Indian rescuers search for 8 workers trapped in ‘unfortunate’ tunnel collapse

救援人员正在印度南部搜救8名被困工人,他们被困在特伦甘纳邦一条在建的灌溉隧道中,该隧道因突发涌水和泥土而坍塌。事故发生在周六,当时部分隧道发生坍塌。救援队伍正在努力排水和清理瓦砾,以便找到并疏散被困工人。

事故发生时,一些靠近掘进机的工作人员成功逃脱,但另有8名工程师和工人在隧道入口附近被困。国家灾难响应部队已加入救援行动,隧道通风系统仍在运行,以确保为被困工人提供氧气。当地灌溉部长表示,政府致力于安全救出所有被困人员。

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Taobao’s first physical store in Hong Kong

淘宝在香港开设了首家实体店 PapaHome,位于尖沙咀购物区。顾客可以在店内查看超过 10,000 件家具和家居装饰品,然后再在线订购。

PapaHome 的开业是淘宝拓展业务的举措。淘宝由阿里巴巴集团运营,阿里巴巴集团也是《南华早报》的母公司。

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The cheap medicine drive that could erode trust in China’s healthcare system

北京市民Sophie Chen反映,她长期服用的拜耳公司生产的降压药Adalat,自2023年起在中国公立医院逐渐消失,现在医生给她开的是国产仿制药。虽然价格从原研药的2.75美元降至0.59美元,但她表示仿制药的副作用更大,心率有所上升。

Chen的经历反映了中国药品集中采购改革引发的争议。自2018年以来,中国已进行多轮药品集采,导致药品价格大幅下降,甚至出现阿司匹林单片价格低于1美分的情况。虽然降低了患者的用药负担,但部分患者对仿制药的疗效和副作用表示担忧,考虑自费购买原研药。

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Hong Kong’s budget will focus on ‘fiscal consolidation’: Paul Chan

香港财政司司长陈茂波表示,香港将采取“财政整合”策略,严格控制公共开支以应对赤字,同时寻求改善与居民生活相关的服务。他暗示即将发布的2025-26年度预算案将包含提升香港竞争力的措施,并考虑“用者自付”原则以增加公共收入。

陈茂波指出,过去几年香港面临多重内外挑战导致财政赤字,因此需要加强“财政整合”策略。政府将在维持和改善公共服务的同时,严格控制公共开支,并适度增加收入,同时兼顾香港的竞争力和“用者自付”原则。此前他透露,2024-25年度的财政赤字预计约为1000亿港元,远超年初预期,也是连续第三年出现如此规模的赤字。

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Backlash as Chinese influencer claims to earn US$41,000 a day doing nothing

中国网红顾茜茜因炫耀自己“躺赚”30万元人民币,并称之为“辛苦钱”而引发网络强烈不满。 顾茜茜在直播中透露,自己一天躺在床上什么都不做,仅在抖音店铺就实现了116万元的销售额,佣金高达30.32万元。

据悉,顾茜茜在某社交平台拥有近500万粉丝。数据显示,在2月8日至16日期间,她在某直播平台的销售总额达到1039万元,预计佣金收入为279万元。此外,她在另一直播平台过去七天的销售额也高达894万元。她的言论和收入数据引发了公众对于收入分配公平性的质疑。

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Hong Kong Children Hospital’s suspended ENT department to resume after June

By Wynna Wong

Hong Kong Children’s Hospital, recently forced to suspend services at the ear, nose and throat (ENT) department, will gradually resume operations in the second half of this year, or as soon as the next quarter “if possible”, as the Hospital Authority’s chief executive said he saw “light in the tunnel” over manpower shortages.

Tony Ko Pat-sing said on Sunday that the labour crunch that caused the suspension of ENT services at the hospital in Kowloon City since early February had eased.

The suspension left over 500 patients needing to be transferred to other public hospitals.

“The ear, nose and throat [specialisation] itself is not a very large speciality in general hospitals – a networked ENT department usually has about 10 or so colleagues. And at the Children’s Hospital, because they specialise in children, there are even fewer people,” Ko explained.

“We have recently seen light in the tunnel with doctors’ turnover stabilised.”

He said paediatric otolaryngology was a highly specialised field, and doctors trained overseas were also being encouraged to come to Hong Kong to help ease the load.

Specialists in other areas of medicine were also being trained to handle some of the simpler cases, he added.

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SpaceX’s Musk sued for custody of his alleged 13th child, by author Ashley St. Clair

Ashley St. Clair, a conservative author and influencer, is suing Elon Musk for legal custody of a son she claims they had last fall, potentially making him Musk's 13th child. St. Clair filed the petition in New York Supreme Court, along with a paternity petition to legally establish Musk as the father of the 5-month-old boy, referred to as R.S.C. in court documents.

St. Clair alleges that she and Musk began a romantic relationship in May 2023 and conceived R.S.C. in January of that year, with the child being born in September. While Musk allegedly acknowledged parentage in written correspondences, he has reportedly refused to publicly acknowledge the child and has had minimal involvement in his care, only meeting the boy three times. St. Clair also included screenshots in the filing that appear to show Musk urging her to keep quiet about their son, citing "threat level(s)" amid the presidential election, where Musk was a major donor and is now reportedly heading the Department of Government Efficiency.

