Huawei launches Mate XT in Malaysia to kick off trifold smartphone’s overseas roll-out

Huawei launched its Mate XT trifold smartphone in Malaysia, marking the international debut of the 5G device and a significant step in rebuilding its overseas handset business after US sanctions. The launch event in Kuala Lumpur, attended by nearly 1,000 participants from Southeast Asia, the Middle East, South Korea, and Japan, showcased Huawei's confidence in its innovative design.

The Mate XT, initially released in mainland China, is touted as the thinnest foldable smartphone with the largest foldable display. This overseas rollout is one of Huawei's largest consumer product launches outside of China since the imposition of US trade sanctions, which significantly impacted its smartphone business. Other products, including the MatePad Pro series tablet, Huawei Band 10, and FreeArc earphones, were also introduced at the event.

via SCMP Full Text Feed
Hong Kong Hospital Authority to cap medical supply for patients to 24 weeks

香港公立医院和诊所将从下月起实行新政策,限制每次就诊的药物供应量,最多为24周。此举旨在减少药物浪费,提高患者用药安全,并改善治疗效果。新政策将于3月24日生效,适用于普通科和专科门诊病人以及出院病人。

医院管理局首席药剂师徐俊明表示,对于处方超过24周的药物,患者需要定期复诊以获取后续药物。对于行动不便或取药困难的患者,将个案处理。目前24周的供应量是目标,部分医院和诊所可能需要更多时间来准备人力、存储和设施。

via SCMP Full Text Feed
Trump White House says Musk not a DOGE employee, has ‘no formal authority to make decisions’

埃隆·马斯克并非美国政府效率部 (DOGE) 的正式雇员,且“没有做出政府决策的正式权力”。 这份由白宫提交的法庭文件明确了马斯克在政府部门中的角色定位。

尽管此前有报道称,由前总统特朗普创建的DOGE旨在大幅削减政府开支,包括裁减数千个工作岗位,而马斯克被广泛认为是该部门的实际负责人。但根据行政办公室主任Joshua Fisher的说法,马斯克仅是白宫的“非职业特别政府雇员”和“总统高级顾问”,与其他高级顾问一样,他只能为总统提供建议,并传达总统的指示,而不能直接做出政府决策。

via SCMP Full Text Feed
Chinese aircraft and Philippine plane in close encounter over Scarborough Shoal

The Chinese military claims it expelled a Philippine plane from airspace over Scarborough Shoal on Tuesday, while the Philippine coastguard has condemned the action as reckless. According to the People's Liberation Army (PLA), the Philippine C-208 light utility plane "illegally invaded the airspace" above the shoal, prompting a response involving tracking, monitoring, and warnings for the aircraft to leave.

The Philippine coastguard reported that Chinese naval forces engaged in dangerous maneuvers, flying close to a government aircraft patrolling the shoal, creating a serious risk to the safety of those on board. The Philippine aircraft was conducting a maritime domain awareness flight. The incident reflects ongoing tensions in the region surrounding disputed territories in the South China Sea.

via SCMP Full Text Feed
Young Israelis rile up Thailand’s Pai town with their bad behaviour

泰国北部小镇拜县正面临大量涌入的以色列游客带来的挑战,当地居民因一系列逮捕事件、冲突和盗窃报告而感到不安,并在社交媒体上引发强烈反对。 拜县以其轻松的河畔氛围而闻名,长期以来吸引着寻求精神放松和山间派对的游客。然而,最近以色列游客数量激增,其中许多人刚离开以色列军队,这给这个热带天堂带来了麻烦。

2月6日,四名20多岁的以色列人在拜县被捕,原因是他们与一家诊所的医务人员发生冲突,当时他们的朋友在一次摩托车事故后正在接受治疗。此后,关于以色列人在镇上制造麻烦的投诉如潮水般涌来,包括摩托车事故、在公共场所小便以及盗窃等,这些事件的报告也已送至当地警察局。警察局长表示,当地商家受到的影响最大,因为当以色列游客大量涌入时,其他游客会选择去其他地方。

via SCMP Full Text Feed
US and Russia meet in Saudi Arabia for talks on Ukraine war without Kyiv

