https://www.scmp.com/rss/327307/feed Zoe works on the Video desk. Previously, she was an intern on the City desk. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com More than 1,000 Beijing supporters in Hong Kong held a rally in Wan Chai on Saturday demanding the government recount votes cast in the district council elections, in which the pro-establishment camp suffered a humiliating loss. Some participants, waving miniature national flags, vented their anger at the media, shoving reporters covering the rally at Harbour Road Garden. Police said there were 1,500 people at the rally at its peak, while organisers did not give any estimate of the turnout. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3041103/pro-beijing-supporters-want-hong-kong-district-council?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3041103/pro-beijing-supporters-want-hong-kong-district-council?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Dec 2019 13:49:46 +0000 Hong Kong’s embattled government is to investigate whether Tuesday’s derailment on the East Rail line was sabotage, the Post has learned. As the mystery over the cause of the accident deepened, one line of inquiry was whether disgruntled MTR Corporation employees were behind the incident. “Many possibilities have already been ruled out after further checks, so the Hong Kong government will look into whether the derailment was an inside job,” a source said. “So far, the MTR Corporation still has... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3027956/was-hong-kong-train-accident-sabotage-government?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3027956/was-hong-kong-train-accident-sabotage-government?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Sep 2019 13:33:11 +0000 Hong Kong residents took over parts of major shopping centres to belt out their newest protest anthem on Wednesday night, a day after it struck a chord with soccer fans at the city’s stadium. The musical renditions, the latest form of defiance used by the ever-evolving protest movement, were planned for a number of districts from about 8pm on Wednesday, the first starting at 7pm at Amoy Plaza in Kowloon Bay. Protesters also took their chants to Plaza Hollywood in Diamond Hill, Festival Walk in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3026786/anti-government-movement-takes-singing-protest-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3026786/anti-government-movement-takes-singing-protest-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Sep 2019 12:23:41 +0000 Many shops in Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui closed early on Saturday, while residents were urged to stay indoors as protesters converged on their neighbourhood. Early in the afternoon, big malls in the area also began closing. Langham Place Shopping Mall was shuttered and further along Nathan Road – the main artery of Kowloon’s shopping district – Wing On Department Store in Yau Ma Tei was also closed. Sometime later, Lane Shoppers Boulevard in Tsim Sha Tsui followed suit. By late afternoon, more... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3021324/shops-down-shutters-early-and-residents-stay-put-anti?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3021324/shops-down-shutters-early-and-residents-stay-put-anti?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Aug 2019 13:38:20 +0000 Two major Hong Kong supermarket chains are incorrectly labelling their frozen seafood, resulting in overpricing and the possibility of endangered species being consumed, a green group has found. WWF-Hong Kong’s survey, which involved DNA analysis of 11 samples taken from three major supermarket groups, determined that eight samples sold at Fusion, ParknShop, International and Su-pa-de-pa under A S Watson Group engaged in incorrect labelling of their frozen fish products. One instance of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2161228/incorrect-seafood-labelling-hong-kong-supermarkets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2161228/incorrect-seafood-labelling-hong-kong-supermarkets?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Aug 2018 09:22:14 +0000 Parts of Hong Kong were blanketed in bad air earlier on Wednesday, with pollution levels posing a “very high” health risk at five of 16 air quality monitoring general and roadside stations as of 7pm. Kwai Chung, Tsuen Wan, Yuen Long, Tuen Mun and Tai Po had readings of 10 – the second-highest level on the index – meaning that the amounts of nitrogen dioxide and ozone recorded there were higher than normal. Other stations, with the exception of Tap Mun, had readings of 8 or 9, meaning there... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2160882/amber-rainstorm-warning-issued-hong-kong-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2160882/amber-rainstorm-warning-issued-hong-kong-city?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Aug 2018 11:19:05 +0000 The tragedy of an Indonesian domestic helper being killed by a fallen decaying tree branch has again reminded Hong Kong of its long-running shortcomings in tree management, local experts said on Wednesday. Ken So Kwok-yin, chief executive of the Conservancy Association, an NGO involved in environmental issues, suggested improper pruning could have caused the snapping of the branch from the Indian rubber tree. Veteran landscape architect Patrick Lau Hing-tat said a lack of resources and an... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2160780/improper-pruning-behind-decaying-tree-branch-killed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2160780/improper-pruning-behind-decaying-tree-branch-killed?