Insured mortgage cut to 80pc

Banks can provide a mortgage plan up to 80 percent loan-to-value radio under the Mortgage Insurance Program provided by the Hong Kong Mortgage Company...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1MXCU5r

Leung to join NPC sessions opening

Chief Executive, Leung Chun-ying, will visit Beijing from March 3 to 6 to attend the opening ceremony of the third session of the 12th National People...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DgB9s7

HKMA launches new round of tightening on mortgages

Hong Kong Monetary Authority has launched a new round of measures to tighten up mortgages amid heating property market, chief executive Norman Chan Ta...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1MXCUCu

Malaysia postpones Aussie woman’s drug trial

Court proceedings in the case of an Australian woman charged with the capital crime of drug trafficking in Malaysia were pushed back by a month toda...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1EwsRke

Lloyds reports profits, announces first dividend since bailout

Lloyds Banking Group has posted its first annual profit since a 2008 bailout by the British government, edging it closer to a return to full private...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1woKsnr

Europe equities steady

European stock markets were steady at the start of trading today. London's benchmark FTSE 100 index dipped 0.01 percent to 6,949.25 points. Frankfu...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1vEZPNz

Jakarta kicks out Aussie journalist reporting on Bali Nine pair

An Australian journalist will be deported from Indonesia today after being caught covering the story of two Australian drug traffickers on death row...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AQnVEa

(NBA) Westbrook's triple-double not enough to bring Thunder victory

Russell Westbrook scored 39 points in his 12th career triple-double but missed what would have been the game-tying layup with 5.7 seconds left in over...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AzjoqK

More students support independence: Undergrad

A growing number of Hong Kong students support independence for the former British colony, amid sliding confidence in the "one country, two systems" f...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AQmbdY

Fighter jet in film clip lures pilot trainees

China’s air force has released a short film for its annual pilot recruitment campaign featuring the People’s Liberation Army’s new J-20 fighter jet an...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AQm9Tq

Man falls to death near PolyU

A man died after falling from PolyU Student Halls of Residence Jockey Club Wing just before noon. Police are investigating at the scene....



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1Af8yBp

(NBA) Earl Lloyd, league's first black player, dies

Earl Lloyd, the first African-American to play in a National Basketball Association game, has died at the age of 86. Friends of the Lloyd family cal...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/18sOIgt

Lesbian kiss on Korean drama sparks debate

An unprecedented lesbian kiss between two high school students on a popular South Korean TV drama has fuelled a debate about portrayals of sexuality...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AQficP

Novartis Japan hit with suspension over side-effect reporting

Japanese health authorities said Friday that they have ordered the local unit of Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis to temporarily suspend its oper...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1Az6Wr5

Nikkei reaches new 15-year high

Tokyo stocks edged up Friday to a fresh 15-year high, despite profit-taking largely erasing earlier gains that were driven by the yen's fall. The N...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1woflbE

More hope for reform proposal: Tam

The Secretary for Mainland and Constitutional Affairs, Raymond Tam Chi-yuen, said he's now cautiously optimistic that the proposed political reform wi...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1BERsUM

15 missing as people-smuggling boat capsizes near Macau

A suspected people-smuggling boat carrying 19 people has capsized off Macau, leaving 15 people missing. The Macau government and mainland state med...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1BERs7k

Unions demand seven days' paternity leave

Working dads can now have three days of paternity leave - thanks to a law change that came into effect today. But the Federation of Trade Unions dem...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AeNWcq

Chinese got 6,985 US investor visas n 2013

Every year, the United States issues 10,000 EB-5 visas. These are the US government’s fifth employment-linked visas. Those seeking the visas are requi...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AyYF6y

Chinese billions in US open avenues for investment fraud

Chinese investors seeking green cards to live in America run the risk of being defrauded under a loosely regulated visa program, according to a report...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AyYHLy

New World Development upbeat on HK market after posting 5pc gain in core profit

New World Development is optimistic on the outlook of the Hong Kong property market, after posting a modest 5 per cent gain in underlying profit to HK$4.41 billion for the six months to December.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1BEDsua

New World Development reports HK$5.8b net income

New World Development said today net profit in the six months of the financial year 2015, increased by 29 percent to HK$5.85 billion. Underlying prof...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1MXfXPU

5.4-magnitude quake jolts northwest Pakistan

A 5.4-magnitude earthquake struck northwest Pakistan early Friday, injuring at least five people and causing minor damage, officials and seismologis...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1846Ufo

Young woman recalls Bikram Choudhury cult

Yoga guru Bikram Choudhury, 69, has throngs of devotees of what he has called McYoga for its consistency _ 90-minute classes taught exactly the same w...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1FBFuso

Accuser says yoga guru Bikram Choudhury pleaded: ‘If I don't have sex I will die.’

A yoga guru who founded a rigorous routine of exercises practiced in steamy rooms around the world is facing lawsuits in the US brought by six women w...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1Bkar5w

Alan Hoo joins Liberal Party

Alan Hoo Hon-ching, Basic Law Institute chairman and top barrister, has joined Liberal Party. Hoo will lead a team focusing on political reforms....



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1FBFubL

Abusive employer of Indonesian helper Erwiana jailed for six years

Law Wan-tung, 44, the employer who was earlier found guilty of beating and starving her Indonesian maid Erwiana Sulistyaningsih, 24, was jailed for s...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1zkh4z4

Labor shortage hit on healthcare: FS

Catering for Hong Kong's growing demand for healthcare is being hampered by shortages of medical staff. The admission came from the Financial Secretar...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1JT8dj3

Egypt submits balloon crash report

The families waiting for the report on the 2013 Luxor air balloon crash will have to wait for a few more weeks to know the details as Egypt has submit...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1zkh5mk

Agency convicted and fined HK$7,000 for overcharging domestic helper

The licensee of Bagus Employment Agency in Central has been convicted and fined HK$7,000 at Eastern Magistrates Courts on Monday for overcharging a jo...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1Dg6vze

Tsang denies fee cuts political moves

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah has rejected accusations that it was a political move to announce fee waivers in his budget to help hotels, re...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1Dg6wTQ

Chinese developer Country Garden plans to raise US$900m in five-year bond

Chinese property developer Country Garden plans to raise US$900 million in a five-year bond that marks its fifth fundraising deal in the past year.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1AeqCvr

Asian equities largely flat, greenback eases

Asian markets were largely flat in morning trade today after the US dollar firmed on US inflation data, while disappointing Japanese figures challen...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1LNrldI

(NBA) Hands off 10-year-old son, LeBron James pleads

As a teenage basketball sensation, American LeBron James went through the craziness of being recruited by universities. Now, he's living it as a dad. ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1Ew3G1i

(Golf) Herman leads, McIlroy struggles

World number one Rory McIlroy battled to a three-over-par 73 at a windswept Honda Classic at Palm Beach Gardens in the US Thursday in his first US PG...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1MX5oMK

(Football) Yokohama Rubber tire company splashes out on Chelsea jerseys

English football club Chelsea said The Yokohama Rubber Company will be their shirt sponsor from next season in a five-year deal. The deal is repor...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1BjWlRv

26 pianists from China among Asian talent at Chopin contest

Talented Asian pianists including 26 from China make up the majority of contestants at the 17th edition of the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Com...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1FBkyls

PRESS DIGEST - Top stories in Hong Kong and mainland China newspapers on February 27

