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South China Morning Post

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Hong Kong principal fired over Singapore row says he will seek legal advice

A Hong Kong school principal who was sacked after he swore at security guards during a student trip to Singapore has said he feels “shock and regret” over his immediate dismissal, saying he will seek legal advice on his employment rights. Lee Cheuk-hing, former principal of San Wui Commercial Society Secondary School in Tuen Mun, said in a statement on Friday that he had appointed legal representatives to review his dismissal after the school board rejected his resignation and terminated him...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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Airport chief welcomes direct flights to Central Asia

Airport Authority chairman Fred Lam on Sunday said Hong Kong's expansion into Central Asia would open up new passenger markets and provide an alternative route for cargo coming to and from Europe, with direct flights between the SAR and the city of Almaty in Kazakhstan set to launch in the first quarter of next year. Lam's comments on Commercial Radio came just days after Chief Executive John Lee wrapped up his visit to Central Asia during which he signed multiple agreements in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. He pointed out that 13 percent of Hong Kong's cargo flows to and from Europe currently pass through the Middle East, but the ongoing war against Iran and US tariffs have disrupted supply chains. Additional routes via Central Asia could strengthen Hong Kong's position as a key aviation hub linking Asia and Europe, he said. Lam also noted that Hong Kong International Airport handled 61 million passengers last year while traffic in the first four months of this year rose by 13 percent. He was confident the airport could reach 70 million passengers for the full year. Lam added the airport aimed to attract more travellers from the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and increase transit traffic while creating a "frictionless border" for GBA passengers. This, he said, could encourage transfer passengers to come back to Hong Kong as tourists. Lam also said operations at the newly reopened Terminal 2 have been smooth. "We commissioned the T2 departure facility last week and so far and it has processed 40,000 passengers with 300 flights. We're very happy with the whole process, it's turned out to be very smooth." "The process will complete by Wednesday this week. By then, every day we would have about 110 flights per day with around 20,000 passengers. "We'll continue to monitor that. We believe that this new facility would help to provide an even better service to our passengers," he said. Regarding the 11 Skies Mall development, Lam said it is scheduled for full completion in 2028. While discussions with the developer are ongoing, he said the project is part of the airport city's development blueprint and was confident in its long-term potential. Edited by Tony Sabine

Hong Kong Free Press

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Hong Kong’s LGBTQ community ponders future of Pride events after Pink Dot’s second cancellation

On a sprawling promenade in West Kowloon, a gay choir lit up the stage with a chorus of harmonies. Children listened attentively at a storytelling session led by a drag queen dressed in pink from top to bottom. Around them, dozens of tents representing LGBTQ-friendly NGOs promoted their services and ran mini games. These were […]

South China Morning Post

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US judge strikes down Trump policies targeting immigrants from 39 countries

President Donald ⁠Trump’s administration unlawfully barred applicants from ⁠39 travel-ban countries from receiving decisions on asylum, work permits, green cards and citizenship, a US federal judge ruled on Friday. Chief US District Judge John McConnell in Providence, Rhode Island, ruled that the US Citizenship and ‌Immigration Services had adopted a series of unlawful policies targeting people from 39 African, Asian, Latin American and Middle Eastern countries. His ruling came in a lawsuit...

South China Morning Post

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Hong Kong ideal platform for Uzbek firms to spread wings globally, John Lee says

Hong Kong serves as an ideal platform to help Uzbek enterprises expand through its world-class professional services and international business environment, the city’s leader has told the Central Asian country’s prime minister as he wrapped up a five-day regional tour. Sources said Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Friday also invited Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov to be a keynote speaker at the coming Belt and Road Summit to be held in Hong Kong in September. It was understood that during a...

South China Morning Post

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Most Asia-Pacific firms use AI for tasks without cutting jobs: survey

While a wave of job cuts across Asia’s finance and other industries due to wider use of artificial intelligence has spurred concerns, a new study shows that the technology’s net impact on employment is not as clear-cut. Recruiters and industry observers say many companies are adding AI-related roles without having to lay off workers. A study by professional services firm Aon released on Wednesday shows that 74 per cent of 504 companies surveyed across industries in the Asia-Pacific region have...

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

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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TIA to work with Shenzhen to combat coercive shopping

The Travel Industry Authority (TIA) said it had exchanged views with relevant officials from Shenzhen to ramp up supervision on industry misconduct such as tours that involve coercive shopping. In a statement released on Friday, the authority noted its chairperson, Kevin Lam, led a team last month to meet with Ding Zhongyuan, deputy director-general of the Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Culture, Sports, Tourism, Radio & Television on May 18. The team also met with representatives from Shenzhen's tourism, cybersecurity, market supervision and enforcement departments, as well as travel associations and certain key online platforms. Together, they discussed how to strengthen collaboration to combat illegal tours as well as tours that involve coercive shopping. Speaking at their meeting, Lam noted Hong Kong has been cracking down on unlicensed tour activities, citing a recent case in which authorities arrested a mainland worker for the offence of breaching conditions of stay and offering hiking tour guide services at High Island Reservoir in early May. The man was later convicted and sentenced to six weeks in prison, according to the TIA. Meanwhile, the two sides also touched on issues in which mainland visitors were forced to buy items while on their packaged tours in the SAR. Authorities revoked a tour guide's licence in one case, following an investigation in April. The revocation took effect today. The TIA reiterated that it has "zero tolerance over actions that damage the reputation of Hong Kong's tourism industry", adding it would work with its peers in Shenzhen to enhance education and publicity. It also called on tourists to check if their travel agencies have obtained proper legal certificates before joining their tour groups. Edited by Tony Sabine

