Bangladesh inquiry recommends feared police unit disbanded
By Agence France-Presse
A Bangladesh commission probing abuses during the rule of toppled leader Sheikh Hasina has recommended a much-feared armed police unit be disbanded, a senior inquiry member said Sunday.
Hasina, 77, fled by helicopter to neighbouring India on August 5 as a student-led uprising stormed the prime minister’s palace in Dhaka.
Her government was accused of widespread human rights abuses, including the extrajudicial killing of hundreds of political opponents and the unlawful abduction and disappearance of hundreds more.
The Commission of Inquiry into Enforced Disappearances, set up by the caretaker government, said it found initial evidence that Hasina and other ex-senior officials were involved in the enforced disappearances alleged to have been carried out by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
The RAB paramilitary police force was sanctioned by the United States in 2021, alongside seven of its senior officers, in response to reports of its culpability in some of the worst rights abuses committed during Hasina’s 15-year-long rule.
“RAB has never abided by the law and was seldom held accountable for its atrocities, which include enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and abductions,” Nur Khan Liton, a member of the commission, told journalists.
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By Agence France-Presse
A Bangladesh commission probing abuses during the rule of toppled leader Sheikh Hasina has recommended a much-feared armed police unit be disbanded, a senior inquiry member said Sunday.
Hasina, 77, fled by helicopter to neighbouring India on August 5 as a student-led uprising stormed the prime minister’s palace in Dhaka.
Her government was accused of widespread human rights abuses, including the extrajudicial killing of hundreds of political opponents and the unlawful abduction and disappearance of hundreds more.
The Commission of Inquiry into Enforced Disappearances, set up by the caretaker government, said it found initial evidence that Hasina and other ex-senior officials were involved in the enforced disappearances alleged to have been carried out by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
The RAB paramilitary police force was sanctioned by the United States in 2021, alongside seven of its senior officers, in response to reports of its culpability in some of the worst rights abuses committed during Hasina’s 15-year-long rule.
“RAB has never abided by the law and was seldom held accountable for its atrocities, which include enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and abductions,” Nur Khan Liton, a member of the commission, told journalists.
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Hong Kong and Xinjiang could be the core of Kazakhstan’s China strategy
By Nikola Mikovic
Building strong ties with China has traditionally been one of Kazakhstan’s key foreign policy priorities. Astana now aims to strengthen relations not only with the country’s central leadership in Beijing but also with Hong Kong.
Hong Kong’s strategic location, open economy, tradition of free trade, ease of starting a business and numerous tax benefits make it attractive to companies worldwide, including those from Kazakhstan. In 2016, Hong Kong’s then-financial secretary John Tsang Chun-wah encouraged the largest Central Asian nation to expand economic ties with the financial hub.
“Hong Kong is one of the best places in the world to do business. We are a global city and we fly the flag of free trade,” he stressed, adding, “We have the experience, the expertise and the connections to serve as the fundraising and financial management hub for the Belt and Road economies.”
Indeed, experience is precisely what Kazakhstan seeks to gain from Hong Kong. Earlier this month, Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin met Hong Kong commerce and economic development secretary Algernon Yau Ying-wah in Urumqi, the capital of China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. Zhumangarin reportedly invited representatives of the Hong Kong stock exchange to Kazakhstan to share their experience.
It is no secret that Kazakhstan seeks to build stronger ties between the Astana International Financial Centre and the Hong Kong stock exchange.
In an interview with the Post on October 6, Almas Seitakynov, Kazakhstan’s top envoy in Hong Kong, said that his country would like to boost trade ties with the city and connect Kazakhstan’s financial centre in Astana with the Hong Kong’s stock exchange while pushing to bolster cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.
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By Nikola Mikovic
Building strong ties with China has traditionally been one of Kazakhstan’s key foreign policy priorities. Astana now aims to strengthen relations not only with the country’s central leadership in Beijing but also with Hong Kong.
Hong Kong’s strategic location, open economy, tradition of free trade, ease of starting a business and numerous tax benefits make it attractive to companies worldwide, including those from Kazakhstan. In 2016, Hong Kong’s then-financial secretary John Tsang Chun-wah encouraged the largest Central Asian nation to expand economic ties with the financial hub.
“Hong Kong is one of the best places in the world to do business. We are a global city and we fly the flag of free trade,” he stressed, adding, “We have the experience, the expertise and the connections to serve as the fundraising and financial management hub for the Belt and Road economies.”
