Australia criticised Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday after he said the country's prime minister was weak, with a top minister saying strength was more than "how many people you can blow up".

For decades, Australia had considered itself a close friend of Israel, but the relationship has swiftly unravelled since Canberra announced last week it would recognise a Palestinian state.

Netanyahu drastically escalated a war of words on Tuesday night, calling his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese a "weak politician who betrayed Israel".

Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke on Wednesday said it was the sign of a frustrated leader "lashing out".

"Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry," Burke told national broadcaster ABC.

"What we've seen with some of the actions they are taking is a continued isolation of Israel from the world, and that is not in their interests either."

Australia on Monday cancelled the visa of far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman – a member of Netanyahu's governing coalition – saying his planned speaking tour would "spread division".

The tit-for-tat continued on Tuesday, when Israel retaliated by revoking visas held by Canberra's diplomatic representatives to the Palestinian Authority.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said last week that Netanyahu had "lost the plot". (AFP)

A number of cross harbour bus routes had to be diverted due to a cave-in along a major stretch of road in Wan Chai on Wednesday.

Police said they received a report of the road subsidence at around 8am, saying a 1.5-metre-deep hole measuring half a metre in width and length was observed on Gloucester Road near Marsh Road.

A water pipe burst was also reported at the site of the incident.

The Transport Department said the only lane of inner Gloucester Road towards Central near Marsh Road was closed to traffic due to the incident.

It urged motorists to use alternative routes.

Some cross harbour bus services were affected, as authorities closed off the immediate area.

The Water Supplies Department said on its social media page that the water mains involved in the incident was a pipe with a diameter of 450 millimetres that supplies flushing water to residents in Causeway Bay, Happy Valley and Tai Hang.

It expected to complete the emergency road repair work in the afternoon and reopen the lane.

The department also said would repair the pipe on Wednesday night with the aim of resuming flushing water supply on Thursday morning.

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Researchers at the University of Hong Kong’s faculty of medicine on Wednesday said people told they are allergic to penicillin should undergo tests as around 90 percent may have been wrongly diagnosed.

This comes after the researchers analysed over 4,700 knee replacement procedures performed at Queen Mary Hospital between 1993 and 2021.

They found that those believed to have a penicillin allergy were five times more likely to develop a periprosthetic joint infection after surgery, leaving them needing further treatment.

The team said during surgical procedures, those thought to have the allergy are given alternatives to penicillin which are less effective and increase their chances of complications.

But actual testing for the allergy is not common, the researchers said, and checks on 11 of the knee surgery patients found they were not allergic to the drug after all.

“Usual people would not feel this is a big issue, as they have been labelled for decades of their life, it hasn’t really affected them. But now we realise even in situations like this, in surgeries and this very common type of surgery [joint replacement surgery], it may affect the outcome,” said Dr Philip Li, who led the research.

“Having this common label does have a bit of a consequence in overall healthcare and the long term outcomes of patients,” he added.

The researchers have launched a pilot scheme at the university’s community pharmacy to allow people to have tests to see if they are allergic to penicillin.

They said the programme has been well-received by patients since its launch last year, and they hope it can be expanded to other community pharmacies in future.

China will showcase a large number of new weapons — and demonstrate a revamped military structure — at a major parade in Beijing next month marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

President Xi Jinping will review the troops lining up in formations along Chang’an Avenue during the September 3 parade.

At a news briefing on the parade's preparations, officials said a series of new weapons would be unveiled for the first time — from hypersonic precision-strike missiles to unmanned intelligent equipment operating on land, sea and in the air — along with electronic jamming devices, anti-drone systems, next-generation tanks and carrier-based fighter jets.

Officials said the joint armament formations would be arranged to reflect their roles in real-combat scenarios, as the parade debuts a new structural layout of the armed forces.

Wu Zeke, a senior officer at the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission, added the parade is meant to demonstrate China’s national defence capabilities to the world.

“War is like a mirror to show how valuable peace is. We are commemorating to defend peace in this military review. We’re demonstrating to the world our national defence capability, to show to the world that the Chinese people cherish peace and are determined to defend the outcomes of the war,” he said.

Xu Guizhong, a senior official at the Political Work Department of the People’s Liberation Army Central Theatre Command, said the preparations are being used as a chance to build combat discipline by training command coordination and support capabilities — particularly through high-intensity drills involving new equipment.

He added the parade itself helps to enhance PLA's capacity for joint operations by integrating multiple types of equipment and aircraft into single formations.

“Tens of thousands of people, hundreds of aircraft and hundreds of ground equipment will be mobilised for the parade. To ensure perfect alignment, precise coordination and flawless timing, it is no less than fighting in actual battle,” he said.

Officials said the 70-minute event will feature 45 formations and stressed that it is being organised in a strictly economical, practical and efficient manner to reduce costs.

Mohamed Salah became the first player to win the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) men's player of the year for a third time on Tuesday after guiding Liverpool to Premier League glory.

