Hong Kong expo vendors expect 20% sales boost amid bigger crowds, good weather Exhibitors at one of Hong Kong’s largest annual bazaars expect sales to rise by up to 20 per cent from last year, citing higher attendance and good weather as they introduce modern twists to some traditional food products. The 59th edition of the Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo, organised by the Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong, opened on Saturday at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay and will run until January 5. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po was among the first customers,...

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Hong Kong expo vendors expect 20% sales boost amid bigger crowds, good weather

Vendors at the Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo express optimism at the 24-day fair’s opening at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay.

From climate change to health, global problems need investors to step up People love to hate governments, and they loathe having to pay taxes. However, from now on, we’ll have to embrace more state intervention and the need for higher taxes or else legislate a more dirigiste system of directing personal savings into investment that isn’t so dependent on markets. This can be either done preemptively or in response to the next financial crisis. It goes without saying that the former course of action is surely preferable to the trauma that will be experienced in the...

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Macroscope | As global spending needs grow and debt rises, business as usual won’t suffice

The increase in government debt means that nations must look elsewhere for funds required to meet socioeconomic needs.

Hong Kong government ‘confident’ of finding new site to rehouse fire victims Hong Kong authorities have expressed confidence in swiftly identifying a location in Tai Po to build subsidised flats as part of resettlement options being reviewed for victims left homeless by the deadly inferno last month. Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun on Saturday outlined several options to resettle displaced residents in Wang Fuk Court, while underscoring the importance of gauging their views first at this stage. Some options considered were purchasing property rights from...

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Hong Kong government ‘confident’ of finding site to rehouse Tai Po blaze residents

Identifying site for new subsidised flats is one of several options being considered for those left homeless by deadly inferno, senior official says.

‘I’ve grown up’: Hong Kong legislator Christine Fong disavows fiery mode of politics Christine Fong Kwok-shan, a long-time district councillor in Hong Kong known for defending constituents’ rights with fiery and sometimes controversial political acts, has pledged to abandon her past protest methods, now that she has been elected as a lawmaker. The city’s new “Queen of Votes” in the Legislative Council election, who previously positioned herself as an independent moderate belonging neither to the pan-democratic nor pro-establishment bloc, reaffirmed her stance as a “patriot” who...

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Incoming Hong Kong legislator Christine Fong disavows fiery mode of politics

Long-time district councillor and ‘Queen of Votes’ in recent Legco election pledges to ‘share honour and disgrace’ with government.

Beijing protests following reports of Taiwanese official’s secret Israel trip Beijing’s embassy in Israel has protested following reports of a secret trip by Taiwan’s deputy foreign minister to the Middle Eastern country. Citing several anonymous sources, Reuters reported on Thursday that Francois Wu Chih-chung had travelled to Israel in recent weeks, though it was not disclosed who he met there. Taipei has not officially confirmed that the visit took place. On Saturday, the Chinese embassy in Israel commented on the visit, stating that Beijing firmly opposed official...

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Beijing lodges protest after Taiwanese official’s reported secret Israel trip

Chinese embassy urges Israel to ‘correct its erroneous actions’ in response to reported visit by the island’s deputy foreign minister.

Gaza amputees desperate to walk again amid medical delays: ‘my future is paralysed’ Sitting in her wheelchair, Haneen al-Mabhouh dreams of rebuilding her family, of cradling a new baby. She dreams of walking again. But with her leg gone, her life in Gaza is on hold, she says, as she waits to go abroad for further treatment. An Israeli air strike in July 2024 smashed her home in central Gaza as she and her family slept. All four of her daughters were killed, including her five-month-old baby. Her husband was severely burned. Al-Mabhouh’s legs were crushed under the rubble, and...

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‘My future is paralysed’: Gaza amputees desperate to walk again

The World Health Organization estimates there are some 5,000 to 6,000 amputees from the Israel-Gaza war, 25 per cent of them children.

China husband makes wife kneel, beg him to buy down jacket in shop, sparking public outrage A video of a woman kneeling in a shopping centre in central China, pleading with her husband to buy her a down jacket, has gone viral on social media, igniting widespread outrage against the man. The clip was recorded in early December outside a clothing store in a shopping centre in Xiaogan, Hubei province. In the video, the woman is seen on her knees, begging her husband to purchase a 299-yuan (US$40) down jacket for her. Meanwhile, the husband berated her for several minutes, according to a...

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China husband makes wife kneel, beg him to buy down jacket, sparking public outrage

Story sparks extensive discussions about women’s financial independence, which is essential for enabling them to take control of their lives.

