Austria foils railway station terror attack, arrests teen, 14

奥地利警方逮捕了一名14岁少年,该少年涉嫌策划在维也纳火车站发动袭击,并被发现持有支持伊斯兰国(IS)的材料。这名少年是具有土耳其血统的奥地利人,因在TikTok上发布伊斯兰极端主义内容而被情报部门盯上,于2月10日在维也纳被捕。

逮捕时,该少年携带一把刀。在其家中,调查人员发现了大量伊斯兰极端主义书籍、在车站和针对警察的刀具和砍刀袭击草图,以及制造爆炸物作为炸弹雷管的手写说明。此外,还在地下室发现了可能用于制造炸弹的材料和其他刀具。据报道,他计划袭击维也纳的主要火车站西站。此前,奥地利南部Villach发生了一起持刀袭击事件,造成一人死亡,五人受伤,袭击者是一名23岁的叙利亚男子,可能与IS有关。

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Alibaba opens first data centre in Mexico, ramping up AI infrastructure expansion

Alibaba Cloud has launched its first data center in Mexico, expanding its global infrastructure network to 87 availability zones across 29 regions. This move signifies Alibaba's commitment to developing digital infrastructure in key overseas markets and strengthening its global cloud services business.

The new data center aims to support local businesses in Mexico and foster innovation and collaboration across Latin America. This launch follows closely on the heels of Alibaba's announcement of its second data center in Thailand, demonstrating the company's continued efforts to widen its international footprint and serve more enterprises outside of China, particularly in the realm of cloud computing and AI.

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‘Most deadly 100 days’: Indonesia’s Prabowo faces major student protests against costly policies

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is facing nationwide student protests just four months into his presidency, driven by concerns over his expensive programs, cabinet selections, and austerity measures. These protests, known as "Indonesia Gelap" (Dark Indonesia), have already occurred in multiple cities and are expected to culminate in a major demonstration in front of the presidential palace in Jakarta on Thursday.

The students are not only protesting specific policies but also calling for broader civil disobedience, urging people to skip work and join the demonstration. While a political researcher at CSIS Indonesia acknowledged the protests highlight potential missteps and a "mediocre cabinet," they expressed doubt that the movement would significantly destabilize national politics. The protests reflect growing public scrutiny of Prabowo's administration and its direction.

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8 drivers intercepted in Hong Kong crackdown on illegal ride-hailing services

香港警方在一次打击非法网约车服务的全市行动中,截获了八辆涉嫌非法载客取酬的私家车。此次行动由卧底警员乔装乘客,在全港范围内展开,旨在打击日益猖獗的非法网约车行为。

此次行动的公布,正值一个出租车工会取消原定下月举行的罢工之后。此前,该工会与政府顾问会面,并得到香港特首承诺将加强执法,打击此类非法服务。警方表示,行动中查扣了三辆私家车作进一步检验,并对六男两女司机(年龄介乎36至63岁)展开调查,他们涉嫌非法使用车辆进行出租服务,但警方未透露是否会逮捕他们,目前调查仍在进行中。

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Hamas ready to free all hostages at once in Gaza truce phase 2

Hamas has indicated its willingness to release all remaining hostages held in Gaza in a single exchange during the next phase of the current ceasefire agreement with Israel. This proposal aims to expedite the resolution of the hostage situation and solidify the truce.

Currently, Israel and Hamas are implementing the first phase of the Gaza truce, which began on January 19. According to a senior Hamas official, this move is intended "to confirm our seriousness and complete readiness to move forward in resolving this issue, as well as to continue steps towards cementing the ceasefire and achieving a sustainable truce”. Talks regarding the second phase, which aims for a more permanent end to the conflict, are expected to commence soon.

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Trump is in disinformation bubble on Ukraine, Zelensky says

乌克兰总统泽连斯基周三驳斥了唐纳德·特朗普的说法,即乌克兰应对俄罗斯2022年的全面入侵负责,称这位美国总统陷入了俄罗斯的虚假信息泡沫。泽连斯基表示,特朗普关于他支持率仅为4%的说法是俄罗斯的虚假信息,任何试图取代他的企图都不会成功。

在与特朗普的乌克兰特使会谈前夕,特朗普表示乌克兰“根本不应该开始”这场冲突。泽连斯基表示,他希望特朗普的团队能够更多地了解关于乌克兰的“真相”。他还提到,有证据表明美国和俄罗斯之间正在讨论这些虚假数据,表明特朗普可能受到了俄罗斯虚假信息的影响。

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Tech war: ex-Apple engineer returns to China to teach about semiconductors at alma mater

Wang Huanyu, a former Apple semiconductor engineer, has returned to China to teach at Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) as a professor in the School of Integrated Circuits (ICs). This move is part of a growing trend of Chinese tech talent leaving the United States to contribute to China's domestic semiconductor industry.

