https://www.scmp.com/rss/2/feed Breaking news, analysis and opinion from the SCMP's Hong Kong edition. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing Some patrons of an exclusive Hong Kong sports club have escalated action against the Rosewood Hotel Group’s plan to change operations at its clubhouse in Central, but the hospitality firm says it has made some “refinements” to the arrangement. A representative of a group of concerned patrons at the Hong Kong Golf & Tennis Academy (HKGTA) told the South China Morning Post on Thursday that complaints had been filed with the Consumer Council watchdog. The group had also threatened to take the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3356204/hong-kong-sports-club-patrons-threaten-legal-action-over-operational-changes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3356204/hong-kong-sports-club-patrons-threaten-legal-action-over-operational-changes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 12:49:51 +0000 Jeffie Lam,Cannix Yau Jeffie Lam,Cannix Yau Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu has wrapped up his visit to Central Asia after meeting high-level leaders and sealing nearly 100 partnership agreements aimed at opening the “big door” for local and mainland Chinese businesses. While reviving direct flights to the region was considered a big win from the trip, observers noted that the real challenges lay ahead as authorities and different parties must take necessary follow-up actions to realise the gains. Local authorities and businesses signed... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3356215/96-deals-signed-flights-planned-whats-next-hong-kong-and-central-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3356215/96-deals-signed-flights-planned-whats-next-hong-kong-and-central-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 10:53:23 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong A nearly 180-year-old temple nestled in the heart of Wan Chai and Hong Kong’s only mosque inside a prison are poised to receive the city’s highest level of heritage protection under a government proposal. In a paper submitted ahead of a board meeting on Thursday, the Antiquities and Monuments Office recommended that Hung Shing Temple in Wan Chai and the Stanley Mosque at Stanley Prison be declared statutory monuments. Both buildings currently hold Grade 1 historic building status. “The two... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3356213/wan-chai-temple-and-stanley-mosque-set-highest-level-heritage-protection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3356213/wan-chai-temple-and-stanley-mosque-set-highest-level-heritage-protection?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 10:34:46 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Changes to a Hong Kong public transport subsidy scheme used by about 2.7 million people saved the government HK$69 million (US$8.8 million) in the first month, the welfare minister has said, with lawmakers calling for a future review to ensure its fiscal sustainability as the population ages. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han said on Saturday that, following revisions to the concessionary fare scheme that took effect on April 3, the average government subsidy for trips costing... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3356211/hong-kong-saves-hk69-million-first-month-after-hk2-fare-scheme-revamp?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3356211/hong-kong-saves-hk69-million-first-month-after-hk2-fare-scheme-revamp?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 10:11:38 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Dignitaries, relatives and members of the public gathered on Saturday to pay their final respects to the late Reverend Derek Li Shing-lam, whose son Mo Li Kai-yin – the Hong Kong dancer left paralysed after an accident at a 2022 Mirror concert – delivered a heartfelt video tribute thanking his father for his “unconditional love”. For nearly four years, Reverend Li, a former Christian Ministry Institute president, had been a tireless advocate for his son, issuing prayer letters to update... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3356208/injured-mirror-dancer-mo-li-honours-late-father-reverend-derek-li-funeral?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3356208/injured-mirror-dancer-mo-li-honours-late-father-reverend-derek-li-funeral?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 09:56:24 +0000 Enoch Yiu,Daisy Wu Enoch Yiu,Daisy Wu Mainland customers can still open bank accounts in Hong Kong, but banks must adopt stringent new checks to ensure their processes are “compliant and orderly”, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) said in a statement on Saturday. “The banking industry has implemented the new regulatory requirements set out in the HKMA circular to ensure the account opening process is compliant and orderly,” the statement said. “Chinese mainland customers continue to apply for opening accounts, and in general,... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3356201/mainlanders-can-still-open-bank-accounts-hong-kong-despite-new-rules-hkma?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3356201/mainlanders-can-still-open-bank-accounts-hong-kong-despite-new-rules-hkma?