Mainland blockbuster Ne Zha 2 to hit Hong Kong, Macau screens on Saturday

《哪吒2》将于本周六在香港上映,此前因发行商纠纷而延期。这部动画电影是2019年上映的《哪吒》的续集,在全球范围内已获得123亿元人民币的票房收入,其中包括中国大陆的票房,使其成为全球票房最高的动画电影,超过了皮克斯的《头脑特工队2》。

为了配合电影上映,香港的一些购物中心也推出了促销活动以吸引顾客。例如,新鸿基地产将在其观塘的Apm购物中心和大埔超级城推出促销活动,消费满1000港币的顾客将获赠两张《哪吒2》的电影票。据大陆媒体报道,该片在香港和澳门的上映是在中国电影管理局的指导下,以及中央政府驻香港联络办公室和香港特区政府有关部门的有力协调下安排的。

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EU slaps more sanctions on Russia ahead of Ukraine war’s third year

EU envoys have approved a new round of sanctions against Russia, scheduled to take effect next week, coinciding with the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This marks the 16th package of measures imposed by the EU, including travel bans, asset freezes, and trade restrictions, targeting over 2,300 officials and entities since the conflict began.

The latest sanctions aim to crack down on Russia's "shadow fleet" of ships, which are allegedly used to circumvent restrictions on the transport of oil, gas, and stolen Ukrainian grain. Approximately 70 vessels suspected of being part of this fleet will be added to the existing list of sanctioned ships. The formal endorsement by EU foreign ministers is expected on Monday, after which the sanctions will officially enter into force, despite Europe being sidelined from US-led peace talks.

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Jimmy Lai trial: Hong Kong judges query prosecution’s claims on protest violence

Three Hong Kong judges have expressed skepticism regarding the prosecution's arguments in Jimmy Lai's national security trial, pointing out a seeming contradiction in their claims about his stance on protest violence. The judges questioned whether Lai was attempting to incite violence to gain international support, or avoiding condemning violence to maintain that support, as the prosecution has argued.

During the trial, prosecutors argued that Lai, the founder of Apple Daily, strategically avoided condemning radical protesters during the 2019 anti-government protests to both incite violence and maintain international backing. However, the judges highlighted Lai's previous statements suggesting he believed violence would actually undermine international support, creating a contradictory picture of his intentions.

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China’s AI-driven robots are ‘evolving at an incredibly fast pace’: Unitree CEO

China's humanoid robot industry is expected to make significant advancements this year, driven by rapid developments in artificial intelligence. According to Wang Xingxing, CEO of Unitree Robotics, these robots, which resemble humans in shape, are likely to see widespread adoption in China's service and industrial sectors within the next one to two years. Wang expressed surprise at the accelerated pace of AI-driven robot evolution, anticipating a "whole new level" for humanoid robots by the end of the year.

Wang's comments followed a symposium with President Xi Jinping, who pledged strong support for private companies and urged entrepreneurs to contribute significantly to the country's development. The progress of Chinese tech start-ups like Unitree and DeepSeek has garnered international attention, boosting investor confidence and leading economists to revise upwards their economic growth projections for China. This surge in AI development, exemplified by companies like DeepSeek, is seen as a key factor in China's economic expansion.

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DeepSeek faster, cheaper: innovation speeds processing of long text 10 times, paper says

Chinese AI start-up DeepSeek has developed a new "native sparse attention" (NSA) method that significantly speeds up and reduces the cost of processing long texts for next-generation language models. The technology, detailed in a paper by CEO Liang Wenfeng and his team, achieves up to an 11-fold increase in processing speed by training AI to focus on key information rather than analyzing every word.

The NSA method combines algorithmic innovations with hardware improvements to enhance efficiency without compromising performance. This advancement could greatly improve AI's capabilities in solving complex problems, writing extensive programs, and maintaining context in lengthy conversations. DeepSeek's announcement on X followed the release of xAI's Grok 3 model, highlighting the ongoing advancements in AI technology.

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Taiwanese quiet as Ukraine’s fate hangs in balance amid US-Russia talks

Despite high-level negotiations between the US and Russia regarding the war in Ukraine, Taiwan's reaction has been largely indifferent. These talks, held in Riyadh, have sparked concerns about potential shifts in US foreign policy and the implications for global security, particularly in Ukraine and Europe.

The muted response in Taiwan stems from more immediate domestic concerns, such as US tariffs on Taiwanese semiconductor products and the island's own defense spending. The negotiations, initiated after a call between Trump and Putin, exclude key stakeholders like Ukraine, NATO, and European representatives, adding to the complexity and uncertainty surrounding the situation. Trump's controversial demand for Ukraine to provide rare earth minerals in exchange for US military aid further underscores the potential for significant shifts in the dynamics of the conflict.

