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South China Morning Post

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Israeli troops kill 7-month-old Palestinian baby in West Bank car shooting

Israeli troops killed a seven-month-old Palestinian baby boy after firing at his parents’ vehicle in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said. Sam Fahd Abu Haikal was killed on Friday evening, and his parents were wounded while driving in the Tel Rumeida area south of Hebron City, according to the ministry. The official Palestinian news agency WAFA said the infant was critically wounded after being struck in the jaw by the same bullet that injured his mother. He later died of...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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Sun says HK$2 trip curbs having the desired effect

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun said on Saturday that fewer people are opting to take long-route buses for short trips following revisions to the HK$2 transport subsidy scheme. Since April 3, those aged 60 and above and the disabled have been paying 20 percent of fares for trips costing more than HK$10 and a flat HK$2 fare for those costing less than that. Sun said the amount paid out in subsidies in April was HK$69 million less than that for March – the final month before the measures took effect. He also pointed out that April had fewer days than March and more public holidays. "If we look at the average subsidy for each trip, particularly rides costing more than 10 dollars, we can see that for each trip in March, it was HK$4.90. In April, the average was HK$4.50, meaning the amount that the government subsidised had become less," he said. "This also means that the number of people taking longer-route bus trips under the HK$2 transport subsidy scheme has fallen slightly." On another issue, Sun said social workers had, in the morning, met a couple who had been arrested on suspicion of child neglect involving their baby, Danny, to better understand their situation and keep them up to date on the latest developments concerning the one-and-a-half-month-old boy. The infant, who has been placed in a shelter under professional care, is in very good condition, he said. Sun noted that a court is processing a protection order for the baby which the Social Welfare Department is seeking. “For the next step, we have to wait for the court to approve an official protection order. "At the same time we have launched a multi-disciplinary system to assess Danny's condition, to understand the family situation,” he said. “After the multi-disciplinary group has carried out an assessment, we will propose to the court our next move.” Sun added that social workers would work out arrangements to accompany the parents on visits to baby Danny. Edited by Azam Khan

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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Public urged to get jabs as flu cases spike

An expert on infectious diseases called on the public on Saturday to get vaccinated against influenza before the current batch of available jabs expires at the end of this month, as cases are on the rise. A recent serious case involved a 17-year-old who was left in a critical condition yesterday after developing complications, including severe pneumonia and shock from catching influenza B. He was not inoculated against the flu. Speaking on a Commercial Radio programme, Professor Ivan Hung, head of the infectious diseases division at the University of Hong Kong and an honorary consultant at Queen Mary Hospital , said the hospital has also logged more flu cases among children and the elderly. “Right now we're seeing a rise in the number of cases in both flu A, which is [subtype] H3, and also flu B, with quite a number of older adults being admitted to hospitals with severe flu cases, and also for children as well. Recently, we have had a 17-year-old with a severe flu B infection,” he said after the show. “But whether it's peaking – it's not yet the so-called summer peak – I think we really have to wait for a few more weeks to see how the trend plays out. "I do recommend anyone who has not been vaccinated to get vaccinated before the end of June because the vaccine is going to expire by the end of June.” Hung urged the elderly, particularly those with chronic diseases, to wear masks in crowded places and use hand sanitisers. People do not have to be too worried over Covid-19, he said, adding that it has become endemic in the city. “I think the coronavirus itself is relatively benign. If you look at the variant, the latest is NB.1.8.1, it’s actually quite close to the LP.8.1, which is the vaccine candidate," Hung said. "Basically, I think it’s not a major concern in terms of coronavirus. “Overall, we have very, very few severe cases being hospitalised. For the last year or so, we didn’t really have a surge in Covid cases. In general, it’s very mild, even for the older adults.” However, those who are immunodeficient and suffer from chronic illnesses should get vaccinated regularly, Hung said, urging those who have not been inoculated against flu to take the jab without delay, as vaccines won’t be available for a short period until the next batch arrives in the fourth quarter. Edited by Robert Kemp

South China Morning Post

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Hong Kong baby Danny’s future remains unclear despite birth registration progress

Baby Danny’s future remains uncertain despite having almost completed his birth registration in Hong Kong, as welfare authorities still had to assess the capability of his parents, who were earlier arrested for suspected child neglect and have a troubled parental history. Danny’s welfare sparked public concern over the past week after Tsang Wai-bong and Kwan Pui-sin, who initially declined a DNA test for their home-born son’s birth registration on religious and privacy grounds. They only made a...

South China Morning Post

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Does Pete Hegseth’s volte-face on China reflect an America in decline?

