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Diplomacy

China offers visa-free travel to 4 Gulf countries following landmark summit

Passport holders from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain will be allowed to stay for up to 30 days under year-long trial policy.

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Premier Li Qiang (centre) speaks during the Asean-GCC-China summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

Politics

Ex-Philippine lawmaker’s arrest in East Timor seen as linked to Asean membership

Arnolfo Teves Jnr, who was arrested at his home in Dili, is wanted in the Philippines on charges of murder and attempted murder.

Arnolfo Teves Jnr, a former Philippine lawmaker, is wanted by Manila on charges of murder and attempted murder. Photo: Handout

Lifestyle & Culture

Shrek under fire: Russian lawmakers say Western cartoons ‘indoctrinating’ kids

Politicians claim flawed cartoon heroes undermine traditional values and push hidden Western ideologies.

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Shrek, the grumpy green ogre at the centre of DreamWorks’ hit animated franchise, was among the Western characters singled out by Russian lawmakers for having a “destructive” influence on children. Photo: AFP

Entertainment

Review | Succession creator satirises tech titans in HBO’s Mountainhead

Succession’s Jessie Armstrong pokes fun at the uber rich as four tech bros enjoy a poker weekend while unrest and violence sweep the world.

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From left: Ramy Youseff, Cory Michael Smith, Steve Carell and Jason Schwartzman as tech bros in a still from Mountainhead, Succession creator Jessie Armstrong’s new film on HBO. Photo: TNS

Tennis

Chinese Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen powers into French Open third round

Eighth-seeded Zheng has too much firepower for her 85th-ranked opponent, and shows why she is being tipped to win her first grand slam.

China’s Zheng Qinwen acknowledges the crowd after winning her second-round match against Colombia’s Emiliana Arango. Photo: Reuters
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Tech Trends

Alibaba’s healthcare AI model on par with senior physicians in medical exams

Benchmark data provided by Quark indicates the healthcare model outperformed DeepSeek’s R1 and V3, and OpenAI’s GPT-4o, in test accuracy.

An ad for Alibaba’s Quark is displayed on a 3D screen at a shopping district in Chongqing city, China. Photo: Weibo

Society

Hong Kong police receive over 40 reports of scams on Carousell in a week

Fraudsters use phishing links to cheat victims of HK$4.6 million, including seller of lozenges who lost nearly HK$650,000.

A Hong Kong woman who sold throat lozenges on Carousell has lost nearly HK$650,000 after clicking on a phishing link sent in a fake email. Photo: Handout

Politics

Macron touts defence ties in Indonesia, backs Prabowo’s push for Palestine

The French president’s trip to Jakarta strengthened defence and economic links, securing deals and discussing Indonesia’s potential shift in stance on Israel.

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France’s President Emmanuel Macron (left) laughs with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at a joint press conference in Jakarta, Indonesia on Wednesday. Photo: EPA-EFE

China

Chinese paraglider cheats death after flying to 28,000ft, gets 6 month ban

Malfunction carries Peng Yujiang to same height as cruising altitude for aircraft, where temperatures reach -40 degrees Celsius.

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Chinese paraglider Peng Yujiang had a lucky escape after being carried to 28,000 ft. Photo: Weibo/Chinese Weather Enthusiasts

100 Top Tables

Your Hong Kong weekend drinks guide for May 30 – June 1

Bid farewell to Stockton, enjoy the Hong Kong Whisky Festival, and celebrate The Savory Project’s anniversary with Native’s unique cocktails.

One of Hong Kong’s original speakeasies, Stockton on Wyndham Street is closing at the end of May after 12 years. Photo: Thomas Yau
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Transport

Hong Kong’s Tai Lam Tunnel to close for 2 hours on Saturday for HKeToll launch

Motorists told to plan ahead for closure in early hours, with time-varying toll system set to bring savings.

The 3.8km-long tunnel has been run by a consortium since 1995 under a build-operate-transfer model, with the franchise for its operation expiring at the end of May. Photo: Eugene Lee

Hong Kong

Gallery | In pictures: Tsim Sha Tsui’s Grand Ocean Cinema to close after 56 years

People take photos in the interior of Grand Ocean Cinema. Photo: Elson Li

Law and Crime

Hong Kong student uses beauty app to falsify exam results for university admission

Defendant, 22, pleaded guilty to a count of attempting to obtain services by deception after submitting fake copy of her DSE exam certificate.

Fanling Court heard how the accused uploaded an image of her altered certificate to enrol in an undergraduate programme. Photo: Winson Wong

Travel

Where to stay while visiting Milan’s Chinatown

Via Paolo Sarpi in Milan’s Quartiere Cinese has become a distinct cultural and culinary melting pot – and here are our best 3 hotel picks within easy reach.

Milan’s bustling Chinatown is another side of Europe’s capital of chic. Photo: AFP

Business

Hong Kong’s Gale Well continues asset sales with US$66 million Stanley property

The deleveraging property investor has sold a number of properties recently, while other assets remain on the market.

