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South China Morning Post

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South Koreans sweat over US$779,000 air conditioning plan for prisons

South Korea’s Ministry of Justice on Tuesday sought to defuse criticism over a 1.2 billion won (US$779,162) plan to install air conditioning in prisons, clarifying the equipment will cool corridors, not inmates’ cells. The ministry framed the installation as a minimal measure to protect vulnerable inmates and correctional officers from extreme heat, while online critics condemned the taxpayer-funded project as an unfair convenience for criminals. The ministry said the equipment will be installed...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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Uzbeks welcome HK's 30-day visa-free proposal

Uzbeks in the capital of Tashkent voiced enthusiasm about the prospect of closer ties with Hong Kong on Thursday. Earlier, the SAR and Uzbek governments had agreed to begin detailed talks on a 30-day visa-free stay for travellers on both sides. Currently, HKSAR passport holders may visit Uzbekistan visa-free for 10 days, while Uzbek passport holders require a visa to enter Hong Kong. Uzbek citizens told RTHK that the proposed arrangement, revealed by Chief Executive John Lee on Wednesday night during his Central Asia visit, would significantly ease current travel restrictions and that the news could not come soon enough. "It’s a big opportunity for our nation, for our population, for our locals," said Jasur Abdumavlonov, an English teacher in Tashkent. "China is the fastest developing country. It develops very fast." Abdumavlonov, who described himself as eager to learn, said he hopes to visit Hong Kong within the next five years, drawn by curiosity about its food and people. He predicted the visa-free scheme would spark a two-way exchange of traditions and world views. "A lot of people will exchange their traditions, their point of view," he said. "They’re going to learn a lot about Asia, about Central Asia. And our people will learn a lot about Chinese [people]." For younger Uzbeks, Hong Kong’s pop culture has already built a powerful pull. Yasmin Kholmurodova said she has wanted to visit the city for a long time, inspired by its cinema, books and music. "That’s great news. I wish to come to Hong Kong for a very long time," she said. Kholmurodova said that the more visa-free destinations available to Uzbek travellers, the better. She also added that the proposed deal would foster prosperity through greater people-to-people contact. "Let’s be friendly, let’s visit each other’s countries, let’s be more global," she said. "I think it will definitely be more prosperous." Beyond tourism, business ties are already emerging. Khurshid Shomurotov said his brother travelled to Hong Kong just 10 days ago to meet potential partners. He said he now plans to visit Hong Kong himself in the future, adding that business discussions with partners in the city had gone well. The chief executive said the two governments would promptly advance the specific implementation measures to bring the arrangement into effect as soon as possible. Edited by Tony Sabine

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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Hong Kong, Uzbekistan move towards easing travel visa

The SAR government and Uzbekistan have agreed to begin detailed discussions on further relaxing travel arrangements, allowing travellers from both sides to stay visa-free for up to 30 days. Chief Executive John Lee who is leading a business delegation visiting Central Asia held a high-level meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Uzbekistan on Wednesday. Lee said on his social media page that they exchanged views on formalising the intent to advance the arrangement. Currently, HKSAR passport holders may visit Uzbekistan visa-free for 10 days, while Uzbek passport holders require a visa to enter Hong Kong. "The two governments will promptly advance the specific implementation measures to bring the arrangement into effect as soon as possible," Lee said. "I believe the implementation of visa-free arrangement will enhance exchanges between the two places, stimulate tourism, study and commercial cooperation and development, lay a solid foundation for long-term economic and trade relations for both sides, and assist Hong Kong in expanding into emerging markets in Central Asia," he added. Edited by Nazvi Careem

South China Morning Post

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Thai ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra granted royal pardon to mark queen’s birthday

Thailand’s former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has met the conditions for a royal pardon as part of clemency measure marking the queen’s birthday, the justice minister said on Wednesday. Thaksin, 76, served eight months of a one-year sentence for corruption and abuse of power before he was released on parole last month due to his age. The Department of Corrections said the ex-leader was required to wear an electronic monitoring device as a condition of his release. Justice Minister...

South China Morning Post

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경제

US proposes 25% tariff to punish Brazil over trade practices

The Trump administration has proposed a new punitive tariff of 25 per cent on many imports from Brazil, after deciding its practices were unfair on a range of issues from digital trade to illegal deforestation, top trade official Jamieson Greer said late on Monday. The measures, under the Section 301 trade statute, cover areas such as electronic payment services, preferential tariffs, intellectual property protection and ethanol market access as well, the Office of the United States Trade...

South China Morning Post

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사회

Bangladesh faces further measles risk due to lack of vaccinations, travel

The measles outbreak in Bangladesh is one of its deadliest health crises in decades, as experts warned that the lack of measures to increase vaccinations and enhance immunisation across the country could lead to a further spike in cases. There were over 60,000 suspected cases of measles, and nearly 600 people have died from the disease since mid-March, according to media reports. The outbreak has been particularly severe among malnourished children and communities with limited access to health...