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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Govt will not implement HK$2 scheme journey cap

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun said on Friday that the government will not implement a cap on the number of trips under the HK$2 transport subsidy scheme, citing the travel needs of people with disabilities. Starting from April 3, people aged 60 and above, as well as those with disabilities, pay a flat HK$2 fare for trips costing HK$10 or less. For more expensive journeys, they pay 20 percent of the fare. The government had planned to cap subsidised trips at 240 per person each month. On the Labour and Welfare Bureau Facebook page, Sun said some people with disabilities had voiced concern about the proposed cap because they need to transfer more often than other residents in order to reach the same destination. He said the latest figures show that on average, only about 450 people make more than 240 trips per month – a tiny number among the 2.7 million users of the transport subsidy. However about a fifth of those 450 people are people with disabilities. He said this proves that some disabled people do need more trips. "If we go ahead with the trip cap, it will inevitably affect some people with disabilities – including their need to see a doctor, attend rehabilitation services, go to work, and other daily necessities," he wrote. He added the cap could cause worry among some commuters – especially the elderly – about going over the limit, and would create unnecessary stress. Sun also said a cap would not be cost-effective, as limiting the subsidised trips would save only a few hundred thousand dollars, but updating the subsidy system to accommodate a limit would cost an estimated HK$30 million. He concluded that the government decided not to go ahead with the cap – hoping everyone can travel happily and integrate into society. Edited by Thomas McAlinden

Hong Kong Free Press

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Chinese spies pose as recruiters to glean state secrets, Five Eyes alliance warns

Chinese spies are posing as job recruiters to trick staff in western governments into disclosing sensitive information, the Five Eyes alliance of security agencies has warned. China’s military intelligence services advertise false jobs such as foreign policy or defence analysts on platforms including LinkedIn, the spy agencies of Britain, the United States, Australia, Canada and […]

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

South China Morning Post

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Trump Jnr tells investors he would avoid investing in China

US President Donald Trump’s eldest son warned against investing in China during an event for investors on Thursday in Zurich, even as his father’s administration has pushed forward on plans to improve commercial ties between the two countries. “I wouldn’t,” Donald Trump Jnr said when asked at the invitation-only event if he would invest in China. “I don’t think we can pretend they’re an ally. That would be, I think, foolish.” Trump Jnr, who shares the position of executive vice-president of the...

South China Morning Post

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Public Management Programme Puts Humans at the Centre of the AI Revolution

[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes economies, labour markets and public services, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is making a clear bet: the defining skill for tomorrow’s public leaders will not be coding, but judgment. At the helm of its Master of Public Management (MPM) programme is Programme Director Prof. Donald Low, who argues that leadership in the AI age demands more than technical...

South China Morning Post

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Small plane crash in Croatia leaves 4 dead, 2 missing

Four people were killed on Thursday in a plane crash on Croatia’s northern Adriatic coast, police said. “According to currently available information four people have died” in the crash of the plane in Medulin, on Croatia’s northwestern Istria peninsula, a police statement said. The accident occurred in the Campanoz area, outside the town, and “all emergency services are on the scene”, it added. The national firefighting association said it had received a report of the crash near the Medulin...

South China Morning Post

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How the AI chip boom has made South Korea a victim of its own success

For a sign of how the fierce demand for memory chips triggered by the boom in artificial intelligence (AI) is benefiting technology-driven economies, look no further than South Korea. Last month, exports from Asia’s fourth-largest economy grew at a blistering rate of 53 per cent in annualised terms, the fastest pace since 1984. Shipments of semiconductors, which are used to store and funnel the huge amounts of data for AI services, increased nearly 170 per cent to a record monthly high of...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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Three arrested for suspected illicit fuel activity