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Fans of late Taiwan actress Barbie Hsu reflect on cherished moments, remember her kindness

台湾女演员兼电视主持人徐熙媛(Barbie Hsu),又名“大S”,近期因流感引发肺炎在日本去世,引发了粉丝们对她美好回忆的涌现。 许多人回忆起她温暖的个性和鼓舞人心的话语,以及她对他们生活产生的深刻影响。

一位台湾女性讲述了多年前与徐熙媛的一次偶遇。当时她坐在男友的摩托车后座上哭泣,他们的摩托车正在繁忙的十字路口等红绿灯。旁边一辆汽车里的女士摇下车窗,向她的男友挥舞着一包纸巾,鼓励他安慰她。“那是大S!”这位女士回忆道。

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CreateAI, once a self-driving star known as TuSimple, cuts 100 people in Guangzhou

CreateAI, formerly known as TuSimple, is laying off approximately 100 employees in Guangzhou and preparing for dissolution and liquidation of its Guangzhou subsidiary. The company, which delisted from the Nasdaq last year after going public in 2021, informed employees of the decision via email on Monday, following forced leave for "internal investigations" last week.

The layoffs come shortly after CreateAI rebranded and shifted its focus from self-driving technology to video game and film production, a move made in response to internal disputes and the high costs associated with autonomous driving development. Employees have also reported not receiving their January salaries and being offered minimal compensation in exchange for signing a resignation agreement, leading to widespread dissatisfaction and a refusal to sign.

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Hong Kong police seize HK$76 million of drugs hidden in paint tins, plush toys

香港警方查获价值7600万港元的疑似氯胺酮和可卡因,逮捕四人。毒品藏匿在合法商品中,其中两人被承诺提供免费旅行和高达5万港元的现金奖励而招募。

警方在本周两次行动中查获毒品,包括藏匿在近1500罐油漆中的疑似氯胺酮。毒贩被认为使用油漆罐掩盖非法药物的气味。为了逃避打击,犯罪集团会引诱不同的人在贩毒链中扮演不同的角色,进行详细的分工,例如租用仓库、走私、运输和出国走私少量毒品。据悉,三名被捕嫌疑人每人被支付了1万至5万港元,用于拆包或走私毒品。

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Council overseeing estate of Hong Kong’s Nina Wang to be set up by quarter end

香港已故富豪龚如心的1400亿港元遗产托管委员会预计下月成立,这标志着长达十年的法律纠纷可能结束,并有望实现龚如心的遗愿。香港律政司司长林定国表示,已开始物色合适的委员会成员,负责确保遗产用于慈善事业和公共服务。

该委员会预计将落实龚如心遗嘱中的一项重要愿望,即设立“一个基金和一个具有世界意义的中国奖项,类似于诺贝尔奖”。自2015年终审法院裁定时任律政司司长和华懋慈善基金需要制定计划以实现龚如心的遗愿以来,法律程序已持续多年。上个月,林定国已任命范徐丽泰、任志刚和郑恩基等担任监管机构成员,负责处理受托人的运作。

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Indonesia aims to create its version of DeepSeek in bid to become AI hub

印尼正积极开发本土化、低成本的AI模型,目标是追赶东南亚科技强国的步伐。该项目由总统Prabowo Subianto的经济顾问牵头,旨在建立一个开源的大型语言模型(LLM),类似于中国的DeepSeek。

该项目团队正在努力打造一款能够用印尼语和英语进行对话的聊天机器人,预计下月初将向总统展示。印尼希望通过这种数字化转型提高国家效率,尽管具体投入成本尚未公开,但据称“并不昂贵”。DeepSeek此前发布的R1聊天机器人声称,其能力与OpenAI的ChatGPT相当,但投资成本远低于后者。

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Can Bangladesh’s Yunus overcome legacy of Sheikh Hasina’s rule and deliver reform promises?

Bangladesh的临时政府面临多重挑战,包括通货膨胀上升和司法、政治、经济改革的延迟,主要原因是持续的治安问题。此外,被推翻的Awami League可能重组也引起了越来越多的担忧,而临时政府承诺的选举日期仍未确定,这让民众感到沮丧和焦虑。

专家和内部人士警告说,在Hasina执政的15年里蓬勃发展的人正在考虑卷土重来。一位不愿透露姓名的高级政府官员表示,一部分公务员正在破坏临时领导人Muhammad Yunus的改革议程,因为过去十几年,该系统一直依赖于保持Awami League的执政地位,许多人被赋予了不受约束的权力,导致各部门普遍存在腐败。

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Has India’s Adani gained reprieve from US corruption probe thanks to Trump?

India's Adani Group may receive a reprieve from a US corruption probe due to President Donald Trump's order to pause prosecutions under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). This order directs a review of current and past actions related to the FCPA, potentially impacting the ongoing investigation into the Adani Group.

US prosecutors accused Gautam Adani and his nephew of orchestrating a $265 million bribery scheme to secure power supply deals in India, alleging that US investors were misled and US financial systems were used to raise billions for the conglomerate. These charges have become politically sensitive in India, given Adani's perceived close ties to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. While the pause offers a potential breather for the Adani Group, experts caution that it's too early to determine the long-term impact on the investigation.

