US flights carrying detained migrants to Guantanamo ‘under way’
By Agence France-Presse
The first US flights carrying detained migrants to America’s notorious Guantanamo military base in Cuba were under way on Tuesday as US President Donald Trump’s administration cracks down on illegal migration, the White House said.
Guantanamo is primarily known as a detention centre for suspects accused of terrorism-related offences, but the base also has a history of being used to hold migrants, and Trump last week ordered the preparation of a 30,000-person “migrant facility” there.
“Today, the first flights from the United States to Guantanamo Bay with illegal migrants are under way,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Fox Business.
Trump has launched what his second administration is casting as a major effort to combat illegal migration, trumpeting immigration raids, arrests and deportations on military aircraft.
The president has made the issue a priority on the international stage as well, threatening Colombia with sanctions and massive tariffs for turning back two planeloads of deportees.
The Guantanamo prison was opened in the wake of the 9/11 attacks and has been used to indefinitely hold detainees seized during the wars and other operations that followed.
The conditions there have prompted consistent outcry from rights groups, and UN experts have condemned it as a site of “unparalleled notoriety”.
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By Agence France-Presse
The first US flights carrying detained migrants to America’s notorious Guantanamo military base in Cuba were under way on Tuesday as US President Donald Trump’s administration cracks down on illegal migration, the White House said.
Guantanamo is primarily known as a detention centre for suspects accused of terrorism-related offences, but the base also has a history of being used to hold migrants, and Trump last week ordered the preparation of a 30,000-person “migrant facility” there.
“Today, the first flights from the United States to Guantanamo Bay with illegal migrants are under way,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Fox Business.
Trump has launched what his second administration is casting as a major effort to combat illegal migration, trumpeting immigration raids, arrests and deportations on military aircraft.
The president has made the issue a priority on the international stage as well, threatening Colombia with sanctions and massive tariffs for turning back two planeloads of deportees.
The Guantanamo prison was opened in the wake of the 9/11 attacks and has been used to indefinitely hold detainees seized during the wars and other operations that followed.
The conditions there have prompted consistent outcry from rights groups, and UN experts have condemned it as a site of “unparalleled notoriety”.
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Sweden shooting: around 10 people killed at school for adults, police say
By Associated Press
Swedish police said that around 10 people were killed during a shooting on Tuesday at an adult education centre.
The damage at the crime scene was so extensive that investigators were unable to be more definitive on the death toll, said Roberto Eid Forest, head of the local police. The shooting happened on the outskirts of the city of Orebro, which is located about 200km (125 miles) west of Stockholm.
The school, called Campus Risbergska, serves students who are over age 20, according to its website. Primary and upper secondary school courses are offered, as well as Swedish classes for immigrants, vocational training and programmes for people with intellectual disabilities.
It was not immediately clear whether the gunman was among the dead. He was believed to be among those hospitalised. Police said that there were no suspected connections to terrorism at this point.
Police did not immediately know how many people were wounded. Authorities were working to identify the deceased.
Gun violence at schools is very rare in Sweden. But there have been several incidents in recent years in which people were wounded or killed with other weapons such as knives or axes.
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By Associated Press
Swedish police said that around 10 people were killed during a shooting on Tuesday at an adult education centre.
The damage at the crime scene was so extensive that investigators were unable to be more definitive on the death toll, said Roberto Eid Forest, head of the local police. The shooting happened on the outskirts of the city of Orebro, which is located about 200km (125 miles) west of Stockholm.
The school, called Campus Risbergska, serves students who are over age 20, according to its website. Primary and upper secondary school courses are offered, as well as Swedish classes for immigrants, vocational training and programmes for people with intellectual disabilities.
It was not immediately clear whether the gunman was among the dead. He was believed to be among those hospitalised. Police said that there were no suspected connections to terrorism at this point.
Police did not immediately know how many people were wounded. Authorities were working to identify the deceased.
Gun violence at schools is very rare in Sweden. But there have been several incidents in recent years in which people were wounded or killed with other weapons such as knives or axes.
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Hong Kong sets post-pandemic record with 4.7 million visitors in January
By Danny Mok
Hong Kong welcomed more than 4.7 million visitors in January, the highest monthly figure in the post-pandemic period, the city’s tourism minister revealed on Tuesday, adding that she expected more arrivals in the coming year.
Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui said preliminary data for January showed 4.74 million visitors entered Hong Kong, including 3.73 million from mainland China, representing year-on-year increases of 24 per cent and 25 per cent, respectively.
Both figures were records for the total number of visitors and mainland tourists entering Hong Kong in a single month since the pandemic subsided, she told a meeting of the legislature’s economic development panel.
Law said she expected the surge to continue, given the good start of the Lunar New Year “golden week” holiday.
“This golden week has brought us a great start, and in 2025, we are expecting even more visitors to come to Hong Kong. It’s truly an opportunity-filled year ahead,” she said.
Law said the main attractions in various districts were bustling with visitors over the golden week, and tourists could be seen at flower markets, parades, the fireworks show, horse-racing events, temples and on hiking trails.