These are the leading stories in Hong Kong and mainland Chinese newspapers and websites on Friday. The South China Morning Post has not verified these stories.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1LP74GJ

Financial affairs at Israel PM Netanyahu’s residences investigated

Israel’s Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein has ordered a preliminary investigation into alleged fiscal misconduct at the private and state residences ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AedWF0

Erwiana's boss faces up to seven years' prison for abuse

The lawyer for a Hong Kong woman found guilty of beating and starving her Indonesian maid and keeping her prisoner said she was "not a monster'' Fri...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1MX1yU2

Liberal blogger hacked to death in Bangladesh, wife wounded

A prominent American blogger of Bangladeshi origin was hacked to death with machetes by unidentified assailants in Dhaka yesterday, police said. The ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1wnl9SR

Nikkei climbs at break

Stocks in Tokyo edged higher after a mixed session on Wall Street, but profit taking largely erased early gains driven by the yen's fall. The Nikkei...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1BE3u0Q

Boat capsizes off Macau

A boat capsized off Macau earlier today. Four people have been rescued while dozens are still missing. The boat was believed to carry a group of ille...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1wnl7Kv

Wildlife agencies say Beijing ivory import ban is ‘window dressing’

China imposed a one-year ban on ivory imports that took immediate effect yesterday amid criticism that its citizens' huge appetite for ivory has fuele...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1BE3w8U

Nasdaq continues march towards 5,000

The Nasdaq powered closer to 5,000 points while weakness in oil-linked equities kept the Dow and S&P 500 in the red. The tech-rich Nasdaq Composite...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1BE3vBR

US January inflation eases

Plunging gasoline prices pulled US consumer prices down sharply in January, giving the consumer price index its first 12-month fall since 2009, the ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DwIab1

Japan’s factories humming

Japan's factory production in January increased a faster-than-expected 4 percent on-month, growing for the second straight month, according to offic...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DXXeQ3

Elderly South Korean man shoots self after killing three

Four people, including a policeman, were killed today in the second shooting incident in two days in South Korea where gun crime is rare. A 75-year-...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DwIaaR

(Europa League) Italy's Fiorentina dump hapless Spurs

Goals from Mario Gomez and Mohamed Salah sent Fiorentina into the last-16 of the Europa League yesterday in Italy as they beat English club Tottenha...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DXXej9

Citic Securities to pay HK$780m for majority stake in forex trader KVB Kunlun

Citic Securities, China’s largest brokerage by revenue, is buying a majority stake in foreign-exchange trader KVB Kunlun Financial for HK$780 million.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1JSN1tx

Deutsche Telekom counts on US to boost growth

German telecoms giant Deutsche Telekom said Thursday it is counting on the strong performance of its US subsidiary to lift overall group profits ove...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1BfvGVW

Line stretches around building as Tencent boss hands out Lunar New Year bonuses personally

Tencent may have started a war for electronic red packets with other Chinese internet firms, but when it comes to handing

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1LH1iVH

Budget schemes on subsidized housing slammed

The Financial Secretary may have won quite a few plaudit for his latest budget, but you'd never have known it if you tuned-in to a joint radio phone-i...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1wqWEd5

German consumer confidence touches 13-year high: survey

Consumer confidence in Germany is at its highest since late 2001, as rising optimism about the economy and income expectations persuade German shopp...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/17AxVHk

Kevin Lau vows to continue his fight

A year since he was severely injured in a chopper attack, former chief editor of the Ming Pao newspaper, Kevin Lau Chun-to, has vowed to continue spea...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1wqWD92

Sinopec denies merger rumors

Chinese oil company Sinopec has denied reports the government plans to merge the firm with another domestic energy behemoth, China National Petroleum ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/17AxVqO

Liberal Party urges BJ to limit visitor's permits

The Liberal Party says it will urge Beijing to restrict Shenzhen residents to only one visit to Hong Kong per day. Currently millions of Shenzhen r...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1wqWEcR

RBS bank posts 3.5b pounds annual loss

State-rescued Royal Bank of Scotland on Thursday reported a massive net loss for 2014, caused by a writedown on its US operations. RBS, about 80-pe...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1LGXMuv

New World China Land posts 61.6 per cent decline in core profit

New World China Land posted a 61.6 per cent year-on-year decline in core profit for the second half of last year due to lower property sales and a decline in gross profit margin.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1A9mwVx

(Cricket World Cup) Sangakkara on a roll

Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara celebrated his feat of becoming only the fourth player to appear in 400 one-day internationals by compiling a half-cent...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1By6qMj

Malaysian and HK man held over 100 kilo Sydney drug haul

Two men from Malaysia and Hong Kong have been charged with smuggling more than 100 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, or ice, worth US$50 million i...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1A9hN6j

Beijing holds its nose over Japanese luxe toilet seats

The built-in bottom washers and pre-warmed seats of Japan's luxury toilets have become the latest flashpoint with China, as Beijing's state-run medi...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1MTDgu2

South Koreans may have a fling without fear

South Korea's Constitutional Court struck down a controversial adultery law which for more than 60 years had criminalized extra-marital sex and jaile...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1vAP5zG

Nikkei rallies at close

Stocks in Tokyo rallied by 1.08 percent today to a 15-year high, led by dip buying after the previous day's fall, while energy shares gained on highe...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1vAP5zy

Oil prices slide in Asia

Oil prices fell in Asia today but losses were curtailed as dealers focused on positive elements of a mixed US energy stockpiles report, analysts said...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1vAP6U8

Intel chief Ma Jian dumped from political advisory role

Vice Minister of State Security Ma Jian was disqualified as a member of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Con...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1ESuLtA

(NBA) Guard Rondo suspended, but Hawks prevail over Mavs

With point guard Rajon Rondo suspended for one game for a heated argument with coach Rick Carlisle, the Dallas Mavericks fell 104-87 to Atlanta Hawk...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1ESuNBL

(NBA) Garnett gets Wolves rolling on homecoming

Kevin Garnett (Pictured, left) received a hero's welcome in his return to Minnesota on Wednesday, even if his on-court contribution to a 97-77 win o...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DcKEsq

Tsang agrees tax base needs to be wider

Hong Kong will study how the tax base can be widened, the Financial Secretary, John Tsang Chun-wah, told lawmakers said today. Lawmakers raised conc...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1JP0mmn

China and HK remain heavyweights in US$15b global art sales market

Global art sales set another record last year driven by acquisitions from new museums, while China including Hong Kong, maintained its place atop the ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DcKGR6

Li Ka-shing’s Tom Group bares plans for ambitious internet finance venture in China

Tom Group, the media conglomerate controlled by Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing, plans to step up the expansion of its e-commerce joint venture in mainland China with an ambitious foray into the online finance business.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1Bf23UI

Chinese tech giants Lenovo, Alibaba become hot targets of US class-action lawsuits

Capital-rich Chinese technology firms such as top PC maker Lenovo and e-commerce giant Alibaba have apparently become hot targets for class-action lawsuits in the United States as their investors and customers pay more attention to possible business misconduct.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/18nDjyy

US$4,400 one-of-kind pen marks Japan tsunami

Luxury marque Montblanc is to sell fountain pens made from a “miracle pine,’’ tree that survived the 2011 tsunami, for US$4,400, an official said. Ju...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1FYa0Aq

Xinjiang bus tragedy kills 22

A bus overturned on a highway in the far western region of Xinjiang, killing 22 people and injuring 38, state media said. Xinhua said the accident oc...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1EtxBr5