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Beauty in chaos: Japanese hail Hong Kong’s Kowloon Walled City film exhibition

香港电影《九龙城寨之围城》在日本上映后大受欢迎,带动了一股怀旧热潮,吸引了包括日本游客在内的大量影迷前往香港参观电影主题展览。该片在日本上映三周票房突破1亿日元(约66.69万美元),成为五年来最卖座的香港电影。

这部由郑保瑞执导,古天乐和洪金宝主演的动作片,讲述了上世纪80年代一位中国大陆移民在九龙城寨中卷入帮派斗争的故事。九龙城寨在20世纪90年代中期被拆除前,曾是因非法建筑和犯罪活动而臭名昭著的拥挤飞地。为重现电影场景,香港旅游发展局在启德Airside购物中心举办了沉浸式展览,自去年12月16日开幕以来已吸引了18万游客,其中不乏日本游客,旅游局希望更多本地电影能促进整体游客数量的增长。

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Birth of rare Philippine Eagle chick lifts survival hopes

A Philippine Eagle chick, named Riley, has hatched without human intervention for the first time, offering hope for the critically endangered species. The Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) announced that Riley hatched on January 16 at the National Bird Breeding Sanctuary in Davao City, under the care of its parents, Sinag and Dakila. This marks a significant achievement and a testament to the strength of conservation efforts.

This natural hatching comes as a welcome development after a 17-day-old Philippine Eagle chick, hatched via artificial insemination, died two months prior. The PEF highlights Riley's arrival as a symbol of hope and a reminder of the importance of collective action in protecting the Philippines' natural heritage. As Riley grows stronger, the foundation plans to transfer her to a larger nest to accommodate her increasing size.

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Chinese scientists turn Boeing’s helium leak crisis into stealth missile tech breakthrough

Chinese researchers have developed a revolutionary solid-fuel rocket propulsion system by leveraging helium, the very gas that has plagued NASA's Boeing Starliner mission. This breakthrough allows for a tripling of thrust on demand while significantly cooling exhaust temperatures, potentially rendering the rocket nearly invisible to infrared sensors. The technology could transform both modern warfare and space travel.

The research team, led by Yang Zenan from Harbin Engineering University, discovered that injecting helium into traditional solid rocket motors through micron-scale pores triggers a surge in thrust. While helium doesn't burn, optimal ratios of helium to combustion gas boosted the specific impulse by 5.77%, enabling a 300% increase in thrust through adjustable injection. Furthermore, the cooled exhaust plumes, reduced by as much as 1,327 degrees Celsius, could effectively evade detection by infrared missile-warning systems, offering a new level of thermal stealth.

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French carrier visits Philippines, flexes nuclear-powered muscle in disputed South China Sea

By Associated Press

France’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and accompanying warships were in the Philippines on Sunday after holding combat drills with Filipino forces in the disputed South China Sea in a show of firepower that would likely antagonise China.

The Charles de Gaulle docked on Friday at Subic Bay, a former US Naval base northwest of Manila, for a break after more than two months of deployment in the Indo-Pacific. The French carrier engaged with security allies for contingency readiness and to promote regional security, including with Filipino forces, navy ships and fighter jets. They held anti-submarine warfare drills and aerial combat training on Friday in the South China Sea, Philippine and French officials said.

Last year, the French navy deployed a frigate for the first time to participate in a joint sail with the United States and Philippine counterpart forces in and near the disputed waters. It was part of the largest annual combat exercises in years by American and Filipino allied forces. The drills involved more than 16,000 military personnel.

China strongly criticised the exercises then, saying the Philippines were “ganging up” with countries from outside Asia in an obvious reference to the US and its security partners, and warned the drills could instigate confrontation and undermine regional stability.

France’s recent and ongoing military deployments to the Philippines underscore its “commitment to regional security and the shared goal of strengthening maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific,” Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Colonel Xerxes Trinidad said.

The Charles de Gaulle, the only nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in the world other than those of the US Navy, led a strike group that included three destroyer warships and an oil replenishment ship in its first-ever visit to the Philippines, French officials said.

France had been shoring up its military engagements with the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations at odds with China in the disputed waters, a key global trade and security route, although it says those emergency-preparedness actions were not aimed at any particular country.

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Chinese woman in Panama camp says ‘guarded like prisoners’ after US deportation

被美国驱逐出境后滞留在巴拿马乡村营地的一名华人表示,包括她在内的上百名拒绝返回各自国家的被驱逐者正面临“恶劣环境”,并且无法获得法律咨询和其他权利。这名不愿透露姓名的华人担心遭到巴拿马当局的报复,通过一部隐藏的手机与外界联系。

据该华人描述,营地内的移民来自亚洲国家、俄罗斯、阿富汗和尼泊尔等地,当局正在没收他们的手机,切断他们与外界的联系。她还表示,营地内的人员自由受到限制,生活条件恶劣,并受到警卫的严密监视,甚至“上厕所都有人跟着”。巴拿马当局尚未对此事作出回应。

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Australia pushes for tariff exemptions in crucial Washington visit ahead of election

Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers is traveling to Washington to advocate for an exemption from US tariffs on steel and aluminum. This trip is crucial for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's government, which faces an upcoming election and is under pressure to secure these exemptions, especially after successfully avoiding them during Donald Trump's first term.