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By Danny Mok
Hong Kong welcomed more than 4.7 million visitors in January, the highest monthly figure in the post-pandemic period, the city’s tourism minister revealed on Tuesday, adding that she expected more arrivals in the coming year.
Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui said preliminary data for January showed 4.74 million visitors entered Hong Kong, including 3.73 million from mainland China, representing year-on-year increases of 24 per cent and 25 per cent, respectively.
Both figures were records for the total number of visitors and mainland tourists entering Hong Kong in a single month since the pandemic subsided, she told a meeting of the legislature’s economic development panel.
Law said she expected the surge to continue, given the good start of the Lunar New Year “golden week” holiday.
“This golden week has brought us a great start, and in 2025, we are expecting even more visitors to come to Hong Kong. It’s truly an opportunity-filled year ahead,” she said.
Law said the main attractions in various districts were bustling with visitors over the golden week, and tourists could be seen at flower markets, parades, the fireworks show, horse-racing events, temples and on hiking trails.
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EU shifting tone of stance on China as it prepares for frictions with US
By Finbarr Bermingham
As the European Union braces for rocky ties with its ally the United States, its top official has left the door open for a thaw in relations with China.
For the second time in a fortnight, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen – seen as the continent’s most prominent China hawk – said there was space to deepen trade ties and even “find agreements” with Beijing, in “an era of hyper-competitive and hyper-transactional geopolitics”.
“We will keep de-risking our economic relationship – as we have been doing in recent years. But there is also room to engage constructively with China – and find solutions in our mutual interest,” von der Leyen said in a speech before the EU’s diplomatic corps in Brussels.
“I think we can find agreements that could even expand our trade and investment ties. It is a fine line that we need to walk. But it can lead us to a fairer and more balanced relationship with one of the world’s economic giants. And that can make sense for Europe,” she continued.
The speech represents a significant softening in tone from the European Commission, forced by what von der Leyen described as “this hot-headed world” following the return of US President Donald Trump to the White House.
For the past four years, she has steered the EU on a more assertive direction on China, vowing to tackle Beijing’s trade imbalances and penalise it for providing support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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By Finbarr Bermingham
As the European Union braces for rocky ties with its ally the United States, its top official has left the door open for a thaw in relations with China.
For the second time in a fortnight, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen – seen as the continent’s most prominent China hawk – said there was space to deepen trade ties and even “find agreements” with Beijing, in “an era of hyper-competitive and hyper-transactional geopolitics”.
“We will keep de-risking our economic relationship – as we have been doing in recent years. But there is also room to engage constructively with China – and find solutions in our mutual interest,” von der Leyen said in a speech before the EU’s diplomatic corps in Brussels.
“I think we can find agreements that could even expand our trade and investment ties. It is a fine line that we need to walk. But it can lead us to a fairer and more balanced relationship with one of the world’s economic giants. And that can make sense for Europe,” she continued.
The speech represents a significant softening in tone from the European Commission, forced by what von der Leyen described as “this hot-headed world” following the return of US President Donald Trump to the White House.
For the past four years, she has steered the EU on a more assertive direction on China, vowing to tackle Beijing’s trade imbalances and penalise it for providing support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Stadium to officially open on March 1
By Sammy Heung
Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Stadium will officially open on March 1, the government has revealed, as the venue hosted about 50,000 people as part of a stress test on Tuesday night.
Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui announced the date as officials reviewed the trial run, which included the stadium’s retractable roof being open for the first time during a football match and noise levels at nearby residential estates.
“After the many drills we have conducted, we are satisfied with the outcome. We have also made a number of improvements and adjustments,” she said after the test.
“To this day, we are highly confident that the stadium is able to operate smoothly and will officially open on March 1. We will announce the details of the opening later.”
The test run at the stadium, the main venue in Kai Tak Sports Park, included an under-22 league football match between Kitchee and North district, along with fire drills and re-enactments of emergencies.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Joe Chow Yat-ming said 80 per cent out of 48,000 spectators were able to disperse within 15 minutes, while 2,000 people stayed behind to take part in a fire drill.
“All spectators were able to disperse within 40 minutes. This is worth looking into to see what we can improve,” he said.
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By Sammy Heung
Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Stadium will officially open on March 1, the government has revealed, as the venue hosted about 50,000 people as part of a stress test on Tuesday night.
Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui announced the date as officials reviewed the trial run, which included the stadium’s retractable roof being open for the first time during a football match and noise levels at nearby residential estates.
“After the many drills we have conducted, we are satisfied with the outcome. We have also made a number of improvements and adjustments,” she said after the test.
“To this day, we are highly confident that the stadium is able to operate smoothly and will officially open on March 1. We will announce the details of the opening later.”
The test run at the stadium, the main venue in Kai Tak Sports Park, included an under-22 league football match between Kitchee and North district, along with fire drills and re-enactments of emergencies.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Joe Chow Yat-ming said 80 per cent out of 48,000 spectators were able to disperse within 15 minutes, while 2,000 people stayed behind to take part in a fire drill.