Hang Seng rebounds

Stocks in Hong Kong ended the morning session up 0.79 percent today, reversing opening losses. The benchmark Hang Seng Index gained 194.6 points to ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1EtxBr1

Power utility CLP’s profit jumps

CLP Holdings, the larger of Hong Kong’s two power utilities, posted an 8.1 per cent rise in underlying net profit for last year, as higher profits in Hong Kong and Australia was partially offset by a decline on the mainland.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1wgKqhh

(HSBC Files) Bank hopes no more skeletons will be exposed

Bosses of British bank HSBC apologized for “unacceptable'' failings at its Swiss division when they were grilled by British lawmakers over allegation...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1zgmSt8

Yuan usage rising in global trade

The Chinese currency has strengthened its position as the second most used currency in documentary credit transactions following the US dollar.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1DY7utg

Housekeeping trouble mounts for Israel PM Netanyahu

Israel's national watchdog published a damning report on the conduct of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government during a housing crisis, just ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/18nv1qt

(Football) Seven more Chelsea fans identified for racist chants

British police released photographs today of seven men heard chanting racist songs at a London train station after a Chelsea Champions League game. ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/17Ab9Q3

Austria bans foreign funding for Muslims

Austria's parliament on Wednesday passed a law banning foreign sources of financing to Muslim organisations and requiring imams to be able to speak ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/18nt3Gx

William China-bound after Fukushima stop

Britain's Prince William is set to have afternoon tea, but it will be green served by a master in the Japanese ceremonial art in a traditional tea hou...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/17Abcv9

What does complacency over a ‘Grexit’ say about today’s markets?

Much has changed in Europe’s single currency area since the height of the bloc’s financial crisis in the spring of 2012.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1vAA9l0

Officials urged to reject 'western-style' autonomy

The top court in the mainland has urged officials from the ruling Communist Party to shun Western-style judicial independence and reject "erroneous We...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1808cIo

Lohan ordered back into community service

Lindsay Lohan must give an encore performance of 125 hours of community service after a US judge on Wednesday determined she improperly received servi...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1Ets03O

Morgan Stanley set to take US$2.6b hit over mortgage bonds

American bank Morgan Stanley said Wednesday that it has agreed to pay US$2.6 billion to settle with the US federal government over its role in the mor...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1808aA3

LG touts souped up smartwatch with voice chats, GPS, and speedy data

LG Electronics said today it will showcase its latest smartwatch upgraded with the long-term evolution network at the Mobile World Congress in Spain n...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1FY5py9

Beijing inks free trade deal with South Korea

China and South Korea have initialed a free trade agreement, the Ministry of Commerce said in a brief statement on its website. China and Seoul began...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1BeDXJP

Indebted South Koreans pile on record US$990b debt

South Korean South Korea’s household debts reached a new record high in the fourth quarter and expanding at record pace, Yonhap news agency reported c...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1BeDUO3

Amid suspicions Argentina okays China satellite station

Argentina's Congress approved the installation of a Chinese satellite tracking station in the Patagonia region. The measure passed in the lower house...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1LFWfER

Nikkei gains at mid-day

Tokyo stocks rose 0.55 percent on Thursday, led by buying on dips after the previous day's fall, as well as gains in energy shares on higher oil pri...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1FY40HP

Cost cuts, lower fuel prices help Qantas turnaround

Australian carrier Qantas returned to the black after an aggressive shake-up to stem mounting losses, posting its best interim result in four years h...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AMqas7

Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew remains on life support

Singapore's founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew has been put on antibiotics and remains in intensive care at a government hospital, the Prime Minis...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AthiZz

John Tsang says depegging unncessary

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah said it is not necessary to depeg Hong Kong dollar from the greenback for now. Speaking in a radio program, T...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1zg7Cwk

Brisbane mayor considers Australian bid for 2028 Olympics

The mayor of Brisbane says he'd like Australia's third-biggest city to be the centerpiece of a bid to host the 2028 Summer Games, and the national Oly...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AthfwV

Greek football halted after violence

The Greek government has suspended professional football in the country indefinitely. It follows violence at a match between rivals Olympiakos and ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AthhVn

US conservatives rally at CPAC

Thousands of American conservatives will gather just outside Washington beginning Thursday with a thinly-veiled mission: vet the Republican politici...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AtheZQ

PRESS DIGEST - Top stories in Hong Kong and mainland China newspapers on February 26

These are the leading stories in Hong Kong and mainland newspapers and websites on Monday. The South China Morning Post has not verified all these stories.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1BXdj9E

Argentina Congress OKs deal with China on satellite station

Argentina's Congress has approved the installation of a Chinese satellite tracking station in the South American country's Patagonia region. The me...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1wqmbTI

Ukraine truce takes hold but US accuses Russia of land grabs

A UN-backed ceasefire showed signs of finally taking hold in Ukraine on Wednesday, even as the United States accused Russian President Vladimir Puti...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/17zZuk0

Bangladesh orders arrest of opposition leader Khaleda Zia

Bangladesh opposition leader Khaleda Zia is facing arrest following a court order, local news reports said today. A court in the capital Dhaka issued...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1BRc77M

Cheung Kong restructuring plan approved

Shareholders of Cheung Kong Holdings (0001) have approved the merger with Hutchison Whampoa (0013) with an overwhelming 99.76 percent of total votes. ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1Fr1031

Alaska quietly becomes 3rd US state to legalize marijuana

Alaska on Tuesday became the third US state to legalize marijuana. But the historic day passed with little public acknowledgement in a state with a sa...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1JK7mBa

Trial questions treatment of women in Silicon Valley

A gender discrimination trial launched here Tuesday pits an iconic venture capital firm against an employee shown the door not long after her affair...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/17W0nDk

Texas man convicted in killing of 'American Sniper'

A Texas man was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole after he was convicted of murdering the US Navy Seal whose stor...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AIMVwY

Truck driver arrested in California train crash

Police on Tuesday arrested the driver of a truck that got stuck on train tracks in California, causing a crash with a commuter train in which 28 peopl...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1vxBRUq

Nikkei up at midday

Tokyo stocks rose 0.14 percent Wednesday morning after Wall Street notched up record-setting gains on news that the Fed likely will not hike interes...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AIMX8c

(Budget 2015-16) 3.5pc annual growth expected between 2016-19

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah estimated a 3.5-percent annual growth rate between 2016-19, with the underlying inflation rate averaging 3 per...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1vxBUiY

(Budget 2015-16) Fsical reserves to hith HK$856.3b in 2015-16

The government is expected to have revenue of HK$477.6 billion in 2015-16. Earnings and profits tax is estimated at HK$194.6 billion, where land reve...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1BQUzZc

(Budget 2015-16) Govt to expand workforce

The government will be adding 2,540 jobs in the civil service establishment to 176,448 in 2015-16. It represents a year-on-year increase of 1.5 percen...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1BQUCnZ

(Budget 2015-16) Operating expense up 11.5pc in 2015-16

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah expects operating expenditure to go up 11.5 percent to HK$354.3 billion in 2015016. The revised estimate of ex...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1BQUCnW

(Budget 2015-16) Surplus to reach HK$63b in 2014-15

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah said the government surplus is expected to reach HK$63.8 billion for 2014-15, with a fiscal reserves at HK$819...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1BQUzsm

(Budget 2015-16) Tsang touches on sales tax again

Financial Secretary John Tsang mentioned sales tax while delivering his eighth budget. "We may explore again the feasibility of broadening the tax ba...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1JJZY8P