Listening to US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth at the recently concluded Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, I thought of the iconic Sichuan opera act of face-changing, where performers switch masks in an instant. Last year, Hegseth’s speech at the event was filled with blatant attacks on China. This year, he put on a completely different face, declaring that: “Under President Trump’s leadership, relations between the United States and China are better than they’ve been in many years.” Why this...

South China Morning Post

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Don’t dream it’s over: mainland students rethink Hong Kong over costs, culture

Weeks before mainland Chinese student Carol Chen graduated from Baptist University in Hong Kong in July, the 22-year-old did the math and weighed the cost of living in the city against returning home. Renting a room in the city would consume around half of the HK$20,000 (US$2,552) starting salary she expected as a junior data analyst. “If I go back to Shanghai, I will only need to worry about daily expenses,” said Chen, a maths and statistics graduate. Language barriers compounded the problem....

South China Morning Post

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Hong Kong parents of undocumented baby Danny confident of regaining custody

The Hong Kong parents of undocumented baby Danny have expressed confidence that they can obtain legal guardianship of their son, who is now in a care home, as immigration authorities could process his birth certificate as early as Saturday. The unmarried couple also said they saw a “glimmer of hope” in resolving the custody case of their four-year-old daughter Lily, whom Swedish authorities have taken into care over child welfare concerns. “We believe the social workers will handle the matter in...

South China Morning Post

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Putin says no reason to meet Ukraine’s Zelensky, calls his letter ‘rude’

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday he currently saw no reason to meet Volodymyr Zelensky after the Ukrainian president published an open letter proposing they hold face-to-face talks to agree an end to a war now in its fifth year. In his letter, which was sent to other countries, including the US, Zelensky said most Russians ‌had grown tired of Ukrainian missile and drone attacks, high inflation and fuel shortages, and were ready for peace. He also suggested that continuing the war...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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'Uzbekistan becoming a big draw for visitors'

The Central Asian nation of Uzbekistan is a hidden gem that is fast being discovered by a new generation of international travellers, including those from China. At the Center for Islamic Civilization, a popular tourist attraction in the capital Tashkent, a cross-section of tourists told RTHK that the country is becoming increasingly accessible and a must-visit destination. A traveller from Shaanxi province in China, surnamed Wang, said he was attracted by a blend of post-Soviet history and Islamic architecture. "I just want to experience the fourth largest republic of the former Soviet Union. Just to see how they've developed since breaking away from the Soviet Union, and to see what changes have taken place in the city's appearance," he said. "So I came to stroll around and take a look, just to experience the different culture of another country." Wang noted that travel has become significantly easier. "It’s visa-free for 30 days," he explained, having arrived via Almaty, Kazakhstan. Wang also noted that more Chinese people have been visiting Uzbekistan in the past few years. That sense of discovery is echoed by European visitors. "We didn’t know anyone else who has been here, so it was really exciting to come somewhere completely different and experience a completely different culture," said William Norton, a tourist from Scotland. But he also met some challenges. "Language is the main one – we don’t speak Uzbek or Russian, which would help a lot. "Apart from that, obviously the lack of public transport as well has been a little bit of a problem in Tashkent. The metro is easier, however, in other places in Uzbekistan like Samarkand." Yet, for Norton, those very challenges are part of the charm. "You go to other places in Europe that are equally as beautiful if not less beautiful and they are absolutely rammed with people, so it's nice that it's a little bit quieter here." His travel companion, Christian Cannarella, agreed, saying their friends back in Scotland were surprised by their travel plans. He said people in Uzbekistan have been very welcoming and visiting the landmarks is an "incredible" experience. For travellers from other Islamic nations, the attraction lies in the shared cultural heritage. Ammar Nizamani, visiting from Pakistan, said he wanted to find out what they have in common in faith and history. He said he tries to visit different countries whenever he has the chance. Edited by Robert Kemp

South China Morning Post

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Chinese researchers claim breakthrough in training household robots with AI-generated homes

A team of Chinese researchers has claimed a breakthrough in training robots in real-world home environments, tackling a long-standing data bottleneck in the field and potentially accelerating the adoption of robots at home. Kairos-HomeWorld was the world’s first unified framework capable of generating coherent, accurate and simulation-ready home environments using simple text prompts, according to researchers from Ace Robotics, a start-up backed by Hong Kong-listed artificial intelligence...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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Tech MoUs highlight last day of CE's Central Asia trip

