Hong kong

HONG KONG (Reuters): Hong Kong's Court of Appeal upheld on Tuesday (June 22) a court decision to deny a trial by jury to the first person charged under a new national security law, a landmark decision that marks a departure from the global financial hub's common law tradition. Last month, the Court of First Instance in the High Court ruled that Tong Ying-kit would face a trial without jury, citing "a perceived risk of the personal safety of jurors and their family members". His lawyer appealed. "Although jury trial is the conventional mode of trial in the Court of First Instance, it should not be assumed to be the only means of achieving fairness in the criminal process," according to a summary of the decision by judges Jeremy Poon, Wally Yeung and Johnson Lam. "When personal safety of jurors and their family members is under threat and due administration of justice might be impaired, there is a real risk that the goal of a fair trial by jury will be put in peril." Police say ... » Learn More about HK court upholds decision for no jury at first national security trial

BEIJING (China Daily/ANN): President Xi Jinping underlined on Monday (June 21) the need for China and the European Union to jointly uphold dialogue and cooperation as the mainstream of bilateral relations and mutual benefit as the main theme for bilateral cooperation. It was a hard-won outcome for China and the EU to secure an uptrend in bilateral relations amid the Covid-19 pandemic last year, and the two sides should make every effort to treasure this outcome, Xi said during a phone conversation with his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto. Against the backdrop of a fast-changing global landscape and various new global threats and challenges, Xi called for cooperation instead of confrontation and efforts to seek win-win outcomes rather than a zero-sum game. The president expressed his hope that Finland can play a unique positive role in promoting the healthy and steady development of China-EU relations. He called on both nations to boost their complementary strengths, and ... » Learn More about China’s Xi calls on EU to jointly pursue cooperation

REUTERS: China's Full Truck Alliance Co Ltd raised nearly US$1.6 billion through a U.S. initial public offering on Tuesday, giving it a valuation of around US$20.6 billion and marking another high-profile Chinese float in New York this year. The company, which styles itself as the "Uber for trucks", sold 82.5 million American depositary shares (ADS) at US$19 per ADS, the upper end of its target range of US$17 and US$19 per ADS. Each ADS represents 20 Class A ordinary shares. Backed by high-profile investors such as SoftBank's Vision Fund and Tencent Holdings, Full Truck Alliance was formed in 2017 out of a merger between Chinese digital freight platforms Yunmanman and Huochebang. The company runs a mobile app that connects truck drivers to people that need to ship items within China. It is set to debut on the New York Stock Exchange later on Tuesday and will trade under the ticker symbol "YMM". Several richly valued Chinese tech startups have targeted IPOs in the United ... » Learn More about China’s Full truck Alliance raises US$1.6 billion in US IPO

WELL-organised and friendly – that was the verdict by those who turned up for their vaccination at the KL Tzu Chi Jing Si Hall in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme. Lee Cal Vin, who took his grandparents to the centre, said he was relieved to find a team of volunteers waiting at the front entrance to offer assistance while he parked his car. The couple were among hundreds who had been inoculated at the hall belonging to the Tzu Chi Foundation Malaysia. The foundation had offered its premises for free to the Health Ministry (MOH) to carry out and expedite the government’s vaccination programme. Revealing that his grandparents were late for their appointment as they had not checked their MySejahtera app earlier, Their next appointment is scheduled for July. “I also found the doctors on duty to be very knowledgeable. Overall, the volunteers were kind and helpful,” said Lee. Giving an in-depth view into the operating procedure, Ee ... » Learn More about Thumbs up for service at NGO’s vaccination venue