美国和俄罗斯的高级外交官在沙特阿拉伯举行了会谈,讨论如何重启两国间已经破裂的关系,这是自俄罗斯入侵乌克兰以来的首次此类会谈。尽管双方都降低了对此次会谈取得突破的期望,但这是自美国总统上任以来两国间的首次高级别会晤。

此次会晤的举行,正值美国近期向克里姆林宫示好之际,这引发了乌克兰和欧洲的担忧。在利雅得的迪里耶宫,会谈在没有握手和发表声明的情况下开始。美国国务卿和俄罗斯外交部长等官员出席了会议。

via SCMP Full Text Feed
China pledges to protect private businesses from illegal investigations, economic crime

China's top prosecutors have pledged to increase legal protections for private sector businesses, vowing to crack down on illegal investigations targeting them. This commitment follows a meeting between President Xi Jinping and prominent entrepreneurs, aimed at reassuring the private sector amid growing economic challenges both domestically and internationally.

Du Xueyi, head of economic crime prosecution, stated that Beijing would actively address illegal law enforcement driven by profit, including improper case filings, intervention in economic disputes, cross-regional arrests, and unlawful asset seizures. Prosecutors also plan to leverage technology and improve coordination to resolve outstanding criminal cases involving companies. In 2024, over 2,390 such cases were cleared after review. These measures come as China's private sector grapples with weakened business and consumer confidence amid a slow economic recovery and heightened geopolitical tensions.

via SCMP Full Text Feed
Jimmy Lai denies inciting violence among ‘valiant’ Hong Kong protesters in 2019

前香港媒体大亨黎智英否认煽动暴力,称其敦促激进抗议者成立领导团队,是为了让他们为自己的行为制定基本原则,而非鼓励暴力。黎智英为其在已停刊的《苹果日报》上发表的评论文章辩护,他在文章中呼吁“勇武”抗议者团体建立领导结构,以便过滤掉热衷于在2019年社会动荡中追求暴力的渗透者。

检察官周天行表示,黎智英的文章不仅没有谴责暴力,反而提出了一种有助于抗议活动继续的安排。黎智英辩称,检察官误解了这篇文章,他表示,建立领导团队意味着为“勇武”行为设定原则或底线,从根本上是为了阻止暴力。黎智英目前正在就与外国势力勾结的两项共谋罪指控,以及印刷和散布煽动刊物的共谋罪指控进行抗辩。

via SCMP Full Text Feed
Hong Kong’s Ngong Ping 360 reports record revenue driven by overseas visitors

香港昂坪360缆车公布去年收入达4.13亿港元(约5300万美元),创历史新高。这主要得益于来自中国内地以外的长途和短途游客的显著增长,推动了整体业绩的提升。与2023年相比,收入增长了30%,与疫情前的2019年相比,也增长了约32%。

昂坪360的董事总经理董沛铨表示,海外游客的增长是主要因素,航班运力的恢复对香港的竞争力至关重要,尤其是在去年第四季度,航班数量的恢复情况令人满意。数据显示,来自中国内地的游客日均增长6%,短途游客市场增长34%,长途游客同比增长高达84%。2024年,昂坪360共接待游客156万人次,较2023年增长13%,日均游客量为4843人次,与疫情前相比增长近10%。

via SCMP Full Text Feed
Germany, India and beyond: is the Philippines building a post-US defence network?

The Philippines is actively expanding its defense partnerships globally, driven by concerns over the increasing unpredictability of U.S. foreign policy. This strategic move aims to safeguard the nation against potential uncertainties stemming from what many perceive as a decline in Washington's reliability as a security guarantor.

