https://www.scmp.com/rss/302581/feed Shirley Zhao worked at the Post from 2013 until 2019, after reporting from China for a Hong Kong-based magazine. She has covered education, and now focuses on housing, land and planning. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Frankie Leung Kai-ha has bought three properties in Japan over the past three years. The latest one, bought just last month, is a four-storey building that he plans to renovate into an Airbnb private lodging. The three investments cost about the same as one medium-sized flat in the expensive urban centre of Hong Kong, where Leung lives. His latest deal also came amid the increasingly volatile trade relations between China and the United States, which threaten to undermine the economics of both... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3017549/unnerved-us-china-trade-war-and-deterred-property?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3017549/unnerved-us-china-trade-war-and-deterred-property?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Jul 2019 04:00:58 +0000 Hong Kong’s legislature can continue to function despite the heavy damage inflicted on its headquarters by protesters, two leaders from opposite political camps have said. On Wednesday, lawmaker Wu Chi-wai, chairman of the Democratic Party, said conducting important legislative affairs such as vetting funding requests related to livelihood matters was still possible, if an alternative venue could be found. Pro-establishment legislator and Liberal Party leader Felix Chung Kwok-pan agreed,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3017054/hong-kong-government-does-not-have-grind-halt-say-rival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3017054/hong-kong-government-does-not-have-grind-halt-say-rival?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jul 2019 05:42:29 +0000 As a rule, July 1 in Hong Kong is a peaceful day, a time to celebrate the city’s freedoms on the anniversary of its return to Chinese rule in 1997. This time it was different. Instead of calm demonstrations, Monday unfolded in a series of escalating clashes, outbursts and destruction. It was a day of anger and solidarity with an estimated 550,000 black-clad protesters taking to the streets to denounce the government. The day of unrest began at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay, but its causes... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3016836/anatomy-divided-city-extradition-protesters-say-frustration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3016836/anatomy-divided-city-extradition-protesters-say-frustration?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jul 2019 14:50:35 +0000 Tens of thousands of government supporters took to the streets of Hong Kong on Sunday, marching to counter opponents of the now-suspended extradition bill and to show solidarity with the city’s embattled police force. Organisers put the turnout at government headquarters at 165,000 on the eve of the July 1 anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover to China, for which officials have scaled back celebrations and locked down the venue to head off protesters still demanding the complete withdrawal of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3016689/thousands-gather-tamar-park-support-hong-kong-police-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3016689/thousands-gather-tamar-park-support-hong-kong-police-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Jun 2019 09:54:54 +0000 Hong Kong’s police force has defended its move to pull officers from posts at two public hospitals, saying it was to shield them from hostility and not retaliation over the verbal abuse officers had received for their handling of the extradition bill protests. Commissioner of Police Stephen Lo Wai-chung said on Thursday the decision to vacate the 24-hour posts at Queen Elizabeth and Yan Chai hospitals was made after some people “brought political animosity” into the institutions. “My colleagues... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3016283/top-hong-kong-police-officer-defends-decision-withdraw?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3016283/top-hong-kong-police-officer-defends-decision-withdraw?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Jun 2019 04:24:55 +0000 The pro-democracy camp’s last-ditch attempt to stop the government from handing a prime strip of Central waterfront to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on Saturday has been thwarted in a surprise move by pro-establishment lawmakers. Christopher Cheung Wah-fung, a financial services sector lawmaker, moved to adjourn the Legislative Council meeting on Wednesday so that a motion against the military dock brought by two opposition lawmakers could not be discussed. Debate over the adjournment... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3016231/pan-democrats-thwarted-last-bid-stop-hong-kong-governments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3016231/pan-democrats-thwarted-last-bid-stop-hong-kong-governments?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Jun 2019 14:36:28 +0000 A plan for the Hong Kong government to partner with private developers to build on the city’s large tracts of farmland may be delayed, sparking fears of a short-term lack of land supply. Secretary for Development Michael Wong Wai-lun said on Tuesday that officials had not decided when to submit details of the so-called land sharing plan, in which developers give a slice of their farmland to the government for building public housing in exchange for higher development density, even though Wong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3016055/hong-kong-protests-hit-other-areas-city-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3016055/hong-kong-protests-hit-other-areas-city-life?