South China Morning Post

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Why oil-hungry Asia ignores risks linked to Russia’s ‘dark fleet’

Asia’s fuel needs may take priority over the strategic risks of relying on oil from heavily sanctioned Russia, according to experts. Currently, there is little political appetite to treat the surge of Moscow’s crude flowing eastward through a “dark fleet” of tankers as a potential security issue. The US-Israeli war on Iran has caused the price of Brent crude – the benchmark measure – to spike to above US$100 since March, although talks with Washington have seen the price soften in recent days to...

South China Morning Post

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China’s investment-driven role in global growth is underestimated, study says

China’s contribution to global growth is underestimated while the yuan is positioned to emerge as a fundamentally strong global currency, according to a new study from a prominent Beijing-based think tank. Researchers from the China Finance 40 Forum (CF40) – comprising senior regulators and financial experts – said the country’s investment scale could be as much as 3.4 times that of the United States when measured by the volume of physical investment. The analysis, published in a note on Sunday,...

South China Morning Post

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Beijing demands measures to curb impact of Czech senate president’s Taiwan trip

Beijing has strongly condemned Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil’s visit to Taiwan this week, and demanded “immediate and effective” measures to curb the impact of his trip. Vystrcil, who is leading a delegation of some 40 representatives from Czech business, academic and cultural sectors, arrived in Taiwan on Monday morning. He is set to meet the island’s leader, William Lai Ching-te, and other high-level officials before leaving on Thursday. It marks Vystrcil’s second visit to the island...

Hong Kong Free Press

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NGO warns hot weather can worsen air quality, urges gov’t action on pollutants and cooling measures in hot districts

NGO Green Power has urged the Hong Kong government to better regulate ozone precursors as hot weather exacerbates air pollution across the city. Chemical compounds – such as nitrogen oxides, methane, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) and carbon monoxide – form ground-level ozone by reacting in the lower atmosphere in the presence of sunlight. Ground-level ozone […]

South China Morning Post

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Malaysia bars under-16s from social media as new rules come into force

Malaysia began enforcing age verification requirements for social media platforms on Monday, barring children under 16 from opening new accounts and requiring all existing users to confirm their identities using official government documents. The measures come into force under the Online Safety Act 2025 and are being implemented by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) through two complementary frameworks: the Child Protection Code, which obliges platform providers to...

South China Morning Post

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IT/기술

China launches AI framework to improve ‘black box’ transparency and raise standards

China has pledged to improve the accuracy, reliability and transparency of AI through a new national evaluation framework, as policymakers move to establish common standards for assessing the fast-evolving technology. New guidelines released by the central government said Beijing would create a common yardstick for AI, allowing models, computing power and data quality to be measured and compared under a unified national standard. The move comes as artificial intelligence plays an increasingly...

South China Morning Post

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Hong Kong to curb flavoured tobacco in next phase of controls: health chief

Hong Kong authorities will crack down on flavoured tobacco substances in the next phase of its enhanced smoking control measures, with the health minister describing such products as a “poisoned chalice” designed to hook younger people. Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau warned on Saturday that flavoured tobacco was mostly delivered through e-cigarettes, with additives containing menthol or sugar-coated toxins used to mask the bitterness and smell of tobacco and attract young consumers. “About 70...

South China Morning Post

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Professor disciplined after saying ‘8 in 10 Korean women’ engaged in prostitution

A professor at a private university in South Korea’s Daejeon has been disciplined and removed from all teaching duties after allegedly making sexually inappropriate remarks to students during class. According to the university on Friday, the school’s foundation recently finalised disciplinary measures against the professor, identified only by the surname B. The university said B has been barred from teaching classes, providing academic counselling and performing other student guidance duties....

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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'Controls on illicit tobacco products going smoothly'

Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau on Saturday said the government would enter a new phase in its crackdown on illicit cigarettes and vapes, as part of its tobacco control measures laid out after a public consultation was conducted in 2023. A series of short, medium, and long-term measures were planned following the consultation, Lo said, which included 10 tobacco control measures rolled out in the beginning of this year. From April 30, the possession or use of alternative smoking products, such as vapes, e-cigarettes or heated tobacco in public has been prohibited. Speaking to reporters after attending a radio programme, Lo said the measures so far had been effectively implemented, and the next step would be to focus on duty stamps and uniform packaging. "These will be fully implemented by the end of next year, and there are very important counter measures against illicit smoking products," he said. "After all these measures, we will start implementing possible measures against all additives in tobacco products — which in fact attracts the younger generation, as well as a lot of women, into nicotine addiction," he added. The minister said the administration would then look into other medium and long term goals, such as charging those smoking while walking. Hong Kong logged an "historic low" smoking prevalence rate at 8.5 percent in 2025, missing the original target set at 7.8 percent. Lo said the SAR's goal was set in accordance to the World Health Organisation's initiative in reducing 30 percent of the global smoking rate, but the organisation postponed the target by three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Edited by Tony Sabine

