https://www.scmp.com/rss/308481/feed Jeffie leads the Hong Kong politics team at the Post. She joined the paper in 2013 after beginning her career as a political reporter in 2009. She is the co-editor of Rebel City: Hong Kong’s Year of Water and Fire published by the Post and World Scientific, which documented the city’s anti-government protests in 2019. She has previously been a recipient of the Human Rights Press Awards, the Hong Kong News Awards and the Chinese University Journalism Award. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Jeffie Lam,Davies Christian Surya,Victor Sanjinez,Carlos Araujo,Rocio Marquez,Catherine Ma,Matthew Cheng,Joe Lo Jeffie Lam,Davies Christian Surya,Victor Sanjinez,Carlos Araujo,Rocio Marquez,Catherine Ma,Matthew Cheng,Joe Lo https://www.scmp.com/infographics/hong-kong/article/3349019/seeking-answers-tragedy-hong-kong-could-have-avoided?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/infographics/hong-kong/article/3349019/seeking-answers-tragedy-hong-kong-could-have-avoided?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 06:20:08 +0000 Jeffie Lam,Davies Christian Surya,Victor Sanjinez,Carlos Araujo,Rocio Marquez,Catherine Ma,Matthew Cheng,Joe Lo Jeffie Lam,Davies Christian Surya,Victor Sanjinez,Carlos Araujo,Rocio Marquez,Catherine Ma,Matthew Cheng,Joe Lo https://www.scmp.com/infographics/hong-kong/article/3347535/seeking-answers-tragedy-hong-kong-could-have-avoided?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/infographics/hong-kong/article/3347535/seeking-answers-tragedy-hong-kong-could-have-avoided?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 02:44:07 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Hong Kong police are on the hunt for two men who allegedly attacked a taxi driver with whom they had an argument in Yuen Long in the early hours of Friday. The force received a report from the 57-year-old victim at 2.50am. The cabby said he had asked the two men blocking his vehicle off at 3 Kau Yuk Road to move aside, but his plea triggered a quarrel and led to him being attacked by the pair. The two men, both described as non-ethnic Chinese, fled after the attack. Officers arriving at the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3348881/hong-kong-police-hunt-2-men-who-attacked-taxi-driver-after-quarrel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3348881/hong-kong-police-hunt-2-men-who-attacked-taxi-driver-after-quarrel?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 04:00:17 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Beijing has summoned the United States’ top envoy in Hong Kong to protest against the consulate’s move to issue an alert to American citizens about legal changes in the city that punish those who withhold smartphone passwords from police during national security investigations. The foreign ministry’s office in Hong Kong revealed on Saturday that its commissioner, Cui Jianchun, had summoned and lodged “solemn representations” with US Consul General Julie Eadeh the day before in response to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3348234/hong-kong-government-defends-changes-national-security-law-after-us-alert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3348234/hong-kong-government-defends-changes-national-security-law-after-us-alert?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 05:23:25 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam A computer system containing Hong Kong prison employees’ personal data has been hacked, compromising the information of 6,800 current and former staffers. The Correctional Services Department said on Friday evening that a hacker had gained illegal access to one of its IT systems on Tuesday. “After a preliminary investigation, the Correctional Services Department believes the incident involved unauthorised access to the internal Knowledge Management System by a hacker, through which the hacker... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3348230/hong-kong-prison-departments-it-system-hacked-6800-employees-data-compromised?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3348230/hong-kong-prison-departments-it-system-hacked-6800-employees-data-compromised?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 04:21:33 +0000 Jeffie Lam,Wynna Wong Jeffie Lam,Wynna Wong Greater Bay Airlines has become the latest Hong Kong-based carrier to raise its fuel surcharges by 34 per cent amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, with the fee for destinations other than mainland China set to hit HK$389 (US$50). China’s largest courier, SF Express, also said on Friday it would switch to adjusting its fuel surcharge rates from a monthly to a weekly basis beginning in April because of the “continuous and frequent fluctuations” of international oil prices. Global fuel... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3348094/greater-bay-airlines-raise-fuel-charges-34-joining-other-hong-kong-carriers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3348094/greater-bay-airlines-raise-fuel-charges-34-joining-other-hong-kong-carriers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 05:14:56 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Tech giant Google has introduced a mobile version of its Gemini AI chatbot to Hong Kong users, with the service swiftly topping Apple’s app store chart. The roll-out on Thursday followed Google’s announcement last week that it would gradually bring its generative AI services to Hong Kong, starting with Gemini web services before launching a mobile version. The popular AI product was previously unavailable to the general public in Hong Kong, with access limited to some local businesses,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348076/googles-gemini-ai-app-debuts-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348076/googles-gemini-ai-app-debuts-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 03:45:47 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Hong Kong will raise its postage rates next month amid surging oil prices triggered by the conflict in the Middle East, with the cost of posting local letters increasing by 9 per cent to HK$2.40 (31 US cents). Hongkong Post on Monday said the new rates would come into effect on April 13, highlighting the need to adjust postage rates to offset escalating operating costs, particularly increases in major cost components such as conveyance costs and terminal dues payments. “Overall, the postage... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3347541/hong-kong-raise-postage-rates-april-13-amid-surging-oil-prices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3347541/hong-kong-raise-postage-rates-april-13-amid-surging-oil-prices?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 04:58:35 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam The Hong Kong Tourism Board will allocate three-quarters of its resources to overseas markets this year in a shift aimed at diversifying visitor demographics and attracting more overnight high spenders. The board also revealed on Wednesday that it would launch a new global campaign by the end of April to promote Hong Kong as a unique world city through social media, advertisements on regional broadcasters and billboards in selected countries. “It is not an easy task to convince those visitors... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3347054/hong-kong-tourism-board-woo-overnight-big-spenders-diversify-visitor-mix?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3347054/hong-kong-tourism-board-woo-overnight-big-spenders-diversify-visitor-mix?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 11:08:55 +0000 Jeffie Lam,Oscar Liu Jeffie Lam,Oscar Liu Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways has further extended its suspension of all flights to and from the Middle East until the end of April amid the ongoing conflict in the region. Observers said on Wednesday that war-driven drops in demand had made some routes commercially unviable, while noting the impact on travellers would be limited as regional carriers still maintained essential services. Cathay Pacific said flights between Hong Kong and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3346957/cathay-extends-hong-kong-middle-east-flight-suspension-until-end-april?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3346957/cathay-extends-hong-kong-middle-east-flight-suspension-until-end-april?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 03:37:48 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Hong Kong police have recovered a credit card suspected of misuse from a sealed flat damaged in the deadly Tai Po blaze, as residents voiced growing concerns about the safety of their properties following a recent burglary. The latest development came days after the force arrested three construction workers on suspicion of stealing gold jewellery worth HK$90,000 (US$11,500) from a flat at Wang Fuk Court, where they had been carrying out structural reinforcement work following November’s inferno,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3345965/hong-kong-police-recover-credit-card-amid-theft-fears-fire-hit-tai-po-estate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3345965/hong-kong-police-recover-credit-card-amid-theft-fears-fire-hit-tai-po-estate?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 08:37:21 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Hong Kong police are investigating a blackmail and false imprisonment case in which a man lost about HK$6.1 million (US$779,900) in cryptocurrency and silver. The force said it received a report at 3.52am on Saturday that a 25-year-old mainland Chinese man was attacked by three men and a woman at a hotel on Tak Fung Street in Hung Hom and had HK$5.3 million worth of cryptocurrency taken from his account. The suspects later took the victim to another unit in an industrial building on Man Lok... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3345794/man-robbed-hk6-million-crypto-and-silver-hong-kong-probe-under-way?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3345794/man-robbed-hk6-million-crypto-and-silver-hong-kong-probe-under-way?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 05:21:53 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam A woman fled a burning flat in Hong Kong’s Yuen Long on Saturday, claiming her husband had attacked her with a knife before he was found to have fallen from a height nearby. Senior Inspector Chan Man-hei of Yuen Long’s district investigation team said a 31-year-old woman had called for help at 9.43am, saying she had been knifed by her husband, who was the same age, in a flat at 88 Fung Cheung Road before managing to flee. “Upon our checks of surveillance footage and preliminary investigation... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3345790/woman-flees-hong-kong-flat-blaze-after-alleged-knife-attack-husband?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3345790/woman-flees-hong-kong-flat-blaze-after-alleged-knife-attack-husband?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 03:55:10 +0000 Jeffie Lam,Lo Hoi-ying Jeffie Lam,Lo Hoi-ying This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hongkongers should brace for cooler and rainy weather on Tuesday as temperatures are expected to drop progressively to as low as 16 degrees Celsius (61 Fahrenheit) as a cold front approaches, according to the city’s weather forecaster. The Observatory issued an amber rainstorm signal at 7.50pm on Monday, warning of possible flooding in low-lying areas and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3345105/rainy-tuesday-expected-hong-kong-temperatures-dipping-16-degrees-celsius?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3345105/rainy-tuesday-expected-hong-kong-temperatures-dipping-16-degrees-celsius?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 06:58:42 +0000 Oscar Liu,Jeffie Lam,Lo Hoi-ying Oscar Liu,Jeffie Lam,Lo Hoi-ying US-Israeli strikes on Iran have grounded at least 47 flights between Hong Kong and the Middle East, with flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways suspending its Dubai services until Thursday and immigration authorities reporting 432 residents are stranded in the region. The Airport Authority said that as of 9pm on Monday, 14 passenger flights were cancelled and one was delayed, with at least 12 more axed for Tuesday. Cathay also announced on Monday that it would suspend its Riyadh flights until... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3345067/cathay-pacific-halts-dubai-flights-until-thursday-amid-us-israeli-attack-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3345067/cathay-pacific-halts-dubai-flights-until-thursday-amid-us-israeli-attack-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 02:41:29 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. Hong Kong can expect gloomy weather and occasional rain this weekend, with showers persisting into next week, according to the city’s weather forecaster. The Observatory said on Friday that, under the influence of a broad low-pressure trough, there would be a few showers on Saturday,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3344822/gloomy-weekend-forecast-hong-kong-showers-saturday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3344822/gloomy-weekend-forecast-hong-kong-showers-saturday?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 04:39:20 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Panamanian authorities have reportedly raided the office of a subsidiary of Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings that previously operated two ports at either end of the country’s canal, days after the terminals were taken over against the company’s will. According to Panamanian media on Thursday, local authorities had searched the office of the Panama Ports Company, which operated the Balboa and Cristobal ports until this week. Boxes of documents were seen being taken away during the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344809/hong-kongs-ck-hutchison-vows-legal-action-over-unlawful-panama-port-seizure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344809/hong-kongs-ck-hutchison-vows-legal-action-over-unlawful-panama-port-seizure?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 03:26:08 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam All eyes on Wednesday will be on how the government plans to give a big push to its latest investment darling, the Hong Kong Investment Corporation, its three-year-old vehicle that has yielded impressive early gains. Sources told the South China Morning Post that HKIC would come up as a key highlight in Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po’s budget statement to be delivered on Wednesday. It will be tasked to work closely with regional and international long-term capital to “guide investment... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344529/hong-kong-investment-company-hkic-get-expanded-remit-after-early-gains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344529/hong-kong-investment-company-hkic-get-expanded-remit-after-early-gains?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 02:15:35 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Hong Kong police have arrested a 79-year-old cabby on suspicion of knocking down an elderly woman with his vehicle in North Point in the early hours of Sunday. The force said the taxi driver was driving along Java Road when he allegedly struck the 74-year-old woman as she was crossing the street shortly before 3am. The victim, who was found in a semi-conscious state, was rushed to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital for treatment. Police officers subsequently arrested the cabby on suspicion... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3343606/taxi-driver-79-arrested-over-knocking-down-elderly-woman-north-point?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3343606/taxi-driver-79-arrested-over-knocking-down-elderly-woman-north-point?