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 07:24:07 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Hong Kong police have arrested a 69-year-old taxi driver after he allegedly knocked down and killed a 34-year-old woman in a shopping district in the early hours of Saturday. The incident happened at around 2.12am near Park Lane Shopper’s Boulevard in Tsim Sha Tsui. The taxi driver was travelling along Nathan Road towards Mong Kok when he struck the 34-year-old woman as she was crossing near Granville Road. The woman sustained serious injuries and was rushed unconscious to Queen Elizabeth... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3356195/taxi-driver-69-arrested-after-woman-killed-tsim-sha-tsui-collision?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3356195/taxi-driver-69-arrested-after-woman-killed-tsim-sha-tsui-collision?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 05:47:57 +0000 Cannix Yau Cannix Yau Flu cases are rising in Hong Kong, particularly among children and the elderly, as waning vaccine protection weakens community immunity, a leading infectious disease expert has warned. Professor Ivan Hung Fan-ngai, chair professor of infectious diseases at the University of Hong Kong, made the warning on Saturday and urged high-risk groups who had not yet received a seasonal flu jab to get one. The remarks came a day after health authorities said an influenza B infection had left a 17-year-old... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3356191/flu-cases-rise-hong-kong-immunity-wanes-expert-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3356191/flu-cases-rise-hong-kong-immunity-wanes-expert-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 05:07:33 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Baby Danny’s future remains uncertain despite having almost completed his birth registration in Hong Kong, as welfare authorities still have to assess the capability of his parents, who were earlier arrested for suspected child neglect and have a troubled parental history. Danny’s welfare sparked public concern over the past week after Tsang Wai-bong and Kwan Pui-sin, who initially declined a DNA test for their home-born son’s birth registration on religious and privacy grounds. They only made a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3356187/hong-kong-baby-dannys-future-remains-unclear-despite-birth-registration-progress?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3356187/hong-kong-baby-dannys-future-remains-unclear-despite-birth-registration-progress?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 03:31:49 +0000 Connor Mycroft,Ambrose Li Connor Mycroft,Ambrose Li The Hong Kong Observatory cancelled all rainstorm signals at 9.30pm on Saturday after earlier issuing a red warning and three amber alerts during the day. The first amber alert, the lowest in the three-tier rainstorm warning system, was lifted at 11.30am, 90 minutes after it was issued. A second amber alert was sent out at 6.45pm. The red warning was issued at 7.55pm and downgraded to amber at 8.55pm. “Locally, heavy showers in the evening generally brought more than 30mm [1.2 inches] of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3356186/hong-kong-issues-amber-rainstorm-warning-storms-follow-record-heat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3356186/hong-kong-issues-amber-rainstorm-warning-storms-follow-record-heat?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 02:43:21 +0000 Eric Jiang Eric Jiang Weeks before mainland Chinese student Carol Chen graduated from Baptist University in Hong Kong in July, the 22-year-old did the math and weighed the cost of living in the city against returning home. Renting a room in the city would consume around half of the HK$20,000 (US$2,552) starting salary she expected as a junior data analyst. “If I go back to Shanghai, I will only need to worry about daily expenses,” Chen, a maths and statistics graduate, said, referring to money saved by living with... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3356168/dont-dream-its-over-mainland-students-rethink-hong-kong-over-costs-culture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3356168/dont-dream-its-over-mainland-students-rethink-hong-kong-over-costs-culture?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 01:00:10 +0000 Eric Jiang,Leopold Chen Eric Jiang,Leopold Chen The unmarried parents of two‑month‑old Danny have obtained his birth certificate four days after their arrest on suspicion of child neglect, but they must still undergo home visits and other assessments before regaining custody of the infant. Tsang Wai-bong and Kwan Pui-sin, arrived at the Immigration Department headquarters at 11.21am on Saturday after meeting government social workers regarding the guardianship of their son, who has been placed in a children’s shelter under a court order. They... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3356172/hong-kong-parents-undocumented-baby-danny-confident-regaining-custody?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3356172/hong-kong-parents-undocumented-baby-danny-confident-regaining-custody?