Recently, the Philippine and German military chiefs convened at the Munich Security Conference, agreeing to enhance cooperation in areas like cyber warfare, military training, and maritime operations. This meeting underscores Manila's broader strategy to diversify its security alliances, especially when contrasted with the U.S.'s shifting commitments and internal debates regarding its role in global conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine, raising questions about its long-term dedication to allies like the Philippines.

via SCMP Full Text Feed
Chinese smartphone brands see rapid growth in Middle East, Southeast Asia

中国智能手机制造商在中东和东南亚市场份额不断扩大。Canalys的最新数据显示,由于国内市场竞争激烈,这些品牌正在加紧在新兴市场的扩张。其中,传音、小米和荣耀等品牌在2024年均实现了快速增长,在中东地区(不包括土耳其)分别占据第二、第三和第五的位置。

传音在中东地区的出货量增长了9%,达到830万部,市场份额为17%。小米的出货量增长了33%,达到810万部,市场份额与传音相近。荣耀的增长最为显著,出货量增长了67%,达到320万部。荣耀的快速增长得益于其积极的产品发布和区域扩张策略,包括在阿联酋开设七家新体验店以及进入阿曼和卡塔尔市场。虽然三星仍以1410万部的出货量和30%的市场份额保持领先地位,但其市场份额较2023年的34%有所下降,出货量基本持平。中东智能手机市场整体增长了14%,是全球出货量增速的两倍。

via SCMP Full Text Feed
Baidu fourth-quarter revenue slips 2% amid weak ad spending, but AI remains bright spot

Baidu experienced a 2% revenue decrease in the fourth quarter, primarily due to China's sluggish economic growth impacting advertising spending. Despite this, the company's net income saw a significant increase, and artificial intelligence remains a promising area for growth, although facing increasing competition.

The overall revenue for the quarter reached 34.1 billion yuan (US$4.7 billion), while the full-year revenue declined by 1% to 133 billion yuan. However, net income for both the quarter and the full year showed substantial growth, driven in part by the AI cloud business, which saw a 26% increase. Baidu's CEO, Robin Li Yanhong, emphasized the company's ongoing transformation towards an AI-first business and anticipates more significant results from AI investments in 2025, despite a decline in core online marketing revenue.

via SCMP Full Text Feed
Trade and Ukraine top Irish agenda as China steps up engagement with Europe

爱尔兰外交部长呼吁北京确保公平的经济竞争环境,并利用其对莫斯科的影响力来帮助结束乌克兰战争。在与中国外交部长王毅于都柏林举行的会谈中,爱尔兰外长西蒙·哈里斯提出了上述要求。

哈里斯表示,他与王毅进行了近两小时的会谈,期间提出了“一些对爱尔兰重要的贸易问题”。爱尔兰政府声明援引他的话说,他强调了爱尔兰有兴趣在透明、公平和双方同意的参数以及公平的竞争环境的基础上,维护和加强与中国的经济关系。同时,哈里斯还强调乌克兰需要参与任何关于俄罗斯入侵的和平谈判。

via SCMP Full Text Feed
Malaysia urged to intervene in Pannir Selvam’s execution for drugs in Singapore

马来西亚籍男子Pannir Selvam因走私约50克海洛因至新加坡,将于本周四被处决。马来西亚吉隆坡的立法者已敦促政府介入,争取一线生机。Pannir于2017年被判处死刑,罪名是2014年进口二乙酰吗啡(一种强效鸦片类药物,俗称医用海洛因)到新加坡。

辩方律师辩称Pannir只是一个毒品运输者而非毒品贩运者。据马来西亚立法者称,Pannir曾协助新加坡当局逮捕了一名马来西亚籍的毒品招募人员。然而,新加坡当局并未向Pannir颁发“实质性协助证书”,该证书允许法院在被告被认定为“运输者”并提供实质性帮助后,酌情判处其终身监禁。新加坡对毒品贩运采取零容忍态度,坚称这一威慑政策使其毒品问题远低于其他东南亚国家。

via SCMP Full Text Feed
Indonesia’s Bali fumes at frugal tourists who spend time but less money

Bali is considering measures to attract higher-spending tourists and discourage budget travelers. Local business owners have expressed frustration with backpackers who spend little money but occupy space for extended periods, impacting potential profits. Some business owners have even resorted to asking these thrifty travelers to leave their establishments.