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 03:12:28 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Jeffie Lam Matthew Cheng,Jeffie Lam Beijing has issued a white paper on Hong Kong’s role in safeguarding national security under the “one country, two systems” principle, stressing that the city’s struggle on this front “is persistent” and a “long-term and enduring task”. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that the paper, published a day after former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying was sentenced to 20 years in prison for national security crimes, served as a stern warning to “traitors who betrayed the country and Hong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3342990/hong-kongs-national-security-work-ongoing-process-beijing-says-white-paper?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3342990/hong-kongs-national-security-work-ongoing-process-beijing-says-white-paper?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 02:44:39 +0000 Jeffie Lam,Natalie Wong Jeffie Lam,Natalie Wong Hong Kong’s U-turn on its seat belt rule for buses is a sobering reminder to lawmakers that they must meet higher standards even under the “executive-led” governance model recently underlined by Beijing, according to several policy experts. They said some lawmakers had been complacent, prioritising speed over efficacy in policymaking in a “patriots-only” legislature with no opposition presence, and would have to share the responsibility for administrative missteps. Xia Baolong, director of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3342829/are-hong-kongs-lawmakers-also-blame-over-seat-belt-law-blunder?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3342829/are-hong-kongs-lawmakers-also-blame-over-seat-belt-law-blunder?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 09:55:44 +0000 Jeffie Lam,Emily Hung,Jess Ma Jeffie Lam,Emily Hung,Jess Ma Senior civil servants are among scores of witnesses to be cross-examined by an independent committee set up to probe the cause of Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades in a string of open hearings expected to take around two months, the South China Morning Post has learned. The committee tasked to investigate the fire, which claimed 168 lives in the Wang Fuk Court residential complex in Tai Po, will hold its first meeting on Thursday morning at the City Gallery in Central to discuss arrangements... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3342426/senior-civil-servants-face-scrutiny-hong-kong-blaze-inquiry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3342426/senior-civil-servants-face-scrutiny-hong-kong-blaze-inquiry?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 00:30:37 +0000 Ambrose Li,Jeffie Lam,Leopold Chen Ambrose Li,Jeffie Lam,Leopold Chen Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison has launched arbitration proceedings to challenge a Panama court ruling that nullified its right to operate two ports at the country’s canal, hours after Beijing warned that the Central American nation would pay a heavy political and economic price. The conglomerate led by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing’s family on Wednesday said it strongly disagreed with the ruling by the country’s Supreme Court over the Panama Canal ports, which could take effect this month. It... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3342287/panama-could-pay-heavy-price-over-ck-hutchison-ports-ruling-beijing-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3342287/panama-could-pay-heavy-price-over-ck-hutchison-ports-ruling-beijing-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 16:28:29 +0000 Ambrose Li,Jeffie Lam Ambrose Li,Jeffie Lam Hong Kong’s retail sales rose 1 per cent in 2025 after recording a 6.6 per cent year‑on‑year increase in December, with authorities saying that improving consumer sentiment and growth in visitor arrivals would continue to support the sector. Figures released by the Census and Statistics Department on Tuesday estimated that the value of December’s retail sales reached HK$35 billion (US$4.48 billion), marking a fourth consecutive month of growth above 6 per cent year on year. For the whole of last... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3342238/hong-kongs-retail-sales-edge-1-2025-after-73-decline-2024?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3342238/hong-kongs-retail-sales-edge-1-2025-after-73-decline-2024?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 09:07:40 +0000 Harvey Kong,Jeffie Lam Harvey Kong,Jeffie Lam Hong Kong police have arrested six suspects in connection with a 51 million yen (US$330,800) robbery outside a currency exchange shop, including a victim who allegedly acted as a mole in the plot. Commissioner of Police Joe Chow Yat-ming said on Saturday that three Japanese men, a mainland Chinese man and woman, and a local man were detained. “Two Japanese men reported to police that they were robbed [on Friday]. Upon investigation, we found that one of them was a mole who had offered... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3341928/6-arrested-over-58-million-yen-theft-hong-kong-including-mole-among-victims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3341928/6-arrested-over-58-million-yen-theft-hong-kong-including-mole-among-victims?