https://www.scmp.com/rss/325785/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Cliff Buddle Cliff Buddle Hong Kong is best known for its bustling urban centre with soaring skyscrapers, crowded streets and busy roads. But not all residents relish the frenetic pace of life in the heart of the city, longing for an escape from the noise, pollution and lack of space. Discovery Bay, known as DB, a leafy suburb-by-the-sea, with low-rise housing and a low population density, has long been a favourite location for those seeking a different environment, especially arrivals from overseas. It is a unique part... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3349762/discovery-bay-will-never-be-same-if-restriction-taxi-access-lifted?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3349762/discovery-bay-will-never-be-same-if-restriction-taxi-access-lifted?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 16:14:16 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hong Kong’s public hospital operator has suspended a medical intern and launched an investigation following a complaint that patient information had been exposed on social media, just days after another doctor was dismissed in a separate but similar privacy controversy that triggered citywide concern. The Hospital Authority said on Saturday that the case involved an intern at Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung, who had since been temporarily taken off clinical duties. “As a provider of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349761/medical-intern-suspended-after-complaint-over-patient-data-social-media-post?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349761/medical-intern-suspended-after-complaint-over-patient-data-social-media-post?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 15:51:06 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Beijing’s top official overseeing Hong Kong affairs has concluded his second visit to the Greater Bay Area in three weeks, a trip that analysts view as a push from the central government to speed up the city’s integration with national development. Xia Baolong, director of the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, was in Guangdong province earlier this week, visiting Shenzhen, Dongguan and Huizhou. State-run media said his four-day “research tour” focused on supporting Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349755/beijings-point-man-hong-kong-affairs-wraps-second-bay-area-visit-3-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349755/beijings-point-man-hong-kong-affairs-wraps-second-bay-area-visit-3-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 12:12:08 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Hong Kong police are investigating after a pair of Gucci shoes worth HK$11,000 (US$1,404) were stolen from a restroom at Times Square in Causeway Bay, the South China Morning Post has learned. A source said on Saturday that the victim, 48, had bought the shoes from the Gucci store on the second floor of the shopping centre before heading to the restroom on the third floor. She left the shoes behind, and when she returned, she found the shoebox, but the footwear was missing, the source... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3349754/gucci-shoes-worth-hk11000-stolen-shopping-centre-restroom-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3349754/gucci-shoes-worth-hk11000-stolen-shopping-centre-restroom-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 11:52:22 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun A 10cm-long (4-inch) turtle has died after apparently falling in Hong Kong’s Wong Tai Sin. Police said on Saturday that they were alerted at 2.09pm by a security guard about a turtle suspected of having fallen from a height at No 185 Hammer Hill Road. Online footage and images showed the turtle lying motionless on a playground mat. In Hong Kong, animal cruelty is punishable by up to three years in jail and a fine of HK$200,000 (US$25,530) upon conviction. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349746/turtle-found-dead-after-apparent-fall-hong-kongs-wong-tai-sin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349746/turtle-found-dead-after-apparent-fall-hong-kongs-wong-tai-sin?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 10:00:01 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Landlords of more than 5,500 subdivided homes in Hong Kong have applied for a three-year grace period to meet size, safety and hygiene requirements following a new law on basic housing standards taking effect six weeks ago. Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho Wing-yin said on Saturday that the government had received applications for 5,557 subdivided units in 1,370 flats. That accounted for around 5 per cent of all subdivided units in Hong Kong, mostly located in Yau Tsim Mong district, followed by... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349745/landlords-5557-subdivided-homes-seek-3-year-grace-period-fix-flats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349745/landlords-5557-subdivided-homes-seek-3-year-grace-period-fix-flats?