Wang's return is expected to strengthen the academic capabilities of Chinese universities, particularly in IC-focused curricula, as China aims for self-sufficiency in semiconductor technology amid US sanctions restricting access to advanced chips and manufacturing equipment. After graduating from HUST in 2014, Wang spent a decade in the US studying and working on semiconductors, including his role as an implementation engineer for central processing units at Apple's US headquarters from 2021 to 2024. Now he joins more than 10 Chinese universities that have established IC schools to cultivate the next generation of tech talent, including prestigious institutions like Tsinghua University and Peking University.

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Chinese scientists build world’s most powerful spy camera

中国科学家在光学成像技术上取得量子飞跃,他们研发出一种强大的激光器,能够以前所未有的精度审查外国军事卫星,或从低地球轨道上分辨出人脸等细节。这项技术突破可能重新定义全球监控标准。

中国科学院空天信息创新研究院的研究团队利用这种激光器,在超过100公里的距离上实现了毫米级分辨率的成像,这在以前被认为是无法实现的。他们在青海湖进行了一项试验,利用一种先进的合成孔径激光雷达系统,在能见度高、云量少、风力稳定的理想大气条件下,对101.8公里外的反射棱镜阵列进行了观测,能够快速识别小至1.7毫米的细节,并以15.6毫米的精度测量物体距离,这一精度比使用镜头的间谍相机和望远镜高出100倍。

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Hong Kong trade unions face tougher scrutiny under proposed law change

香港工会将面临更严格的审查,原因是拟议扩大劳工官员的权力,并使其运营要求与国家安全法对齐。拟议的修订将包括监管工会接收和使用“外部”力量提供的资金,以及他们与位于“外部”地点的组织的联系。

“外部”指的是香港、中国大陆和澳门以外的地区,与《维护国家安全条例》保持一致。修订要求工会必须获得工会登记官的批准才能接受外部资金,并申报资金来源和用途。如果资金获得批准,则不得用于指定的本地选举。未经行政长官批准,工会官员也将不得在外部地点的非附属组织中担任职务。

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Trump’s proposed 25% tariffs would ‘spare China’ but hurt its neighbours: analysts

特朗普政府拟对汽车等进口商品加征25%或更高关税,但分析师认为,此举对中国本土汽车产业的直接影响有限。 预计受冲击最大的将是韩国、日本和欧洲等国家和地区,因为中国直接出口到美国的汽车数量很少。

尽管如此,与全球供应链紧密相连的中国企业仍可能面临难以预测的间接影响。特朗普表示,加征关税旨在鼓励企业将生产线迁回美国,具体措施将于4月2日公布。中国乘用车协会秘书长崔东树表示,新关税对中国汽车产业的直接冲击较小。

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Wang Yi urges China and US to ‘get along’ as American businesses share concerns

中国外交部长王毅周二呼吁中美两国找到“相处之道”,以稳定两国关系,此时两国之间的贸易战仍在升级。王毅在纽约对美国商界和智库领导人表示,中美应该为两国和世界探索更多重要、务实和有益的事项。他此次访问纽约正值中国担任联合国安理会轮值主席国。

王毅与中国驻美国大使谢锋一同会见了美中贸易全国委员会、美国商会、美中关系全国委员会、亚洲协会和外交关系委员会的代表。王毅表示,中美两国拥有广泛的共同利益和巨大的合作空间,双方应真正尊重彼此的核心利益,加强沟通,建立互信,消除干扰,克服障碍,共同努力改善和稳定中美关系。中美两国因科技和军事竞争加剧,正陷入多起外交和经济争端。

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Hong Kong eyes foreign investors in Cepa update to allow city’s laws on mainland

香港官员和业界领袖表示,对最近放宽的跨境贸易协议持乐观态度,该协议允许香港企业在其中国大陆业务中采用当地法律和仲裁服务,这将吸引外国投资者。商务及经济发展局常任秘书长表示,对《更紧密经贸关系安排》(CEPA)的修订带来了“制度创新和加强联系”。

修订后的CEPA将于3月1日生效,将进一步放宽香港专业人士在大陆工作的资格要求,并取消跨境持股和业务范围的某些限制。修订涵盖银行和证券、保险、电信、旅游、电影、电视以及建筑和相关工程服务等七个行业,这将有助于香港作为“超级联系人和超级增值者”的角色,并吸引全球企业和人才在香港落户并扩展到大陆市场。

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Chinese court tries Myanmar gang accused of scams, drugs, extortion and murder

A Chinese court has begun hearing the case against 23 members of the Ming family, a notorious Myanmar-based telecoms fraud gang, accused of a string of serious crimes. The charges include telecoms fraud, murder, intentional injury, illegal detention, extortion, running a gambling den, organising prostitution, and drug trafficking, highlighting the extensive criminal activities of the group.

Prosecutors allege that since 2015, the Ming family leveraged their influence and armed forces to establish "industrial parks" in Kokang, Myanmar, colluding with financial backers to carry out their crimes. These operations resulted in the deaths of 14 Chinese citizens, injuries to six others, and billions of yuan lost to fraud. The gang is accused of using tactics like fake investment schemes, phishing scams, and extortion, and even killing captives who tried to escape in October 2023.