The Egyptian scored 29 goals and provided 18 assists to propel the Reds to a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title with four games to spare last season.

Salah also scooped the award in the 2017/18 and 2021/22 seasons.

The 33-year-old picked up the Football Writers' Association and Premier League player of the year awards in recent months.

Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers won young player the year following a breakthrough campaign that saw the attacking midfielder make his senior international debut for England.

Salah is joined in the 2024/25 PFA Premier League team of the year by Liverpool team-mates Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister.

Milos Kerkez, who moved to Anfield from Bournemouth in June, is also selected, as are the Arsenal trio of William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Declan Rice.

Matz Sels and Chris Wood are recognised for their fine campaigns at Nottingham Forest, while wantaway Newcastle striker Alexander Isak is included after finishing second to Salah in the Golden Boot race.

Arsenal's Mariona Caldentey won the women's player of the year accolade after her role in helping the Gunners win the Champions League.

The Spanish midfielder scored 19 goals in all competitions, including eight in the Champions League, in her first season in England.

Olivia Smith recently joined Caldentey at Arsenal in a world-record US$1.4 million deal and won the women's young player of the year prize following her superb season at Liverpool. (AFP)

India and China agreed on Tuesday to resume direct flights and step up trade and investment flows as the neighbours rebuild ties damaged by a 2020 border clash.

The latest statements came at the end of Foreign Minister Wang Yi's two-day visit to New Delhi for the 24th round of talks with Indian National Security (NSA) Advisor Ajit Doval to resolve their decades-old border dispute.

Xinhua News Agency quoted Wang as saying that bilateral relations between China and India have entered a steady development track since the beginning of the year, and the boundary situation has continued to stabilise and improve.

He said the two sides had reached a new consensus on conducting regular management and control to maintain peace in border areas.

A Foreign Ministry statement said both countries have agreed to set up a working group to consult and coordinate on border affairs to advance demarcation negotiations.

It said the mechanism will extend talks to cover the eastern and middle sections of the border. Meanwhile another round of talks on the western section will be held as soon as possible, the ministry said.

The Indian foreign ministry, meanwhile, said the border talks covered issues related to pulling back troops both countries have amassed on their Himalayan border, delimitation of borders and boundary affairs.

It also said the two countries would resume direct flights and boost trade and investment, including reopening border trade at three designated points, and facilitate in visas.

Wang also held a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who stressed that India and China are partners, not rivals, and should increase exchanges, promote mutual understanding and expand cooperation, Xinhua said.

He added that the two sides should properly manage and settle boundary issues, so that differences will not evolve into conflict.

"Stable, predictable, constructive ties between India and China will contribute significantly to regional as well as global peace and prosperity," Modi posted on X after the meeting.

Modi is scheduled to travel to China at the end of this month to take part in the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation -- his first visit to the country in more than seven years.

Wang welcomed Modi's attendance at the upcoming summit, saying his India visit had paved the way for high-level exchanges between the two countries.

The Foreign Minister said during his New Delhi trip, the two sides had reached consensus on restarting dialogue mechanisms in various fields, deepening mutually beneficial cooperation, upholding multilateralism, jointly addressing global challenges, and opposing unilateral bullying. (Xinhua/Reuters)

Air Canada's unionised flight attendants reached an agreement with the country's largest carrier on Tuesday, ending the first strike by its cabin crew in 40 years that had upended travel plans for hundreds of thousands of passengers.

The strike that lasted nearly four days led the airline that serves about 130,000 people daily to withdraw its third-quarter and full-year earnings guidance.

The carrier said it would gradually resume operations, and a full restoration may require a week or more. The union said it has completed mediation with the airline and its low-cost affiliate Air Canada Rouge.

"The Strike has ended. We have a tentative agreement we will bring forward to you," the Canadian Union of Public Employees said in a Facebook post.

Air Canada said some flights will be cancelled over the next seven to 10 days until the schedule is stabilised, and that customers with cancelled flights can choose between a refund, travel credit, or rebooking on another airline.

Mark Nasr, Air Canada's executive vice president and chief operations officer, told CBC that 5,000 employees are working to rebook customers on Air Canada and 120 other airlines.

The flight attendants walked off the job on Saturday after contract talks with the carrier failed. They had sought pay for tasks such as boarding passengers.

While details of the negotiations were not immediately released, the union said unpaid work was over.

Air Canada's flight attendants had for months argued new contracts should include pay for work done on the ground, such as boarding passengers.

"Ground pay is settled. Our flight attendants will be compensated for their time on the ground," Nasr told CBC.

CUPE, which represents Air Canada's 10,400 flight attendants, wanted to make gains on unpaid work that go beyond recent advances secured by their counterparts at US carriers like American Airlines.

In a rare act of defiance, the union remained on strike even after the Canada Industrial Relations Board declared its action unlawful.