Chief Executive John Lee announced a series of innovation and technology agreements with Uzbekistan, following a visit to the Central Asian nation’s flagship IT hub on Friday. Writing on his social media, Lee detailed the delegation’s visit to Uzbekistan IT Park, a national special economic zone in Tashkent, where they met with Ayubkhon Sultanov, Uzbekistan’s First Deputy Minister of Digital Technologies. He said the IT Park serves as a core engine for Uzbekistan’s digital economic transformation, offering tax incentives and rental concessions and facilitating visa arrangements to attract tech enterprises and talent. The park, he said, is central to implementing the “Digital Uzbekistan 2030 Strategy” and the country’s national AI Strategy. The CE noted that while Uzbekistan is accelerating its economic transformation and I&T development, Hong Kong — as an international financial centre — is actively building itself into a global innovation hub. “Leveraging its world-class financing platform, professional services and unique bridging role connecting the mainland and international markets, Hong Kong is highly complementary to Uzbekistan’s development,” the CE wrote. Both places, he added, are important partners within the Belt and Road Initiative and can strengthen exchanges of development experience. Lee said senior executives from the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), Cyberport and the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park (HSITP) signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with IT Park during the visit. The agreements aim to establish platforms for startup incubation, acceleration programmes and cross-border market access. Under the deals, Uzbekistan’s I&T companies would gain a strategic gateway into the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and global markets, while Hong Kong enterprises would be able to tap into Uzbekistan’s young IT talent pool for software development and innovative collaborations. “Going forward, we can further synergise the innovation and technology ecosystems of both sides, explore collaborative projects and achieve complementary advantages and win-win partnerships,” the CE said. Lee concludes his Central Asia trip on Friday. Edited by Tony Sabine

South China Morning Post

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Tencent’s chief AI scientist dismisses lag concerns, says race a ‘long-term game’

Yao Shunyu, the former OpenAI researcher now leading Tencent Holdings’ artificial intelligence model development, pushed back against concerns that the tech giant is slow in AI, arguing that the race is just beginning with massive untapped opportunities in coding agents and embodied intelligence. “AI is a long-term game, with the second half of the race just starting,” said Yao, chief AI scientist at Tencent, comparing the current state to the development of personal computers in the 1970s. Yao...

South China Morning Post

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‘Another empty promise’: Quad’s proposed Fiji port project raises doubts

A proposal by Quad to build a port in Fiji, seen by analysts as a move to counter China’s rising economic clout in the Pacific region, has fuelled doubts about whether the four-member security bloc is committed to completing the project amid different policy priorities. At a meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, in New Delhi last week, the foreign ministers of Australia, India, Japan and the United States – Penny Wong, S. Jaishankar, Toshimitsu Motegi and US Secretary of State...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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Roberto Losada to lead HK, China football squad

Spaniard Roberto Losada has officially been appointed as the new head coach of the SAR football team, the Football Association of Hong Kong, China (HKFA) announced on Friday. The 49-year-old took charge of the SAR squad as interim boss in December, following the departure of former head coach Ashley Westwood. Over the past six months, Losada led the team through their final AFC Asian Cup qualifying match against India, as well as the annual Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup. Losada's official appointment comes as the SAR squad take on Mongolia in a friendly at Hong Kong Stadium on Friday. HKFA’s chairman Eric Fok said the association had high hopes for Losada. “We hope the new head coach will bring a clear direction to the team, including establishing a clear style of play, strengthening tactical organisation and improving in-game stability and discipline. We also hope that under the coach's guidance, team cohesion will be strengthened and our players will achieve a higher level of performance,” he said. Losada, who has lived in Hong Kong for 16 years and won three Coach of the Year awards while managing local Premier League club Eastern, said he would give more chances to local young players. “We are going to try to make our squad a little bit more dynamic, a little bit more young. We are not going to have too many naturalised players in the coming three, four years coming in for the squad, so we have to start to trust our young boys,” he said. “Our players that have been working hard to get into the squad, and they deserve the chance. We're going to do it a little bit steady and smooth, try to put some young boys coming up, integrate them in the team with the seniors that we have, and try in a couple of years to have a very competitive squad." A former professional player himself, Losada scored 27 goals in 113 appearances in Spain’s La Liga and won a Hong Kong Footballer of the Year award while playing with local Premier League club Kitchee. Meanwhile, the HKFA also announced that Hong Kong is set to host Division 2 of the inaugural Fifa Asean Cup across the months of September and October. The new tournament features a two-tier format, with Indonesia hosting the top-flight Division 1, and Hong Kong staging the second division, which will see six participating teams. Fok pointed out that the event would be the first time Hong Kong hosted a Fifa-sanctioned international football tournament, saying this is of great significance to football development in the SAR. “They are not just ordinary international friendly matches as the teams will need to compete continuously in a short period of time, facing different opponents under pressure and goals to achieve,” he said. Fok added that since the event is scheduled during the Fifa International Match Calendar, he believes the participating teams would send more complete lineups, further raising the level of competition. Edited by Tony Sabine