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Haier seeks control of Shenzhen-listed robotics firm in US$343 million deal

Haier, a leading Chinese home appliance manufacturer, is set to acquire a controlling stake in Step Electric, a struggling industrial robotics firm, for approximately 2.5 billion yuan (US$343 million). This move signifies Haier's deeper foray into the robotics sector, aligning with China's broader strategy to enhance its manufacturing capabilities through automation and intelligent technologies.

Step Electric, despite its efforts to innovate in robotics for various industries including semiconductors and humanoid robots, has faced financial difficulties, reporting significant losses in recent years. Haier's acquisition is expected to provide Step Electric with much-needed resources and expertise. This acquisition also supports China's ambitious plan, initiated in 2021, to become a global leader in robotics, aiming for substantial growth in annual robotics sales and increased robot density in its manufacturing sector.

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China-Saudi ties, Beijing and Seoul chase defence deals: SCMP daily highlights

China leads the world in the scale of its humanoid robot industry, accounting for over half of the top listed companies in the sector. This is according to a report by Morgan Stanley, which notes that China's dominance exists despite the country still lagging behind Western nations in key technological components for these robots.

In other news, China's central bank governor has pledged to enhance collaboration with emerging economies on various fronts. The governor also expressed a commitment to supporting these nations in gaining a stronger voice and influence within the existing global financial governance structures. Meanwhile, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has seen its soft power efforts diminished following a Trump administration order to potentially shut down the agency and freeze foreign aid.

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Lawmakers slam HK$3.9 billion cost overrun, 2-year delay for Hong Kong tunnel

香港立法会议员指责政府对屯门至赤鱲角连接路的建设管理不善,该项目超预算12%,耗资39亿港元(5.01亿美元),且完工时间比原计划晚了两年。这条连接机场、新界西北和港珠澳大桥的公路于2020年开通,总耗资366亿港元。

立法会公共账目委员会成员陆颂雄周三透露,此外还有55亿港元的其他支出。虽然最终数字低于批准的467亿港元资金,但委员会对政府的成本管理表示深切关注,并指出2013年授予的北部连接海底隧道段合同中,填海工程的材料估算存在重大差异。

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Hong Kong customs seizes HK$118 million of cannabis in fishing boat bust

香港海关查获一艘渔船走私大麻,价值超过1亿港元(1280万美元),这是十年来涉及此类船只的最大宗毒品案。海关人员周二上午在南丫岛以南水域巡逻时发现了这艘船只。

这艘破旧的渔船上没有任何捕鱼设备,引起了海关的怀疑,并对其进行了拦截。船上的船员拒绝合作,并开始将货物扔进海里。海关人员登上船只,制服了三名男子,并从水中找回了大麻。此次查获的毒品包括459公斤疑似大麻,估计市值超过1.18亿港元。

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Rise of ‘autonomous’ agentic AI raises the geopolitical stakes

Agentic AI, unlike generative AI, can make decisions and autonomously carry out complex actions, potentially revolutionizing technopolitical rivalries between nations. These AI agents can act as personal political advisors, negotiate for governments, or manage military operations, showcasing their ability to optimize objectives and significantly boost productivity and efficiency.

This emerging technology is poised to reshape geopolitical competition across techno-economics, influence and opinion-shaping, and security. The entry of DeepSeek, a low-cost, open-source model, into the generative AI space has already disrupted the perceived US dominance in AI, signaling a shift in the balance of power and highlighting the transformative potential of agentic AI.

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Hong Kong dad accused of killing daughter allegedly abused her more than 20 times

一名香港男子被控通过剧烈摇晃导致其三岁女儿死亡,他在与女儿同住的两个月内,涉嫌对她进行了超过20次的虐待。 这些虐待行为包括将她倒立,使她的头部撞击地板,以及在淋浴时用冷水淋她。

高等法院周三听取了证词,42岁的被告刘启平在女儿梁雅诗去世前的两个月里,对她的虐待行为日益加剧。母亲梁海伦(41岁)在由四名男性和三名女性组成的陪审团面前作证时表示,刘启平曾抓住女儿的小腿将她倒吊起来,并使她的头部撞击地面。这些虐待行为发生在2020年5月中旬至7月期间,当时刘启平与梁海伦和他们的女儿住在深水埗的公寓里,尽管他受到儿童保护令的禁止,不得与女儿接触。

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DeepSeek founder provides clue on start-up’s AI priorities in new technical study

DeepSeek is prioritizing the development of more efficient AI models, as indicated by a new technical study focusing on "native sparse attention" (NSA). This system, detailed in a study co-authored by founder and CEO Liang Wenfeng, aims to streamline the processing of vast amounts of data by AI, reducing costs without compromising performance.

The study, published just before Liang attended a symposium with President Xi Jinping, highlights DeepSeek's commitment to research and innovation. The NSA system optimizes computing hardware to accelerate inference – the process by which an AI model recognizes patterns and makes predictions on unseen data. This focus on efficiency follows DeepSeek's previous breakthroughs in developing advanced open-source AI models like V3 and R1 at significantly lower costs than industry standards.

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