(Budget 2015-16) Sustainable retirement protection needed: FS

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah said retirement protection on a "pay-as-you-go" basis eventually becomes unsustainable, based on overseas expe...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1waHQJF

(Budget 2015-16) Hospital Authority to receive more funding

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah said the government has increased recurrent funding to the Hospital Authority to HK$49 billion, up nearly 50 p...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1JJZWxJ

(Budget 2015-16) More support to encourage employment

Financial Secretary John Tsang said HK$130 million will be allocated to strengthen child care services, thus providing support for women to achieve a ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1waHQt9

(Budget 2015-16) Four new sites for commercial use

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah said four sites for commercial/business use and one for hotel development will be included in the Land Sale Pr...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1JJZVd6

(Budget 2015-16) 'Long Hair' kicked out of chamber

LSD lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung was ordered to leave the Legco chamber after he loudly protested against Financial Secretary John Tsang over universal re...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DSulVy

(Budget 2015-16) FS warns of market volatilityy

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah said the external environment is volatile, where the timing and pace of the US interest rate hike as well as t...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/17VQ42h

(Budget 2015-16) 29 residential sites included in sale list

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah has included 29 residential sites in the 2015-16 Land Sale Program, aiming to provide a total of 16,000 flats....



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DSuk3Y

China manufacturing expands in February: HSBC

Chinese factory activity expanded in February, snapping two consecutive months of contraction, a closely watched private survey showed Wednesday in ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DSuk3V

(Budget 2015-16) Plans to phase out older vehicles

The government will phase out 82,000 Euro III or earlier diesel commercial vehicles by the end of 2019, involving an ex-gratia payment of HK$11.4 bill...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/17VQ3LB

(Budget 2015-16) Trial programs to improve human resources

The government will subsidize 1,000 per cohort, on a pilot basis, to pursue designated self-financing undergraduate programs for meeting the manpower ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DSuk3I

(Budget 2015-16) Pilot scheme for insurance and asset management services

Financial Secretary John Tsang announced to launched a HK$100-million three-year pilot scheme for insurance and asset and wealth management services. ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1D9ox6g

(Budget 2015-16) Additional funding to support construction industry

After allocating HK$320 million to the Construction Industry Council (CIC) to train local workers over the last five years, the government will provi...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1wmKemn

(Budget 2015-16) Another batch of iBond

Financial Secretary John Tsang announced the another of inflation-linked retailed bonds up to HK$10 billion with a maturity of three years....



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1D9ox6b

(Budget 2015-16) RMB settlement up 60pc in 2014

Financial Secretary John Tsang said Renminbi trade settlement conducted through Hong Kong banks amounted to 6.3 trillion yuan, with a 60 percent year-...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1wmKguC

(Budget 2015-16) Third runway necessary to boost HK trade

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah said Hong Kong logged visible trade amounted to HK$8.4 trillion, nearing four times of GDP. "The cargo handle...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1JJR0IH

(Budget 2015-16) 'One Belt One Road' an opportunity for HK: FS

The initiative of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, or "One Belt One Road" in short, was put forward by Beijing, an...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1JJR3nI

(Budget 2015-16) Art community to receive financial supports

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah said the government will launch a HK$300 million Art Development Matching Grants Pilot Scheme. Under the schem...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1JJR37k

(Budget 2015-16) HK$200m to boost local film production

Financial Secretary John Tsang said an additional HK$200 million into the Film Development Fund to boost local film production. It is expected to enh...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1JJR0s8

(Budget 2015-16) Govt to eyes on fashion

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah said the government will consolidate the existing resources and invest new resources, amounting to HK$500 mill...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1JJR0bE

(Budget 2015-16) Additional resources through Enhancing Self-Reliance programs

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah said the government will earmark HK$150 million to roll out a new phase of the Enhancing Self-Reliance Through...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/17VKeOj

(Budget 2015-16) More supports to start-ups

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah confirmed that the government will inject HK$5 billion to the Innovation and Technology Fund will help strengt...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1zFAOOH

(Budget 2015-16) Govt to increase child allowances

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah said the government will increase the basic and additional child allowance from HK$70,000 to HK$100,000 for 20...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1BQB2bt

(Budget 2015-16) Public housing rents waived for one month

The government will pay one month's rent for lower income tenants living in the rental units of the Hong Kong Housing Authority and the Hong Kong Hous...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1zFAOyf

(Budget 2015-16) Extra payments to CSSA recipients

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah said the government will provide an extra allowance to Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients, eq...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1BQB1V1

(Budget 2015-16) Rates waived for two quarters.

The government will waive rates for the first two quarters of 2015-16, up to HK$2,500 per quarter. It will benefit 3.15 million properties and reduce ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1zFAQ95

(Budget 2015-16) Profits tax down in 2015

About 130,000 taxpayers will see profits tax down by 75 percent for 2014-15, subject to a ceiling of HK$20,000. The reduction will be reflected in the...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1BQB1Ei

(Budget 2015-16) Tax reduction up to HK$20k

Taxpayers are expected to see their salaries tax down by 75 percent, up to HK$20,000, said Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah. The reduction will...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1zFAPCj

(Budget 2015-16) New measures support small businesses

Fianncial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah has announced more supports to local small- and medium-sized enterprises. The government will extend the appli...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1BQB0jG

(Budget 2015-16) Inflation to dip to 3.5pc in 2015

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah expected the headline inflation rate to dip to 3.5 percent in 2015, with an underlying inflation rate at 3 per...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1zFANKv

(Budget 2015-16) Support measures for industries hit by Occupy

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah announced measures to help industries affected by the Occupy movement. Around 1,800 travel agents, 2,000 hote...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1BQAYs5

(Budget 2015-16) Inflation eases despite rental growth

Inflation stood at 4.4 percent in 2014, despite overall rentals rose, said Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah. The underlying inflation was 3.5 p...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1zFx6oj

(Budget 2015-16) HK economy grows 2.3pc in 2014

Weakening economy in Eurozone and Japan hit on Hong Kong trade performance, said Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah. Merchandise exports grew on...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1zFx6o6

(Budget 2015-16) Occupy movement affect HK image: FS

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah said Hong Kong was seriously divided during the 79 days of Occupy movement. "The serious divisions in society...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DR6irF

China factories run at fastest for four months despite fall in export orders

Activity in China’s mammoth factory sector edged up to a four-month high in February but export orders shrank at their fastest rate in 20 months, a private survey showed, painting a murky outlook that argues for more policy support.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1vxoxzk

Chinese consumer sentiment softens on worsening personal finances

Mainland Chinese consumer confidence softened to record lows this month, as personal finances deteriorated, according to a joint statement issued by Westpac and MNI.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1FqGcsg

Hang Seng opens higher

Hong Kong stocks opened 0.29 percent higher on Wednesday after record-setting gains on Wall Street and relief over a Greek debt deal. The benchmark...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1JJI99R

PRESS DIGEST - Top stories in Hong Kong and mainland China newspapers on February 25

These are the leading stories in Hong Kong and mainland newspapers and websites on Monday. The South China Morning Post has not verified these stories.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1Gr9pVi

Wellington celebrates Chinese traditions

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key joins a function in Wellington today to mark the Lunar New Year. New Zealand’s Ethnic Communities Minister Peset...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DNevNf