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 00:00:26 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Hong Kong police have arrested a 65-year-old man in connection with a suspected indecent assault case in Mong Kok hours after footage appeared online showing a passenger harassing a schoolgirl sitting in front of him on a bus. Police said officers intercepted the suspect at the boundary checkpoint of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. The victim, 17, is understood to be a Form Three student. The incident took place at around noon on Friday as the KMB bus was stopping near an intersection of Mong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3356171/hong-kong-man-arrested-allegedly-groping-schoolgirl-bus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3356171/hong-kong-man-arrested-allegedly-groping-schoolgirl-bus?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 15:33:29 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Hong Kong serves as an ideal platform to help Uzbek enterprises expand through its world-class professional services and international business environment, the city’s leader has told the Central Asian country’s prime minister as he wrapped up a five-day regional tour. Sources said Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Friday also invited Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov to be a keynote speaker at the coming Belt and Road Summit to be held in Hong Kong in September. It was understood that during a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3356166/hong-kong-ideal-platform-uzbek-firms-spread-wings-globally-john-lee-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3356166/hong-kong-ideal-platform-uzbek-firms-spread-wings-globally-john-lee-says?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 14:59:03 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong A Hong Kong private tutor found guilty of orchestrating a failed plot to murder his business partner eight years ago has secured a three-year reduction to his 27-year jail sentence, but lost an appeal against his conviction. In a written judgment on Friday, the Court of Appeal found that the sentence imposed on Stephen So Hon-to was too high, despite the egregious nature of the offence and the need to ensure a “continuing danger to society” would be removed from society for “a very considerable... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3356156/hong-kong-tutor-who-plotted-murder-flight-attendant-gets-3-year-jail-term-reduction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3356156/hong-kong-tutor-who-plotted-murder-flight-attendant-gets-3-year-jail-term-reduction?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:44:54 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung A Hong Kong tour guide who coerced visitors into shopping has been struck off for damaging the sector’s reputation and breaching professional conduct, in the second disciplinary action of its kind in less than two months. The Travel Industry Authority said on Friday it revoked Siu Man-chung’s tour guide licence after investigating complaints that Siu made “inappropriate remarks” to pressure mainland Chinese visitors into shopping during tours between February and April. The authority said on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3356139/hong-kong-tour-guide-stripped-licence-over-coercing-visitors-shopping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3356139/hong-kong-tour-guide-stripped-licence-over-coercing-visitors-shopping?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 11:00:29 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Hong Kong’s de facto central bank has formed a group of industry experts to help remove legal and regulatory hurdles to tokenized bonds, as authorities seek to move beyond pilot projects and encourage wider adoption from private issuers. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) said on Friday it had established a Tokenised Bond Expert Group comprising 21 institutions spanning banks, law firms, market infrastructure providers and digital asset companies to support the development of the city’s... https://www.scmp.com/business/cryptocurrency/article/3356125/hong-kong-taps-banks-lawyers-and-crypto-firms-help-rewrite-rules-tokenised-bonds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/cryptocurrency/article/3356125/hong-kong-taps-banks-lawyers-and-crypto-firms-help-rewrite-rules-tokenised-bonds?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 10:45:05 +0000 Fiona Chow Fiona Chow An Australian man, who claimed to be a lawyer, has been fined HK$2,000 (US$255) and given a suspended sentence by a Hong Kong court for repeatedly leaving restaurants without paying. Samuel Anthony Monkivitch, 50, was also ordered to pay HK$2,039 in compensation to two Shangri-La hotels in Admiralty and Tsim Sha Tsui, as well as a Japanese restaurant, after skipping out on bills on four occasions between April 24 and May 5. Eastern Court heard on Friday that Monkivitch used various excuses to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3356140/australian-fined-given-suspended-jail-term-dining-and-dashing-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3356140/australian-fined-given-suspended-jail-term-dining-and-dashing-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 10:34:37 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Hong Kong authorities will not cap the monthly number of subsidised trips that eligible elderly residents and people with disabilities can take under a revamped transport fare scheme, largely because implementation costs would exceed the savings. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han revealed the decision on Friday, as data showed that an average of only about 450 people took more than 240 trips a month under the scheme between May last year and April this year, out of about 2.7... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3356116/no-cap-hk2-transport-scheme-trips-costs-outweigh-savings-hong-kong-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3356116/no-cap-hk2-transport-scheme-trips-costs-outweigh-savings-hong-kong-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 09:35:59 +0000 Eric Jiang Eric Jiang Hong Kong police have arrested a 50-year-old man on suspicion of repeatedly throwing glass bottles from the windows of his Ma On Shan flat over more than two years, injuring two pedestrians. Officers from the Sha Tin district crime unit arrested the man on Friday at his home on Sai Sha Road following an investigation into multiple reports of glass bottles being thrown from flats at the high-rise estate. The man allegedly threw bottles from his flat on eight occasions between 2024 and May 2026.... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3356108/hong-kong-police-arrest-man-after-repeated-bottle-throwing-flat-injures-2?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3356108/hong-kong-police-arrest-man-after-repeated-bottle-throwing-flat-injures-2?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 09:30:37 +0000 Eric Jiang Eric Jiang Hong Kong sweltered through its hottest day of the year so far on Friday as temperatures hit 34.6 degrees Celsius (94.3 Fahrenheit) in the afternoon, with the city’s weather forecaster warning of hail. The Hong Kong Observatory said that this marked the highest temperature recorded on Grain in Ear, the Chinese summer solar term, since records began. By 4.20pm, temperatures had reached 34.4 degrees in Yuen Long Park and 34.1 degrees in Tuen Mun and Wetland Park. The forecaster issued the “very... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3356096/hong-kong-records-hottest-day-year-so-far-temperatures-soar-past-34-degrees?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3356096/hong-kong-records-hottest-day-year-so-far-temperatures-soar-past-34-degrees?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:52:18 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li A job market mismatch, shrinking demand for junior roles and relatively comfortable family living conditions have driven up Hong Kong’s share of young people who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET) compared to their regional peers, observers have warned. Their comments on Friday followed government figures released in response to lawmaker Elvin Lee Ka-kui, showing the city’s NEET rate was 6 per cent. A Legislative Council report last month put the 2025 figure at 6.3 per cent –... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3356091/why-are-more-hong-kong-youth-not-education-work-or-training-asian-peers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3356091/why-are-more-hong-kong-youth-not-education-work-or-training-asian-peers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:27:26 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong’s competition watchdog aims to submit proposals to criminalise bid-rigging as early as September, paving the way for the government to table legislative amendments by the end of the year, following the city’s deadliest fire in decades. Senior Counsel Jat Sew-tong, who assumed the role of chairman of the Competition Commission last month, said on Friday that the watchdog would also launch a study into the city’s auto fuel market amid a surge in prices. The sector has faced long-standing... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3356080/hong-kong-watchdog-propose-criminalising-bid-rigging-early-september?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3356080/hong-kong-watchdog-propose-criminalising-bid-rigging-early-september?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 07:46:30 +0000 Cannix Yau Cannix Yau Hong Kong’s biggest international school group has rolled out a “through-train” arrangement that will link all its kindergartens to its primary schools from September next year and guarantee pupils a place all the way to secondary graduation. The English Schools Foundation (ESF) said on Friday that starting in the next academic year, all its kindergartens would, for the first time, be directly linked to its primary schools. Families applying for a K1 place for the 2027-28 academic year this... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3356039/esf-links-kindergartens-primary-schools-securing-places-through-graduation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3356039/esf-links-kindergartens-primary-schools-securing-places-through-graduation?