Top Stories at a Glance | View the latest top news today

John Lee arrives in Uzbekistan for second leg of Central Asia visit

Chief Executive John Lee arrived in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, on Wednesday evening for the second leg of his Central Asia tour after concluding his visit to Kazakhstan.

HK and Uzbekistan agree on 30-day mutual visa-free access

Chief Executive John Lee announced that Hong Kong and Uzbekistan have agreed to negotiate a mutual visa-free arrangement allowing visitors to stay for 30 days, following a meeting with Uzbekistan's foreign ministry.

Police, Customs seize $8.8m in smuggled cigarettes and cigars in Eastern district, Sai Kung

Police and Customs officers seized 1.45 million suspected illicit cigarettes and 328kg of suspected untaxed cigars with an estimated total market value of about HK$8.8 million and a duty value of about HK$6.2 million in two anti-smuggling operations early on Wednesday, authorities said.

Parents in 'Save Lily' case released on bail, vow to cooperate with probe

The couple at the centre of the "Save Lily" case were released on bail on Wednesday night and later went to the Immigration Department headquarters to provide information about their alleged home birth, as investigations continue.

World/China News

Deadly drone strike on Kuwait airport as Iran, US trade fire

An Iranian drone strike on a passenger terminal at Kuwait's international airport killed an Indian national and wounded 63 people on Wednesday, as conflict escalated between Tehran and US forces in the Gulf.

Trump confirms he called Netanyahu crazy in phone call

U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "crazy" in an expletive-filled phone exchange over fighting in Lebanon, while the U.S. was trying to negotiate an end to hostilities with Iran.

Portugal general strike over labour reform halts trains, flights, shuts schools

A second general strike in six months disrupted services across Portugal on Wednesday, halting trains, cancelling hundreds of flights and closing schools, as unions protested against the government's labour reform plans.

3 die in British navy helicopter crash

Three members of Britain's navy died in a helicopter crash in southwest England on Wednesday, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

Market

Wall Street ends lower as Middle East tensions escalate

Wall Street stocks pulled back from record highs on Wednesday as flaring tensions in the Middle East and rising crude prices stoked inflation jitters and convinced investors to take some profits.

Longbridge halts new trades, deposits for mainland clients amid crackdown

Longbridge Securities has announced compliance adjustments for clients accessing its platform from mainland China, effective June 12, following the China Securities Regulatory Commission's two-year rectification period requirements.

Editorial

Hong Kong's Central Asia push needs multifaceted approaches, including the role of media

Chief Executive John Lee's trip to Kazakhstan has been highly strategic and successful. The record-breaking joint government and business delegation of 70 members yielded 43 bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding with the Central Asian country, all aimed at establishing a "hub-to-hub" partnership model.

Opinion

Umm Kulthum: lady of Arab song and the unfading star of the East | Arabic Window | Amjad Refai

Every era has its renowned singers. Arab history witnessed female stars like Dananir in the Abbasid era and Wallada bint al-Mustakfi in Andalusia. Yet, none attained the titles, reverence, and immortality of Umm Kulthum.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