Hong Kong Drops to Lowest Category in Press Freedom Rankings
An annual index of press freedom has for the first time placed Hong Kong alongside mainland China in its worst 'very serious' category.
Hong Kong scored 39.86 out of 100—the lowest score for the former British colony on record—in the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) 2025 World Press Freedom Index.
Published on May 2, the index shows that
RSF pointed out that at the judicial level, since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) forced the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law (NSL) in 2020 to suppress independent voices, Hong Kong's press freedom has experienced an
But its vague definition of the crimes mean that the NSL could apply to any journalist reporting on Hong Kong, regardless of whether they reside in the city. The crime of 'incitement' has also been widely used to prosecute journalists. Addition of 'espionage,' 'stealing state secrets,' and 'external interference,' through the enactment of the 'Safeguarding National Security Ordinance' in 2024 further expanded the legal threats faced by journalists.
RSF also mentioned that most of Hong Kong's major media are currently owned by pro-Beijing camps, while owners of independent media face political pressure. Two major independent media outlets in Hong Kong, Apple Daily and Stand News, were forced to cease operations in 2021 and had their assets were frozen by the SAR government.
Related Stories
4/8/2025
4/2/2025
'Stand News' is a well-known online media in Hong Kong. It was once ranked first in credibility in a
Apple Daily used to be one of the best-selling newspapers in Hong Kong. Its founder,
As for security, RSF mentioned that before 2014, it was quite safe to work as a journalist in Hong Kong. But in recent years, there have been cases of journalists being arrested and subjected to violence at the hands of some police. In 2024, the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) stated that dozens of their members were subjected to organized harassment.
RSF has been publishing its Press Freedom Index since 2002. Hong Kong's ranking has gradually declined from 18th in the world in 2002 and once fell to 148th in 2022, although its score then was still considered 'difficult' at 41.64 points.
It was only in 2025 that Hong Kong's press situation was downgraded to the 'very serious' situation category for the first time in the city's history, despite ranking slightly higher.
Mainland China ranked 178th this year, third from the bottom among 180 countries and regions, with 113 journalists imprisoned. It scored 14.8 out of 100. China, under the communist party's rule, is
Meanwhile Taiwan, which is a liberal democracy, ranks high at
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
UPI
an hour ago
- UPI
U.K.-U.S trade deal cutting tariffs on cars, beef, ethanol goes live
A British-American trade deal meaning the vast majority of British car exports to the United States will be subject to a preferential 10% tariff rate, compared with 27.5% for all other countries, came into effect Monday. File Photo by Phil McCarten/UPI | License Photo June 30 (UPI) -- A tariff-busting trade deal between Britain and the United States came into force Monday, slashing U.S. tariffs on imports of British cars, including Jaguar, Range Rover, Aston Martin and Mini by 17.5% to 10% and eliminating a 10% tariff on aerospace sales such as jet engines and aircraft parts. The Department of Business and Trade said in a news release that the "landmark" deal would protect significant numbers of British jobs and save two key industries hundreds of millions of dollars a year lost from higher prices to U.S. customers and stressed that Britain was the only country to have secured this deal with the United States. It said the auto industry employed hundreds of thousands of people, while removing the 10% tariff on imports of aero engines and aircraft parts would make companies in the sector, including Rolls Royce, a major global manufacturer of jet engines, more competitive and enable them to keep driving technological advances. The deal on cars is subject to a 100,000-unit annual quota, roughly equivalent to all vehicles sold to the United States in 2024, which were worth $12.4 billion with an average price of $121,000, according to Office for National Statistics figures. In return, Britain will axe tariffs of 20% and 19% on imports of U.S. beef and ethanol and hike the tariff-free quota to 13,000 tons and 370 million gallons a year, respectively. Hailing the so-called Economic Prosperity agreement, which was finalized with U.S. President Donald Trump two weeks ago on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the deal would benefit critical British industries. "Our historic trade deal with the United States delivers for British businesses and protects U.K. jobs. From today, our world-class automotive and aerospace industries will see tariffs slashed, safeguarding key industries that are vital to our economy," he said. "We will always act in the national interest -- backing British businesses and workers, delivering on our Plan for Change." Britain was