“All spectators were able to disperse within 40 minutes. This is worth looking into to see what we can improve,” he said.
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Air Busan bans power banks in lockers after fire on Hong Kong-bound aircraft
By Jiang Chuqin
South Korean carrier Air Busan has banned passengers from storing power banks in overhead lockers after one such device was suspected to have caused a fire on board an aircraft preparing for departure to Hong Kong, but an expert has said airlines do not need to rush to follow suit.
Air Busan said on Tuesday that the ban was “a pre-emptive measure” following the blaze last week on an Airbus A321 at Gimhae International Airport in southeastern Busan that injured seven people.
The carrier said it would not allow passengers to keep power banks in luggage stored in overhead cabin bins, so any overheating devices, smoke or fire could be quickly spotted and handled.
All carry-on bags will reportedly be inspected at boarding gates, and only those without power banks will be tagged and allowed in the luggage bins above seats.
The measure was set to begin on Friday on trial routes before expanding to all flights, Reuters said.
A government investigation into the cause of the fire last Tuesday is under way but local media reports suggest that a power bank stowed in an overhead locker was to blame.
“What was proposed by Air Busan is a precautionary measure after the recent accident, but it is more restrictive than existing international practice,” said Warren Chim Wing-nin, deputy chairman of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers’ aircraft division.
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By Jiang Chuqin
South Korean carrier Air Busan has banned passengers from storing power banks in overhead lockers after one such device was suspected to have caused a fire on board an aircraft preparing for departure to Hong Kong, but an expert has said airlines do not need to rush to follow suit.
Air Busan said on Tuesday that the ban was “a pre-emptive measure” following the blaze last week on an Airbus A321 at Gimhae International Airport in southeastern Busan that injured seven people.
The carrier said it would not allow passengers to keep power banks in luggage stored in overhead cabin bins, so any overheating devices, smoke or fire could be quickly spotted and handled.
All carry-on bags will reportedly be inspected at boarding gates, and only those without power banks will be tagged and allowed in the luggage bins above seats.
The measure was set to begin on Friday on trial routes before expanding to all flights, Reuters said.
A government investigation into the cause of the fire last Tuesday is under way but local media reports suggest that a power bank stowed in an overhead locker was to blame.
“What was proposed by Air Busan is a precautionary measure after the recent accident, but it is more restrictive than existing international practice,” said Warren Chim Wing-nin, deputy chairman of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers’ aircraft division.
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South China Sea: Philippine, US planes fly near contested shoal in ‘message’ to Beijing
By Raissa Robles
Three Philippine fighter jets and two American bombers on Tuesday conducted joint air patrol exercises – the first under US President Donald Trump’s administration – that brought them near Scarborough Shoal, a key flashpoint in the South China Sea.
Analysts said the exercise underscored Manila’s efforts to assert its maritime claims while testing Washington’s commitment to regional security under the renewed US-Philippines alliance.
During a media briefing on the same day, Armed Forces of the Philippines public affairs chief Colonel Xerxes Trinidad said it was “the first exercise under the [Trump] administration”.
When asked about the implications for US-Philippines relations, Trinidad said bilateral ties had “been established over a long period of time” and remained strong at both the military and people-to-people levels. “We expect them to remain that way,” he added.
Scarborough Shoal has been a key flashpoint in the South China Sea, where Beijing asserts sweeping claims under its “nine-dash line”, a stance rejected by an international tribunal in 2016. The ruling also recognised the atoll, which lies within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), as a traditional fishing ground for Southeast Asian nations. However, China continues to restrict access to the maritime feature.
Tensions over the area were exacerbated last December when China submitted to the United Nations nautical charts and geographic coordinates officially claiming the shoal, which it called Huangyan Island, as part of its maritime territory.
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By Raissa Robles
Three Philippine fighter jets and two American bombers on Tuesday conducted joint air patrol exercises – the first under US President Donald Trump’s administration – that brought them near Scarborough Shoal, a key flashpoint in the South China Sea.
Analysts said the exercise underscored Manila’s efforts to assert its maritime claims while testing Washington’s commitment to regional security under the renewed US-Philippines alliance.
During a media briefing on the same day, Armed Forces of the Philippines public affairs chief Colonel Xerxes Trinidad said it was “the first exercise under the [Trump] administration”.
When asked about the implications for US-Philippines relations, Trinidad said bilateral ties had “been established over a long period of time” and remained strong at both the military and people-to-people levels. “We expect them to remain that way,” he added.
Scarborough Shoal has been a key flashpoint in the South China Sea, where Beijing asserts sweeping claims under its “nine-dash line”, a stance rejected by an international tribunal in 2016. The ruling also recognised the atoll, which lies within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), as a traditional fishing ground for Southeast Asian nations. However, China continues to restrict access to the maritime feature.
Tensions over the area were exacerbated last December when China submitted to the United Nations nautical charts and geographic coordinates officially claiming the shoal, which it called Huangyan Island, as part of its maritime territory.