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 05:54:24 +0000 Jeffie Lam,Matthew Cheng Jeffie Lam,Matthew Cheng Hong Kong transport authorities will repeal a law that took effect on Sunday requiring bus passengers to wear seat belts, following strong public criticism and the revelation that the rule only covered new vehicles registered from late January. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan announced the U-turn on Friday, conceding that the legislation had “deficiencies” as it failed to reflect the policy’s intent of requiring all passengers on public or private buses – including franchised... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3341828/hong-kong-suspend-bus-seat-belt-rules-over-law-deficiencies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3341828/hong-kong-suspend-bus-seat-belt-rules-over-law-deficiencies?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 08:39:28 +0000 Natalie Wong,Jeffie Lam,Matthew Cheng Natalie Wong,Jeffie Lam,Matthew Cheng Erick Tsang Kwok-wai has resigned as Hong Kong’s constitutional and mainland affairs chief, saying that he has elevated prostate cancer markers in his blood and cannot cope with the heavy workload. State news agency Xinhua first reported the State Council’s decision to remove Tsang from his post on Tuesday morning, ending days of speculation over the 62-year-old’s departure from the cabinet. Meeting the press later with Tsang, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said he had decided to recommend the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3341321/hong-kongs-constitutional-and-mainland-affairs-minister-erick-tsang-resigns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3341321/hong-kongs-constitutional-and-mainland-affairs-minister-erick-tsang-resigns?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 01:24:52 +0000 Leopold Chen,Jeffie Lam Leopold Chen,Jeffie Lam Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs has called on the city to improve its executive-led governance model, arguing that the legislative and judicial branches should support the government rather than undermine each other, as they all perform “on the same stage”. Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, on Monday warned against any attempts by foreign and disruptive forces to promote the idea of a separation of powers, arguing such views undermined the authority of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3341241/legislators-judiciary-must-support-hong-kongs-executive-led-government-xia-baolong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3341241/legislators-judiciary-must-support-hong-kongs-executive-led-government-xia-baolong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 07:47:26 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Hong Kong’s anti-corruption watchdog has arrested 14 people, including a senior manager of a listed cleaning services company, on suspicion of bribery over the awarding of various contracts to subcontractors, and seized watches valued at more than HK$10 million (US$1.3 million). While the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) did not name any companies, the Post learned that one of them is Hong Kong Johnson Holdings. Hong Kong Johnson Holdings said on Thursday night in a filing to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340919/hong-kongs-icac-arrests-14-including-3-staff-listed-company-alleged-bribery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340919/hong-kongs-icac-arrests-14-including-3-staff-listed-company-alleged-bribery?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 01:50:58 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam The head of the Hong Kong Bar Association has called on the public not to apply “political lenses” to court rulings, following several high-profile national security cases that have put the spotlight on the city’s rule of law. Senior Counsel Jose-Antonio Maurellet, who was re-elected uncontested for a second term to helm the professional body on Thursday, also expressed full confidence in the city’s judicial independence. Maurellet said that amid heightened geopolitical tensions, national... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340893/hong-kong-bar-association-chief-warns-against-applying-political-lenses-court-rulings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340893/hong-kong-bar-association-chief-warns-against-applying-political-lenses-court-rulings?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 14:32:20 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. The Hong Kong Observatory has issued its second cold weather warning of 2026, saying temperatures will drop to around 12 degrees Celsius (53.6 Fahrenheit) on Tuesday and lower in rural areas. The forecaster also said the cold weather would persist for a few days as it issued the warning at... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3338792/hong-kong-issues-cold-weather-warning-temperatures-set-dip-11-degrees?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3338792/hong-kong-issues-cold-weather-warning-temperatures-set-dip-11-degrees?