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 04:42:01 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Trump ‘personally called for China’s help’ to end Ukraine war in summit with Xi US President Donald Trump personally urged President Xi Jinping to help end the Ukraine war, seeking to leverage Beijing’s influence over Moscow to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3356025/trump-urged-xi-help-end-ukraine-war-chinas-tech-sanctions-list-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3356025/trump-urged-xi-help-end-ukraine-war-chinas-tech-sanctions-list-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 04:34:05 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li Hong Kong’s food hygiene authorities have prosecuted a popular butcher shop in Kwun Tong after a viral video and a subsequent inspection found rats running over pig carcasses, as well as cracked ceilings and stained floors. A spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said staff were deployed to inspect the shop on Hip Wo Street after a clip circulated on social media showing rats roaming over the carcasses and feeding on the meat. The outlet is a branch of Qiandama, a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3356035/hong-kong-authorities-prosecute-grocery-shop-over-video-rats-exposed-meat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3356035/hong-kong-authorities-prosecute-grocery-shop-over-video-rats-exposed-meat?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 04:12:51 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung A wanted director of a scandal-hit Hong Kong charity who fled the city is facing a sweeping 14-count civil lawsuit in the United States over an alleged multimillion-dollar property scheme that the plaintiff described as a “shell game”. In a complaint for damages and equitable relief seen by the South China Morning Post, developer Joseph Lee Daniell accused Jacob Lam Hay-sing, the founder and director of the now-defunct Hong Kong charity the Christian Zheng Sheng Association of defrauding him of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3355736/fugitive-hong-kong-charity-director-sued-us-over-real-estate-shell-game?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3355736/fugitive-hong-kong-charity-director-sued-us-over-real-estate-shell-game?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 02:42:50 +0000 Ken Ip Ken Ip Few things age faster than a business plan built for a world that no longer exists. That may be the most important lesson from the saga of 11 Skies, the vast retail, entertainment and commercial complex beside Hong Kong International Airport that now appears destined for a dramatic reset. Reports that the Airport Authority could take majority control of the project from its private developer have triggered debate over who should bear the cost and who made the wrong bets. The real story of 11... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3355715/real-story-11-skies-not-about-failed-shopping-centre?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3355715/real-story-11-skies-not-about-failed-shopping-centre?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 01:30:07 +0000 Connor Mycroft,Kristen Cheung Connor Mycroft,Kristen Cheung On a recent stormy Sunday, domestic helpers on their weekly day off were seen hastily erecting tents and laying out plastic sheets under footbridges and inside transport hubs in Hong Kong’s Tsuen Wan district as they sought refuge from the downpour. Dozens of tents were pitched around the pillars of the footbridges, while other groups crowded onto narrow concrete platforms inside a bus terminus. Many leaned against metal railings or sat on the ground, laying down blankets and carving out spaces... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3355956/fewer-public-spaces-hong-kongs-helpers-where-can-they-go-unwind?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3355956/fewer-public-spaces-hong-kongs-helpers-where-can-they-go-unwind?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:30:07 +0000 Richard Harris Richard Harris I just spent two weeks in a broken Britain, which is an unfortunately apt description for a country that has fallen from its former glory. Its people are funny, witty, creative, intelligent, sports-mad and educated, part of a society that has constantly evolved over the last millennium, its imperial heritage bringing in cultures from around the globe. It is a green and pleasant land, beautiful in spring and summer, and not too bad in the autumn. Yet the once great nation is now dealing with a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3355911/uk-decline-needs-rediscover-supply-side-economics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3355911/uk-decline-needs-rediscover-supply-side-economics?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:30:06 +0000 Natalie Wong,Theodora Yu Natalie Wong,Theodora Yu Hong Kong police took away seven people who appeared in Causeway Bay on Thursday evening carrying flowers and dressed in black to mark the 37th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown. They included Chan Po-ying, former chairwoman of the now-defunct League of Social Democrats opposition group, and activist Virginia Fung King-man. Police said they stopped and searched five men and two women, aged between 17 and 79, for allegedly disrupting order in the area around Great George Street and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3356009/7-taken-away-police-ramp-patrols-around-former-site-tiananmen-vigil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3356009/7-taken-away-police-ramp-patrols-around-former-site-tiananmen-vigil?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 17:10:13 +0000 Advertising partner Advertising partner [The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes economies, labour markets and public services, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is making a clear bet: the defining skill for tomorrow’s public leaders will not be coding, but judgment. At the helm of its Master of Public Management (MPM) programme is Programme Director Prof. Donald Low, who argues that leadership in the AI age demands more than technical... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/ai-disruption-public-leadership/article/3355697/public-management-programme-puts-humans-centre-ai-revolution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/ai-disruption-public-leadership/article/3355697/public-management-programme-puts-humans-centre-ai-revolution?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 16:00:08 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu Contractors should take “all reasonable steps”, such as installing CCTV cameras and setting up temporary cigarette storage points, to comply with a coming smoking ban on construction sites, Hong Kong labour authorities have said. They should also ask individuals to stop using e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, even though they do not require lighting, the Labour Department said on Thursday, six months after the deadly Tai Po fire that was suspected to have been caused by workers smoking... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3356006/all-reasonable-steps-site-smoking-ban-include-cctv-cigarette-storage-points?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3356006/all-reasonable-steps-site-smoking-ban-include-cctv-cigarette-storage-points?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 15:58:22 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Hong Kong has signed 96 agreements with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan worth US$1.65 billion during city leader John Lee Ka-chiu’s visit to Central Asia, which he hailed as a “successful” mission setting the stage for closer government and business ties with the region. Lee on Thursday also said Hong Kong had initiated an agreement with Uzbekistan that paved the way for airlines on both sides to launch a new direct route, days after the city’s flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways announced it would... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3356003/hong-kong-signs-96-agreements-kazakhstan-and-uzbekistan-worth-us165-billion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3356003/hong-kong-signs-96-agreements-kazakhstan-and-uzbekistan-worth-us165-billion?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 15:15:48 +0000 Denise Tsang Denise Tsang Hong Kong rail giant the MTR Corporation has raised €3 billion (US$3.5 billion) by selling its first euro-denominated public green bonds, in its largest bond deal to date. The semi-privatised corporation said on Thursday that the sale also marked the largest Asia ex-Japan non-sovereign euro green bond offering. Amid a string of new rail projects in Hong Kong, the MTR Corp is raising fresh capital to fund them. The latest deal is the third round of bond sales so far this year, bringing the total... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3356000/hong-kongs-mtr-corporation-raises-eu3-billion-its-first-public-euro-green-bond-sale?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3356000/hong-kongs-mtr-corporation-raises-eu3-billion-its-first-public-euro-green-bond-sale?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:26:41 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hong Kong police will launch a two-week citywide crackdown on distracted driving and jaywalking after the number of people killed in traffic accidents jumped by more than 40 per cent year on year in the first five months of 2026. The force said on Thursday that 51 people died in traffic accidents between January and May 31, up by 42 per cent from the same period last year. Pedestrians accounted for about half of the fatalities. According to police, jaywalking and inattentive driving were among... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3355994/hong-kong-police-launch-2-week-crackdown-distracted-driving-and-jaywalking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3355994/hong-kong-police-launch-2-week-crackdown-distracted-driving-and-jaywalking?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 12:55:15 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Beijing’s top official on Hong Kong and Macau affairs has visited the Hengqin cooperation zone in Guangdong province’s Zhuhai as part of a drive to help the two special administrative regions align with the nation’s 15th five-year plan. The four-day visit by Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO), was his third trip to the Greater Bay Area this year. During his trip from Monday to Thursday, Xia visited a university town, research institutes, and innovation and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3355988/beijings-point-man-hong-kong-affairs-visits-hengqin-push-integration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3355988/beijings-point-man-hong-kong-affairs-visits-hengqin-push-integration?