Lawmaker floats cash lottery for newborns as baby bonus scheme extension set to cost HK$2.3bn

The Hong Kong government’s plan to extend a baby bonus scheme for another three years in a bid to boost fertility and assist young families…

Sir Jackie Stewart brings his race against dementia to Japan

Two races were held at Fuji Speedway last weekend: the six-hour FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the Race Against Dementia led by champion driver…

Bond markets aren’t buying the inflation-is-tamed fairy tale

TOKYO — Anyone betting that inflation risks are fading should look at the US Treasury market. The sharp selloff in Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) suggests…

Trump-Xi summit’s real test will come in the months ahead

For years, relations between Washington and Beijing seemed stuck on an escalation treadmill. Every quarter brought new semiconductor restrictions, naval jockeying in the South China…

Press union urges police to handle all cases with ‘equal efficiency’ after same-day arrest over threats to pro-gov’t outlet

Hong Kong’s biggest press union has welcomed the police’s swift response after a local newspaper received a threatening letter, urging authorities to handle similar cases…

China’s former market regulator head to be tried for graft

The former head of China’s financial markets regulator will be tried for corruption, according to state media Wednesday, the latest high-profile official to fall under…

Baptism of Houthi fire for Mecca mutual defense pact

When Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan agreed to a mutual defense pact in August, it was principally seen as a political commitment. The “Mecca alliance,”…

Nat. security police reportedly arrest independent journalist over ‘fake news’

Hong Kong’s national security police have reportedly arrested an independent journalist behind an online news outlet on suspicion of publishing fake news. According to a…

A spark for dialogue toward halting North Korea’s nuclear buildup

The prevailing criticism of the US-China summit in Washington is that it amounted to little more than diplomatic pageantry. But one outcome deserves recognition: it…

Asia can’t just pipeline its way around Hormuz

When governments talk about reducing dependence on the Strait of Hormuz, the discussion usually turns to pipelines in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.…

Final US military withdrawal from Iraq is a major bonus for Iran

The last of the US-led coalition forces are leaving Iraq. It’s a significant bonus for Iran. The withdrawal date, September 30, was also the date…

As US tech leaders call for rules on AI, China already has them

Recent warnings from American AI leaders have created the impression that the world is only beginning to confront the dangers of advanced artificial intelligence. Dario…

Hong Kong gov’t dismisses unemployment concerns among nurses, says non-local hires ‘very small’ in number

Hong Kong authorities have defended its policies on hiring non-locally trained nurses, saying that they are “very small” in number following complaints about the import…

Elon’s AI is worse than you think

US House speaker sees AI data center worries as ‘Chinese psyop’

They’ve been shown to raise electricity bills, pollute drinking water, do little to boost local employment while threatening millions of jobs in a variety of industries, and top executives have warned that the technology they support could…

Trump’s Super S**^show intelligence just entered the chat

They just warned Americans

Shein shares dive more than 11% after earnings disappoint

Shares in Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein plunged more than 11 percent in Hong Kong on Tuesday after releasing disappointing financial results. The company has faced…

Hong Kong authorities hail scheme for reducing sodium levels in bread by average of up to 17%

Hong Kong authorities have hailed a health scheme that encouraged bread manufacturers to cut sodium levels by an average of up to 17 per cent,…

Bangladesh energy crisis calls for pragmatism, not political purity

For more than three decades, the Bangladeshi political left has maintained an unyielding stance on natural resources like gas, coal, and minerals, insisting that state…