https://www.scmp.com/rss/506788/feed Nadia Lam joined the Post in 2020 after graduating with a degree in journalism. She is currently a reporter on the City desk. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com The death of Queen Elizabeth and the thousands of people who queued for hours in scorching temperatures to pay tribute to her at the British Consulate in Hong Kong has reignited calls for the city to step up its “decolonisation” effort, with a lawmaker arguing it should begin with the city’s statute books. Legislator Maggie Chan Man-ki said the city should remove historical terms from the law books as a first step. Chan, a lawyer and also a delegate to the national legislature, said the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3194807/hong-kongs-mourning-queen-elizabeth-sparks-new-calls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3194807/hong-kongs-mourning-queen-elizabeth-sparks-new-calls?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Oct 2022 11:30:42 +0000 Around half of food delivery couriers from ethnic minority groups have said they experienced discrimination while working in Hong Kong, a poll has found, with one respondent telling the survey he was described as “dirty” and a cause of diseases. The study, which was released by Lingnan University on Friday, interviewed 106 food delivery workers. Some 89 per cent of respondents were from ethnic minority groups, with 50 per cent saying they had encountered discrimination. Most were of Pakistani or... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3194463/half-food-couriers-ethnic-minority-groups-experience?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3194463/half-food-couriers-ethnic-minority-groups-experience?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Sep 2022 12:12:33 +0000 Hong Kong’s leader has pledged to further increase inspections at childcare homes after abuse cases were reported at both of the only two facilities for those below three years old, with the latest arrest taking place on Monday. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Tuesday said he would ask the Labour and Welfare Bureau to look into strengthening the government’s overall inspection and supervision capabilities on such residential homes on top of carrying out legal amendments. “We [take] child... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3194010/hong-kongs-leader-pledges-further-increase-inspections?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3194010/hong-kongs-leader-pledges-further-increase-inspections?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Sep 2022 11:47:56 +0000 Hong Kong’s plans to further ease coronavirus travel curbs could be derailed if there is widespread breaching of regulations and a resurgence in infections, the city’s leader has warned amid mounting calls to end all restrictions to revive the economy. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu struck a cautionary note on Tuesday and urged local businesses to be patient in reaping economic benefits as it was only the second day under a new arrangement that no longer required overseas arrivals to serve... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3193926/coronavirus-rule-breaches-infection-rebound-could?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3193926/coronavirus-rule-breaches-infection-rebound-could?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Sep 2022 04:34:35 +0000 Hong Kong police will deploy a large number of officers to ensure public safety on National Day next week, the head of the force has said, while revealing a counterterrorism hotline has received more than 6,300 messages since it launched in June. Despite the number of tips, the risk of terrorism in the city remained stable, Police Commissioner Raymond Siu Chak-yee on Saturday said. “Hong Kong’s terrorism risk is maintained at medium because so far we haven’t received any intelligence that Hong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3193691/hong-kong-police-deploy-large-number-officers-national?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3193691/hong-kong-police-deploy-large-number-officers-national?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Sep 2022 09:31:48 +0000 Hong Kong can consider scrapping all isolation requirements for inbound travellers in the next few weeks if the number of imported coronavirus cases remains stable and local ones are kept contained, infectious disease experts have suggested. Health authorities admitted on Saturday the city would likely need to accept living with the virus, saying it was difficult to eliminate entirely from the community. But Professor Ivan Hung Fan-ngai, a government pandemic adviser from the University of Hong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3193680/coronavirus-hong-kong-could-scrap-all-travel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3193680/coronavirus-hong-kong-could-scrap-all-travel?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Sep 2022 06:00:10 +0000 Hong Kong hotels have not enjoyed any immediate surge in bookings after the government announced it will end mandatory quarantine for overseas arrivals, operators say, while some industry leaders have expressed pessimism over any potential boom in business. Industry leaders welcomed the move revealed on Friday, calling it “a leap forward”, but some urged authorities to remove all travel restrictions to make the city more attractive to tourists. Arrivals from overseas and Taiwan are currently... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3193652/halfway-plan-no-surge-bookings-hong-kong-hotels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3193652/halfway-plan-no-surge-bookings-hong-kong-hotels?