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Hong Kong should refer to past pay cuts for officials amid deficit: ex-minister
By Lam Ka-sing
The Hong Kong government should take reference from past salary cuts for top officials and wage freezes for civil servants, as the moves can show their “readiness” to endure tough times with “ordinary people” and help get the public on board with cost-saving measures, a former minister has said.
Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, a former housing and transport minister, on Tuesday cited examples of salaries being frozen or cut under past administrations, as he outlined strategies for curbing a deficit that was forecast to reach about HK$100 billion (US$12.8 billion) in the current financial year.
“As our political leaders, the top officials, such as the chief executive, principal officials, Executive Council members and Legislative Council members, should take the lead and proactively show their readiness to go through the difficult times with ordinary people,” Cheung said.
“They have the responsibility for public finances since they decide on expenditure.”
He also said ministers in Singapore had previously seen their wages cut.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po has said he will implement a host of cost-cutting measures in response to the deficit.
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By Lam Ka-sing
The Hong Kong government should take reference from past salary cuts for top officials and wage freezes for civil servants, as the moves can show their “readiness” to endure tough times with “ordinary people” and help get the public on board with cost-saving measures, a former minister has said.
Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, a former housing and transport minister, on Tuesday cited examples of salaries being frozen or cut under past administrations, as he outlined strategies for curbing a deficit that was forecast to reach about HK$100 billion (US$12.8 billion) in the current financial year.
“As our political leaders, the top officials, such as the chief executive, principal officials, Executive Council members and Legislative Council members, should take the lead and proactively show their readiness to go through the difficult times with ordinary people,” Cheung said.
“They have the responsibility for public finances since they decide on expenditure.”
He also said ministers in Singapore had previously seen their wages cut.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po has said he will implement a host of cost-cutting measures in response to the deficit.
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2 ex-Japan Airlines pilots suspended for covering up excessive drinking before flight
By Agence France-Presse
Two former Japan Airlines pilots were suspended from flying by the Japanese transport ministry on Tuesday for excessive drinking before a flight and lying to their former employer.
The ministry said the two former captains “drank alcohol in excess of the limit, although they were aware of the rules” that limit the amount of alcohol consumed 12 hours before a scheduled flight.
The men both “gave false explanations to the company after arrival and attempted to cover up the excessive drinking”, the ministry said, giving them suspensions of up to seven months.
The pair were fired by Japan Airlines (JAL) after a flight from Melbourne to Tokyo in December was delayed for three hours because alcohol exceeding the allowed limit was detected in their systems.
JAL said last month its two most senior executives would take a 30 per cent pay cut for two months over the incident.
The transport ministry instructed JAL last year to take preventive measures after a flight from Dallas to Tokyo was cancelled because a pilot had created a disturbance after getting drunk at a hotel.
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By Agence France-Presse
Two former Japan Airlines pilots were suspended from flying by the Japanese transport ministry on Tuesday for excessive drinking before a flight and lying to their former employer.
The ministry said the two former captains “drank alcohol in excess of the limit, although they were aware of the rules” that limit the amount of alcohol consumed 12 hours before a scheduled flight.
The men both “gave false explanations to the company after arrival and attempted to cover up the excessive drinking”, the ministry said, giving them suspensions of up to seven months.
The pair were fired by Japan Airlines (JAL) after a flight from Melbourne to Tokyo in December was delayed for three hours because alcohol exceeding the allowed limit was detected in their systems.
JAL said last month its two most senior executives would take a 30 per cent pay cut for two months over the incident.
The transport ministry instructed JAL last year to take preventive measures after a flight from Dallas to Tokyo was cancelled because a pilot had created a disturbance after getting drunk at a hotel.
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US restaurants crack under pressure of egg shortage as prices keep rising
By Bloomberg
American restaurants are falling victim to a national egg shortage that has already plagued grocery stores from New York City to San Francisco and sent prices to US$7 a carton.
Biscuit Belly, which has 14 locations in six states across the south of the country, has already swapped the type of eggs it buys for cheaper ones. Chief Executive Officer Chad Coulter said he has been able to find large brown eggs for US$55 a case, 21 per cent less than the medium white the company normally favours.
But costs are still are about double what they were a year ago, so the breakfast chain is planning to switch to liquid eggs for dishes such as omelettes, scrambled eggs and batters, he said. It has less wiggle room for other offerings such as sunny side up eggs.
“I tell our managers, when you’re able to get these large brown eggs for US$55, you get as many as you can in your cooler,” Coulter said. “We’re just stocking up whenever we can get them at that specific price.”
Egg prices have broken record after record as bird flu spreads across the country, killing millions of chickens. A dozen large eggs in the Midwest now cost an average of US$7.08 wholesale, about seven times the price just two years ago, according to the US Department of Agriculture.
Some 104 million egg-laying hens have been lost since the outbreak started in 2022, with 29 million killed since October, according farmer group United Egg Producers. That has resulted in shortages at grocery stores at a time when shoppers just keep on buying more.
Drugs such as Ozempic, designed to treat diabetes but widely used for weight loss, are boosting demand for eggs as a source of protein, said Amanda Oren, vice-president of industry strategy for grocery in North America at supply-chain platform RELEX Solutions.