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China’s universities get students up to speed on DeepSeek with new AI classes

中国多所大学正竞相开设基于本土AI初创公司DeepSeek的课程,以应对该公司在人工智能领域的快速崛起。深圳大学已与腾讯云合作,推出基于DeepSeek的通用人工智能课程,本学期开始面向学生开放。浙江大学也推出了以DeepSeek为主题的在线课程系列,面向学生、教职员工和公众开放。

深圳大学表示,该课程旨在帮助学生更深入地了解DeepSeek的技术及其应用,促进人工智能在各种环境中的深度融合和创新。德国耶拿大学的研究员徐辉表示,中国大学迅速推出DeepSeek相关课程,反映了市场和公众对人工智能的强烈需求。DeepSeek已显著推动了人工智能在中国社会各个领域的应用,高校受到的影响尤为明显。

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Interest in offshore yuan bonds is expected to increase, CICC says

Investment bank CICC predicts increased interest in offshore yuan bonds in Hong Kong and elsewhere due to the currency's cost efficiency. This trend is expected to attract more Chinese and global issuers and investors.

The prediction follows China's Ministry of Finance issuing 12.5 billion yuan in bonds in Hong Kong. This issuance, part of a 17-year strategy to support Hong Kong as an offshore yuan hub, was oversubscribed, reflecting the demand for yuan financing driven by interest-rate differences between the US and China. Cheaper borrowing costs have already led to a surge in overseas yuan-denominated debt by Chinese issuers, and this interest is expected to remain high.

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Why China needs broad-based response to Trump’s tariff tantrum

President Trump's recent trade policy shifts have injected significant uncertainty into global supply chains, requiring China to adapt its economic strategies. These shifts include imposing tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China, as well as temporarily suspending and then reinstating the de minimis exemption, which allows duty-free entry for shipments valued under $800. These actions, initially aimed at curbing illicit fentanyl trade and impacting online retailers, have created an unpredictable trade environment.

The inconsistent implementation and subsequent reversals of policies, such as the de minimis rule suspension, highlight the challenges businesses face in navigating Trump's trade agenda. While tariffs on Canada and Mexico are currently paused, China faces a potential 10% tariff increase. To counter the impact of these policies and a decline in direct trade with the U.S. since 2022, China needs to focus on stimulating domestic consumption, as indicated by the disparity between industrial output growth (5.8%) and retail sales growth (3.5%) in 2024.

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Chinese scientists create new superconducting material based on nickel

中国物理学家宣布,他们已经创造出一种新型的基于镍的常压高温超导体,这在该领域是一项突破。这一发现使镍成为继铜酸盐和铁基材料之后,第三类在高于零下233摄氏度(零下387华氏度)的温度下,在常压或“正常”压力下实现超导的材料。

南方科技大学(SUSTech)的研究团队表示,这项发现可能为进一步研究超导背后的机制和应用打开大门。超导是指当材料的温度降低到临界值时,呈现出零电阻并排斥磁场的现象。超导体在电力传输、制造聚变反应堆磁体和开发磁悬浮列车等领域具有广泛的应用潜力。

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Visa-free access to Hong Kong, Singapore set to go on sale with these passports

Nauru plans to sell citizenships for at least $140,500 each to raise $65 million to relocate its population threatened by rising sea levels and floods. The funds will finance a project to transform the island's interior, which has been rendered uninhabitable by phosphate mining, into a new township with farms and workplaces, ultimately relocating around 90% of the population.

President David Adeang stated that this proactive step is necessary to secure the nation's future amidst global climate change debates. Nauru is following Dominica's lead in using citizenship sales to fund climate change resilience initiatives, highlighting the financial challenges small nations face in adapting to escalating climate effects, despite increased loans and grants from wealthier nations.

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Citigroup lifts CEO Jane Fraser’s total compensation by a third to US$34.5 million

花旗集团CEO简·弗雷泽2024年的总薪酬提升至3450万美元,较去年增长了三分之一。这一增长反映了花旗对其战略方向的认可,以及弗雷泽在提高银行回报、增强安全性和稳健性以及为长期可持续增长奠定基础方面的执行力。

弗雷泽薪酬的大部分以股票奖励形式发放,其中包括1160万美元的递延股票和1650万美元的绩效股份单位。此次薪酬提升是在花旗达到年初设定的收入和支出目标,并在五个部门中的三个部门创下历史收入后做出的决定。此外,弗雷泽还剥离了全球各地的零售业务,并在该银行裁减了2万个工作岗位,此前花旗的业绩长期落后于华尔街同行。

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Hongkonger arrested over SMS scam using radio jammer to show official ‘#’ sign

一名23岁的男子因涉嫌通过短信诈骗香港居民而被捕,他使用无线电干扰器劫持电话信号塔,冒充注册公司和政府部门。警方称,该男子涉嫌发送虚假短信,这些短信伪装成政府部门、快递公司和在线支付系统的注册账户。

香港通讯事务管理局(OFCA)也已展开调查,确认这些短信为欺诈信息。通讯事务管理局首席规管事务经理Andrew Lo Tsz-him表示,如果发现手机信号从满格降至2G,要警惕在此期间收到的短信,尤其是包含未知链接的短信。据称,受害者从上周二开始投诉,称他们收到了冒充注册机构和公司的短信,发送者ID前缀带有“#”符号,短信中包含疑似网络钓鱼的链接。

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