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Sep 2022 02:00:23 +0000 Hong Kong’s leader has urged journalists to stay away from “camouflaged media” and bad apples in the industry that have carried out illegal acts while reminding them to tell the city’s stories well. While stressing press freedom was protected under the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said “no one is above the law”. “Journalists are responsible for reporting the truth in an objective, fair and impartial manner,” Lee said at a reception organised by the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3193453/hong-kongs-leader-urges-journalists-stay-away-camouflaged?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3193453/hong-kongs-leader-urges-journalists-stay-away-camouflaged?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Sep 2022 12:44:48 +0000 Hong Kong police have seized more than HK$194 million (US$25 million) of cannabis and Ice in one of the biggest drug busts in the city’s history. The force said it had confiscated more than 900kg (1,985lbs) of cannabis buds, one of the biggest hauls of the drug ever made, 1kg of Ice – crystal meth – and arrested two men. The drugs were found in three industrial buildings on Friday and the weight of cannabis buds exceeded the amount impounded by all law enforcement departments between January and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3192907/hong-kong-police-make-one-citys-biggest-cannabis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3192907/hong-kong-police-make-one-citys-biggest-cannabis?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Sep 2022 05:51:56 +0000 Hongkongers planning to set up trade unions will be required to sign a declaration pledging they will not threaten national security as authorities step up surveillance of labour groups, many of which have sided with the opposition camp in the past. Union founders would need to confirm the objectives of their groups are lawful and the bodies will not engage in any activities that could endanger national security or contravene any other law, the government said on Friday. Currently, a new... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3192818/founders-new-trade-unions-sign-declaration-pledging-not?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3192818/founders-new-trade-unions-sign-declaration-pledging-not?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Sep 2022 13:45:47 +0000 Dicky Chan was delighted when he got the chance to save a life five years ago after doctors discovered he was a one in 10,000 match for a Hong Kong cancer patient in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant. “I was very excited because it’s exceptionally difficult to find a match,” Chan said. “It’s just a simple act of kindness. I could not believe that we were a perfect match based on the small possibility.” Chan, 30, met the stranger whose life he had saved five years after the transplant on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3192653/simple-act-kindness-hong-kong-bone-marrow-donor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3192653/simple-act-kindness-hong-kong-bone-marrow-donor?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Sep 2022 15:56:42 +0000 Hong Kong should consider waiving extra stamp duty on home purchases by mainland Chinese arrivals and other newcomers who have lived in the city for at least three years, while offering cash incentives and subsidies to encourage couples to have babies, a top government adviser has suggested. Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, convenor of the Executive Council, a key decision-making body, on Thursday recommended the government offer a HK$20,000 (US$2,500) “baby bonus” to parents and a HK$50,000 subsidy to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3192641/waive-extra-stamp-duty-home-purchases-and-give-hk50000?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3192641/waive-extra-stamp-duty-home-purchases-and-give-hk50000?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Sep 2022 13:02:18 +0000 Hong Kong will review the criteria for issuing provisional vaccine passes needed to enter most public premises, the Post has learned, after an arrival bragged on social media that she could “go anywhere” despite never having been inoculated against Covid-19. Requiring arrivals to meet the same criteria that residents must to obtain the pass would ensure everyone was treated equally, said Dr Joseph Tsang Kay-yan, co-chairman of the Medical Association’s advisory committee on communicable... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3192389/coronavirus-hong-kong-tighten-rules-issuing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3192389/coronavirus-hong-kong-tighten-rules-issuing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Sep 2022 01:30:20 +0000 Hongkongers could have less time to cast their ballots in future citywide polls after a government watchdog suggested reducing the opening hours at voting stations, citing the limited impact a briefer window had on turnout for last year’s Election Committee selection process. But a political analyst on Tuesday warned that the recommendation from the Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) could end up depriving some residents of their right to vote, explaining Hong Kong’s various polls had different... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3192377/hong-kong-watchdog-suggests-reduced-voting-hours-citys?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3192377/hong-kong-watchdog-suggests-reduced-voting-hours-citys?