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 09:36:22 +0000 Wynna Wong,Fiona Sun Wynna Wong,Fiona Sun Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways will cancel a small proportion of passenger flights between mid-May and the end of June, as surging jet fuel prices driven by the war in the Middle East continue to weigh on airlines globally. The airline said on Saturday that about 2 per cent of its total flight frequencies would be cut between May 16 and June 30, mainly on regional routes, as well as a small number of services to Australia, South Asia and South Africa. Cathay Pacific’s budget arm,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3349743/hong-kongs-cathay-pacific-and-hk-express-cut-some-flights-jet-fuel-prices-rise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3349743/hong-kongs-cathay-pacific-and-hk-express-cut-some-flights-jet-fuel-prices-rise?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 09:10:45 +0000 Daniel Ren,Enoch Yiu Daniel Ren,Enoch Yiu The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) is being urged to go further in loosening restrictions on stablecoins, after granting the city’s first two licences to banks to issue the digital currency. Bankers, venture capitalists and analysts said the long-awaited approvals – awarded to HSBC and a joint venture led by Standard Chartered – fell short of market expectations, underscoring the regulator’s cautious stance amid lingering risk concerns. “It came as a surprise that only two licences were... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349742/hong-kong-regulator-urged-expand-stablecoin-rules-after-cautious-roll-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349742/hong-kong-regulator-urged-expand-stablecoin-rules-after-cautious-roll-out?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 09:10:21 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Cantopop singer Hins Cheung, who previously expressed support for social movements in Hong Kong, will lead young people arrested during the 2019 anti-government protests on visits to mainland China to witness the country’s prosperity and serve as a mentor for a “special rehabilitation project” under the Security Bureau. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung also revealed on Saturday that the project, which had been running over the past two years, was aimed at helping about 7,000 people... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349740/hins-cheung-lead-arrested-2019-hong-kong-protesters-mainland-exchange-trips?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349740/hins-cheung-lead-arrested-2019-hong-kong-protesters-mainland-exchange-trips?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 08:37:24 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Hong Kong authorities have proposed a legal amendment requiring property owners to attend a mandatory briefing on major renovation projects before voting on procurement resolutions, in a move aimed at curbing bid-rigging following the deadly blaze in Tai Po. Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen said on Saturday that the proposed amendment to the Building Management Ordinance, which covers five areas, sought to enhance homeowners’ participation and fill existing legal... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349739/hong-kong-proposes-mandatory-renovation-briefings-combat-bid-rigging?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349739/hong-kong-proposes-mandatory-renovation-briefings-combat-bid-rigging?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 08:20:19 +0000 Wynna Wong,Fiona Sun Wynna Wong,Fiona Sun The head of a civil service union federation in Hong Kong has warned that tighter disciplinary action risks becoming excessive as the government seeks to revise the penalty system to handle underperforming employees this year. Leung Chau-ting, chairman of the Federation of Civil Service Unions, was responding to the Civil Service Bureau’s plan to revise the regulations to further improve the disciplinary mechanism, including tightening rules on withholding salaries during suspensions and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349736/tighter-civil-service-disciplinary-rules-risk-becoming-excessive-union-head?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349736/tighter-civil-service-disciplinary-rules-risk-becoming-excessive-union-head?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 07:09:46 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Asian digital entrepreneurs that once saw Dubai as a safe, well-connected base for global expansion are now reassessing that view after the US-Israel war on Iran exposed vulnerabilities in the city’s appeal as a financial and technology hub. For many investors and founders from India, China and Southeast Asia, the strain is not just about physical security but also about what disruption around the Strait of Hormuz has revealed about liquidity, credit and market confidence. Dubai has in recent... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349694/how-gulf-conflict-recast-risks-asian-investors-dubai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349694/how-gulf-conflict-recast-risks-asian-investors-dubai?