Land use for property falls 25pc

Land area used for real estate development fell sharply last year as the property sector hit a rough patch, official data show. New home construction...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1FmZPSe

(Cricket World Cup) Record-breaker Gayle runs riot

Chris Gayle smashed the highest individual World Cup score of 215 and his first century in 20 months to power the West Indies to 372 for 2 against Zi...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1ELsyA5

Brussels gets Greece reform plans

The list of Greek reform measures demanded by the country's international creditors in return for extending its bailout program have arrived "on tim...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1ELsyjJ

Blackrock says investors on hunt for yield given geo-political, deflationary risks

Rising geo-political risks and a deflationary Europe are headline concerns for institutional investors, now busy shifting portfolios into alternative asset classes, infrastructure and real estate in the hunt for yield, according to an investor survey by fund management fi

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1ELswYY

Toyota unveils fuel-cell car assembly line

Toyota President Akio Toyoda on Tuesday unveiled the assembly line that is making the first mass market fuel-cell car. The world's biggest carmaker ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1LyeYCd

HIV cases jump 16.5pc

The number of new HIV infections in Hong Kong has hit another record high. It rose 16.5 percent from 2013 to 651. Once again, the main source of tr...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DN8nVt

Slowing population growth suggests China can cope with lower GDP expansion

As Premier Li Keqiang guides China toward lower growth rates, economists everywhere are grappling with this question: how slow is too slow for the world’s second-biggest economy?

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1Bj78go

Indonesian court rejects appeal by Australian death-row duo

An Indonesian court on Tuesday dismissed a bid by two Australian drug traffickers on death row to avoid execution by challenging the president's rejec...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1EqiZsr

Germany clocks up financial surplus of 0.6pc of output in 2014: data

Germany's public finances were back in the black in 2014, when Europe's biggest economy clocked up a financial surplus equivalent to 0.6 percent of ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/17t7aVp

Henry Tang urges pan-dems to back reform plan

Former Chief Secretary, Henry Tang Ying-yen, has urged pan-democratic lawmakers to support the government's political reform proposals, saying many mo...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DhXRCW

Activists call for more public spending in budget

An alliance of 18 local pressure groups has called on the Financial Secretary to increase public spending to improve the livelihood of the people. ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DhXSGI

(NBA) Pelicans come back to beat Raptors

Alexis Ajinca capped a 16-point performance with a go-ahead layup in the final minute as New Orleans erased an 18-point deficit to beat Toronto 100-97...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DPJpmC

(NBA) Heat set new scoring mark for season

Luol Deng made 11 of 14 shots and scored 29 points, and Goran Dragic added 23 points and 10 assists as Miami set a season high for scoring, beating Ph...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DN13sK

(NBA) Grizzlies end Clippers four-game winning streak

Mike Conley scored 18 points and Jeff Green added 16 as Memphis beat the Clippers 90-87. Marc Gasol added 14 points and Zach Randolph had 10 reboun...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1Ly6Nps

(NBA) Rockets beat T'wolves behind Harden's triple-double

James Harden had 31 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his second triple-double this season, leading the Houston Rockets to a 113-102 victory over...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DN15AS

(NHL) Ducks rally to beat Red Wings in extra period

Corey Perry and Jakob Silfverberg scored in the shootout as the Ducks rallied from a 2-0 hole. The Ducks looked out of it before scoring three goal...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1Ly6N8Z

(NHL) Devils shut out Coyotes

Cory Schneider had 38 saves for his third shutout of the season as the New Jersey Devils posted their first four-game winning streak in two years with...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DN15kp

Are standard working hours a good thing for Hong Kong?

Since the adoption of the minimum wage legislation in 2011, organised labour has been pushing for standard working hours legislation. If this becomes law, it will be a severe blow to Hong Kong’s labour market flexibility.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/17QPHGa

Nikkei climbs at close

Stocks in Tokyo climbed by 0.74 percent to a fresh 15-year high as a weaker yen lifted the market ahead of US Federal Reserve chief Janet Yellen's C...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1Eqb3aq

(Cricket World Cup) Gayle gets going

Chris Gayle returned to form with a trademark century off just 105 balls to give the West Indies a solid platform in their World Cup clash against Z...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AEWPzF

Yoga guru Bikram Choudhury denies rape allegations

Yoga guru Bikram Choudhury is facing six civil lawsuits from women who have accused him of rape or assault, news reports said. The most recent case w...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1Eqb1Q5

Power Assets posts lower underlying profit

Tycoon Li Ka-shing-controlled utilities firm Power Assets posted a 28 per cent decline in underlying profit for last year due to the spin-off of its Hong Kong power unit and the absence of tax credits that boosted profit of its operations in Britain in 2013.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/17sYDSm

Beijing man charged over New Zealand girl’s car crash death

A Chinese driver from Beijing has been charged in New Zealand with causing the death of a 5-year-old girl on Saturday, local news reports said. The 3...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DhG5j4

60 cups of black tea may inhibit osteoporosis

Black tea could help treat osteoporosis, a bone condition affecting older people, researchers say. But they say you need to drink an awful lot of it....



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1D5ZFMD

Leung leans towards tighter mainland visitor controls

Chief Executive, Leung Chun-ying, said today the Individual Travel Scheme involving 49 mainland cities will not be extended. He will consider ways to ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DMTGS4

(Baseball) Cuban teen Moncada signs US$31m Red Sox deal

Cuban teenager Yoan Moncada has agreed a deal with the Boston Red Sox worth US$31.5 million, according to the Major League Baseball website Monday. ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1FmxUSm

(Baseball) Slugger A-Rod raring to go at Yankees

Disgraced dope-cheat Alex Rodriguez, who missed the entire 2014 Major League Baseball season serving a record ban for performance-enhancing drugs, r...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DMRRom

(Football) Arab millions clothe English, European clubs

The English Premier League and Spain's La Liga led a US$130 million rise in shirt sponsorship deals for Europe's top championships last year, accord...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1FmxUBY

(Cricket World Cup) Pakistan selector Moin in tangle over casino visit

Pakistan cricket chiefs have launched an investigation into reports that chief selector Moin Khan visited a casino shortly before the team's calamit...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1D5UJY7

(Cricket World Cup) Bangladesh rattled by bowler’s night activity

Bangladesh has rubbished media reports back home that seamer Al-Amin Hossain (Pictured) had been kicked out of the World Cup for reportedly confessi...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1Eq0N1X

(Rugby league) Cocaine-tinted Aussie club broke and broken

Australia's National Rugby League took control of the struggling Gold Coast Titans as the club reels from cocaine allegations against five players a...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1D5UIDx

CBS tapes cloud picture further about Fox News host Bill O’Reilly’s Argentina claims

American network CBS News has released video from four stories it aired about the Falklands War in 1982, all part of a dispute involving prominent Fox...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1D5UIn9

(NBA) Westbrook sets new high in assists

Oklahoma City picked up their sixth win in a row, beating Denver 119-94. Russell Westbrook dished out a career-high 17 assists in the win to go with h...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DMLXDz

Bland Oscars a grand turnoff and thanks to host, too

TV ratings for the Oscars US broadcast fell by 16 percent from last year, according to figures published Monday. This comes amid lukewarm reviews ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1FmsdnB

BHP Billiton in the red amid iron ore price crash

Global mining giant BHP Billiton said first-half net profit almost halved to US$4.26 billion on the back of collapsing commodity prices. The compan...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1JFotE3