Indeed, experience is precisely what Kazakhstan seeks to gain from Hong Kong. Earlier this month, Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin met Hong Kong commerce and economic development secretary Algernon Yau Ying-wah in Urumqi, the capital of China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. Zhumangarin reportedly invited representatives of the Hong Kong stock exchange to Kazakhstan to share their experience.
It is no secret that Kazakhstan seeks to build stronger ties between the Astana International Financial Centre and the Hong Kong stock exchange.
In an interview with the Post on October 6, Almas Seitakynov, Kazakhstan’s top envoy in Hong Kong, said that his country would like to boost trade ties with the city and connect Kazakhstan’s financial centre in Astana with the Hong Kong’s stock exchange while pushing to bolster cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.
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Hong Kong welcomes 13% more mainland tourists after Shenzhen visa change
By Oscar Liu
The number of mainland Chinese tourists heading to Hong Kong for weekend trips has jumped by 13 per cent since the resumption of a multi-entry visa scheme for Shenzhen residents, but an industry leader has warned that a greater diversity of attractions is needed to keep the momentum going.
Thousands of mainland tourists packed Tsim Sha Tsui on Sunday morning, posing for pictures and taking boat tours along Victoria Harbour, as local businesses tried to keep up with the demand.
Wong Mei-tung, who offers boat tours, said she barely had a break the day before due to the intense demand for a 40-minute trip, priced at HK$150 (US$19.3).
“I noticed a significant number of Shenzhen tourists boarding. I find it strange because it was quite uncommon for them to take a sightseeing boat as many of them had visited and seen Victoria Harbour before,” the 53-year-old said.
According to the Immigration Department, the city welcomed 230,994 mainland visitors on the weekend of December 7 and 8, marking a 13 per cent increase compared with the weekend of November 23 and 24.
The visa scheme, which allows Shenzhen residents to make an unlimited number of visits within a year instead of the previous one-trip-per-week arrangement, was adopted on December 1, one of several measures taken by the central government recently to help boost Hong Kong’s economy.
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By Oscar Liu
The number of mainland Chinese tourists heading to Hong Kong for weekend trips has jumped by 13 per cent since the resumption of a multi-entry visa scheme for Shenzhen residents, but an industry leader has warned that a greater diversity of attractions is needed to keep the momentum going.
Thousands of mainland tourists packed Tsim Sha Tsui on Sunday morning, posing for pictures and taking boat tours along Victoria Harbour, as local businesses tried to keep up with the demand.
Wong Mei-tung, who offers boat tours, said she barely had a break the day before due to the intense demand for a 40-minute trip, priced at HK$150 (US$19.3).
“I noticed a significant number of Shenzhen tourists boarding. I find it strange because it was quite uncommon for them to take a sightseeing boat as many of them had visited and seen Victoria Harbour before,” the 53-year-old said.
According to the Immigration Department, the city welcomed 230,994 mainland visitors on the weekend of December 7 and 8, marking a 13 per cent increase compared with the weekend of November 23 and 24.
The visa scheme, which allows Shenzhen residents to make an unlimited number of visits within a year instead of the previous one-trip-per-week arrangement, was adopted on December 1, one of several measures taken by the central government recently to help boost Hong Kong’s economy.
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Palestinian rescuers see China’s Blue Sky amid the bomb blasts of Israel-Gaza war
By Cyril Ip
In the eastern city of Changshu, six Palestinians have spent two weeks being trained by a team from China’s Blue Sky Rescue in urban search and rescue operations.
They were taught how to shore up collapsed buildings, cut through walls, search for victims and safely evacuate survivors.
It is now just over a year since the Israel-Gaza war began, and in that time more than 44,000 Palestinians – including at least 88 of the search and rescue team’s colleagues – have been killed. So when they were invited to send a delegation for training in China, they jumped at the chance to help save more lives.
The search and rescue team of Palestine’s Civil Defence first met China’s Blue Sky rescuers back in February 2023, amid the rubble of Malatya, Turkey, as they worked side by side to find survivors after a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit eastern Turkey and Syria. China sent more than 200 members of its grass-roots rescue organisation to assist in the wake of the disaster.
That shared experience has led to a growing relationship between the two teams.
“China has the kindest and most hospitable people,” said Raed Qazmouz, director of central operations in the Palestinian Civil Defence, from his headquarters in Ramallah. “I had known they were a polite and respectful people, but not to this extent.”