Mexico’s Sheinbaum is standing up for indigenous women, a stitch at a time In the Mexican mountain town of San Isidro Buen Suceso, Virginia Veronica Arce Arce begins her days as she has for decades: seated at her vintage Singer sewing machine, guiding bright threads into intricate patterns passed down through generations. Arce is part of a group of talented female indigenous artisans who collaborate to create the colourful embroidered dresses and huipiles – traditional blouses worn by indigenous women – that have become a wardrobe staple for Mexican President Claudia...

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How Mexico’s Sheinbaum weaves generations of tradition into her signature style

The colourful embroidered dresses and blouses have become a wardrobe staple for Mexico’s ‘most stylish’ president.

Will Philippines favour Eurofighter Typhoon for its military upgrade? An Italian defence company’s push to sell Eurofighter Typhoon jets to the Philippines could open the door to broader cooperation between Rome and Manila, with analysts calling the aircraft a promising choice for the country’s military modernisation. Leonardo, a government-linked company, said it was committed to investing in the Philippines’ defence capabilities for the long term and offered to provide training, technology transfer and related facilities as part of the deal. The company is...

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Will Philippines favour Eurofighter Typhoon for its military upgrade?

The Eurofighter, which is estimated to cost US$117 million each, has drawn buying interest from Bangladesh and other countries.

Hong Kong’s former commerce minister Gregory So Kam-leung dead at 67 Hong Kong’s former commerce minister Gregory So Kam-leung has died at the age of 67. It was understood that So, a lawyer by trade who served as the city’s Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development between 2011 and 2017, had been in hospital for some time before he died on Saturday morning. He oversaw a number of thorny issues during his tenure, including broadcast regulation, intellectual property protection, and a controversial bid for a free-to-air broadcast licence by outspoken...

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Tributes pour in after former Hong Kong commerce minister Gregory So dies at 67

Lawyer served as commerce chief from 2011 to 2017 and oversaw broadcast regulation, including controversial licence bid by businessman Ricky Wong.

Singapore’s Pritam Singh, Mediacorp apologise over court contempt in CNA interview Singapore’s opposition leader Pritam Singh has apologised to the court for statements he made on a CNA programme while CNA’s parent company, Mediacorp, also issued an apology and took down the interview. “I accept that my statements may be construed to be in contempt of court, including to impugn the integrity, propriety or impartiality of the court,” Singh wrote on social media on Saturday. “Given that, I wholly and unreservedly apologise to the court and will avoid making comments to the same...

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Singapore’s Pritam Singh apologises, Mediacorp pulls show over contempt claims

The episode of ‘The Assembly’ was aired while the court was deciding on the opposition leader’s appeal against a false testimony conviction.

China’s copper heartland vows to build US$28 billion empire, dominate in global market A key industrial hub in eastern China is launching a push to transform itself into one of the world’s top copper-smelting bases, aiming to forge stronger supply chains for the strategic metal as prices flirt with record highs. In an implementation plan released on Tuesday, the Shandong provincial government pledged to expand its copper industry, with the next two years seeing rapid advancements. The move comes as geopolitical tensions and the race for technological dominance shore up copper’s...

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Forging ahead: China’s copper heartland vows to build US$28 billion empire

Shandong province plans to create a world-class smelting hub by 2027 to secure supply chains for the strategic metal as prices sizzle.

Malaysian religious leaders urged to provide evidence of South Korean ‘cult’ Malaysia’s home minister has urged senior clerics to lodge formal complaints over claims that a mysterious South Korean Christian “cult movement” has been attempting to spread its teachings among Malaysian Muslims. The controversy surfaced after religious leaders in Perlis – a conservative northern state where Muslims form the overwhelming majority – reported that a South Korean group had been proselytising there under the banner of a peace initiative. Malaysia is a multi-faith nation but Islam...

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Malaysian religious leaders urged to provide evidence of South Korean ‘cult’

Perlis state’s senior Islamic scholar alleged Muslim political elites were linked to the ‘deviant’ cult movement.

Hong Kong man remanded after ‘impersonating fire victim, claiming HK$18,000 in aid’ A jobless Hong Kong man has been remanded in custody on suspicion of defrauding HK$18,000 (US$2,313) in financial aid intended for those affected by last month’s deadly Tai Po fire. Kwai Chung resident Fung Chun-kit, 36, was not required to enter a plea during his first appearance at Fanling Court on Friday, as prosecutors sought extra time to investigate the case. A charge sheet available for media inspection states that Fung successfully registered with the Social Welfare Department for...

