https://www.scmp.com/rss/16367/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com China has eased restrictions on the number of internet cafes legally allowed, their location and how many computers they may have but is now requiring they have a business area of at least 20 square metres and an over-two-square-metre space for each computer, Xinhua, the state news agency, reported. The latest move followed the lifting of the requirement a year ago that web cafes had to be run by chain stores. Han Xianfeng, an official from the culture ministry’s marketing department, told China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1647707/china-eases-restrictions-number-internet-cafes-adds-space-requirements?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1647707/china-eases-restrictions-number-internet-cafes-adds-space-requirements?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Nov 2014 08:00:00 +0000 Taxation departments in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei have signed an agreement in response to the central leadership’s push for an integrated megalopolis, state media reported. Tax cooperation among the three regions, usually called Jing-Jin-Ji as a whole, means a big step forward for the ambitious project launched by President Xi Jinping, observers said. “The driving force for Jing-Jin-Ji integration lies in an interest-sharing mechanism, of which tax is an important part,” the Economic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1628976/beijing-tianjin-and-hebei-sign-tax-cooperation-agreement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1628976/beijing-tianjin-and-hebei-sign-tax-cooperation-agreement?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Oct 2014 04:07:11 +0000 China's summer grain output hit a record high after 10 straight years of growth, the government says, although analysts warned of the toll farming was taking on the environment. More than 136 million tonnes of grain, mostly wheat, was harvested, up 3.6 per cent from last year, the National Bureau of Statistics said. The yield per hectare increased 3.5 per cent over last year, the bureau said. But productivity was only 5 per cent of that in the United States, said Professor Dang Guoying, a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1554341/chinas-summer-grain-harvest-record-deep-inefficiencies-remain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1554341/chinas-summer-grain-harvest-record-deep-inefficiencies-remain?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Jul 2014 18:59:44 +0000 Bo Xilai's spirited defence, and the high degree to which his legal rights have been protected during his trial, are still unlikely to influence what is probably a predetermined judgment, lawyers say. "Bo was once famous for trampling the law, and now he is promoting the legal progress in China in another role," Chen Youxi, a prominent mainland lawyer, wrote in a microblog post after reading publicly-released court transcripts yesterday of the trial of the disgraced Chongqing party chief. Most... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1299102/bos-spirited-defence-unlikely-influence-predetermined-judgment-lawyers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1299102/bos-spirited-defence-unlikely-influence-predetermined-judgment-lawyers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Aug 2013 16:00:00 +0000 The number of pig carcasses recovered from rivers in and near Shanghai since early last week has surpassed 13,000. About 9,500 have been retrieved from the Huangpu River, a source of more than a fifth of the city's drinking water, as workers pulled nearly 500 more pig carcasses from the waterway yesterday. Upstream, the government of Jiaxing said it had recovered around 3,600 from streams in its jurisdiction. About 80 per cent of the pigs recovered yesterday were young hogs, the Shanghai... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1193193/dead-pigs-pulled-rivers-and-near-shanghai-top-13000?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1193193/dead-pigs-pulled-rivers-and-near-shanghai-top-13000?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Mar 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Cheers and applause filled Kwai Tsing Theatre on Friday night as Aimee Mullins made her way to the stage in a black dress and high-heeled boots. The former athlete, model and now movie star was there to share her life experiences with 800 teenagers and young adults at the second annual MaD (Make a Difference) youth forum, a three-day round of talks, workshops and creative programmes. Mullins is no different from any other multi-talented person, except that she has done it all on prosthetic... https://www.scmp.com/article/736603/athleteactressamputee-spreads-can-do-spirit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/736603/athleteactressamputee-spreads-can-do-spirit?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Jan 2011 16:00:00 +0000 A sheet of stamps issued by Hongkong Post features all 12 zodiac animals and is aimed at local collectors, giving them a once-in-12-years opportunity. It's the third such collection issued since 1975. Also, stamps for the Year of the Rabbit embossed with genuine gold and silver are being released today, featuring the domestic rabbit, wild rabbit, Netherland Dwarf and Angora. https://www.scmp.com/article/736423/special-stamps-mark-new-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/736423/special-stamps-mark-new-year?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Jan 2011 16:00:00 +0000 The Link Management will spend HK$200 million to install new facilities for the disabled at its 180 shopping malls and car parks by 2016 after being criticised by the Equal Opportunities Commission. Starting this month, the project will be rolled out in three phases to provide barrier-free facilities - including tactile guide paths, ramps, elevating platforms and specially designed toilets at The Link's properties. The initiative comes after the commission in June criticised eight properties... https://www.scmp.com/article/736187/link-pledges-hk200m-mall-refit-disabled?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/736187/link-pledges-hk200m-mall-refit-disabled?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Seven in 10 mothers choose formula powder instead of breast-feeding their babies, and many are unclear about the long-term impact of early nutrition, a survey found. Only 30 per cent of the 504 mothers with children under three would feed them breast milk, the Chinese University poll discovered. While the majority of the respondents recognised the benefits of breast milk, 70 per cent of them fed their babies infant formula in the first six months, because of insufficient milk supply or work... https://www.scmp.com/article/735940/7-10-mothers-use-infant-formula?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/735940/7-10-mothers-use-infant-formula?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Jan 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Cathay Pacific bosses slammed the door shut on pay talks with flight attendants yesterday, raising the threat of industrial action over Lunar New Year. They stood firm on their 'final offer' of a 4.5 per cent pay rise as negotiations broke down after about an hour. Corporate affairs director Quince Chong Wai-yan said after the meeting the airline deeply regretted that the union was threatening industrial action with thousands of passengers about to take Lunar New Year holidays. But she... https://www.scmp.com/article/735437/cathay-bosses-leave-pay-talks-grounded?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/735437/cathay-bosses-leave-pay-talks-grounded?