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Aug 2018 04:20:59 +0000 A green group has called on local running event organisers to push forward more initiatives to reduce waste and build the city into a “green events capital”, as its research shows more than half of the rubbish thrown away at races was recyclable. Out of the 15 races Green Earth monitored between last October and December, 80 per cent offered plastic bottles of water to participants while only 40 per cent had water refill services. The group also revealed that more than half of the rubbish thrown... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2160539/green-group-urges-hong-kong-race-organisers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2160539/green-group-urges-hong-kong-race-organisers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Aug 2018 10:24:37 +0000 For two nights, retiree May Chan slept outside the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai to make sure she could be among the first to enter the annual Food Expo on Thursday morning. The 75-year-old was amply rewarded. She took part in a game similar to curling – where players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area – but using suitcases filled with boxes of the Chinese delicacy abalone, and her team of five won. So Chan brought home 26 boxes of abalone – worth... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2159993/hong-kong-food-expo-worth-wait-retiree-after-she-bagged?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2159993/hong-kong-food-expo-worth-wait-retiree-after-she-bagged?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Aug 2018 07:15:30 +0000 There has a been a significant drop in the happiness of nine-year-olds in Hong Kong, a study has found, with one expert questioning whether parents are applying academic pressure at a younger age than before. The Hong Kong Children Happiness Index for the 2017/18 academic year showed a drop of nearly 5 per cent year on year among pupils in Primary Four, the biggest drop of all age groups surveyed. Professor Ho Lok-sang, director of the Polling and Public Opinion Centre at Chu Hai College of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2159908/hong-kong-nine-year-olds-are-getting-less-happy-study?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2159908/hong-kong-nine-year-olds-are-getting-less-happy-study?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Aug 2018 01:01:19 +0000 Fish samples sold at four A S Watson supermarkets across Hong Kong were found to contain cancer-causing chemicals, with the levels in one batch exceeding European Union food safety standards by more than 2.5 times, according to a green group on Tuesday. The findings by WWF-Hong Kong were part of a survey that involved 36 randomly selected samples of basa, mandarin fish and Japanese eel in 23 outlets across supermarket groups – A S Watson, China Resources Vanguard and Moretide Investments. Five... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2159709/fish-samples-four-s-watson-supermarkets-found?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2159709/fish-samples-four-s-watson-supermarkets-found?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Aug 2018 12:45:45 +0000 Scores of celebrities and fans bid farewell to Canto-pop singer Ellen Joyce Loo on Tuesday as a funeral service was held for the star, who died earlier this month. Fellow local Canto-pop stars Denise Ho Wan-sze, Joey Yung Cho-yee, Miriam Yeung Chin-wah and Kay Tse On-kei were among those paying their last respects at the Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point. Ho and music industry veteran Anthony Wong Yiu-ming served as pallbearers for the service, which was also attended by lawmaker and LGBT... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2159609/hong-kong-stars-and-fans-bid-final-farewell-late-canto-pop?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2159609/hong-kong-stars-and-fans-bid-final-farewell-late-canto-pop?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Aug 2018 05:45:45 +0000 A pro-establishment Tuen Mun district councillor has lashed out at Hong Kong’s embattled rail operator for hiding details of sinking ground surfaces at six light rail stations in the area, calling it a “subsidence on public confidence”. Of the 64 sites that the MTR Corporation recently revealed were being monitored for sinking issues, six of the eight light rail stops were in Tuen Mun. Tuen Mun Swimming Pool light rail stop fared the worst, with 17mm of subsidence detected – only 3mm below the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2159439/mtr-sinking-issues-subsidence-public-confidence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2159439/mtr-sinking-issues-subsidence-public-confidence?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Aug 2018 08:01:21 +0000 Hong Kong’s economic health surged 3.5 per cent in the second quarter of 2018 amid buoyant consumption and robust stock and property markets, but prospects are clouded by the escalating US-China trade war. The solid performance brought gross domestic product (GDP) to 4 per cent growth in the first half of 2018, the government said on Friday. The most recent figures followed 4.6 per cent growth in the first quarter – Hong Kong’s strongest in almost a decade. The government’s full-year forecast... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2159175/hong-kong-gdp-records-35-cent-growth-second-quarter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2159175/hong-kong-gdp-records-35-cent-growth-second-quarter?