Asia equities mixed, greenback gains

Asian stocks were mixed today as investors awaited proposed Greek reforms that are critical to winning an extension on its bailout, while US Federal...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1JFm2Bi

US home sales down by 4.9pc

US home sales struck a snow drift in January, plunging to the slowest pace in nine months. The National Association of Realtors said Monday that sale...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1LxJNXC

Lavrov and Wang shake hands on cooperation

Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov at the UN headquarters in New York City on the sidelines of the Security Counc...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1LxJNHi

Russia lashes Washington’s unsavoury acts, manipulations

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov implicitly accused the United States on Monday of violating UN principles by bombing Syria, occupying Iraq “und...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1vtYKrE

Millions turned off by Oscars, audience touches new low

An estimated 36.6 million people watched the Academy Awards telecast on ABC, representing a drop of 16 percent from 2014. The Nielsen company said Mo...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1JFgwPa

GE under scrutiny over Alstom deal

The European Union opened an in-depth probe of American conglomerate General Electric's US$14.1 billion takeover of the power division of French compa...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1JFgyGU

Israeli intel agency Iran nukes view at odds with Netayahu’s bomb alarm in UN

Israel's Mossad spy agency in October 2012 had a less alarmist view of Iran's nuclear program than an assessment delivered by Prime Minister Benjamin ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1a9b72W

HSBC shares fall to more than 2-year low

Shares of HSBC slumped 3.8 percent to the lowest level since Setpember 2012 during early local trading. The plunge came after the bank reported a 1...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1BJYyqC

Hollande promises toughter laws on race hate

The French President, Francois Hollande, has set out plans to introduce new criminal penalties for anti-Semitic, racist, and homophobic hate crimes. ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1LAgcPr

Hong Kong broadband provider launches IPO

HKBN, Hong Kong’s second-largest broadband service provider, launches its initial public offering on Tuesday, raising up to US$750 million in the city’s first major deal of the year.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1B6Vh3a

2 Californians get 25 years in federal prison for terror try

Two California men were sentenced Monday to 25 years in prison for conspiring to support terrorists and kill Americans overseas, federal prosecutors s...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1BhEU5u

SKorea-US announce joint drills, to likely North fury

South Korea and the United States said Tuesday they would kick off their annual joint military exercises on March 2, setting the stage for a likely ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AEkUql

Hang Seng opens lower

Hong Kong stocks opened lower on Tuesday as caution over a Greek debt grows with questions over whether Athens can complete an agreement reached las...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AEkUXt

PRESS DIGEST - Top stories in Hong Kong and mainland China newspapers on February 24

These are the leading stories in Hong Kong and mainland newspapers and websites on Monday. The South China Morning Post has not verified these stories.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1a8TZKI

(Oscars) Moore crowned best actress

Julianne Moore has won the Academy Award for best actress for “Still Alice,’’ at the 87th Academy Awards in Los Angeles, Sunday. Moore gives a nuance...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/17p3FPu

(Oscars) Redmayne best actor

Eddie Redmayne has won the Academy Award for best actor for “The Theory of Everything,’’ at the 87th Academy Awards in Los Angeles. (Pictured, Redmay...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AlnnHg

Young driver held for ramming into Taipei presidential office

Taiwan police arrested a man who crashed a sports utility vehicle into a security barrier outside the presidential office today. It was the third sim...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/17p3GTQ

(Oscars) Alejandro Inarritu wins best director for Birdman

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Pictured) has won the Academy Award for best director for “Birdman'' at the 87th Academy Awards in Los Angeles. It was t...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1Alnlzm

Athens in scramble to finalize fiscal reforms

Greece was putting the final touches to fiscal and structural reform proposals to be presented to its European creditors today. Draft draft proposal...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/17p3GDl

Hang Seng flat at mid-day

Hong Kong shares traded largely flat today, as they reopened after a Lunar New Year break. The benchmark Hang Seng Index fell 7.06 points to 24,825.02...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1ElqnVQ

(Oscars) Snowden hailed for courage to expose truth after documentary wins

“Citizenfour,'' about the leaking of classified US government documents by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, won the best d...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DaJU9C

Murder trial to resume with new jurors

A new nine-member jury has been selected to hear the trial of a man accused of killing and dismembering his parents almost two years ago. The previo...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1JBdlYX

Oil rises in Asian trade

Oil rebounded in Asia as speculators hunted for bargains following a sharp decline last week, but analysts said prices remain weighed by an oversupp...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1zZIVo5

Israel buys American F-35 stealth fighters in US$2.8b deal

Israel is to purchase 14 F-35 stealth fighters from US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin at a cost of US$110 million each, the defense ministry said. ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1JBdlYS

(HSBC Files) Argentina wants adviser arrested

Argentina's tax authority said it is seeking an international arrest warrant for an investment adviser suspected of helping Argentines hide money in ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1ElmakW

Inventive jazz trumpeter Clark Terry dies

African-American jazz trumpeter Clark Terry, the playful soloist and teacher whose seven-decade career spanned a golden era of jazz, has died at 94,...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1LsXfft

PRESS DIGEST - Top stories in Hong Kong and mainland China newspapers on February 23

These are the leading stories in Hong Kong and mainland newspapers and websites on Monday. The South China Morning Post has not verified these stories.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/17Li9t3

Sri Lanka PM Wickremesinghe continues blame game

Australia stayed silent on alleged human rights abuses in Sri Lanka in exchange for cooperation in cracking down on people-smuggling, Colombo's new ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1D1uSk7

Asian equities rally

Asian stocks were mostly higher today as investors cheered a last-minute deal to extend Greece's bailout by four months, giving Athens a lifeline to ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1Al9cCf

(Oscars) Winners so far

Here are the winners announced so far at the 87th Academy Awards on Sunday: Best supporting actor: J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash'' Best supporting actr...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1D1uRfX

China’s bitter home truths

Around the turn of the 20th century in New York, there was a frenzy of residential development in Harlem, to complement an “El” train that would allow for a quick commute into the business district of Manhattan.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1Ba0w3H

Traffic back to normal after pile up in TKO

Normal traffic returned to roads near the Verbena Heights after a multiple-vehicle collision interrupted the traffic this morning. Four people were...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DatZbw

Jack Nicklaus sued over role in failed golf resort

A US federal appeals court has ruled a Colorado couple can sue Jack Nicklaus over an alleged misrepresentation of the golf legend's membership role in...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1DatZbl

(Daytona 500) Logano lives up to the hype

Joey Logano, (pictured) the driver who has spent seven years trying to live up to impossible expectations, raced to his first career Daytona 500 victo...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1ElhJGO

(Oscars) Animated comic hero rewarded

“Big Hero 6’’ has won the Academy Award for best animated feature. The Disney film _ based on a Marvel comic about a team of superheroes _ tells the ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1GjzghU

Kim urges NKorea to be combat ready

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has urged the army to ensure its combat readiness ahead of US-South Korea military exercises that see an annual spike ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1JB2Vbz

(NBA) Millsap lifts Hawks over Bucks

Paul Millsap scored 23 points and grabbed 16 rebounds as the Atlanta Hawks snapped a two-game losing streak Sunday with a 97-86 NBA victory at Milwa...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1GjzeGK

(Oscars) Arquette wins supporting actress

Patricia Arquette (Pictured) won the best supporting actress Oscar on Sunday for her role in coming-of-age drama ''Boyhood.'' She beat Laura Dern (...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1JB2UV5