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Jan 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Termination of free-to-air analogue television is off the government's timetable. Previously there had been a tentative target of a close-down before 2012. 'We are not yet in a position to determine when the best timing is for the analogue switch-off,' said Greg So Kam-leung, undersecretary for commerce and economic development. He said the government had to ensure 'a smooth migration' from analogue to digital terrestrial television. Digital television broadcasting reaches 89 per cent of the... https://www.scmp.com/article/735375/2012-date-analogue-switch-dropped?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/735375/2012-date-analogue-switch-dropped?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Jan 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Local breeders of giant grouper are pushing to get their fish on to more tables this Lunar New Year. They say the quality of the fish - on show for the first time at an annual celebration of local produce - is superior to that of imported varieties. The fish, along with organically grown pumpkins, are the theme products for the fifth FarmFest, a three-day event that opened yesterday at Fa Hui Park, Mong Kok. 'Unlike imported ones, local giant grouper are more reliable in quality with a purer... https://www.scmp.com/article/735087/eat-local-message-farmfest-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/735087/eat-local-message-farmfest-show?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Jan 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Tax deductions would encourage more people to join the government's voluntary health insurance scheme, insurers say. The idea emerged from a poll conducted by The Life Underwriters Association of Hong Kong last year. 'It's like two strings to the government's bow,' former association president Samuel Lau Kwok-ming said. 'A policy of tax breaks will provide one more channel to attract more participants to the scheme.' The association in November polled 533 full-time employees aged over 25, of... https://www.scmp.com/article/734986/insurers-eye-tax-breaks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/734986/insurers-eye-tax-breaks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:00:00 +0000 The establishment of the Hong Kong Film Archive a decade ago might have helped preserve and publicise some of the city's vast array of film heritage. But veteran film conservationists hope that more can be done to make such culture blossom - by legislation and technological advancement. The Film Archive, celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, has managed to rescue and now holds a collection of 9,000 films, including those donated by studios such as Celestial Pictures, which owns the Shaw... https://www.scmp.com/article/734792/archive-seeks-more-movies-techno-help?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/734792/archive-seeks-more-movies-techno-help?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:00:00 +0000 An average of about 100,000 people crowded into Victoria Park daily over the past 24 days to snap up everything from seafood to household appliances at the annual Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo, which closed yesterday. The spending spree saw some 2.4 million local and mainland shoppers, up from last year's 2.29 million, splash out amid inflation fears and a recovering economy. A number of retailers reported an increase in business, mostly because of big-spending mainland visitors. One... https://www.scmp.com/article/734752/100000-day-flock-expo-hunting-bargains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/734752/100000-day-flock-expo-hunting-bargains?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Jan 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Kidney patients are enjoying shorter journeys and less waiting time for dialysis, thanks to new centres set up outside public hospitals. Patients are waiting as little as 20 minutes for treatment at five facilities across Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories in a relaxing environment complete with TV. The public-private partnership programme was launched by the Hospital Authority in March with government backing of HK$36 million. It aims to treat 100 end-stage kidney failure... https://www.scmp.com/article/734439/centres-provide-faster-help-kidney-patients?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/734439/centres-provide-faster-help-kidney-patients?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Dec 2010 16:00:00 +0000 A recovering economy and a depreciating Hong Kong dollar pushed visitor arrivals, flight passenger volumes and cargo tonnage to record high levels this year. The number of visitors broke through 32 million during the first 11 months of 2010 - surpassing that of the whole of last year. The Airport Authority also saw the 50 millionth passenger land at Chek Lap Kok airport on Christmas Day. The figures reinforced desperate calls for the construction of a third runway, with a think tank saying Chek... https://www.scmp.com/article/734305/city-sees-arrivals-hit-record-welcomes-50-millionth-visitor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/734305/city-sees-arrivals-hit-record-welcomes-50-millionth-visitor?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Dec 2010 16:00:00 +0000 Tears and hugs said what words could not as about 250 stranded students taking a special flight arranged by Cathay Pacific were reunited with their families in Hong Kong last night. The airline has arranged three special flights for students and passengers stuck in snowbound Britain. The first, with 300 passengers, returned to the city at 7.30pm. The other flights are scheduled for today and tomorrow. Arriving from Manchester Airport, Francesca Lai, 15, stranded since Friday, said she had... https://www.scmp.com/article/734065/300-stranded-uk-return-special-cathay-flight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/734065/300-stranded-uk-return-special-cathay-flight?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Dec 2010 16:00:00 +0000 Many youngsters are having a difficult time finding jobs because of their low educational levels, a survey found. Of 274 Form 5 former pupils or graduates aged 18 to 25, 70 per cent of respondents finding it hard to get jobs blamed their low educational levels for preventing them from embarking on their ideal careers. More than 60 per cent were unable to undertake continuing education because of varying working hours and tuition fees they could not afford. 'I think the government should use the... https://www.scmp.com/article/733271/jobless-youngsters-rue-failings-school?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/733271/jobless-youngsters-rue-failings-school?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Dec 2010 16:00:00 +0000 Hong Kong's success at the Asian Games in Guangzhou has led more people to support a bid to host the 2023 event, Secretary for Home Affairs Tsang Tak-sing said yesterday. This came as a survey of primary and secondary school pupils by Baptist University found 76 per cent supported a bid. Tsang called on political parties not to politicise any possible bid by the government. The city won eight gold, 15 silver and 17 bronze medals. 'Despite the financial burden, sport plays a positive role in... https://www.scmp.com/article/731915/medal-success-spurs-support-games-bid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/731915/medal-success-spurs-support-games-bid?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Nov 2010 16:00:00 +0000