Inno & Tech The new era of Open Source Software? Four Reason why you should start using Open Source Software
US retail sales weakest in over a year in July US retail sales declined unexpectedly in July, government estimates showed on Friday, marking their weakest showing in more than a year as consumers pulled back at auto dealers and online stores. Total sales were down 0.6 percent in July from the previous month, at US$763.6 billion, according to the US Department of Commerce. Excluding sales at auto dealers and gasoline stations, sales dipped 0.2 percent on a month-on-month basis. Analysts had expected a 0.1 percent uptick in sales for the month instead, and all eyes are on US consumer health as households grapple with inflation while drawing down on their savings. "American consumers are showing signs of fatigue. July retail sales were disappointing on all levels," said Navy Federal Credit Union chief economist Heather Long. Consumers likely brought forward their spending to capitalise on online sales events in June, Long said. But she warned: "Even with lower spending on gas in July, consumers weren't eager to spend elsewhere." Inflation has remained elevated in recent months, boosted by higher gasoline prices, after US-Israel strikes targeting Iran prompted Tehran to block most traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway is critical for global energy transit and the disruption has pushed prices up at US gasoline stations. But gasoline prices cooled in July, weighing on sales at the pump, even as costs remain higher than before the Middle East war started. Among major categories, retail sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers were down 1.8 percent from the prior month. Spending ticked down at grocery stores too, while hobby spending was flat. Sales at gasoline stations dropped by 0.9 percent, and those at online stores tumbled 2.2 percent. Still, retail sales were up five percent from the same period a year ago. (AFP) Edited by Aaron Tam
Govt concludes review of CX comm loss incident The Civil Aviation Department (CAD) said on Friday that it has completed its review of Cathay Pacific’s full investigation into last month’s in-flight communication failure involving a Hong Kong–to-London flight. The incident came to light after Hungarian Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi posted on social media that the Airbus A350 heading to Heathrow had briefly lost contact with air traffic control while flying over Romanian airspace, prompting a Nato quick-reaction alert. Cathay Pacific later confirmed the occurrence. According to the CAD’s statement, the aircraft’s communication equipment was found to be functioning normally throughout the event. The disruption was instead attributed to the flight crew selecting an incorrect radio frequency in response to instructions intended for another aircraft. The crew subsequently failed to recognise that communication had been lost. Following the incident, Cathay Pacific has rolled out a series of corrective measures. These include revisions to operational and monitoring protocols for the communication system, along with reinforced reminders for flight crews to maintain heightened vigilance at all times. The CAD expressed serious concern over the episode and has directed the airline to rigorously implement the planned improvements. This includes providing additional training and performance assessments for the crew members involved. Reaffirming the critical importance of uninterrupted communication between flight crews and air traffic controllers, the department has also called on Cathay Pacific to strengthen its internal reporting mechanisms for safety-related events. The airline had already begun adopting the enhanced procedures in mid-July. The CAD confirmed it will continue to closely monitor the effectiveness of these measures in the coming months. Edited by Aaron Tam