British ex-ministers Straw and Rifkind exposed as fixers for a price

An undercover report accused two British former foreign ministers of offering to use their positions to help a private company in exchange for payme...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AkZdNl

Mercedes recalls 147k cars in US

Mercedes-Benz is recalling more than 147,000 mid-size sedans and station wagons to check for risk of engine fires. The US safety regulator said the...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/17oTavI

BBC star and Aussie sex convict Harris faces more disgrace

Disgraced entertainer Rolf Harris was stripped of his Australian honors after being found guilty of sexually assaulting four girls in Britain. The A...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AkZdN5

Athens targets oligarchs and smugglers

Greece has drawn up a 7.3 billion-euro tax hit list aimed at oligarchs and the lucrative smuggling industry, a German newspaper said, as part of refo...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1JAXRUI

Nikkei climbs at break

Stocks in Tokyo gained 0.81 percent in the morning, as investors reacted to news that eurozone ministers agreed to extend Greece's bailout by four mo...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1w0akps

(NBA) Stuckey leads Pacers’ attack

Rodney Stuckey scored 30 points to help Indiana Pacers beat NBA-leading Golden State Warriors. The Warriors played without star guard Stephen Curry f...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1w0ak95

(NBA) LeBron, Irving rout Knicks

LeBron James (Pictured) and Kyrie Irving each scored 18 points while Kevin Love added 16 points and 16 rebounds Sunday as the Cleveland Cavaliers ri...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1JAXRUB

(Football) Lyon regain lead

Up-and-coming attacking midfielder Nabil Fekir scored the winner as Lyon beat Nantes 1-0 to restore its two-point lead over defending champion Paris S...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/17oR27b

(Football) Roma held to draw

Roma drew 1-1 at Hellas Verona in Serie A to leave them nine points behind Italian league leader Juventus. Francesco Totti fired Roma in front in the...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1B3LACQ

(Oscars) All-white Hollywood skewered for color problem

Oscar host Neil Patrick Harris (Pictured with Anna Kendrick) wasted no time kicking off a stormy 87th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angel...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/17oR275

(Oscars) Simmons best supporting actor

J.K. Simmons has won the Academy Award for best supporting actor for “Whiplash.'' Simmons plays a cruel jazz band instructor who berates and humilia...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1Da9fR4

(Oscars) Ida wins best foreign language gong

The black-and-white Polish film “Ida'' has won the Academy Award for best foreign language film. The win marks the first foreign language Oscar for ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1El6nCN

(Football) Dost on the double

Dutch striker Bas Dost scored twice for Wolfsburg to consolidate second place in the German Bundesliga with a 2-1 win over relegation candidate Hertha...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1Da9fAx

Call to raise elderly assistance

The University of Hong Kong Professor, who led the government's working group on pensions, Nelson Chow, is calling for the old-age living supplement t...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1El6kXF

(Football) Liverpool keep going

Liverpool moved two points off the top four in the English Premier League with a 2-0 win at Southampton, while Tottenham fought back for a 2-2 draw wi...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1Da9gV7

(Football) Ronaldo, Benzema help Real Madrid gain distance

Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema (Pictured) scored to give Real Madrid a 2-0 win at Elche yesterday, as the Spanish league leaders capitalized on B...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1D19T0D

(Cricket World Cup) Centurion Ali carries England

Moeen Ali (Pictured) scored 128 as England posted 303 for eight batting first against Scotland in the World Cup Pool A match at Hagley Oval in Chris...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AkNcr1

(Oscars) Sparkling details

Starlet-of-the-moment Dakota Johnson decided on a ponytail _ an ode to her “Fifty Shades of Grey'' character Anastasia Steele? _ to go with her red on...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1D19SKb

(Oscars) Chung glistens

What would be Oscars like without a little sparkle? Jamie Chung turned up in a princess-like fireworks-design in sequins against black on a Yanina Cou...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1vqS1Pc

(Oscars) Terrific in tuxedos

For the men on the red carpet at the 87th annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles at the Dolby Theatre, there were lots of classic black tuxedos – best a...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1D16nU7

(Oscars) Bright in white on red carpet

Hollywood's A-list actresses displayed old-school elegance in white and glittering silver on the Oscars red carpet Sunday, even as rain tumbled down ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1vqS1yV

65 die Bangladesh ferry sinking

The death toll in a ferry accident in central Bangladesh soared to 65 today, as navy and fire brigade divers recovered another 24 bodies, police sai...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1D9XiuL

(HSBC Files) Hong Kong-based CEO Gulliver held US$7.6m in Swiss account

HSBC chief executive Stuart Gulliver, who has pledged to reform the tainted British bank, kept millions of US dollars in a Swiss account, the Guardia...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1B9kImy

(Football) Ex-N Ireland cop in racist incident is in human rights body

The solicitor for one of the Chelsea fans involved in an alleged racist incident in Paris has apologized on his behalf to the victim and says he will ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AkAJ6F

(Oscars) Downpour soaks red carpet

It never rains in Southern California _ until the Academy Awards. With California in the midst of a drought, the rain poured down Sunday night as ce...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1a0OWfh

Nikkei opens higher

Stocks in Tokyo opened 0.89 percent higher today, after eurozone ministers agreed to extend Greece's bailout by four months. The benchmark Nikkei 22...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/17KHvap

Smaller Chinese banks attract yield hunters

Chinese lenders considered medium-sized at home, which dwarf top banks in Europe and Japan, are attracting debt investors betting they are too big to fail.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/17KeKdY

Short selling allowed in latest boost to Shanghai-HK stock connect scheme

The new lunar year will see more measures to boost the lacklustre Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect scheme, beginning with the provision of short-selling.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1FeMZoZ

Chinese investors target hotels, wineries, mineral water in British Columbia

When Liu Chuang landed in Vancouver in 2013, he noticed that most of the Chinese immigrants he met were heavily invested in residential real estate and hungry to diversify.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1LtVwZ8

Deflation is not all bad news for consumers and businesses

Deflation is not all bad news and there are times when consumers and businesses can benefit.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1MLJpYY

Chart of the day: Apple still most valuable brand

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1LtSRP8

Hong Kong's tech dreams tied to unrestricted mainland access

Governments that throw taxpayers' dollars at hi-tech dreams through university research investment have only seen a graveyard of costly and failed projects.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1MLJpIs

Can Hong Kong be a dream city for start-ups to scale up?

One of the main problems facing any start-up is how to eventually scale up the business. The key question for Hong Kong is whether it is an ideal place for start-ups to grow.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1AxJkSv

Insurers await green light to get into OTC market

The mainland's over-the-counter (OTC) equity market may get a fresh boost with a much anticipated regulatory nod to insurance funds looking to invest in start-ups.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/19X3KLV

PBOC's Hu appointed to Exim Bank chair

People's Bank of China (PBOC) deputy governor Hu Xiaolian has been appointed the chairwoman of Export-Import Bank of China and its Communist Party chief, in the latest reshuffle in the top echelons of the country's central bank.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1zYlUBW

Wine fortunes take off for labels featured on inflight menus

Over the course of her 36-year career at Cathay Pacific Airways, Karen Koh would help welcome first and business-class passengers with champagne as they boarded. She would also oversee the cabin crew at meal times as they poured a selection of wines.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1B5zOtg

Australia banks sweeten hybrid securities as supply glut looms

Australian banks are being forced to pay higher yields to encourage investors to buy their hybrid securities as a glut of issuance to meet regulatory requirements threatens to saturate the market.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1AiufVT