The shift towards "quality tourism" aims to address grievances such as excessive bargaining and consuming outside food on business premises. One industry representative suggested looking to Bhutan's model of controlled foreign arrivals as a possible solution. The goal is to balance the popularity of Bali as a repeat destination for backpackers with the economic needs of local businesses.

via SCMP Full Text Feed
China ‘qipao superwoman’ saves drowning girl while relaxing by hotel pool with treatment mask

一位中国女子因身穿旗袍、敷着面膜在酒店泳池中救起一名溺水女孩,被网友誉为“面膜旗袍女超人”。事发于2月10日,在西双版纳一家酒店的室内游泳池,一名小女孩不幸溺水,情况危急。

救人者彭玲敏来自四川,当时她正在泳池边放松,身着旗袍并敷着面膜。看到溺水女孩后,她立即冲上前施救,并成功使其恢复了呼吸。彭玲敏的姐姐用手机记录下了这一幕,并拨打了急救电话。

via SCMP Full Text Feed
Illicit cigarette seizures in Hong Kong surge 80% in 2024, worth HK$2.7 billion

香港海关查获的非法卷烟案件数量去年激增80%,价值达到27亿港元(3.47亿美元)。海关关长将这一激增归因于香港不断上涨的烟草税,认为这刺激了游客携带未完税卷烟进入香港。

近年来,香港一直在提高烟草税。今年2月的政府预算将每包20支卷烟的平均价格提高了16港元,达到90港元以上,其中税收占售价的66港元。据了解,在黑市上,一包走私卷烟的售价在20至30港元之间。海关记录显示,2024年共录得31242宗执法案件,其中68%(即21284宗)涉及非法卷烟,较2023年的11806宗案件大幅增加。

via SCMP Full Text Feed
Bezos’ Washington Post scraps ad calling for Trump to ‘fire Elon Musk’ from print editions

The Washington Post has cancelled an ad calling on President Donald Trump to "fire Elon Musk," sparking controversy. The ad, commissioned by advocacy group Common Cause for $115,000, was intended to run as a wrap-around and inside the Tuesday print editions of the newspaper.

The ad was part of Common Cause's "Fire Elon Musk" campaign, which criticizes Musk and urges people to sign a petition for his removal as head of the fictional "Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)." While the Post initially approved the ad, it later withdrew the wrap-around portion without explanation, according to Common Cause. The ad features Musk laughing behind an image of the White House, questioning who is truly running the country and accusing Musk of creating chaos and confusion.

via SCMP Full Text Feed
India can lessen reliance on Russian oil if US emerges as key supplier

Donald Trump提议向印度出售更多美国石油和天然气,这可能会显著减少印度购买俄罗斯打折石油的数量。此举旨在削弱莫斯科通过石油收入资助乌克兰战争的能力,并可能促使俄罗斯以市场价格出售石油。

分析人士认为,印度可能会欢迎美国的这一举措。近年来,印度对进口石油的依赖程度越来越高,俄罗斯石油一度占据印度石油进口的40%。但自从美国去年底对运输俄罗斯石油的实体实施新的制裁后,这一比例已降至25-30%。

via SCMP Full Text Feed
Vietnam’s ‘transactional diplomacy’ paves way for Musk’s Starlink amid Trump’s tariff threats

越南计划修改规则,允许埃隆·马斯克的星链(Starlink)在该国提供卫星互联网服务,同时保持对任何当地子公司的完全所有权。此举为星链进入越南市场铺平了道路,此前越南曾因外国公司控制卫星互联网提供商而拒绝了星链的进入,而允许外资全资控股是马斯克提出的前提条件。

这一政策转变被视为越南向SpaceX抛出的“橄榄枝”。据知情人士透露,由于美国总统特朗普可能实施关税威胁,越南方面对此感到不安,因此希望通过此举向特朗普政府示好,表明越南也能在事务性外交中有所作为。此前,SpaceX进入越南市场的尝试在2023年末被搁置。

via SCMP Full Text Feed
Back to Top