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By Cyril Ip
In the eastern city of Changshu, six Palestinians have spent two weeks being trained by a team from China’s Blue Sky Rescue in urban search and rescue operations.
They were taught how to shore up collapsed buildings, cut through walls, search for victims and safely evacuate survivors.
It is now just over a year since the Israel-Gaza war began, and in that time more than 44,000 Palestinians – including at least 88 of the search and rescue team’s colleagues – have been killed. So when they were invited to send a delegation for training in China, they jumped at the chance to help save more lives.
The search and rescue team of Palestine’s Civil Defence first met China’s Blue Sky rescuers back in February 2023, amid the rubble of Malatya, Turkey, as they worked side by side to find survivors after a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit eastern Turkey and Syria. China sent more than 200 members of its grass-roots rescue organisation to assist in the wake of the disaster.
That shared experience has led to a growing relationship between the two teams.
“China has the kindest and most hospitable people,” said Raed Qazmouz, director of central operations in the Palestinian Civil Defence, from his headquarters in Ramallah. “I had known they were a polite and respectful people, but not to this extent.”
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‘Feel the impact’: Hong Kong police show off pistol practice to lure recruits
By Jess Ma
Hong Kong police have held an inaugural firing range show at their large-scale recruitment event in a bid to attract more applicants and let them “feel the impact” of service weapons, as the force ramps up efforts to fill thousands of vacancies.
Attendees at the event in Wong Chuk Hang on Sunday were able to see an officer conduct live-round target practice using the force’s mainland Chinese-made pistols. But visitors did not get the chance to use the 9mm CF98-A pistols at the Police College’s indoor range.
Senior Superintendent Mike Kwok Ka-chun of police’s human resources branch said he hoped candidates would be inspired to sign up.
“[We hope to] let potential applicants hear the sound of a real gun at the indoor range where recruits practise to feel the impact, and let them understand how recruits receive firearms training,” he said.
The full-day exhibition and workshop event welcomed 1,281 attendees and garnered more than 400 job applications in the morning. It is the ninth to be held by police since May 2021 as part of efforts to boost application numbers.
Police have been grappling with a personnel shortage in recent years amid a hiring slump in a declining young working population and the aftermath of the 2019 anti-government protests. The force has also failed to reach hiring targets in recent years.
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By Jess Ma
Hong Kong police have held an inaugural firing range show at their large-scale recruitment event in a bid to attract more applicants and let them “feel the impact” of service weapons, as the force ramps up efforts to fill thousands of vacancies.
Attendees at the event in Wong Chuk Hang on Sunday were able to see an officer conduct live-round target practice using the force’s mainland Chinese-made pistols. But visitors did not get the chance to use the 9mm CF98-A pistols at the Police College’s indoor range.
Senior Superintendent Mike Kwok Ka-chun of police’s human resources branch said he hoped candidates would be inspired to sign up.
“[We hope to] let potential applicants hear the sound of a real gun at the indoor range where recruits practise to feel the impact, and let them understand how recruits receive firearms training,” he said.
The full-day exhibition and workshop event welcomed 1,281 attendees and garnered more than 400 job applications in the morning. It is the ninth to be held by police since May 2021 as part of efforts to boost application numbers.
Police have been grappling with a personnel shortage in recent years amid a hiring slump in a declining young working population and the aftermath of the 2019 anti-government protests. The force has also failed to reach hiring targets in recent years.
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Chinese entrepreneurs, wary of tariffs, tag along with investments in US visa bids
By He Huifeng
Until this year, working – much less living – in the United States had never crossed Daniel Mai’s mind.
The idea only took hold after he had set up production lines for apparel in California and a cross-border e-commerce company to service them, establishing a foothold in the American market in preparation for the tariffs on Chinese goods he saw as inevitable.
Mai, a seasoned businessman previously based in Guangdong province, runs his US operations on an L-1A visa. The temporary status is granted when a US employer wishes to transfer employees of its foreign offices stateside, or a foreign company meeting certain conditions sends a manager to establish a satellite firm.
After his positive experiences in the US – the rate of profit, he said, is higher than several emerging markets – Mai decided to begin the application process for an EB-1C visa. The permanent worker status, reserved for managers and executives, would be a next step to obtaining a green card and gradually relocating his two children.
“Many people opposed my decision to build plants in the US, including my family,” Mai said. “But it turned out to be the right choice,” he added, particularly as Donald Trump’s second term as president approaches.