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Jun 2019 14:00:51 +0000 Hong Kong police plan to stick to their restrained approach towards anti-extradition bill protesters despite a 15-hour siege of the force’s headquarters that ended only early on Saturday morning, the Post has learned. While the more muted and controlled tactic was praised for successfully avoiding clashes, some observers and officers also raised concerns over morale in the force, pointing out that laws had been broken with impunity while officers stood by watching. For hours throughout Friday,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3015678/hong-kong-police-plan-stick-soft-approach-and-exercise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3015678/hong-kong-police-plan-stick-soft-approach-and-exercise?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Jun 2019 14:03:20 +0000 The use of force by Hong Kong police during last week’s extradition bill protest, which triggered the siege of its headquarters on Friday night, was “necessary and lawful”, a former chief said. Andy Tsang Wai-hung dismissed the need for police to apologise for firing tear gas, rubber bullets and beanbag rounds, and said the clashes were more severe than those during the Occupy movement in 2014, when he was police commissioner and officers fired tear gas, but not bullets at protesters. Tsang, who... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3015630/15-hour-siege-hong-kong-police-headquarters-ends-peacefully?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3015630/15-hour-siege-hong-kong-police-headquarters-ends-peacefully?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Jun 2019 20:24:54 +0000 Hong Kong’s public hospital operator has promised to win back public trust by enhancing its patient data system after reports emerged of injured protesters being arrested because city-run medical centres leaked their information to police. Leung Pak-yin, the chief executive of the Hospital Authority, announced on Thursday that a special three-member task force would be set up to identify ways to protect patients’ medical information. He said the task force would take three months to explore new... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3015408/hospital-authority-vows-revive-public-trust-stories-emerge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3015408/hospital-authority-vows-revive-public-trust-stories-emerge?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Jun 2019 11:11:52 +0000 A Hong Kong youth official has said the city’s young people scored a victory with the suspension of the contentious extradition bill – even as angry students continue their threats to besiege government headquarters in pursuit of more concessions. Lau Ming-wai, the deputy chairman of the Youth Development Commission, said on Wednesday he wanted young protesters to know they had already succeeded in changing the government’s course on the unpopular bill, which critics feared would lead to unfair... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3015277/hong-kong-youth-official-praises-young-protesters-victory?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3015277/hong-kong-youth-official-praises-young-protesters-victory?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Jun 2019 00:00:15 +0000 Top government officials and advisers on Wednesday were going all out to ease lingering tensions over Hong Kong’s now-suspended extradition bill, even as students, activist groups and opposition politicians threatened to stage another major protest on Friday if their demands were not met. On the diplomatic front in Beijing, State Councillor Wang Yi accused unnamed forces of seeking to undermine stability in Hong Kong by opposing the bill, which he said was fully in line with the interests of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3015275/hong-kong-officials-bid-ease-tensions-city-students-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3015275/hong-kong-officials-bid-ease-tensions-city-students-and?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Jun 2019 15:45:02 +0000 Hong Kong’s Urban Renewal Authority (URA) recorded a massive drop in its annual surplus in the last financial year, raising concerns over the body’s income volatility and long-term sustainability. The semi-public body, which is responsible for the city’s regeneration, was HK$2.3 billion (US$294 million) in the black in 2018-19, a steep plunge from HK$12 billion the previous financial year, according to the authority’s latest annual report, submitted to the legislature on Tuesday. “Such a level... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3015081/hong-kongs-urban-renewal-authority-which-tackles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3015081/hong-kongs-urban-renewal-authority-which-tackles?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Jun 2019 23:00:11 +0000 Secondary school pupils in Hong Kong have taken to a citywide examination to vent frustrations over the controversial extradition bill, the Post has learned. Michael Wong Wai-yu, who sits on the executive committee of the Hong Kong Association of the Heads of Secondary Schools, said on Tuesday there had been reports of Territory-wide System Assessment (TSA) candidates handing in empty or vandalised sheets or writing random answers. “I think pupils may have used this method to vent their... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3015097/hong-kong-pupils-deface-tsa-exams-extradition-bill-protest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3015097/hong-kong-pupils-deface-tsa-exams-extradition-bill-protest?