Police arrested three people on Wednesday on suspicion of being involved in illicit fuel activity in Kwai Tsing District. Police seized about 1,600 litres of gasoline, with a suspected market value of HK$50,000, at a suspected illicit fuel station near Kwai Tai Road. At a press briefing on Thursday, officers said two arrestees were loading fuel into a private vehicle when police carried out their raid, while the third arrestee allegedly helped with operations at the facility. One reportedly entered Hong Kong on a two-way exit permit and police suspect that this person violated their conditions of stay. Chief Inspector Koo Man-kai called on residents not to use illicit fuel. "According to the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, both buying and selling illicit fuel is a serious crime. Offenders are subject to two-years imprisonment and a HK$1 million fine upon conviction, and the vehicle involved will be confiscated," he said. The operation unfolded after a fire broke out on Tuesday night due to suspected illicit fuel activity at an industrial building in the district. The Fire Services Department received reports of the blaze at around 10.30pm, and deployed two hoses and two breathing apparatus teams to handle the incident at Kwai Tak Industrial Centre. It said the fire started from an oil tank which spread to a light goods vehicle as well as the building's exterior walls. Firefighters carried out an investigation afterwards and believed the site was used as an illicit fuel station after finding traces of flammable materials, burnt marks, and reviewing surveillance camera footage. The department said it is actively pushing for relevant legislative amendments, which includes higher penalties, expanding the legal liability to include buyers of fuel, and strengthening enforcement powers. Public consultation regarding the suggestions will continue until June 25. Edited by Tony Sabine

South China Morning Post

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Direct flights between Hong Kong and Uzbekistan to launch this year, sources say

A direct flight between Hong Kong and Uzbekistan will be launched this year, the South China Morning Post has learned, in another move to strengthen ties between Central Asia and the city. The new route follows closely on the heels of Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific’s plan to launch a service to Almaty in Kazakhstan in the first quarter of next year, one of the outcomes of Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s official visit to the region. Multiple sources told the SCMP on Thursday that an...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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All civil servants should get 4.12 percent rise: union

All of Hong Kong's more than 170,000 civil servants should get a pay rise of 4.12 percent this year, a union representative said on Thursday. A survey of private sector salary increases recently pointed to such a rise for senior government workers, with its figure for middle-ranking staff coming in at 2.64 percent and that for more junior employees at 1.17 percent. But Tsoi Koon-lung, president of the Hong Kong Chinese Civil Servants’ Association, said an across the board pay rise would avoid widening the salary gap between different ranks. “We can see that the salary difference between senior and junior staff has already reached more than HK$100,000,” Tsoi told reporters following a meeting with Civil Service Secretary Ingrid Yeung. “Giving everyone the same percentage increase would ensure that the pay gap between senior and junior civil servants would not be significantly impacted.” Tsoi also described the civil service as "outstanding", saying this is demonstrated by government efficiency in the SAR consistently ranking in the top three in the World Competitiveness Yearbook published by the International Institute for Management Development. He said Yeung will pass the association's suggestion to Chief Executive John Lee and the Executive Council. When setting salary levels, the government also considers its fiscal position, the state of the economy, cost-of-living changes, staff pay claims and civil service morale. Last year, the government froze salaries. Edited by Thomas McAlinden

South China Morning Post

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US and ‘Five Eyes’ allies warn of LinkedIn China spying threat

The US and its “Five Eyes” intelligence partners issued what they said was an unprecedented joint notice warning about attempts by Chinese spies to use websites such as LinkedIn to recruit assets. “China’s military intelligence services are using an increasingly wide array of professional networking sites and online job platforms to target Five Eyes government and military personnel – and anyone with access to classified or privileged information,” according to a joint statement by the FBI,...

South China Morning Post

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Trump says Vance and Rubio teaming up for 2028 run would be unbeatable

US President ⁠Donald Trump said ⁠in a podcast interview aired on Wednesday that Vice-President J.D. Vance and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, teaming up for a 2028 presidential run, would be ‌unbeatable. Both men are seen as contenders for the 2028 Republican nomination, and Rubio’s recent turn at the White House podium drew praise from Republicans and even some Democrats who noted his smooth performance, which included quips and ⁠a 1990s hip-hop reference to describe Iran’s negotiating...

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Hong Kong principal fired over Singapore row says he will seek legal advice

Airport chief welcomes direct flights to Central Asia

Hong Kong’s LGBTQ community ponders future of Pride events after Pink Dot’s second cancellation

US judge strikes down Trump policies targeting immigrants from 39 countries

Hong Kong ideal platform for Uzbek firms to spread wings globally, John Lee says

Most Asia-Pacific firms use AI for tasks without cutting jobs: survey

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

TIA to work with Shenzhen to combat coercive shopping

Govt will not implement HK$2 scheme journey cap

Chinese spies pose as recruiters to glean state secrets, Five Eyes alliance warns

'Incentives needed to boost tourism to Central Asia'

Trump Jnr tells investors he would avoid investing in China

Public Management Programme Puts Humans at the Centre of the AI Revolution

Small plane crash in Croatia leaves 4 dead, 2 missing

How the AI chip boom has made South Korea a victim of its own success

Three arrested for suspected illicit fuel activity

Direct flights between Hong Kong and Uzbekistan to launch this year, sources say

All civil servants should get 4.12 percent rise: union

US and ‘Five Eyes’ allies warn of LinkedIn China spying threat

Trump says Vance and Rubio teaming up for 2028 run would be unbeatable