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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No management fees' impact seen in fire-safety move

Secretary for Security Chris Tang on Saturday said a proposal to hold property management firms responsible for fire-prevention measures would not have a major impact on the fees that they charge. His comments came as the government proposes, in the wake of the Wang Fuk Court inferno in November, amendments to the Fire Services Ordinance that are currently undergoing a one-month public consultation. Among the changes it is looking at is introducing a responsible persons' regime for the maintenance and inspection of fire services installation and equipment. Under the proposal, property management companies would have the statutory responsibility of arranging for fire alarm system inspections to be carried out at least once every six months and fire drills every year. Speaking on an RTHK radio programme, Tang said such a changeover would not incur high costs. “The cost of carrying out a test of the fire alarm is very low when compared with management fees. The cost is also very low for carrying out a fire drill," he said. "Our new requirement this time does not involve a commitment of new resources, so we believe it should not have a major impact on management fees.” He stressed that if firms are penalised due to violations of these fire-safety codes, they should not pass the cost on to homeowners. The government is also proposing that fire service installation contractors have to renew their licences every five years instead of, as under the existing regime, their registration being permanent. Tang said the move is necessary because the licences of contractors can currently be revoked only if they commit serious violations, making the existing benchmark very high. He also said the police have received 142 reports of suspected thefts so far at the Tai Po estate. “In 48 of the cases – almost 40 percent – we recovered the items immediately," Tang said. "In about 20 percent of the cases, the flats involved were severely damaged, so we and the homeowners believe the items might have been burnt. "In 30 percent of the cases, the residents could not say exactly what [the items] were, so it was hard to follow up. "But in 16 of the cases, we think it could not be determined whether [the items] were stolen or not." He added that officers are actively investigating the cases. Edited by Tony Sabine

Hong Kong Free Press

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정치

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth says US seeks ‘stable equilibrium’ with China in Asia

By Matthew Walsh and Martin Abbugao Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth struck a measured tone towards China at a major defence forum on Saturday, noting “rightful alarm” over Beijing’s military build-up but saying the United States sought a “stable equilibrium” in Asia. Hegseth’s headline speech at Singapore’s Shangri-La Dialogue, which brings together top defence officials and experts […]

South China Morning Post

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The era when Europe viewed China as a partner is over, Brussels insider warns

The European Union and China are entering a new, more turbulent era in trade relations, as China has evolved from Europe’s favoured customer into a sophisticated competitor, a Brussels lobbyist has said. Chinese businesses are likely to face tougher scrutiny in the EU market as a result, with Brussels already taking steps to diversify its trade and mulling more robust measures to shield local industry from Chinese competition, according to Michael Koplovsky, a senior adviser at the strategic...

South China Morning Post

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China’s top military officials face ‘ironclad’ rules in anti-corruption fight

China’s top military command has issued strict measures to enforce discipline among senior officials of the People’s Liberation Army, marking its latest bid to further tighten controls over the behaviour of the top brass. The Central Military Commission (CMC), led by President Xi Jinping as chairman, issued the “measures on strengthening the education, management and supervision of senior military cadres” recently, state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday. In a front-page commentary on...

South China Morning Post

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Europe plans tougher response to China Shock 2.0

The European Union’s executive arm is set to back a tougher line against Chinese imports at a key meeting on Friday as a flood of low-cost competition undermines local industries. Potential measures include requiring companies in key sectors to have at least three suppliers from two or more countries in a bid to pare reliance on China, the South China Morning Post reported. Industry commissioner Stephane Sejourne will back broader use of regulations designed to prevent foreign companies...

뉴스

타임라인 키워드

South Koreans sweat over US$779,000 air conditioning plan for prisons

Uzbeks welcome HK's 30-day visa-free proposal

Hong Kong, Uzbekistan move towards easing travel visa

Thai ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra granted royal pardon to mark queen’s birthday

US proposes 25% tariff to punish Brazil over trade practices

Bangladesh faces further measles risk due to lack of vaccinations, travel

Why oil-hungry Asia ignores risks linked to Russia’s ‘dark fleet’

China’s investment-driven role in global growth is underestimated, study says

Beijing demands measures to curb impact of Czech senate president’s Taiwan trip

NGO warns hot weather can worsen air quality, urges gov’t action on pollutants and cooling measures in hot districts

Malaysia bars under-16s from social media as new rules come into force

China launches AI framework to improve ‘black box’ transparency and raise standards

Hong Kong to curb flavoured tobacco in next phase of controls: health chief

Professor disciplined after saying ‘8 in 10 Korean women’ engaged in prostitution

'Controls on illicit tobacco products going smoothly'

No management fees' impact seen in fire-safety move

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth says US seeks ‘stable equilibrium’ with China in Asia

The era when Europe viewed China as a partner is over, Brussels insider warns

China’s top military officials face ‘ironclad’ rules in anti-corruption fight

Europe plans tougher response to China Shock 2.0