“I had never come to the US before this year, nor had I considered immigration. But now, it is on the agenda.”
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By He Huifeng
Until this year, working – much less living – in the United States had never crossed Daniel Mai’s mind.
The idea only took hold after he had set up production lines for apparel in California and a cross-border e-commerce company to service them, establishing a foothold in the American market in preparation for the tariffs on Chinese goods he saw as inevitable.
Mai, a seasoned businessman previously based in Guangdong province, runs his US operations on an L-1A visa. The temporary status is granted when a US employer wishes to transfer employees of its foreign offices stateside, or a foreign company meeting certain conditions sends a manager to establish a satellite firm.
After his positive experiences in the US – the rate of profit, he said, is higher than several emerging markets – Mai decided to begin the application process for an EB-1C visa. The permanent worker status, reserved for managers and executives, would be a next step to obtaining a green card and gradually relocating his two children.
“Many people opposed my decision to build plants in the US, including my family,” Mai said. “But it turned out to be the right choice,” he added, particularly as Donald Trump’s second term as president approaches.
“I had never come to the US before this year, nor had I considered immigration. But now, it is on the agenda.”
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Hong Kong unions sound alarm over domestic workers being underpaid, abused
By Wynna Wong
At least eight South Asian domestic helpers working in Hong Kong have been significantly underpaid over the past two years, with the most severe case receiving no money and no rest days for four months, two labour unions have said.
The Hong Kong Federation of Asian Domestic Workers Unions (FADW) and the Union of Nepalese Domestic Workers in Hong Kong (UNDW) also warned on Sunday the situation was severely under-reported and likely to be far worse.
The organisations said the migrant workers involved were all from South Asia, adding their employers rarely faced any legal consequences despite breaching Hong Kong’s Employment Ordinance.
“Many of the employers are from the same countries as [their employees], so they can communicate fine between themselves,” FADW chairwoman Phobsuk Gasing said.
“But the workers struggle to communicate with anyone else because they don’t speak English or Cantonese, so their employers can easily mistreat them [without consequence].”
The two groups said the most severe cases reported to them involved a helper who had received no salary or rest days for four months.
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By Wynna Wong
At least eight South Asian domestic helpers working in Hong Kong have been significantly underpaid over the past two years, with the most severe case receiving no money and no rest days for four months, two labour unions have said.
The Hong Kong Federation of Asian Domestic Workers Unions (FADW) and the Union of Nepalese Domestic Workers in Hong Kong (UNDW) also warned on Sunday the situation was severely under-reported and likely to be far worse.
The organisations said the migrant workers involved were all from South Asia, adding their employers rarely faced any legal consequences despite breaching Hong Kong’s Employment Ordinance.
“Many of the employers are from the same countries as [their employees], so they can communicate fine between themselves,” FADW chairwoman Phobsuk Gasing said.
“But the workers struggle to communicate with anyone else because they don’t speak English or Cantonese, so their employers can easily mistreat them [without consequence].”
The two groups said the most severe cases reported to them involved a helper who had received no salary or rest days for four months.
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Hong Kong Island hospitals may be reorganised to tackle population decline
By Emily Hung
Health authorities are considering reorganising public hospital services on Hong Kong Island to allow officials to move resources between facilities more efficiently as the area’s population declines.
Permanent Secretary for Health Thomas Chan Chung-ching said on Sunday the Hospital Authority’s restructuring plan was unrelated to the government’s budget deficit, which was expected to reach HK$100 billion (US$12.9 billion) this financial year.
“We have to clarify that we are not reviewing [the structure] because of the financial deficit. The population size of the Hong Kong East Cluster will decline, but that of the West Cluster will increase … the service demand will slightly shift to the western side,” he said, referring to two groups of hospitals on Hong Kong Island.
“After the restructuring, all the hospitals for complex or acute illnesses will still exist, and no residents will lose access to their usual hospital.”
The Hospital Authority, which runs the city’s public hospitals, organises its facilities into seven geographical “clusters”, with two on Hong Kong Island, two in the New Territories and three in Kowloon.
The Hong Kong Island clusters currently feature five hospitals that treat complex or acute illnesses: Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam; Ruttonjee Hospital in Wan Chai; Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan; Grantham Hospital in Wong Chuk Hang; and St John Hospital in Cheung Chau.
Chan said the population on the island would decline to 1.2 million by 2041, which is about the service size of one cluster.