The property at 8 Stanley Beach Road. Photo: Google Maps
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Entertainment

Who is Spike Lee’s wife Tonya Lewis Lee, the ex-lawyer turned entertainment exec?

Stevie Wonder played at the Lees’ wedding and they now share 2 kids, who also work in entertainment; Lewis Lee dropped her law career to build 2 production companies and pursue projects in Hollywood.

Meet Spike Lee’s wife Tonya Lewis Lee, the ex-lawyer turned entertainment exec who adapted his film She’s Gotta Have It into a show on Netflix. Photo: AP

Health & Environment

Thai river turns orange as dangerous toxins from Myanmar mines flush downstream

Authorities say arsenic levels in the Kok Thai river now exceed safety limits, sparking fears of ecological disaster.

Authorities say arsenic levels in the Kok River have now reached dangerous levels. Photo: Earth Thailand

Entertainment

Meet Sunni Gaines, model girlfriend of Mark Wahlberg’s son Michael

While it’s unclear when Gaines and Wahlberg started dating, the model seems to get on well with his family, going on holidays and attending film premieres for his famous father.

Sunni Gaines and Michael Wahlberg on vacation in Fiji. Photo: @sunnigainess/Instagram

Entertainment

Who is Zoe Jackson, producer daughter of actor Samuel L. Jackson?

The son of an ‘absentee’ father, Samuel ensured his daughter grew up knowing love from both parents – as well as attending Vassar College with Hathaway, Zoe studied at the French Culinary Institute.

Samuel L. Jackson was honoured at the New York Museum of Modern Art 2024 Film Benefit, where he was joined by wife LaTanya Richardson Jackson and daughter Zoe Jackson. Photos: @ltjackson_/Instagram

Trending in China

Chinese man invests in cattle online for profit, US$140,000 ends up as beef

10,000 people sink cash into ‘international’ cattle-raising business, which police say is a US$70 million scam.

About 2,000 individuals in China pumped cash into a cattle-raising business online and found that the only form in which they could get a return on their investment was beef, sparking a police probe. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock
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Football

Big 3 to miss Hong Kong game, but United ‘not trying to cheat fans’, promoter says

Harry Maguire, Andre Onana and Diogo Dalot will fly to meet-and-greet with Apollo Tyres in India after Wednesday’s game in Malaysia.

Harry Maguire takes issue with Tottenham Hotspur defender Kevin Danso during last week’s Europa League final. Photo: Reuters

Society

Hong Kong to consider stronger laws to protect food delivery workers this year

City’s labour minister tells lawmakers authorities will improve rights and benefits of platform workers, following recent spate of protests.

A Foodpanda rider in Causeway Bay. Keeta and Foodpanda are the only two food delivery platforms operating in Hong Kong after London-based Deliveroo exited the Hong Kong market earlier this year. Photo: Jelly Tse

Food & Drink

The Japanese distilleries fuelling craft gin’s ‘unstoppable’ rise

In Japan, distillers are making gin with home-grown ingredients as the spirit gains fans. Could it rival whisky and shochu’s popularity?

Togedama craft gin by Matsuzaki Co. distillery. Photo: Instagram/theweekendph

Europe

US and Russia row as Moscow masses 50,000 troops near Ukrainian region

Ukraine-Russian war intensifying as Trump warns Putin he is ‘playing with fire’.

Ukrainians fire a howitzer towards Russian troops in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine. Photo: Reuters

China Economy

‘Asian alliance’: how China is forging a new power centre amid the trade war

China is already deepening ties with Southeast Asia and Middle East, and may even be paving way for a powerful new ‘Asian Union’, analysts say.

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Leaders from China, Southeast Asia and the Gulf states pose for a photo at an inaugural forum bringing together the three sides in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Tuesday. Photo: AFP
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Policy

Southern China’s Zhuhai backs new firm in race to be AI, robotics hub

The city also announced over US$80 million in subsidies, as local governments in China race to nurture the next DeepSeek.

A view of Zhuhai, Guangdong province in southern China. Photo: Edmond So

Politics

Yunus’ resignation threat throws Bangladesh election timing into turmoil

The army and opposition have been calling for early polls, but the interim leader wants to introduce economic and electoral reforms first.

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Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus. Photo: AFP

Law and Crime

Hong Kong policeman admits hiding debts to cheat credit union out of HK$280,000

Traffic officer says his divorce, custody battle with his ex-wife had clouded his judgment.

A traffic officer has pleaded guilty to a count of fraud and an attempted charge of the same offence for providing inaccurate and incomplete information to the Hong Kong Police Credit Union. Photo: Winson Wong

Politics

Developing | Second Malaysian minister quits as fallout from ruling party polls continues

Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad’s exit follows that of former PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli.

Malaysia’s Natural Resources and Environment Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad. Photo: Facebook/Nik Nazmi

Politics

South Korean teacher kicked by third-grader highlights rise in classroom violence

The incident where a student struck a teacher for correcting a wrong answer has raised concerns about teacher safety.

Photo: Shutterstock