Theme park operators rush to join boom in China

Billed as the cutest place on Earth, the newly opened Hello Kitty Park is the latest addition to an increasingly crowded market for amusement parks on the mainland.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1EiSpkV

Ordinary Somalis hit by anti-terror banking rules

Mohammed Adan's four school-age children are the latest victims of new international banking regulations aimed at terrorists but hitting ordinary Somalis hard.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1EiQGMv

Chinese IPOs in US overshadow growing market retreat

A bumper year for Chinese IPOs in the United States last year - thanks largely to Alibaba's record US$25 billion listing - has overshadowed a retreat from that market by almost as many Chinese firms that entered it.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1EiQE7i

Sino Land chairman boosts holdings in quiet holiday week

Insider trading was flat during the holiday week with nine companies recording 36 purchases worth HK$6.9 million, compared with two firms with seven disposals worth HK$1.2 million.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1LtBHkH

Warburg Pincus eyes luxury sales outlets for investment

Where to find a good investment opportunity in the mainland's slowing luxury market? Outlet stores selling big brands at a discount might not be a bad choice, says global private equity firm Warburg Pincus.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1LtzjdN

Compliance, regulatory costs still a likely damper on HSBC earnings

New money laundering allegations will cast a shadow over HSBC when it announces its full-year earnings report today.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1LtziXs

Hong Kong's unwanted HK$1,000 banknote is the money launderer's medium of choice

The other day I was paying for my groceries at the supermarket when a man rushed up to the check-out clerk and asked her if she would change a HK$1,000 banknote.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1AgwQj2

US to fine Japan's Takata US$14,000 a day for failing to help faulty air-bag probe

The US government will fine Japanese air bag maker Takata Corporation US$14,000 per day for failing to fully cooperate in a long-running investigation of faulty and potentially dangerous air bag inflators.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/19NO1Ps

Hambro's rescue plan for gold miner Petropavlovsk faces uphill battle

Peter Hambro, who descended from a wealthy line of Anglo-Danish bankers, recalls receiving a bottle of whisky as a gift from his mother's gardener.

It was a token of thanks after seeing a good return on his investment in Hambro's Russian gold-mining business.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1Ee8Z5r

China's IPO rush creates crop of newly minted billionaires

China's world-best stock market rally made January the busiest month for IPOs in a year. It also created a bundle of new billionaires.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1Ee8WXf

HSBC facing 10 separate probes around the world

Ten days after revelations about HSBC's Swiss subsidiary first broke, the bank is now facing 10 separate investigations around the world.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1vOGft3

Hong Kong HSBC relatively unscathed as bank struggles with catalogue of errors

HSBC's once stellar reputation tarnished as it struggles with a catalogue of money-losing failures.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1w5Ho52

China debt market is back as Kaisa troubles seen as company specific

High-yield debt issuers from the mainland's property sector will switch onshore this year as China cuts interest rates, while those developers rated investment-grade will stay abroad as they are less affected by the still unfolding Kaisa crisis, say analysts.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/17zyLDQ

Hong Kong playing catch up in tech-driven consumer finance industry

It's taken a while but Hong Kong is finally playing catch up when it comes to consumer finance. And like other markets, it's the newcomers who are leading the charge.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1DA5De0

Mainland developers raise home prices on improved market sentiment

Mainland developers have started raising asking prices for some of their developments, taking advantage of the central government's credit easing measures, but cautious home buyers remain selective.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1CTvGtL

LME warehousing; overdue reform or regulatory overreach?

What to make of last week's mass cancellations of zinc at London Metal Exchange (LME) warehouses in New Orleans?

Last week's Wednesday LME stocks report showed 91,400 tonnes of metal moving to the physical departure lounge at the US port.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1JtHsBu

Lenovo stops selling pre-installed ‘Superfish’ adware on laptops after customer uproar

Computer giant Lenovo Group has rushed to squash a growing controversy over adware pre-installed on its laptops after experts declared the technology to be a serious security threat.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/19Hfl1v

The Standard wishes its readers Kung Hei Fat Choi

The Standard wishes all its readers Kung Hei Fat Choi in the Year of The Goat. ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1E5a5QP

(Flight MH370) Chinese relatives demand truth from Malaysian PM

Chinese relatives of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 passengers gathered outside the Malaysian prime minister's office today to demand his government...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1AEc4vT

Bangladesh sentences Jamaat leader to death

A special tribunal dealing with war crimes involving Bangladesh's 1971 independence war convicted and sentenced a leading collaborator to death today ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1Jp8H03

Athens readies debt proposals

Greece was preparing today to present its creditors with an official proposal aimed to save bailout talks from collapse, as time is running out for a ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1ARc6z0

Greek stocks rally 3 percent

Greek stocks climbed by more than 3 percent shortly after opening today amid optimism of a deal between Athens and its international creditors to en...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1G16J0s

(HSBC files) SWISS BEGIN CRIMINAL INQUIRY

Investigators launched a search today of British banking giant HSBC's Geneva offices as part of a money laundering investigation following allegation...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1zNmvX9

Chelsea's Paris mob proud to be racist, taunt black man

England’s Chelsea Football Club said it was prepared to ban self-proclaimed racist fans who were filmed preventing a black man from boarding a Paris...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1A51RGS

European equities open higher

Europe's main stock markets opened higher today on hopes of an end to Greece's debt stand-off, dealers said. London's benchmark FTSE 100 index rose 0...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1yVI4o4

Kidnap and divorce for cash Jewish rabbi faces trial

An American rabbi who prosecutors say employed a kidnap team to force unwilling Jewish husbands to divorce their wives is set to stand trial. Opening...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1Dp9qum

Australia rethinks surveillance after tainted berries from China infect 13

Tougher food screening measures could be introduced in Australia after frozen berries from China were linked to a growing number of hepatitis A infe...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1Dp9qdT

RBA cuts rates over doubts on China exports, slower local spending

The Reserve Bank of Australia said doubts about a pickup in domestic spending and China's appetite for raw materials prompted this month's decision to lower interest rates, and reiterated that the Australian dollar remains too high.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1AByEW0

Abolish Home Affairs Department and set up a building affairs tribunal

Abolish Home Affairs, set up a building affairs tribunal

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1EJYvbz

Cheung Kong boss Li Ka-shing leads pack of world's richest Chinese

The world's top 10 Chinese billionaires are all self-made and none of them were born in the year of the goat, a survey released yesterday shows.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/1EJYwwj

Future Land expects cost of offshore borrowing to rise

Future Land Development Holdings expects the cost of borrowing offshore will rise for privately owned enterprises after the difficulties surrounding Kaisa Group Holdings.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/19s0N5W

SmarTone records hefty profit gains on iPhone 6 sales boom

SmarTone Telecommunications Holdings, the No3 mobile operator in Hong Kong, posted a 50 per cent increase in interim net profit for the six months ended December 31 on the back of strong smartphone sales and growth in subscribers.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/17ltVKz

Samsung armed with US$56b cash to fund growth

Samsung Electronics aims to use its US$56 billion cash pile to fund growth including acquisitions, the tech giant's investor relations chief said, even as more shareholders clamour for bigger dividends.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/19rTyuK

Nikkei ends at seven-year high on recession exit

The Nikkei Stock Average ended at a more than seven-year high on Monday after data showed the Japanese economy rebounded from recession in the last quarter of 2014.

via South China Morning Post - Business feed http://ift.tt/17ltXBS