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Aug 2018 09:00:30 +0000 A Hong Kong university has launched Asia’s first research and transplant centre to use gut microbes from the faeces of healthy people to cure others of intestinal problems, and is now studying whether the method can be applied to managing diabetes and obesity. Professor Ng Siew-chien, from Chinese University’s department of medicine and therapeutics, said previous studies had revealed the diversity and differences in intestinal bacteria of obese people and those of a healthy weight. For example,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2159030/why-microbes-your-poo-could-one-day-help-people?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2159030/why-microbes-your-poo-could-one-day-help-people?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Aug 2018 11:15:30 +0000 Parents with special-needs children are under tremendous emotional and mental strain but have much fewer outlets for help, according to an advocacy group calling for more government resources to fill the gap. A study conducted by the Special Educational Needs (SEN) Rights Association’s earlier this year found only one-third – or 69 – of 219 welfare centres across the city offer help to parents with special-needs children, such as support groups, talks and outdoor activities. “A previous study... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2158852/study-highlights-extreme-stress-levels-and-lack-support?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2158852/study-highlights-extreme-stress-levels-and-lack-support?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Aug 2018 11:59:39 +0000 Young women are more likely to feel dissatisfied with their body based on the influence of friends and social media rather than health, compared with those aged between 25 and 34, a survey has found. About 10 per cent of women in the 16 to 24 age group attributed their negative feelings to social media, while 31 per cent said it was due to friends and 28 per cent pointed to health. For older women, only 5 per cent cited social media, 18 per cent said friends and 40 per cent named health as an... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2158701/why-social-media-and-selfies-are-filling-hong-kongs-young?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2158701/why-social-media-and-selfies-are-filling-hong-kongs-young?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Aug 2018 00:15:15 +0000 A patient support group in Hong Kong has initiated a crowdfunding initiative to help cancer patients who fall outside the government’s medical safety net seek support from the public. Cancerinformation.com.hk Charity Foundation aims to lighten the financial burden on sufferers who are ineligible for local assistance programmes. Those who fall into this group include middle-class cancer patients and those using drugs not covered by government subsidies. Alan Ng Wai-lun, the foundation’s founder,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2158522/hong-kong-cancer-patients-who-dont-qualify?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2158522/hong-kong-cancer-patients-who-dont-qualify?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Aug 2018 00:32:48 +0000 Hannah Tam Wan-ching’s eyes lit up as a three-year-old watching her older brother taking lessons in the violin, according to her mother. Fast forward 10 years and Hannah has become the youngest student worldwide admitted this year to the renowned Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, which has groomed a number of top musicians including cellist Lynn Harrell, pianist Lang Lang and violinist Ray Chen. “I have always liked playing the violin. Since I was nine or 10 years old, I started... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2158346/jockey-club-scholarships-hit-right-notes-hong-kong-child?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2158346/jockey-club-scholarships-hit-right-notes-hong-kong-child?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Aug 2018 00:31:17 +0000 Children who attend full-day ­kindergartens are not smarter or more well-adjusted than those who are in half-day programmes, but parents still believe it is better to spend a longer time in school, a University of Hong Kong study has found. Researchers randomly selected 346 children, both boys and girls attending full- or half-day ­sessions at 15 kindergartens across the city and assessed them from 2015 to last year. They found no significant ­difference in terms of the ­children’s language,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2157879/full-day-kindergartens-do-not-make-kids-smarter-those-half?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2157879/full-day-kindergartens-do-not-make-kids-smarter-those-half?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Aug 2018 00:30:41 +0000 Bargain hunters will be offered the chance to snap up products for just HK$1 when Hong Kong’s annual Food Expo opens later this month, while one exhibitor will be giving away abalone worth up to HK$100,000 (US$12,740). The seafood delicacy will be among prizes ranging from tea to mooncake up for grabs in games costing early arrivers just a dollar to enter. The 29th edition of the event is set to serve up a record 1,560 exhibitors from more than 20 countries when it kicks off on August 16 at the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2157696/hong-kongs-29th-food-expo-serve-hk1-games-record?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2157696/hong-kongs-29th-food-expo-serve-hk1-games-record?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Aug 2018 01:01:45 +0000 If you’re one of those Hong Kong drivers who tend to stop where they shouldn’t, you might want to think again from Wednesday. A six-month citywide trial of video cameras at traffic black spots is set to go live from August 1 to help police gather evidence against those who commit offences that cause congestion. Video recording devices will be installed at different locations at least once a week, but the force would not say how many spots would be involved or how long each was to be... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-law-and-crime/article/2157645/watch-out-hong-kong-drivers-cameras-will-be?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-law-and-crime/article/2157645/watch-out-hong-kong-drivers-cameras-will-be?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Jul 2018 09:07:21 +0000 Top Hong Kong officials were among those who paid their respects at a vigil for revered feng shui master Choi Park-lai on Monday night, with business heavyweights and local governments in mainland China sending wreaths and condolences. Choi died peacefully at the age of 96 last Thursday, surrounded by his family at the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital. His family said he died of an illness but did not give details. The author of the Choi Gen Po Tong Chinese Almanac, or “Tung Shing” in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2157535/respects-paid-hong-kongs-revered-feng-shui-master-choi-park?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2157535/respects-paid-hong-kongs-revered-feng-shui-master-choi-park?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Jul 2018 15:08:32 +0000 The nascent recovery in Hong Kong’s retail sector is coming under pressure from a depreciating mainland Chinese currency, with shoppers from across the border expressing more caution about spending in the city as they get less bang for their buck. Visiting shoppers the Post spoke to said the recent weakness in the yuan amid China’s escalating trade war with America had eroded their buying power in the tax-free city. The Hong Kong dollar is pegged to the greenback. Analysts warned that the yuan,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2157273/hong-kongs-retail-recovery-threat-mainland-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2157273/hong-kongs-retail-recovery-threat-mainland-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Jul 2018 04:01:28 +0000 Hong Kong’s premier animation and games fair kicked off on Friday complete with the unprecedented use of facial recognition technology to combat ticket touts – and visitors were largely impressed with the new system. More than 100 fans were seen queuing outside the venue in Wan Chai several hours before the annual Ani-Com and Games showcase opened its doors at 10am. Organisers earlier said attendees buying “early-bird” tickets for the five-day event would need to queue up days in advance to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2157205/hong-kong-ani-com-fair-opens-unprecedented-anti?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2157205/hong-kong-ani-com-fair-opens-unprecedented-anti?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Jul 2018 10:25:21 +0000 The annual week-long Hong Kong Book Fair drew a record 1.04 million visitors up to its last day on Tuesday, but average spending among visitors declined for the second year in a row. Attendance for the event, one of the world’s largest, was up from last year’s figure of almost 1 million. But the average expenditure of shoppers was HK$810 (US$100) this year, compared with HK$812 in 2017 – when the event was cut short by six hours because of Tropical Storm Roke – and HK$902 in 2016. Publishers to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2156692/hong-kong-book-fair-draws-record-104-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2156692/hong-kong-book-fair-draws-record-104-million?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Jul 2018 00:03:42 +0000 The organisation tasked with tackling urban decay in Hong Kong was assured by the city’s finance chief on Tuesday that officials would offer greater financial support if the body took a bigger role in providing subsidised homes. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po made the pledge as the Urban Renewal Authority’s board endorsed a proposal from the city’s leader last month to use one of its properties for a “starter homes” pilot project – a subsidised flats scheme dedicated to fulfilling the home... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2156690/hong-kong-government-pledges-more-support-urban-renewal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2156690/hong-kong-government-pledges-more-support-urban-renewal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Jul 2018 12:53:03 +0000 The annual Hong Kong Book Fair, one of the world’s largest, this year recorded stronger sales but visitors can still enjoy discounts of up to 50 per cent on Tuesday as the event comes to a close. Seven publishers under Sino United Publishing – controlled by Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong – said they expected a growth in sales of just under 10 per cent from 2016, according to group general manager Terence Leung Wing-chung. Last year’s event was cut short by six hours as Tropical Storm Roke... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2156511/publishers-dish-out-discounts-50-cent-last-day-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2156511/publishers-dish-out-discounts-50-cent-last-day-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Jul 2018 01:00:57 +0000 A tent, a yoga mat and two portable power banks to charge a phone – that is the essential kit for enthusiasts queuing for up to two days for tickets to Hong Kong’s annual extravaganza of cosplay, comics and video games. “I am planning to spend around HK$3,000 to HK$4,000 (US$510). I want the limited edition Iron Man figure,” said Ben Ho, a student, who had been in the line outside MacPherson Stadium in Mong Kok since 6am on Saturday. Ho and his friends were among those at the front of a queue... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2156441/hoping-limited-edition-iron-man-figure-cosplay-and-comic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2156441/hoping-limited-edition-iron-man-figure-cosplay-and-comic?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Jul 2018 07:00:15 +0000 Ani-com returns to Hong Kong next week with its first e-sports carnival, and a new queuing system involving facial recognition technology organisers hope will put a dent in the activities of the city’s ticket touts. Leung Chung-poon, the Animation, Comics, and Games Expo chief executive, said the unprecedented move was in response to queue jumping and the scalpers who had plagued the event in previous years. This year, fans wanting to get their hands on the limited edition collectibles often up... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2156050/ani-com-ups-ante-battle-hong-kongs-ticket-touts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2156050/ani-com-ups-ante-battle-hong-kongs-ticket-touts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Jul 2018 01:00:00 +0000 More than 100 book lovers stood in line under gloomy skies – some of them queuing overnight – to grab the best deals at the Hong Kong Book Fair when it opened at 10am on Wednesday. Among them was Shadow To, who arrived outside the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai at 10pm on Tuesday. To, who is in his 30s, said he was prepared to spend HK$1,000 (US$127) and was gunning for an autographed title by his favourite local novelist, Lam Wing-sum. “I can get her signed book only at... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2155781/readers-and-fans-brave-gloomy-skies-snag-deals-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2155781/readers-and-fans-brave-gloomy-skies-snag-deals-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Jul 2018 05:46:04 +0000 More than 5,800 cyclists will take part in races along Hong Kong’s harbourfront in October, as 11 internationally renowned teams face off in a special one-day finale of a global road race series. The Hong Kong Cyclothon, organised by the Tourism Board and sponsored by Sun Hung Kai Properties, will return to the city for its fourth year on October 14. The races will range from the intensive 50km and 30km rides to the leisurely family fun ride and rides for young people. This year’s showpiece... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2155700/hong-kong-cyclothon-returns-fourth-year-complete-final?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2155700/hong-kong-cyclothon-returns-fourth-year-complete-final?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Jul 2018 12:13:24 +0000 As local fans bid farewell to a month of World Cup soccer, the city’s malls, bars and restaurants are celebrating a boost in business from the tournament worth hundreds of millions of Hong Kong dollars. Shopping centres on Monday reported a significant spike in the number of customers compared with a normal summer, and catering industry representatives estimated a HK$400 million to HK$500 million (US$51 million to US$64 million) windfall had come the way of restaurants, tea cafes and pubs. Many... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2155508/hong-kongs-bars-restaurants-and-malls-count-their?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2155508/hong-kongs-bars-restaurants-and-malls-count-their?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Jul 2018 11:00:45 +0000 Frenchwoman Fanny Riou had bought face paint and plastic sunglasses in the red, white and blue of her national flag, and on Saturday was eagerly awaiting the World Cup final between her team and Croatia the following night. Riou, 30, who works for a travel agency, planned to watch with 800 fellow France fans on the big screen in the grand ballroom of the Kerry Hotel in Kowloon, at an event organised by the Union of French Expats (UFE). “This is a great opportunity for the country to gather... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2155281/fifa-world-cup-france-and-croatia-fans-gear-watch-moscow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2155281/fifa-world-cup-france-and-croatia-fans-gear-watch-moscow?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Jul 2018 03:30:45 +0000 At least 17 per cent of educators at Hong Kong’s 844 public primary and secondary schools are on annual contracts earning less than permanent staff even when they have similar qualifications, and this is affecting both their morale and their ability to nurture pupils, the Professional Teachers’ Union has found. The lack of job security has led to 31 per cent of teachers and close to half of teaching assistants surveyed saying they had considered leaving the education industry. Severe lack of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2155058/hong-kong-public-school-teaching-staff-short-term-contracts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2155058/hong-kong-public-school-teaching-staff-short-term-contracts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Jul 2018 01:01:38 +0000 The curtain will finally fall on buskers in one of Hong Kong’s busiest shopping areas on July 29, after 18 years of raucous entertainment. The government announced the deadline on Wednesday for the closure of the Mong Kok pedestrian zone along Sai Yeung Choi Street South. The road will be open to traffic around the clock from the following day. The Transport Department said 97 per cent of local residents and shopkeepers supported the move in a recent consultation exercise. The figure was... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2154879/18-years-raucous-hong-kong-street-entertainment-end-july-29?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2154879/18-years-raucous-hong-kong-street-entertainment-end-july-29?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Jul 2018 14:46:33 +0000 After the city’s Primary 6 pupils found out which secondary schools they had been assigned to on Tuesday morning, the Au family dashed to four schools in different parts of Hong Kong to ask for a place for their daughter. Au Kin-wah said the 12-year-old had burst into tears when she learned she had been assigned to Ho Tung Secondary School, her fifth choice. So, armed with the girl’s academic performance reports, the accountant went to True Light Middle School in Wan Chai to see if there were... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2154675/hong-kong-pupils-given-harsh-life-lesson-value-hard-work?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2154675/hong-kong-pupils-given-harsh-life-lesson-value-hard-work?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Jul 2018 11:18:36 +0000 Lowering the English and Chinese language requirements for entry into Hong Kong universities will make graduates less competitive in the jobs market, especially compared to international jobseekers, recruiters warned on Monday. Lancy Chui Yuk-shan, a headhunter for the Greater China region, said many employers prefer hiring candidates with better language skills and jobseekers could use these to set themselves apart from others. Hong Kong teen’s dreams of being a doctor dashed by education... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2154506/hong-kong-graduates-could-struggle-find-work-if-university?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2154506/hong-kong-graduates-could-struggle-find-work-if-university?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Jul 2018 00:31:46 +0000 Local school leavers have beaten last year’s initial count of top scorers in the International Baccalaureate exams with 38 of them getting full marks for the May papers. The number of students with top marks, released on Friday, was up on last year’s total of 33. But last year’s increased to 40 after re-marking. Diocesan Boys’ School had seven top scorers – a record for the Mong Kok institution. Two students from Victoria Shanghai Academy and one from Canadian International School, both in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2154084/hong-kong-schools-get-international-baccalaureate-results?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2154084/hong-kong-schools-get-international-baccalaureate-results?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Jul 2018 08:15:30 +0000 About 70 per cent of Hongkongers have never paid for something using their smartphone, and more than 50 per cent said they would not do so, a new survey revealed on Wednesday. While Hong Kong’s consumers lag behind shoppers in other markets using smart payment systems, officials are predicting a largely digital future for the city. The survey conducted by the Hong Kong Productivity Council found that only 29 per cent of respondents had used a mobile payment system, and 57 per cent said they... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2153788/hongkongers-still-not-convinced-smart-payment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2153788/hongkongers-still-not-convinced-smart-payment?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Jul 2018 01:00:36 +0000 More tourists in Hong Kong are bringing illegal extendable batons, having bought them from countries in the region where they are affordable and easily found, airport police have said. In the first five months of 2018, 76 travellers were caught with the batons – cylindrical clubs made of different materials that are typically used by law enforcement officers. That compares with 89 cases for the whole of last year. In Hong Kong, extendable batons are deemed a restricted item under the Aviation... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-law-and-crime/article/2153424/more-tourists-hong-kong-bringing-illegal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-law-and-crime/article/2153424/more-tourists-hong-kong-bringing-illegal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Jul 2018 00:03:28 +0000 Thousands of Hong Kong residents, mainland visitors, and military enthusiasts flocked to two military bases in the city on Saturday as the People’s Liberation Army opened its camps to the public once again. About 22,000 visitors visited the barracks in Shek Kong and San Wai, while another 15,000 were expected to visit Ngong Shuen Chau naval base, on Stonecutters Island, on Sunday. The military sites are opened every year in celebration of Hong Kong’s return to China in 1997, giving the public... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2153235/thousands-flock-hong-kongs-military-bases-behind-scenes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2153235/thousands-flock-hong-kongs-military-bases-behind-scenes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Jun 2018 10:21:38 +0000 A unique project has been helping solve the city’s food waste one meal at a time. According to the charity Feeding Hong Kong, 3,400 tonnes of food are thrown out every day in the city. But what if instead of throwing leftovers into the bin, you could trade them in for a delicious meal? That is the idea behind XCHANGE: Social Gastronomy, a project that is attempting to raise awareness about “green living” and preventing food surplus from becoming waste through a series of initiatives. Single... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2153150/hong-kong-restaurant-asks-you-bring-food-and-they-cook-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2153150/hong-kong-restaurant-asks-you-bring-food-and-they-cook-it?