US firm Intuitive Machines’ spacecraft lands on moon, but status unclear

Intuitive Machines的雅典娜号着陆器已成功登陆月球表面。 然而,着陆器的具体状态和健康状况尚不明确,公司正在进行进一步的评估。此次任务是该公司第二次尝试登月,目标着陆点位于月球南极附近,携带了11个有效载荷和科学仪器。

着陆过程中出现了一些不确定性,着陆器引擎在预计着陆时间后仍在运行,似乎在月球表面盘旋。在工程师发出指令关闭引擎后,公司确认着陆器已在月球表面,但具体姿态不明。受此消息影响,Intuitive Machines的股价在盘后交易中下跌超过20%。该公司是NASA支持的众多旨在重返月球的私营公司之一,这种模式被认为成本较低,但风险较高。

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Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket blasts off on first commercial mission

Europe's Ariane 6 rocket successfully launched on its first commercial mission, carrying a French military satellite and bolstering the continent's independent access to space. The launch from French Guiana occurred after several delays, including a last-minute postponement, marking a significant step for Europe in strengthening its security capabilities.

The mission is particularly crucial as Europe seeks to reduce its reliance on the United States for security partnerships, especially given the uncertainties surrounding future US foreign policy. The launch proceeded as planned, with the main stage separating successfully, and the rocket is expected to reach orbit just over an hour after launch. A previous attempt was aborted due to a malfunctioning valve, highlighting the complexities involved in such missions.

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Trump plans to revoke legal status of Ukrainians who fled to US, insiders say

特朗普政府计划取消约24万因俄乌冲突逃离的乌克兰人的临时合法身份,这可能会使他们面临被快速驱逐的风险。这一举动预计最早可能在四月份发生,与拜登政府此前对乌克兰人的欢迎态度形成鲜明对比。

据消息人士透露,取消对乌克兰人保护的计划在特朗普与乌克兰总统泽连斯基公开不和之前就已经在进行中。这是特朗普政府更广泛行动的一部分,旨在剥夺超过180万移民的合法身份,这些人是在拜登政府推出的临时人道主义假释计划下进入美国的。

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UK exempts Hong Kong BN(O) passport holders from needing ETA ahead of travel

香港英国国民(海外)护照(BN(O))持有人前往英国将不再需要申请电子旅行授权(ETA)。英国政府扩大了此前仅适用于BN(O)签证持有者的豁免范围。这一变化源于英国移民和公民事务部长Seema Malhotra的一封信,信中提到政府在“听取证据”后做出了这一决定。

Malhotra在致英国上议院议员David Alton的信中表示,此决定的基础是BN(O)群体与英国的紧密联系,以及英国对他们的历史承诺。更重要的是,英国政府签发了BN(O)护照,就像英国公民的护照一样,因此英国对持照人的身份有“更高程度的确定性”。她补充说,内政部将“尽早”修改移民规则,并持续审查该豁免,以防出现滥用情况。

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Trump ‘likely’ to defer tariffs on goods under US-Mexico-Canada pact: Lutnick

美国商务部长霍华德·卢特尼克表示,符合美国、墨西哥和加拿大贸易协定的商品和服务,可能会获得特朗普总统关税的一个月豁免期。 这意味着美国政府可能对与北美自由贸易协定相关的贸易活动采取更为灵活的态度。

卢特尼克在接受CNBC采访时透露,特朗普总统与加拿大和墨西哥达成的协议中的内容,很可能获得关税豁免。这一举措旨在确保美国与贸易伙伴之间的稳定贸易关系,但豁免期仅为一个月,后续政策走向仍存在不确定性。

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Japan bullet train cars decouple, 2nd time in less than 6 months

日本东北新干线一列高速列车因两节车厢脱节在东京附近紧急停车,导致日本东部的新干线服务暂停3小时。这是该线路在不到六个月内发生的第二起类似事故,引发了人们对安全性的担忧。本次事故没有造成人员伤亡。

此次脱节事故涉及连接东京和日本东北部的隼鸟号(Hayabusa)和小町号(Komachi)高速列车,与9月份发生的脱节事故类似。运营这些列车的JR East公司表示,将暂停所有耦合新干线的运营,直到查明原因并采取对策。日本国土交通省已将此事件定性为“重大事故”,并已派出调查组。

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Football club boss, 3 others charged in Hong Kong match-fixing case

香港廉政公署起诉包括足球俱乐部老板在内的四人,他们涉嫌在2021-22赛季提供贿赂以操纵比赛结果。这四人被指控参与一个与足球比赛操纵和非法赌博有关的犯罪集团。案件涉及非法庄家、足球俱乐部老板兼教练以及球员等。

廉政公署指出,在2021年4月至2022年8月期间,涉案的富门体育会在香港足球总会(HKFA)的管辖下参加了香港乙级联赛。香港足球总会要求所有注册球员遵守其道德规范,包括禁止他们参与非法活动,如非法赌博、贿赂和操纵比赛。

