Author: OMN AI

Prudential Hong Kong is expanding its headquarters in the city through a new office lease with Swire Properties. The insurer will take a total of 83,000 square feet across One Taikoo Place and One Island East. The move will increase its office space and keep its main base in the Taikoo Place area. Swire Properties announced the agreement on Wednesday. The company said the deal shows Prudential Hong Kong’s long-term commitment to the city and to Taikoo Place. The new office plan will bring more of Prudential Hong Kong’s staff and work areas together. Swire Properties said the move will…

Hong Kong customs officers have raided a corporate office in Sheung Wan as part of a probe into a local beauty chain linked to UK brand Opatra London. The raid took place on Tuesday at the Wing On Centre on Connaught Road Central. Officers from the Customs and Excise Department seized documents from the office. The office is listed as the registered main place of business for the beauty chain. But there was no sign of the brand at the site. Instead, the office had signs for Ascentium, a corporate services firm. No beauty staff or business activity linked to…

A Macau developer has put a North Point redevelopment site up for sale for HK$1.2 billion, or about US$153 million. The move shows the hard task of urban renewal in Hong Kong. The site at 77-87 Marble Road covers about 7,680 square feet. It can be used for homes, shops, a hotel or student housing. Cushman & Wakefield is handling the sale. Buyers can submit their interest by September 28. The site is owned by a group led by Excellent Group, based on Land Registry records. Companies Registry records name Lo Shing-chung as a director. He is also the founder…

A deadly typhoon struck the coastal waters of Hong Kong on August 17, 1971, causing massive destruction across the territory.The severe storm capsized the Hong Kong to Macao passenger ferry SS Fatshan off Lantau Island.Eighty-eight crew members lost their lives in the disaster, making it one of the worst maritime tragedies in local history. The vessel was attempting to shelter near Stonecutters Island as hurricane winds swept through the region.Powerful ocean waves snapped the ship anchor, leaving the ferry adrift in dangerous open waters.Violent wind gusts pushed the drifting ship toward Lantau Island, where it collided with other loose vessels…

Hongkong Post will stop offering permanent civil service jobs to new workers as part of a major plan to cut operational spending. The self-financing postal service faces a growing financial crisis caused by shrinking global mail volumes. This sudden decision has created strong worries among local public workers. Many employees fear that other government agencies might soon adopt similar contract rules to save money. Department leaders confirmed that new workers finishing probation in or after September will receive two-year renewable contracts instead of permanent positions. These staff members will still receive standard public service pay and benefits during their contract…

President Xi Jinping led a grand ceremony in Beijing to honor former leader Jiang Zemin. Thousands of top officials gathered in the Great Hall of the People for the special event. The gathering marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of the late state president. The high-profile event highlights political continuity and unity across all levels of government. It comes just one year before the next major party congress. Top leaders plan to set the strategic direction and form the new leadership team during that major meeting. President Xi spoke for 40 minutes about the strong legacy of the former…

China has officially launched the first scheduled container service through the Arctic Ocean. The massive ocean transit cuts shipping times to Europe by more than half. The new path gives global trade a fast alternative to crowded ocean channels. A Chinese shipping firm named Sea Legend leads the bold venture. The company now runs regular cargo ships across the northern seas. Ships travel directly from Ningbo to the United Kingdom in just 18 days. Traditional routes through the Suez Canal often take over 40 days to complete. The high-north sea lane spans 5,500 kilometers along the frozen coast of Russia.…

A new Chinese AI model is showing strong skills in finding and exploiting security flaws. The model, called GLM 5.3, was built by China based AI lab Z.ai. Its cyber skills are close to those of leading US AI models. The result shows how fast Chinese open weight AI models are improving. It also raises fresh concerns about cyber attacks. Open weight models can be downloaded and changed by users. This can help researchers and defenders. But it can also give hackers more freedom. Z.ai said Friday that it will delay the public release of GLM 5.3 weights for two…

Washington is set to ask dozens of countries to choose between US and Chinese artificial intelligence groups. The move could deepen the global split over AI. It could also put pressure on countries that work with both sides. A draft letter from the US State Department says countries that join a China led AI group may be left out of the US led Pax Silica group. The draft was reviewed by Reuters. A US official also confirmed the plan. The letter is aimed at 35 countries. These nations signed a US AI statement in June. Some are also part of…

The United States is preparing a firm message for its global partners. Washington plans to tell dozens of nations that they must pick a side in the growing artificial intelligence race. The push directly targets China as both superpowers compete for global control over future technology. A draft letter from the State Department outlines this new policy direction. According to a senior official, countries must align with Washington or face removal from its key tech group. The goal is to build a tight alliance that limits Beijing’s reach in critical markets. Last year, the US launched a major program named…