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Hongkonger remanded after ‘impersonating fire victim, claiming HK$18,000 in aid’

Defendant allegedly said he was Chan Man-him, a resident of fifth-floor flat at Wang Shing House, while the actual occupant was Wong Kam-hung.

Hong Kong ride-hailing car quota should reflect Uber’s operating ‘reality’: CEO The quota for Hong Kong’s ride-hailing vehicles to be set by the authorities should reflect Uber’s operating situation in the city, the firm’s CEO has urged, adding that the company’s focus on safety will help it stand out among competitors. Dara Khosrowshahi, speaking to the media on Friday during a visit to Hong Kong, said the company “wouldn’t necessarily object” to a levy on ride-hailing trips to support the taxi trade similar to the system used in some parts of Australia, but the firm’s...

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Hong Kong ride-hailing car quota should reflect Uber’s operating ‘reality’: CEO

Dara Khosrowshahi says firm ‘won’t necessarily object’ to levy on ride-hailing trips to support taxi trade, but it depends on details of regu...

Rosewood hotel brand of Hong Kong’s Chow Tai Fook is not for sale, sources say Hong Kong-based Chow Tai Fook Enterprises (CTFE), the private investment holding company of the Cheng family and the parent firm of debt-ridden New World Development (NWD), has no plans to sell its prized Rosewood brand, according to sources familiar with the matter. “Rosewood has delivered exceptional results in recent years and is one of the family’s most cherished luxury hotel brands,” a source said. The group’s properties were operating as usual, with strategic investments in nearly 30...

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Exclusive | Rosewood hotel brand of Hong Kong’s Chow Tai Fook is not for sale, sources say

The prestige brand has delivered ‘exceptional’ results, sources say, while suggesting that certain properties might be available.

Coins in sand: how the UAE draws in the global crypto community The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is rapidly cementing its position as a global leader in the digital asset sector on the back of its regulatory infrastructure and the institutional adoption of cryptocurrencies, according to industry insiders at the fourth edition of Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW). Speaking at ADFW, the largest financial and investment gathering in the Middle East and North Africa, Binance co-CEO Richard Teng said the UAE had been at the industry’s forefront, as capital city Abu...

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Coins in sand: how the UAE draws in the global crypto community

At Abu Dhabi Finance Week, insiders give credit to the UAE’s regulatory infrastructure and institutional adoption of digital assets.

Vietnam urges factories cut output as Hanoi chokes on smog: ‘have to wear a mask all the time’ Industrial plants in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi have come under renewed pressure to scale back their operations as authorities respond to a week of heavy and hazardous smog in the city. Vietnam’s Ministry of Health earlier this week urged power, steel and chemical plants to cut output when the air quality index exceeds 200. The index gauges the volumes of hazardous small particles known as PM2.5 that are in the air. The air quality index (AQI) hit 243 midday on Thursday, putting Hanoi...

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‘I have to wear a mask all the time’: Hanoi’s smog hits crisis levels

On Thursday, Hanoi was the world’s fourth most-polluted city, with officials citing vehicles, industry, and crop burning for the poor air quality.

Hegseth’s G2 description for US-China relations is ‘deeply problematic’, lawmaker says US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s designation of Washington-Beijing ties as “G2” carries a “deeply problematic” meaning that sidelines United States’ allies and partners in the region, a US lawmaker has stated in a letter. Democratic Party House Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, a ranking member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, sent the letter to Hegseth on Monday, expressing “profound concern” about the US defence chief’s use of the term G2 in describing the...

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Hegseth’s G2 description for US-China ties ‘problematic’, House Democrat warns

House representative Raja Krishnamoorthi says term sidelines US allies and partners while making Beijing ‘coequal’ to Washington.

Porn star Bonnie Blue faces deportation, blacklisting from Bali A controversial British adult film star faces deportation from Indonesia’s resort island of Bali for violating immigration laws after she was arrested on suspicion of making pornographic online content, police said on Thursday. Local police last week raided a studio in the popular tourist hub of Badung near the island’s capital, Denpasar, detaining Bonnie Blue, whose real name is Tia Billinger. Three men – two Britons and an Australian – were also detained after police received a tip-off from a...

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Porn star Bonnie Blue faces deportation, blacklisting from Bali

The British woman, who was arrested on suspicion of making pornographic online content, will be ejected from the island for visa violations.