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Hong Kong mandates fire escape hoods in hotels and guest houses to boost safety
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Hong Kong mandates fire escape hoods in hotels and guest houses to boost safety

Home affairs chief Alice Mak says implementation arrangements to be discussed with sector soon, as authorities give grace period Hong Kong hotels and guest houses are required to provide fire escape hoods to ensure customer safety, the city’s home affairs minister has said, with authorities giving the sector a one-year grace period. Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen also said on Saturday that the government would discuss implementation arrangements with the sector soon, after some representatives flagged that they had not been consulted before the requirement was introduced. “We have heard different comments from the hotel and guest house sector ... I am certain that the sector, the public and the government hope to enhance fire safety of premises and safeguard tourists’ safety,” she said. “As we enhance fire safety, we also have to consider how we are implementing the measure so that the sector can comply with it more easily.

India’s education minister quits in major win for youth protesters
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India’s education minister quits in major win for youth protesters

India’s latest street protests have been a challenge to PM Narendra Modi as politicians joined youngsters’ calls ‌to demand action India’s education minister resigned on Saturday after coming under intense pressure from young protesters, with outrage over leaked examination questions compounded by discontent with the job market and government. Hours after the resignation, protesters agreed to ‌end their protest, a spokesperson of the “cockroach” ⁠movement said ‌after talks with ‌the government on Saturday. “Considering the situation that has arisen at Jantar Mantar [protest site] and across the country, so that anti-national forces do not take ‌advantage of this situation … I have sent my resignation letter to the Prime ⁠Minister,” Dharmendra Pradhan wrote ⁠on social media. “I deeply respect the aspirations, feelings, and legitimate expectations of the country’s youth.” India’s biggest street protests of recent years have become a political flashpoint, ⁠posing one of the biggest challenges to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as politicians joined youngsters’ calls ‌to demand action. Protesters on Saturday erupted in celebration at news of Pradhan’s departure.

What a helicopter’s flight in the Taiwan Strait says about Beijing’s war plans
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What a helicopter’s flight in the Taiwan Strait says about Beijing’s war plans

PLA may be practising ‘reconnaissance and strike’, in which drones and helicopters work in tandem alongside rocket artillery A People’s Liberation Army helicopter’s unprecedented flight in the Taiwan Strait has raised concerns in Taipei that Beijing is rehearsing a new kind of operation for a potential cross-strait conflict. Taiwan’s defence ministry said it detected four PLA aircraft, including a helicopter and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), operating around the island on July 20 and the following morning. The helicopter and drone crossed the median line and remained east of it for nearly 9.5 hours in the “R9” area – which Taiwan has designated as restricted – the first publicly reported case of a PLA helicopter lingering there for an extended period. The median line is an unofficial boundary in the Taiwan Strait that divides the self-ruled island and mainland China. The ministry said it closely monitored the aircraft using joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets and responded appropriately. Military analysts, however, said the flight might signal a new operational pattern.

New US tariffs face lawsuit, IMF warning and global backlash
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New US tariffs face lawsuit, IMF warning and global backlash

By continuing to browse our site you agree to our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. You can change your cookie settings through your browser. The United States Court of International Trade building in New York, US, March 18, 2025. /VCG The Trump administration's new tariffs on around 60 trading partners took effect at 12:01 am local time on July 24, drawing an immediate legal challenge from two US small businesses and strong criticism from multiple countries. They also follow a recent warning from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regarding their impact on global growth. The new tariffs, ranging from 10% to 12.5%, were imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, targeting economies including China, Japan, Australia, Brazil and the European Union over forced labor concerns. The measures cover approximately 99.4% of US imports from the investigated economies. Hours after the tariffs took effect, two US small businesses — Burlap & Barrel, a New York-based online spice retailer, and Collective Horology, a California-based watch retailer — filed a lawsuit in the US Court of International Trade, challenging the administration's legal authority to impose the sweeping duties.

Hong Kong issues 21 smoking fines on construction sites in first 6 days of ban
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Hong Kong issues 21 smoking fines on construction sites in first 6 days of ban

Commissioner for Labour Sam Hui says authorities inspected about 530 construction sites during the first six days of the ban Hong Kong authorities issued 21 fixed-penalty notices in the first six days of a citywide ban on smoking on construction sites, the labour commissioner has revealed, describing the situation as not ideal. Commissioner for Labour Sam Hui Chark-shum said on Saturday that about 530 construction sites had been inspected during the first six days of the ban, which took effect on July 17. Apart from the 21 fixed-penalty tickets, authorities also issued five improvement notices to contractors, with one case currently undergoing evidence evaluation for potential prosecution, he said. Authorities also issued about 300 written and verbal warnings and suggestions, mostly involving the basic management of no-smoking measures, such as whether site boundaries and posted no-smoking notices were clear, he added. “We issued a total of 21 fixed-penalty notices. Out of more than 500 construction sites, 21 works out at about three or four notices per 100 sites,” Hui said on a television programme.

Cyprus ambassador: Hospitality constant across Chinese provinces
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Cyprus ambassador: Hospitality constant across Chinese provinces

By continuing to browse our site you agree to our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. You can change your cookie settings through your browser. As summer tourism to China heats up, more visitors are exploring beyond the usual routes. Koula Sophianou, ambassador of Cyprus to China, shared her observations after nearly a year in the country. Each Chinese province has its own character, she said, but one thing stays the same —the warmth of the people. She encouraged travelers to visit as many places as they can to truly experience the hospitality that defines China.