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Jun 2019 15:52:40 +0000 Senior officials and advisers to Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor were busy in emergency meetings throughout Monday to map out ways Hong Kong’s embattled leader could extricate herself from the biggest political crisis facing the city over her mishandling of the controversial extradition bill. But the word from those willing to speak off the record was that the camp was still reeling from the shock of witnessing the city’s biggest protest march when an estimated 2 million people took to the streets to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3014933/sorry-not-sorry-what-can-carrie-lam-do-soothe-angry-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3014933/sorry-not-sorry-what-can-carrie-lam-do-soothe-angry-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Jun 2019 00:00:22 +0000 The Hong Kong Journalists Association has filed a complaint to a police watchdog over 27 cases of alleged violence or harassment against reporters and other media personnel covering last week’s extradition bill protests. Journalists fell victim to police deployment of tear gas, baton beatings and other forms of violence, as well as unjustified searches and obstruction, according to allegations lodged with the Independent Police Complaints Council on Monday. The group has also written a letter to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3014923/hong-kong-journalists-association-files-complaint?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3014923/hong-kong-journalists-association-files-complaint?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Jun 2019 14:27:08 +0000 Hong Kong will have to ban all fossil fuel vehicles, switch off air conditioning and seek “very close energy regional cooperation” to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050, according to a new paper set to engage the public in drafting a long-term strategy on the issue. But do not fret – the consultation also gives less stringent choices that will still reduce carbon emissions by 60 or 80 per cent from 2005 levels. Such reductions will mean annual carbon emissions per capita of 2 tonnes or 1... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3014595/how-far-are-hongkongers-willing-go-save-planet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3014595/how-far-are-hongkongers-willing-go-save-planet?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Jun 2019 14:09:33 +0000 Business in the heart of Hong Kong was disrupted a day after protesters decrying the government’s extradition bill clashed violently with police, with an upmarket shopping centre closed and thousands of civil servants told to stay at home. Pacific Place, a four-level mall of about 160 stores and restaurants in Admiralty, near the protest’s epicentre at the legislature and government headquarters, was closed to shoppers on Thursday morning, with plans to gradually reopen. Its hotels and two... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3014316/near-site-hong-kongs-anti-extradition-clashes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3014316/near-site-hong-kongs-anti-extradition-clashes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Jun 2019 05:54:45 +0000 Governors of Hong Kong’s largest public housing provider have warned of a potential “nosedive” in the supply of flats within three years, with some urging the government to use private sites to build affordable homes. Members of the Housing Authority called for radical solutions on Monday to tackle shortages in public housing as the government falls behind its targets. “The current public housing supply is far behind the target set by the government’s long-term strategy,” said member Wilson Or... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3013909/hong-kong-government-told-take-back-private?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3013909/hong-kong-government-told-take-back-private?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Jun 2019 23:00:20 +0000 Organised, prepared, armed and radical – that was the police description of hundreds of young protesters who took on the force across three districts in Hong Kong in the early hours of Monday. But on the ground, where clashes and chaos ensued, the faces of the group, many masked, appeared more diverse and complicated than the official profile proffered. Their organisation was loose but kept secret in an encrypted chat group; their plan was rough and uncoordinated; and their levels of readiness... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3013927/armed-radicals-or-indecisive-and-leaderless-who-are?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3013927/armed-radicals-or-indecisive-and-leaderless-who-are?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Jun 2019 15:40:50 +0000 Hundreds of protesters fought pitched battles with police outside Hong Kong’s legislature and administrative headquarters late into Sunday night and early Monday morning, bringing a violent end to a peaceful mass rally that drew historic numbers onto the streets to oppose the government’s controversial extradition bill. Officers and protesters suffered injuries, some needing hospital treatment, as police used batons and pepper spray to beat back a mob of masked demonstrators trying to storm the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3013761/protesters-police-fight-pitched-battles-after-peaceful?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3013761/protesters-police-fight-pitched-battles-after-peaceful?