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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Reservation system considered for countryside sites

The government is planning to introduce a reservation system for the Po Pin Chau section of the High Island Reservoir East Dam in Sai Kung to better manage visitor flows and protect hiking trails from excessive wear and tear, according to a paper submitted to the Legislative Council. This came as the number of visitors at the Po Pin Chau section reached capacity during previous Golden Week holidays. Authorities said the proposal would also help improve visitor experience by spreading arrivals across different time slots. "Given that hiking trails in other country parks currently do not require reservation, the government will consider piloting the system at the Po Pin Chau section, collecting data for evaluating the effectiveness," it stated. On marine conservation, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department has proposed designating the coral areas on both the eastern and western sides of Sharp Island, including the tombolo, as a marine park covering an area of approximately 63 hectares. The department has already launched a public consultation and aims to complete the statutory designation process by mid-2027. The paper also outlined the government's broader eco-tourism push, including the "Four Peaks" tourism project featuring The Peak, Lantau Peak, Tai Mo Shan and Sai Kung Hoi. It said the department would launch a thematic website, promotional videos and other publicity materials in the second half of 2026. "While promoting the 'Four Peaks' tourism, the AFCD will continue to enhance promotion of hiking safety and outdoor etiquette and codes, reminding visitors to protect the natural environment," it stated. Edited by Tony Sabine

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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EPD aims to enhance environmental awareness

The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) on Friday said it was aiming to create a culture in which green living has become a way of life throughout the city. Principal environmental protection officer Jackie Ng said the department's current campaign aimed to make environmental protection accessible, convenient, and meaningful. The remarks came as the EPD this week launched a publicity campaign called "Beautiful Hong Kong Green Fest", to celebrate World Environment Day, which falls on June 5, and the department's 40th anniversary. Speaking on RTHK's Backchat programme, Ng said this week's environmental activities could foster a deeper emotional connection in which hands-on involvement becomes part of people's routines. "It [hands-on involvement] helps make the experience more engaging and memorable for everyone, transforming environmental protection from some abstract concepts into personal experience and action," Ng said. To strengthen environmental education for young people, Ng said the department has partnered with Ocean Park to deliver both on‑site and in‑school activities, where they can learn more about how to protect the environment and natural conservation. "The programme combines not only fun activities and also educational materials, making the concept more accessible and memorable, and these activities also provide them some opportunities to do some self-direct learning and exploration," he said. Edited by Tony Sabine

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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Competition Commission hoping to stamp out bid-rigging

Newly appointed Competition Commission chairman Jat Sew-tong on Friday said the body hopes to come up with proposed amendments to the Competition Ordinance regarding bid-rigging within this legislative year. This comes after bid-rigging over a building maintenance project was suspected to have taken place at the Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Tai Po where a massive blaze last year claimed 168 lives. Jat, who took office in May, said the commission is considering different ways to improve the law, such as through introducing criminal liability or increasing civil penalties. “We are looking at all possibilities to see how we could make the ordinance effective and have a sufficient deterrent effect to this kind of behaviour and we hope we could achieve a situation where this kind of behaviour would no longer continue,” he said. The barrister noted that the government has already included a "non-collusion" clause in large-scale renovation project tenders as a way to prevent bid-rigging. “I understand that the government may consider making a requirement that in tenders of that kind, the non-collusion clause will be in the form of a statutory declaration,” he said. “Whoever puts in the tender will have to make a statutory declaration that they are doing it independently, without collusion with any other party. Therefore, making that statutory declaration would by itself attract criminal liability if it is a false declaration.” Jat also said that from July, members of the public will be allowed to attend part of the commission's meetings, as a way to enhance transparency. He said the body is open to suggestions as to how it can carry out its work better. Edited by Thomas McAlinden

South China Morning Post

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Auditors shine light on UK royal housing, disgraced Andrew’s ‘peppercorn rent’

King Charles’ disgraced younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor held leases for 10 properties, three of which he sublet, while the monarch ⁠pays rent for the former prince’s daughters’ palace ⁠homes, a report by the UK’s spending watchdog said. In the most ⁠detailed review ever of royal property arrangements, the National Audit Office (NAO) report on Friday showed some leases were based on commercial valuations, while for others, senior figures paid no rent or negligible amounts for their...