the first country to negotiate a deal after Trump announced what he said were reciprocal tariffs on the United States' trading partners on April 2, as high as 49%. Britain escaped with a baseline 10% goods tariff, the lowest of any major trade partner. U.K. steel and aluminum exports to the United States were slapped with a 25% tariff, in line with all other countries, when Trump unveiled the new import duties in March -- which he said were aimed at reviving domestic production -- but received a interim exemption from a doubling to 50% imposed Trump on June 4. The Business and Trade Department insisted negotiations to permanently remove the entire tariff were on track despite the waiver expiration date fast approaching in just over a week on July 9, saying Starmer and Trumo "again confirmed, we will continue go further and make progress towards 0% tariffs on core steel products as agreed." Sheffield-based Marecgaglia told the BBC that even the initial 25% was making selling to the United States a "lot tougher," and that the potential hike to 50% would be a "massive headache." The company's stainless steel products are made in the United States, but the materials such as rods and bars are shipped from the U.K. "The lead times to get it to the plant are longer than the nine days left for the negotiations. That means I would be shipping something -- and a ship will probably have around $4.1 to $5.5 million of product on it -- and I don't know will I be paying $2.1 million duty on it or zero? said managing director Liam Bates. "So it gives us an extremely hard decision to make as to how we can continue production in the US," he added.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq futures rise as momentum builds for Trump trade deals, tax bill
US stock futures climbed on Monday amid signs of progress in trade talks, setting up the major gauges for more all-time highs to end one of the most volatile first halves of a year in recent memory. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures (YM=F) rose roughly 0.5%. Contracts on the S&P 500 (ES=F) moved up about 0.4%, while those on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) jumped 0.4%. Stocks are poised to start a holiday-shortened week with fresh records in sight, as hopes rise that the US and its top trading partners are closing in on deals over the sweeping tariffs introduced by President Trump. Canada scrapped a digital services tax targeting US tech companies late on Sunday — just hours before it was set to start collecting payments — in a bid to revive stalled trade negotiations. On Friday, Trump called an abrupt halt to the talks over the tax, describing them as a "blatant attack" on the US. Despite a temporary turn lower, all three major indexes closed higher on Friday. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) and the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) clinched new record highs for the first time since February — the start of the year's tariff-fueled stock swings. The easing in odds of a global trade war comes as a July 9 deadline looms for the resumption of sweeping US "reciprocal" tariffs, which Trump on Sunday said he didn't think he'd need to extend. So far, his administration has hammered only two accords — not full-blown agreements — with China and the UK, as the British tariff deal went into effect on Monday. Meanwhile, market watchers are closely following Senate negotiations over Trump's proposed $4.5 trillion tax cut bill, as Republican leaders race to persuade party holdouts to back the legislation. The Congressional Budget Office estimates it would add $3.3 trillion to the deficit over a decade, as it stands. The Senate is set to vote on dozens of amendments in a marathon session on Monday. Looking ahead, the June jobs report on Thursday will be a highlight, as markets increasingly grow optimistic that the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates soon. But the week's trading will be cut short, as markets will close at 1 p.m. on Thursday and remain shut on Friday for the Fourth of July holiday. Disney stock (DIS) rose about 2% in premarket trading Monday after Jefferies analyst James Heaney upgraded the stock. Heaney sees Disney's cruise business, content slate, and parks business fueling a rally in shares over the summer. Yahoo Finance's Brian Sozzi writes: Read more here. Yahoo Finance's Allie Canal reports: Read more here. Earnings: No notable earnings releases. Economic data: MNI Chicago PMI (June); Dallas Fed manufacturing activity Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning: Warring GOP puts Trump tax bill to marathon Senate vote today Canada scraps digital services tax that Trump slammed Disney's stock has bagged a Jeffries upgrade — here's why Week ahead: Crucial jobs report looms with stocks at records Trump: TikTok buyer group found, needs China's OK Bitcoin soars, altcoins fade in $300 billion crypto shakeout China's economy shows surprising signs of strength Yahoo Finance's Josh Schafer lays out what investors should know about the week ahead: Read more here. Here are some top stocks trending on Yahoo Finance in premarket