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By Emily Hung
Health authorities are considering reorganising public hospital services on Hong Kong Island to allow officials to move resources between facilities more efficiently as the area’s population declines.
Permanent Secretary for Health Thomas Chan Chung-ching said on Sunday the Hospital Authority’s restructuring plan was unrelated to the government’s budget deficit, which was expected to reach HK$100 billion (US$12.9 billion) this financial year.
“We have to clarify that we are not reviewing [the structure] because of the financial deficit. The population size of the Hong Kong East Cluster will decline, but that of the West Cluster will increase … the service demand will slightly shift to the western side,” he said, referring to two groups of hospitals on Hong Kong Island.
“After the restructuring, all the hospitals for complex or acute illnesses will still exist, and no residents will lose access to their usual hospital.”
The Hospital Authority, which runs the city’s public hospitals, organises its facilities into seven geographical “clusters”, with two on Hong Kong Island, two in the New Territories and three in Kowloon.
The Hong Kong Island clusters currently feature five hospitals that treat complex or acute illnesses: Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam; Ruttonjee Hospital in Wan Chai; Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan; Grantham Hospital in Wong Chuk Hang; and St John Hospital in Cheung Chau.
Chan said the population on the island would decline to 1.2 million by 2041, which is about the service size of one cluster.
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Turkey will offer military training to Syria if new administration requests
By Reuters
The new administration in Syria should be given a chance to govern following their constructive messages, and Turkey stands ready to provide military training if such help is requested, Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler said.
Nato member Turkey backed the Syrian rebels who toppled President Bashar al-Assad last weekend, ending a 13-year civil war. Turkey reopened its embassy in Damascus on Saturday, two days after its intelligence chief visited the Syrian capital.
“In their first statement, the new administration that toppled Assad announced that it would respect all government institutions, the United Nations, and other international organisations,” Guler told reporters in Ankara in comments authorised for publication on Sunday.
“We think that we need to see what the new administration will do and to give them a chance.”
When asked whether Turkey was considering military cooperation with the new Syrian government, Guler said Ankara already had military cooperation and training agreements with many countries.
“[Turkey] is ready to provide the necessary support if the new administration requests it,” he added.
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By Reuters
The new administration in Syria should be given a chance to govern following their constructive messages, and Turkey stands ready to provide military training if such help is requested, Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler said.
Nato member Turkey backed the Syrian rebels who toppled President Bashar al-Assad last weekend, ending a 13-year civil war. Turkey reopened its embassy in Damascus on Saturday, two days after its intelligence chief visited the Syrian capital.
“In their first statement, the new administration that toppled Assad announced that it would respect all government institutions, the United Nations, and other international organisations,” Guler told reporters in Ankara in comments authorised for publication on Sunday.
“We think that we need to see what the new administration will do and to give them a chance.”
When asked whether Turkey was considering military cooperation with the new Syrian government, Guler said Ankara already had military cooperation and training agreements with many countries.
“[Turkey] is ready to provide the necessary support if the new administration requests it,” he added.
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China’s finance industry urged to better support tech innovation
By Kandy Wong
Technological innovation in China still has “much room for improvement” and the country needs financial support to develop new ideas, according to a prominent economist.
Tian Xuan, chairman of Tsinghua University’s national institute of financial research, said there is a particularly large gap with the United States.
He said nine out of the 10 biggest American firms by valuation were tech companies or funds that invested in technology.
In contrast China’s largest firm was the drinks maker Kweichow Moutai, followed by four state-owned banks. The battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology was the only tech-related firm in China’s top 10 by valuation.
Xuan also said that Apple was valued at US$3.5 trillion, “which is two times or more higher than our top 10’s total”.
He added: “The crux of the issue is that how can the financial sector help expedite technological innovation and push the development of new quality productive forces.”
He also said foreign investment should be encouraged, because a “healthy and open capital market is necessary for enhancing innovation”.
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By Kandy Wong
Technological innovation in China still has “much room for improvement” and the country needs financial support to develop new ideas, according to a prominent economist.
Tian Xuan, chairman of Tsinghua University’s national institute of financial research, said there is a particularly large gap with the United States.
He said nine out of the 10 biggest American firms by valuation were tech companies or funds that invested in technology.
In contrast China’s largest firm was the drinks maker Kweichow Moutai, followed by four state-owned banks. The battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology was the only tech-related firm in China’s top 10 by valuation.