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Jun 2018 04:03:44 +0000 A school bell rings, and a team of four young green pioneers are geared up for their mission. They carry their tools – bucket, shovels, two bags of sawdust – and march to different classrooms of Lui Cheung Kwong Lutheran Primary School, in Tuen Mun. They are collecting lunch leftovers. “When I first started, I didn’t want this job,” says one of the pupils, Sam Chow Ho-san. “The bag was just too smelly.” The dust is full of various effective microorganisms, like bacteria and fungi, which help... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2152035/matter-waste-hong-kong-pupils-making-compost-their?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2152035/matter-waste-hong-kong-pupils-making-compost-their?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Jun 2018 05:31:12 +0000 Sitting comfortably on a bamboo chair on the rooftop of a tenement house, Lei Vai-leong, 58, gazed at his hand-picked pictures and hats lining the wall, as well as books on a shelf he installed. Well-appointed as his little corner is, it and dozens of old blocks in his Kowloon City neighbourhood will have to make way for a new development. To Kwa Wan flats could go on sale below market rate in urban renewal scheme The Urban Renewal Authority announced on Friday that about 32,500 sq ft between... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2152086/latest-hong-kong-urban-renewal-push-dozens-blocks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2152086/latest-hong-kong-urban-renewal-push-dozens-blocks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Jun 2018 11:15:00 +0000 An expert in suicide prevention urged Hongkongers not to simplify the reasons for someone seeking to end their own life, as a recent triple homicide shocked the city and threw the spotlight on eczema, a painful skin condition suffered by one of the victims. On Monday, a couple and their 23-year-old daughter were found dead in their New Territories home. The parents had stab wounds on their bodies. The young woman, who had a plastic bag connected to a gas cannister over her head, had left a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2151704/one-10-patients-serious-eczema-show-signs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2151704/one-10-patients-serious-eczema-show-signs?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Jun 2018 01:30:00 +0000 Hong Kong banking authorities on Tuesday promised to streamline application procedures for the movie industry to use fake banknotes in films, industry representatives said, after anger over the recent conviction of two prop men for possession of counterfeit cash. The pledge by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the city’s de facto central bank, came in a meeting with six industry groups in which officials also said they would provide clearer guidelines for filmmakers to navigate red... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-law-and-crime/article/2151514/hong-kong-film-industrys-fake-money-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-law-and-crime/article/2151514/hong-kong-film-industrys-fake-money-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Jun 2018 12:30:45 +0000 Revellers and rowers gathered at waterways across Hong Kong on Monday morning to soak in the fun and festivities of the Dragon Boat festival. Amid mild and slightly breezy weather, boat races took place at locations such as Sha Tin, Tuen Mun, Cheung Chau, Tai Po, Stanley, Aberdeen and Sai Kung as part of a ritual that has roots stretching back more than 2,000 years. “The weather was good, and the water peaceful,” said Clarence Lee Yui-cheung, chairman of the Hong Kong Fireman Services Dragon... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2151239/hong-kong-celebrates-dragon-boat-festival-rowing-rituals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2151239/hong-kong-celebrates-dragon-boat-festival-rowing-rituals?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Jun 2018 04:30:00 +0000 Groups across the political spectrum in Hong Kong slammed two franchised bus operators on Friday and accused them of increasing the burden on the public by pushing for a 12 per cent fare rise. While it has been 10 years since the last fare increase by Citybus and New World First Bus, lawmakers said the current proposed percentage was too much. The bus companies, both owned by NWS Holdings, said they had seen revenues drop significantly owing to competition from the MTR’s Island Line extension... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2151084/hong-kong-lawmakers-slam-bus-operators-citybus-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2151084/hong-kong-lawmakers-slam-bus-operators-citybus-and?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Jun 2018 22:33:42 +0000 Hong Kong was gripped by World Cup fever on Thursday as fans poured into restaurants, pubs and shopping centres for the start of the 2018 tournament in Russia. Businesses in entertainment areas such as Lan Kwai Fong, Wan Chai, and Tsim Sha Tsui, along with the city’s major shopping malls have prepared for the month-long festival of soccer, displaying the national flags of the 32 countries taking part, and LED screens as tall as double-decker buses erected for the occasion. With the Fifa... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2150867/hong-kong-gripped-2018-world-cup-fever-start?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2150867/hong-kong-gripped-2018-world-cup-fever-start?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Jun 2018 13:40:18 +0000