Chinese firm to launch Arctic shipping route till Oct A Chinese shipowner is set to begin the world's first weekly container service through the Arctic on an express route to Europe on Saturday, making the voyages until October. The company, Sea Legend, tested the premise last year when it completed the first China-to-Europe container ship transit through the frigid Northern Sea Route (NSR) along Russia's coastline. The journey from the city of Ningbo to the English port of Felixstowe took 20 days, according to the company – about half the time it takes for shipments from China to Europe via the Suez Canal. Sea Legend will become the first operator to run a regular container service through the NSR, for a seven-week period until October 3. A Sea Legend ship called "Dubai Tower" will leave Ningbo for Felixstowe on Saturday night, an employee at the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port said on Friday. Other shipping companies have transited the Arctic passage before, with Denmark's Maersk the first to do so in 2018. The NSR saw a record 23 container transits in 2025, up from 15 the previous year, according to shipping analysis from business insurer Allianz Commercial published in June. Analysts say the Arctic is an important future trade route, particularly for China, which in 2018 outlined its vision for greater access to the region through a "Polar Silk Road". The period up to October 3 is "broadly aligned with the period when ships can expect to transit without icebreaker assistance", Niels Rasmussen, chief shipping analyst at the shipping lobby BIMCO, wrote in a note. Sea Legend's departing ships, however, will carry less than 0.5 percent of the weekly container volume from East and Southeast Asia to North Europe, he said. The limited duration of the service "is equal to less than 0.1 percent of the annual container volumes between the two regions", he added. (AFP) Edited by Azam Khan
Two civil service teams awarded for exemplary service Chief Executive John Lee presented the Chief Executive’s Award for Exemplary Performance to two inter-departmental teams at a ceremony on Friday, recognising their outstanding contributions to the community. The award, established to celebrate excellence and dedication within the civil service, aims to inspire public servants to continually raise their standards and strive for improvement. This year, the accolade went to the team that safely dismantled a wartime bomb in Quarry Bay last year, as well as the team responsible for the handling of light public housing projects. In his address, Lee commended both groups for embodying the highest professional values of the civil service. "Since taking office four years ago, the current term government has continuously pursued reform and innovation, adopting a results-oriented approach, and our policy initiatives have gradually borne fruit," he said. "From the professionalism and solidarity shown in handling the wartime bomb to the efficiency and innovation in building light public housing, our civil service colleagues have consistently demonstrated a dedicated service spirit, daring to face challenges and take on responsibilities." Lee also expressed his gratitude to all civil servants for their steadfast service. In September last year, a 1,000-pound wartime bomb, containing 500 pounds of high explosives with an enormous destructive potential, was unearthed at a construction site in Quarry Bay. The situation was made even more urgent by Super Typhoon Ragasa, which was approaching the SAR. Senior Bomb Disposal Officer Suryanto Chin-chiu described the operation as the most challenging of its kind among all large-scale wartime bomb disposals ever handled in Hong Kong. "As everyone knows, the nearest residential buildings were about 30 metres away [from the bomb], and there are also many commercial buildings in the area. We are evacuating nearly 3,000 people from this district to a single assembly point," he said. "Despite the severe weather conditions, through the professionalism and dedication of our entire team, we ultimately succeeded in defusing the bomb – and all of this happened before the typhoon arrived, allowing citizens to return safely to their homes." Meanwhile, the light public housing team has been making significant strides in addressing housing needs, since the Chief Executive put forward the initiative in 2022 to build about 30,000 units in five years time. Winnie Wong, who was Deputy Secretary for Housing at the time, recalls that the memory of completing the first light public housing project and witnessing residents move in remains deeply moving. "This experience has also reminded me that every day we come to work, we must put people first because our work can truly affect so many lives. We must be bold enough to break convention and dare to innovate," she said. The ceremony marked the fourth edition of the awards. Edited by Aaron Tam
Evening News on TV32 - Aug 14 Top stories for Friday, Aug 14, 2026 - Officials say there's great support for Hong Kong's first five-year plan, as a public consultation wraps up. - The government raises the SAR's full-year economic growth forecast to a range of 3.5 to 4.5 percent. - Record rainfall in Japan leaves at least eight people dead and disrupts flights.