Xuan also said that Apple was valued at US$3.5 trillion, “which is two times or more higher than our top 10’s total”.
He added: “The crux of the issue is that how can the financial sector help expedite technological innovation and push the development of new quality productive forces.”
He also said foreign investment should be encouraged, because a “healthy and open capital market is necessary for enhancing innovation”.
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Hong Kong’s Paul Chan calls for more prudent management of public finances
By Ng Kang-chung
Hong Kong’s financial secretary has stressed the need for more prudent management of public finances, noting the city’s economy is undergoing “structural adjustment” amid an uncertain global outlook, as he invited suggestions for his next budget.
But Paul Chan Mo-po also said the market sentiment had improved near the end of the year after Beijing rolled out favourable measures aimed at stabilising the city’s economy and boosting business.
In a blog post on Sunday, Chan announced that public consultation for the budget for 2025-26 was under way and that he hoped to better understand the public’s views so as to build consensus on the direction of the blueprint.
“Faced with the continued uncertainty of the external environment, the complex and fluid global political and economic situation, as well as the fact that Hong Kong’s economy is undergoing structural adjustment, we must manage our public finances more prudently,” he wrote.
The minister is expected to present his blueprint on February 26 next year.
Earlier this month, Chan doubled his estimate for the current financial year deficit to about HK$100 billion (US$12.86 billion), up from his original forecast in February of about HK$48 billion. The government has largely attributed the increase to the property market slump, which has reduced land sales and premiums.
The government earned just HK$3.7 billion in land premiums between April and October, representing 11.2 per cent of its target of HK$33 billion for the entire financial year.
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By Ng Kang-chung
Hong Kong’s financial secretary has stressed the need for more prudent management of public finances, noting the city’s economy is undergoing “structural adjustment” amid an uncertain global outlook, as he invited suggestions for his next budget.
But Paul Chan Mo-po also said the market sentiment had improved near the end of the year after Beijing rolled out favourable measures aimed at stabilising the city’s economy and boosting business.
In a blog post on Sunday, Chan announced that public consultation for the budget for 2025-26 was under way and that he hoped to better understand the public’s views so as to build consensus on the direction of the blueprint.
“Faced with the continued uncertainty of the external environment, the complex and fluid global political and economic situation, as well as the fact that Hong Kong’s economy is undergoing structural adjustment, we must manage our public finances more prudently,” he wrote.
The minister is expected to present his blueprint on February 26 next year.
Earlier this month, Chan doubled his estimate for the current financial year deficit to about HK$100 billion (US$12.86 billion), up from his original forecast in February of about HK$48 billion. The government has largely attributed the increase to the property market slump, which has reduced land sales and premiums.
The government earned just HK$3.7 billion in land premiums between April and October, representing 11.2 per cent of its target of HK$33 billion for the entire financial year.
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India loses a key Kashmir ally with fall of Syria’s Assad
By Maria Siow
For India, the upheaval in Syria marks the loss of what analysts call a crucial Islamic “voice of support” on one of its thorniest issues: Kashmir.
While New Delhi has long maintained that the Kashmir dispute is a bilateral matter between itself and Pakistan, Syria’s consistent backing at the United Nations and elsewhere was seen as a quiet but significant win.
“This voice of support from within the Arab Islamic world was important,” said Kabir Taneja, a Middle East expert and deputy director at the Observer Research Foundation think tank in Delhi. Under Bashar al-Assad, Syria had repeatedly affirmed that Kashmir was an internal matter for India to settle itself without outside interference.
Now, with Assad gone, the future of that support is uncertain.
Opposition forces seized the Syrian capital last weekend, forcing Assad to flee and ending his family’s decades-long rule over a country that had been torn apart by a civil war that killed over half a million people and displaced millions more.
The dramatic turn of events took Delhi by surprise, according to Indian media reports. India had hosted a delegation of Syrian officials just weeks before.
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By Maria Siow
For India, the upheaval in Syria marks the loss of what analysts call a crucial Islamic “voice of support” on one of its thorniest issues: Kashmir.
While New Delhi has long maintained that the Kashmir dispute is a bilateral matter between itself and Pakistan, Syria’s consistent backing at the United Nations and elsewhere was seen as a quiet but significant win.
“This voice of support from within the Arab Islamic world was important,” said Kabir Taneja, a Middle East expert and deputy director at the Observer Research Foundation think tank in Delhi. Under Bashar al-Assad, Syria had repeatedly affirmed that Kashmir was an internal matter for India to settle itself without outside interference.