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Jun 2019 18:57:00 +0000 Wister Au hit the streets on Sunday – along with up to a million others – just as he had during the 2003 protest against national security legislation and the 2014 Occupy movement for democracy. This time, he was also marching for his 14-month-old son Marcus. In all, 1.03 million people took part in Sunday’s march, according to the organiser Civil Human Rights Front, double the turnout of the 2003 protest. Police put the figure at 240,000. They came, young and old and from all walks of lives, to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3013752/human-sea-white-washes-through-hong-kong-masses-register?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3013752/human-sea-white-washes-through-hong-kong-masses-register?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Jun 2019 14:45:13 +0000 Armed with six eyes and the ability to hear and feel, a device powered by artificial intelligence lurks among waterbirds at Penfold Park in Sha Tin, as part of a government pilot project for conservation. The AI system identifies, tracks and analyses birds at the park, one of the largest habitats for egrets in the city. The machine is shaped like a flower pot, packed with six cameras, sound and vibration sensors, and shielded from the elements by a glass dome. The Drainage Services Department,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3013606/artificial-intelligence-used-conservation-project?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3013606/artificial-intelligence-used-conservation-project?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Jun 2019 04:00:09 +0000 If the trading relationship between China and the United States had been formed by children, could a win-win situation have emerged instead of the present dispute between the two? That is the question an online game to be launched at the end of this year, which simulates trading conditions between the two countries in the early 19th century, is hoping to answer. The development of the game comes amid the tumultuous trade war, and is supported by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3013679/could-us-china-trade-war-be-solved-10-year-old-playing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3013679/could-us-china-trade-war-be-solved-10-year-old-playing?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Jun 2019 09:07:05 +0000 While Hong Kong is notorious for its narrow pavements and car-centric urban planning, authorities are in a bid to reverse the trend with a significant push for a pedestrian-friendly city this month. The Post looks at the new initiatives. What are the government’s latest efforts to promote walkability? In two district council papers issued this month, the Transport Department chose Central, the city’s business and heritage centre, and Sham Shui Po, one of the oldest districts, as trial locations... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3012322/why-hong-kong-governments-plan-pedestrian?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3012322/why-hong-kong-governments-plan-pedestrian?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 May 2019 01:00:14 +0000 The proposed design of an eco-friendly footbridge meant to provide a faster, more enjoyable walk from central Wan Chai to the waterfront has been approved by Hong Kong’s harbour oversight body. The Harbourfront Commission’s Hong Kong Island task force was in favour of the project on Tuesday, asking the government to merely fine-tune the proposed walkway with an eye to additional features such as food and drink concessions and more cover. The 190-metre-long (623-foot) footbridge would connect a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3012190/hong-kongs-harbourfront-commission-approves-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3012190/hong-kongs-harbourfront-commission-approves-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 May 2019 23:00:16 +0000 An 85-year-old passenger died after the private car he was in lost control, mounted the pavement and rammed into a bus stop in Hong Kong’s Kowloon Bay area on Sunday. Two others in the car and four pedestrians were also hurt in the accident, according to police. The vehicle lost control at around 2.30pm and crashed into a bus stop near Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate, police said. The silver Honda hatchback first crashed into advertising displays at the bus stop, and then the vehicle’s rear hit a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3011875/elderly-passenger-dies-after-car-loses-control-mounts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3011875/elderly-passenger-dies-after-car-loses-control-mounts?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 May 2019 11:06:32 +0000 Hong Kong’s sole delegate to China’s top legislative body has suggested that a controversial extradition bill be amended to only cover serious crimes, while having a limited retroactive effect to allay public anxiety. Tam Yiu-chung, the city’s only representative to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, said on Monday that the government could consider applying the law only to crimes punishable by a minimum of five or seven years of imprisonment, instead of the proposed... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3010921/set-minds-ease-limit-retroactive-effect-controversial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3010921/set-minds-ease-limit-retroactive-effect-controversial?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 May 2019 06:06:04 +0000 A Hong Kong driver was arrested for eight alleged offences on Saturday after a high-speed chase with police, who also found suspected drugs in his car. Officers tried to stop the motorist near the entrance of the Cheung Tsing Tunnel during an early morning crackdown on drink-driving across the southern New Territories, but the driver sped off. Police gave chase in a pursuit that crossed Tsing Ma Bridge before the car crashed into the barrier of a car park on Ma Wan Road. A 24-year-old man was... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3010782/high-speed-chase-over-tsing-ma-bridge-ends-crash-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3010782/high-speed-chase-over-tsing-ma-bridge-ends-crash-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 May 2019 10:45:25 +0000 Hong Kong officials will maintain their projection for the city’s annual economic growth at about 3 per cent, despite increasing uncertainties caused by the US-China trade war, the city’s finance chief said on Saturday. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said the projection was made when China and the United States were widely expected to reach a deal. But he added that the prediction of an annual economic growth of 2 to 3 per cent would stay for now even if the trade war situation had... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3010766/hong-kong-finance-chief-paul-chan-doubles-down-3?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3010766/hong-kong-finance-chief-paul-chan-doubles-down-3?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 May 2019 05:30:08 +0000 Singapore is testing a method that can almost halve the use of sand in reclamation projects, the country’s development minister says, in a timely piece of information for Hong Kong, which is facing a severe shortage of the material. The city state was experimenting with reclaiming low-lying land protected by dykes, which could cut sand consumption by 40 per cent, national development minister Lawrence Wong told an event in Hong Kong on Friday. “Reclamation is a massive endeavour. It’s costly …... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3010736/why-singapore-thinks-dykes-could-be-answer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3010736/why-singapore-thinks-dykes-could-be-answer?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 May 2019 15:02:03 +0000 A private abattoir in Hong Kong has stonewalled calls to open its doors to accept local hogs amid a case of African swine fever as pig farmers demanded the government step in and take tougher action. Farmers said on Wednesday they were starting to run out of feed and that their farms could be “overwhelmed” by pigs should the Tsuen Wan slaughterhouse not open soon. The privately owned facility is effectively the only abattoir in the city after the public and much bigger one in Sheung Shui closed... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3010389/private-abattoir-remains-closed-despite-angry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3010389/private-abattoir-remains-closed-despite-angry?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 May 2019 23:30:10 +0000 Hong Kong lawmakers have unanimously endorsed a HK$7.7 billion (US$987 million) plan for the government to build a desalination plant that will meet 5 per cent of the city’s demand for drinking water. At a meeting of the Legislative Council’s public works subcommittee on Tuesday, members also urged the government to plan for the future expansion of the plant so as to lower the city’s reliance on a river in mainland China’s Guangdong province because of strategic and pollution concerns. But... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3010218/lawmakers-endorse-plan-hk77-billion-desalination?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3010218/lawmakers-endorse-plan-hk77-billion-desalination?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 May 2019 14:30:44 +0000 A top adviser to the Hong Kong government on heritage issues has revealed how he is pressing for a new ­system to evaluate modern ­architecture as a number of ­familiar landmarks face ­demolition. Local support for preserving buildings erected after 1950 has been growing, with famous sites such as the General Post Office, the headquarters of the Garden Company bakery, and the Excelsior hotel due to be knocked down. “In some sense we are racing against time,” said Douglas So Cheung-tak, chairman... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3010021/officials-unprecedented-move-protect-hong-kongs-heritage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3010021/officials-unprecedented-move-protect-hong-kongs-heritage?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 May 2019 00:00:12 +0000 As Hong Kong’s astronomical property prices continue to rise, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po has pledged, in a rare move, to give the city’s railway provider and urban redevelopment authorities a greater role in providing affordable housing. “Property prices now are very high,” Chan said in an exclusive interview with the Post. “We understand people’s frustration. The government will make an effort to increase land supply and subsidised housing.” Some measures will include turning more... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3009395/hong-kongs-mtr-and-urban-renewal-authority-will-be?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3009395/hong-kongs-mtr-and-urban-renewal-authority-will-be?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 May 2019 00:00:04 +0000 Hong Kong’s proposed national anthem law has been slammed by lawmakers who said the requirement that everyone must “stand solemnly” was an affront to the city’s wheelchair users. Lawmakers who met on Saturday to discuss the bill cited a controversial video created by a pro-Beijing group to promote the anthem. In the video, an elderly woman in a wheelchair stood up dutifully when “March of the Volunteers” played. “If you don’t delete the requirement of standing solemnly, you will cause... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3008867/hong-kong-lawmakers-say-they-will-not-stand-national-anthem?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3008867/hong-kong-lawmakers-say-they-will-not-stand-national-anthem?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 May 2019 12:17:48 +0000 At Hong Kong’s newly reopened historic site Haw Par Mansion, visitors old enough to remember the place in its previous incarnation were wistful about what has been lost. “It’s such a pity,” said Sunny Lau, 72, a retired civil servant. “It was so much bigger with so much more to see in the past. There’s nothing special here now.” Lau visited the site in Tai Hang when he was 13. At that time, the iconic Tiger Balm Garden, a fantastically surreal public park that was like Alice in Wonderland... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3008846/hong-kongs-haw-par-mansion-reopens-there-disenchantment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3008846/hong-kongs-haw-par-mansion-reopens-there-disenchantment?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 May 2019 07:30:04 +0000 A world-renowned Chinese antiques collector who became a victim of Hong Kong’s biggest gold bullion trading scam has filed a writ of summons to seek damages from three people who allegedly took HK$330 million (US$42.1 million) from him. In the writ filed in the High Court on Monday, Kot See-for, who advises the Hong Kong government on art and has loaned out his collections to museums for local and international exhibitions, recounted how the trio persuaded him to sell his valuable antiques for... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3008343/chinese-antiques-collector-kot-see-victim-hong-kongs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3008343/chinese-antiques-collector-kot-see-victim-hong-kongs?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 May 2019 00:30:09 +0000 A recent court decision on a controversial policy affecting New Territories villagers has reminded Hongkongers that when it comes to housing, as in so many other areas of life, people are born unequal. While most of the city struggles with astronomical property prices for tiny homes and a severe shortage of land for new developments, it is a different story for males over 18 years old who can prove their forefathers lived in rural villages more than a century ago. Thanks to a colonial-era law,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3008261/battle-over-hong-kongs-controversial-small-house?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3008261/battle-over-hong-kongs-controversial-small-house?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 May 2019 00:00:14 +0000 The upward spiral in Hong Kong property prices threatens the work of the city’s urban redevelopment authority and a rethinking of strategy is needed, its outgoing chairman said on Monday. Urban Renewal Authority (URA) chief Victor So Hing-woh called for a new operating model and better city planning to maximise the effectiveness of the body’s work and help it better prepare for a future market downturn. So, who is nearing the end of his six-year tenure at the authority, said property market... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3008184/hong-kongs-spiralling-property-prices-place-urban?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3008184/hong-kongs-spiralling-property-prices-place-urban?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Apr 2019 14:29:22 +0000 A new proposal to exempt overseas doctors from a year-long internship in Hong Kong is likely to be endorsed by the sector’s watchdog next month, a leading local medical association said on Friday. The new option, which arose out of a meeting between health minister Sophia Chan Siu-chee and major doctors’ groups on Thursday night, requires overseas-trained specialists who complete the city’s licensing exam, but hope to be exempted from a 12-month internship, to serve full-time for at least 1½... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3007820/medical-watchdog-endorse-new-proposal-governing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3007820/medical-watchdog-endorse-new-proposal-governing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Apr 2019 07:55:52 +0000 Hong Kong is to provide measles immunity tests for about 200 Filipino domestic helpers arriving in the city’s airport. The Department of Health on Thursday announced a pilot service as concerns grew over a possible further measles outbreak in Hong Kong. The city has so far recorded 67 measles cases – the highest annual number in a decade. “Through the pilot service, the [department] hopes to better grasp the overall immunity against measles among Filipino domestic helpers working in Hong Kong,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3007699/filipino-helpers-be-given-measles-immunity-tests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3007699/filipino-helpers-be-given-measles-immunity-tests?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Apr 2019 12:29:15 +0000 An enhanced subsidy for adults in Hong Kong to acquire new skills is the government’s latest effort to prepare workers for redundancy as artificial intelligence and technology develop, the city’s welfare minister said on Sunday. In his regular blog post, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Law Chi-kwong said the upgraded Continuing Education Fund starting this month was part of the strategy to respond to the potential impact of AI development on future demand for labour. “The future development of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3007071/threat-artificial-intelligence-sees-hong-kong-education?