World

OPINION — The war in Ukraine has evolved into a complex geopolitical conflict, shaped not only by military strategy but by global economic dependencies. While Western nations continue to provide financial and military aid, a critical vulnerability has emerged: Ukraine’s heavy reliance on Chinese drone components. The Ukrainian drone manufacturers with whom I have spoken admit that their drones are …

Hong Kong authorities will strengthen protection for local workers by tightening restrictions on employers importing waiters and junior cooks, while enacting legislation to better protect delivery workers. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced in his policy address on Wednesday that the government would prioritise the employment of local workers and crack down on abuse of a labour importation scheme. The …

Hong Kong authorities are set to reshape how they deliver public services, rolling out a sweeping plan to embed AI in at least 200 administrative procedures by the end of 2027 in a bid to boost efficiency and create a more responsive, tech-driven bureaucracy. The timeline, listed in Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s policy address on Wednesday, will result in …

Hong Kong’s leader has promised to assist local media organisations to expand their networks beyond the city, while pledging not to interfere in their operations. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Wednesday made a rare move of mentioning assistance for the media in his policy address, and also later acknowledged the challenges facing the sector. “The government will assist the …

Chad Sbragia, former deputy assistant secretary of defence for China, told a security forum in Beijing on Wednesday that the language Hegseth used during a call with his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun was “unprecedented”. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Hegseth “made clear that the United States does not seek conflict with China nor is it pursuing regime change or strangulation …

Launched by TikTok and Douyin owner ByteDance in August 2023, Doubao has recorded consistent growth so far this year, with a 6.6 per cent increase in the number of users from July, according to data compiled by market research firm QuestMobile. By contrast, second-ranked DeepSeek’s chatbot saw a further decline in user numbers last month, down 4 per cent from …

We have put together stories from our coverage on electric and new energy vehicles from the past two weeks to help you stay informed. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Tesla continues its skid in China as August sales and market share fall Tesla is gradually losing its appeal in China’s premium …

Ahead of an anticipated interest rate cut from the US Federal Reserve this week, the offshore yuan strengthened past a rate of 7.1 against the US dollar for the first time in nearly a year – another milestone reached in a gradual shift of China’s monetary policy that has seen the currency gain ground over the last month. On Wednesday …

India can seize an opportunity to reset its ties with Nepal and strengthen regional stability following the leadership shake-up in Kathmandu sparked by the Gen Z-led protests, according to analysts. But they warn that any such move by India must avoid triggering perceptions of “big brother” interference – a legacy of its past interventions in South Asia that have pushed …

US President Donald Trump sparred with an Australian journalist over his personal wealth during an exchange on the White House lawn, where he also appeared to confirm plans to meet Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at next week’s United Nations summit. When asked Tuesday by an Australian Broadcasting Corporation reporter how much richer he had become since returning to office, Trump …