Now, with Assad gone, the future of that support is uncertain.
Opposition forces seized the Syrian capital last weekend, forcing Assad to flee and ending his family’s decades-long rule over a country that had been torn apart by a civil war that killed over half a million people and displaced millions more.
The dramatic turn of events took Delhi by surprise, according to Indian media reports. India had hosted a delegation of Syrian officials just weeks before.
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Hongkonger arrested in connection with 30 cases of car theft and break-ins
By Lo Hoi-ying
A Hongkonger has been arrested for allegedly breaking into vehicles, stealing cars and making off with HK$66,000 (US$8,490) worth of valuables in a string of cases.
Police said on Sunday the man was arrested in connection with 17 cases of breaking into cars and 13 of vehicle theft. The cases involved 26 urban taxis, three New Territories taxis and one passenger van.
Senior Inspector Tsoi Ting-kwong from Kowloon East division’s regional crime unit said officers found five master keys and an emergency window breaker on the man when they arrested him on Friday evening in Tsing Yi.
“The culprit would use a master key to unlock parked taxis or an emergency glass breaker to smash the window of the vehicle,” Tsoi said.
“In a matter of minutes, he would steal valuables such as cash and mobile phones.”
The suspect, who said he was unemployed, will be brought to Kwun Tong Court on Monday.
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By Lo Hoi-ying
A Hongkonger has been arrested for allegedly breaking into vehicles, stealing cars and making off with HK$66,000 (US$8,490) worth of valuables in a string of cases.
Police said on Sunday the man was arrested in connection with 17 cases of breaking into cars and 13 of vehicle theft. The cases involved 26 urban taxis, three New Territories taxis and one passenger van.
Senior Inspector Tsoi Ting-kwong from Kowloon East division’s regional crime unit said officers found five master keys and an emergency window breaker on the man when they arrested him on Friday evening in Tsing Yi.
“The culprit would use a master key to unlock parked taxis or an emergency glass breaker to smash the window of the vehicle,” Tsoi said.
“In a matter of minutes, he would steal valuables such as cash and mobile phones.”
The suspect, who said he was unemployed, will be brought to Kwun Tong Court on Monday.
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Bond sale shortfall, ballooning deficit early warning signs for Hong Kong
By Mike Rowse
News that there was insufficient demand from the public for government bonds in a recent sales exercise will have surprised many people. After all, government borrowings are just about the safest investment in an advanced economy like Hong Kong, and the amount being sought was modest.
This came soon after the admission by Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po that the deficit this financial year was likely to exceed HK$100 billion (US$12.8 billion), double his estimate in the budget. That meant raised eyebrows were definitely in order – Hong Kong’s reputation for fiscal prudence is clearly at risk.
The infrastructure bond sale was just HK$20 billion, but the public signed up for only HK$17.85 billion. The underwriters had to make up the balance. There might be pressure on the government to offer a higher interest rate on future bond sales.
In February’s budget, Chan had estimated a deficit of HK$48.1 billion for 2024-25 after taking into account anticipated bond sales of HK$120 billion. It is important to remember that bond sales are not revenue but debts that have to be repaid, so the total difference between revenue and expenditure was being estimated at more than HK$150 billion.
At a meeting of the Legislative Council’s financial affairs panel earlier this month, Chan admitted that government revenue for the year would be substantially less than forecast and, as a result, the deficit would exceed HK$100 billion after allowing for bond sales. A crude calculation therefore puts the unadjusted deficit at more than HK$200 billion.
These numbers are sobering. They will have been noted in general terms by the public but in particular by financial market professionals. The top levels of the administration also need to focus on the implications. Chan has already expressed a disinclination to raise taxes, which means the burden of bringing the accounts back into balance must be borne by cutting spending.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Mike Rowse
News that there was insufficient demand from the public for government bonds in a recent sales exercise will have surprised many people. After all, government borrowings are just about the safest investment in an advanced economy like Hong Kong, and the amount being sought was modest.
This came soon after the admission by Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po that the deficit this financial year was likely to exceed HK$100 billion (US$12.8 billion), double his estimate in the budget. That meant raised eyebrows were definitely in order – Hong Kong’s reputation for fiscal prudence is clearly at risk.
The infrastructure bond sale was just HK$20 billion, but the public signed up for only HK$17.85 billion. The underwriters had to make up the balance. There might be pressure on the government to offer a higher interest rate on future bond sales.
