‘Looming dangers’ under China-US ties: AI and rare earths reveal a fragile floor
Deep-seated structural rivalry and lingering regulatory barriers are likely to limit any thaw in China-US ties , even though last month’s summit put a temporary floor under the fragile relationship, an expert from China’s top state-affiliated think tank has warned.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Dalian on Thursday, Zhao Hai,
Hygiene brand Dettol faces PR crisis in China after ad aimed at critiquing misogyny backfires
British hygiene brand Dettol faced significant backlash in China for an advertisement perceived as objectifying women, prompting an apology and the removal of the commercial.
Legal experts indicate it may have violated local laws and could face potential penalties.
Dettol issued an apology on June 22 regarding its latest advert for laundry sanitiser.
The four-minute commercial, presented as a micro-drama, was released in late May but gained notoriety on Chinese social media after segments
1 in 5 coffees sold in Europe contains pesticides: report
There is a one in five chance that a packet of coffee beans sold in Europe contains residues of pesticides thought to have been erased during roasting, and in some cases include banned sprays that cause cancer, according to new research.
There is a “systemic pattern” of pesticides showing up again and again in beans from most major production regions, says Coffee Watch, a US-based non-profit organisation seeking to reform the global coffee industry.
Coffee Watch partnered with Pesticide Action Network (PAN) UK and German development
Laser aimed at Punch the monkey in Japan prompts zoo’s ‘unacceptable’ warning
A zoo in Japan has issued a stern warning after a visitor is seen aiming a laser pointer at Punch, the baby macaque who became a viral sensation, in an online video.
The Ichikawa City Zoo and Botanical Gardens in Chiba prefecture told The Japan Times on Thursday that it received a call a day earlier about a YouTube video posted last week showing someone shining a laser on Punch.
“It’s unacceptable,” Takashi Yasunaga, who
China discovers rare coral reef blue hole in disputed Scarborough Shoal
Beijing has used law enforcement patrols and scientific study to boost its control over the contested South China Sea area
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A marine blue hole is a deep, circular sinkhole in the ocean and is typically bright turquoise or emerald green.
Unlike most of the world’s known blue holes – which were once caves on land thousands of years ago
Actress Barbara Chan remembered for ‘unconditional love’ as sons lead tributes
Late Hong Kong actress Barbara Chan Man-yee embodied “unconditional love”, her son said at her memorial service on Thursday, attended by leading figures from the city’s entertainment industry, including director Johnnie To Kei-fung and actress Ada Choi Siu-fun.
A private service for the veteran actress was held at St Andrew’s Church in Tsim Sha Tsui, the same venue where her husband, actor Liu Kai-chi, was commemorated five years ago.
Chan died of illness earlier this month at the
Indonesia’s immigration chief urges rethink on wider visa-free access
The Indonesian tourism ministry’s proposal to expand visa-free entry to more countries risks bringing in “low-quality tourists”, its immigration chief has said, asking the government to reconsider the decision.
“We do not want visitors who do not contribute positively. When visas are waived, we effectively give up a source of state revenue. We must also protect the dignity of the nation,” Immigration Director General Hendarsam Marantoko told the
Watchdog seeks HK$250,000 for family of late helper sacked during cancer battle
Hong Kong’s equality watchdog is seeking about HK$250,000 (US$31,900) in compensation for the family of a domestic helper who was sacked by her employer in 2019 after being diagnosed with advanced cervical cancer and later died.
The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) launched legal proceedings under the Disability Discrimination Ordinance in 2020 against Jamil Bushra for firing Baby
Hong Kong exports rise by nearly 41% in May as AI keeps fuelling demand
The recent bumper growth in Hong Kong exports spilled into May, expanding by 40.8 per cent year on year, as artificial intelligence-related products continued to fuel already robust demand overseas.
Provisional figures released by the Census and Statistics Department on Thursday showed that the total value of exports rose to HK$611.2 billion (US$77.95 billion) last month, following a nearly 43 per cent increase in April.
The May figure marked the second month in a row