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By Bloomberg
American restaurants are falling victim to a national egg shortage that has already plagued grocery stores from New York City to San Francisco and sent prices to US$7 a carton.
Biscuit Belly, which has 14 locations in six states across the south of the country, has already swapped the type of eggs it buys for cheaper ones. Chief Executive Officer Chad Coulter said he has been able to find large brown eggs for US$55 a case, 21 per cent less than the medium white the company normally favours.
But costs are still are about double what they were a year ago, so the breakfast chain is planning to switch to liquid eggs for dishes such as omelettes, scrambled eggs and batters, he said. It has less wiggle room for other offerings such as sunny side up eggs.
“I tell our managers, when you’re able to get these large brown eggs for US$55, you get as many as you can in your cooler,” Coulter said. “We’re just stocking up whenever we can get them at that specific price.”
Egg prices have broken record after record as bird flu spreads across the country, killing millions of chickens. A dozen large eggs in the Midwest now cost an average of US$7.08 wholesale, about seven times the price just two years ago, according to the US Department of Agriculture.
Some 104 million egg-laying hens have been lost since the outbreak started in 2022, with 29 million killed since October, according farmer group United Egg Producers. That has resulted in shortages at grocery stores at a time when shoppers just keep on buying more.
Drugs such as Ozempic, designed to treat diabetes but widely used for weight loss, are boosting demand for eggs as a source of protein, said Amanda Oren, vice-president of industry strategy for grocery in North America at supply-chain platform RELEX Solutions.
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Trump paused US tariffs on Mexico – what does it mean for Chinese companies there?
By Ji Siqi
With a sword of tariffs from the United States still hanging over Mexico, new investment from China to the Latin American country has been largely put on hold, though many existing Chinese-funded factories there have stayed steady in the ever-changing environment – based on their past experiences dealing with tariff threats from US President Donald Trump.
A Chinese mechanical-parts manufacturer running a production base in Monterrey – a major industrial hub in northern Mexico – has front-loaded three months of inventory to its US warehouse, according to a manager who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“We will observe the reaction of the market and customers,” the manager said on Monday. “I personally feel that the tariff would not last long and would be resolved through negotiation and other means.”
Hours later, Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on social media that the 25 per cent tariff proposed on all Mexican goods – which was planned to go into effect on Tuesday – would be paused for 30 days, after Sheinbaum agreed to send 10,000 National Guard troops to the country’s border with the US to stop the flow of drugs. A similar short-term deal was also achieved between the US and Canada, on which Trump had also announced a 25 per cent tariff hike.
Due to high tariffs on made-in-China goods imposed by Trump during his first term and maintained by the administration of Joe Biden, Mexico has been a major re-routing channel for Chinese products entering the US in recent years, while attracting Chinese manufacturers – whose products range from furniture to car parts – to build factories and produce locally.
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By Ji Siqi
With a sword of tariffs from the United States still hanging over Mexico, new investment from China to the Latin American country has been largely put on hold, though many existing Chinese-funded factories there have stayed steady in the ever-changing environment – based on their past experiences dealing with tariff threats from US President Donald Trump.
A Chinese mechanical-parts manufacturer running a production base in Monterrey – a major industrial hub in northern Mexico – has front-loaded three months of inventory to its US warehouse, according to a manager who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“We will observe the reaction of the market and customers,” the manager said on Monday. “I personally feel that the tariff would not last long and would be resolved through negotiation and other means.”
Hours later, Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on social media that the 25 per cent tariff proposed on all Mexican goods – which was planned to go into effect on Tuesday – would be paused for 30 days, after Sheinbaum agreed to send 10,000 National Guard troops to the country’s border with the US to stop the flow of drugs. A similar short-term deal was also achieved between the US and Canada, on which Trump had also announced a 25 per cent tariff hike.
Due to high tariffs on made-in-China goods imposed by Trump during his first term and maintained by the administration of Joe Biden, Mexico has been a major re-routing channel for Chinese products entering the US in recent years, while attracting Chinese manufacturers – whose products range from furniture to car parts – to build factories and produce locally.
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China’s belt and road could fill ‘vacuum’ after Trump’s USAID freeze: analysts
By Ralph Jennings
US President Donald Trump’s spending freeze for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) could allow China to fill the resultant gap under the aegis of its Belt and Road Initiative, analysts said.
The 12-year-old initiative provides low-interest loans for highways, ports and power plants in scores of developing countries – many of which are also recipients of funding from USAID, an agency whose operations Trump halted this week.
Countries reliant on the 64-year-old aid programme may turn to China for support or other concessional investments in infrastructure projects – unless China offers first.
“There is a vacuum,” said Sharif Naubakhar, a professor of public policy at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. “Even though the belt and road is not aid, it is infrastructure, it is energy, clean water.”
China would be a “winner” of the USAID closure as it seeks “access to vital resources abroad” and tries to “build alliances that are not in US national interests”, said Cornell University applied economics and policy professor Christopher Barrett in a statement on Monday.