Chalmers aims to highlight the economic partnership between Australia and the US, including significant investments made by the Australian pension industry. While Trump initially signaled openness to an exemption, trade advisor Peter Navarro raised concerns about Australia's impact on the US aluminum market, creating uncertainty surrounding the potential agreement.

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Trump team pressures Mexico to impose tariffs on China to avoid US duties

The Trump administration has suggested to Mexican officials that they impose tariffs on Chinese imports to avoid potential tariffs from the US. This proposal was reportedly made during a meeting in Washington between US and Mexican officials, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Mexican Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard.

The US suggestion comes as the Trump administration threatens tariffs on its North American trade partners. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has already been increasing efforts to curb cheap imports from China, aiming to support domestic industries and potentially appease the US. Despite the US suggestion, Mexico made no firm commitment regarding tariffs on China during the meeting, but both countries agreed to form a working group to further discuss trade and tariff issues.

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Can HK$2 transport subsidy cuts help solve Hong Kong’s budget crisis?

香港政府可能调整2港元乘车优惠计划,以应对日益增长的财政赤字。消息人士透露,政府或将每月补贴乘车次数限制在240次,并要求使用者为超过10港元的行程支付20%的费用。

该计划于2012年推出,旨在鼓励60岁以上长者和残疾人士参与社区活动,他们只需支付2港元即可乘坐公共交通工具。然而,过去五年,政府对运营商的补贴金额已增长超过200%,从2019-20年度的12亿港元增至2023-24年度的39亿港元,预计2024-25年度将进一步增至60亿港元,在政府整体运营支出中的占比也显著上升。

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China’s new submarine may have Typhon missiles in Philippines in its sights, report says

A new Chinese attack submarine, potentially being built in Wuhan, may be designed to target medium-range missile defense systems in the Philippines. This information comes from a report in Naval & Merchant Ships, a magazine owned by a supplier to the PLA Navy, indirectly confirming the submarine's existence and purpose.

The report suggests the submarine aims to enhance China's naval capabilities in response to the increasing foreign military presence in the region. Specifically, it references the US Typhon launchers deployed on Luzon Island, Philippines, which could potentially strike targets in China, Russia, and North Korea. The new submarine is reportedly designed to carry advanced hypersonic missiles, enabling covert strikes from beyond enemy defenses and potentially deploying nuclear warheads.

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In Malaysia, low-priced Chinese brands gain popularity in Western-dominated malls

中国连锁品牌蜜雪冰城因其低廉的价格,正在马来西亚迅速扩张并受到当地消费者的欢迎。学生 Nur Ristina Eiliyan 指出,在蜜雪冰城购买冰淇淋和奶茶只需 7 马币(约 1.58 美元),远低于其他地方的价格,这吸引了包括她和同学 Alia Kaizara 在内的许多顾客。

尽管蜜雪冰城在马来西亚市场相对较新,但其物美价廉的策略使其能够在竞争激烈的零售市场中脱颖而出。这家起源于中国郑州的品牌,如今已成为全球门店数量最多的餐饮连锁企业,在吉隆坡及周边地区迅速开设了 20 多家分店,为当地消费者提供了更实惠的选择。

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Berlin film festival top prize for coming-of-age drama, best director for China’s Huo Meng

Dag Johan Haugerud's Dreams (Sex Love) won the Golden Bear at the 75th Berlin Film Festival. The Norwegian film, starring Ella Overbye, is a coming-of-age drama that explores a young woman's first crush on a teacher and the art of writing. American director Todd Haynes, the jury president, commended the film for its flawless performances and insightful observations about desire.

The grand jury Silver Bear prize was awarded to Gabriel Mascaro's The Blue Trail, a dystopian film set in the Amazon. Chinese director Huo Meng received the best director award for Living the Land, a feature film depicting four generations of farmers. Haugerud's Golden Bear-winning film is the final installment in a three-part series exploring emotional and physical intimacy.

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Why Ne Zha 2 is part of a broader Chinese cultural renaissance

The Chinese animated film *Ne Zha 2* has become a global phenomenon, surpassing US$1 billion in box office receipts and becoming the highest-grossing animated film worldwide. This marks a significant milestone as it's the first non-Hollywood film to achieve this level of success, propelling it to the eighth-highest-grossing film in global history.

The film's success has ignited a wave of national pride in China, with many viewing it as a celebration of Chinese cultural heritage on the global stage. Even international media outlets like the BBC have noted the film's impact on national sentiment. Beyond China, *Ne Zha 2* has attracted overseas Chinese students and foreign audiences, eager to experience a story deeply rooted in Chinese tradition.

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