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 07:00:11 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng China’s red-chip structure – long used by internet companies to attract foreign capital while navigating domestic restrictions – is facing renewed scrutiny as regulators tighten oversight of offshore listings. The shift is already reshaping the pipeline for Hong Kong initial public offerings (IPOs), with companies increasingly being encouraged to unwind these structures or justify why they remain necessary. This explainer outlines the reasons behind the policy shift, what it means for tech IPOs,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349735/what-does-chinas-tightening-grip-red-chip-structures-mean-ipos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349735/what-does-chinas-tightening-grip-red-chip-structures-mean-ipos?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 06:37:35 +0000 Ralph Jennings,Mia Nurmamat,He Huifeng Ralph Jennings,Mia Nurmamat,He Huifeng As the Strait of Hormuz reopened and closed again this week, manufacturers across China are navigating a roller coaster of concerns rooted in supply and pricing volatilities. Soaring oil prices have already filtered through to processed fuel and petroleum-based raw materials that help power China’s manufacturing sector – the world’s largest – and a fragile two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States is unlikely to restore pre-conflict stability in the near term, according to industry... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349653/cancelling-orders-china-how-hormuz-oil-crisis-hitting-transport-manufacturing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349653/cancelling-orders-china-how-hormuz-oil-crisis-hitting-transport-manufacturing?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 05:00:11 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying The developer of Hong Kong’s Discovery Bay is pushing ahead with a plan for unrestricted taxi access and four new ranks in the resort-style seaside community on Lantau Island, despite a backlash from residents. In a paper submitted to Islands District Council, Hong Kong Resort Company said the lack of point-to-point public transport “severely impacts residents’ daily lives” and that it had received hundreds of messages of support for the proposal. The company said existing restrictions limiting... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3349724/discovery-bay-developer-submits-proposal-full-taxi-access-despite-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3349724/discovery-bay-developer-submits-proposal-full-taxi-access-despite-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 04:20:38 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu Hong Kong hairstylist Pitt Cheung Kwok-wai’s life took a sharp turn in 2020 when he was diagnosed with stage 3 nasopharyngeal cancer at the age of 38. “We never had cancer or serious illness in our family before, so it was very shocking,” Cheung says. Having treatment during the Covid-19 pandemic made the experience even more isolating, as it was difficult for friends and family members to visit him in hospital as he underwent several rounds of chemotherapy. Due to its prevalence in southern... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3349452/hong-kong-hairstylists-cancer-battle-takes-him-and-his-brother-crowdfunding-campaign?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3349452/hong-kong-hairstylists-cancer-battle-takes-him-and-his-brother-crowdfunding-campaign?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 04:15:07 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Fang Liu, a partner at global law firm Clifford Chance, counts among his clients many technology companies that are keen to list in Hong Kong, but find the current requirements cumbersome. Clifford Chance has helped more than a dozen innovative companies raise funds under the new listing regime since 2018, when Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) introduced reforms for pre-revenue biotech firms and companies with weighted voting rights (WVR), where one class of shareholders carries more... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3349647/hong-kongs-listing-reform-20-can-it-outshine-global-rivals-innovative-firms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3349647/hong-kongs-listing-reform-20-can-it-outshine-global-rivals-innovative-firms?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 03:00:12 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu More than 70 public schools, or nearly 9 per cent, have joined a new scheme in Hong Kong to hire native English-speaking teachers (NETs) that offers lower pay but higher recruitment flexibility. Under the scheme launched this academic year, operators were given a grant to hire such teachers to enhance the effectiveness of English-language instruction and increase students’ exposure to the language. “In the 2025-26 school year, a total of 73 aided schools – 28 primary schools and 45 secondary... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3349709/73-public-schools-join-new-scheme-hire-native-english-speaking-teachers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3349709/73-public-schools-join-new-scheme-hire-native-english-speaking-teachers?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 01:00:14 +0000 Alexander Mak Alexander Mak Since the whistle was first blown on March 28, 1976, the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens tournament has grown from a regional invitational into a global spectacle, expanding from 12 teams in its inaugural edition to 30, competing in three distinct competitions, in 2026. In those 50 years – from the early days at the Hong Kong Football Club, in Happy Valley, through the Hong Kong Stadium era to games at its current home, the Kai Tak Sports Park – the contest has transformed dramatically, a pair of... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3349385/pictures-50-years-mud-sweat-and-beers-hong-kong-rugby-sevens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3349385/pictures-50-years-mud-sweat-and-beers-hong-kong-rugby-sevens?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:00:10 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial In a rare and speedy move, the Hong Kong government is pressing ahead with diesel subsidies and toll cuts for the commercial transport sector as the global oil crisis escalates. The short-term measures are timely, targeted and reasonable. They are exactly what the industries need as they grapple with soaring fuel prices fuelled by conflict in the Middle East. The two-month HK$3 (US$0.38) per litre diesel subsidies for public and commercial vehicles, vessels and related industries as well as... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3349641/hong-kongs-rare-speedy-response-fuel-price-surge-shows-preparedness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3349641/hong-kongs-rare-speedy-response-fuel-price-surge-shows-preparedness?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 22:45:08 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying A nine-year-old Hong Kong girl has contracted a rare bacterial infection and is fighting for her life in hospital after visiting Japan during the Easter holiday, with health authorities contacting the other tour group members as a precaution. The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said on Friday that the girl, who was in a critical condition in the paediatric intensive care unit of Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung, began showing symptoms of invasive meningococcal infection including... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3349708/girl-9-critical-condition-meningococcal-infection-after-holiday-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3349708/girl-9-critical-condition-meningococcal-infection-after-holiday-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 16:09:15 +0000 Sylvia Ma,Vincent Chow Sylvia Ma,Vincent Chow With US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell reported to have held urgent talks over Anthropic’s latest artificial intelligence model, experts are warning that immediate cybersecurity assessments are needed to avert potential economic damage running into the hundreds of billions of US dollars. Across the Pacific, however, analysts said China’s banks were taking a more cautious approach, as Beijing prioritises financial stability and intensifies monitoring of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349685/china-banks-buffer-against-ai-contagions-us-sweats-over-anthropics-mythos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349685/china-banks-buffer-against-ai-contagions-us-sweats-over-anthropics-mythos?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 15:00:08 +0000 Brian Wong,Matthew Cheng Brian Wong,Matthew Cheng Hong Kong authorities did not conduct a fire risk assessment of a HK$336 million (US$42.9 million) renovation project at Wang Fuk Court before the city’s deadliest blaze in decades engulfed the housing estate, a public inquiry has heard. Sam Keung Sai-ming, an assistant director of the Fire Services Department’s licensing and certification branch, said on Friday that authorities did not pay special attention to fire hazards at residential estates undergoing large-scale maintenance before the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349695/tai-po-blaze-no-fire-risk-checks-done-hk336-million-estate-renovation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349695/tai-po-blaze-no-fire-risk-checks-done-hk336-million-estate-renovation?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 13:43:16 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Hong Kong taxi passengers will still have to pay full tunnel tolls despite government relief measures that cut the fee for commercial vehicles by half, transport authorities have said. The Transport and Logistics Bureau said on Friday that the relief measure, contained in a package to support the transport sector as oil prices rise, was aimed at helping commercial vehicle drivers and operators. For two months, the government will reduce tunnel tolls by 50 per cent for all commercial vehicles,... https://www.scmp.com/weather/article/3349698/taxi-passengers-wont-benefit-hong-kongs-50-reduction-tunnel-tolls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/weather/article/3349698/taxi-passengers-wont-benefit-hong-kongs-50-reduction-tunnel-tolls?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 13:40:37 +0000 Doris Wai Doris Wai Hong Kong students taking the English paper in university entrance exams on Friday were pleasantly surprised by relatable topics such as bubble tea and starting a YouTube channel. But many candidates sitting the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) exam were caught off guard by the inclusion of two poems in the reading section for the first time. About 53,000 students sat the reading and writing papers, while the listening test will be held on Saturday. More than 58,000 candidates are taking... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3349691/bubble-tea-and-youtube-topics-please-hong-kong-dse-exam-takers-poems-add-twist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3349691/bubble-tea-and-youtube-topics-please-hong-kong-dse-exam-takers-poems-add-twist?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 13:09:30 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Hong Kong’s largest public hospital will open to patients in phases from October, with the new 2,400-bed facility in Kai Tak set to take over the services of Queen Elizabeth Hospital and become a healthcare hub for Kowloon. The Hospital Authority said on Friday that the first phase of services at Kai Tak Hospital, located on Shing Cheong Road in Kowloon Bay, would start in October. The new facility has a total gross floor area of 500,000 square metres, the largest among the city’s public... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3349687/new-kai-tak-hospital-open-2-phases-october?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3349687/new-kai-tak-hospital-open-2-phases-october?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:34:03 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Hong Kong’s smoking rate fell to 8.5 per cent last year, missing an ambitious target of 7.8 per cent, but health authorities have hailed the success of the city’s tobacco control strategy, which led to a 30 per cent decline in overall cigarette consumption. Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau told a Legislative Council meeting on Friday that the rate – the prevalence of daily cigarette smokers aged 15 and older in the population – had fallen from 9.1 per cent in 2023 to 8.5 per cent last year. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3349681/health-chief-hails-tobacco-control-efforts-smoking-rate-falls-85?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3349681/health-chief-hails-tobacco-control-efforts-smoking-rate-falls-85?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:30:19 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu An international animal rights group and a veterinary organisation have called for a public boycott of Hong Kong’s major online retailer, HKTVmall, after its parent company revealed a life science project testing the viability of detached animal heads and limbs. The two groups staged an hour-long protest on Friday outside the HKTVmall building in Tseung Kwan O, demanding the company disclose more details of the experiments and stop animal testing. The Hong Kong Technology Venture Company, parent... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349654/hong-kong-animal-groups-urge-hktvmall-boycott-over-life-science-experiments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349654/hong-kong-animal-groups-urge-hktvmall-boycott-over-life-science-experiments?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:30:08 +0000 Fiona Chow Fiona Chow A Hong Kong independent bookstore owner has been fined HK$32,000 (US$4,085) for holding a Spanish class in his shop after a court ruled the course took place at an unregistered school. Pong Yat-ming, 52, was convicted on Friday of violating the Education Ordinance by organising a Spanish course in April last year at Book Punch, a bookstore he founded in Sham Shui Po in 2020. Kowloon City Court earlier heard Pong’s defence at his trial, where he testified that he held the basic language course to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3349656/hong-kong-bookstore-owner-fined-hk32000-using-shop-unregistered-school?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3349656/hong-kong-bookstore-owner-fined-hk32000-using-shop-unregistered-school?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 09:39:23 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang China’s healthcare sector has been drawing offshore capital to Hong Kong-listed stocks as investors look for safe havens amid global volatility in commodities. The Hang Seng Healthcare Index, tracking some of China’s most innovative pharmaceutical companies including Akeso and Innovent Biologics, has surged about 13 per cent since March 23, outpacing the benchmark Hang Seng Index’s about 6 per cent gain over the same period. “Although the Middle East conflict has created a lot of uncertainty and... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349635/china-healthcare-stocks-outgain-hong-kong-market-middle-east-roils-global-investments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349635/china-healthcare-stocks-outgain-hong-kong-market-middle-east-roils-global-investments?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:30:09 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong housing authorities have spent HK$34 million (US$4.3 million) on recovery efforts following the devastating fire at Wang Fuk Court, including removing damaged scaffolding, conducting structural assessments and strengthening works. The Housing Bureau said on Thursday evening that the expenditure was the main reason for the 22.1 per cent increase in the revised building control expense estimate for the 2025-26 financial year. “This is mainly due to the expenditure on follow-up works... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349625/hong-kong-authorities-spend-hk34-million-tai-po-fire-recovery-works?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349625/hong-kong-authorities-spend-hk34-million-tai-po-fire-recovery-works?