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South China Morning Post

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India hotel fire kills at least 21

At least 21 people were killed when a fire ripped through a hotel in New Delhi on Wednesday, police said, in one of the deadliest blazes in the Indian capital in recent years. Building fires are common in India due to a lack of firefighting equipment and routine disregard for safety regulations. The fire broke out in the morning at Flourish Stay, a bed-and-breakfast in a congested neighbourhood in the south of the city, Delhi Police said in a statement. “It is with profound sorrow that 21...

South China Morning Post

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How ‘strategic ambiguity’ made Turkey a winner in the Iran war

Since the Iran war began in late February, Turkey has positioned itself as a key regional power, an economic bridge and a neutral mediator, condemning both the US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Iran’s retaliatory attacks on Gulf nations. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated his country’s support for peace talks in separate phone calls with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif last week. The week before, in a call with US President Donald...

Hong Kong Free Press

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‘Totally hooked’: Hong Kong takes aim at claw machine addiction

By William Patterson Claw machine lover Neiki Lee carefully lowers the metal jaws of a crane with a joystick into a pool of prizes, only to have the small toy slip from its clutches again and again. Dozens of stores filled with claw machines have sprung up on streets and in malls across Hong Kong’s […]

South China Morning Post

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Festival promoting South Korea’s ceramic culture faces fury over Chinese-made prizes

Organisers of South Korea’s renowned Yeoju Ceramic Festival have apologised after Chinese-made ceramic products were distributed as giveaway prizes at an event intended to promote the country’s pottery heritage, sparking public backlash and online criticism. The controversy emerged after a social media user said on Tuesday that a miniature moon jar received through a festival promotional event carried a “Made in China” sticker. “I honestly doubted my eyes when I opened the package,” the winner...

South China Morning Post

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US judge freezes Trump ‘slush fund’ for allies

A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from moving ahead with a US$1.8 billion compensation package that critics have denounced as a “slush fund” for President Donald Trump’s political allies. US District Judge Leonie Brinkema barred the administration from taking any further action to create or operate the fund while she considers whether to impose a longer-lasting pause. Her order blocks the transfer of money into the fund, the consideration of claims and the...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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'Pay levels in recent years should also be considered'

Some lawmakers said the government should take into consideration the impact of salary freezes for civil servants in recent years when deciding their pay this year. The latest pay trend survey – released on Thursday – pointed to a pay rise of 4.12 percent for senior staff, 2.64 percent for middle-rank and 1.17 percent for juniors. It's one of six major factors that will be taken into account when the Executive Council makes the final pay decision, which also include the state of the economy, cost-of-living changes, staff pay claims, civil service morale and the government's fiscal position. Unionist legislator Chau Siu-chung said the latest pay trend findings were in line with expectations. He pointed out that in the past six years, civil servants have experienced three pay freezes and two pay rises that were lower than the survey findings, and that their salary adjustments lagged behind the private sector. “After the pay freeze last year, [the city] has actually experienced two years of inflation. Salary can be frozen, but inflation won’t be frozen. Two years of inflation have added up to as much as 3.8 percent,” he said. “So I think that, on top of taking reference to the pay trend survey result, I hope the government can, after considering other factors, offer an increment for civil servants that is slightly higher than the findings.” Chau, of the Federation of Hong Kong & Kowloon Labour Unions, said such a move would help maintain morale among civil servants and prevent their salary gap with the private sector from widening. DAB legislator Nixie Lam also said civil service salaries had not caught up with inflation or private sector pay increment. She added that when it comes to a pay decision, the government needs to adopt a prudent approach in ensuring the city is financially sound in the long run while making sure the quality of public services is sustainable. Tsoi Koon-lung, president of the Hong Kong Chinese Civil Servants’ Association, said it's too early to comment on the possible increment because the Executive Council will make a final decision later. “The figure appears to be pretty good, but what matters most is whether this number will be endorsed. Regardless of whether the figure is high or low, we must ensure it is derived through rigorous scientific methodology and is reliable,” Tsoi said. “Whether the result is favourable or not, if we confirm it was obtained through strict scientific procedures, we must accept it as one of the key factors for consideration.” Edited by Edmond Fong

South China Morning Post

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Iran’s president orders reopening of international internet access, state media reports

⁠Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued an order to reopen international internet access, Iranian state media reported on Monday, citing an official after a ‌near-90-day blackout in the wake of the war against US and Israel. The report cited the head of public relations at Iran’s Communications Ministry. The mechanism for how and when Iran would reconnect to ⁠the global web following the decision was unknown. “The decree aimed at restoring internet access to its pre-January state was...

South China Morning Post

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Hong Kong airport set for volume shift after flights rejigged amid fuel crisis

Hong Kong’s airport is set for a shift in volume this summer after airlines quietly swapped jet sizes and reduced scheduled flights to manage costs amid a global fuel crisis and following a jump in economy passenger fares to Europe. Some airlines told the South China Morning Post they would operate all scheduled flights beyond June after initial consolidation efforts to offset higher jet fuel prices triggered by the Middle Eastern war. According to data from analytics company Cirium, the...

South China Morning Post

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How Chinese traders in Iran are keeping business afloat as war capsizes naval shipping

As the US-Israel war on Iran stretches past its 80th day and continues to upend global naval shipping, a growing number of Chinese investors in Iran are turning to railway and overland transport routes to keep their businesses afloat. While disruptions to ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz show little sign of abating, many are hoping that transcontinental freight links across Eurasia could become a more reliable option. Chinese trader Han Yun has spent recent weeks travelling long distances...

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India hotel fire kills at least 21

How ‘strategic ambiguity’ made Turkey a winner in the Iran war

‘Totally hooked’: Hong Kong takes aim at claw machine addiction

Festival promoting South Korea’s ceramic culture faces fury over Chinese-made prizes

US judge freezes Trump ‘slush fund’ for allies

'Pay levels in recent years should also be considered'

Iran’s president orders reopening of international internet access, state media reports

Hong Kong airport set for volume shift after flights rejigged amid fuel crisis

How Chinese traders in Iran are keeping business afloat as war capsizes naval shipping