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 10:48:11 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam A fire triggered by a mobile phone charger that short-circuited in a Hong Kong flat has killed a cat, injured four residents and led to the evacuation of about 150 others. Police received a report at 11.15pm on Friday that a fire had broken out at a flat in Lai Yiu Estate’s Fu Yiu House in Kwai Chung. Firefighters arrived at the scene and put out the fire at 11.30pm. Two men and two women, aged between 42 and 75, were injured. They were taken to Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung for... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3338594/fire-caused-short-circuit-phone-charger-hong-kong-flat-injures-4-kills-cat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3338594/fire-caused-short-circuit-phone-charger-hong-kong-flat-injures-4-kills-cat?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Jan 2026 03:49:29 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. The temperature in Hong Kong fell to 11.4 degrees Celsius (52.5 Fahrenheit) on Saturday morning, the lowest so far this winter, according to the city’s weather forecaster. The Hong Kong Observatory also warned that sea levels at local coastal areas during high tide on Saturday night would... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3338590/temperature-hong-kong-falls-114-degrees-celsius-lowest-winter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3338590/temperature-hong-kong-falls-114-degrees-celsius-lowest-winter?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Jan 2026 02:42:12 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Hong Kong police have arrested a 62-year-old taxi driver after he allegedly knocked down a woman in Central, who later succumbed to her injuries. A taxi was travelling along Caine Road when it hit a 68-year-old female pedestrian near Elgin Street at 8.55pm on Thursday, according to the force. The woman, who sustained multiple injuries, was rushed to Ruttonjee Hospital in Wan Chai in an unconscious state and was declared dead at 10.05pm. The cabby was subsequently arrested on suspicion of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3336984/hong-kong-taxi-driver-62-arrested-after-fatally-knocking-down-pedestrian?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3336984/hong-kong-taxi-driver-62-arrested-after-fatally-knocking-down-pedestrian?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Dec 2025 01:44:35 +0000 Oscar Liu,Wynna Wong,Jeffie Lam Oscar Liu,Wynna Wong,Jeffie Lam Flat owners displaced by Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in seven decades will receive an annual subsidy of HK$150,000 (US$19,280) each for two years to rent homes in the private market, under the latest government relief measure worth HK$1.2 billion. Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk Wing‑hing also said on Thursday that both flat owners and tenants of Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po would receive a one‑off subsidy of HK$50,000 to support their relocation. Thousands of displaced residents are currently... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3336914/flat-owners-hit-hong-kong-fire-receive-annual-hk150000-rental-subsidy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3336914/flat-owners-hit-hong-kong-fire-receive-annual-hk150000-rental-subsidy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 08:55:48 +0000 Victor Sanjinez,Jeffie Lam Victor Sanjinez,Jeffie Lam Former Hong Kong media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying has been found guilty on all three charges after a landmark national security trial, nearly five years after he was first denied bail following his arrest. The 78-year-old businessman turned opposition activist, who founded the now-defunct Apple Daily tabloid, was convicted on Monday of two charges of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and a third count of conspiracy to print and distribute seditious publications. The high-profile trial... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3336543/jimmy-lai-trial-post-sketches-offer-public-glimpse-courtroom-moments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3336543/jimmy-lai-trial-post-sketches-offer-public-glimpse-courtroom-moments?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 16:48:31 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam For years, Winfield Chong Wing-fai, an executive committee member of Hong Kong’s Democratic Party and long-term advocate against bid-rigging, has juggled countless invitations from residents to attend meetings of owners’ corporations, so homeowners can seek his advice on building maintenance projects. The number and frequency of those invitations increased exponentially after last month’s deadly fire at Tai Po’s Wang Fuk Court, which revealed the secrets of a murky and rapacious building... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3336333/vote-disband-hong-kongs-democratic-party-looms-members-weigh-rough-ride?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3336333/vote-disband-hong-kongs-democratic-party-looms-members-weigh-rough-ride?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Dec 2025 04:00:18 +0000 Elizabeth Cheung,Jeffie Lam Elizabeth Cheung,Jeffie Lam Former Hong Kong commerce minister Gregory So Kam-leung has died at the age of 67. It was understood that So, a lawyer by profession who served as the city’s secretary for commerce and economic development between 2011 and 2017, had suffered a stroke two months ago and was in hospital in Singapore before he died on Saturday morning. He oversaw a number of thorny issues during his tenure, including broadcast regulation, intellectual property protection and a controversial bid for a free-to-air... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3336311/hong-kongs-former-commerce-minister-gregory-so-kam-leung-dead-67?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3336311/hong-kongs-former-commerce-minister-gregory-so-kam-leung-dead-67?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Dec 2025 04:34:39 +0000 Jeffie Lam,Jiang Chuqin Jeffie Lam,Jiang Chuqin A 51-year-old man is suspected of setting his flat on fire in northern Hong Kong, leaving him in a critical condition in hospital with severe burns and forcing 400 residents to flee the building. Authorities received multiple calls at 3.43am on Saturday from residents reporting the blaze at Tin Chak Estate in Tin Shui Wai, with occasional sounds of explosions. Firefighters rushed to the scene and rescued a man living in the flat. He was found conscious but later fell into a coma after being... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3336308/fire-breaks-out-flat-hong-kongs-tin-shui-wai-1-injured-and-200-evacuated?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3336308/fire-breaks-out-flat-hong-kongs-tin-shui-wai-1-injured-and-200-evacuated?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Dec 2025 03:38:48 +0000 Rocio Marquez,Catherine Ma,Davies Christian Surya,Carlos Araujo,Victor Sanjinez,Brian Wang,Lau Ka-kuen,Jeffie Lam,Kaliz Lee Rocio Marquez,Catherine Ma,Davies Christian Surya,Carlos Araujo,Victor Sanjinez,Brian Wang,Lau Ka-kuen,Jeffie Lam,Kaliz Lee https://www.scmp.com/infographics/hong-kong/society/article/3334304/tai-po-inferno-hong-kongs-deadliest-fire-decades-infographic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/infographics/hong-kong/society/article/3334304/tai-po-inferno-hong-kongs-deadliest-fire-decades-infographic?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Nov 2025 02:30:08 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam The eight milk tea-coloured towers of Wang Fuk Court were special sentinels to many locals in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district. Residents say that whenever they saw the blocks emerging into view on the northern-bound left side of Tolo Highway on their daily commute after work, they knew they were back home. Home was their idyllic estate with its winding bicycle lanes and a canal bisecting it, far from the frenzy of Kowloon. But now the landmark is blanketed by black soot, battered bamboo and frayed... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3334641/she-kept-crying-me-rescue-her-victims-families-mourn-fallen-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3334641/she-kept-crying-me-rescue-her-victims-families-mourn-fallen-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Nov 2025 00:30:09 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee was in no mood for messing about. Pointing her index finger at reporters one October morning inside Hong Kong’s legislature, she sternly signalled for them to get out of her way. “Don’t block my way to the meeting,” she said. “Move away.” Her demeanour seemed to hark back to an Ip of an earlier era – the fiery, hardline security minister who spearheaded national security legislation in 2003 – while others read it as a hint that the veteran politician was about to bid a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3333761/hong-kongs-comeback-queen-regina-ip-reflects-50-year-career-public-service?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3333761/hong-kongs-comeback-queen-regina-ip-reflects-50-year-career-public-service?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Nov 2025 01:00:18 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs has met a delegation led by HSBC Group CEO Georges Elhedery, marking his second meeting with the bank’s leadership in eight months. But the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office did not reveal what was discussed in the meeting between its director, Xia Baolong, and Elhedery in Beijing on Thursday. Xu Qifang, the executive deputy director of the office and veteran HSBC banker Peter Wong Tung-shun also attended the meeting. During his meeting with group... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3333621/beijings-point-man-hong-kong-affairs-meets-hsbc-ceo-georges-elhedery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3333621/beijings-point-man-hong-kong-affairs-meets-hsbc-ceo-georges-elhedery?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Nov 2025 02:41:18 +0000 Jess Ma,Jeffie Lam Jess Ma,Jeffie Lam Beijing’s national security arm in Hong Kong has pledged to adopt a “zero tolerance” approach in safeguarding next month’s Legislative Council election, as the city’s anti-corruption agency charged three people for allegedly inciting others to boycott the poll. The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) charged three individuals for allegedly reposting online messages that urged others not to vote and, on Thursday, issued arrest warrants for two men suspected of making such posts. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3333496/beijing-vows-zero-tolerance-ahead-legco-poll-hong-kongs-icac-charges-3?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3333496/beijing-vows-zero-tolerance-ahead-legco-poll-hong-kongs-icac-charges-3?