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Sep 2022 12:57:01 +0000 Hong Kong’s leader has vowed to host a “successful financial summit” for finance and tech experts in November amid stringent quarantine rules and despite the event coinciding with a mega fintech gathering in Singapore. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Tuesday said guests were keen to attend Hong Kong international events slated for the start of November, although he stressed the city would still have to strike a balance between its Covid-19 policy and the need to boost competitiveness. “When... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3192283/coronavirus-hong-kong-leader-dismisses-talk-banking-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3192283/coronavirus-hong-kong-leader-dismisses-talk-banking-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Sep 2022 03:54:19 +0000 Top officials, political heavyweights and senior officers from the disciplined services paid their last respects on Monday at the funeral of Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong, Hong Kong’s longest-serving security chief. Lee, who served as secretary for security from 2003 to 2012 and steered the government’s response to chaotic protests at a trade summit and a deadly hostage crisis involving residents visiting the Philippines, died in his sleep on August 14, aged 73. According to the memorial booklet, he... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3192190/top-hong-kong-officials-politicians-pay-last-respects?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3192190/top-hong-kong-officials-politicians-pay-last-respects?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Sep 2022 05:42:59 +0000 Women holding top jobs in Hong Kong were not only paid considerably less than their male counterparts over the past five years, but the gap also widened, according to official data. At the same time, the picture improved for the rest of the workforce, with the difference narrowing overall between what women and men were paid since 2017. Women in managerial positions earned HK$9,800 (US$1,248) less each month than men of the same rank – nearly a fifth less – for the three months from April to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3192092/workplace-disparity-widens-women-holding-top-jobs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3192092/workplace-disparity-widens-women-holding-top-jobs?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Sep 2022 01:00:42 +0000 A teenager in Hong Kong who claims to experience gender dysphoria has not ruled out taking legal action against her school’s long hair ban for male students, after finding the first conciliation session arranged by the city’s equality watchdog “unsatisfactory”. Nathan Lam Chak-chun, who prefers to be referred to using the “she” and “her” pronouns, attended a two-hour mediation meeting with the principal of Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Wong Fut Nam College in Kowloon Tong on Thursday. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3191861/hong-kong-teen-challenging-school-ban-long-hair-boys-could?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3191861/hong-kong-teen-challenging-school-ban-long-hair-boys-could?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Sep 2022 13:12:59 +0000 An air-conditioning engineer who ran a Telegram channel for protesters has pleaded guilty to inciting violence during the 2019 social unrest in Hong Kong. Hui Chi-kit, 30, appeared before the District Court on Wednesday to face charges relating to his role as the administrator of the “engineernoextradition” channel on the messaging platform between July 2019 and May 2020. Following a plea bargain, prosecutors chose to pursue only two of five charges – inciting others to commit to causing... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3191657/hong-kong-protests-telegram-channel-administrator?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3191657/hong-kong-protests-telegram-channel-administrator?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Sep 2022 08:26:11 +0000 Hong Kong’s leader has pledged to speed up work on a bill that will punish child care professionals who fail to report suspected abuse of a minor, after a woman was charged with the murder of her five-year-old son over the weekend. A consultation paper released by the government on Tuesday offered new details about the proposed law, including how authorities intended to categorise abuse cases and the maximum penalty offenders would face, which was currently suggested as three months in jail and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3191505/hong-kong-speed-work-bill-covering-failure-report-suspected?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3191505/hong-kong-speed-work-bill-covering-failure-report-suspected?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Sep 2022 06:21:27 +0000 A further relaxation of Hong Kong travel restrictions topped a wish list from Malaysian-Chinese and Vietnamese-Chinese businessmen, representatives of the city’s biggest Beijing loyalist party on a visit to Asean countries have said. Chan Yung, the vice-chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, who led a delegation to Kuala Lumpur, on Monday said the major business association representing Malaysian-Chinese companies hoped for the lifting of the “3+4” rule... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3191437/relaxation-covid-19-restrictions-tops-chinese-malaysian?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3191437/relaxation-covid-19-restrictions-tops-chinese-malaysian?