16K entries received for HK's 5-year plan consultation The two-month public consultation for Hong Kong’s inaugural five-year plan officially concluded on Friday, drawing more than 16,000 submissions from citizens and stakeholders across a wide range of sectors, according to Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Janice Tse. Speaking to reporters at the close of the consultation period, Tse highlighted the strong engagement from the community. "Public response has been very enthusiastic. General public and stakeholders from different sectors take the formulation of Hong Kong's first five-year plan very seriously and are keen to contribute their views and suggestions," she said. Throughout the consultation, over 100 sessions were held, around 30 of which were personally led by Chief Executive John Lee to gather input from different industries and professional groups. In addition, Tse noted that authorities visited other Greater Bay Area cities to seek feedback on ways to further align with regional development. "Hong Kong's first five-year plan will help us better seize both international and national development opportunities. It is not only a matter for the Hong Kong SAR, but also an integral part of the national 15th Five-Year Plan," she said. "Hong Kong's five-year plan is a major initiative to integrate into and serve the overall development of the country and at the same time a milestone for public administration in Hong Kong." Among the key topics raised in the submissions were proposals to advance the development of the "Four Centres and One Highland" – which include Hong Kong’s roles as an international financial, shipping, trade, and innovation and technology hub, alongside its ambitions to become a global talent hub. Many respondents also voiced support for accelerating the development of the Northern Metropolis. Beyond economic and strategic planning, however, Tse noted that citizens expressed concern over livelihood issues, including housing, healthcare, education and welfare. Given the substantial volume of feedback, the government is now employing artificial intelligence to help synthesise and analyse the collected views. Authorities aim to release the final document in September. Edited by Aaron Tam
One dead, three missing in Zhejiang landslide A mudslide in Zhejiang province on Friday killed one person and three others remained missing, while eastern and southern provinces were bracing for more downpours and floods, the nation's state media reported. The mudslide occurred around 6.30am in Changxing County and caused a house to collapse, Xinhua News Agency said. A preliminary investigation showed that the mudslide was triggered by a flash flood after a sudden burst of heavy rain. Rescue work was underway, Xinhua reported. The nation is increasingly battling destructive weather that scientists link to climate change, especially this year, as an emerging El Niño pattern boosts temperatures and fuels more frequent and intense typhoons. Natural disasters on the mainland in July, when the country was affected by typhoons Maysak, Bavi and Noul, left 318 people dead or missing and caused direct economic losses of 57.15 billion yuan, according to data released by the Ministry of Emergency Management. Both numbers were higher compared with a year ago. Typhoon Dolphin, which made landfall on Sunday, unleashed extreme rain across eastern, central and northern regions this week, breaking single-day rainfall records at 13 weather stations across the country. In central Henan province, authorities were organising the evacuation of 781 people after a riverbank was breached late on Thursday in the city of Zhoukou, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Friday. Remnants of Typhoon Dolphin, combined with cold air and a monsoon trough, are expected to bring more heavy rain in eastern and southeastern parts of the country from Friday to Sunday, CCTV said in a separate report. A basin-wide major flood is expected in Lake Tai in the east, the country's third-largest freshwater lake and the origin of a number of rivers, according to CCTV. (Reuters) Edited by Edmond Fong
Govt raises full-year GDP growth forecast The government on Friday raised Hong Kong's economic growth forecast for 2026 to 3.5 percent to 4.5 percent, thanks to a strong first half. The economy was earlier projected to grow by 2.5 to 3.5 percent year on year. The upward revision came after the city posted a 5.1 percent growth in the January-to-June period, the best half-year performance in nearly five years. GDP growth reached 4.3 percent in the second quarter following a 5.9 percent increase in the first three months of the year. Speaking at a press conference, Government Economist Irina Fan noted the city has recorded six consecutive quarters of growth higher than the 10-year quarterly average of 2.8 percent. Fan said the economic outlook remains positive, citing robust global demand for technology- and AI-related products. "Nevertheless, external headwinds persist, so geopolitical tensions in the Middle East remain fluid, and the potential to spill over to energy markets as well as global inflation, and the inflation dynamics in major economies, the policy path of major central banks, as well as the trade protectionist measures among advanced economies still required close monitoring," she told reporters. "Risk associated with the rapid expansion of the global AI investments also required monitoring." Fan noted varying performances among sectors, with exports rising 28.9 percent in the second quarter and 23.8 percent in the prior three months, whereas growth in private consumption expenditure slowed to 2.8 percent between April and June after a 4.9 percent growth in the first quarter. On inflation, the government expects consumer prices to rise in the coming months as the earlier surge in international oil prices continued to feed through. But it also expects price pressures in other areas to remain largely contained. The forecasts for the underlying and headline consumer price inflation maintained at 2.5 percent and 2.6 percent, respectively. Edited by Edmond Fong