Economically troubled Bangladesh is likely to be among the first to approach China if USAID pulls out, according to a January 29 analysis by the Council on Foreign Relations, a US think tank.
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By Ralph Jennings
US President Donald Trump’s spending freeze for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) could allow China to fill the resultant gap under the aegis of its Belt and Road Initiative, analysts said.
The 12-year-old initiative provides low-interest loans for highways, ports and power plants in scores of developing countries – many of which are also recipients of funding from USAID, an agency whose operations Trump halted this week.
Countries reliant on the 64-year-old aid programme may turn to China for support or other concessional investments in infrastructure projects – unless China offers first.
“There is a vacuum,” said Sharif Naubakhar, a professor of public policy at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. “Even though the belt and road is not aid, it is infrastructure, it is energy, clean water.”
China would be a “winner” of the USAID closure as it seeks “access to vital resources abroad” and tries to “build alliances that are not in US national interests”, said Cornell University applied economics and policy professor Christopher Barrett in a statement on Monday.
Economically troubled Bangladesh is likely to be among the first to approach China if USAID pulls out, according to a January 29 analysis by the Council on Foreign Relations, a US think tank.
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South Korean party’s recommendation of Trump for Nobel slammed as ‘shameful flattery’
By The Korea Times
A wave of controversies has erupted between the two rival parties in South Korea following a recommendation on Tuesday by a main opposition lawmaker suggesting that US President Donald Trump be considered a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize.
According to the party’s senior spokesperson, Jo Seoung-lae, lawmaker Park Sun-won of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) recommended Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in facilitating dialogue between North Korea and the US during former president Moon Jae-in’s administration.
“The recommendation was made on January 30 to the Norwegian Nobel Committee and party leader Lee Jae-myung and senior DPK lawmaker Kim Min-seok have been informed about this,” he said.
Jo’s confirmation came after Park was seen at the National Assembly on Monday, where he and Kim spoke over a notebook containing a memo about the recommendation of Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The memo outlines a series of actions taken or to be done, including: “Trump’s Nobel Peace Prize recommendation letter – submission and receipt completed by the Norwegian committee – notification (non-disclosure for now) (to be reported to the White House),” the page read.
“I highly appreciate Trump’s contribution to world peace and stability through the promotion of peace on the Korean peninsula, denuclearisation and strengthening of the Korea-US alliance during his 45th presidency,” Park said in a press release.
“It is sufficiently in line with the ideals and values of the Nobel Peace Prize and Trump emphasised the restoration of relations with North Korea at his inauguration ceremony as the 47th president of the United States on January 20, and drew international expectations for denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula,” the lawmaker added.
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By The Korea Times
A wave of controversies has erupted between the two rival parties in South Korea following a recommendation on Tuesday by a main opposition lawmaker suggesting that US President Donald Trump be considered a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize.
According to the party’s senior spokesperson, Jo Seoung-lae, lawmaker Park Sun-won of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) recommended Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in facilitating dialogue between North Korea and the US during former president Moon Jae-in’s administration.
“The recommendation was made on January 30 to the Norwegian Nobel Committee and party leader Lee Jae-myung and senior DPK lawmaker Kim Min-seok have been informed about this,” he said.
Jo’s confirmation came after Park was seen at the National Assembly on Monday, where he and Kim spoke over a notebook containing a memo about the recommendation of Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The memo outlines a series of actions taken or to be done, including: “Trump’s Nobel Peace Prize recommendation letter – submission and receipt completed by the Norwegian committee – notification (non-disclosure for now) (to be reported to the White House),” the page read.
“I highly appreciate Trump’s contribution to world peace and stability through the promotion of peace on the Korean peninsula, denuclearisation and strengthening of the Korea-US alliance during his 45th presidency,” Park said in a press release.
“It is sufficiently in line with the ideals and values of the Nobel Peace Prize and Trump emphasised the restoration of relations with North Korea at his inauguration ceremony as the 47th president of the United States on January 20, and drew international expectations for denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula,” the lawmaker added.
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AI start-up DeepSeek’s ‘real’ costs and computing power debated as chip stocks reel
By Iris Deng
The amount of computing power DeepSeek used to train its models has become a subject of intense interest for artificial intelligence (AI) experts and investors over the past week, as the answer could have significant implications for the technology’s future development.
In a published paper on its DeepSeek-V3 large language model (LLM), which was launched in December, the Chinese start-up claimed that training took just 2.8 million “GPU hours” at a cost of US$5.6 million, a fraction of the time and money that US firms have been spending on their own models.
DeepSeek-R1, the company’s open-source reasoning model released on January 20, has demonstrated capabilities comparable to those of more advanced models from OpenAI, Anthropic and Google, but also with significantly lower training costs. The paper on R1 did not mention the cost of development.
The low cost and strong performance of DeepSeek’s models have cast doubt on the need for the eye-watering capital expenditure of US tech giants, particularly on expensive AI chips. This led to a big sell-off of Nvidia shares last week, wiping out US$600 billion in a single day.