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Nov 2025 05:11:10 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Willa Wu,Jeffie Lam Matthew Cheng,Willa Wu,Jeffie Lam Hong Kong will introduce four new types of designated polling stations to make it easier for civil servants, medical workers, ethnic minority groups and elderly and disabled residents to vote in the Legislative Council election, while voting will be extended by two hours to 11.30pm. Beijing’s national security arm in Hong Kong on Friday said it fully supported local authorities’ efforts to combat any moves to disrupt the December 7 election, as the city’s anti-corruption watchdog arrested two... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3332797/hong-kong-open-4-new-types-polling-stations-boost-legco-election-turnout?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3332797/hong-kong-open-4-new-types-polling-stations-boost-legco-election-turnout?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Nov 2025 07:39:52 +0000 Jeffie Lam,Lo Hoi-ying Jeffie Lam,Lo Hoi-ying This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hong Kong’s weather forecaster has issued the No 1 warning signal as Typhoon Fung-wong enters within about 800km (497 miles) of the city. The Hong Kong Observatory raised the signal at 12.20pm on Monday, saying it was expected to remain in force until noon the next day. The forecaster also said it would assess the need to issue the No 3 warning signal on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3332128/hong-kong-issue-t1-1220pm-severe-typhoon-fung-wong-edges-closer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3332128/hong-kong-issue-t1-1220pm-severe-typhoon-fung-wong-edges-closer?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 01:06:33 +0000 Willa Wu,Jeffie Lam Willa Wu,Jeffie Lam A total of 161 aspirants with a younger profile are competing for 90 seats in Hong Kong’s second “patriots-only” Legislative Council election, marking a nearly 5 per cent increase over the last poll and leaving no slot uncontested. As the two-week nomination period of the Legislative Council election closed on Thursday, it was also confirmed that up to 35 incumbents, including Paul Tse Wai-chun, who has served in the legislature since 2008, would not run again for office – a record high... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3331829/hong-kongs-legco-race-attracts-161-contenders-nominations-close?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3331829/hong-kongs-legco-race-attracts-161-contenders-nominations-close?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Nov 2025 14:37:03 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Jeffie Lam Matthew Cheng,Jeffie Lam Hong Kong Olympic gold medallist Vivian Kong Man-wai, who is vying for the Legislative Council seat representing the travel industry, has highlighted her past efforts in promoting “racing tourism” when questioned by election authorities about her suitability for the sector. According to documents scrutinised by the Post on Thursday, the 31-year-old fencing star has received backing from some of the city’s business heavyweights, including Stephen Ng Tin-hoi, chairman and managing director of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3331708/hong-kong-olympian-vivian-kong-cites-racing-tourism-work-legco-bid-scrutiny?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3331708/hong-kong-olympian-vivian-kong-cites-racing-tourism-work-legco-bid-scrutiny?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Nov 2025 03:13:50 +0000 Jeffie Lam,Willa Wu Jeffie Lam,Willa Wu Hong Kong legal sector lawmaker Ambrose Lam San-keung has become the latest incumbent to withdraw from seeking another term in the coming Legislative Council election. With the two-week nomination period closing on Thursday, 29 of the city’s 89 lawmakers, or nearly one-third, have decided to step down, marking the highest proportion since the city’s return to Chinese sovereignty in 1997. Six incumbents have neither declared their intention to run for re-election nor to withdraw from the race,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3331573/lawyer-ambrose-lam-becomes-29th-hong-kong-lawmaker-withdraw-legco-poll?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3331573/lawyer-ambrose-lam-becomes-29th-hong-kong-lawmaker-withdraw-legco-poll?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Nov 2025 04:27:15 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam There has been more intense competition for the coming Legislative Council election amid an unprecedented level of uncertainty, with neither a “blessing list” nor a “sure win” scenario for any candidate, according to a commentary posted by Beijing’s top office for the city’s affairs. The piece, reposted by the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) on Monday night, marked Beijing’s latest attempt in recent weeks to stress that there were no candidates being endorsed by central authorities in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3331432/tougher-races-hong-kong-legco-poll-amid-unprecedented-uncertainty-beijing-office?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3331432/tougher-races-hong-kong-legco-poll-amid-unprecedented-uncertainty-beijing-office?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Nov 2025 05:15:25 +0000