South China Morning Post

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Nose down: Lufthansa investigating Boeing 787 landing gear collapse in Frankfurt

German airline Lufthansa said several employees were injured on Thursday after the nose gear of a Boeing jet collapsed while the aircraft was parked at a gate at Frankfurt Airport. Only crew members and ground staff were on board the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner when the front tip of the plane crashed to the ground ahead of passenger boarding for a scheduled flight to Los Angeles. The flight was later cancelled. “Several employees were injured and are currently receiving medical attention,” Lufthansa...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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'Incentives needed to boost tourism to Central Asia'

Direct flights and longer visa-free access for travellers will help unleash the potential of tourism across Central Asia, industry representatives said as Chief Executive John Lee concludes his visit to the landlocked region on Friday. SAR passport holders can travel to both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan visa-free, but the length of stay per visit is "borderline", according to Sunny Yip, director of Hong Kong travel agency Goldjoy Travel. Currently, Hong Kong permanent residents can stay in Kazakhstan up to 14 days each time, and 10 days in Uzbekistan. "These countries have a great deal of historical sites. From one site to another takes half a day or more by road," Yip said in an interview with RTHK. "If the countries could consider having 30 days visa-free, which is quite common for Hong Kong travellers to other countries, it would be very advantageous." But he said the real game-changer would be the introduction of direct flights. Hong Kong has never had direct air services to Uzbekistan, while Air Astana, Kazakhstan's flag carrier, used to operate flights between the SAR and Almaty before Covid. Lee on Tuesday announced that a Hong Kong carrier will start operating services to Almaty from the first quarter of 2027, with more details to follow. Sardor Nuritdinov, general director of Marco Polo Central Asia Travel in Uzbekistan, explained the importance of direct flights. "Most number of people travelling to Uzbekistan [from Hong Kong], they are 65-plus-year-old elderly people. For them, the biggest issue for them is the flight time and extra hassle in getting to the destination," he said. "If there is a direct flight ... it will at least increase the number of travellers to Uzbekistan in the first year already at least 10 times than what is right now." Yip said Hong Kong businesses can also actively participate in the development of tourism-related industries in Central Asia. "I would expect our chief executive to encourage more Hong Kong investment into hotel sectors," he said. "The airports are relatively basic. Development will be important to increase capacity." Nuritdinov agreed, noting that while Tashkent has no shortage of five-star hotels, cities like Samarkand and Bukhara lack premium accommodation. "Travellers from Hong Kong, they prefer more comfort compared to what can be offered in Uzbekistan at the moment in terms of accommodation," he said. With China emerging as a major market, Nuritdinov said Putonghua-speaking local guides remain scarce. "The local universities are also starting to think we need to add Chinese language as a course to the classes in the university," he said. "But I think it's a long way ahead. I'm thinking like five, 10 years ahead." Despite these challenges, both Nuritdinov and Yip see enormous potential in the region's tourism industry. Instability in the Middle East, they say, could also drive tourists to Central Asia. Nuritdinov recommended immersive experiences beyond historical sites, be it cooking Kazakhstan's national dish plov with a local family, silk embroidery workshops or dance lessons. Edited by Raymond Yeung

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Israeli troops kill 7-month-old Palestinian baby in West Bank car shooting

Sun says HK$2 trip curbs having the desired effect

Public urged to get jabs as flu cases spike

Hong Kong baby Danny’s future remains unclear despite birth registration progress

Does Pete Hegseth’s volte-face on China reflect an America in decline?

Don’t dream it’s over: mainland students rethink Hong Kong over costs, culture

Hong Kong parents of undocumented baby Danny confident of regaining custody

Putin says no reason to meet Ukraine’s Zelensky, calls his letter ‘rude’

'Uzbekistan becoming a big draw for visitors'

Chinese researchers claim breakthrough in training household robots with AI-generated homes

Tech MoUs highlight last day of CE's Central Asia trip

Tencent’s chief AI scientist dismisses lag concerns, says race a ‘long-term game’

‘Another empty promise’: Quad’s proposed Fiji port project raises doubts

Roberto Losada to lead HK, China football squad

Reservation system considered for countryside sites

EPD aims to enhance environmental awareness

Competition Commission hoping to stamp out bid-rigging

Auditors shine light on UK royal housing, disgraced Andrew’s ‘peppercorn rent’

Nose down: Lufthansa investigating Boeing 787 landing gear collapse in Frankfurt

'Incentives needed to boost tourism to Central Asia'