DeepSeek’s own records, and those of its affiliated hedge fund High-Flyer Quant, show that the company is one of the best-sourced entities for training AI. As early as 2019, Liang Wenfeng, the founder of High-Flyer and DeepSeek, had spent 200 million yuan (US$27.8 million) to buy 1,100 graphics processing units (GPUs) to train algorithms for stock trading. High-Flyer said its computing centre at the time covered an area equivalent to a basketball court, according to company documents, which would have put it around 436.6 square metres (4,700 sq ft).
In 2021, the fund spent 1 billion yuan on the development of its supercomputer cluster Fire-Flyer 2, which was expected to reach 1,550 petaflops, a measurement of computing power, according to High-Flyer’s website. This would be similar in performance to some of the world’s most powerful supercomputers.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Iris Deng
The amount of computing power DeepSeek used to train its models has become a subject of intense interest for artificial intelligence (AI) experts and investors over the past week, as the answer could have significant implications for the technology’s future development.
In a published paper on its DeepSeek-V3 large language model (LLM), which was launched in December, the Chinese start-up claimed that training took just 2.8 million “GPU hours” at a cost of US$5.6 million, a fraction of the time and money that US firms have been spending on their own models.
DeepSeek-R1, the company’s open-source reasoning model released on January 20, has demonstrated capabilities comparable to those of more advanced models from OpenAI, Anthropic and Google, but also with significantly lower training costs. The paper on R1 did not mention the cost of development.
The low cost and strong performance of DeepSeek’s models have cast doubt on the need for the eye-watering capital expenditure of US tech giants, particularly on expensive AI chips. This led to a big sell-off of Nvidia shares last week, wiping out US$600 billion in a single day.
DeepSeek’s own records, and those of its affiliated hedge fund High-Flyer Quant, show that the company is one of the best-sourced entities for training AI. As early as 2019, Liang Wenfeng, the founder of High-Flyer and DeepSeek, had spent 200 million yuan (US$27.8 million) to buy 1,100 graphics processing units (GPUs) to train algorithms for stock trading. High-Flyer said its computing centre at the time covered an area equivalent to a basketball court, according to company documents, which would have put it around 436.6 square metres (4,700 sq ft).
In 2021, the fund spent 1 billion yuan on the development of its supercomputer cluster Fire-Flyer 2, which was expected to reach 1,550 petaflops, a measurement of computing power, according to High-Flyer’s website. This would be similar in performance to some of the world’s most powerful supercomputers.
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China’s trade moves against US show it’s ready to fight back but willing to make a deal
By Zhao Ziwen
Observers said China’s retaliatory moves in response to US tariffs showed Beijing’s readiness to face escalating trade tensions along with its desire to achieve more at the negotiation table.
Analysts said that compared with the immediate relief the US granted to its neighbours by delaying tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods, Washington might take a hardline approach to Beijing, its biggest rival.
On Tuesday, Beijing announced it would impose additional tariffs of 10 to 15 per cent on some US products such as coal, petroleum, agricultural equipment and high-emission vehicles from February 10.
Separately, it launched an anti-monopoly investigation into US tech giant Google and put American clothing company PVH, which owns Calvin Klein, and biotechnology company Illumina on its unreliable entity list.
The measures were announced after US tariffs of 10 per cent on Chinese products took effect earlier on Tuesday.
The US levies on Chinese goods came into effect after US President Donald Trump suspended 25 per cent tariffs on Canada and Mexico on Monday.
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By Zhao Ziwen
Observers said China’s retaliatory moves in response to US tariffs showed Beijing’s readiness to face escalating trade tensions along with its desire to achieve more at the negotiation table.
Analysts said that compared with the immediate relief the US granted to its neighbours by delaying tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods, Washington might take a hardline approach to Beijing, its biggest rival.
On Tuesday, Beijing announced it would impose additional tariffs of 10 to 15 per cent on some US products such as coal, petroleum, agricultural equipment and high-emission vehicles from February 10.
Separately, it launched an anti-monopoly investigation into US tech giant Google and put American clothing company PVH, which owns Calvin Klein, and biotechnology company Illumina on its unreliable entity list.
The measures were announced after US tariffs of 10 per cent on Chinese products took effect earlier on Tuesday.
The US levies on Chinese goods came into effect after US President Donald Trump suspended 25 per cent tariffs on Canada and Mexico on Monday.
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‘Scam farm’ victim, 31, set to return to Hong Kong on Tuesday evening
By Jess Ma
A third Hongkonger tricked into working at “scam farms” in Myanmar will fly home on Tuesday evening after earlier meeting security officials from the city in Bangkok.
The woman’s flight was expected to land in Hong Kong shortly after 8pm, the Post learned. A spokesman for the Security Bureau said the woman left the Thai capital in the afternoon.
“The Security Bureau’s dedicated task force met the Hong Kong resident in Bangkok on Tuesday morning and was delighted to find that she was in good mental and physical condition,” the spokesman said.