In February’s budget, Chan had estimated a deficit of HK$48.1 billion for 2024-25 after taking into account anticipated bond sales of HK$120 billion. It is important to remember that bond sales are not revenue but debts that have to be repaid, so the total difference between revenue and expenditure was being estimated at more than HK$150 billion.
At a meeting of the Legislative Council’s financial affairs panel earlier this month, Chan admitted that government revenue for the year would be substantially less than forecast and, as a result, the deficit would exceed HK$100 billion after allowing for bond sales. A crude calculation therefore puts the unadjusted deficit at more than HK$200 billion.
These numbers are sobering. They will have been noted in general terms by the public but in particular by financial market professionals. The top levels of the administration also need to focus on the implications. Chan has already expressed a disinclination to raise taxes, which means the burden of bringing the accounts back into balance must be borne by cutting spending.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Last ‘Bali Nine’ prisoners back in Australia after 19 years
By Agence France-Presse
The five remaining members of the Australian “Bali Nine” drug ring flew home on Sunday after 19 years in jail in Indonesia, ending a saga that had frayed relations between the two countries.
Indonesian police arrested the nine Australians in 2005, convicting them of attempting to smuggle more than eight kilograms of heroin off the holiday island of Bali.
In a case that drew global attention to Indonesia’s unforgiving drug laws, two of the gang would eventually be executed by firing squad, while others served hefty prison sentences.
“The Australian Government can confirm that Australian citizens, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, Martin Stephens, Si Yi Chen, and Michael Czugaj have returned to Australia,” Canberra said in a statement.
“The men will have the opportunity to continue their personal rehabilitation and reintegration in Australia.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the men returned in the afternoon, and he had thanked Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto for his “compassion”.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Agence France-Presse
The five remaining members of the Australian “Bali Nine” drug ring flew home on Sunday after 19 years in jail in Indonesia, ending a saga that had frayed relations between the two countries.
Indonesian police arrested the nine Australians in 2005, convicting them of attempting to smuggle more than eight kilograms of heroin off the holiday island of Bali.
In a case that drew global attention to Indonesia’s unforgiving drug laws, two of the gang would eventually be executed by firing squad, while others served hefty prison sentences.
“The Australian Government can confirm that Australian citizens, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, Martin Stephens, Si Yi Chen, and Michael Czugaj have returned to Australia,” Canberra said in a statement.
“The men will have the opportunity to continue their personal rehabilitation and reintegration in Australia.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the men returned in the afternoon, and he had thanked Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto for his “compassion”.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
China urges schools to teach AI as tech war and ChatGPT drive demand for talent
By Jane Cai
China has urged its primary and secondary schools to add artificial intelligence to the curriculum as it moves to nurture young talent in the emerging field.
The Ministry of Education has asked the schools to improve AI education to “meet China’s future demand for innovative talent” and improve students’ digital skills and problem-solving abilities, according to a ministry circular released last week.
More than 500 Chinese universities and colleges have rolled out an AI major since 2018, a year after Beijing unveiled a plan to become the world leader in artificial intelligence.
China’s enthusiasm for artificial intelligence has grown amid its tech war with the US and as AI-powered chatbots such as ChatGPT have become a part of daily life.
The education ministry said AI courses should be launched “systematically” and included as a factor when evaluating schools.
Pupils in lower primary school should gain experience and develop basic ideas about AI, while those in higher grades should understand and learn to apply the technology. In senior high school, the focus should be on “innovative projects with the application of AI”, the circular states.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Jane Cai
China has urged its primary and secondary schools to add artificial intelligence to the curriculum as it moves to nurture young talent in the emerging field.
The Ministry of Education has asked the schools to improve AI education to “meet China’s future demand for innovative talent” and improve students’ digital skills and problem-solving abilities, according to a ministry circular released last week.
More than 500 Chinese universities and colleges have rolled out an AI major since 2018, a year after Beijing unveiled a plan to become the world leader in artificial intelligence.
China’s enthusiasm for artificial intelligence has grown amid its tech war with the US and as AI-powered chatbots such as ChatGPT have become a part of daily life.
The education ministry said AI courses should be launched “systematically” and included as a factor when evaluating schools.
Pupils in lower primary school should gain experience and develop basic ideas about AI, while those in higher grades should understand and learn to apply the technology. In senior high school, the focus should be on “innovative projects with the application of AI”, the circular states.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