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 11:43:22 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu Hong Kong police are searching for a 76-year-old man who went missing in Ma On Shan on Wednesday. Liu Yim-kwan left his home at Yan On Estate on Hang Chi Street in the early hours of Wednesday and failed to return, police said on Thursday. Liu is about 1.7 metres (5 feet, 9 inches) tall with a lean build and short black hair. He was last seen wearing a black jacket, black trousers and white trainers. His family reported him missing on Wednesday. The force appealed to anyone with information on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3355964/hong-kong-police-launch-search-after-man-76-goes-missing-ma-shan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3355964/hong-kong-police-launch-search-after-man-76-goes-missing-ma-shan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 09:41:50 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Direct flights between Hong Kong and Kazakhstan could save travellers up to 10 hours and open the city’s shorelines to tourists from landlocked Central Asia, lawmakers have said after the flag carrier announced plans to launch an Almaty route next year. Legislator Jonathan Stuart Lamport, who represents the business sector, said on Thursday the announcement had received widespread support from the industry, as direct flights between Hong Kong and Almaty would significantly strengthen ties... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3355926/direct-hong-kong-almaty-flights-may-cut-travel-time-10-hours-draw-tourists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3355926/direct-hong-kong-almaty-flights-may-cut-travel-time-10-hours-draw-tourists?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 06:27:11 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Uzbekistan plans to launch direct flights to Hong Kong this year, with details being finalised with local authorities, the South China Morning Post has learned, in a move to strengthen ties between Central Asia and the city. The new route follows close on the heels of a plan by Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways to launch a service to Almaty in Kazakhstan in the first quarter of next year, which was one of the outcomes of Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s official visit to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3355917/hong-kong-and-uzbekistan-press-ahead-reciprocal-30-day-visa-free-agreement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3355917/hong-kong-and-uzbekistan-press-ahead-reciprocal-30-day-visa-free-agreement?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 05:32:33 +0000 Leopold Chen,Fiona Chow Leopold Chen,Fiona Chow Hong Kong should introduce new rules to ensure the health and safety of newborns delivered at home, lawmakers have said, after a couple were arrested for allegedly neglecting their baby’s welfare by not registering his birth. The father, Tsang Wai-bong, told the South China Morning Post that he had scheduled a meeting with government social workers on Saturday regarding the guardianship of his two-month-old son Danny, who has been placed in a care home. Authorities said on Thursday that DNA test... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3355908/dna-test-confirms-baby-danny-hong-kong-save-lily-couples-son?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3355908/dna-test-confirms-baby-danny-hong-kong-save-lily-couples-son?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 04:34:50 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Hong Kong’s weather forecaster is monitoring a tropical depression that has formed within 800km (497 miles) of the city, but says it is unlikely to issue a typhoon warning signal. The Hong Kong Observatory said on Thursday that an area of low pressure over the northeastern part of the South China Sea had intensified into a tropical depression, which was centred about 530km south-southwest of Kaohsiung and expected to move towards the vicinity of Taiwan. It is forecast to move northeast on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3355898/hong-kong-braces-heat-showers-tropical-depression-passes-nearby?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3355898/hong-kong-braces-heat-showers-tropical-depression-passes-nearby?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 03:18:11 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying More than 20 people were injured in a traffic accident involving two public buses and a truck in Hong Kong’s New Territories, temporarily closing an arterial road on Thursday morning. A minibus, a double-decker bus and a truck collided on Fanling Highway at around 8am, trapping the minibus driver, who was later rescued by firefighters. Photos from the scene show the front of the route 44A minibus, which runs between Sheung Shui and Tuen Mun, badly damaged. Police said 18 passengers on the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3355896/23-injured-after-minibus-double-decker-and-truck-collide-hong-kong-highway?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3355896/23-injured-after-minibus-double-decker-and-truck-collide-hong-kong-highway?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 02:43:53 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au A former student of a well-known Hong Kong basketball coach, seen in a video slapping a young player, has defended his disciplinary approach as acceptable despite legal experts warning the conduct could constitute common assault. Veteran coach Yung Kam-wah apologised on Tuesday over the incident, which took place two years ago, after the video recently went viral and sparked public concern. In the clip, Yung first takes a jacket from the boy’s hand and throws it to the ground, then grabs the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3355893/no-pain-no-gain-former-player-defends-unique-method-coach-seen-slapping-student?