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Israel expects all hostages held in Gaza to be freed early on Monday, a spokeswoman for the prime minister’s office said, adding that all surviving captives are to be released simultaneously. “The release of our hostages will begin early Monday morning. We are expecting all 20 of our living hostages to be released together at…
Russia attacked Ukraine’s power grid overnight into Sunday, part of a continuing campaign to cripple Ukrainian energy infrastructure before winter. This came as Moscow expressed “extreme concern” over the United States potentially providing Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine. Kyiv regional Governor Mykola Kalashnyk said two employees of Ukraine’s largest private energy company, DTEK, were wounded…
A 13-year-old girl who had not received the seasonal influenza vaccination has died in hospital following an infection, the first paediatric flu-related death in Hong Kong this year. The previously healthy girl developed symptoms including fever, cough, sore throat, and runny nose from Sunday last week, according to the Centre for Health Protection (CHP). Her…
China’s secrecy authorities have warned staff in propaganda departments and classified units to keep a grip on confidential information, citing several leaks of state secrets by news media. In an article on Friday, a social media account called Baomiguan, affiliated with the National Administration of State Secrets Protection, urged relevant departments to bolster their confidentiality…
Hong Kong authorities have dispelled rumours about the potential expansion of a scheme allowing local vehicles to enter mainland China to include more border checkpoints. A spokesman for the Transport Department also said on Sunday that it had referred the misinformation about the expansion of the Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles scheme to police…
Preparations were under way on Sunday for a ramp-up of aid entering the war-battered Gaza Strip under a new ceasefire deal that many are hoping will signal an end to the devastating two-year-long war. The Israeli defence body in charge of humanitarian aid in Gaza, Cogat, said that the amount of aid entering the Gaza…
As China drafts its 15th five-year plan – the next entry in a line of expansive blueprints that have set the tone for the country’s development over more than seven decades – we examine how these documents inform and reflect high-level policy priorities, what to expect in the coming iteration and how infrastructure spending and…
Firefights broke out along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border late on Saturday, with the Afghan Taliban attacking Pakistani posts, according to security officials from both countries, following a Pakistani air strike in Kabul this week. Pakistani security officials said that they were responding “with full force” to what they called unprovoked firing from Afghanistan. The exchange of…
In a global first, China has launched a cutting-edge commercial underwater data centre in Hainan. The facility has the potential to upgrade digital service offerings, increase Beijing’s share of global internet traffic and serve as a magnet for foreign direct investment from global technology giants. To make progress, China must find a competitive edge, given…
Actress Diane Keaton, known for her Oscar-winning performance in 1977’s Annie Hall and her role in The Godfather films, has died at age 79, People magazine reported Saturday. Details were not immediately available and Keaton’s loved ones have asked for privacy, a family spokesperson told People, which confirmed that the actress died in California. Keaton…