Their refusal to follow a federal labour board order for the flight attendants to return to work had created a three-way standoff between the company, workers, and the government.

Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu had urged both sides to consider government mediation and raised pressure on Air Canada on Monday, promising to investigate allegations of unpaid work in the airline sector.

A spokesperson for Hajdu said the probe would take six to eight weeks and then be made public. (Reuters)

Hong Kong is buzzing with football fever as the city hosted the semi-final of the Saudi Super Cup on Tuesday night.

Fans soaked up the raucous atmosphere at Hong Kong Stadium, as the match between Al-Nassr, featuring Portuguese football legend Cristiano Ronaldo, and Al-Ittihad kicked off just after 8pm.

A father, Yousuf, brought his son Jackson to the match to celebrate his birthday and support Ronaldo.

"I think it's fantastic, it's very well organised and the game was fun, and Ronaldo is playing well," he told RTHK.

Another fan, Wood, who also came to support Al-Nassr and Ronaldo, also had a great time.

"Good atmosphere, the stadium is full, the crowds are enjoying it, so good game," he said.

A fan from Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, said hosting the Saudi Super Cup in Hong Kong is a great way to promote the Saudi culture.

"I think the the Super Cup in Hong Kong is a great experience and will promote, widely promote, the Saudi entertainment, the Saudi Cup around the world," he said.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan said on Tuesday that Hong Kong's inclusion in the global metal warehouse network under the London Metal Exchange (LME) marks a major step in transforming the SAR into a global commodity hub while strategically serving national demands.

He was speaking at an unveiling ceremony for a LME-approved metals delivery warehouse, operated by China Resources Logistics and GKE Metal Logistics, in Cheung Sha Wan, which began operations last month.

Chan noted that commodities, notably non-ferrous metals, account for half of global shipping volume and are critical for developing various future industries.

He added that with China being the world's leading consumer and producer of non-ferrous metals, establishing a metal delivery point here under the LME system not only helps build up a local commodity trading ecosystem but also serves the national development strategy.

"The tariff war initiated by the United States might have suppressed the prices of non-ferrous metals in the short term, but in the long run, global demand for related metals will gradually increase with the flourishing new energy and high-tech industries," Chan said.

"There will be huge opportunities in the market.

"Hong Kong, as the nation's southern gateway, boasts a world-class, convenient and efficient logistics network.

"Setting up a delivery point here... will greatly reduce both delivery times and costs, and improve distribution efficiency compared to using overseas warehouses."

Chan also noted that having LME-approved warehouses here will help promote the pricing and settlement of bulk commodities in yuan, thereby boosting the global usage and appeal of the currency.

Echoing Chan, Carlson Tong, chairman of the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX), said more than 8,000 tonnes of certificated metals have been stored at all eight LME-approved warehouses in the SAR so far since operations commenced at the facilities last month.

He said Hong Kong, as a global financial centre and "super connector", has both the responsibility for and advantages in developing the trade in metals as more than 30 percent of the LME's trading volume is related to the mainland market.

"Setting up the LME-approved warehouses in Hong Kong will help more closely connect the mainland market with the LME, which is the world's most active metals trading market," Tong said.

"It'll not only cut delivery costs for such metals but also attract more enterprises to join Hong Kong's major commodity industrial chain and participate in developing the market," he added.

The LME, owned by HKEX, has around 450 storage facilities in 33 locations across the world.

LME-approved facilities in the SAR will store various metals, including aluminium, alloy, copper, nickel, lead, tin, and zinc, some of which are essential to develop industries such as electric vehicles and solar panels.

The Consumer Council on Tuesday said telehealth service providers should enhance transparency to boost patients' trust in virtual consultations.

This came as the watchdog found that a majority of the 19 service providers it reviewed did not clearly state the refund arrangements for patients deemed unsuitable for virtual consultations.

Many of them also did not have a common standard on illnesses suitable for telehealth services.

The council's chairman, Clement Chan, said clear information such as the fees charged is crucial to consumers.

"The clarity of information on the telehealth website provided by different providers is of importance to the consumers when they make decisions on choosing which doctors they should go for," he said.

"Then they would be able to make informed decisions if the information about pricing and specialty of the doctor is more clear."

He went on to say that most of the related complaints the council received between 2022 and June this year were caused by the non-delivery of services and refund arrangements.

By surveying users and private medical practitioners offering telehealth services, the watchdog found that both parties were concerned about privacy.

For instance, they were worried that consultations conducted on platforms such as WhatsApp could be tracked.

In this regard, the council suggested traders and communication platforms set up a whitelist.

Chan noted while telehealth services are currently at an initial stage in Hong Kong, usage is expected to rise, particularly due to the ageing population.

"Also with the advancement of technology, I think people will be inclined to use more on the telehealth in order to save time for travelling, for taking time out to go to consult a doctor," he said.

The chairman added that the government should educate the public on how to use virtual consultations and always verify the identity of service providers to avoid getting scammed.