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:41:04 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun More than 150 Hong Kong civil servants were dismissed for serious misconduct or criminal convictions over the past three financial years, with police accounting for the largest number of cases. In a written reply to a lawmaker’s inquiry on Thursday, the Civil Service Bureau said 151 civil servants were dismissed for serious misconduct or criminal offences between 2022 and 2025, with the number of dismissals dropping steadily from 60 in 2022–23 to 51 in 2023–24 and 40 in 2024–25. Of the total, 73... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349620/151-hong-kong-civil-servants-dismissed-misconduct-convictions-past-3-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349620/151-hong-kong-civil-servants-dismissed-misconduct-convictions-past-3-years?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:27:21 +0000 Edith Lin,Lo Hoi-ying Edith Lin,Lo Hoi-ying Hong Kong police have arrested a 51-year-old man on suspicion of robbing HK$35,000 (US$4,469) from a bank with an air gun and a hammer before escaping on a bicycle, with officers apprehending him and recovering the money in 90 minutes. The force received a report at 12.26pm on Friday that the Bank of East Asia branch in Harbour View Centre in Wan Chai had been robbed. Lam Kin-tat, assistant commander of crime of Wan Chai district, said the suspect claimed to be unemployed and was a Chinese man... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3349618/hong-kong-police-hunt-man-who-robbed-bank-wan-chai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3349618/hong-kong-police-hunt-man-who-robbed-bank-wan-chai?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:00:32 +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. Indonesian fisherman nets surprise catch – a Chinese underwater drone A Chinese underwater drone was caught by an Indonesian fisherman near a key waterway leading to Australia, local media reported. 2. What is the war on Iran teaching... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3349469/fisherman-catches-chinese-drone-iran-wars-lessons-china-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3349469/fisherman-catches-chinese-drone-iran-wars-lessons-china-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 05:30:08 +0000 Ng Kang-chung,Lam Ka-sing Ng Kang-chung,Lam Ka-sing Hong Kong will directly pay diesel subsidies to local oil companies based on sales volume after lawmakers approved a massive HK$1.8 billion government scheme to ease rocketing fuel prices for the transport sector over the next two months. The city’s environment minister maintained that a mechanism would be in place so the government could “know” and “monitor” if the oil companies tried to abuse the scheme by increasing prices, but did not say how. Senior government officials briefed lawmakers at... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349614/hong-kong-government-must-guard-against-exploitation-diesel-subsidy-experts-warn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349614/hong-kong-government-must-guard-against-exploitation-diesel-subsidy-experts-warn?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 05:16:09 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Jardine Matheson is giving up its remaining office space in FWD Tower at Taikoo Place and plans to relocate staff back to Jardine House in Central as part of operational consolidation, sources said. The move reflects a wider trend of companies consolidating into the core district, where demand for premium office space has been strengthening. The group’s primary office at Jardine House, part of its own property portfolio, “is now undergoing renovations to create a modern workspace that will... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3349602/jardine-matheson-exit-swires-taikoo-place-consolidate-offices-central-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3349602/jardine-matheson-exit-swires-taikoo-place-consolidate-offices-central-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:05:07 +0000 Leopold Chen,Matthew Cheng,Brian Wong Leopold Chen,Matthew Cheng,Brian Wong This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. An independent committee examining the causes of Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades completed its 10th day of evidential hearings on Friday. The session focused on the Fire Services Department’s handling of shutdown notices for the fire safety systems at Wang Fuk Court, the Tai Po housing estate where 168 people were killed in the catastrophic blaze last... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3349567/tai-po-probe-switching-fire-system-power-elementary-mistake-official-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3349567/tai-po-probe-switching-fire-system-power-elementary-mistake-official-says?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 02:50:02 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao China’s stocks climbed on Friday, with key benchmarks in mainland China and Hong Kong briefly returning to levels last seen about two weeks ago, as signs of a possible ceasefire between the US and Iran helped boost sentiment. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index climbed 0.6 per cent to 25,893.54 at the close, after gaining as much as 1.3 per cent to briefly top the 26,000 mark – a level not seen since March 18. The Hang Seng Tech Index advanced 0.8 per cent. On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite Index... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349590/china-stocks-surge-shanghai-and-hong-kong-benchmarks-reclaim-key-levels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349590/china-stocks-surge-shanghai-and-hong-kong-benchmarks-reclaim-key-levels?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 02:32:16 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang OKX Ventures and HashKey Capital have agreed to invest in Vietnam’s cryptocurrency trading platform CAEX, a move the exchange said would give it enough capital to join the country’s regulated pilot scheme for digital asset trading. The combined capital injection from OKX Ventures and HashKey Capital, which would be deployed in April, aimed to help CAEX – officially known as Vietnam Prosperity Cryptocurrency Asset Exchange Joint Stock Company – reach the minimum charter capital threshold of 10... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349530/okx-ventures-hashkey-investment-enables-vietnam-crypto-platforms-pilot-scheme-bid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349530/okx-ventures-hashkey-investment-enables-vietnam-crypto-platforms-pilot-scheme-bid?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 02:30:08 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Three solid-state battery developers across China and the US are moving towards initial public offerings (IPOs), as geopolitical tensions and elevated oil prices fuel demand for more energy-efficient technologies. Qingtao (Kunshan) Energy Development Group became the latest to join the queue, filing for a Hong Kong listing on April 8. Earlier, Beijing WeLion New Energy began the pre-listing tutoring process ahead of a planned application to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, while US-based Factorial... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349560/solid-state-battery-firms-china-and-us-line-ipos-oil-prices-lift-ev-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349560/solid-state-battery-firms-china-and-us-line-ipos-oil-prices-lift-ev-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 01:30:17 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Clashes over the screening of a controversial, award-winning Hong Kong coming-of-age documentary at an Italian film festival have escalated, with the director accusing the secondary school at the centre of the dispute of “blatantly lying” about the arrangement for the showing. Acclaimed filmmaker Mabel Cheung Yuen-ting slammed Ying Wa Girls’ School over the documentary’s screening in Udine, expressing shock and “intolerable” disappointment after her alma mater distanced itself from To My... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349580/filmmaker-accuses-school-blatantly-lying-row-over-documentary-screening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349580/filmmaker-accuses-school-blatantly-lying-row-over-documentary-screening?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:51:56 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing Hong Kong bus company boss Martin Lau feels overwhelmed as he attempts every option possible to minimise mounting losses wrought by runaway fuel prices. He has done everything he can think of, from trying to reduce services to doing his own repairs on his fleet of more than 20 coaches. Lau, managing director of ABC Touring Car Company, told the South China Morning Post that he and his team had no choice for now but to absorb the losses as there was no help he could access. “The reality is cruel,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349564/oil-crisis-just-start-economic-pain-hongkongers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349564/oil-crisis-just-start-economic-pain-hongkongers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:30:09 +0000 Kora Kwok Kora Kwok After designing more than 300 projects for clients, Keith Chan Shing-hin faced an unfamiliar challenge: designing for himself. The founder of interior design house Hintegro had competing priorities for his 580 sq ft, one-bedroom apartment in Sha Tin. It needed to reflect his aesthetics and approach to design but, unlike many of his high-profile clients, Chan was working with a far more modest budget. “Designers don’t necessarily make a ton of money in Hong Kong,” he laughs. “But I remind myself... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/design-interiors/article/3349399/interior-designer-challenge-finally-designing-his-own-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/design-interiors/article/3349399/interior-designer-challenge-finally-designing-his-own-home?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:00:11 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Innovation and technology are key drivers of economic growth and quality of life in Hong Kong. Efforts to make the city an international hub for those sectors have recently been undermined by worrying data breaches. Authorities and organisations handling public data must strengthen digital defences against hacking and mishandling. The latest incident involved the leak of data related to more than 56,000 patients and 1,000 staff members connected with Hospital Authority institutions in Kowloon... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3349485/breaches-reveal-worrying-gaps-hong-kongs-data-defences?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3349485/breaches-reveal-worrying-gaps-hong-kongs-data-defences?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 23:15:11 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong developers are preparing to launch nearly 1,300 units in the coming days and weeks, with some edging up prices amid improving homebuying sentiment. On Sunday, 261 units at La Mirabelle I will be released, with average prices ranging from HK$15,335 (US$1,958) to HK$19,613 per square foot after discounts of up to 15 per cent, according to Sino Land, one of the project’s developers. The pricing marks a 1 per cent increase on the previous batch, which Sino said reflected the quality of the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3349556/hong-kong-developers-roll-out-1300-homes-prices-edge-firmer-demand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3349556/hong-kong-developers-roll-out-1300-homes-prices-edge-firmer-demand?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 23:00:09 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Workplace sexual harassment complaints in Hong Kong have jumped by 33 per cent year on year, according to the equality watchdog. The Equal Opportunities Commission recorded a total of 315 sexual harassment complaints in 2025, 38 per cent more than 228 in the previous year, the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau said in a written response to legislative inquiries on Thursday. Among them, employment-related harassment complaints climbed from 156 in 2024 to 207 last year, an increase of 33... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349562/workplace-sexual-harassment-complaints-jump-38-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349562/workplace-sexual-harassment-complaints-jump-38-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:26:47 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng A proposed increase in the Hong Kong government’s borrowing cap for its bond programmes to HK$900 billion (US$115 billion) will be sufficient to finance infrastructure projects over the next three years, officials have said, while leaving the door open to further rises in the long run if needed. Andrew Lai Chi-wah, permanent secretary for financial services and the treasury, made the remarks on Thursday during a Legislative Council subcommittee meeting scrutinising the plan to lift the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349561/hong-kong-seeks-raise-bond-issuance-ceiling-hk900-billion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349561/hong-kong-seeks-raise-bond-issuance-ceiling-hk900-billion?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:22:46 +0000 Natalie Wong Natalie Wong Hong Kong spent HK$1.13 billion (US$144.27 million) on the Legislative Council election last year, or nearly 35 per cent more than on the previous poll, with authorities citing rising technology expenses, staff salaries and venue rentals for the increased expenditure. In a written response to lawmakers’ inquiries that came to light on Thursday, the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau revealed the revised budget for the Registration and Electoral Office for the 2025-26 financial year that... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349559/hong-kong-spent-hk113-billion-legco-poll-35-over-figure-2021?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349559/hong-kong-spent-hk113-billion-legco-poll-35-over-figure-2021?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:43:25 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao A temporary but fragile ceasefire is in place after US President Donald Trump pulled back from the brink of a wider Iran war. For Beijing, as it prepares for Trump’s high-stakes visit planned for next month, the key question is what the Iran crisis reveals about Trump’s governing style, and whether it has left him emboldened or simply more unpredictable and volatile. The episode is the latest example of what Chinese observers call Trump’s “split” style: abrupt swings between conciliatory talk of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349519/how-can-beijing-prepare-trumps-drunken-boxing-style-his-china-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349519/how-can-beijing-prepare-trumps-drunken-boxing-style-his-china-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Former Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-ying has launched a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) trading platform aimed at connecting mainland Chinese manufacturers with international markets by leveraging the city’s testing and certification systems. Leung, also a vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, said on Thursday that the platform, an independent third party, aimed to promote the centralisation, standardisation, marketisation and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349546/ex-hong-kong-leaders-chinese-medicine-platform-link-mainland-and-global-markets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349546/ex-hong-kong-leaders-chinese-medicine-platform-link-mainland-and-global-markets?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 11:58:14 +0000