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Domestic helper in Hong Kong charged with child abuse after 1-year-old scalded

香港一名家庭佣工被指控虐待儿童,原因是她涉嫌用热水烫伤了雇主一岁的儿子。警方发言人表示,警方于周三接到了孩子母亲的报案,并在马鞍山逮捕了这名43岁的家佣,她被怀疑犯有虐待或疏忽照顾儿童罪。

这名家佣已被正式指控一项罪名,并于周五在沙田法院出庭。案件由沙田警区调查队处理。事件曝光于周二,当时孩子的父亲在社交媒体上发布了一张孩子受伤手臂的照片,指责这名家佣为了报复而伤害孩子。

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Hong Kong rejects US credit rating agency’s report on property market oversupply

香港政府反驳了美国信用评级机构标准普尔关于香港房地产市场供应过剩的报告,强调数据显示住房需求强劲。政府官员表示,截至去年年底,私人住宅的空置率为4.5%,租金持续稳步上涨,这些数据反映了当前强劲的住房需求。

标准普尔全球评级在报告中指出,政府并未积极解决住房供应过剩问题,并认为写字楼供应过剩是该行业面临的“最严重”问题。政府发言人表示,考虑到利率下降、经济持续增长以及人才引进等因素,预计今年住宅市场将“稳步”增长。此外,暂停商业用地出售的政策将有助于市场消化现有供应。

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Xi Jinping calls for education overhaul to ramp up China’s tech ambitions

中国国家主席习近平强调,中国教育体系需要改革,以培养国家实现宏伟科技目标所需的科技人才。他是在中国人民政治协商会议期间向教育界委员发表讲话时,做出上述表示的。习近平强调,教育体系必须在自主科技创新和专业人才培养之间建立良性循环。

习近平强调了基础科学和多学科科学领域取得突破的必要性,以及大学、企业和地方政府之间的联合创新,以及科技成果的实际应用。他还指出,建设教育强国、科技强国和人才强国是中国共产党和整个社会的共同责任。此番讲话的背景是中国领导人一再强调科技创新和专业发展,以应对高科技领域日益增长的压力,尤其是在与美国“科技战”中不断收紧的制裁。

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China has more tools in ‘reserve’ to face economic headwinds amid Trump threats

China has pledged to use more fiscal and monetary tools to ensure economic growth, signaling its determination to tackle challenges including an intensifying trade war with the United States. Top economic officials emphasized that external risks are manageable and that the government is prepared to expand supportive measures if necessary.

During a press briefing at the annual "two sessions" policymaking meetings, officials from key economic bodies, including the NDRC, finance and commerce ministries, the central bank, and the securities regulator, addressed the media. Finance Minister Lan Foan stated that fiscal authorities have sufficient reserve tools to handle internal and external uncertainties. The government will focus on boosting domestic consumption and technological innovation to meet its growth target of around 5% this year, mirroring the target set in 2024.

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ASML to build reuse-and-repair centre in Beijing despite US-China tech tensions

ASML Holding将在北京建立一个“再利用和维修”中心,表明其对中国市场的承诺。 尽管面临来自美国的压力,这家全球领先的芯片制造设备供应商仍致力于深耕中国市场。该计划在其年度报告中披露,是关于零部件“循环经济”部分中的唯一重大项目。

由于美国出口管制规则,ASML无法向中国客户销售其极紫外光刻系统。此前有报道称,荷兰政府可能限制ASML在中国大陆维修和维护其半导体设备的能力。但中国是ASML最大的市场,占其2024年总销售额的36.1%,首次取代台湾。去年,该公司在中国大陆的销售额为102亿欧元(109亿美元),而台湾为43亿欧元,占总额的15.4%。

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‘We are not alone’: Zelensky thanks Europe at crisis summit

Volodymyr Zelensky thanked EU leaders for their support as the bloc convened crisis talks to address the implications of Donald Trump's shift away from Ukraine and traditional transatlantic alliances. The summit, the first gathering of all 27 EU leaders since the contentious Trump-Zelensky meeting, comes amid Washington's suspension of crucial military aid and intelligence sharing to Kyiv.

The EU is now facing increased pressure to bolster its own security commitments, particularly in light of doubts surrounding America's long-term dedication to European defense. Ursula von der Leyen has proposed a plan to mobilize €800 billion to "re-arm Europe" in response to the perceived threat from Russia, signaling a potential turning point in the bloc's approach to defense and security.

