Full fee waivers rise 20-fold to 280,000 after healthcare reform, minister says

Full fee waivers rise 20-fold to 280,000 after healthcare reform, minister says

SCMP

About 280,000 patients have secured full fee waivers since Hong Kong’s public healthcare fee reform took effect at the start of the year — a 20-fold increase from the previous figure of 14,000, the health minister has said. Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau revealed the figures on Saturday as he defended the reform, which raised user fees for non-urgent and less serious services to reduce the gove...

Beyblade battles drive up sales at Hong Kong malls, but how long will the trend last?

Beyblade battles drive up sales at Hong Kong malls, but how long will the trend last?

SCMP

The sharp clatter of spinning metal tops, cheers, sighs of frustration and shouts of “Three, two, one … Go shoot!” echo across a shopping centre in Hong Kong’s New Territories on a weekday. Dish-shaped plastic battle arenas known as “Beystadiums” have been set up not only in Tuen Mun Town Plaza, but also across the mall in different shops, where some players challenge shop staff to collect stamps ...

Why South Korea wants to rebuild a DMZ railway despite Kim’s cold shoulder

Why South Korea wants to rebuild a DMZ railway despite Kim’s cold shoulder

SCMP

Near the heavily fortified frontier dividing the Korean peninsula, the abandoned Woljeong-ri station is being recast as a symbol of South Korea’s hopes to reconcile with the North. But plans to reconnect South Korea’s northernmost station to the rail network come at an awkward moment, as Pyongyang ignores Seoul’s overtures while the South’s old ally Washington pursues its own talks with Pyongyang....

This $15 million New York home almost disappears into the forest on its 19.5-acre wooded estate

This $15 million New York home almost disappears into the forest on its 19.5-acre wooded estate

Times of India

Nestled in Pound Ridge, New York, this extraordinary home is listed for fifteen million dollars. Its mirrored facade seamlessly merges with the lush forest while reflecting the beauty of each season. Crafted by KieranTimberlake, the design emphasizes harmony with nature. Inside, expansive glass walls invite vibrant woodland views, creating a tranquil indoor-outdoor flow. This distinctive residence...

Canada will match US tariffs 'dollar for dollar,' Carney says

Euronews

"In recent weeks, we made important progress toward improving Canada’s position as having the best deal in the world with the U.S. However, that progress has not been enough to meet our objectives for Canadians," Mark Carney said.

Canada vows to match Trump’s tariffs ‘dollar for dollar’ after trade talks fail

Canada vows to match Trump’s tariffs ‘dollar for dollar’ after trade talks fail

The Guardian

Mark Carney accuses US of ‘unfair’ last-minute changes to deal that would have averted 50% import taxesThe Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, has promised to match US tariffs “dollar for dollar” after the two sides failed to agree a trade deal by the deadline of midnight on Friday.The trade row is the biggest rupture in recent relations between Washington and one of its closest allies and tradi...

Macron says France will deliver interceptor missiles to Ukraine after new Russian strikes

Macron says France will deliver interceptor missiles to Ukraine after new Russian strikes

France 24

French President Emmanuel Macron said Saturday that Paris would deliver new interceptor missiles to Ukraine after Russian strikes reportedly killed four people, including two children. The strikes followed a series of Russian attacks that killed at least 20 people across Ukraine on Friday, including 16 in a daytime drone attack on a busy shopping centre in President Volodymyr Zelensky’s hometown o...

Macron says France will deliver interceptor missiles to Ukraine after new Russian strikes

Macron says France will deliver interceptor missiles to Ukraine after new Russian strikes

France 24

French President Emmanuel Macron said Saturday that Paris would deliver new interceptor missiles to Ukraine after Russian strikes reportedly killed four people, including two children. The strikes followed a series of Russian attacks that killed at least 20 people across Ukraine on Friday, including 16 in a daytime drone attack on a busy shopping centre in President Volodymyr Zelensky’s hometown o...

Russian strikes in Ukraine kill at least two people, injure several others

Russian strikes in Ukraine kill at least two people, injure several others

France 24

At least two people were reported dead early Saturday by local authorities, after Russian strikes on Ukraine. The strikes came after a series of Russian bombings killed at least 20 people in Ukraine on Friday, including 16 in a daytime drone attack on a busy shopping center in President Volodymyr Zelensky's hometown Kryvyi Rih.

Battery fires at recycling centres are costing UK £1bn a year, figures show

Battery fires at recycling centres are costing UK £1bn a year, figures show

The Guardian

Experts say fires caused by wrongly discarded lithium batteries, such as those in vapes, are putting lives at riskFires at recycling centres caused by wrongly discarded lithium batteries such as those found in vapes are occurring at the rate of more than 10 a week, according to new figures.Experts say the sheer volume of battery fires now occurring at waste facilities has reached a crisis that is...

‘We fear lessons will not be learned’: Chloe Moffat’s parents on their fight to hold Treasury to account

‘We fear lessons will not be learned’: Chloe Moffat’s parents on their fight to hold Treasury to account

The Guardian

Couple considering suing for wrongful death after coroner found disciplinary process materially contributed to suicideWhen a coroner ruled this month that the Treasury “materially contributed” to Chloe Moffat’s death, her parents breathed out in bittersweet relief. For a year, David and Anne Moffat had been forced to become detectives in the worst case any parent could have to solve: why their dau...

India joins China and South Korea in push for Arctic shipping routes

India joins China and South Korea in push for Arctic shipping routes

SCMP

Climate change and conflict are conspiring to open up the Arctic to Asian commercial shipping, with China, South Korea and India all eyeing the icy short cut to Europe. Last Saturday, Chinese shipping company Sea Legend launched the first scheduled weekly container service across the top of the world, marking the realisation of Beijing’s long-held ambition to build a “Polar Silk Road”. It will not...

Components crunch: China’s carmakers face rising costs to keep intelligence edge

Components crunch: China’s carmakers face rising costs to keep intelligence edge

SCMP

Chinese smart vehicle makers have been hit by another setback as a global components shortage collides with surging prices of raw materials, driven by the artificial intelligence boom. It would take at least a year for the global supply chain to ramp up production of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) – two key parts that make vehicles intelligent – to meet ris...