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3355893/no-pain-no-gain-former-player-defends-unique-method-coach-seen-slapping-student?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 02:00:19 +0000 Tim Parker Tim Parker In the Grand Hall of London’s Central Criminal Court, ubiquitously known as the Old Bailey, lies a plaque commemorating the courage of the jury in the 1670 trial of William Penn. Penn – who would later found the US state of Pennsylvania – and his co-accused were Quakers, charged with contravening the Conventicle Act 1664, which banned religious gatherings other than those of the Church of England. The Recorder of London, presiding at Penn’s trial, directed the jury to convict. The jury refused.... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3355876/12-hangry-men-jury-equity-old-bailey-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3355876/12-hangry-men-jury-equity-old-bailey-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 01:30:14 +0000 Daryl Ng Daryl Ng Becoming an astronaut and exploring space has been the dream of generations of young people and Hong Kong has welcomed this pioneering moment. Dr Lai Ka-Ying, who studied computer science at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), has become the first astronaut from Hong Kong, and the fourth female astronaut from China, to journey into space. As a payload specialist, she will operate the observatory designed by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) to track greenhouse gas... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3355588/hong-kongs-first-astronaut-success-also-story-youth-potential?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3355588/hong-kongs-first-astronaut-success-also-story-youth-potential?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 01:30:06 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Xenophobia and financial woes in the West have created tremendous opportunities for higher education institutions in Hong Kong and the broader Eurasian region, the head of a leading university in Kazakhstan has said. Professor Waqar Ahmad, president of Nazarbayev University, also revealed on Wednesday that the institution would soon launch another joint undergraduate programme in computer science and artificial intelligence with Polytechnic University. Starting next year, the programme will... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3355868/wests-xenophobia-cash-woes-present-huge-openings-hong-kong-scholar-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3355868/wests-xenophobia-cash-woes-present-huge-openings-hong-kong-scholar-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 00:36:31 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Authorities are considering a pilot booking system for one of Hong Kong’s most popular hiking routes and creating a new marine park at Sharp Island in Sai Kung, following bigger-than-expected crowds during mainland Chinese holidays. The proposals were outlined in a paper submitted to a Legislative Council ecology and tourism subcommittee ahead of a meeting on Monday. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said visitor numbers at the Po Pin Chau section of Sai Kung East Country... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3355877/booking-system-considered-protect-popular-hong-kong-hiking-trail-crowds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3355877/booking-system-considered-protect-popular-hong-kong-hiking-trail-crowds?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak Hong Kong is an international economic powerhouse brimming with talent and capital, but how much of that has trickled down to local communities? This was the question that weighed on Daniella Lopez’s mind when she acquired the licence for TEDxHongKong – which had been inactive since 2017 – in late 2025. There have been more focused TEDx events in Hong Kong, such as TEDxTinHauWomen, that had specific themes. But TEDxHongKong is about building a broader platform that uses local expertise and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3355675/its-back-revived-tedxhongkong-challenges-assumptions-and-reframes-beliefs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3355675/its-back-revived-tedxhongkong-challenges-assumptions-and-reframes-beliefs?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 23:15:04 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li The non-executive chairman of Hong Kong rail giant the MTR Corporation has been elected as the new head of the city’s largest business chamber for a one-year term. Jacob Kam Chak-pui, 64, took over as chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday following an election among members, expressing “strong confidence” in the city’s economic development. Kam, previously the chamber’s vice-chairman, said he believed the market outlook was rebounding as the global macroeconomic... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3355873/mtr-corp-boss-jacob-kam-elected-chairman-hong-kongs-largest-business-chamber?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3355873/mtr-corp-boss-jacob-kam-elected-chairman-hong-kongs-largest-business-chamber?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 15:42:31 +0000