The 31-year-old woman was found on the Myanmese side of the border near Thailand’s Tak province on Sunday. Hong Kong authorities confirmed the rescue in the evening, hours after Thai media reported it.
The woman’s return would leave the bureau with nine outstanding requests for help from Hongkongers trafficked to scam farms in Southeast Asia. Eight of the victims are stuck in Myanmar and one in Cambodia.
The rescue operation for the 31-year-old was reportedly conducted by Thailand’s army and police after they were alerted by their counter-narcotics authorities that the woman was attempting to cross the border into Thailand.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Jess Ma
A third Hongkonger tricked into working at “scam farms” in Myanmar will fly home on Tuesday evening after earlier meeting security officials from the city in Bangkok.
The woman’s flight was expected to land in Hong Kong shortly after 8pm, the Post learned. A spokesman for the Security Bureau said the woman left the Thai capital in the afternoon.
“The Security Bureau’s dedicated task force met the Hong Kong resident in Bangkok on Tuesday morning and was delighted to find that she was in good mental and physical condition,” the spokesman said.
The 31-year-old woman was found on the Myanmese side of the border near Thailand’s Tak province on Sunday. Hong Kong authorities confirmed the rescue in the evening, hours after Thai media reported it.
The woman’s return would leave the bureau with nine outstanding requests for help from Hongkongers trafficked to scam farms in Southeast Asia. Eight of the victims are stuck in Myanmar and one in Cambodia.
The rescue operation for the 31-year-old was reportedly conducted by Thailand’s army and police after they were alerted by their counter-narcotics authorities that the woman was attempting to cross the border into Thailand.
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DeepSeek success shouldn’t be seen as a win for China or loss for US
By Brian Y. S. Wong
On January 1, people who don’t closely follow innovations in artificial intelligence (AI) would not have heard of DeepSeek. However, by late January, it became a widely celebrated sensation. US tech corporations such as Meta and OpenAI were shocked by the apparent breakthroughs accomplished by this hitherto obscure Chinese start-up.
In a comprehensive and publicly available post, the Chinese “David” revealed that it had managed to develop a R1 model with performance comparable to OpenAI’s o1, at a fraction of the cost that American “Goliaths” have poured into AI over the years. Yet DeepSeek’s triumphs should not be construed as a victory for China or a loss for the US. Instead, the breakthrough vindicates the importance of Sino-American cooperation over AI development and governance.
The China-located venture succeeded by fusing the best of Silicon Valley-style entrepreneurship, the grit and perseverance of home-grown Chinese talent and a stroke of genius rooted in its intellectual openness. As with many other top Chinese AI and advanced technological firms, the start-up has a uniquely horizontal and non-hierarchical corporate culture.
Its staff are driven by a common devotion to purpose but are granted considerable flexibility in the workplace. Indeed, founder Liang Wenfeng – an engineering-trained venture capitalist-turned-AI whizz – once declared, “experience is not that important”. DeepSeek had acquired 10,000 Nvidia A100 graphics processing units (GPUs) before export controls imposed by Washington.
In embracing the open-source ethos, however, the start-up eschewed an iron grip over its innovation and data, as embraced by many of its American peers.
The intellectual Earth thrives best when it is flat. The whole world benefits when users globally can download and tweak models. Indeed, for those who criticise DeepSeek for its apparent censorship, they can download the application, run it on their own GPUs or cloud servers, as they wish.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Brian Y. S. Wong
On January 1, people who don’t closely follow innovations in artificial intelligence (AI) would not have heard of DeepSeek. However, by late January, it became a widely celebrated sensation. US tech corporations such as Meta and OpenAI were shocked by the apparent breakthroughs accomplished by this hitherto obscure Chinese start-up.
In a comprehensive and publicly available post, the Chinese “David” revealed that it had managed to develop a R1 model with performance comparable to OpenAI’s o1, at a fraction of the cost that American “Goliaths” have poured into AI over the years. Yet DeepSeek’s triumphs should not be construed as a victory for China or a loss for the US. Instead, the breakthrough vindicates the importance of Sino-American cooperation over AI development and governance.
The China-located venture succeeded by fusing the best of Silicon Valley-style entrepreneurship, the grit and perseverance of home-grown Chinese talent and a stroke of genius rooted in its intellectual openness. As with many other top Chinese AI and advanced technological firms, the start-up has a uniquely horizontal and non-hierarchical corporate culture.
Its staff are driven by a common devotion to purpose but are granted considerable flexibility in the workplace. Indeed, founder Liang Wenfeng – an engineering-trained venture capitalist-turned-AI whizz – once declared, “experience is not that important”. DeepSeek had acquired 10,000 Nvidia A100 graphics processing units (GPUs) before export controls imposed by Washington.
In embracing the open-source ethos, however, the start-up eschewed an iron grip over its innovation and data, as embraced by many of its American peers.
The intellectual Earth thrives best when it is flat. The whole world benefits when users globally can download and tweak models. Indeed, for those who criticise DeepSeek for its apparent censorship, they can download the application, run it on their own GPUs or cloud servers, as they wish.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
