effects on domestic economies compared to imposing tariffs.
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Instead of retaliatory tariffs, countries should respond to US tariffs by selling off their holdings of US Treasuries. This approach, unlike imposing reciprocal tariffs, would avoid reducing growth, raising inflation, and burdening domestic households and businesses. By targeting US bond market stability, this strategy could also gain the attention of policymakers who may be less responsive to arguments about the disruptive and costly nature of tariffs.
Central banks collectively hold a significant amount of US Treasuries, totaling around US$3.8 trillion, making the threat of selling a meaningful one. For example, if the US imposes tariffs on a country, that country could announce its intention to sell a proportionate amount of its US Treasury holdings and reinvest the funds in other assets. This approach would have no direct impact on growth or inflation, potentially leading to fewer negative effects on domestic economies compared to imposing tariffs.
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