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Hong Kong private hospital patients left in dark on prices, watchdog finds

香港消费者委员会指出,私立医院在价格信息和收费机制方面缺乏透明度。 2021年至2024年间,消委会收到191宗关于私立医疗服务的投诉,其中87宗涉及价格纠纷。一个案例显示,一名膝盖手术患者最终账单比最初的估价高出9万港元。

有消费者投诉称,最初被告知膝盖手术费用约为12万港元,但在手术前,医院将价格修改为17万至21万港元,理由是估算错误。另一名患者的未公开手术,医生预估费用约为16万至17万港元,但最终账单高达23万港元。消委会发现,许多消费者依赖官网信息进行价格比较,但并非所有日间手术中心都公开价格,且信息往往不全面。

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JD.com nearly triples quarterly profit on back of revived consumer spending

JD.com saw its December-quarter profit nearly triple year-over-year, reaching 9.9 billion yuan (US$1.4 billion), driven by increased consumer spending in China. Revenue also increased significantly, reaching 347 billion yuan, a 13.4% increase from the previous year. The company's strong performance led to a surge in its stock prices, with Hong Kong-listed shares rising 8.42% and US pre-market trading up nearly 5%.

The company's CEO, Sandy Xu Ran, attributed the success to double-digit growth in both top-line revenue and bottom-line profit, as well as strong growth in product categories, active users, and shopping frequency. For the full year, JD.com reported a profit of 41.4 billion yuan, a substantial increase from 24.2 billion in 2023, with total revenue reaching 1.159 trillion yuan, up 6.8% from the previous year. Looking ahead, Xu expressed optimism for 2025, citing improving consumption sentiment and the company's strategic priorities.

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Cleantech, mineral security demand drive China miners’ overseas buying spree: MMG chair

中国矿业公司正在加速对海外关键矿产项目的投资,以支持电动汽车的普及和清洁能源的发展。在中国寻求在全球地缘政治紧张局势中确保更多矿产之际,此举旨在满足国内对电动汽车电池和可再生能源技术日益增长的需求。

这些投资包括五矿资源(MMG)收购英美资源集团在巴西的镍业务,以及赣锋锂业在马里启动锂辉石项目。尽管全球锂和镍供应过剩导致价格大幅下跌,中国企业仍在积极扩张,这反映了其对低碳技术和未来市场需求的长期信心。

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Navigating the Trump ‘chaos’, China’s economic priorities for 2025: SCMP daily highlights

随着美乌会谈破裂和加沙停火协议到期,全球不确定性加剧,分析人士认为,中国可能会抓住机会,在全球治理中发挥更大的作用。中国一直将自己定位为稳定力量,并可能利用特朗普政府带来的“混乱”局面,提升自身在全球事务中的影响力。

中国高层经济官员在“两会”期间的联合新闻发布会上,阐述了2025年的工作重点。此外,中国欧洲事务特别代表卢沙野表示,他对特朗普总统对待欧洲盟友的方式感到“震惊”,并补充说,乌克兰和平协议不应仅由美国和俄罗斯决定。

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China determined to ‘resolutely’ keep yuan stable amid US tariff pressure

China's top financial officials have pledged to maintain the stability of the yuan amidst escalating trade tensions with the United States. Pan Gongsheng, governor of the People's Bank of China (PBOC), stated that the country will "resolutely prevent exchange rate overshooting" to ensure the yuan remains stable at a reasonable level. This statement marks Beijing's first official response to accusations from US President Donald Trump that China and Japan are gaining unfair advantages through currency depreciation.

The yuan has been facing increasing pressure due to the strong US dollar and economic uncertainties stemming from Trump's decision to raise tariffs on Chinese goods. Trump has previously accused China of intentionally undervaluing its currency, even labeling Beijing a currency manipulator during his first term. Pan emphasized that China will uphold the market's decisive role in exchange rates while strengthening expectations management to maintain stability.

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Tesla sales slump in China as buyers turn to domestic rivals Xpeng, BYD, Xiaomi

特斯拉在中国的市场份额持续下降,2月份的销量大幅下降超过50%。数据显示,特斯拉上海工厂生产的Model 3和Model Y电动汽车上个月交付量为30,688辆,较1月份下降51.5%,较去年同期下降49.2%,这也是自2022年7月以来的最低交付量。

中国整体电动汽车市场在2月份也出现环比下滑,总交付量约为72万辆,环比下降3%。业内人士分析,中国本土电动汽车品牌凭借新车型和大幅折扣,对特斯拉构成了越来越大的竞争压力。例如,小鹏汽车交付量与上月基本持平,比亚迪的销量则持续增长,进一步挤压了特斯拉的市场空间。

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Chinese tech firms from Huawei to Inspur push ‘all-in-one’ DeepSeek AI servers

Dozens of Chinese tech manufacturers, including Lenovo, Huawei, and Inspur, are introducing new "all-in-one" servers pre-loaded with DeepSeek's advanced AI models. This initiative aims to democratize AI technology by making it more accessible to both private and public enterprises throughout China, enabling them to quickly deploy AI applications without extensive technical resources.

According to a report by China International Capital Corp (CICC), industries handling sensitive information, such as government, finance, public services, and healthcare, are expected to drive approximately 5% of the country's AI server demand. These sectors favor on-premise data centers for security reasons, making the DeepSeek-powered AI machines an attractive option. CICC projects that the domestic AI server market will reach 54 billion yuan (US$7.4 billion) in sales by 2025. The accessibility and security features are key factors in the rising popularity of these AI servers.

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