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Sep 2022 12:24:17 +0000 The condition of a dancer injured at a Mirror concert in Hong Kong has been upgraded from critical to serious, according to the Hospital Authority. But Mo Li Kai-yin remained in an intensive care unit at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, said Larry Lee Lap-yip, a chief manager at the authority. “His condition changed from critical to serious in view of two reasons. One reason is because his vital sign has become stable now and also his respiratory support has been changed – he is not intubated any... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3191377/hong-kong-mirror-accident-injured-dancers-condition-improves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3191377/hong-kong-mirror-accident-injured-dancers-condition-improves?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Sep 2022 08:01:10 +0000 Barring children from public venues if they have not received jabs Covid-19 could harm their long-term development, a Hong Kong concern group has warned, after parents complained about government plans to expand the vaccine pass to everyone aged 5 and above. The Hong Kong Committee on Children’s Rights on Monday said more than 1,600 messages about the change to the vaccine pass had been posted on its Facebook page since Friday, many of them from parents expressing concerns about the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3191355/coronavirus-consider-childrens-growth-concern?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3191355/coronavirus-consider-childrens-growth-concern?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Sep 2022 06:09:30 +0000 Hong Kong health authorities have warned that 70 per cent of public hospital beds reserved for children with Covid-19 are already full, while a government adviser has urged parents to vaccinate their toddlers to cope with a surge in cases. Officials on Friday also said authorities were making good progress on the procurement of a children’s version of the BioNTech vaccine, despite earlier comments from government pandemic adviser Professor Lau Yu-lung that a deal with the manufacturer might not... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3191086/coronavirus-special-biontech-vaccine-children-may?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3191086/coronavirus-special-biontech-vaccine-children-may?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Sep 2022 05:43:58 +0000 Hong Kong’s ombudsman has called on authorities to introduce tougher regulations against those who dump unwanted vehicles on roadsides or in public parking spaces, after finding only eight cases were prosecuted in the past two decades. The government watchdog released the results of its investigation on Thursday, explaining that the problem persisted because authorities had only focused on the removal of the abandoned vehicles instead of holding the owners accountable. “Vehicle owners can... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3191006/hong-kong-ombudsman-calls-tougher-laws-combat-abandoned?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3191006/hong-kong-ombudsman-calls-tougher-laws-combat-abandoned?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Sep 2022 10:21:08 +0000 Chinese Vice-Premier Han Zheng has taken to the international stage to promote Hong Kong’s unique advantages, underscoring the city’s free and open business environment along with its common law system. Addressing an international audience via videoconferencing at a high-powered forum on Wednesday, the top Beijing official overseeing Hong Kong affairs urged the city to take the initiative by promoting more practical cooperation and cultural integration with the outside world, as well as... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3190791/chinese-vice-premier-han-zheng-underscores-beijings-support?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3190791/chinese-vice-premier-han-zheng-underscores-beijings-support?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Aug 2022 04:13:53 +0000 Hong Kong secondary schools will only be allowed to hold full-day classes on campus if 90 per cent of their students have had three Covid-19 shots, with education authorities tightening the existing two-dose rule and demanding the unvaccinated are “actively” approached to get jabs. The same three-jab rule would also apply to secondary and primary school students from October if they hoped to take part in mask-off extracurricular activities, the Education Bureau said in a circular on Tuesday. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3190662/coronavirus-miss-hong-kong-beauty-pageant-hold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3190662/coronavirus-miss-hong-kong-beauty-pageant-hold?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Aug 2022 05:39:43 +0000 At least three Hong Kong lawmakers have given bonuses to their staff within the first month of the Legislative Council’s new term, with some being paid barely weeks after starting work, a Post check on politicians’ expense claims has found. Legislator Ambrose Lam San-keung, who represents the legal constituency, paid bonuses totalling HK$34,000 (US$4,331) to all three of his staffers on January 31, two weeks after they were hired. Fellow lawmaker Holden Chow Ho-ding, vice-chairman of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3190447/hong-kong-lawmakers-reward-staff-bonuses-just-weeks-after?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3190447/hong-kong-lawmakers-reward-staff-bonuses-just-weeks-after?