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3007071/threat-artificial-intelligence-sees-hong-kong-education?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Apr 2019 09:47:23 +0000 Nearly 40 passengers were injured on Sunday after five buses slammed into each other, creating a lengthy pile-up on a major Hong Kong bridge. The collision on Tsing Ma Bridge came as the buses were driving toward Hong Kong International Airport at about 4pm. Officials said 27 people were lightly injured and 12 suffered serious injuries. There were 23 injured women and 16 men. Photos and live feeds from the scene showed dozens of injured passengers sitting on the road, some with blood on their... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3007068/dozens-passengers-injured-after-five-buses-collide?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3007068/dozens-passengers-injured-after-five-buses-collide?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Apr 2019 09:15:29 +0000 An elderly man died after his fibreglass boat collided with a yacht off Sai Kung in Hong Kong on Sunday morning. Police said the boats collided near the village of Yung Shue O at around 10am. The elderly man fell into the sea and was later retrieved and sent to Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin. The man was certified dead, police said, without specifying the time of death. A police spokeswoman could not provide additional information such as the age of the deceased or the names of those on the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3007054/elderly-man-killed-after-small-fibreglass-boat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3007054/elderly-man-killed-after-small-fibreglass-boat?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Apr 2019 06:38:31 +0000 A Hong Kong taxi alliance officially launched a ride-hailing app on Tuesday to rival Uber, boasting payment through the popular Octopus Card and call centre support for cabbies. The launch of the eTaxi app, which already has 4,000 drivers signed up comes amid mounting complaints against taxi drivers, especially for turning down trips. This has led to the increasing popularity of Uber and hostility towards the taxi industry. Passengers have also long urged cabbies to accept alternative payment... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3006293/launch-new-etaxi-app-hong-kong-hailed-historic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3006293/launch-new-etaxi-app-hong-kong-hailed-historic?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Apr 2019 00:00:22 +0000 A study released on Sunday has drawn attention to Hong Kong’s culture of long working hours, with one in five employees in the city working an average of 11 hours a day, and security guards suffering the most. The Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions analysed the latest labour data released by the Census and Statistics Department and found that 20 per cent of the city’s 3 million employees worked an average of 55 hours per week last year. That translates to an average of 11 hours a day,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3006116/long-working-hours-1-5-hong-kong-employees-are-job?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3006116/long-working-hours-1-5-hong-kong-employees-are-job?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Apr 2019 12:57:43 +0000 Social media platforms Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp went down on Sunday night. According to downdetector.com, which tracks issues with internet platforms, reports about Facebook being down started to emerge at 6.28pm Hong Kong time on Sunday, while Instagram started to have issues at 6.33pm, and WhatsApp at 6.58pm. Reports of problems have been recorded around the world. In Hong Kong, users have also been complaining about outage at the three platforms. The Post has contacted Facebook, which... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3006113/facebook-instagram-and-whatsapp-all-down-worldwide?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3006113/facebook-instagram-and-whatsapp-all-down-worldwide?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Apr 2019 12:41:25 +0000 Law enforcement bodies have been looking into the case of a top Hong Kong primary school suspected of misappropriating funds collected from pupils for overseas trips, the city’s education authority said on Thursday. The Education Bureau said investigations by both itself and the governing board of Baptist (Sha Tin Wai) Lui Ming Choi Primary School found the school had failed to follow official guidelines in arranging the trips. The bureau confirmed that school staff involved in misconduct had... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3005773/law-enforcement-agencies-hong-kong-investigate-top-primary?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3005773/law-enforcement-agencies-hong-kong-investigate-top-primary?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Apr 2019 12:28:25 +0000 Hong Kong start-ups are using the technology behind cryptocurrencies like bitcoin to build polling systems that can protect against vote manipulation. Known as blockchain, the secure method of information transfer is being targeted at property owners who vote on major matters about their buildings such as large renovation projects. In recent years, multimillion-dollar building projects in Hong Kong have made headlines for bid-rigging controversies. In some cases the owners suspected their... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3004942/secure-data-transfer-known-blockchain-set-tackle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3004942/secure-data-transfer-known-blockchain-set-tackle?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Apr 2019 07:00:12 +0000