6 injured in vessel explosion at Hong Kong’s Stonecutters Island
Sun Mar 01 11:41 pm
Six men have been injured in an explosion involving a vessel moored at Stonecutters Island in Hong Kong.
According to police, the incident occurred at about 10.35am on Monday.
Emergency personnel arrived at the scene, where all six people were taken from the vessel to Princess Margaret Hospital, sources said.
The insiders added that the vessel’s engine was suspected to be behind the blast.
Iran strikes day 3: Markets open with sharp sell-off in futures and Asian shares
Sun Mar 01 11:39 pm
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US Dow futures dropped 400-570 points overnight, S&P 500 futures were down 1 per cent, while Nasdaq futures were down more than 1 per cent as the United States and Israel’s military campaign against Iran continued on Monday.
Asian markets also opened lower amid fears of a broader Middle East escalation disrupting global supply chains and energy.
China’s stock...
Iran ties after Khamenei, China’s Myanmar dilemma: 5 weekend reads you missed
Sun Mar 01 11:30 pm
We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.
1. Why China’s ties with Iran will endure despite death of Khamenei
2. Why China’s Myanmar dilemma still persists, 5 years and 1 election later
3. Cathay Pacific suspends all Middle East operations after US-Israeli attack on Iran
4. Indonesia is getting an aircraft carrier. The Philippines isn’t....
Viral clip of Malaysian man clinging to ex-wife’s moving car leads to arrest in Johor
Sun Mar 01 11:19 pm
A man has been arrested in Johor after an 11-second viral clip showed him clinging to the front of his ex-wife’s moving car before tumbling onto the road in full view of onlookers.
Police said the suspect had clung to the car for around 2km (1.2 miles) and that he had tested positive for ketamine.
The incident unfolded at about 3.30pm on Saturday outside a supermarket in Bandar Seri Alam, a township in Johor, the southern Malaysian state bordering Singapore, after an argument between the pair...
In US strikes on Iran, North Korea sees nuclear vindication
Sun Mar 01 11:07 pm
Kim Jong-un will have seen the footage. A supreme leader of nearly 37 years, killed alongside members of his own family. Citizens celebrating in the streets. Rivals already angling for a role in the political transition.
If the US-Israeli strike that killed Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday was intended to send a message to the world, analysts say North Korea almost certainly received it.
Though the lesson likely learned – do not negotiate with the US and never be in Iran’s position...
US using AI, B-2 bombers and suicide drones in Iran strikes
Sun Mar 01 10:51 pm
The United States unleashed an array of weaponry against Iranian targets on Saturday, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, stealth fighters, and for the first time in combat, low-cost one-way attack drones modelled after Iranian designs. US Central Command released photographs showing Tomahawk missiles, F-18 and F-35 fighter jets alongside details of the strikes on Iran as part of Operation Epic Fury.
Artificial intelligence
The Pentagon used artificial intelligence services from Anthropic,...
Fake Tiffany Young-Byun Yo-han wedding photos highlight concern over hyperrealistic AI
Sun Mar 01 10:50 pm
Images claiming to be from the wedding shoot of South Korean Girls’ Generation group member Tiffany Young and actor Byun Yo-han spread rapidly online – before being confirmed as artificial intelligence-generated fakes.
Soon after Young, 36, and Byun, 39, announced they had registered their marriage, photos reportedly of couple began circulating across social media and online communities under the title “Tiffany–Byun Yo-han wedding photos”.
The images depicted Young in a pink-toned wedding dress...
US shipbuilding revival looks dead in the water, China’s Li Yanqing says
Sun Mar 01 10:15 pm
Li Yanqing, executive vice-president and secretary general of the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry (Cansi), discusses the impact of US trade policies, global market cycles and China’s strategic pivot towards high-quality manufacturing.
As a shipbuilding veteran who also serves as chairman of the ISO/TC 8 ships and marine technology committee, which oversees international standardisation for shipbuilding and marine operations, Li is a prominent voice for China’s industry on...
What’s on the wish list for China’s private sector ahead of the ‘two sessions’?
Sun Mar 01 10:00 pm
Ahead of China’s annual legislative meetings – typically a window into Beijing’s top-level policy agenda – this is the fourth entry in a series examining the complex economic recalibration driving China’s growth philosophy and its wide-ranging implications for local governments, financial investors and private enterprises.
China’s private businesses, many still facing cash flow problems amid a prolonged property slump, want treasury bonds and legal obligations on state-owned enterprises and...
Cathay Pacific halts Dubai flights until Thursday amid US-Israeli attack on Iran
Sun Mar 01 9:41 pm
US-Israeli strikes on Iran have grounded at least 37 flights between Hong Kong and the Middle East, with flag carrier Cathay Pacific suspending its Dubai services until Thursday.
Cathay also announced on Monday that it would suspend its Riyadh flights until Tuesday amid the developing situation in the region.
The carrier said customers booked to travel between Hong Kong and Dubai or Riyadh would be offered more flexibility to rebook, divert, or refund their tickets, with usual fees waived until...
Australia mulls forcing app stores, search engines to axe unsafe AI services
Sun Mar 01 9:07 pm
Australia’s internet regulator said it might push search engines and app stores to block artificial intelligence services that failed to verify user ages after a review found more than half had not made public any steps to comply by a deadline next week.
The warning reflects one of the most aggressive efforts globally to rein in AI companies, which face a growing number of lawsuits for failing to stop – and even encouraging – self-harm or violence, while researchers caution that such platforms...
Hong Kong can’t raise its birth rate without easing education stress
Sun Mar 01 8:30 pm
Hong Kong hit a record low in births last year despite a range of government incentives, including a HK$20,000 (US$2,560) baby cash bonus for new parents launched in 2023. Just 31,714 babies were born last year.
This might have come as a surprise for the authorities, which had projected a rise to 39,000 births.
So was the baby bonus worth the try? Yes, if we can draw insight from the experience.
To be fair, it wasn’t the only thing the government had done to encourage babies. It rolled out tax...