trading: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (HPE) stock rose 6% in premarket trading on Monday following the news that HPE and Juniper Networks have reached an agreement with the US Department of Justice that it will not challenge HPE's acquisition of Juniper. Palantir (PLTR) stock rose 5% before the bell and are trading at an all-time high, up 90% this year. Yahoo Finance Anchor Julie Hyman recently broke down the stock's history on a episode of Market Domination Overtime: Juniper Networks, Inc. (JNPR) stock rose 8% premarket after the DOJ said it would not pursue an investigation into HPE's acquisition of Juniper. As earning season approaches, Goldman Sachs (GS) said on Monday that US profit margins will be tested as investors await to see how President Trump's war has hurt companies. Goldman's David Kostin said Q2 earnings will show the immediate impact of tariffs, which have risen about 10% this year. Most costs will be passed on to consumers, but margins will suffer if firms absorb more than expected. Early results are mixed: General Mills (GIS) stock fell 5% last week due to a weak forecast and tariff warning, while Nike (NKE) rose 15% after announcing it will offset higher duties. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. European stocks outperformed their US peers by the biggest margin on record in dollar terms during the first half. It's a dramatic sign of how the region's markets are staging a comeback after more than a decade in the doldrums. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Canada has scrapped its planned digital services tax on US tech firms late on Sunday, just hours before it was due to come into effect. The move aims to revive stalled trade talks with the US, which President Trump suddenly halted on Friday over the tax, calling it a "blatant attack" on American tech companies. US stock futures rose as investors welcomed the news. Benchmark stock indexes in Tokyo and Shanghai also moved higher amid optimism that the US and its top trading partners can hammer out trade deals. Prime Minister Mark Carney and Trump now plan to reach a deal by July 21, Canada's finance ministry said. Trump warned on Friday that he would set new tariffs on Canadian goods within a week, risking fresh tension between the two countries. The White House has set a July 9 deadline for trading partners to broker deals with the US over the sweeping 'reciprocal' tariff rates announced in early April. The 3% tech tax would have hit firms like Apple (AAPL), Google (GOOG), and Amazon (AMZN) starting on Monday. Canada will now bring forward legislation to cancel the tax. "The DST was announced in 2020 to address the fact that many large technology companies operating in Canada may not otherwise pay tax on revenues generated from Canadians," a statement from the Canadian finance ministry said. "Canada's preference has always been a multilateral agreement related to digital services taxation." Oil prices fell overnight Sunday as global markets adjusted to the easing of tensions in the Middle East, in combination with a commitment from OPEC+ to increase supply in August. Reuters reports: Read more here. Disney stock (DIS) rose about 2% in premarket trading Monday after Jefferies analyst James Heaney upgraded the stock. Heaney sees Disney's cruise business, content slate, and parks business fueling a rally in shares over the summer. Yahoo Finance's Brian Sozzi writes: Read more here. Yahoo Finance's Allie Canal reports: Read more here. Earnings: No notable earnings releases. Economic data: MNI Chicago PMI (June); Dallas Fed manufacturing activity Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning: Warring GOP puts Trump tax bill to marathon Senate vote today Canada scraps digital services tax that Trump slammed Disney's stock has bagged a Jeffries upgrade — here's why Week ahead: Crucial jobs report looms with stocks at records Trump: TikTok buyer group found, needs China's OK Bitcoin soars, altcoins fade in $300 billion crypto shakeout China's economy shows surprising signs of strength Yahoo Finance's Josh Schafer lays out what investors should know about the week ahead: Read more here. Here are some top stocks trending on Yahoo Finance in premarket trading: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (HPE) stock rose 6% in premarket trading on Monday following the news that HPE and Juniper Networks have reached an agreement with the US Department of Justice that it will not challenge HPE's acquisition of Juniper. Palantir (PLTR) stock rose 5% before the bell and are trading at an all-time high, up 90% this year. Yahoo Finance Anchor Julie Hyman recently broke down the stock's history on a episode of Market Domination Overtime: Juniper Networks, Inc. (JNPR) stock rose 8% premarket after the DOJ said it would not pursue an investigation into HPE's acquisition of Juniper. As earning season approaches, Goldman Sachs (GS) said on Monday that US profit margins will be tested as investors await to see how President Trump's war has hurt companies. Goldman's David Kostin said Q2 earnings will show the immediate impact of tariffs, which have risen about 10% this year. Most costs will be passed on to consumers, but margins will suffer if firms absorb more than expected. Early results are mixed: General Mills (GIS) stock fell 5% last week due to a weak forecast and tariff warning, while Nike (NKE) rose 15% after announcing it will offset higher duties. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. European stocks outperformed their US peers by the biggest margin on record in dollar terms during the first half. It's a dramatic sign of how the region's markets are staging a comeback after more than a decade in the doldrums. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Canada has scrapped its planned digital services tax on US tech firms late on Sunday, just hours before it was due to come into effect. The move aims to revive stalled trade talks with the US, which President Trump suddenly halted on Friday over the tax, calling it a "blatant attack" on American tech companies. US stock futures rose as investors welcomed the news. Benchmark stock indexes in Tokyo and Shanghai also moved higher amid optimism that the US and its top trading partners can hammer out trade deals. Prime Minister Mark Carney and Trump now plan to reach a deal by July 21, Canada's finance ministry said. Trump warned on Friday that he would set new tariffs on Canadian goods within a week, risking fresh tension between the two countries. The White House has set a July 9 deadline for trading partners to broker deals with the US over the sweeping 'reciprocal' tariff rates announced in early April. The 3% tech tax would have hit firms like Apple (AAPL), Google (GOOG), and Amazon (AMZN) starting on Monday. Canada will now bring forward legislation to cancel the tax. "The DST was announced in 2020 to address the fact that many large technology companies operating in Canada may not otherwise pay tax on revenues generated from Canadians," a statement from the Canadian finance ministry said. "Canada's preference has always been a multilateral agreement related to digital services taxation." Oil prices fell overnight Sunday as global markets adjusted to the easing of tensions in the Middle East, in combination with a commitment from OPEC+ to increase supply in August. Reuters reports: Read more here. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
BBC admits it should have cut Bob Vylan's ‘antisemitic' Glastonbury livestream — as US threatens to ban the punk rappers
The BBC admitted Monday that it should have cut the livestream of Bob Vylan's Glastonbury performance when the punk-rap band started 'antisemitic' death chants against Israeli troops — which has also left the UK duo facing a possible ban from the US. The broadcaster was widely ripped for continuing to air the duo's live performance Saturday even after they started spewing antisemitic rhetoric and urged the crowds to scream 'death to the IDF.' The BBC, which broadcasts the festival live each year, had issued a warning on screen as the set was being streamed, but conceded Monday it should have gone further. Advertisement 4 Bob Vylan performed Saturday at the Glastonbury Music Festival. WireImage 'The antisemitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan were utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves,' the public broadcaster said in a statement. 'The team were dealing with a live situation but with hindsight we should have pulled the stream during the performance,' the BBC added. Advertisement 'We regret this did not happen.' The national outlet added that it 'respects freedom of expression but stands firmly against incitement to violence.' The Trump administration is now weighing whether to revoke the group's visa ahead of an upcoming tour in the US this fall, a senior official told the Daily Wire. 'As a reminder, under the Trump Administration, the US government will not issue visas to any foreigner who supports terrorists,' the official said. Advertisement 4 Cops are going over video of the band's set to see if the group chants involved any criminality. AFP via Getty Images In the UK, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Glastonbury organizers were among those to blast the performance, saying they were appalled by the group's onstage antics. Police, too, said they were considering whether to launch a probe. 'Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offenses may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation,' Avon and Somerset Police, in western England where the festival is held, said on X. Advertisement 4 The massive audience joined in with the band, shouting chants of Free, free Palestine' and 'Death, death to the IDF.' AFP via Getty Images 4 Bob Vylan first started back in 2017. Bob Vylan/Facebook Bob Vylan's show took place just before controversial Irish rap trio, Kneecap, played to a huge crowd — leading chants against Starmer and also taking aim at Israel. 'There is no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech,' Starmer said in a statement. 'I said that Kneecap should not be given a platform and that goes for any other performers making threats or inciting violence.' 'The BBC needs to explain how these scenes came to be broadcast,' he added.