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Aug 2022 02:59:49 +0000 Hong Kong animal rights groups have welcomed the government’s move to tighten anti-cruelty laws, but some say the proposed changes do not go far enough to deter abusers. A bill to amend the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance will go before the Legislative Council later this year, increasing penalties, introducing a new indictable offence and strengthening enforcement powers to prevent pets from suffering physically and mentally. The proposals include imposing a “duty of care” on those... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3190431/more-bite-please-hong-kong-animal-rights-groups-say-new-anti?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3190431/more-bite-please-hong-kong-animal-rights-groups-say-new-anti?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Aug 2022 01:00:31 +0000 Hong Kong’s leader will pursue the reopening of the border with mainland China during an expected visit to Guangdong province next week even though Covid-19 infection numbers have surged with the overall tally breaking through 1.5 million cases. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Saturday said he was very conscious of the need to maintain the city’s connectivity with both the mainland and overseas countries, pointing to his decisions to halt a flight suspension mechanism and shorten the hotel... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3190425/coronavirus-hong-kong-leader-john-lee-pursue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3190425/coronavirus-hong-kong-leader-john-lee-pursue?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Aug 2022 15:20:45 +0000 Hong Kong’s security chief has insisted the city already has “sufficient and robust” legal mechanisms to combat human trafficking, dismissing calls for tougher penalties and enhanced protections for victims scammed into travelling overseas for work or romance. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung on Friday also said authorities had maintained an initial screening measure to identify any potential victims among arrestees such as illegal immigrants or sex workers. “Hong Kong is never an... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3190352/hong-kongs-security-chief-insists-city-has-sufficient-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3190352/hong-kongs-security-chief-insists-city-has-sufficient-and?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Aug 2022 13:17:33 +0000 This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hong Kong has escaped the passage of Severe Tropical Storm Ma-on relatively unscathed, despite the city’s weather forecaster maintaining a No 8 typhoon signal for 14 hours and issuing flood alerts for low-lying areas. The Observatory on Thursday said the weather would remain cloudy and isolated, while squally thunderstorms were expected for Friday as rain... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3190082/storm-ma-hong-kong-downgrade-no-8-typhoon-warning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3190082/storm-ma-hong-kong-downgrade-no-8-typhoon-warning?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Aug 2022 23:30:07 +0000 More than 500 Hong Kong students have registered for a new border channel within a day of its launch, aimed at easing travel to mainland China for the start of the school year amid tough Covid-19 restrictions. A spokeswoman for the Education Bureau said that as of 5pm on Wednesday, 504 students had signed up for the special quota. Some 434 applications, or 86 per cent, involved land crossings and the remaining by air. She said most of the students’ destinations were in Guangdong and Fujian... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3189979/nearly-400-hong-kong-students-register-new-border-channel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3189979/nearly-400-hong-kong-students-register-new-border-channel?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Aug 2022 04:19:59 +0000 Hong Kong prosecutors have cited links between a now-defunct alliance which used to organise the city’s annual Tiananmen Square vigil and six unspecified groups in accusing it of acting as a “foreign agent”. The defence, however, argued that the redaction of some probe materials would affect group members’ right to receive a fair trial. “It will not just affect cross-examination on the spot, but also our own investigation out of the trial itself …. [including] whether we can still have a fair... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3189934/national-security-law-links-6-unspecified-groups-proof?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3189934/national-security-law-links-6-unspecified-groups-proof?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Aug 2022 14:07:06 +0000 Former Hong Kong opposition lawmaker Albert Ho Chun-yan was on Monday released on bail while facing a national security charge laid against him when he was serving time behind bars for unlawful assembly. The 70-year-old, who spent more than 15 months in prison, left the High Court in Admiralty at 5.20pm and entered a private seven-seater vehicle without speaking to the media. He appeared to have lost weight. The former vice-chairman of the now-defunct Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3189703/former-hong-kong-opposition-lawmaker-albert-ho-granted-bail?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3189703/former-hong-kong-opposition-lawmaker-albert-ho-granted-bail?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Aug 2022 02:49:29 +0000 The number of Hongkongers seeking asylum in Britain has fallen, with advocacy groups linking the trend to the extension of a migration scheme allowing young residents to apply on their own to settle there. Latest data from Britain’s Home Office showed only 18 asylum applications by Hongkongers between January and March, half the number in the same period last year. In contrast, the British National (Overseas) visa scheme introduced last year for Hongkongers to move to the UK and eventually apply... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3189661/fewer-hongkongers-seeking-asylum-britain-other-migration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3189661/fewer-hongkongers-seeking-asylum-britain-other-migration?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Aug 2022 01:00:15 +0000 A more contagious coronavirus subvariant may trigger a new infection wave in the winter if it becomes the dominant strain in Hong Kong, health authorities have warned, while the daily number of infections topped 6,000 for three days straight. The Centre for Health Protection said 30.2 per cent of the 6,389 cases recorded on Saturday involved the Omicron BA.5 subvariant, reaching a new high since the strain was first detected in the city last month. BA.2.12.1, another Omicron subvariant,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3189592/coronavirus-hong-kong-has-room-further-ease?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3189592/coronavirus-hong-kong-has-room-further-ease?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Aug 2022 05:01:44 +0000 Hong Kong’s daily coronavirus infection toll has jumped to more than 6,400 as the government announced it would reopen a treatment centre for Covid-19 patients at AsiaWorld-Expo next week amid rising numbers of cases. The city logged 6,445 coronavirus infections on Friday, the highest daily number since the end of March, including 185 cases from abroad, as well as eight more deaths. It was the second day in a row that the city’s infections passed the 6,000 mark. On Thursday, the city recorded... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3189495/coronavirus-steady-rise-number-young-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3189495/coronavirus-steady-rise-number-young-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Aug 2022 08:18:33 +0000 A fatal accident involving the collapse of a motorised metal gate at a government health centre in Hong Kong may have been caused by sensor failure, according to an engineering expert. On Monday night, a gate measuring 4.7 by 2.5 metres (15 by 8 feet) at Yaumatei Maternal and Child Health Centre fell and killed a 43-year-old female security guard named Ngai Yuk-kwan. The case has been classified as an industrial accident and a police investigation is under way. A government spokesman on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3189179/sensor-failure-suspected-cause-collapsed-gate-killed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3189179/sensor-failure-suspected-cause-collapsed-gate-killed?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Aug 2022 05:04:20 +0000 Arrivals in Hong Kong hit a high last Sunday under newly eased quarantine rules, while the city’s daily coronavirus infections on Tuesday exceeded the 5,000 mark for the second time in four days. A total of 7,428 travellers and residents landed at the airport on Sunday, a high compared with previous months, after the new “3+4” quarantine measure came into force on Friday. The policy change cut hotel isolation for arrivals from a week to three days, with the remaining four under home medical... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3189036/quarantine-hotel-rush-hong-kong-arrivals-hit-high?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3189036/quarantine-hotel-rush-hong-kong-arrivals-hit-high?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Aug 2022 04:37:52 +0000 The Immigration Department has condemned a social media post claiming to show a “mysterious envelope” issued by Hong Kong’s pension funds authority to residents leaving the city, saying those who spread the image “desired to see the world plunge into chaos”. The now-removed post on Facebook showed a photo of an envelope purportedly issued by the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA), with a description saying those applying for early withdrawal of their money on the grounds of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3188928/hong-kong-immigration-department-condemns-rumours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3188928/hong-kong-immigration-department-condemns-rumours?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Aug 2022 07:37:38 +0000 Arrivals to Hong Kong may jump as much as 80 per cent following the government’s cut to the hotel quarantine period, the health minister has said, vowing to further adjust travel curbs should the pandemic situation improve. But the pledge by Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau on Saturday came as the city confirmed 5,308 new Covid-19 infections, the most since 5,823 were recorded on April 1. Among the latest cases, 160 were imported, while three more deaths related to the virus were logged. Hong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3188780/coronavirus-hong-kong-arrivals-could-jump-80-cent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3188780/coronavirus-hong-kong-arrivals-could-jump-80-cent?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Aug 2022 06:58:39 +0000 Hong Kong is launching a months-long campaign aiming to “beautify” the city, targeting hundreds of hygiene black spots, forming overnight anti-rodent teams and deploying artificial intelligence to identify dangerous signboards. The scheme is part of the “Hong Kong New Cityscape” clean-up campaign and is in line with Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s election promises, which included setting key performance indicators to improve the city’s liveability. Warner Cheuk Wing-hing, deputy chief... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3188638/rat-attack-new-hong-kong-task-force-launches?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3188638/rat-attack-new-hong-kong-task-force-launches?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Aug 2022 04:45:01 +0000 Some Hong Kong schools are calling for clear guidelines on handling students under home medical surveillance ahead of a new Covid-19 quarantine policy to take effect on Friday. The concern on Wednesday centred on new quarantine rules for overseas arrivals, which will limit the movements of travellers after their three-day hotel isolation. Authorities have not specified how schools and employers should treat students and workers who are among returning travellers assigned an amber health code... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3188382/coronavirus-hong-kong-schools-call-clear?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3188382/coronavirus-hong-kong-schools-call-clear?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Aug 2022 06:42:10 +0000 Hong Kong’s health minister has dismissed fears that the easing of quarantine measures for overseas arrivals will increase Covid-19 transmission risks in the community, but declined to lay down a time frame for the city to fully reopen for travellers. A day after the government announced it was cutting the hotel quarantine period from seven to three days, Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau on Tuesday said officials needed to assess the local epidemic situation and look into relevant data before... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3188261/coronavirus-easing-quarantine-measures-wont?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3188261/coronavirus-easing-quarantine-measures-wont?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Aug 2022 06:30:51 +0000 This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. All typhoon signals were cancelled at 6.20pm on Wednesday as Tropical Storm Mulan moves away from Hong Kong. But the city’s Observatory noted that the outer rain bands associated with Mulan would still bring occasional squally showers. Seas will remain rough with swells and members of the public are advised to stay away from the shoreline and not to engage in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3188221/hong-kong-facing-no-3-typhoon-warning-signal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3188221/hong-kong-facing-no-3-typhoon-warning-signal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Aug 2022 01:02:21 +0000 Hong Kong has identified more than 30 additional imported cases of malaria in one day from a northwestern African country, raising concerns about an increasing strain on public hospitals, but health officials have told residents not to worry about local transmission as the disease is carried by infected mosquitoes. The Hospital Authority on Saturday said there were currently 58 patients hospitalised for the disease, including 56 males and two females aged between 25 and 56. One patient was... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3187979/hong-kong-reports-more-30-imported-malaria-cases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3187979/hong-kong-reports-more-30-imported-malaria-cases?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Aug 2022 14:10:01 +0000 Hong Kong’s security minister has announced the launch of a coronavirus isolation facility with 3,000 units located in the prime Kai Tak development area, with the blocks featuring private toilets, sea views and connecting rooms for families. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung on Saturday posted pictures of the new facility on Facebook, showing off lifts and individual bathrooms for every isolation unit, which are largely unavailable in similar centres across the city. “Residents and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3187968/hong-kong-security-minister-unveils-new-covid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3187968/hong-kong-security-minister-unveils-new-covid?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Aug 2022 10:00:36 +0000 A wire used to suspend a giant screen that crashed on to a stage during a concert of Hong Kong boy band Mirror shows signs of metal fatigue, according to a government task force investigating the accident. The inquiry task force, ordered by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu following the incident at the Hong Kong Coliseum in Hung Hom, met for the second time on Friday. In the accident last week, a four-by-four-metre screen fell on to the stage during the band’s performance, injuring three... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3187802/mirror-concert-accident-hong-kong-boy-band-pulls-out-first?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3187802/mirror-concert-accident-hong-kong-boy-band-pulls-out-first?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Aug 2022 04:43:33 +0000 Health authorities held an emergency meeting on Thursday after determining a 52-year-old man who died during hotel quarantine in Hong Kong was among 30 cases of malaria recently imported from Africa. The Hospital Authority said it had launched an emergency operation centre to deal with the life-threatening infectious disease after meeting medical experts to assess the situation. It was also reviewing contingency measures to cope with possible additional cases, including identifying isolation... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3187758/hong-kong-health-authorities-hold-emergency?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3187758/hong-kong-health-authorities-hold-emergency?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Aug 2022 14:01:42 +0000