Nearly 170 mainland Chinese motorists expected in Hong Kong under expanded scheme
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Nearly 170 mainland Chinese motorists expected in Hong Kong under expanded scheme

Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles scheme extended to five additional cities from Saturday, with daily quota of urban trips doubling to 200 Close to 170 mainland Chinese motorists are expected to arrive in Hong Kong on Saturday under an expanded cross-border travel scheme, with hotels rolling out accommodation, dining, shopping and parking packages to attract the new visitors. The Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles scheme was extended to cover five more cities – Shenzhen, Foshan, Dongguan, Huizhou and Zhaoqing – from Saturday, with the daily quota of urban trips doubling to 200. A total of nine mainland cities in the Greater Bay Area are now eligible, comprising the five new additions and the original four of Guangzhou, Zhuhai, Jiangmen and Zhongshan. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said authorities received three times as many applications under the expanded scheme as the available quota. “The response has been very encouraging,” Chan said at the scheme’s launch ceremony at the Hong Kong border crossing of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. “Of the applications received, 60 per cent came from the five newly added cities.”

Who pays when overheated roads melt and rails buckle?
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Who pays when overheated roads melt and rails buckle?

Heatwaves come and go, and while this is happening with increasing frequency and intensity – as this year’s record-breaking temperatures show – they slip from attention once things cool off. What does not disappear is the lasting and costly damage they do to the basic infrastructure we rely on in our daily lives. Ultra-hot days and nights can result in the deaths of many people (those who cannot afford air conditioning especially) and they ignite forest infernos of terrifying intensity. Some of...

US latest tariff salvo sparks condemnations amid trade uncertainty
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US latest tariff salvo sparks condemnations amid trade uncertainty

By continuing to browse our site you agree to our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. You can change your cookie settings through your browser. The latest round of US tariffs, ranging from 10% to 12.5% on imports from most trading partners, has triggered widespread criticism, with countries accusing Washington of unilateralism and warning that the measures could hurt American consumers and disrupt global trade. In a statement on Friday, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide opposed a new 12.5 percent US tariff on its imports, saying, "We strongly disagree with the United States' unilateral use of tariffs against Norway and other countries. We also disagree with the justification for this new tariff." Imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 – which empowers the US to combat unfair or discriminatory foreign economic practices – the United States has levied a new wave of tariffs on imports from 60 countries, accounting for 99% of US imports, alleging that these nations failed to adequately ban goods produced using "forced labor." Norway called the tariff baseless, as clear rules are already in place to prevent trade in goods produced using forced labor, said the statement.

Houthi blockade of Saudi trade threatens wider Middle East conflict
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Houthi blockade of Saudi trade threatens wider Middle East conflict

As Houthi attacks disrupt Red Sea shipping, analysts warn of ‘brinkmanship’ that could yet spiral into all-out conflict “If they do this again, the US will hold Iran responsible, in that the Houthis are a surrogate and/or proxy of Iran, and major military punishment will be inflicted upon Iran and, of course, the Houthis, themselves,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The Houthis claimed a missile attack on the southern Saudi city of Jizan on Saturday, after media the group controls accused Saudi Arabia of a “dangerous escalation” and said its actions “will not go unanswered”.

China dad’s growth hormone investment for daughter sparks debate over societal pressure
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China dad’s growth hormone investment for daughter sparks debate over societal pressure

Height is irreversible; you only get one chance in life, and this is a worthwhile investment, father says A father in central China, who spends 6,000 yuan (US$880) a month on “growth shots” for his daughter, has ignited a heated online debate regarding height anxiety. According to mainland media outlet Dazhong Daily, the father, surnamed Li, lives in Changsha, Hunan province, and consistently pays for growth hormone injections for his 12-year-old daughter. Before starting the treatment, the girl experienced a growth rate of only two to three centimetres per year. However, with the injections, she reportedly gained four centimetres in just six months. “I have specific expectations for her height,” Li explained, noting that growth tends to slow after puberty. While he has not disclosed a desired height or career aspirations for his daughter, he emphasised that his goal is to boost her confidence and poise. Li stated to the media: “Height is irreversible; you only get one chance in life. This is a worthwhile investment.”

Chinese regulator fines Ctrip operator for monopoly abuses
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Chinese regulator fines Ctrip operator for monopoly abuses

By continuing to browse our site you agree to our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. You can change your cookie settings through your browser. China's State Administration for Market Regulation said on Saturday that it has imposed administrative penalties on Trip.com Group, the operator of Ctrip travel platform, for abusing its dominant market position in violation of the country's anti-monopoly law. According to the regulator, the company was ordered to forfeit 1.658 billion yuan (about $244 million) in illegal gains and pay a 3.521 billion yuan fine, bringing the total penalty to 5.179 billion yuan. The regulator also ordered the group to refund 122 million yuan in hotel order reserve funds that had been forcibly deducted from hotel operators, undertake comprehensive rectification measures and publicly disclose its corrective actions. Trip.com, China's largest online travel platform, provides services including hotel reservations, transportation ticketing and vacation packages.